CHRISTO JULY/AUGUST 2018 JULY/AUGUST ISSUE 148

THE TRAVEL ISSUE TRAVEL THE

148_COVER_FINAL.indd 1 7/27/18 1:50 PM CONTRIBUTORS Contributors

FRANCISCO NOGUEIRA SARAH KHAN GISELA WILLIAMS Photographer, “Castles Made of Sand” Writer, “Force of Nature” (page 102) and Writer, “Castles Made of Sand” (page 96) (page 96) “Destination: ” (page 59) Where in the world do you wish you were The best view you’ve ever seen? “Seeing The happiest mistake you made while trav- right now? “I am almost always happy to my son Bart being born was the most eling? “Road-tripping through Namibia, be in the place I am at any given moment. TOPS ON TOP memorable thing I’ve ever seen. I got to we were warned to make it to our destina- Currently, that’s on a wooden deck over- photograph it with happy tears. In a few tions by nightfall—the roads are treacher- looking the Baltic Sea on Blidö—one of Cindy Crawford on Silestone® Eternal Marquina weeks I’m having a daughter, so I can’t ous enough by day. Once, we made too thousands of islands that make up the wait for the same spectacular view!” many stops and wound up in complete Swedish Archipelago.” darkness. As we drove along nervously, a Nogueira is a Lisbon-based photographer Gisela Williams has lived in Bali, Bermuda, pair of elephants suddenly appeared in the with a background in architecture, docu- and Brooklyn, before settling down in headlights.” menting the appropriation of space and the Berlin with her husband and three chil- man-made landscape. He has published Sarah Khan has lived in five countries on dren. She covers culture, design, and travel two books about the architectural heritage three continents, and has crisscrossed the as a European correspondent for The New of former Portuguese colonies in Africa: globe to report for The New York Times, York Times T Magazine and Departures, Bijagós: Património Arquitectónico and The Wall Street Journal, Conde Nast and in a monthly column for Elle Decor. As Roças de São Tomé e Príncipe. Traveler, and others.

AART-JAN VENEMA Illustrator, “Force of Nature” (page 102) Your favorite location to sketch? “The best place to sketch is outside in nature, where I can draw what I see or whatever I’m thinking about, without distractions. In the end though, I always end up behind my computer, looking up all kind of reference images for the job.”

Venema is a Dutch illustrator whose work has appeared in the Guardian and The New Yorker. He loves to set a scene with lots of little stories and details for the observant reader to discover. Cicada Books is releasing his first children’s book at the end of 2018. On Top (FROM TOP) An outtake from Francisco Nogueira’s shoot in Comporta, Portugal for “Castles Made of Sand.” A sketch by Aart-Jan OpplevFeel the den new nye Venema for “Force of Nature.” velvetyfløyelsaktige texture Discover more at silestoneusa.com | Follow Us F T ò @CosentinoUSA teksturen

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In the spiritual home The only other place that evokes such Contemporary Culture and Bombay Art visceral emotions is New York. Each Society, stylish emporiums like Nicobar of Bollywood, a swirl of requires endurance to navigate and brain- that always end up forcing me to pony up tradition and innovation numbing mental gymnastics to render baggage fees, and a greater concentration puts the creative capital on palatable; after a few days inhaling the air of restaurants I’d happily board a plane to of either city, devoting the rest of your life revisit than any other city in the world— the cutting edge. to New York traffic or all your income to with homegrown chefs and restaurateurs Mumbai rent—for what in a lesser city like Thomas Zacharias, Zorawar Kalra, BY SARAH KHAN could be mistaken for a gym locker— and Rahul Akerkar and expats like Kelvin might sound like perfectly reasonable Cheung and Alex Sanchez. Mumbai also Some cities are coquettes, slowly seducing propositions. hosts festivals and events catering to every you with new reveals over time. Others I’m hardly the first person to note the conceivable creative interest: The Kala are slaps in the face, leaving you begging similarities between the two, each a hub Ghoda Arts Festival draws thousands for more. Mumbai—or Bombay, as you’ll known for its commerce, media, fash- each February to theater performances, usually hear it called once you arrive—is ion, and design. “A city like Bombay, like gallery openings, and author talks; Lakme unequivocally the latter, a seething mass New York, that is a recent creation and does Fashion Week is where you’ll find of concrete and humanity, perpetually not have a substantial indigenous popula- both up-and-coming and established cou- NEW ROOMS BETTER STORIES hung with sweat. It’s also glamorous and tion, is full of restless people,” Suketu Mehta turiers to the stars on display; the Design addictive, and I can never get enough. wrote in Maximum City: Bombay Lost Fabric Festival, which launched this I fell hard for Mumbai on my first trip and Found, his definitive biography of the March to begin a much-needed conversa- there as an adult, nearly two decades after city. “Those who have come here have not tion on India’s vibrant design vernacular; my last visit to see family. For an avowed been at ease somewhere else.” and St+Art Mumbai Urban Art Festival, Bollywood disciple like myself, watch- When in town, I’m both completely at which brings together global and Indian ing a city immortalized on celluloid come ease, knowing the city is lying in wait at street artists to revamp public spaces. to life has a dissonant quality of nov- my doorstep, yet also restless, afraid of One chef who’s blazed a cross-conti- elty and familiarity. The gentle curve of missing a Mumbai moment—a run-in nental restaurant empire for himself is Marine Drive, the whitewashed churches with a Bollywood star at a hair salon; a Mumbai-born, New York–based chef of , the crumbling mansions of sprint through a thundershower to hop Floyd Cardoz. He opened the peppy , and Indo-Saracenic buildings all into a rickshaw; drinks with friends at Bombay Bread Bar in Manhattan’s SoHo jostle for space against the backdrop of historic members-only clubs unchanged this year, but he spends a significant the Arabian Sea: I knew its motley sky- since their colonial heydays. Traffic not- portion of time going back and forth line intimately even as I took it in properly withstanding, I’m on the go from the sec- to Mumbai, where he’s opened two res- for the first time. I found myself swept up ond I touch down, careening from the taurants with cult followings: O Pedro in the energy pulsing through the streets, galleries and boutiques reviving heritage and Bombay Canteen. “I think Bombay with a torrent of people flowing by car, mansions in to the trendy and New York are very very similar— bus, cycle, rickshaw, and on foot. Since restaurants and bars of Bandra, the posh Bombay is a city that doesn’t sleep, a city then, I’ve been looking for excuses to suburb that’s now synonymous with that has multiple cultures, where every- binge on Mumbai’s particular brand of India’s behemoth film industry. With one is welcome and you can get anything magic meets madness, at the intersection each return, I discover something new: anytime,” he says. “It’s like an oyster

A unique luxury resort & casino POOJA ACHAN. PHOTO: of noise pollution and stardust. art foundations like G5 Foundation for that’s just waiting to be taken.”

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ANITA DONGRE DESIGNER “Bandra is home in more ways than one. My mornings begin with a seaside walk down Pali Hill and Carter Road. I love popping by Olive for amazing meals and warm welcomes. Chef Rishim makes the best vegan cheeses in town, and Neelam, the restaurant’s ever-smiling hostess, spoils me with her company. For a nice sit-down dinner with my family, I go to The Chambers at the Taj Land’s End, a private, members-only club. The view is spectacular, and the service is flawless. I spend Sunday mornings at the Farmers’ Market in Bandra Gymkhana, buying fresh organic pro - duce. But when chaats are a must-have, the go-to place is Ram and Shyam, in Santacruz. It has been there for over twenty- five years, and the second gen- eration now runs it.”

HOTELS

So much of modern Indian hospital- The old-world grande dame also hap- Mumbai is representative of the new. ity borrows from the Taj Mahal Palace pens to house some of Mumbai’s most The global giant nods to local traditions Hotel that it’s hard to overstate the land- cutting-edge restaurants—from Wasabi in the design, from the banarasi throw mark’s stature in Mumbai. According by Morimoto to the rooftop Souk. pillows in the rooms to the layout itself: to legend, wealthy industrialist Jamsetji The Taj’s most worthy rival is the ven- The glass tower was built in accordance Tata was refused entry to the whites- erable 287-room Oberoi Mumbai, in with Vastu architectural principles. only Watson’s Hotel in Colaba, which the heart of the city’s business district While you’re likely to spy moguls clos- bore a sign declaring “Dogs and Indians at . The gleaming lobby ing deals over platters of Cantonese crab Not Allowed”—so he flouted them by atrium is clad in dark granite and blind- and prawn har gao in the intimate cor- opening a much grander hotel down the ing white Greek marble, anchored by a ners of the pan-Asian restaurant San-Qi, road. While the story comes with plenty bold red-lacquer piano, and gives way Aer is where the city’s glam set congre- of drama and intrigue, it’s more likely to vast water views framed by a wall gates—the sexy rooftop bar is India’s that Tata saw an opportunity for an of soaring windows. The standouts highest, which translates to unparalleled (FROM TOP) The Club Room at the Taj opulent waterfront hotel worthy of the here are Michelin-starred chef Vineet sea and skyline views. Mahal Palace. A sleek rooptop pool booming city and seized it. Either way, Bhatia’s modern-Indian restaurant Ziya But the city’s buzziest new property embodies the new-school vibe at the the Taj Mahal Palace has been Mumbai’s and Oberoi’s legendary approach to will also be its most exclusive. When Four Seasons. Oberoi’s atrium lobby, most fabulous address since it opened, service—before you think it, it’s ready Soho House Mumbai opens its doors a model of sophistication. (OPPOSITE) in 1903, in an Indo-Saracenic structure for you, no matter what “it” may be. this fall on Beach, the rooftop bar More from the Taj, where lovely detail- with a now-iconic silhouette: Think If the Taj Mahal Palace epitomizes the promises some A-list people watching— ing abounds—even in the corridors. PHOTO: COURTESY THE TAJ MAHAL PALACE/FOUR SEASONS MUMBAI/OBEROI MAHAL PALACE/FOUR THE TAJ COURTESY PHOTO: MAHAL PALACE. THE TAJ COURTESY PHOTO: Gothic domes meet Indian arches. city’s old guard, the Four Seasons Hotel if you can get access, that is. >

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KELVIN CHEUNG CHEF “My once-a-week coffee fix is down a narrow lane in Bandra West’s Chuim village at Koinonia Coffee Roasters. Dakshinayan has the city’s best giant dosas and ghee-and- gunpowder-covered idli; for the best thali, head to Shree Thaker Bhojanalay, but make sure you wear loose pants. I get all of my bespoke suits hand-stitched at NM Studio in Bandra; I also own about twenty short-sleeve button-ups, predominantly made using one-off pieces of fabric the owner picks up during scouting trips to Rajasthan. My favorite neighborhood to walk around is , where you’ll find local and sea- sonal fruits and vegetables as well as the most insane spices from all over India.”

RESTAURANTS AND BARS India’s first true fine-dining restau- Mumbai is home to one of the most In Bandra, Arth has all the theatri- rant; O Pedro, the charming Goan- underrated culinary scenes on the planet, cality of a Bollywood production, with Portuguese second outing from the with restaurants as dynamic and varied as good reason: Designer Gauri Khan’s team behind Bombay Canteen (New any you’ll find in London, New York, or husband, Shah Rukh Khan, is the indus- York celebrity chef Floyd Cardoz is one Hong Kong, but typically at a fraction of try’s biggest superstar. For her first of the partners); and Rivers to Oceans, the price. Stalwart chefs constantly rein- foray into restaurant interiors, Khan a new seafood venture from restaura- vent themselves with exciting new ven- paired gilded mirrors, patterned floors, teur Zorawar Kalra, best known for the tures, and upstarts set themselves apart and plush black-and-cobalt chairs with Indian molecular gastronomy pioneer with bold flavors and design choices. glittering pendant chandeliers and an Masala Library as well as the playful Take Basanti & Co., whose vivid pops eye-catching spiral wooden staircase. Farzi Cafe and modern Asian Pa Pa of color are jazzing up the dining scene In contrast to the drama inherent in Ya. Meanwhile, Canadian chef Kelvin in the suburb of Versova; the interi- the design, the menu is a nod to tradi- Cheung, whose Sunday brunch at ors are awash in chevron patterns and tional charcoal- and wood-fired cook- Bastian is a fixture on Bollywood stars’ splashed in teal, marigold, and fuch- ing, with dishes like smoked mutton Instagram feeds, has given new life to a sia, a look that pairs well with modern chops, charred fish with lemon caviar, beloved hot spot with the relocated and takes on North Indian classics from the and Kovalam lobster “tacos” served in reopened One Street, featuring clas- city of Lucknow—think bhindi nain- uttapam shells. sic comfort fare from the States. Eleven tara (okra), kulcha (bread) stuffed with But the biggest buzz has accompa- (FROM TOP) Arth is run by a Madison Park alum Alex Sanchez, who lamb, and the signature chicken or lamb nied the debut of hotly anticipated new Bollywood power couple,so its first came to Mumbai in 2011 to bring biryani. Don’t miss the cocktail list— concepts from industry icons. To wit: sparkling design is hardly surpris- San Francisco–style cuisine to South masala chai bourbon, anyone?—or the Qualia, the much-anticipated mod- ing. The food? Also a showstopper: Mumbai at The Table, has a new project paan stand, which serves quirky twists ern European eatery that will open in super-fresh ingredients in traditional in the pipeline this winter.> on the beloved Indian betel-leaf snack, Lower later this fall from Rahul techniques. (OPPOSITE) ranging from butterscotch to blackcur- Akerkar, the mastermind behind the At Basani & Co., the interior matches the cuisine—bold and colorful. rant-coffee combos. erstwhile (and greatly missed) Indigo, RED. HENRIETTA COURTESY TANSU. BASANTI & CO. COURTESY COURTESY PHOTOS: PHOTO: RAMCHANDRAN. SANJAY PHOTO:

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CULTURE A vibrant contemporary art scene has blossomed in the southern reaches of the city. In Colaba, drop in to Project 88, housed in a former printing press. Sakshi Gallery has launched careers for emerging artists and has introduced the works of El Anatsui and Gregory Crewdson to Mumbai, while Volte rep- resents Indian talents like Nalini Malani and Ranbir Kaleka as well as South RAHUL MEHROTRA African icon William Kentridge, and ARCHITECT Jhaveri Contemporary also has a ros- “The best place to get lost in ter of celebrated Indian artists including another world is Banganga, a Shambhavi Kaul and Manisha Parekh. sacred water tank on Malabar Walking north from Colaba, Jehangir Hill, a labyrinth of lanes with a Art Gallery—founded in 1952, and stunning atmosphere of peace. housing the works of Indian masters I could sit there for hours. It’s like MF Husain, Akbar Padamsee, always a favorite when I want and Anjolie Ela Menon—signals your to leave Mumbai behind in arrival in Kala Ghoda. The city’s unof- Mumbai. My best memory is ficial arts district also plays host to the interviewing Renzo Piano there lively annual , for television. My lunch favorite drawing scores of artists, authors, and is Kala Ghoda Café, close to my actors to the neighborhood’s meander- studio—it’s abuzz with young ing bylanes each February. Dive into folks and has a fabulous menu. the tangle of winding streets that make The eggs cooked Parsi style— up the crescent-shaped precinct’s core, scrambled and spiced—and where you’ll find an outpost of the Delhi their fresh juices make for Art Gallery, spanning four floors of a the most relaxing lunches. heritage building. The gallery’s 25-year- There are nooks and corners old Delhi flagship—DAG also has an to occupy, and it feels like an outpost in New York—is often cred- extension of home. Phillips ited with bringing modern Indian art Antiques is the best browsing to the mainstream. spot in town, a wonderful store While gallery culture is centered in dense with history. Each object the south, two major venues in other is stacked with genuine and fas- parts of the city are worth a visit. The cinating stories and the space G5A Foundation for Contemporary is consistent with the centu- SHOPPING Culture, in an old mill compound in ries-old objects. My favorites Global behemoths from Zegna to Zara sweaters, structural dresses, androgy- Mahalaxmi, was founded by architect are the maps, and they have have planted flags in Mumbai’s glitzy nous tunics, and a selection of books and and filmmaker Anuradha Parikh and stacks of them—from Bombay malls and shopping districts, but fashion- accessories alongside a working atelier. plays host to film screenings, art exhibi- to Timbuktoo!” able locals like to pair them with high- Many count having a home decorated tions, plays, ghazal concerts, and more. quality desi labels. To gauge what’s on- entirely in Good Earth furnishings a And the Bombay Art Society, founded trend at any moment, head to either of life goal, so when the beloved interiors in 1888, is now housed in a cubist build- the city’s top concept shops. Le Mill, in brand opened sister chain Nicobar, first ing designed by architect Sanjay Puri, Colaba, carries global favorites sucha as in the Kala Ghoda district in 2016, then resembling a series of boulders stacked Céline, Dries van Noten, Rosie Assoulin, in a 1920s colonial-style villa in Bandra precariously atop one another. and Isabel Marant alongside coveted in 2017, everyone paid attention. It was local brands Péro, Dhruv Kapoor, and an instant hit, not only for its contem- Bombay Perfumery. In the unlikely set- porary Indian décor and kitchenware, ting of Mumbai’s cricket stadium you’ll but also for its stylish beach-ready pants find Bungalow 8 (named for the address and dresses. Not far away in Colaba is the where owner Maithili Ahluwalia grew Mumbai branch of Jaipur’s generations- Nicobar’s new store in Bandra, up), stocked with a lovingly edited old Gem Palace, an art deco jewel box situated inside the beloved Patkar selection of vintage finds as well as her that stands amid South Bombay’s heri- Bungalow. (OPPOSITE, FROM TOP) own label’s airy tunics and dhoti pants. tage landmarks. Inside, Dutch designer Prime art galleries: DAG, for modern Obataimu marries Japanese and Indian Marie Anne Oudejans conceived a play- mainstream; Sakshi, the critic’s aesthetics in unexpected ways. Creative ful environment for some of the nation’s darling; and G5A, which has a director Noorie Sadarangani’s tucked- finest baubles, with two levels splashed in black-box performance space and away space channels Tokyo’s utilitar- vivid greens and corals. hosts rooftop poetry. ian minimalism, stocking voluminous POOJA ACHAN. POOJA ACHAN. PHOTO: PHOTO: FOUNDATION. GALLERY/G5A GALLERY/SAKSHI DAG COURTESY PHOTO:

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