Departures
what’s taking off in the world of travel
Retro glam
Acapulco, Mexico
Not since the 50s has Acapulco registered on the barometer of travel cool. But with the renovation of two mid-century hotels (Las Brisas and Boca Chica Hotel) and a design hotel (Hotel Hotel) set to open, the former jetset playground is chic again.
Sveti Stefan, a resort on the Adriatic in Montenegro, is another former Hollywood-star Mecca about to shine again. The former 15th-century fishing village set on a tiny peninsula – that hosted esteemed guests such as Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Sophia Loren – will be brought to life by an Amanresorts hotel due to open later this year. Other once-glam destinations on the rise include Beirut, Puerto Rico and Hawaii.
the big picture
Rock the boat
Vilnius, Lithuania
Celebrations in Vilnius will reach a peak this summer when the current European Capital of Culture (with Linz, Austria) stages its Culture Live programme. A new National Art Gallery opens in June and the midsummer festival, Let There Be Night, sees museums open all night and parties taking over the streets. Catch the panorama from atop the Castle on Gediminas Hill, or visit the KGB Museum for a sobering take on Lithuania’s Soviet past. And, after seeing the Unesco-listed Old Town, head to Blusyne (blusyne. lt), a cool café-bar for an analysis of the cultural scene. Frank Zappa, whose statue is a local landmark, would surely approve.
David Atkinson
music
My generation
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Woodstock, here are five ways to relive the legendary music festival
1 Fly to New York, where there may be a Woodstock revival this August.
2 Loose yourself in a purple haze over festival organiser Michael Lang’s book, The Road To Woodstock (Harper Collins, £16.99), published on 1 August.
3 Not a bookworm? Opt for the four-hour director’s cut DVD of Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace and Music, due to be released on 9 June. Warning: for serious fans.
4 Find out how the original concert almost didn’t happen. Oscar-winning director Ang Lee captures the story of the estate agent who saved the day in Taking Woodstock, out 30 October.
5 Unearth (or download) Déjà Vu by style
style
Bright light
Matthew Williamson is designing a colour-drenched capsule collection for H&M, which includes his first-ever menswear range. It hits the stores midMay. hm.com
wellbeing
Just the treat
London is determined to help you forget any doom and gloom with a raft of new decadent spas. Chic hotels The Dorchester (Park Lane, W1, +44 (0)20 7629 888) and The Connaught (Carlos Place, W1, +44 (0)20 7499 7070) are launching new spas in May and September respectively, as part of their no-expense-spared revamps. The UK’s first Six Senses spa (2 Pan Peninsula Square, E14, +44 (0)20 7531 2320) opened in February and boasts a speedy 25-minute express facial. There will be an underground Falconbrook Spa at Battersea’s new Hotel Verta (Bridges Court Road, SW11, +44 (0)20 7978 0875) opening in September, while the Four Seasons (Hamilton Place, W1, +44 (0)20 7753 0520) will add a rooftop spa in 2010.
consume
Travel essentials
Bucket-and-spade chic never looked this good
fashion
Retro print dress by
ASOS, £32, asos.com
accessory
Pigtail Kit by Urban Outfi tters, £15, urbanoutfi tters.co.uk
music
Revival RD60 by Roberts Radio, £150, robertsradio.co.uk
gadget
Lomo Lubitel 166+ by Lomography, £281.40, lomography.com
accessory
Pink Plastic Cats by Christian Dior Vintage, £127, my-wardrobe.com
toy
Red metal beach spade £2.95, dotcomgiftshop.com
transport
Blue Poppy bicycle by Pashley, £395, pashley.co.uk
outdoors
Picnic basket by John Lewis, £39, johnlewis.com
fragrance
Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme, £30.50, buy onboard, see page 149 for details
toy
Vintage tin seaside bucket, £5.95, dotcomgiftshop.com
fashion
Deck boot by Albam, £180, albamclothing.com
fashion
Betty Big Knickers by Pistol Panties, £150, bordello-london.com
lifestyle
Two wheels good
With the number of ‘bike cities’ increasing, we look at four of the most prominent, with comments from Loren Mooney, Editor-in-chief of Bicycling magazine
Copenhagen
Why? 90% of locals own a bike. It was the first city to become an International Cycling Union (UCI) Bike City.
Tell me more… 36% of Copenhageners cycle, compared to 27% who drive. Ticket to ride Pay 20 kroner (£2.44) at one of 125 cycle stations and a bike is yours for the whole day. When you’ve had enough, return it and get your money back.
Loren says… “I once saw a woman with a refrigerator on a skateboard attached to her bike. Copenhageners have it ingrained in their culture as the primary mode of transport.”
London
Why? There has been a 91% increase in cyclists since 2000, with 500,000 cycle journeys made a day, according to Transport for London (TfL)
Tell me more… Bike lanes are where Londoners now star spot. Agyness Deyn (below) and Chloë Sevigny are fans, as is Mayor Boris Johnson.
Ticket to ride In May 2010, based on a Parisian scheme, 6,000 cycles will be available for hire from 10,500 docking points.
Loren says… “London is ready to explode in terms of being a world-class, bike-friendly destination.
The Mayor’s plans are monumental as far as the extent the city is ready to give bikes prominence, which will help level the playing field and make cyclists feel safer.”
Bogotá
Why? Since CicloRutas, a 303km network of bike paths, was built in 1995, five times as many people are peddling.
Tell me more… The paths are some of the world’s most extensive, thanks to the former mayor Enrique Peñalosa (Bogotá’s answer to Boris). Ticket to ride… On Sundays, 113km of busy streets are closed to cars for seven hours.
Loren says… “Bogotá is the case study on how to transform into a ‘cycling city’. With major streets shut to traffic, people can get out, feel safe and enjoy the outdoors.
The bike routes have transformed Bogotá.”
Montréal
Why? It’s often cited as the best cycling city in North America, with 179km of paths.
Tell me more… This year, the 25th anniversary of the annual Bike Festival takes place from 31 May-7 June, when activities include a 22km night-time cycle to see the city by night (5 June).
Ticket to ride Bixi, a newer (and bigger) bike-sharing program than its predecessor, was rolled out in April. 3,000 bikes have GPS tags that beam information to the web, which means that availability can be tracked online. You have to pay a small membership fee, but the first half hour of the trip is free.
Loren says… “Montréal is a slice of Europe in North America. It’s not only easy to get around because of advanced bike lanes, but it’s also the attitude – the bicycle is seen as a legitimate vehicle on the street.”
fashion
Look the part
Caz Nicklin, director of Cyclechic.co.uk, nominates her top accessories
Vintage style box bags by Cycle Chic, £30; add a touch of vintage charm to your wheels, perfect for everyday use or picnics.
Love ‘n’ Hate Gloves by Knog, £25; these hard-as-nails gloves look great and keep your hands warm. Muse helmet by Bern, £39.99; fi nally, a helmet that doesn’t make you look like a geek.
Cape by Cyclodelic, £230; these capes have a classic grace, both on and off the bike
All items available from cyclechic.co.uk
design
Down on the waterfront
Old shipping yards have made way for some of the most exciting new urban developments across the globe, says Alex Bagner
Taking advantage of their central locations and glorious waterside views, city harbours are now at the heart of many dramatic regeneration projects around the world.
Last April, the Norwegian capital launched its spectacular Oslo Opera House in the city’s harbour to international acclaim. Tel Aviv was given a new lease of life last November when it revealed a vivacious, decked and undulating, 55,000 square metre promenade complete with local and contemporary street lighting, and outdoor furniture.
Hamburg harbour will have a dramatic addition in the form of the Elbe Philharmonic Hall (pictured), created by Herzog & de Meuron (who designed London’s Tate Modern), which is set to be complete by 2011. Copenhagen will also get a new structure on its historic waterfront with the Bryghusgrunden project, which will include housing, offices, public spaces and parking – as well as several exhibition areas, research facilities, an auditorium, a bookstore and a café.
On the other side of the globe, in Buenos Aires, entrepreneur and hip hotelier Alan Faena continues his quest to develop his city’s docklands. Following the success of his renowned Faena Hotel in the area, he has teamed up with British architects Foster + Partners to build an adjoining residential block. Named the Aleph and set to open in 2010, the block will house 57 luxury apartments, three penthouses, shops at the base and, of course, a rooftop pool.
Other cities are thinking even bigger. Rather than just adding a landmark building, they’re developing, literally, a whole new waterfront. British heavyweight architect Zaha Hadid has just announced plans to overhaul a large strip of the harbour of Italian city Reggio Calabria. The project will consist of two buildings, which will house a museum, aquarium and cinema.
But it is Dubai that has taken it to the limit with a masterplan for a waterfront city. Designed by the Office of Metropolitan Architecture, the 140 million square metre development will be built from scratch on an artificial square island. It will be Dubai’s largest development to date and will include commerce, retail, culture and private accommodation for a prospective 1.5 million new inhabitants, effectively doubling Dubai’s population and creating a million jobs. Work has started on the project but completion isn’t expected till 2012.
food
Ainsley Harriott
“With the credit crunch, people want to cook at home rather than go out,” observes our favourite daytime TV chef. Which is why he has devised a cookbook with recipes that only have five ingredients. “Cookbooks can list up to 15 ingredients for a recipe. In the week, you want something tasty and quick. Five things feels more achievable.”
But as ever, the flamboyant South Londoner is positive about the future of dining out. “The only difference is now you can get a booking straight away, whereas before you’d be waiting months for a table.” But Harriott isn’t keen to start a restaurant himself. “I’ve been presenting for a while and I’ve got a fantastic relationship with my family. That means more to me than having a house in the South of France or a Rolls-Royce in the drive. Never say never, though.”
gadgets
Hip and handy
Who said bigger is always better? Four new hand-held gadgets for those on the go
Nintendo DSi
The latest DS console is slimmer and lighter than its predecessors. It has two inbuilt cameras, an SD card slot and editing software. If you’re upgrading, existing games are compatible. £149.99, game.co.uk
Vodafone HTC Magic
Intended as competition for the iPhone, Google’s second Android has an exclusive deal with Vodafone. It’s got a similar touchscreen keyboard, speedy connection, hundreds of free applications to download, and looks sleeker than your average copycat. Free with contract, vodafone.co.uk
Sony Cyber-shot T900
You don’t have to be Annie Lebowitz to take a great shot with this stylish snapper. It comes with a clever function that automatically changes the mode and settings depending on the scene you’re capturing. It also keeps with the times with a user-friendly touch screen, HD video recording and a slimline appearance. £369, sonystyle.co.uk
Sanyo VPC-WH1
Sanyo came out with the world’s first waterproof camcorder in 2007, so it’s no surprise they’ve taken the lead again, achieving the highest waterproof rating on this model. Now you can go an impressive 10 feet below the waterline (it was previously five).
All, of course, in HD. £379, uk.sanyo.com
sports lover’s guide to…
Pretoria
South Africa’s rugby hotbed is the place to see the Lions this summer, says Bleacher Report’s Andrew McNair
When it comes to rugby, South Africa’s capital is no different to any other city in the country. Pretoria is rugby crazy and home to one of the world’s top rugby sides, the Bulls.
The city where Sir Winston Churchill was once imprisoned during the Anglo-Boer War is just a short car journey from Johannesburg. Either city would make a good base for fans of the British and Irish Lions this summer, but if it’s sheer enthusiasm for rugby you are after, then look no further than Pretoria.
The city’s Bulls won the Super 14 in 2007, beating not only the best in South Africa but also outclassing everything Australia and New Zealand had to offer. After last year’s World Cup hangover, the Bulls are again back on top of southern hemisphere rugby and lead the way in this year’s competition which concludes on 30 May, possibly at Pretoria’s newly renovated Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
The same stadium will host nearly 52,000 fans on 27 June, as South Africa take on the Lions in the second Test. If you are unlucky enough not to have a ticket but will be in the area as the match kicks off, then get down to one of the local bars and enjoy the festivities.
Maloney’s bar in Hatfield (Corner South and Duncan Street, Duncan Walk Centre, +27 12 362 2883) is popular with tourists and will offer plenty of live entertainment before and after the match. If you want to feel more at home then head for O’Hagans Irish Pub and Grill (Shop 6, Value Fair Centre, Old Pretoria Road, +27 11 312 5321, ohagans.co.za), where the support is likely to be with the visitors. Bleacher Report is where fan-journalists create world-class sports analysis. Join in at bleacherreport.com
in numbers
Join the Twitterati
No prizes for guessing that the USA is ‘tweeting’ more than any other country around the world
*Based on top ten percentage of Twitter web traffic around the world, 2008 Source: blog.twitter.com/2008/02/twitter-web-traffic-around-world.html
nightlife
From dusk till dawn
Celebrate Eurovision in the Russian capital
1. Manon, 1905 Goda Street, +7 495 651 8100, manon-club.ru Eat dinner at this lavish vintage-meets-modern dining room and watch the party unfold.
2. The Most, 6/3 Kuznetzky Most Street, +7 495 928 1707 Part-owned by Roman Abramovich, this club is the post-party venue of choice. You’ll need to be bold and/or beautiful to pass through the club’s strict door policy and get there between 11pm-2am.
3. Pacha Moscow, 10 Nikolskaya Street, +7 495 798 5777 Since its January opening, this is Moscow’s hottest club. It’s where you’ll find politicians, celebs and oligarchs on the dancefloor. Booking a table in advance will help you get in.
4. City Space Bar & Lounge, Swissotel Krasnye Holmy, Kosmodamianskaya Nabberezhnaya 52, building 6, +7 495 787 9800, swissotel.com There are astonishing views of historic architecture from this 34th-floor bar.
5. Chapurin Bar, Kuznetsky Most 6/3, +7 495 660 5075, chapurin.ru; Simachev Bar, Stoleshnikov Pereulok 12, building 2, +7 495 6295702 Rival Russian fashion designers Igor Chapurin and Denis Simachev are also the owners of two trend-setting fashion bars filled with suitably haute interiors. Lidiya Lipenko
food
Hellenic feast
Culinary goddess Vefa Alexiadou is launching her ode to Greek cooking, a book bound to become a contemporary classic. Alexiadou is a TV personality and authority in her homeland, and Vefa’s Kitchen will have you whipping up moussaka in no time. Vefa’s Kitchen (Phaidon Books, £24.95) is out in June
everybody’s talking about…
Haute hotels
Designer hotels aren’t new, but this year expect a fresh collection. Moschino will open a hotel towards the end of the year in – appropriately – fashion capital, Milan. But the Middle East is the real hotbed for the fash pack. Armani and Elie Saab are opening luxury lodgings in Dubai by the end of the year (with Armani also set to open in Egypt and Milan). Versace is launching a second hotel there with a refrigerated beach (so the sand doesn’t overheat). And Missoni will stamp its signature print on Kuwait City in June (pictured, above), after an Edinburgh opening in May.
Diane von Furstenberg will add a glam touch to 10 guest rooms at London’s Claridge’s; in Bournemouth, 58 retro beach huts designed by Wayne and Geraldine Hemingway, the duo behind Red or Dead, have just opened (pictured, below). And Wilbert Das, the creative force behind Diesel, has opened three redesigned fishing houses in the Brazilian town of Trancoso.
Surely, it’s about time Topshop followed suite – sorry, suit.
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