EXPLORE
Gin Dandy
Lance Avery Morgan
Your favorite beverage in the 80s is back—with an entirely new persona. That’s right, gin is in the limelight again with G’Vine’s brand new way of creating what may be considered the perfect gin. In fact, with just a few sips you’ll wonder what took you so long to rediscover the spirited luxury. Here, we reveal how G’Vine is changing the gin-acular of the cocktail set.
Gin in the 1980s was as ubiquitous and pervasive as Duran Duran and teased bangs. Now, thanks to G’Vine, gin has entered a new era by being lighter, brighter, and sans the kick in the pants from gins of the past. How? The answer is a blooming good one.
Imagine this: you’re a vintner in the Cognac region of France and you want to create a better gin. Why not try to reinvent the wheel instead seeing as how everyone knows it is the harsh juniper ingredient that makes gin, well…gin? That’s exactly how EuroWineGate founder Jean Sebastian Robicquet implemented his vision with G’Vine—make gin smooth and natural without the aftertaste. His family, winemakers in the region since the 16th century, had been creating wine for nobility, so his concept was a departure from what was in his blood. He set out to redefine the classic London dry gin.
moreCalifornia Dreamin’
Lance Avery Morgan
The soiree at the famed Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles lived up to all the glamour possible. Orchestrated by me and party-planner-to-the-stars Lara Shriftman, our homage to Old Hollywood was an event and travel experience to remember. Twenty guests. Hundreds of stories. One amazing weekend.
In his renowned book Questionnaire, famed French novelist Marcel Proust asked, “What is the perfect weekend?”Brilliant found the answer. What better way to spend time with friends than to lunch with them at a famed hotel? Not just any hotel but the Hotel Bel-Air. Even His Royal Highness Price Charles once remarked of the Bel-Air hotel, “It’s really not like a hotel. I feel as if I’m staying at the house of a rich friend.”
It’s not hard to imagine that every guest who stays at the hotel feels like royalty. Since the hotel’s inception in the mid-1940s by Texas hotel entrepreneur Joseph Drown, it has been the go-to lodge for Hollywood insiders. Marilyn Monroe loved it here, as did Grace Kelly and Cary Grant. More recently, Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts and Hillary Swank have chosen it as a home away from home.
From my first experience as a guest at the wedding of Pasadena heiress Tracy DuPont, to sharing several meals, birthday parties and romantic getaways here, the Bel-Air always feels like slipping on a favorite cashmere sweater – familiar yet elegant. “I’ve been involved with the Bel-Air for nearly 30 years and I can honestly say it is a place like no other,” says the hotel’s general manager Carlos Lopes. “There is an incredible history here, and while we are constantly making improvements to offer our guests the very best, we never lose sight of the essence of what makes the Bel-Air unique.” Every stay is made memorable by offering 91 guestrooms and suites with custom fabrics, exquisite furnishings and luxurious Italian linens. On the weekend of the party, I occupied the Chalon Suite 150, rumored to be Oprah’s favorite suite when she visits, with two bedrooms and a hand-painted, ice-blue living room ceiling that perfectly mirrored the Oriental rug. Every room and suite features private entrances from the gardens or fountain courtyards, French doors, fireplaces and cozy, tiled patios with private outdoor spas. Sound dreamy? You bet it is.
moreBarefoot Luxury
Lance Avery Morgan
Insiders are calling Central America the new Hawaii. If so, Belize, just below Mexico, is the new center of cool. Only a few jet hours away from Texas, you’ll find a tropical paradise where you can climb ancient ruins, scuba dive and so much more that help you feel like you’re really getting away from it all. Just say Belize, please.
One needn’t wonder why an ancient civilization like the Mayans were attracted to this region where they could create a self sustaining culture on the land’s many attributes. To modern man, that answer is simple. Belize, about the size of New Hampshire, offers a wealth of natural endowments…from the shimmering blue sea to the vast vegetation and a rich culture full of such friendly, giving people.
moreSome Like It Hot
Lance Avery Morgan
Sunny days and sexy nights await you in the British West Indies of the fabled Caribbean islands. It’s close to home, but far from what you’d expect to find. From sunning at glamorous resorts to diving for sunken treasure, to an evening of exotic food and dance, the Grand Cayman Islands offers a spectacular tropical getaway.
About 480 miles off the coast of Miami, this British Overseas Territory is an island splendor stepped in mystery. The pirate legends live on today with the sultry mood of these islands. Yes, there’s something a little decadent. Maybe it’s the turquoise-blue waters of the western Caribbean, or the sun-kissed beaches surrounding you on Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman islands. Or perhaps it’s the promise of an island romance encounter.
Talk about a long-term relationship. The islands are currently celebrating the 500th anniversary of their discovery. The Cayman Islands, which makes up most of this area, are the home to offshore banking, the fifth largest in the world behind Switzerland, Tokyo, New York and London. You’ll recall the islands were immortalized in the film based on the John Grisham novel, The Firm, starring Tom Cruise, about clandestine affairs of the heart…and bank accounts. Let’s think about that… a covert affair laced with money? Bring it on.
moreCountry House in England: Give Me the Simple Life
Gorgeous scenery, Old World grace and an ancient forest await you on a visit to the countryside south of London. The region’s shining star is an 18th-century resort near Hampshire…a country house by the sea called Chewton Glen. It was enchanting enough to inspire Alice in Wonderland, and its charms and service make it a wonder-filled escape for every visitor.
To nurture your inner Anglophile, you really must see the English countryside. Chewton Glen is a prime example, offering warm, attentive service coupled with Old World style. One of the first grand estates to become a hotel back in the 1970s, the house is located on the edge of the ancient New Forest, one and one-half hours from London via chauffeured car. Today, it’s considered one of England’s poshest resorts, with the classic feeling of an Agatha Christie mystery novel – chintz couches, roaring fires and all. The grounds encompass 130 acres of exquisitely landscaped parks, gardens and woodland, all just a short walk from the sea.
Completed in 1732, the estate came into prominence in the mid-19th century when the novel The Children of the New Forest was written at the estate. This literary link has contributed to the house’s fabled allure. Captain Frederick Marryat, the book’s author, must have found the area inspiring…and intriguing. Since the locale was within easy reach of the sea, smugglers brought their contraband up through the grounds and into the forest beyond it. Marryat's brother, George, owned the property from 1837 until 1855, when it was sold to the Elphinstone family. Add to this the fact that Lewis Carroll wrote Alice in Wonderland nearby, and you have the makings of literary lore. When I asked the property’s managing director, Andrew Stembridge if he thought the hotel has other-worldly spirits lurking about, he replied, “The hotel is not haunted to the best of my knowledge, but the memory of Captain Marryat still remains in all the themed rooms.”
moreCozumel: Ready, Jet Set, Mexico
Lance Avery Morgan
Sure it’s the only island in Mexico, and it has some of best diving in the world. Cozumel, the resort oasis with 90% of its island undeveloped, also offers white beaches, azure blue water, and a many other muy caliente reasons – like buying diamonds - to rediscover Mexico right now.
Where to Eat and Drink: For you Cantina lizards, the mango margaritas run like tap water here. And the ones with guava, kiwi and dozens more flavors can be found at Pancho’s Back Yard (Av. Rafael E. Melgar # 27, Cozumel, 77600, Tel.: +52.9.872.2141.) That and some very authentic Mexican food with a live mariachi band soundtrack. At the Presidente Intercontinental Cozumel Resort and Spa (Carretera a Chankanaab KM 6.5 Cozumel, 77600 Tel: +52.987.872.9500) some of the finest dining in the world awaits you. Caribeno provides an outdoor setting next to the water under an oversize thatched roof, serving Mexican and international specialties a la’ carte or buffet style. If you love exotic seafood with an Italian twist, Alfredo di Roma is the place to be. For casual beachside dining, try Bar Cana Brava for an afternoon refresher of light fare.
moreThailand: Exotic Bliss
Lance Avery Morgan
At Thailand’s Sila Evason Hideway, a Six Senses resort on the northern tip of Koh Samui Island, midway betweenBangkok and Phuket, your very own Seventh Heaven awaits. And more. Take a restorative journey, exploring and respecting Asian traditions with a New Age point of view, which might just transform your view the world. Welcome to a world of harmony.
If traveling half way around the world to seek alternative mind, body and spirit remedies seems exotic yet attainable to you, then you’ve come to the right place. The convergence of these three key elements which sustain all humans can often become imbalanced with the everyday business of living. Careers, family obligations, social expectations and the like are sometimes causes of that imbalance. A body can shut down, like anything, without the proper nourishment of each and every one of those three factors. That’s why a resort like Sila Evason has achieved a reputation for making life better for its guests.
When you step off of Air Tahiti Nui’s non-stop flight from Los Angeles to Bangkok, there’s about an hour’s drive to the resort’s area outside of the city, near Hu Hin. Arriving at the resort, expect to be welcomed by one of the best panoramic ocean views of the Gulf of Thailand. The property’s design was especially created to convene with nature and beyond the outdoor lobby you’ll find the villas hidden into the hills. Walking down the wooden steps towards the spa reception you’re met by the aroma of lemongrass and an ocean breeze no matter what time of year you visit. Every sense is awakened. It’s that simple. And so your invigorating journey begins.
moreEl Careyes, Mexico: Cabana for Uno
Lance Avery Morgan
A single guy tries to avoid the honeymooners at two posh Mexican getaways. Sure…it sounds simple.
A typical Mexican resort in 10 words or less: colossal palacio jam-packed with couples attempting to resurrect some romance. But, El Careyes and El Tamarindo, two plush escapes near the Pacific port city of Manzanillo, shirk the cliché completely. Think Jet Set getaway for the New Age guest. The Costa Careyes area, first developed in the late 1960s by Italian financier Giancarlo Brignone, is reminiscent of Acapulco in its 1950s heyday: a slice of secluded, yet, captivating sand, surf and glamour – read: a following that flies in from L.A.
Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. took over El Careyes for their wedding festivities, while Quentin Tarantino filmed part of Kill Bill II there. Celebrities who have taken a $10,000-per-week villa include Giorgio Armani, Stevie Wonder and Francis Ford Coppola. But even if you choose a more modest casita within these two Starwood Luxury Collection properties, you’ll detect German, Italian and Portuguese inflections in overhead conversations. You might run into the Mexican Ambassador to France while having a beachside dinner of the area’s finest seafood specialties. Or meet aBuenos Aires tycoon armed with his flawless soap-opera star girlfriend. That’s after a day of sunning at the palm tree-lined infinity pools, playing tennis with the resident pro, snorkeling and horseback riding on the beach at sunset. Paradise? Uh-huh.
moreTinsletown After Dark
Lance Avery Morgan
Hollywood is a state of mind. In Los Angeles, that means living like a celebrity. It’s easy to do if you know where to stay and what to do. Here’s a beginner’s guide to get you started. Enter at your own risk.
Swimming pools and movie stars. When you arrive, definitely stay at the Avalon Hotel in Beverly Hills. It’s as if time has stopped. Suddenly, it’s 1958’s “patio lifestyle” again with this gorgeously renovated hotel. Terrazo floors, sleek, low-slung furniture capture mid-century modern design at its best. The public spaces and rooms feature built custom-designed and classic furnishings including pieces by such notable designers as George Nelson, Isamu Noguchi, and Charles Eames. Pampering touches include custom-designed furnishings and beds with lavish Frette linens, Thymes amenities and in-room spa treatments. Anyone used to superb service anywhere in the world feels at home here. And the courtyard pool is perfect for a quick, refreshing swim before getting ready for dinner. Swimming with sharks is a way of life in Hollywood.
When you have a poolside restaurant as amazing as Blue on Blue on site at the Avalon, why go anywhere else? Private cabana dining is the best option. The innovative California cuisine is delicious and you’ll be surrounded by sleek starlets and their WB network teen dream boyfriends who litter the place on a nightly basis. More industry deals are done here than on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Floor to ceiling windows let in the night, but keep out the rest of the world. You could spend an entire evening there, but in a city that never slumbers, why would you?
moreNapa Valley: The Grape Escape
Lance Avery Morgan
Napa Valley beckons you with a quick plane ride and the promise of a spectacular and romantic get away weekend. Set your sights high with a balloon trip over the vineyards in this grape excursion, as you sample some of the best wines and cuisine in the world.
In Northern California, there are several reasons that the area’s grapes provide some of the best wines in the world. It’s the soil, it’s the cultivated vines that tender the grapes, and it’s the people. The generosity of spirit of Northern California planters has lent itself to a legendary reputation and remarkable set of towns in the Valley. The area hosts travelers every month of the year, from the fall harvest time to the cool summer days and nights. It’s beautiful country all year round.
To get an authentic perspective of the area, think big. Think high, too. In Napa, ballooning will not only lift your spirits, but also lift you into the clouds above the fruitful vineyards. If you’re afraid of heights, it’s obviously not for you. Yet, if you have a sense of adventure, and want to experience all your senses at once, go ahead, jump into the basket. Ballooning can be done all day, but I recommend you do the first ride of the day… to watch the sun rise. At six a.m., you prepare for lift off. And suddenly you’re about 5,000 feet up in the air. You’ll go around the valley in less than two hours. If you’re lucky, you’ll swoop down low in between the vineyard fields, close enough to actually reach out and touch the grapes in season. Afterward, you can enjoy a Mimosa and breakfast at one of the nearby eateries or enjoy a the spread your ballooning company has provided. From there, you’ll have worked up an appetite to go wine tasting.
moreOcho Rios, Jamaica: The Royal Treatment
Forget all you thought you knew about Jamaica: Bob Marley tunes, out of control college Spring Breakers and being one of the highest drug usage capitals of the world. That’s old news. Instead, think caviar, Cole Porter and the world where a private butler can still be yours in this re-created Brit bliss of Royal Plantation in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.
Royal Plantation might just be the best celebrity hide-out in Caribbean. Jessica and Nick loved it in their better days. TV star Fran Drescher revealed she had a had a torrid love affair there. Even country singer Johnny Cash had a villa nearby. A little bit of Merry Old England surrounds the luxe grounds of this former sugar plantation-turned-sexy resort in Montego Bay and beckons you to a world of non-stop beachside glamour.
Why the attraction to coming here? Jamaica is an island surrounded in magic. Literally. There’s a consistent intrigue to the vibe of the island and the entire area is surrounded in lore that permeates just about everything here. There’s even a local legend that has made it famous for centuries: that of Annee Palmer who killed her three husbands, and countless slaves after she had bedded them) over two hundred years ago at her Rose Hall estate nearby. Things like that make the island seem a bit extraordinary, if not a little more interesting than the Disney-fied resorts on other islands.
moreMoscow The Great
Moscow The Great
It’s the fabled capital of a fabled country. Moscow, shrouded in mystery, still remains enchanting as a world-class city. Newly moneyed, it’s teeming with luxury, glamour, and the high life. Here, we are a fly on a vodka glass as we take you to Red Square, St Basilia and experience an endless arsenal of chic private restaurants and a sensational nightlife.
White Russian. “To Russia With Love.” Molotov cocktail. Each icon comprises an intriguing part of the culture of Russia and in particular, Moscow—the other city that never sleeps. But why does this capital of one of the world’s greatest superpowers, with a population that has swelled to 12 million people, remain so compelling to its almost 50 billionaire residents and its visitors? For those fortunate enough, it’s a heck of a great city, despite its sometimes-harsh weather. When it’s gray and cold, it is very gray and gold. When it is sunny, the city seems to glitter as much during the day as it does at night with all its neon glory.
If you visit in the fall, bring a heavy coat and if you go in the spring or summer, light clothing is best to see this dynamic capital of the former UnitedSoviet Socialist Republic. I refer to its earlier incarnation because one can’t help still feel the mystique of the country’s numerous decades of bland—and often dangerous—oppression. For its booming economy and all those who are catalysts for it, perhaps danger is part of the attraction. For Americans, the lure is unquestionably its world-class sites.
moreSwitzerland: Vive La Prairie
The glossy and glamorous have come here for over eight decades. Nestled in the Swiss Alps on Lake Geneva in the French region of Switzerland, it’s easy to see why. They come here for privacy, luxury, and of course, those legendary fresh fetal lamb cell injections. The appeal of the world famous Clinique La Prairie in Montreax is just as powerful today, thanks to the clinic’s own rejuvenation techniques of a new, luxurious $50 million dollar building addition, and a wide array of new treatments.
Sure, you’ve heard about it for years. And you’ve heard about “the treatments.” Also, you know of the skincare line of the same name. Yes, the rich and famous love to jet here to revive and renew – in secret. The clinic doesn’t quite promise a fountain of youth, but the experts there do feel like they can help retard the aging process.
Getting there isn’t difficult. Flying from any major Texas city to London, an hour connecting flight to Geneva, then taking a scenic train ride to the area of Montreaux is trouble-free. What waits for you upon arrival to the quaint villages of Montreaux is a complex three main buildings: the original chalet facility (formerly a boarding school until the 1930s), a modern medical center built in the early 1990s, and the recently completed Wellness Centre spa complex that rivals any piece of contemporary world-class architecture. And it’s all linked together with elegant terraced gardens. Yes, the retreat is idyllic. My suite’s balconies opened to a view of the docks at Lake Geneva, and beyond it, the Alps.
moreAn American in Paris
Paris, the City of Lights, is lit up more brightly than ever these days. At its best, its soignée approach to life is still some of the most exciting to be found in the world. At its worst, it is still a tad imperious and it might have every right to be since it is a city so steeped in the world’s history. Join us as we stroll the boulevards seeking one-of-a-kind tres΄ magnifique experiences that delight all the senses.
Once, on a flight to Geneva, a woman seated next to me said that it would be better to not visit Paris at all than to be there for only one day’s layover, as I was planning. No truer advice was ever given. So, with the opportunity to spend more than a day’s time in Paris arose, I saw that only a day to enjoy the city would have left my heart yearning for more, so this time around I stayed a little longer. In the famous song of the mid twentieth century, “Lush Life” professed that a week in Paris could ease the bite of just about anything. And, I learned, it does.
Bon Jour
When I first arrive in this legendary capitol of France, the city’s elegance immediately starts to infuse me to my core. Anything and everything about the city… such as fresh chocolate and almond croissants, magnificent architecture, or the all around high-chic Parisian style beckons any visitor, whether it is his first or fiftieth time there. On a recent trip, instead of flying into DeGaulle airport, I had the good fortune to take a super train from the Bordeaux region of France directly into Paris, seeing not only the countryside that envelops the city, but also saw the eye-catching country home set who were traveling back into the city on a lazy Sunday summer afternoon that, in my mind, would usher in a week of non stop glamour and excitement of the other city that never sleeps. Lots of singletons, couples with children and those spanning many generations boarded from the country enclaves. To see them not traveling wearing the equivalent of daytime pajamas, as has been seen of late with both domestic and international tourists, was a refreshing change.
moreLondon: Crown Jewel
Shabby chic? More like regal elegance. Glamorous, over-the-top luxury is what you’ll find when you cross the pond to visit London and stay at its grande dame Ritz hotel. Tea for two, anyone?
London is one of the most chic cities in the world. Period. It may even rival Paris and Milan based purely on street style alone. And in London, style is serious business and it’s that way at the Ritz Hotel. From the moment you cross the threshold from the revolving door at the Ritz, its fabled existence lends itself to the feeling that time has stopped – or at least drastically slowed down. Suddenly you’re cavorting about as if you were in a Noel Coward play. Complete with a Cole Porter soundtrack. It may {feel} like time has stopped, yet the five-star hotel’s legend of representing the best of the best never has. With its French chateau-style architecture and Louis XVI furnishings, the hotel was created as, according to renowned hotelier César Ritz, “a small house to which I am proud to see my name attached.”
The Ritz Hotel in London is so legendary that many incarnations of its name have come into popular culture over the years. Think Puttin’ on the Ritz. A Diamond as Big as the Ritz. The native and visiting international aristocracy made it an instant hit when it first opened in 1906, and it has been star-studded ever since. Famed Russian ballerina Pavlova danced there. Charlie Chaplin needed 40 English Bobbies to escort him into the hotel from his throng of chasing fans during a visit in the 1920s. Eisenhower, Churchill and deGaulle conducted wartime summit meetings there. Broadway actress and movie star Tallulah Bankhead even sipped champagne out of her own slipper at the Ritz. How’s that for celebrity antics?
moreHello, Space? It’s Me, Adventurer…
Been there, done that. That’s the ennui of some of the Bold ‘N Beautiful these days. To shake things up a bit, might I suggest something that’s well, really out there? Like a trip to space...it's takes exploring to a whole other level, as well as an opportunity to create an experience that offers some bragging rights at your next cocktail party.
If you’re good with numbers, you know this year marks the 50th anniversary of Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gargarin's historic flight and the 30th anniversary of Columbia's historic flight. Of course, the anniversaries are not going unnoticed, with events being planned worldwide to honor these phenomenal achievements in space travel.
Here are a few options for those of you who want to walk on the wild side a little more…
The ZERO-G Experience is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience true weightlessness. On specially modified Boeing 727, parabolic arcs are performed to create a weightless environment allowing you to float, flip and soar as if you were in space. Your ZERO-G Experience includes 12-15 parabolas, your own ZERO-G flight suit, ZERO-G merchandise, a Regravitation Celebration, certificate of weightless completion, photos and video of your unique experience. A deal for a thrill at about $5,000, the zero gravity flight will have you walking on air.
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