MEDITERRANEAMENTE

A legendary retreat situated high on a cliff off the Amalfi Coast

Described by John Steinbeck as "an old family house converted into a first-class hotel"—nothing beats Le Sirenuse for traditional, dignified luxury. This 18th-century villa (with museum-quality antiques and hand-painted ceramic-tile floors) houses poppy-red rooms, each having a private balcony or patio overlooking the Amalfi Coast.

Besides the Neapolitan-menu restaurant, La Sponda—devised by Chef Matteo Temperini—Le Sirenuse also includes an alfresco champagne-and-oyster bar, a pool and Aveda spa, and a vintage wooden boat for tooling up and down the coast in 1960s-scarlet style.

Le Sirenuse
30 Via C. Colombo, Positano, 86017
+39 089 875066

www.sirenuse.it

THE HIGH LIFE

From Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn, Chetzeron’s Alpine views are unparalleled

Hotel Chetzeron hovers a cool 2,112 metres above sea level, somewhere between the snow and sky. In true James Bond style, this remote retreat can be reached only by skis or snowcat during the winter months. The powdery peaks and Alpine air here will soothe any soul, but there’s a little extra help from the hotel’s infrared sauna, hammam and outdoor swimming pool. Chetzeron’s Swiss-Lebanese hotelier, Sami Lamaa, is a self-confessed claustrophobe, so the 16 suites are uncluttered but cozy and sublimely stylish. Expect minimalist oak beds draped in sheepskin and cashmere, and infinite views of the Rhône Valley through every window. Heaven is the wraparound terrace at dusk, when the sun dips between the mountains and the night is soulfully still.

Hotel Chetzeron
2112 SA, 3963 Crans-Montana, Switzerland
+41274850800

http://www.chetzeron.ch

DAYS OF RAJ

Of boutique stationary and blended teas

The starting point for No. 3 Clive Road—a boutique line of stationary and blended teas—is pre-independence India. In 1931, when New Delhi was inaugurated as the new capital of India, bungalows surrounding the government house (now Rashtrapati Bhavan) were assigned to government officials, including one situated at No. 3 Clive Road given to founder Radhika Chopra’s grandfather—then Comptroller General for the British Government.

Set out to preserve the elegance of an erstwhile era gone by, the brand’s range of products herald India’s majestic heritage with a modern whimsical touch.

This is reflected in the letter-pressed note cards with delicate water colour illustrations—by New York-based illustrator, Happy Menocal—and careful selections of the finest full-leaf teas, pairing luxury and history with timeless refinement and taste.

The stationery retails for INR 3,000 and the blended teas for INR 1,350.

CURATED SPECIAL

Kala Ghoda’s newly minted design store

Tucked away in the cosy, secret lanes of Mumbai's art district, Kala Ghoda, lies Filter—a retail space that curates the work of graphic designers, photographers, illustrators, fashion experts, students and product innovators. Look out for limited-edition one-off pieces, eclectic collaborations and quirky, well-crafted products, such as the tongue-in-cheek He is the Cow? debased typographic poster or the Ish Watch running on Indian stretchable time.

Filter
Behind Rhythm House, Fort, Mumbai
+91 22 2288 7070

www.filtershop.in

Monday-Saturday: 11AM-7:30PM

THE ART OF COLLAGE

Interstellar collages by Eugenia Loli

Eugenia Loli is one of many artists featured in The Age of Collage—a striking documentation of today’s continued appetite for destructive construction—comprising a broad scope of collage artists through the ages. Using analog photographs from across the decades, Loli creates interstellar digital collages that are intriguing and thought provoking. Originally from Greece, Loli now lives in California, where the influence of the Hollywood Hills is reflected in the glitz and glam of her work. However, beneath the fake veneer of pearly whites and red lipstick is a dark sense of humor, where children casually play with water pipes and busty brassieres as the main attraction in a packed theater. Loli admits that Julien Pacaud inspired her to take up collaging, and her work echoes Pacaud’s trademark decade-defying pastiches.

Film

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS

One of the most majestic scenes in Sidney Lumet’s 1974 adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express is when the train’s passengers—key players in the murder mystery about to unfold—arrive on the platform of the Istanbul station to board. Through the steam and chaos of luggage, porters, spivs, vagabonds and an all-star cast (including Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, John Gielgud and Vanessa Redgrave), Michael York and Jacqueline Bisset appear as Count and Countess Andrenyi, flamboyantly costumed by Tony Walton in aristocratically impractical white. There might have been a borzoi or two in tow. Both then and now, the couple seem to be the embodiment of absolute glamour!

HERITAGE HIDE

Surrounded by palm trees, The Imperial is a haven of '30s-style comfort and charm

Built by British architects and renowned as the place where Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Mountbatten, among others, met to discuss the partition of India, The Imperial is New Delhi's iconic landmark. Located a stone’s throw away from Connaught Place, it has elegant teak furniture and impressive art on its walls (one can even book an art tour), new art deco suites and a sublime spa that was seven years in the making. There’s also a recently added Steinway piano in the Nostalgia room, where one can listen to live jazz while tucking into traditional European cuisine.

The Imperial
Janpath Lane, Connaught Place, New Delhi
+91 11 23341234

www.theimperialindia.com

BAKE STATION

A new bakery in Los Altos—Voyageur du Temps—offers high-end artisanal pastries

A downtown building, formerly serving as a stop along the Southern Pacific Railroad, has reopened its doors as a bakery cafe. Inspired by time travel, Voyageur du Temps (time traveller in French), gets its statement-making logo from the Roman numeral 5 discovered on a clock at a French station. The bakery staff is trained to use traditional Parisian-style methods to create made-from-scratch breads and pastries, making the perfect croissant. With an open kitchen allowing customers to see the pastry chefs at work, the bakery offers both indoor and outdoor seating. The owner, Rie Rubin (originally from Japan) has brought in two chefs from Tokyo, who’ve studied in Paris. As a result, the menu has a combination of Japanese and French breads and pastries—think green tea croissants, shokupan and chocolate cubes.

Voyageur du Temps, bakery and cafe
288 1st Street, Los Altos, California
+1 650 383 580 0

www.voyageur.com

Monday-Sunday: 7AM-6PM