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Magazine of the Marco polo club4Quarter 2010
4Quarter 2010
24 Hours IN TokyoSUCCESS STOREYSbengaluru saves itsheritage buildings
The Club is published by Cathay Pacific Loyalty Programmes Ltd. (CPLP) Cathay Pacific – The Marco Polo Club, PO Box 1024, Tsuen Wan Post Office, Hong Kong. Tel +852 2747 5500 Fax +852 2537 9900. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of CPLP Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright 2010 by CPLP Ltd. Opinions in The Club are the writers’ and not necessarily endorsed by CPLP Ltd. Manuscripts, photographs, drawings and other materials will not be returned unless they are accompanied by a self-addressed envelope and appropriate international postal coupons. The Club cannot be held responsible for unsolicited material.
Editorial advisory BoardGrace Poon Mun Wong Ella Young Mandy Chau
FEATurEs
ON THE WiNG
DEPArTMENTs
44 INSIDE CX A hydropower
project in rural China helps us to FLY greener
48 CX NEwS Asia Miles award,
new amenity kits, flights increase, and more news
18 EXpErt aDvICE Does the shape and
type of glass alter the taste and quality
of fine wine?
24 pErSpECtIvE What makes a city liveable? Vienna might top the lists but would you want to live there?
30 24 HourS A day in the life of
Tokyo, from Asakusa’s ancients temples to Zen gardens
38 travEl Bengaluru preserves
its heritage colonial buildings and the trees that make it The Garden City of India
06 MESSagE froM tHE Club
08 EXplorE HoNg KoNg Great coffee and
chocolate, bikes and kayaks, and a new map
12 EXplorE tHE worlD Drive through China,
slide in Singapore and study in Bangkok
Phot
os. M
eiji
shrin
e G
arde
ns: M
artin
Hla
dik
– D
orlin
g Ki
nder
sley
/Get
ty im
ages
18
14 wHat’S oN Tennis in Hong Kong,
China treasures at the Met, and Phuket sailing
16 CHoICE Speakers that sound
impeccable and look sculptural
PuBlishEd By aCP MagazinEs asia liMitEdunit 604-5, 6/F, 625 King’s road, Quarry Bay, Hong KongTel +852 3921 7000 Fax +852 3921 7099 Website www.acpmagazines.com.hk Email cathay@acpmagazines.com.hk
Chief Executive Officer Julie Sherborn • Publishing Manager Alky Cheung • Editor in Chief William Fraser • Chief Sub Editor Andy Gilbert • Sub Editors Ellen Wong, Yam Yim-lan, Kathy Wang, John Cramer, Ling Ka-wai • Art Director Shaun Horrocks • Designer Sepfry Ng • Photo Editors Elisa Fu, Ester Wensing • Production Director Jimmy Tse • Assistant Production Manager Chris Wong
advErtising EnquiriEsasian in-flight MEdia liMitEdManaging Director Peter Jeffery +852 2850 4013 peterjeffery@asianimedia.comHong Kong, Advertisement Director (Cathay Pacific) Teresa Ngai +852 3106 8133 teresa@asianimedia.com
Printer: Paramount Printing Company Limited
16
30
Co N tE N t S
I t is always nice to be the bearer of good news and we have plenty of glad tidings for the members of The Marco Polo Club as we approach
the festive season. Cathay Pacific’s interim results,
announced in August, showed a healthy profit of HKD6,840 million for the first six months of 2010. As business continues to return, we have announced our com-mitment to investing in new aircraft and upgrades to our products and services.
In September Cathay Pacific concluded a purchase agreement with Airbus for the delivery of 30 new A350-900 aircraft, representing our biggest single aircraft purchase. The new acquisitions are valued at HKD60.84 billion at list price. Deliveries will begin in 2016 and are scheduled to stretch over a three-year period.
Also in September, we signed an agree-ment with The Boeing Company to exercise purchase rights for six more of the manu-facturer’s B777-300ER (Extended Range) aircraft with an estimated value of HKD12.5 billion at list price. These additional aircraft will swell the airline’s total order for the aircraft type to 36 and will be delivered in 2013 and 2014.
In October, our brand new First and Business Class departure lounge at Hong Kong International Airport opened. The Cabin is located by Gate 23 and covers 1,339 square meters with 200 seats. High-speed Wi-Fi access, 11 PCs, six iMacs and a video-conference suite allow you to stay informed, in touch and entertained. You can also use one of 20 Wi-Fi enabled iPads pre-loaded with the latest apps including newspapers, magazines and games. Don’t
forget to try the innovative and unique Cathay Solus Chair. In addition we will be renovating The Wing, on a rolling basis to ensure as little disruption as possible to our members.
We are also restoring passenger capacity as strong demand returns. Cathay Pacific has added additional flights to Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Cairns, Auckland, Toronto, Osaka and Paris. Dragonair, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, has resumed flights to Fukuoka and Hong-qiao International Airport in Shanghai, both daily services.
Finally, Asia Miles was honoured to be named “Best Frequent Flyer Programme” for the sixth consecutive year at the 2010 Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Travel Awards in September.
Thank you all for your support!
A new lounge, new planes, more flightsKatie Rowen, Manager The Marco Polo Club
.
6 the club
m e ssag e from th e clu b
Like a lazy susan, Busy Suzie is round and the centre of a lot of action. The circular Japanese robatayaki restaurant in the Heritage 1881 complex is the brainchild of dragon-i founder Gilbert Yeung. French designers Patrick Gilles and Dorothée Boissier – responsible for Buddakan in New York and Cha Cha Moon in London – created the interiors that add to the buzzy atmosphere. No detail has been overlooked – Joseph Li designed uniforms for the staff, who even have consultants for their hair and sneakers. The robata chefs pass the food from the grills to diners on wooden paddles – not on a lazy susan. www.busysuzie.com
Made to measureStylish menswear designer Tom
Ford recently opened a store in
Hong Kong’s IFC Mall and has
just added made-to-measure
tailoring to its services. Clients
can select from 217 fabrics for
suiting and 130 for shirting.
www.tomford.com
HONG KONG
Test your chocolate palate
A new model
Ford
Stick around for a buzzy time
In appraisal of chocolateTaste 13 different types of top-quality raw and pure dark chocolate
from 10 countries at Belgium chocolatier Goossens, which recently
opened its first store in Hong Kong. Many of the samples are
single origin and single estate. The informative tastings take a stroll
through chocolate’s history from the time cocoa was first discovered
in 2000BC to modern processing. Tastings cost HKD50 per person
and take place at the shop in Happy Valley, or can be arranged at
corporate venues.
www.goossens.com.hk
8 the club
E XPLO R E
Sha Tong Hau Arch on Bluff
Island, part of the Geopark
The action revolves around
the Japanese-style robatayaki
grill at Busy Suzie
Discover the art galleries
and creative places that
Hong Kong designers
love with the help of a
new design- and culture-
focused map compiled
using recommendations
from some of the city’s
experts. Creative City is
a pocket-sized map that
folds out into six different
districts with recommen-
dations for more than
150 locations from art
galleries to architectural
landmarks and quirky
design-led shops.
Available from major
book stores.
www.creativecity.hk
Wheel lifeNeil Pryde is best known as
Hong Kong’s slick manufacturer
of sailing and sail-boarding
equipment, and wetsuits. Now
the company has added bicycles
to its repertoire with the launch
of two high-performance road
bikes, the Alize and the Diablo,
developed with BMW Group
subsidiary DesignworksUSA. The
bikes combine peak performance
with sophisticated aesthetics and
can be bought online.
www.neilprydebikes.com Outdoor pursuitsDiscover Hong Kong’s wild side by exploring the Geopark at Sai Kung
in the New Territories with a mix of kayaking and hiking trips led by
experts. Options include kayaking and snorkelling around the area’s
geological wonders, hiking through the area’s beautiful country park
or a mixture of all three. Expect to see the area’s stunning volcanic
coastline and explore sea caves and arches. If that sounds too
strenuous, a powerboat can whizz visitors to the beautiful beaches
and clear seas of Tai Long Wan in minutes.
www.kayak-and-hike.com
All mapped out
9 the club
Barista Jam With its polished concrete floors,
minimalist interior and devotion
to the art of coffee-making, this
little gem in Sheung Wan is a
tiny taste of Australia on lively
Jervois Street. Wedged between
dry cleaners, florists, carpenters
and Chinese medicine shops,
Barista Jam serves excellent
coffee (using a changing selec-
tion of single-origin beans) and
a small selection of sandwiches
and salads.
www.baristajam.com.hk
Café Punta del Cielo On the corner of Wellington and
Lyndhurst Streets, the slick black-
and-white interior is cool and calm.
Coffee is supplied by a Mexican
chain devoted to coffee-making in
all its stages and forms.
www.puntadelcielo.com.mx
FuelTucked away on the top floor
of the IFC Mall, this is Fuel’s first
venture outside New Zealand.
The coffee is blended in Trieste,
roasted in Wellington and served
to an enthusiastic customer base
in Hong Kong. Choose from a
menu of 12 coffees including
espresso macchiato and a
delicious café mocha.
www.fuelespresso.co.nz
Holly Brown The spacious interior sets Holly
Brown apart. The main counter
is dominated by two enormous
shiny Victoria Arduino espresso
machines and the coffee is freshly
roasted on site by Italian master
roaster Domenico Spadaccini.
There’s a gelato bar and an
enticing selection of cupcakes.
www.hollybrowncoffee.com
Bean huntersHong Kong’s coffee culture
has long been dominated
by the big chains but a
growing band of good
independent coffee shops
has hit town.
Domenico Spadaccini and the Holly Brown coffee team
Terms and conditions1. A minimum stay of 2 consecutive nights is required.2. Spa or food and beverage
credit is not applicable to the purchase of merchandise. credit must be used per stay and is non-cumulative.
Terms and conditions1. Stock is subject to availability.2. In case of any dispute, the
decision of Ponti Food & Wine cellar ltd. shall be final.
Enjoy a complimentary room upgrade and spending credit at Grand Hyatt Hong Kong
Enjoy a 15% discount on selected wines from Ponti Wine Cellars
From 16 November 2010 to 15 February 2011, members of The Marco Polo Club who stay at Grand Hyatt Hong Kong for a minimum of two consecutive nights can enjoy a range of benefits, including:
• ComplimentaryupgradefromGrand Room to Grand Harbour View Room upon reservation• SpendingcreditofUSD120inPlateau Spa or restaurants and bars during stay
To enjoy this offer, quote your membership number and promotion code “MP731” when making your reservation, and present your membership card upon check-in.
From 16 November 2010 to 15 February 2011, members of The Marco Polo Club will receive a 15% discount on purchases of selected festive wines from Ponti Wine Cellars. This quarter’s featured wines are:
Bruno Paillard Champagne Assemblage • Brut 1999
Chateau Daugay 2005, Saint-Emilion • Grand Cru
Faiveley Chablis 1er Cru “Fourchaume” 2007•Neyen Espiritu de Apalta 2005•Renato Ratti Barolo Marcenasco 2006•Duckhorn Napa Valley Merlot 2007•
Established since 1988, Ponti Wine Cellars source exceptional wines direct from Europe and around the world for the enjoyment of wine lovers – embracing
P A r T n E r O F F E r S
Telephone: +852 2584 7038 (Reservation)Email: hongkong.grand@hyatt.comWebsite: hongkong.grand.hyatt.com
Website: www.pontiwinecellars.com
every opportunity to share their passion and enthusiasm for wine with their customers.
To enjoy the offer, present your membership card when making your purchase.
10 the club
THE WORLD
Cultural affairsKyoto, Bangkok and Chiang Mai Learn Asian arts from calligraphy
to preparing a Japanese tea
ceremony with Origin. Founded
by Alex Kerr, an author, cultural
explorer and long-time resident
of Japan and Thailand, the aim is
to teach the traditional cultures by
experiencing them first hand.
The lessons are taught in
traditional buildings in Kyoto,
Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
http://origin-asia.com
Made in ChinaShanghaiChina’s first high-end luxury
brand, Shang Xia, is a joint venture
between French marque Hermés
and designer Jiang Qiong Er, who
has a passion for the traditional
crafts of China. The first boutique,
opened in Shanghai, was
designed by Japanese architect
Kento Kuma and the stock reflects
Jiang’s modernist take on the
traditional craftsmanship with
elegant zitan wood furniture,
cashmere clothing and fine
porcelain homewares
www.shang-xia.com
Fruits of the loomBaliVisitors to Bali should take the trip to the charming village of Tenganan
near Candidasa, one of the few places in the world where double ikat
woven fabric is produced. The elaborately designed ikat weave cloth is
known as gringsing and can take months to complete. Ikat is a style of
weaving that uses a tie-dye process on either the warp or weft before
the threads are woven to create a pattern or design. With the double
ikat method, both the warp and the weft are tie-dyed before weaving to
create patterns. The colours are limited to yellow, red and indigo and the
dyes are derived from plants.
www.balitourismboard.org
Fine craftsmanship in Shang Xia’s zitan furniture and cashmere clothing
Complex and rare double ikat produced in Tenganan, in Bali
Kanok, the ubiquitous Thai flame motif
Hit the roadMainland ChinaFancy a driving holiday through China – the easy way? On the Road in China guides you through the backblocks and some of the most scenic regions of China in a convoy of SUV vehicles on tours of five to 14 days. A lead vehicle guides a maxi-mum of four other Toyota Prado SUVs with pre-programmed GPS and walkie-talkies. On the Road in China arranges the logistics, accommodation, organises a Chinese driving licence and insur-ance and locates good restaurants. Itineraries include From Kunming to Lhasa (14 days), Best of Yunnan on Back Roads (eight days), and Escape to Shangri-La (five days). www.ontheroadinchina.com
Pho
tos.
Esc
ape
to S
hang
ri-L
a: P
eter
Sch
indl
er. I
kat:
Ala
my/
Arg
us-
Phot
o. S
lide:
Cha
ngi A
irpo
rt G
roup
. Oly
mpi
cs: G
etty
Imag
es
12 ThE CLUB
E XPLO R E
Enjoy the rideSingapore First came the Balinese-themed
swimming pool and now
Singapore’s Changi Airport has
added a 12-metre (four-storey)
twister slide to its list of attractions.
For every SGD10 (about HKD60)
spent in the airport, shoppers
receive one token for a ride on
the slide at Terminal 3. Choose
between two speeds.
www.changiairport.com/at-changi/
entertainment-lifestyle
Game planLondonTake a tour to glimpse London’s
2012 Olympic Games venues,
which are rapidly taking shape in
the 200-hectare Olympic Park in
East London. From viewing points,
see the 80,000-seat Olympic
Stadium, which will host the
opening and closing ceremonies,
the spectacular wave-shaped roof
of the Aquatics Centre, designed
by architect Zaha Hadid, and the
Olympic Village. The tour also
shows how this area is being
transformed into a green corridor
with five kilometres of parkland,
transforming it into one of the
largest new urban parks in Europe
in 150 years. The aim is to have
everything finished by mid 2011 to
allow for time for test runs. Tours
depart at 11am every day from
Bromley-by-Bow underground
station. Bookings are essential.
www.olympictourguides2012.com
On the airport fast trackTokyo and BangkokTravel times from airport to the city centre of both Tokyo and Bangkok
have been dramatically reduced thanks to new train services travelling
at speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour.
The journey from Narita International Airport to central Tokyo has
been shaved by 15 minutes and now takes 36 minutes on the new
Narita Sky Access line. The new Skyliner train has spacious seats, a
light, airy cabin and extra room for baggage. In Bangkok the long-
awaited rail link has opened, providing a smooth 15-minute ride from
Suvarnabhumi to the city centre.
www.narita-airport.jp/en/whats_new/100409_skyaccess.html
www.bangkokairporttrain.com
New twist to transit time
London’s Olympic basketball arena
The road to Tiger Leaping Gorge
on the Escape to Shangri-La tour
13 ThE CLUB
WINTEREvENTs
NOVEMBER18-21 November UBS Hong Kong Open Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling, Hong KongTitle holder, French golfer
Grégory Bourdy, meets
Graham McDowell, who
clinched the Ryder Cup
for Europe.
www.ubshongkongopen.com
29 November – 4 December Business of Design Week Various venues, Hong KongThe best of the inter-
national design world
comes to Hong Kong to
focus on the vital links
between creativity
and commercialism.
www.bodw.com/2010/eng
DECEMBER2-5 DecemberArt Basel Miami BeachMiami, FloridaThe most important art
show in the United states
attended by international
artists and all major
commercial art galleries.
www.artbaselmiami
beach.com
4-11 December Phuket King’s Cup Regatta PhuketThis major Asian blue-
water sailing tournament
has evolved into a “big
boat”, ocean-going event.
www.kingscup.com
12 December Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races Sha Tin, Hong KongFour international races
with total prize money
of HKD64 million – the
highlight of the Hong
Kong racing calendar.
www.cxhkir.com
14-20 December Olympia: The London International Horse Show West Kensington, LondonOne of the world’s major
equestrian events.
www.olympiahorseshow.com
Blue water, big boats in
Phuket
Vision D’etat wins the
2009 Hong Kong Cup
Phot
os. R
aces
: Bob
by Y
ip –
Reu
ters
. Ph
uket
: Dub
rovs
kaya
.
14 THe CLub
what ’s o n
Portrait of the Qianlong Emperor
1 February – 1 May 2011
The Emperor’s Private Paradise: Treasures fromthe Forbidden CityThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkThe Qianlong emperor ruled from 1736 to 1795 when the Qing Dynasty was at its peak. The emperor took a personal interest in the arts and had a one-hectare private retreat built within the Forbidden City. The exhibition includes paintings, decorative works and architectural details from this imperial residence. www.metmuseum.org
D A N C E E V E N T S
18-20, 24-27 November and 2-4 December: Woolf Phrase / N.N.N.N. / a new work by William Forsythe, The Forsythe Company, Frankfurt am Main, www.theforsythecompany.com19-28 November, Taipei; 4-5 December, Taichung; 11-12 December, Kaohsiung; 17-19 December, Chiayi County: Water Stains on the Wall, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan www.cloudgate.org.tw3-22 December: Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker, The Australian ballet, Sydney, www.australianballet.com.au12, 17, 19, 30, 31 December: The Nutcracker, bolshoi ballet, Moscow www.bolshoi.ru/en17-27 December: The Nutcracker, The Hong Kong ballet, Hong Kong http://hkballet.com1-7 February 2011: Hong Kong Salsa Festival, Hong Kong, www.hksalsafestival.com
5-8 January 2011Hong Kong Tennis Classic 2011 Victoria Park Tennis Stadium, Hong KongEurope, Russia, The
Americas and Asia Pacific
compete in the World
Team Challenge.
www.hongkongtennis
classic.com
26 January 2011 Republic Day ParadeNew DelhiIndia shows off its ethnic
and cultural diversity.
http://festivals.iloveindia.com
FEBRUARY3 February 2011Cathay Pacific International Chinese New Year Night Parade Hong KongDon’t miss the fun of
welcoming in the
Year of the Rabbit.
www.discoverhongkong.
com/festivehk2010/eng/cny/
highlight_celebrations.jsp
7-13 February 2011Sapporo Snow Festival SapporoA winter wonderland
of ice sculptures and
snowy activities.
www.snowfes.com/
english/index.html
17-18 January 2011Asian Financial Forum Hong Kong Convention and exhibition CentreHear influential members
of the global financial
and business community
discuss developments
and trends in Asia. A
discount for members of
The Marco Polo Club is
available on registration.
For details, log in to your
Marco Polo Club account
at www.cathaypacific.com
www.asianfinancialforum.com
Art, culture and fun at the Sydney Festival
JANUARY8-30 January 2011Sydney FestivalVarious venues, SydneyHave fun on the opening
night when the streets
become a party venue.
http://corporate.sydney
festival.org.auPhot
os. E
mpe
ror:
The
Pala
ce M
useu
m, B
eijin
g.
Balle
t: Jo
han
Pers
son.
Tenn
is: A
FP P
hoto
Maria Sharapova at the 2010 Hong Kong
Tennis Classic
15 THe CLub
sound investment
Anthony GalloAnthony Gallo claims
that spherical speakers
eliminate distortion.
the Reference 3 offers
300-degree dispersion
and the cast-aluminium
frame houses a 10-inch
woofer.
www.anthonygallo.co.uk
Qurvethe Qurve e200 bespoke floor-standing speakers incorporate full-range drivers
and the cabinet amplifies the bass tones for depth and volume. the speakers
are assembled and hand finished from machine-cut craftwood and can be
natural wood or painted to specified colours.
www.qurve.co.uk
It’s not enough for speakers merely to produce impeccable sound, they must look good and suit your décor. These sculptural sound systems score high on the scales of both looks and performance.
Thielthe thiel Cs3.7 is a floor-
standing model with a domed
tower. the speakers are made
in Kentucky with laminated
hardwood housing and a rigid
aluminium front.
www.thielaudio.com
16 The club
ch o i ce
Meridianno need for cables with the
meridian dsP7200 digital Active
Loudspeakers as everything is
housed in the cabinet. Available
in black, graphite or silver gloss
finish in metal and glass.
www.meridian-audio.com
Mythosthe mythos st supertower is a
sleek hand-polished extruded
aluminium shaft mounted on
a polished granite base, with
a built-in subwoofer.
www.definitivetech.com
Harman KardonClarity of sound gets
new meaning with the
transparent Harman
Kardon soundsticks ii
system, which is in
the collection of the
museum of modern
Art in new York.
soundsticks ii is com-
patible with most
multimedia devices.
www.harmankardon.com
Zikmu Parrot by S+arckthe Philippe starck-designed
wireless hi-fi speakers have an
iPhone and iPod docking station.
Have them delivered in Hong
Kong through the Cathay Pacific
Home delivery service.
www.cathaypacific.com/dutyfreePhot
o. m
erid
ian:
Cam
eo P
hoto
grap
hy L
td
17 The club
Glassyaffair
By Andre A L i
The shape of the glass can accentuate or dull the flavours of wine
Tokyo Temptation Burgundy glass from Lucaris
18 the club
e xpe r t adv i ce
icolas deneux, Chief Sommelier at
SPOOn, Michelin-star chef Alain ducasse’s
restaurant in Hong Kong, recently went
against the grain by advising a customer
that it would be a mistake to decant an
expensive bottle of Bordeaux because
the 1986 vintage had been a weak one.
His advice dispelled the myth shared
by many of the city’s wine enthusiasts
that all expensive red wines should be
decanted and consumed out of elaborate glassware as part
of an extravagant spectacle.
“When someone orders an expensive wine, they want the
sommelier to work at it,” explains deneux. “They expect a
big show, the big glasses and the crystal decanter. This, too,
used to be trendy in France but people are beginning to
understand it is not necessary all the time. At the end of the
day, it is not about how much the wine costs, but rather, the
style of wine you are consuming.”
Fueled by the removal of wine duty in 2008, Hong Kong
is rapidly becoming a premier wine hub with wine imports
surging and auction sales reaching record levels. Wine glass-
ware has also been flying off store shelves as wine drinkers
are increasingly demanding the best conditions in which to
drink their wines. After all, the right wine glass can showcase
the maximum potential in a wine.
Although the wide variety of wine glassware and the avail-
ability of all shapes, sizes and price points may baffle and
intimidate buyers, experts say the consumer should not be
distracted from what is most important: in choosing the right
glass, what matters most is its shape and size of the bowl.
“The glass shape is very important because it affects the
way we receive the aromas and flavours of the wine, and
therefore our perception of the wine,” says Master of Wine
debra Meiburg, a widely respected wine judge.
At the most rudimentary level, red-wine glasses are
broader in shape to give the fuller bodied grape vari-
etals more surface room to oxidise. A large bowl shape
also allows the wine to swirl easily, releasing the aromas
and opening up the rich velvety finish in wines such as
cabernet sauvignon and merlot.
White-wine glasses are typically smaller and narrower
in shape, often sporting a thinner rim, to enable the
delicate and fruity smells to funnel up to the top of the
glass so the drinker can enjoy the flavours immediately. A
champagne flute is taller, thinner and tapered. The narrow
glass provides a smaller surface area that slows the escape
of bubbles and captures the subtle nuances of the grapes.
“The right glass can enhance all the components from
aromas to tannin, and complexity of mineral flavours of a
good wine, but will, at the same time, also heighten the flaws
of a bad wine,” says Frantz dumey, President of Sales in Asia
for riedel, a major glassware manufacturer.
Too large or broad a bowl shape, for example, would cause
the flavours of a delicate fruity wine such as sauvignon blanc
to dissipate, while too straight a glass angle would hinder the
unique aromas from travelling upwards.
Another crucial point to note is the diameter of the rim and
the thinness of the glass. A narrower rim and thinner glass can
help direct the flow of liquid to the right part of your palette.
“The tongue has four key senses: sweetness, saltiness, acid-
ity and bitterness,” says dumey. “The rim of the glass, the size
and bowl shape can dictate the flow of liquid to a specific part
of your tongue. Glasses are designed in such a way that you
unconsciously tilt the glass at a certain angle thus directing
the wine to the right part of your tongue. The aim ultimately
is to achieve a balance of flavours.”
riedel’s leading market position is testament to its
focus on going beyond the science of glassware manu-
facturing. each glass is developed following rounds of
Bangkok Bliss chardonnay glass from Lucaris
19 the club
wine tastings with wine professionals, from tasters to produc-
ers from every part of the globe, giving feedback on how
each aspect of the wine glass can optimise the potential
of a wine.
Though riedel is often regarded as one of the leading
glassware manufacturers (the brand currently has a total
of 12 lines covering various grape varietals and regions),
other european brands such as Spiegelau and Schott
Zwiesel have also launched extensive portfolios of glass-
ware. in Asia, Lucaris is working with expert glassware-maker
Toyo-Sasaki Glass of Japan, Thailand’s Ocean Glass and Ger-
man designer Martin Ballendat, to create crystal stemware
of international quality.
Premium glassware, made predominately of delicate lead
crystal, provides greater transparency, better light refraction,
sparkling brilliance and makes beautiful sounds at toasting. But
in the orbit of functionality, it is a luxury, not a necessity.
“expensive glassware does add incrementally to the
pleasure,” says Meiburg. “it is the difference between having
a Porsche with leather seats versus one with vinyl seats.”
Simon Tam, director of the independent Wine Centre, says
Etched bowls of the Spiegelau
Renaissance glasses
Master of Wine Debra Meiburg says premium glassware adds to the pleasure
it is important not to get bogged down in the dynamics of
the nitty gritty. “For most people, a few white and red wine
glasses and a handful of flutes is all you need at home,” he
says. “if you have the means and the luxury of space then
by all means go for the whole nine yards. But it is important
for people to know that you don’t need to have all the right
glasses before embarking on the journey of wine.”
even a restaurant such as SPOOn uses only about five types
of wine glasses. Anything more, says deneux, would be for
show more than practicality.
The variety of glassware and wine paraphernalia can indeed
be overwhelming to the novice drinker particularly as glass
styles tend to vary between brands.
“The range can be intimidating to someone who has not
grown up in a wine culture,” says Meiburg. “There is a lot of
apprehension around how to do things right. it would be like
a westerner participating in a Japanese tea ceremony.”
20 the club
e xpe r t adv i ce
G L a S S c a R E
• Use a microfibre cloth to polish glasses• Wrap cloth around your fingers then rotate around the inside of the bowl• Hold the glassware firmly by the bowl, not the stem• Rinse the glass with cold water after use• Lipstick stains can be removed by using warm water• Use of detergent is not recommended• Store in a clean, odourless environment• To rid the glass of smell, rinse first in cold water before polishing
Lucaris Shanghai Soul Champagne and Bordeaux glasses are available for Home Delivery to Hong Kong residents. Please see Discover The Shop – Beyond Duty Free or you can refer to: www.cathaypacific.com/dutyfree
She assures consumers, however, that this need not be a
nerve-racking endeavour. Meiburg, who judges between
six to eight wine competitions every year, says judges use a
generic wine glass, similar to a chardonnay glass, to ensure a
fair and consistent outcome that the public can appreciate.
“it isn’t so much a case of what glass we use in the competi-
tion that is important, but that they are all the same,” she says.
“We use an ordinary wine glass on the assumption that not
everyone will have an extensive range of glassware at home,
and since we are influencing the public’s buying decision, it
is important to use a general wine glass.”
For an all-purpose classic wine glass, Tam recommends
a chianti glass. Straddling the glass shapes of Bordeaux and
chardonnay, this type is versatile enough to pinpoint the
aromatics of both red and white wines.
in some quarters, however, sceptics such as Tam feel the
importance placed on glassware has been taken to the
extreme. While he recognises the value that glasses bring
to the drinking experience, he believes first and foremost in
the power of a good wine.
“if the wine is good, it will taste good regardless of whether
it is in a cup, a glass or wine glass. With even wine producers
making their own tailored glassware, i beg to differ whether it
is really necessary to have all this glassware and theatrics.”
indeed, in a new and flourishing wine market such as Asia’s,
the temptation of having all the right drinking tools can at times
overshadow what is practical or immediately relevant.
“Wine is still very new to people in this part of the world and
it takes time to recognise quality wine,” says Tam. “it is natural for
novice drinkers to be swept up in buying the best of everything
including glasses to help them complete the experience.”
it is important to note that glasses alone do not define the
drinking experience, says Tam. “remember that glassware is only
one component to getting the most out of your wine. Other
aspects of wine service like the temperature of the wine, how it
is served, whether or not it is decanted are just as important.”
Riedel Black Tie collection has a black stem or base
Nicolas Deneux, chief Sommelier at SPOON, which uses a limited number of wine glasses
22 the club
e xpe r t adv i ce
Wish you were here?By A ARON PE A SLE y
London
Vienna
ParisNew York
Surveys that rank cities often provide a snapshot of the good life elsewhere, but they can overlook what really draws us to where we live
hat is the formula for the perfect
city? Some of us may envision sus-
tainable enclaves with plentiful
green space. Others may emphasise
a high-density urban environment,
complete with round-the-clock
cultural offerings. An effortless
five-minute commute to the airport
may be essential to some, while a
city’s natural beauty may be the trade-off for hellish traffic in
another. One thing is certain: the concept of the perfect city
is not something we’re all likely to agree on. By their very defi-
nition cities are imperfect, dynamic and ever changing, and
each comes with a unique set of challenges and charms.
In recent years, the concept of liveability, a word invented
to define the quality of life a city provides, has gained wider
use. Each year, two major reports, the Mercer Quality of Liv-
ing Survey and The Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Global
Liveability Report, set out to rank the world’s cities – from
Vancouver to Vilnius, Baghdad to Boston – according to their
living conditions. Necessitated by an increasingly globalised
economy, they are used primarily by international corpora-
tions to measure the living conditions in cities where they
plan to relocate staff or operations.
Liveability and concepts of “quality of life” differ from infor-
mation on standard of living in that they measure much more
than just income and living costs. While a brief look at either Phot
os. N
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Syl
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Zuric
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Lon
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Wish you were here?
Hong Kong
Zurich
Vancouver
25 the club
Pe r sPec tiv e
survey proves that the flow of money is a key component –
Swiss cities, for instance, which always feature prominently,
have long been established centres of wealth creation. But
they also examine a range of factors spanning everything
from the quality of a city’s medical care, urban environment,
political climate, and civil liberties to whether a city is prone
to natural disasters or outbreaks of disease.
Jon Copestake, Editor of EIU’s study, explains the group’s
methodology, a list of criteria that encompasses 30 qualita-
tive and quantitative factors across five categories. “When it
comes to liveability, we seek to assess conditions in terms of
the problems a location can present to someone’s lifestyle,”
he says. “We have correspondents based in each city and they
rate indicators that we see as influencing liveability which we
vet and weight to create an overall score.” The survey ulti-
mately issues each city with a score out of 100, and this year
selected Vancouver as the world’s most liveable metropolis
with a mark of 98 percent.
Mercer’s survey ranked Vienna as the world’s most liveable
city, followed by the Swiss cities Zurich and Geneva. Rebecca
Powers, one of Mercer’s San Francisco-based consultants,
explained the process: “Mid-density European cities always
tend to dominate, largely due to their great health care,
efficient transport and established economies.”
Mercer’s methodology ranks cities based on a point-
scoring index, with cities compared to New york City,
which has a base index score of 100. “It’s really like split-
ting hairs at the top end of the survey,” says Powers.
“When I saw that Vienna had come at the top this year,
I laughed that it must have been due to the excellent
quality of its symphony.”
When we think of the world’s most glorified cities,
we tend to think of places such as London, Hong Kong,
New york or Paris – complex, historically rich, pulsat-
ing monuments to human ambition. Clamorous, and often
hard to navigate, they contain those ineffable qualities that
make a city truly great. But when compiling these surveys,
Vancouver and Vienna were
ranked the world’s most
liveable cities in two separate
surveys
Vancouver
Vienna
26 the club
Pe r sPec tiv e
“if we were all alike then perhaps we all would be happy living in vienna”
researchers don’t take into account the emotional dynam-
ics, the intangible elements that separate great cities from
merely good ones. They don’t tend to note spectacular
natural settings (sorry, Rio), cutting-edge architecture
(Shanghai, you’re out of luck) or round-the-clock nightlife
(too bad, Madrid).
One wonders what the late urbanist Jane Jacobs would
have made of liveability surveys. In her book, The Death
and Life of American Cities, she stresses the importance of
small, navigable neighbourhoods, and while she promoted
preservation she espoused that cities should retain their
historic character, faults and all. By contrast, these indices
value urban environments that are highly efficient, financially
robust and easy to navigate. But is it possible they can be just
a bit unexciting? After all, efficiency, that quintessentially Swiss
of traits, will never be perceived as sexy.
Grant Thatcher, the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Luxe City
Guides, believes quality-of-life studies should be viewed with
just a little scepticism. “While I think liveability surveys can
be used as a basic index or benchmark, they always fail to
take into account the most important factor of the human
condition – individuality,” he says. “If we were all alike then
perhaps we all would be happy living in Vienna – as it is some
of us need adventure, danger, dirt, challenges and, let’s face
it, we all love to moan about the weather.”
Indeed, while both Vienna and Vancouver are undoubt-
edly pleasant places to live, neither tends to lead the way
when it comes to shaping the spirit of the times. “If this was
a measure of hipness, we would probably have a completely
different list,” says Powers, “but we are here to calibrate the
real quantifiable factors that influence a place.”
The sweet life: critics say city surveys don’t take individual tastes into account
Paris
27 the club
EIU’s Copestake says such subjectivity has no place in the
reviews. “Boredom, for instance, is a pretty subjective factor.
We cannot capture a buzz that a city gives off and in many
cases the big-city buzz or vibrancy is caused by the ’edge’ a
city has, which can imply shortfalls in liveability.”
Ed Brea, the General Manager of the Shangri-La Hotel
Vancouver, who has lived all over the world, believes true
liveability is all in the mix. “Vancouver is pretty hard to beat,”
he says. “The city is a very clean and green urban place that
is culturally and ethnically diverse. It has a very creative side
and the sushi is to die for! The public transport system works
[and there are] lots of bike lanes for people like me who do
not drive.”
Neither survey sees large fluctuations from year to year,
but both are keeping an eye on the developing world as
companies become more eager to move into those markets.
In some cases, however, a lot can change in a year.
Neil Smith, Managing Director Research Serv-
ices, Fitch Solutions, who regularly relocates
staff, says these types of intelligence tools are
becoming more important as global corpo-
rations move operations into lesser-known
capitals. “We are finding that factors can
change incredibly swiftly,” says Smith. “In
some parts of the world, Africa and parts
of Asia, for instance, we are seeing a rapidly
changing political climate with incidents of
terrorism and political unrest. We need to
monitor these factors constantly.”
In recent years, liveability surveys have
gained broader appeal. Lifestyle magazine
Monocle launched its “Quality of Life” survey in 2007 and other
liveability survey findings often appear in the media.
“I’m often called by radio stations in the US demanding
New York
Pe r sPec tiv e
T o u g h m o V e s
Rather than pinpointing the most alluring cities for potential expatriates, liveability indices are grounded in quite the opposite – the idea of hardship.
Donna DiGiovanni, Director of Global Mobility Services for crown Relocations, a company that helps companies relocate employees, says many of her clients study the surveys. “Our corporate clients who tend to be interested in the global liveability surveys are those companies who are either opening, or considering opening, opera-tions in regions commonly associated with risk or hardship,” she says. “Sometimes the
reports are used to debunk myths about certain areas or to understand where the risk or hardship lies and to what degree.“
In cases where hardship is assessed, com-panies pay a premium – often an additional five percent or more of an employee’s base salary – to staff that relocate to cities where living conditions are considered difficult.
language barriers or notable cultural chal-lenges are taken into account. but experts suggest that hardship allowances in some cities, such as hong Kong, may be becoming less frequent as companies shift their focus towards less expensive local hires.
to know why the cities didn’t come out top,” says Mercer’s
Powers. Governments have also become more interested,
monitoring their performance and comparing it to other capi-
tals. As urban centres have moved towards private enterprise,
many governments are now using these surveys to encourage
private investment.
Perhaps, as Swiss writer and theorist Alain De Botton has
suggested, a truly liveable city is like a well-designed piece
of furniture: functional, rather simple and perhaps just a little
unexciting. But don’t say that to Luxe City Guide’s Thatcher,
or passionate residents of other capitals that fail to impress
liveability researchers.
“Having lived in New york, Hong Kong and Bangkok, I can
safely say that variety is very definitely the spice of life,” says
Thatcher. “It’s all about deciding what you want, what you
need, deciding what you’re willing to forgo, if anything, and
then getting off your butt to make it happen.”
New York and hong Kong
have a vibrancy that’s hard
to beat
Hong Kong
Phot
os. N
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Ric
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at n
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29 the club
Explore the gardens of the Meiji Shrine
3pm
Start in Style as soon as you touch
down. Instead of struggling onto a train
or bus into Tokyo – buses and taxis are
prone to the traffic jams that clog the
roads into the city from Narita Interna-
tional Airport – hop aboard a Hermès-
branded chopper as soon as you clear
customs for the transfer. The seats are
leather and cabin walls bear the brand’s
signature Toile H fabric, also used on its
leather goods. The Mori Building City
Air Services Eurocopter takes a mere 15
minutes – compared to one hour, on a
good day, by surface transport – and
there is no more impressive way to get
a first glimpse of Tokyo, particularly as
the lights begin to flicker on.
3:30pm
after landing, the service includes
a limousine transfer to the nearby
By JulIAN RyAll
Phot
o. M
eiji
Shrin
e G
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ns: M
artin
Hla
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– D
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/Get
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Sample sushi at the fish market, shop for traditional works of art, sip some superb sake and drift away on a boat cruise. And that’s just a taste of what the city has to offer…
24
TokyoHOURS
Grand Hyatt Tokyo, a part of the Rop-
pongi Hills complex that has so impres-
sively changed the skyline in this part
of the city. Check out the beautifully
appointed rooms and the incredible
views across Tokyo.
4pm
to prepare for the indulgences that
lie ahead, the mind and spirit must be in
harmony. The monks of Seishoji Temple –
31 the club
24 h o u r S
a walled compound that is an oasis of
tranquility in the heart of this frantic city –
teach those in search of zen enlight-
enment the most appropriate posture,
how to breathe deeply and slowly and,
in time, how to settle the mind. Monks
can hold their pose and empty their
minds for hours on end. The rest of us
can usually manage about 20 minutes
before the mind wanders and the back
begins to ache. Time for some therapy
of a different kind.
5:30pm
loverS of Japanese art can take
home some of the ukiyo-e woodblock
prints on display at one of the most
famous galleries in the traditional print-
ing quarter of Jimbocho. Pictures of the
“floating world” are a uniquely Japanese
art form that depict the traditions and
lives of people – geisha, samurai and
kabuki actors – from a bygone era. Mita
Arts Gallery has dealt in ukiyo-e since the
early 1960s and its stock ranges from very
affordable to museum-quality pieces.
7pm
one of the most famous prints by
ukiyo-e artist utagawa Hiroshige
depicted Tokyo’s famous yakatabune
– which literally means “roof-shaped
party boat” – beneath a summer fire-
works display on the Sumida River more
than 200 years ago. Tokyo residents still
have the urge to escape the city and
the party boats continue to ply the
rivers and city canals, as well as pass-
ing beneath modern landmarks, such
as Tokyo’s Rainbow Bridge. yakatabune
Harumiya has been in the party-boat
business for 60 years and operates five
vessels that depart from different piers
around the city. A two-hour cruise
from the Asashio Pier incorporates an
eight-course meal of seasonal dishes
including the traditional yakatabune
fare of seafood and vegetable tempura
deep-fried in sesame seed oil. Eat as the
lights of Tokyo float by and geisha in full
regalia perform musical numbers and
act out short dramas.
10pm
on the Southern fringes of Ginza,
where it meets the more proletarian
Shimbashi district, is a street dedicated
solely to bars and restaurants. Down a
short flight of steps at the Shimbashi
Woodblock prints depict a bygone era
Phot
os. W
oodb
lock
prin
ts :
Cour
tesy
of M
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Gal
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. G
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Hya
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kyo:
Cou
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Hya
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otel
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32 the club
24 h o u r S
end of the street is the Ginza Saka Bar,
a small and dimly lit place that really
knows its sake and shochu. The décor
features dark panelling and the deep
red-brown counter is hewn from a
500-year-old tree. The drinks are served
in cut-glass tumblers and flutes and the
staff are immaculately turned out.
For anyone who is unsure of Japa-
nese spirits, put yourself in the hands
of the barman. The dry Kaishun is
from Shimane Prefecture and comes
in a glass containing a generous cube
of ice. Awamori, from the southern
islands of Okinawa, is always a good
bet, along with some of the simple
black-sugar or potato-based shochus.
A personal favourite is the sake made
from the yuzu citrus fruit from Saitama
Prefecture, served cloudy with the pith
settling in the glass. It’s tangy, with a
taste that lingers. But don’t have too
many as tomorrow starts very early.
5am
While the rest of the city still slum-
bers, take a taxi (because the subway is
not running yet) to the largest whole-
sale fish market in the world. Tsukiji’s
popularity with visitors to Tokyo has
forced the operators to limit numbers,
but it’s still a remarkable place to
witness in action. Phot
o. S
ake
tray
: Jef
frey
Cool
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– Ic
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a/G
etty
Imag
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Try sake or shochu flavoured with black sugar or yuzu citrus
Grand Hyatt Tokyo in Roppongi Hills
terms and conditionsblackout dates from 23 to 25 and 31 December 2010, and 1 January 2011 apply.
Enjoy exciting benefits at Mandarin Oriental, TokyoBook and stay at Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo in a Deluxe Room at the Best Available Rate between 16 November 2010 and 15 February 2011, and you’ll enjoy a range of exciting benefits, including:
Complimentary upgrade to the next room category • at time of reservation
Choice of early check-in from 11am, or late check-out at 4pm•Complimentary Internet access•Welcome amenity (refreshment served upon arrival)•Double Asia Miles•
For reservations, please contact Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo Reservations and quote your Marco Polo Club membership number.
Telephone: +81 3 3270 8950 Fax: +81 3 3270 8886 E-mail: motyo-reservations@mohg.com
p a R T n E R O f f E R
33 the club
6:30am
after Watching all that fish being
hauled around, there is no better way
to prepare for the day ahead than with a
sushi breakfast. Sushi Daiwa, within the
Tsukiji complex, is a local favourite. Por-
tions here seem more generous than
other sushi restaurants in the city and
the two white-clad chefs behind the
counter hand over a steady stream of
tuna, salmon, crab and other delicacies
to locals and tourists alike.
7:30am
With the SubWay now running, use
the time it takes to return to the hotel to
digest breakfast. But in the suite, don’t
get comfy yet. Slip those running shoes
into a backpack and hit the streets. Peo-
ple have been using the five-kilometre
path that circumnavigates the Imperial
Palace as a jogging track for years. In
spring, much of the pathway passes
beneath cherry trees in full bloom; in
autumn, the grounds of the palace take
on the colours of the season. Authori-
ties recently constructed changing and
showering facilities along the route, so
freshen up after your jog before you
go shopping.
9:30am
JuSt a couple of blocks east of the
palace moat, past the imposing new
In good hands at Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo Ph
otos
. Im
peria
l Pal
ace:
Fra
nck
Gui
ziou
– H
emis/
IC. G
inza
: Eve
rett
Ken
nedy
Bro
wn
– ep
a/Co
rbis
Cranes lift tuna carcasses caught in
the waters off Mexico or the south-
ern Pacific from the vessels’ holds.
Elsewhere on the dock, stevedores
unload crates of hamachi (yellowtail)
hirame (flounder) or kampachi (greater
amberjack) that seem to smoke as the
ice hits the warmer air. Smaller vessels
that have plied waters much closer to
Japan return with an array of shellfish,
sea urchins, squid and dozens of varie-
ties of seaweed.
Tsukiji – the Metropolitan Wholesale
Central Market – covers 23 hectares on
the bay, handling 700,000 tonnes of sea
products, vegetables and fruit a year,
worth about JPy600 billion (HKD56 billion).
More than 90 percent of the fish served
in Tokyo restaurants and nearby Kanto
region passes through this market.
34 the club
24 h o u r S
11:30am
after Such an early breakfast, an
early lunch will be required.
In business for 97 years, Genyadana
Hamadaya is a chic ryotei restaurant
in Tokyo’s Nihonbashi-Ningyocho
district named after a geisha house. It
was awarded two Michelin stars in the
latest edition of the food-lovers’ bible.
Designed to reflect the grace of the
267 years of the Edo era, until 1867, the
restaurant’s dishes aim to please all the
senses. Attention to detail, from the set-
ting to presentation, lacquerware bowls
and the food is exquisite.
Steamed Spanish mackerel is served
in season, wrapped in soba and sea-
weed, while the duck dumpling with
grated daikon radish, sesame tofu
and yuzu served in a clear broth is a
must. Another favourite is angler fish
liver with ponzu sauce or the yellowtail
teriyaki and vinegared lotus root.
edifice of The Peninsula Tokyo, is Ginza.
These streets boast flagship stores of
major international luxury brands. But
try to buy something uniquely Japa-
nese. Traditional stores and art galleries
line many of Ginza’s backstreets, with
window displays of kimono, traditional
washi paper, toys, lacquerware items or
works of calligraphy art in black ink.
Tenshodo has been associated with
Ginza for 130 years and the statue of a
naked angel pulling back a miniature
bow is a local landmark. The store has
an array of beautiful timepieces on
display – incorporating the newest
technology with time-honoured design
values – with the watches constructed
by the company’s mastercraftsmen.
Ginza Tanagokoro sells charcoal
products called binchotan, a crystalline
material made by baking oak branches
at up to 800 degrees Celsius for as long
as five days. Charcoal is used to absorb
odours in the air to help purify a room.
Jog around the Imperial palace
The world’s major luxury
brands grace the streets of Ginza
terms and conditions1. the room rate is subject to a 10% service charge, 5% government tax and accommodation tax.2. blackout dates apply from 31 December 2010 to 2 January 2011.
Enjoy a complimentary room upgrade and more at Shangri-La Hotel TokyoFrom 16 November 2010 to 15 February 2011, members of The Marco Polo Club who stay at Shangri-la Hotel Tokyo at the Best Available Rate for two consecutive nights will enjoy a range of benefits, including:
Complimentary upgrade to the next room • category at time of booking for Deluxe, Deluxe Bay View, Premier Room
late check-out until 3pm•Complimentary afternoon tea for 2 at •
The lobby lounge
To enjoy this offer, quote your Marco Polo Club membership number and promotion code “MPO” when making your reservation, and present your membership card upon check-in.
Telephone: +813 6739 7878 (Hotel Reservations)+852 2331 6688 (Worldwide Reservation Center)Fax: +813 6739 7879Email: reservation.slty@shangri-la.com
p a R T n E R O f f E R
35 the club
STaYGrand Hyatt Tokyo +81 3 4333 1234 www.tokyo.grand.hyatt.comThe peninsula Tokyo+81 3 6270 2888 www.peninsula.com/Tokyo/en/default.aspx
EaT & DRInKGenyadana Hamadaya +81 3 3661 5940 www.hamadaya.info/pc/english/index.htmlGinza Saka Bar+81 3 6228 5108www.gnavi.co.jp/enKaikaya+81 3 3770 0878 www.kaikaya.comMaruyama nori www.maruyamanori.com (no English)Sushi Daiwa tsukiji Market, part 6 building, 5-2-1 tsukiji, chuo-ku +81 3 3547 6807 Sushi Kaiseki nogawa+81 3 6228 4407www.sushinogawa.jp/enYakatabune Harumiya +81 3 3644 1344 www.harumiya.co.jp/e
SHOpGinza Tanagokoro +81 3 3538 6555
www.tanagokoro.com/english/index.htmlIto-ya +81 3 3561 8311 (ginza)www.ito-ya.co.jp (no English)Iwai Tsuzura +81 3 3668 6464www.tokyochuo.net/issue/traditional/2004/06/english.htmlMita arts Gallery+81 3 3294 4554www.mita-arts.com/default.php?language=enTenshodo Watches +81 3 3562 0023 (ginza)www.ginza-tenshodo.com
SpaMandarin Oriental Tokyo Spa+81 3 3270 8300 www.mandarinoriental.com/tokyo/spaOedo Onsen Monogatari+31 3 5500 1126www.ooedoonsen.jp/higaeri/english
VISITHakonewww.hakone.or.jp/englishImperial palacehttp://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/english/guide/koukyo.htmlKappabashiwww.kappabashi.or.jp/enMeiji Jinguwww.meijijingu.or.jp/english
Senso-ji Templewww.senso-ji.jp/about/index_e.htmlSeishoji (Meditation lessons)+81 3 3431 3733www5.ocn.ne.jp/~seishoji/zazennframe.htmlTokyo Towerwww.tokyotower.co.jp/englishTsukiji Marketwww.tsukiji-market.or.jp
TRaVELMori Building City air Services+81 3 3568 2474 www.mcas.co.jp
InfORMaTIOnWeekender Japanwww.weekenderjapan.com
1pm
there iS JuSt time to make one
more shopping stop for lacquerware
at the nearby Iwai Tsuzura store. Baskets
wrapped in layers of rice paper, coated
with a base of persimmon and tannin
and with a further covering of cashew
lacquer used to be in great demand for
storing kimono. Few of the artisans of
these works of functioning art remain
today – just two in Tokyo.
2pm
if you’re feeling tired, rejuvenate
both mind and body. The Spa at the
Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo has windows
that look out over the city from the 37th
floor. Drift away as the therapists get to
work on those aching muscles.
fresh octopus at Tsukiji Market
Japanese stationery makes a great souvenir
Phot
os.
Oct
opus
: Wen
dy C
onne
tt –
Rob
ert H
ardi
ng/I
mag
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Wor
ld/G
etty
Imag
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nvel
ope:
Get
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36 the club
24 h o u r S
Sumiyo HosokawaCathay Pacific Marketing Communications Manager Japan
Take in the expanse of the city from Tokyo Tower
Seafood of all sorts is served widely in
Japan and the famous Tsukiji Market is
one of my favourite places. But you can
eat high-quality seafood in many places
in Tokyo.
Sushi Nogawa, in Ginza, serves fine
Japanese kaiseki cuisine with fresh sushi
from Tsukiji. Kaikaya restaurant in Shibuya
serves fresh seafood sourced by the
owner and chef, Tange, prepared in a
fusion of Eastern and Western cuisines.
I usually buy dried seaweed at Maru-
yama Nori. Its nori is used at famous
sushi restaurants and the shop also has
very nice Japanese tea and tea sweets
as well as tea tastings.
Bathing in an onsen in natural hot
spring water is a quintessential Japanese
experience. Oedo Onsen Monogatari
is located in the popular Tokyo water-
front area of Odaiba. When you check in
you will receive a yukata, a light cotton
kimono, to wear and choose an onsen
from those on offer. An Edo-period
street has been created to add to the
atmosphere and you can spend a full
day here and even book into a hotel.
Hakone is a popular spot for overnight
stays in the many onsen ryokans. Many
of them allow visitors to use the onsen
at a reasonable price without staying in
the ryokan. Apart from lake Ashi and
views of Mount Fuji, visitors can see
gardens and the volcanic landscape of
Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.
Keen cooks should head to Kappa-
bashi, near Asakusa, where the restau-
rant equipment shops sell pots, utensils,
china, fake food samples, napkins and
related items at reasonable prices.
Also in Asakusa is Senso-ji, the old-
est temple in Tokyo, visited by some
30 million people a year. large red lan-
terns mark the Kaminarimon Gate, the
entrance to Nakamise Street which leads
to the temple. Along this street you can
find souvenirs, sweets and freshly made
delicious rice crackers.
Japanese stationery stores are a rev-
elation and Ito-ya is the shop of shops
with nine floors of paper, cards (fold-out
and pop-up ones in particular), brushes
and painting equipment.
Shibuya and Harajuku are dense
areas teeming with young people and
packed with shops, lights and video
screens. In stark contrast nearby is Meiji
Jingu, the enormous forest and Shinto
shrine created some 90 years ago. This
refuge from the urban crush has natural
forest, beautiful gardens and elegant
traditional shrine buildings.
To get an idea of the expanse of
Tokyo, visit the 333-metre-high Tokyo
Tower, one of the great landmarks that
is visible day and night.
Phot
o. To
kyo
Tow
er: u
ltra
F/Im
age
Bank
/Get
ty Im
ages
37 the club
Successphotos nama s bhojani
Bengaluru’s beautiful heritage buildings have escaped the wrecking ball thanks to some passionate preservationists
storeysby shoba nar ayan
Rishad minocher calls himself a hospitality
consultant, but he is really an epicurean
who enjoys single malts, fine wine, good
food and heritage buildings. he happens
to live in one: a 175-year-old gem situated
in the centre of bengaluru on Cunningham
road. Called hatworks boulevard, the half-hectare property
has been converted into a series of high-end boutiques and
retail outlets. minocher and his wife, anna, live at the back
with their two daughters.
“my grandfather rented it from the original owner, a british
man, and then bought it after World War ii,” says minocher.
“after my parents passed, we five siblings were left with a
choice: should we give it to real-estate developers who would
tear it down and construct a high-rise in its place or figure
out another way? We chose the other way.”
minocher and his wife travelled all over asia and saw Chi-
nese shop-houses being used as retail outlets in singapore,
malaysia and thailand. they decided to do the same with
their home with an iron-clad contract for all prospective ten-
ants. no major structural changes were allowed and several
architectural features could not be touched: the heritage
flooring, mud-brick walls, lime plaster, curlicues above the
entrance arch reflecting the family’s parsi heritage, and the
burma-teak false ceiling all had to be handled with care by
the tenants. Even fixtures such as air-conditioning units had
to be inserted tastefully and not “be stuck here and there so
that they are an eyesore”, says minocher.
several years into the exercise, minocher says that the family
are happy with their decision. “We have the home to enjoy
and leave for future generations. it is a great way to keep these
old structures going. Even financially, the rents we are getting
[are] commensurate with the rentals in the area,” he says.
heritage preservation in bengaluru, formerly known as
Reflected glory: The National
Gallery of Modern Art in Bengaluru
39 the club
tr av e l
bangalore, has finally come to the fore thanks to an unusual
confluence of visionary architects, civic activists and a young
workforce that has become wealthy due to the software boom.
this resolutely modern city, known more for its call centres
and it companies, has large tracts of army land and several
buildings from the colonial era. Winston Churchill served as a
young army officer in bengaluru in 1896, and had outstanding
dues at the beautifully preserved bangalore Club, founded in
1868 by a cadre of british officers. When prince Charles visited
bengaluru a few years ago and saw an entry in the displayed
ledger book of the club from june 1899, in which “Lt. WLs
Churchill” was one of the 17 defaulters, he offered to settle
the dues on Churchill’s behalf but the club refused.
in the 1980s, this city of five million people started to expand
and thrive thanks to a nascent software industry. homeowners
who lived in old bungalows with their characteristic monkey-
top windows and slanting tiled roofs were forced to make a
choice. as the land they lived on became more expensive,
many sold to real-estate developers who tore down old bun-
galows and built high-rise buildings in their place.
a few homeowners, however, chose what architects call
“adaptive reuse” and transformed their homes into offices,
shops and, in one case, the national Gallery of modern art
(nGma). the nGma building used to be the home of raja
manickavelu mudaliar. the mudaliars are an indian “forward-
caste” community with extensive land holdings in bengaluru.
they came from neighbouring tamilnadu during the colonial
era to service the british army cantonments with leather and
Hatworks Boulevard was transformed from a bungalow to an up-market shopping precinct
40 the club
tr av e l
terms and conditions1. the discount is applicable on all bookings made online or through the call centre.2. Airport transfer and chauffeur drive services less than 4 hours are not eligible to earn Asia Miles.3. Standard Avis rental terms and conditions apply.
Receive a 20% discount on selected Avis services in IndiaFrom 16 november 2010 to 15 February 2011, members of the marco polo Club who purchase chauffeur drive services or airport transfers with avis in india will receive a 20% discount on super value rates. Enjoy a Luxury sedan airport transfer in bengaluru (bangalore) from only hKD350!
please quote your avis Worldwide Discount number when making a reservation and present your marco polo Club membership card at the avis rental location.
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p A R T N e R o f f e R
oil goods – they could touch leather while their brahmin coun-
terparts couldn’t – and never left. two of the nicest homes
on mahatma Gandhi road (mG road) in bengaluru are still
owned by people in the mudaliar community. arun pai talks
about them as he takes tourists and locals on the Victorian
bangalore Walk that he conducts every weekend (bangalore
Walks, www.bangalorewalks.com).
the Velu family remains prominent and one of their homes
is now a luxury boutique called raintree. their main home
is now the national Gallery of modern art. the patriarch,
raja manickavelu, used to live in this sprawling mansion on
palace road. minocher remembers stories from his mother
who used to visit the mansion for dinner parties served with
the family’s exquisite gold dinner-set. in the 1960s, the state
Anokhi in RainTree
sells quality traditional
Indian crafts
The Burma-teak ceilings in Hatworks Boulevard were preserved (above)
41 the club
government acquired the mansion and, in 2000, decided to
house indian art there. architectural firms were invited to
bid for the complex project involving landscaped gardens, a
crumbling colonial mansion and painstaking restoration. the
architect who won the project was narasimhan naresh.
naresh shepherded the controversial and complicated
project through to completion in 2009 when the gallery
was finally open to the public. since that landmark project,
naresh has developed his passion for restoration and become
a spokesperson for the city’s architectural heritage. his father,
also an architect, was involved in bengaluru’s first heritage
preservation project. the city wanted to tear down the fire-
engine red attara Kacheri landmark building. naresh says
his father and his colleagues did something rather smart.
they invited the prominent English conservation architect
sir bernard Feilden, who had advised on the restoring of british
cathedrals, the taj mahal and the Great Wall of China, to come
in and speak to the city officials. “Feilden persuaded them to
let the building stay, thankfully,” naresh says. “it was a great
victory for the conservation lobby in those days.” today, the
attara Kacheri building houses the Karnataka high Court.
but such public heritage buildings are rare in bengaluru.
“maybe we have too much of history in india and therefore
very little respect for it,” says naresh. “historical buildings are
seen as old-fashioned and out of date. there is no appreciation
of the physicality of buildings; no understanding that unless
these buildings are preserved the history of the city and the
continuation of its fabric is lost. india’s old buildings are seen
as archeology, not history; and there is a difference.”
recently, there has been some cause for hope. a team of
Central Library of Karnataka State in Cubbon park (left)
Gul
moh
at tr
ee p
hoto
: t.L
. pra
bhak
ar –
the
hin
du p
hoto
arc
hive
s
42 the club
tr av e l
locals has been working together with bengaluru’s govern-
ment on what has come to be known as abiDe (agenda for
bengalore infrastructure and Development task Force). they
have been pushing for better conservation and restoration of
the city’s heritage. ashwin mahesh, a professor at the indian
institute of management (iim) and a member of abiDe, says
the state government has announced the establishment of
a “heritage cell” within the municipal corporation that would
look into three areas: built heritage, natural heritage and cul-
tural heritage. such a move would be lauded by naturalists
and ornithologists such as m.b. Krishna.
Krishna, who also was involved in bengaluru’s urban lakes
conservation plan, says that one-third of the tree cover that
earned bengaluru its title of “Garden City” has disappeared
in the past three years, mostly to make way for development.
RainTree houses luxury boutiques
a city-wide train system called the bangalore metro rail is
being built and naturalists are angry about the number of trees
that have been cut to accommodate trains and stations. “the
largest landowner in bengaluru is the government and, thanks
to poor governmental policy, we are losing a large number of
old trees to road widening and other work,” says Krishna.
bengaluru is one of india’s few cities that has large lakes
such as Ulsoor and hesaraghatta, popular spots for wind-
surfers. if implemented, the government’s heritage cell will
look to preserve not just old buildings but also bengaluru’s
lakes, its traditional and scenic neighbourhoods such as
malleshwaram and basavangudi, and its parks. Lalbagh
and Cubbon park are bengaluru’s two large green spaces.
Designed by German horticulturist Gustav Krumbiegel under
the auspices of the mysore maharajah, both parks have a
profusion of flowering trees such as the bright yellow tabebuia,
millingtonia, jacaranda, laburnum and flaming red gulmohar.
these serially flowering trees scent bengaluru’s boulevards.
Krishna believes multinationals should get involved in
preserving bengaluru’s green heritage. he believes that
companies such as ibm, bausch and Carrefour “could use
native trees which would not only grow quickly and flour-
ish in bengaluru’s climate but also reduce their landscaping
costs as well. Carrying the argument further, they could try to
incorporate architectural elements such as cross ventilation
and lattice work that are more suited to a tropical climate
instead of building glass-and-steel towers that use more
energy and electricity.”
the good news for bengaluru is that a dedicated band
of naturalists, architects, and civic planners are making a
concerted effort to not only influence the government but
also gain public support.
“the real challenge is to educate people that old buildings
are not bad buildings and they just need some tLC [tender
loving care],” says naresh. “We need to come up with a way
to make them relevant to modern use.”
The flame-red gulmohar tree (Delonix regia), also known as the poinciana or flamboyant tree
43 the club
Natural wonder
ph otos By dav i d G . m ci n t y r e
Using the natural flow and elevation drop of a river, the cleanly generated power
from a “run-of-river” hydropower station in Guangdong creates carbon credits to help
offset emissions from air travel
Green living: Crop yields have
increased for farmers such as Liao Mei Lan
Hong Kong, population seven
million, has vital links with the
town of Lankou, population
about 10,000, in Guangdong
Province. It’s a four-hour drive
to Lankou and the Meihe
Expressway snakes alongside
the Dongjiang River, an east-
ern tributary of the Pearl River
and the source of an estimated
70 percent of Hong Kong’s water supply.
Weave through the narrow streets of the town, cross a
narrow bridge above plots of carrots, daikon, spring onions,
green vegetables and rice, and follow the raised concrete
road that leads to a project across the Dongjiang.
This project, a hydropower station and its related infrastruc-
ture, has transformed the lives of many local residents but the
effect of the cleanly generated energy and its associated carbon
offsets ripple much further. It is an important contributor to
Cathay Pacific and Dragonair’s FLY greener programme, in which
passengers help offset their flight’s emissions by using cash or
Asia Miles to contribute towards green projects, such as this.
Janice Lao, Cathay Pacific Environmental Manager, explains
that by choosing to FLY greener, CO₂ generated from flights is
reduced elsewhere, such as the Lankou hydropower station.
This is the first Guangdong-based project to provide carbon
offsets for the FLY greener programme and is an important
way of reducing our carbon footprint.
FLY greener has eight renewable energy projects in Mainland
China that are either under the Clean Development Mechanism
(CDM) or the Voluntary Carbon Standard scheme (VCS), which
are used to certify carbon credits.
The 26MW Lankou hydropower project provides average
emissions reductions of 69,757 tonnes of CO₂ a year – the
amount of CO₂ that would be produced if the power sta-
tion had been coal-fired. Janice says that Cathay Pacific and
Dragonair had been looking for a project in Guangdong that
would contribute to better air quality in Hong Kong and the
Lankou project had the added benefit of being a water source
for the territory. She says CDM projects must be in develop-
ing countries and qualify as “additional” – they could only be
established with support from carbon funds.
The owner of the development company, Miao Shou Liang,
came from the Lankou area, which has a population of about
60,000 and was plagued by an irregular power supply. In
2005-6, when the project was underway, the developer
faced funding difficulties and went to the Chinese govern-
ment for assistance. The government recommended that
the developer work with KOE Environment Consultancy Inc,
which helped prepare the documentation to comply with
the CDM requirements.
The project cost RMB430 million (about HKD500 million)
and an estimated RMB6 million in carbon credits comes back
The Lankou hydropower project provides carbon offsets for Cathay Pacific and Dragonair’s FLY greener programme
45 the club
i nsi d e c x
“carbon offset income made the project viable”
to the project owner each year in addition to the sale of some
80,000 MWh per year to the China Southern Power Grid.
“Carbon offset income made the project viable,” says Janice.
“Cathay Pacific and Dragonair voluntary offsets contribute to
the continuation of the project, along with sales of electricity
to the China Southern Power Grid.”
The Environmental Impact Assess-
ment was approved at the end of
2005 and construction work started
in January 2006. The first generator
supplied electricity in August 2007
and by May 2008, all three turbines
were generating power. A consultation
process involved stakeholders within
five kilometres of the project who were
invited to meetings to voice objections
and concerns. In May 2007, 47 people
completed a survey that focused on
the impact on the local economy and
environment. The results showed 92
percent supported the project and the
rest were neutral.
These projects must demonstrate
community benefits and, apart from pro-
viding a reliable regional electricity supply,
advantages include employment, training
and education, and cleaner air from the
displacement of renewable energy over
coal for powering the local grid.
Some 1,800 jobs were created during construction and
the finished project provides 50 full-time positions. Just
off the giant turbine hall four workers sit before a bank of
computer screens and closed-circuit TV monitors and every
hour they log the power that has been generated. On the
wall behind them they plot a graph that shows the power
output, the variations caused by the different volumes of
water that drive the turbines.
Zeng Su Mei is one of the data recorders and along with her
colleagues rotates eight-hour shifts around the clock. Zeng was
trained for three months and sat exams before she qualified
for the position. Xie Bai Fu had fixed cars before he underwent
three months training and exams to become a hydro-plant
mechanic. He explains that the higher water level and the
more reliable electricity supply increased job opportunities,
and younger people were staying in Lankou with their families
rather than seeking work elsewhere. Fan Fo Heng only had
random work before he started helping on the construction
site. He is now head of security and his wife works as a chef.
The run-of-river construction relies on the natural flow
of the waterway to generate power. The water level of the
Dongjiang is raised about four metres and the construction
s e e h o w Y o u C a n M a k e a D i F F e r e n C e
You can calculate your own carbon emissions by clicking on the FlY greener icon on the cathay Pacific and Dragonair home pages atwww.cathaypacific.com and www.dragonair.com. For indi-vidual passengers, offsets are determined according to actual mileage flown. For businesses par-ticipating in the corporate Offset Programme, they are calculated based on three flight categories:
short-haul (1-3 hours) • medium-haul (3-6 hours)• long-haul (6+ hours)•
and then by travel class economy• business• First•
46 the club
i nsi d e c x
The project gives farmer Xie Jian heng (left) better access to water
has 14 sections with gates that can be lowered and raised
depending on the flow of the river. One of the advantages of
run-of-river projects is that large areas are not inundated by the
water storage and this minimises the impact on surrounding
communities and ecology. The downriver area benefits as the
project can release water during dry seasons. Flood mitigation is
another result with the flood incidence reduced from one every
one to two years to every five years.
One of the major project costs was the construction of a six-kilo-
metre long, six-metre wide, raised concrete road from Lankou to the
project site. However it has also been one of the most valued assets
as it provides an all-weather route for farmers and workers.
Farming has not changed greatly – the main crop is two
harvests of rice a year and vegetables – but those harvests
are more certain and not as subject to flooding.
Farmer Xie Jian Heng says his rice yield before and after
were similar but previously the water level had been low and
it was difficult to get water. The level is now higher and the
new road has made it easier to get in and out of his property.
Other farmers say that because the water level is higher, the
soil is more fertile and produce has increased.
Fish farmer Liu Guo Hong raises four types of fish that he feeds
with yu cao, or “fish grass” that he cuts from the riverbanks. As
the water level is higher he can deliver the fresh fish by boat to
Heyuan. He buys fingerlings for his farm but the project owner
has spent RMB50,000 annually on restocking the river with fish.
Dai Zi Chang is a fisherman who sets his nets each morning
and night. He used to catch fish that were only 1.5 kilograms but
now regularly catches ones up to 2.5 kilograms.
As a result of the reliable power supply, a RMB2 billion
glass factory is planned to be built in 2011. Trading along the
Dongjiang has increased because bigger boats can use the
river. Consistent water supply enhances the local living stand-
ards, factories are developed and roads built. Consequently,
the government gets more tax income and can make more
contributions to the region.
The trickle-down effects of the project touch the lives of
people from Lankou to Hong Kong but are spread even wider
by the FLY greener programme.
w i n D s o F C h a n G e
Another carbon offset programme, developed by carbon Resource Management, is the Mulan wind farm, located 170km north-east of harbin in heilongjiang, the most northern province of Mainland china. the area has one of the coldest climates in Asia with howling Siberian gales common in winter and temperatures reaching -30 degrees celsius.
the 20 wind turbines, each 50 metres tall, stand on top of the only hills in Mulan county to harness the strong regional wind speeds. the wind farm generates approximately 25 GWh of electricity each year using wind power as a renewable energy source. the average annual emission reduction achieved from 2005 to 2009 was 25,000 tonnes of cO₂.
the flat, harsh landscape is dotted with poor rural villages where locals farm corn to make a living. Mr Fang, the manager of Mulan, says the wind farm had benefited many people in the local area.
About 20 new jobs have been created by the project, mostly filled by local workers. Operations and maintenance are carried out by locals who were trained by the wind-turbine manufacturer and grid connection companies.
staff monitor data at the hydropower station 24 hours a day(far left)
47 the club
Cathay Pacific launches new Haneda servicesCathay Pacific began operating
flights to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport
on 31 October, 2010. The twice-
daily service will make Tokyo
an even more popular destin-
ation and provide members
with greater flexibility for travel
between Hong Kong and Japan.
Thrills and action from Cathay Pacific’s racetrack hospitality boxesEnjoy an incredible view of the racetrack from Cathay Pacific’s
hospitality boxes, The Wing, at Happy Valley and Sha Tin
racecourses – where you’ll be right on top of the action! Reserve
your seats now to enjoy a sumptuous international buffet and
watch the exhilarating races.
Complimentary parking is available at both racecourses, subject
to availability upon booking. For reservations or to find out more,
log in to your Marco Polo Club account at www.cathaypacific.com
or contact The Wing Reservation Hotline on +852 2837 5000.
Best Frequent Flyer award – againAsia Miles has been named Best Frequent Flyer Programme
at the Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Travel Awards for the
sixth consecutive year. The award recognises the effort to
provide the best products and services to its 3.7 million
members worldwide.
The Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Travel Awards are one
of the industry’s most prestigious regional events, and
recognise travel and hospitality providers who have made
frequent travellers’ journeys seamless and productive.
The Web Marketing Association recently honoured
Asia Miles iShop with an award for Oustanding Achievement
in Web Development in the category of Shopping Standard
of Excellence.
Cathay Pacific Director Sales and Marketing Rupert Hogg accepts
the Asia Miles award
Departure lobby of the new Haneda terminal
The Wing hospitality box at Sha Tin racecourse
Phot
os. H
aned
a A
irpor
t: To
moh
iro O
hsum
i – B
loom
berg
via
Get
ty Im
ages
. Tor
onto
: Get
ty Im
ages
48 the club
C X N E WS
Bags of style Cathay Pacific is pleased to present a new line of travel kits for First Class
passengers in collaboration with some of the world’s most prestigious
brands, including Ermenegildo Zegna. The renowned Italian men’s
fashion brand designed the understated yet stylish men’s amenity bag
exclusively for Cathay Pacific. The kits are packed with skincare products
specially selected from another leading Italian brand, Acca Kappa,
keeping skin refreshed and revitalised during and after the flight.
For the ladies, the kits feature the latest amenity bags exclusively
designed and handmade by the finest artisans in Asia
from Ipa-Nima, a world-class fashion brand estab-
lished in Hanoi in 1997. These perfectly
proportioned, elegant pouches are
filled with products made from the
highest quality plant-based
ingredient as well as non-
botanical elements from
Australian brand Aēsop.
Flights increase to top destinationsCathay Pacific increases its flights this winter,
responding to strong demand. From 31 October,
Toronto is served with 12 flights per week and a
daily flight is added to Osaka. Four flights a day
fly to Sydney from 15 November, and three more
flights are added to Perth from 16 November. An
additional flight creates a daily service to Cairns
and Brisbane will have a total of 11 flights from
21 November. From 27 November, two more
flights will be added to Auckland, making a total
of 12 flights per week. Paris will be served with 11
flights per week from 11 December.
Dragonair resumed a direct daily service to
Fukuoka in Japan on 31 October. A daily service
to Hongqiao International Airport in Shanghai
resumed on 15 September. For details, please visit
www.cathaypacific.com or www.dragonair.com
Cathay Pacific now flies 12 times a week to Toronto
49 the club
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