what lies beneath

WHAT LIES
BENEATH
GUANGZHOU’S
PAST UNEARTHED
QUARTER
4 2009
CLUBHOUSE
HOMES AWAY
FROM HOME
MAGAZINE OF THE MARCO POLO CLUB
QUARTER
4 2009
M E SSAG E FR O M T H E CLU B
Faster travel, more options
Katie Rowen, Manager The Marco Polo Club
A
t Cathay Pacific we continue
to seek ways to make travel
more convenient for our
Marco Polo Club members.
Silver or above members may present their
membership card and passport at the
enrolment offices in Hong Kong International Airport to sign up for speedy
immigration when arriving or departing
using the “Frequent Visitor e-Channels”.
Please log-in to your account for further
details. Another handy addition for members is the Cathay Pacific and Dragonair
mobile applications for iPhones, BlackBerrys and PDAs using Windows Mobile,
which you can download to access all
mobile services from the convenience of
your own mobile device.
Travel options with the oneworld® alliance have expanded with the entry of
Mexicana – Mexico and Central America’s
leading airline. Mexicana joined oneworld
4 THE CLUB
on 10 November, 2009 along with subsidiaries MexicanaClick and MexicanaLink,
which join as affiliate members. The
networks of these three airlines cover 67
destinations and 14 countries in Central,
North and South America (including 37
points in Mexico) and Europe.
And speaking of new destinations, on
25 October, 2009 Cathay Pacific launched
flights to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’s second
major commercial city. The four-timesweekly service operates through Dubai.
You may well have read press reports
about the change in the Cathay Pacific
shareholding. CITIC Pacific sold a 12.5%
shareholding in Cathay Pacific to Air China
and a 2% shareholding in Cathay Pacific
to Swire Pacific.
This means that Air China’s stake in
Cathay Pacific will rise from 17.49% to
29.99%, while Swire Pacific’s stake in
Cathay Pacific will increase from 39.97% to
41.97%. The move underlines the commitment of both Swire Pacific and Air China
to Cathay Pacific and further strengthens
the existing relationship between the
two airlines.
Separately, Cathay Pacific agreed to
sell 12.45% of its shareholding in Hong
Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Ltd.
(HAECO) to Swire Pacific, raising more
than HKD1.9 billion, which will help
strengthen our balance sheet at a very
challenging time for the business.
Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific retains a 15%
stake in HAECO, the main provider of our
overhaul and maintenance services.
We are delighted to announce that the
readers of Business Traveller nominated
Asia Miles as the “Best Frequent Flyer
Programme” for the fifth consecutive year
in the 2009 Business Traveller Asia-Pacific
Travel Awards.
Many thanks for all your support.
E XPLO R E
HONG KONG
History hotel
Rooms with a view: Hullett House
The former Marine Police
Headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui has
been transformed into Hullett
House, the first hotel operated by
the Aqua Restaurant Group.
The hotel will have five
restaurants and bars and the
décor of each of the 10 rooms
is themed to a different period
from Hong Kong’s history.
The 120-year-old building
is part of the 1881 Heritage
redevelopment.
www.hulletthouse.com
Hedge fun
Festive
table
Deck the tables
Interior designer Lucie McCullough
will create a bespoke Christmas
tree with unique decorations
and will also provide specially
designed Christmas table settings.
www.luciemccullough.com
6 THE CLUB
Part of the exterior of the
Musée du Quai Branly in Paris
is covered in a dense planting
of ferns, creepers and mosses.
The museum walls are vertical
gardens devised by French botanist and landscape designer,
Patrick Blanc. Blanc and the
President-Director General of
the Musée du Quai Branly will be
in Hong Kong for the Business of
Design Week, 30 November to
5 December, organised by the
Hong Kong Design Centre.
www.bodw.com
Taipei Concert Hall vertical
garden by Patrick Blanc
Have a ball:
The ruby
ballroom at
The Mira
Hong Kong
New faces
After a USD65-million facelift
that took years to complete,
Hotel Miramar has become
The Mira Hong Kong, shedding its dated 1980’s décor
for a textural and sensual
interior that definitely speaks
the 21st century. One of the
most notable new features
is the ballroom designed by
international celebrities’ party
planner Colin Cowie, with
chandeliers that resemble
Chinese lanterns and a lot of
mirrors for a dream-like result.
Completing the package are
versatile function rooms and
492 guestrooms, including
56 design-led suites. All the
rooms are equipped with
state-of-the-art facilities.
www.themirahotel.com
Photos. Starbucks: Jonathan Wong – ArgusPhoto. Widgeon: Arthus Morris – Visuals Unlimited/Getty Images
Feathers fly in
Hong Kong
Winter and spring
are great times for
bird watching in Hong
Kong, a prime bird-watching
location. Twitchers from around
the world come to Hong Kong, as
do many bird species that use it as
a stopover on migration routes.
Since December 2008, four
new bird species to Hong Kong
– a Steppe Eagle, a Tundra Bean
Goose, an American Wigeon
(a type of duck) and the Great
An American Widgeon
prepares for landing
Thick-knee – were recorded in
the Mai Po Nature Reserve.
Hong Kong has an energetic
bird-watching community. The
Hong Kong Bird Watching
Society organises weekly free
bird-watching tours in Hong
Kong Park and Kowloon Park and
recommends the best places to
see birds in Hong Kong.
www.hkbws.org.hk
Furniture and funk
In the short length of Duddle
Street, between Queens Road
Central and Icehouse Street,
the latest in international design
jostles against historical
Hong Kong. In the last few years,
it has become a precinct packed
with top-end furniture and
interior design shops.
If all this contemporary hipness
gets too much, head up the
historic stone stairs with the
heritage lamp posts, the last
surviving working gas street lamps
in Hong Kong. Both the stairs
Retro Starbucks in Duddle Street
and the lamps are declared
monuments. Halfway up the
steps is a Starbucks with retro
bing sutt (‘50s coffee shop) décor
by the G.O.D. team.
THE CLUB
7
E XPLO R E
The fast lane
English caption xxxxxxx xxx
xxxx xx xxxxxxxxxx xxxx
Junk asset: take the
traditional route
Hover over tea after a
helicopter flight (right)
A different
perspective on
Hong Kong
Been to the Peak? Caught a tram
from Kennedy Town to Shau
Kei Wan? Then it’s time to take
in Hong Kong from some other
perspectives and with a little
more comfort.
8 THE CLUB
A slow boat
Power option
Over the top
Aqua Luna junk with its russet
sails has become an icon on
Hong Kong harbour.
Trips include a tour of the
Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter,
Cheung Chau island, the Temple
of the Sea at Joss House Bay, and
Stanley Village and Market.
www.aqualuna.com.hk
Explore Victoria Harbour and
take your own route and
your own sweet time. Rent a
very glamorous power boat
complete with driver, insurance,
ice and drinks.
www.asiayachting.net
A broad overview always
helps in life. Take to the air in
a helicopter flight over Hong
Kong followed by afternoon tea,
lunch or a spa treatment at The
Peninsula hotel.
www.peninsula.com/Hong_Kong/
en/Enticements/default.aspx
E XPLO R E
THE WORLD
Lobby of
klapsons The
Boutique
Hotel with
the spherical
reception
capsule
Glimpse a slice of
history at Capital M
View from the capital
Capital M, Michelle Garnaut’s
new restaurant in Beijing,
overlooks Tiananmen Square
with spectacular views of
the Qianmen Gate and the
entrance of the Forbidden
City. This is Garnaut’s
third restaurant in a
historic location after
M at the Fringe in Hong
Kong and M on the
Bund in Shanghai. The
expansive Capital M has
terraces right around the
building, perfect for dining
and viewing.
www.m-restaurantgroup.com
10 THE CLUB
Three of a kind
When the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford University opened to the public in 1683 it was the world’s
first public museum and the collection included only
a few objects from China. When it re-opens in
early November, three entire galleries will be
devoted to Chinese works of art: China up to
AD 800; later China; and a gallery for Chinese
paintings. The building houses 39 new
galleries along with an education and
conservation centre and restaurant. It uses
a new way of thinking about the collections
to make displays that range from ancient to
contemporary more accessible.
www.ashmolean.org
On show: A 6th-century
greenware vase from China
Open for
business
klapsons The Boutique Hotel
opened in Singapore in October, with interiors designed
by Milan company Sawaya
& Moroni, also known for its
furniture design. The company has created the klapsons
coffee table for the hotel,
which has a giant stainlesssteel sphere in the lobby as
the reception desk.
www.klapsons.com
Poetic vision:
John Keats in the
Keats Museum
Displays of affection
One of England’s most famous
Romantic poets, John Keats lived
and worked in a Regency villa in
Hamstead, London, from 1818
to 1820. This was an enormously
productive time when he wrote Ode
to a Nightingale and fell in love with Fanny Brawne, who lived in the
semi-detached house next door.
After his death aged 25, the houses were consolidated and eventually acquired for a Keats Museum that opened in 1925. Extensive
renovations were recently completed and the rooms have been
authentically redecorated, and new displays mounted.
www.keatshouse.org.uk
Photos. Oliver Sacks: Thos Robinson – Getty Images for World Science Festival.
Keats: Peter Macdiarmid – Getty Images. Vase: The Ashmolean Museum
Say hello to TED
TED is someone you would
probably like to know. He has
plenty of smart ideas and lots of
influential friends.
TED is a nonprofit organisation devoted to Ideas Worth
Spreading that began in 1984 as
a conference with people from
technology, entertainment and
design (TED). It has since grown
globally and its several forms
include annual TED Conferences
that attract some of the world’s
leading thinkers.
You can visit the award-winning
TEDTalks free video site where
some of the world’s most fascinating people talk about ideas.
www.ted.com
Author and neurologist
Dr Oliver Sacks is on TED
THE CLUB 11
E XPLO R E
Smashing art
in Jeddah,
Saudi Arabia
Objects of design
Hit the wall
Decadent dressing
Real suite deal
Vintage glamour is yours with
the Dior Dressing Table at London’s Claridge’s hotel. Guests
staying in the Linley Classic and
Couture suites, which have Art
Deco dressing tables, can order
a cream silk dressing gown
personalised with initials, highheeled marabou mule slippers
and a cashmere eye mask. The
dressing table is stocked with
classic Christian Dior fragrances
and a beauty kit of compact,
powder and Dior ruby-red
lipstick and nail varnish.
Who could ask for anything
more? Well, perhaps something
from the Dressing Table Cocktail
menu from the Fumoir Bar and
some music from Josephine
Baker and Fred Astaire.
www.claridges.co.uk
Jeddah is a new destination for Cathay Pacific.
Visitors will be struck
by the large number of
modern sculptures and
art works, a result of
the focused civic effort
during the oil boom of
the late 1970s and 1980s
to bring art to Jeddah’s
public areas. Many of the
sculptures are situated
on roundabouts, making
the city one of the largest
open-air art galleries in
the world.
Standing tall
Shanghai is preparing for a big year in 2010 with the World Expo opening
in May. Get an overview of the city and its busy activity from the Shanghai
World Financial Centre in Pudong. With 101 floors and at 492 metres, it is
the tallest building in the city. Observation decks are on floors 94 and 97
as well as the Sky Walk on the 100th floor, which at 474 metres high offers
breathtaking views of the Bund – and possibly a touch of vertigo.
www.swfc-shanghai.com
Achille Castiglioni’s
preserved design studio
12 THE CLUB
Walk on the wild side nearly
half a kilometre high
Photo. Cars: Andreas World – Panthermedia/OTHK. Shanghai:
ICHIRO – The Image Bank/Getty Images. Kimino: BloomImage/
Getty Images. Castiglioni: Fabrizio Marchesi
Milan, home to the world’s most
influential furniture fair and
centre of Italy’s fashion industry, has a rich design heritage.
Among its many design-related
attractions is the museum in
the home of Achille Castiglioni,
who designed some of the 20th
century’s most recognisable
furniture. Castiglioni’s lovingly
preserved design studio is
crammed with prototypes,
moquettes and objects that
inspired him.
www.triennaledesignmuseum.it/
castiglioni.php
Authentic beauties
Antique kimonos are one of the
great bargains in Japan. Many
shops throughout Japan sell old
men’s and women’s kimonos,
obis and other accessories at
reasonable prices. They make
wonderful souvenirs and can be
used to make cushions, cover
chairs or as wall hangings.
The Oriental Bazaar on
Omotesando-dori, 5-9-13
Jingumae, Shibuya-ku,
Tokyo, +81 3 3400 3933
Gallery Kawano, Kimono
and Textile of Antiques,
has two shops:
Flats Omotesando
shop 102, 4-4-9
Jingumae Shibuya-ku,
Tokyo, +81 3 3470 3305
Bake me, I’m yours
The proven
product in Paris
Is this the best bread in Paris?
Christophe Vasseur’s boulangerie Du Pain et Des Idées was
voted best baker by gourmet
guide Gault & Millau in 2008.
Vasseur switched from a career
in fashion to fashioning bread
using traditional techniques
and an obsession with quality.
Time is one of the ingredients
– he says it takes seven hours
to make a baguette compared
to the usual one hour taken by
other bakeries. His atmospheric
shop has been a bakery since
1889 and is decorated with
antique equipment but some
of his recipes have innovative
contemporary twists.
www.dupainetdesidees.com
15 Okinohata,
Yanagawa-si,
Fukuoka-ken,
+81 944 73 0131
www.gallerykawano.com
Antique
kimonos and
obis make
great gifts
W HAT ’ S O N
WINTER EVENTS
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
8 November25 January 2010
Bauhaus 1919-1933:
Workshops for
Modernity
5-13 December
Hong Kong 2009
East Asian Games
Museum of Modern Art,
New York
Major show on the influential design movement.
www.moma.org
26-29 November
European Tour: Omega
Mission Hills World Cup
Henrik Stenson in the
2008 Omega Mission Hills
World Cup
Mission Hills Golf Club,
Shenzhen
Top golf action.
www.omegamission
hillsworldcup.com
Hong Kong
The first international
multi-sport event to be
hosted by Hong Kong.
www.2009eastasian
games.hk
5 December5 April 2010
The Sixth Asia
Pacific Triennial of
Contemporary Art
Queensland Art Gallery
& Gallery of Modern Art,
Brisbane
More than 100 artists
from 25 countries.
http://qag.qld.gov.au/
exhibitions/apt
12 December4 January 2010
Hong Kong Brands
and Products Expo
Angel by Gonkar
Gyatso, on display
at the Sixth Asia
Pacific Triennial of
Contemporary Art
14 THE CLUB
Victoria Park, Hong Kong
Famous brands from
Hong Kong and
overseas companies.
www.hkbpe.com.hk
Unmask the
romance of
Venice
6-16 February 2010
Venice
Carnival
Venice
Masked balls in grand
palazzos, extravagant
costumes, gondolas
and concerts. This is
one of the world’s
most romantic events
in one of the most
romantic cities.
www.carnivalofvenice.com
13 December
Cathay Pacific
Hong Kong
International Races
Sha Tin, Hong Kong
The world’s top jockeys,
trainers and horses
compete in the Turf
World Championships.
www.cxhkir.com
Photos. Angel by Gonkar Gyatso: Courtesy of Queensland Art Gallery. Golf: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images. Venetian masks: Getty Images. Chinese New Year: ArgusPhoto/
Alamy. Skier: Agence Zoom/Getty Images. Rockefeller Centre: Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images
Hong Kong’s
premier
racing event
A colourful
night in Hong
Kong at the
Chinese New
Year parade
JANUARY
5-9 January 2010
Béjart Ballet
Lausanne
Palais Garnier, Paris
Four ballets by Maurice
Béjart to the classical
music of Webern, Bartók
and Boulez.
www.operadeparis.fr
9-30 January 2010
Sydney Festival
Sydney
The city becomes both
stage and party venue.
www.sydneyfestival.org.au
FEBRUARY
12-28 February 2010
010
XXI Olympic
Winter Games
Vancouver
The slopes of
Whistler are
groomed for
or the
big Olympic
pic
snow show.
ow.
www.vancouver2010.com
ver2010.com
All downhill
from
fro here
14 February
Cathay Pacific International Chinese New
Year Night
Nig Parade
Hong Kong
Grrr... welcome in the
Year of the Tiger.
www.discoverhongkong.
www.discoverhongko
com/chinesenewyear
com/chinesenewyea
All aglow at the
Rockefeller
Centre
Ro
CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR EVENTS
27 November-3 January 2010: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker New York City Ballet,
llet,
New York, www.nycballet.com
28 November-10 January 2010: Ice at the Palace Hampton Court Palace, London,
www.hamptoncourticerink.com
2 December: Rockefeller Centre Tree Lighting New York, www.rockefellercenter.com
11 December-9 January 2010: The Nutcracker Paris Opera Ballet, www.operadeparis.fr
16 December-3 January 2010: The Nutcracker English National Ballet, www.ballet.org.uk
18-20 & 22-27 December: The Nutcracker Hong Kong Ballet, www.hkballet.com
19 December: Carols in the Domain Sydney, www.carolsinthedomain.com
30 & 31 December: Soundfest: Viennese New Year’s Gala Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra,
Hong Kong, www.hkpo.com
31 December: New Year’s Eve Times Square, New York, www.timessquarenyc.org
THE CLUB 15
CH O I CE
A SCENT OF FASHION
The season’s newest fragrances interpret the clean lines of a sharply
cut suit to bring a modern sense of clarity to dressing’s final touch
IDOLE d’ARMANI
by Giorgio Armani*
Beautifully sparkling, Giorgio
Armani has dedicated this
fragrance to the women who
have inspired him.
www.giorgioarmani.com
Lola by Marc Jacobs*
Floral, fruity and typically flirty, luscious scent
Lola introduces a grown-up confidence to
the Marc Jacobs fragrance suite. It will be
complemented by a body range.
http:// lolamarcjacobs.com
STELLANUDE
by Stella McCartney
Moroccan rose and peony
are the hallmark floral notes that
thread through this
light easy-to-wear fragrance.
www.stellamccartney.com
Grey Vetiver
by Tom Ford
Centred on vetiver – known
as the oil of tranquillity – this
fragrance is Ford’s aromatic
equivalent of “the classic blue
blazer or beautiful watch”.
www.tomford.com
16 THE CLUB
‡
Parisienne by YSL*‡
With an ad campaign featuring
model Kate Moss, the Eiffel Tower
and Saint Laurent’s famous
“Le Smoking” tuxedo for women,
Parisienne promises all the love
and life of the French capital.
www.ysl-parisienne.com
Eau Mega
by Viktor & Rolf
A play on the Greek letter
Omega, the daring avantgarde design duo have
delivered a surprisingly
pretty fragrance.
www.viktor-rolf.com
A Scent
by Issey Miyake
Simply stylish, Japanese
minimalism sits at the heart
of this women’s fragrance.
Spritz with confidence!
www.ascentbyisseymiyake.com
Zegna Colonia
by Ermenegildo Zegna
Drawing on the energy of
Sicilian bergamot, this seductive
fragrance captures the House
of Zegna’s personal vision of
“La Dolce Vita”.
www.zegna.com
L’eau Ambrée
by Prada‡
Sensually modern, this new
women’s fragrance brings the
warm amber note right up to
date with a welcome longlasting scent.
www.prada.com/fragrances
(*Available onboard Cathay Pacific: see Discover the Shop. ‡Available onboard
Dragonair: see Emporium) If travelling on Cathay Pacific, you can pre-order
duty-free items between 2 and 21 days before your flight and have them
delivered to your seat. For details, please see www.cathaypacific.com/dutyfree
THE CLUB 17
Brogue
traders
Lasts to last
a lifetime at
Foster & Son
BESPOKE
BY PH O EB E A . G R EEN WO O D
Photo left: Copyright Wolf Media
The price of bespoke shoes may seem exorbitant, but such craftsmanship
and quality are luxuries thousands ensure they can afford
ou can tell a lot about a man by
his shoes. If those shoes are made by
Foster & Son or G.J. Cleverley & Co., for
example, the man is likely either to run
the management company he’s walking
towards or have a family name that means he
won’t need to work much at all. If he’s American, he’ll probably be found striding through his
Texan oil fields or New York’s Upper East Side.
Foster & Son and G.J. Cleverley & Co. are of a
rare breed of British bespoke shoemakers with a
rarefied clientele. With few notable contemporaries, John Lobb among them, they are among the
only shoemakers of their kind, crafting shoes by hand from
the finest materials to the unique specifications and stylistic
whims of their gentlemen clients.
In an age when consumers race to keep up with the blistering pace of changing trends, bespoke shoes seem an
anachronistic luxury. Modelling leather around the specific
requirements of an individual’s foot, taking into account every
collapsed arch, corn and callus, is a painstaking process that
can take up to eight months and cost thousands of dollars.
It is, however, also a booming trade.
Foster & Son was established in London in 1840. Since 2006,
the business has been run by Richard Edgecliffe-Johnson,
formerly a director of private banking at Citibank International.
For a man from the city, there’s not much Edgecliffe-Johnson
doesn’t know about shoes. Sitting in the gentlemen’s-club
surrounds of the Foster & Son shop on Jermyn Street, framed
by wooden cases holding antique brogues and oversized
leather backgammon boards, he describes the relationship
between his customers and his shoes: “A regular customer
will probably start with a lace-up pair, probably an Oxford,
which he can wear either to work or a wedding. Then he’ll
need casual shoes; shoes for the city; shoes for the country;
evening shoes; ankle boots.
“If he hunts, he’ll need long boots and he’ll probably
own a lovely pair of slippers, maybe embroidered with
his family crest or that of his club. People just fall in
love with the feeling of wearing our shoes – they fit
so beautifully.”
A standard pair of bespoke shoes from Foster &
Son costs GBP2,400 (about HKD29,800), including
shoe trees. In this atmosphere of financial caution,
surely there’s a limit to how many bespoke shoes
a man may own? Edgecliffe-Johnson baulks at the
idea: “Almost [all] of our customers will own at least
10 pairs of our shoes, maybe 20.”
If these are the regular customers, what are the
requirements of Foster & Son’s more exceptional
clients? “There is one man who has a grey and burgundy
Rolls Royce,” says Edgecliffe-Johnson. “We recently made
him two pairs of shoes in the same shades of grey and
burgundy, so his feet now match his car.”
The shoe most definitely fits: calf
semi-brogue from G.J. Cleverley & Co.
THE CLUB 19
BESPOKE
THE NINE STEPS OF
SHOEMAKING
Upstairs,
downstairs in
Old Bond Street
20 THE CLUB
A short stroll up Piccadilly, past Fortnum & Mason, in the
Dickensian headquarters of G.J. Cleverley & Co. on Old Bond
Street, store manager Andrew Murphy tells similar stories.
This 200-square-foot shop has shod the likes of Clark Gable,
Winston Churchill and Lennox Lewis. As the global economies
duck and dive, Cleverley has continued to produce its steady
output of 500 bespoke shoes a year. No more, no less.
The G.J. Cleverley workshop is perched above the store,
up a tight spiral staircase that winds up to a third floor where
the lasts of thousands of clients are stored. David Beckham
– number C368 – has lasts scarred with leather patches,
indicating countless bumps and breaks. Footballers’ feet are
among the worst in the world, Murphy confides.
Walking into the compact workshops at G.J. Cleverley and
Foster & Son is stepping into a tableau of Victorian England.
Infused with a rich smell of wood, wax polish and oak-bark
tanned leather, the rooms are dusted in wood shavings from
the lasts, sculpted here on well-worked wooden blocks.
Leather is chosen from merchants with the utmost care.
Foster & Son uses suppliers in England and France. Their
alligator skins come from the Mississippi, crocodile skins from
the Nile, snake and lizard skins from Africa.
1. The shoemaker traces an outline of the client’s
foot onto paper as he stands and sits. He measures
the length, width, instep and joints of both feet.
Notes are made of prominent knuckles, bumps and
irregularities. The customer selects the leather and
style of his shoe.
2. The two-dimensional drawings of the customer’s
feet are sculpted from hardwood into threedimensional models called lasts.
3. A paper pattern is cut around the lasts according to
the style of shoe requested. The leather is then cut
accordingly.
4. The leather and paper pattern are sent to the
“closer”, who stitches together the elements of the
upper shoe by hand.
5. The leather for the insole is moistened, nailed to
the bottom of the last and left to dry, taking on the
exact shape of the customer’s foot.
6. The last, along with the upper and inner sections
of the shoe, are sent to the shoemaker, who sews
together the parts.
7. The customer is asked to present for a fitting as no
alterations can be made once the sole is attached.
8. Once the customer is entirely satisfied with the
fit and style of his shoe, the sole is welted to
the shoe.
9. The shoes are polished ready
for collection.
Holyrood, a
ready-to-wear
model from
Foster & Son
BESPOKE
“Cows get stretch marks just like humans, which we don’t
like,” says Murphy. “We check all our leathers carefully to make
sure they are blemish free.”
At G.J. Cleverley, five shoemakers produce every shoe sold.
They are catering to 1,500 clients in the United States and
double that number in Britain. Murphy explains: “It’s slowly,
slowly here. The workmen can’t be rushed. It takes time to do
things properly and they won’t be compromised. It can take
two weeks to make a last. When you attach a wet leather sole
to the last, it must be allowed to dry naturally.”
A few strides back from the commercial throng on Old Bond
Street, tucked discreetly on Clifford Street, is Lodger Footwear.
There, Nathan Brown is pioneering a modern alternative to
the bespoke tradition. He prefers the term “custom-made”
when describing his shoes.
Brown has applied technology and experience (acquired
during years spent working at Adidas, Nike and Puma) to the
traditional shoemaking process. He uses lasers to scan his
client’s feet then matches their measurements to a digital
library of millions of virtual lasts. Lodger shoes are all handmade according to the finest Italian and English traditions,
but cost about GBP500 and are ready in a matter of weeks
– sometimes days.
After only a year in business and with clients ranging from
“IT’S SLOWLY, SLOWLY. THE
WORKMEN CAN’T BE RUSHED”
A master
craftsman
shapes a last at
G.J. Cleverley
(above)
politicians to pop stars, Lodger has clearly found a market.
Brown thinks much of the appeal is that he offers a trendconscious market the same attention to detail and obsessive
care over the customer that is perfected by his more established alternatives. This high calibre of service is missing from
most high-end shoe brands, he laments. “There is a real sense
WEBSITES
Fast forward:
custom-made
alternative at
Lodger (left)
22 THE CLUB
www.gjcleverley.co.uk
www.wsfoster.com
www.lodgerfootwear.com
of camaraderie in the bespoke business,” says Brown. “I have
tremendous respect for Cleverley and Foster. I’m not trying
to better what they do. I’m just saying, ‘Here’s a different spin
on an amazing craft’.”
Foster & Son speak warmly of Nathan Brown and Lodger,
clearly not perceiving a threat. While waiting eight months for
a pair of shoes may seem incongruous to the pace at which
most of us live, Edgecliffe-Johnson believes that is precisely
what his clients expect.
“We really haven’t felt the recession. This whole year, none
of my bespoke clients has once asked how much their shoes
will cost,” he says.
“We have customers whom we won’t see for 10 years, but
when they do come in, they expect everything here to be
the same and for us to remember everything about them.
Owning a pair of our shoes is experiential. We are part of the
furniture of our clients’ lives.”
Bali’s most
breath-taking
sanctuary
SHOD IN HONG KONG
The oldest and best-known custom-made shoe shop in Hong
Kong is the Kow Hoo Shoe Company, which has been in the
Prince’s Building in Central since 1946. Kow Hoo prides itself on
shipping handmade footwear to most parts of the world. The
price for a pair of calf leather shoes starts at USD650. Some
prestige brands also offer bespoke shoe-making services:
Kow Hoo Shoe Company, Shop 241, Prince’s Building,
10 Chater Road, Central, +852 2523 0489
Dunhill, Shop G11, G/F, 1881 Heritage, 2A Canton Road,
Tsim Sha Tsui, +852 2368 6851
Ermenegildo Zegna, G1, Alexandra House, 7-15 Des Voeux
Road, Central, +852 2868 9638
Berluti, Shop G9, Prince’s Building, Central +852 3114 7987
John Lobb, Shop G3, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong,
5 Connaught Road, Central, + 852 2537 2229
Layers of
craftsmanship
from G.J.
Cleverley
Escape
to a world of rich cultural heritage, omnipresent in
the architecture, decor, and most of all, the warm
hospitality and daily rituals of your hosts.
Explore
with 78 private villas and a 290-room hotel
on 77 hectares of cliff-top land over
Jimbaran Bay.
the 1.3 kilometer coastline with secluded whitesand beach, ocean-front pools, golf-putting course,
and secret gardens.
Savor
a different dining experience every day, at 13 venues
including the new Rock Bar perched on rocks
directly over the ocean.
Rejuvenate
in Thalasso healing and Balinese therapies at
Thermes Marins Bali Spa, Aquatonic Pool and Spa
on the Rocks.
Each day offers new discovery.
Don’t take our word for it; take
theirs.
BEST HOTEL IN BALI - 2009 Destinasian Readers’ Choice awards
#3 BEST SPA HOTELS & RESORTS IN ASIA
2009 SmartTravelAsia awards
ONLY HOTEL IN INDONESIA VOTED AMONGST ASIA’S TOP 15
and
THE WORLD‘S TOP 100 - 2009 Travel + Leisure Readers’ awards
www.ayanaresort.com
E XPE R T ADV I CE
Cl
u
b
house
Private residence clubs take the luxury
of holiday-home living to another level
BY A AR O N PE A SL E Y
econd homes in far-flung locales were once
the ultimate signifier of the good life, not
to mention very healthy investments. But
in the face of shifting lifestyle and travel
trends, as well as an unpredictable economy,
forking out serious money for a property
that’s rarely used is now a far less enticing
proposition. Today there are other, more flexible, options
to owning a luxurious second residence. When Florence’s
spectacular 15th-century Medici Palace was meticulously
restored and converted into luxury apartments, the developers adopted a new ownership model, one that, until recently,
24 THE CLUB
was largely unknown outside the United States. The property,
Palazzo Tornabuoni, was converted into one of Europe’s first
urban private residence clubs, offering 18 apartments for full
ownership and 20 as part of the club (with a maximum of
160 members). Ranging from studios to three-bedroom
residences, the magnificent property will be owned by a
maximum of 178 members.
Fractional ownership, if you prefer the less glamorous title,
was introduced in North America about 15 years ago as a
more cost-efficient way for investors to buy and maintain
an upscale holiday home. The concept took root in popular
holiday destinations such as Colorado and the Caribbean,
where owners typically visited for just a few weeks a year. Now
rebranded as residence or destination clubs, fractional ownership has gone upscale, offering investors access to some of
the world’s most glamorous properties and resorts.
What distinguishes private residence clubs from fractionals, and its more down-market predecessor, time-shares, is
the perks. Clubs generally come with all the bells and whistles one would find at a luxury hotel. That’s precisely what
attracted Swiss Sig Ramseyer, a former chairman of Caterpillar Asia Pacific, to consider a fractional ownership in the
Palazzo. Ramseyer and his wife had dreamed of owning a
property in Italy, but were concerned about the challenges
foreign ownership posed. “Ultimately, we were looking for a
property investment without land or maintenance responsibility,” he says. “In the end, a private residence club was perfect
for us and a big factor was the management by, and accessibility to, the Four Seasons Hotel [& Resorts] in Florence.”
For many investors, particularly those based outside the US,
fractional ownership is a new concept. Like Ramseyer, Hong
Kong-based Elaine Cheung, who owns Nicholas & Bears, a
successful designer children’s clothing chain, had never heard
High art: some residences
at Florence’s Palazzo
Tornabuoni are decorated
with 15th-century frescoes
of private residence clubs until she came
across Palazzo Tornabuoni on one of her
regular business trips to Italy. “This kind of
ownership was totally new to me,” she says.
“I travel to Florence at least twice a year and
I am constantly looking for the very best
accommodation wherever I travel, and that’s
what led me to the Palazzo. When I finally
realised business travel, in particular, can be
hazard-free and enjoyable, I found no reason
not to be part of this incredible property.”
Just a 45-minute drive from Florence,
Castello di Casole, one of the largest private
landholdings in Italy, is a rural example of
the residence-club trend. Situated on 1,700
hectares, the property is made up of an
18th-century castle, luxury hotel (to open
mid 2010) and meticulously restored farmhouse villas. It represents a way for investors to buy an authentic entrée into the
Tuscan dream without the headaches that come with restoring an historic property. Developed by Timbers Resorts, an
American company that has completed successful residence
clubs in the Caribbean, Mexico and Colorado, Castello di Casole
hopes to set the standard in fractional rural luxury.
Dick Ragatz, President of Ragatz Associates, an authority on
the industry, believes it’s only a matter of time before this type
of property ownership becomes popular around the world.
“There’s no doubt that fractional developments have become
very high-end, and we’re bound to see more in blue-chip
cities from Hong Kong to Paris and in exclusive destinations
like Thailand, Bali and the Mediterranean,” he says.
In addition to superb amenities, such as access to the property’s private vineyard, restaurant and olive grove, avoiding
the hassles of buying and renovating a foreign home is often
the key enticement for membership. “Second homes abroad
are a real challenge,” says Palazzo Tornabuoni member Eggert
26 THE CLUB
Hide away at
the Pezula
Resort Hotel
& Spa in
South Africa
(above)
Kick back at
the Calistoga
Ranch in the
Napa Valley
(above right)
Dagbjartsson, managing director of a Massachusetts-based
real-estate investment company. “This we know first-hand and
we were not interested in duplicating the experience.”
Properties such as Palazzo Tornabuoni offer investors much
more than a glamorous holiday address. “When you become
a member, you are really becoming a part of Florentine life,”
says Michael Brod, Director of Palazzo Tornabuoni. “Membership provides access that is unavailable otherwise.” Similarly,
developers of Castello di Casole promise owners, “a lifestyle
as rich and diverse as Tuscany itself”.
Whether it’s the chance to make their own wines, ski
directly out of their chalet door, play a round of golf on a
private world-class course or simply kick back in a pied-àterre in one of the world’s most expensive cities, fractional
real estate and residence clubs allow luxury enthusiasts a
hassle-free way to indulge in their passions.
Like Castello di Casole, California’s Napa Valley is welcoming investors to wine country with the chance to buy into
a number of properties, including fractionals at five-star
Photo. Pezula Hotel & Spa: courtesy of Pezula. Calistoga: Allan Kennedy
E XPE R T ADV I CE
WEBSITES
www.palazzotornabuoni.com
www.castellodicasole.com
www.calistogaranch.com
www.thecarnerosinn.com
www.pezula.com
www.yoophuket.com
www.carnegieclub.co.uk
www.stregisresidenceclub.com
www.andaz.com
www.akresidenceclub.com
www.thehideawaysclub.com
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E XPE R T ADV I CE
A home away
from home at
The St. Regis
Residence Club
in New York
Scotland’s
Skibo Castle
houses The
Carnegie Club
(right)
28 THE CLUB
properties Calistoga Ranch and The Carneros Inn. South
Africa’s Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa, a prestigious hotel set on
a 1,000-hectare estate, is selling fractional ownerships in two
private villas. yooPhuket, comprising of 256 apartments to
be sold outright and as fractionals, is believed to be Asia’s
first such development. Andrew Carnegie’s Skibo Castle in
Scotland (where Madonna married Guy Ritchie) is home to
The Carnegie Club. This luxury slice of Highland hospitality gives a lucky few access to the commanding Edwardian
property with its historic furniture, Carnegie memorabilia
and private golf course.
Industry insiders such as Ragatz predict destination-based
clubs, despite being hit hard by the credit crunch, will continue to be popular. “We’re certainly going to be seeing more
clubs within large cities,” he says.
The St. Regis in New York is one of the luxury-hotel brands
moving into the fractional real-estate market. Its St. Regis
Residence Club occupies the eighth and ninth floors of the
historic flagship hotel.
Another development that is attracting the attention
of the real-estate industry is Hyatt’s Andaz Fifth Avenue,
due to open in early 2010. Located opposite the New York
Public Library, the hotel will have fractional residences on
its top floors. The brand expects to extend the concept
into cities worldwide.
Precise ownership arrangements of residence clubs vary,
depending on where the property is located. Often destination clubs don’t offer deeded ownership. Palazzo Tornabuoni
investors purchase a membership in the club, which is a oneeighth stake in either a one, two or three-bedroom residence.
Ragatz advises investors to examine local property laws and
always work with a lawyer on contracts.
The popularity of private residence and destination clubs
has dovetailed with some big changes in lifestyle and travel
behaviour. “High net-worth buyers today are no longer looking for the flash [option] but rather for sound allocation of
the resources that enhance their lifestyle,” explains Jane
Guarducci, Director of Sales at Palazzo Tornabuoni. “Previously
one of the big reasons for buying a vacation home was the
high appreciation rate – that no longer exists.”
The residence-club market is predicted to become
extremely popular in the coming years, with other companies, including hotel groups, looking for a share of the action.
Both high-end travel company Abercrombie & Kent and the
Europe-based Hideaways Club have opened similar urban
residence clubs.
Those who have bought into private residence clubs and
destination resorts stress personal enrichment over the financial benefits. “If you’re thinking of buying into a residence club,
spend some time there and do your research,’’ says Eggert
Dagbjartsson. “Some clubs can be a dime a dozen. They all
offer clear benefits, and costs as well. Obviously some properties will fall into a different category and are truly offering
something special – that’s what tipped the scale for us.”
24
Auckland
HOURS
BY HE AT HER R A MSAY
New Zealand’s biggest city boasts attractions by the boatload, from
awesome adventure trails to world-class shopping, food, wine and art
24 H O U R S
Good times and the
Auckland Harbour
Bridge ahead
7:30am
AUCKLAND’S coastal geography and
temperate climate allow its 1.4 million
inhabitants to effortlessly combine the
sophistication of metropolitan living
with an outdoor lifestyle centred on
beaches, islands and rainforest.
Aucklanders love to interact with their
environment via action and adventure,
so as your plane touches down, suck in
a deep breath and commit to seeing
the city and surrounds, Kiwi-style.
8am
Photo. Tourism New Zealand
HIRE A RENTAL CAR at the airport and
drive north-west of the city to 4 Track
Adventures in Woodhill Forest. The
company offers invigorating guided
safaris on sporty 300cc quad bikes, so
kick-start your Auckland adventure by
blasting along shady forest trails to the
black sands of Muriwai Beach. Woodhill
Forest is also home to mountain-bike,
four-wheel-drive and horse-riding experiences, as well as high-wire courses and
flying foxes at Tree Adventures.
10am
WOODHILL is in the Kumeu district, one
of the country’s oldest wine-producing
regions, where established names such
as Babich, Soljans and Nobilo have been
joined by well-known producers including Matua Valley and Coopers Creek.
Several offer tastings and cellar-door
sales, and the café at Soljans Estate is an
excellent place to refuel (try the locally
smoked Waitakere bacon). Nearby, artisan honey producer BeesOnline has a
stylish café and in the honey centre you
can learn all about bees and honey.
It would be easy to spend a full day
out west but, particularly if it’s Saturday,
why not meander through attractive
countryside on the city fringe then join
droves of Aucklanders on their weekend
pilgrimage north-east to the bays and
islands of the Matakana Coast.
11am
VISIT PRETTY Matakana village to enjoy
a gentler, environmentally friendly lifestyle. The region is known for its fabulous produce and passionate locals have
embraced the Slow Food movement,
emphasising on quality, sustainable,
locally produced foodstuffs.
On Saturdays at the lively Matakana
Farmers’ Market, customers can sample
and purchase goods from local growers
and producers. Offerings range from
oysters to artisan bread, organic meat
to olives, macadamia nuts to mustard,
cheeses and fresh fruit and vegetables.
THE CLUB 31
It’s a fine place to graze, but for those
needing something more substantial,
tiny Matakana has several excellent
cafés. Good choices are the charming
Brookview Teahouse, and Cosi café at
Morris & James Pottery & Tileworks.
Matakana is an emerging wine
region, with more than 20 boutique
producers growing a range of varieties. In Matakana village, The Vintry
Wine Centre & Lounge Bar sells and
promotes locally grown wines and
offers tastings.
where you can snorkel or dive among
the teeming marine life or cruise in a
glass-bottom boat.
A few minutes’ south of Matakana village, wine combines with art at scenic
Brick Bay Vineyard and Sculpture Trail.
Brick Bay’s striking The Glass House
offers tastings, purchases, food platters and coffee, while the sculpture
trail weaves through grapevines, coastal
farmland and native forest, and features
about 50 diverse outdoor artworks.
Wine, art
and a view
at The Glass
House, Brick
Bay Vineyard,
Matakana
1pm
Noon
IF TIME ALLOWS, venture a few kilometres north to the Leigh Sawmill
Brewing Company, a microbrewery
that produces natural, handcrafted
beer in a historic sawmill. Leigh is the
gateway to Goat Island Marine Reserve,
32 THE CLUB
THE ROUTE BACK to the city crosses
the Auckland Harbour Bridge, one of the
city’s symbols. Somewhere above you,
others are getting a spectacular view as
they tackle the Auckland Bridge Climb
and, somewhere below, daredevils are
plunging seawards off a suspended
How wide is the
view? SkyJump
at Sky Tower
platform designed for Auckland Bridge
bungy jumping.
Head towards the distinctive 328metre Sky Tower and check into the
adjacent SKYCITY Grand Hotel. The
hotel is part of the SKYCITY Entertainment Group and rooms offer splendid
views of the harbour, city and Sky Tower.
Don’t be alarmed if you notice someone
teetering around a narrow ledge or leaping off the Sky Tower – the SkyWalk and
SkyJump are yet more death-defying
Kiwi sight-seeing experiences.
For more intimate accommodation,
Mollies in St. Mary’s Bay seamlessly
blends exquisite classic and modern
furnishings to create a gracious retreat.
Many details reflect the owners’ passion
for music, particularly opera, and recitals
are a regular occurrence.
Photo. The Glass House – Tourism New Zealand
24 H O U R S
24 H O U R S
AUCKLAND IS KNOWN as the “City of
Sails” because of its plethora of private
yachts, and interest in sailing reached
fever pitch when New Zealand held the
coveted America’s Cup from 1995 until
2003. The Cup has been wrested away
but the excitement is recreated daily on
two-hour cruises on an America’s Cup
yacht. Participants on Sail NZ excursions can sit back and enjoy the cruise
or help the crew manning grinders,
hauling sails or taking the helm.
If you’d rather be under the water,
Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Encounter and
Underwater World features a 110-metre
tunnel where sharks and other denizens
of the deep cruise overhead. A frozen
Antarctic landscape is populated by
penguins. Take a guided shark dive in
the main tank or stand in waist-deep
water to hand-feed graceful stingrays.
the fashionable inner-city suburbs of
Ponsonby, Newmarket and Parnell.
A peaceful alternative is Auckland
Domain, a 75-hectare inner-city oasis
on one of Auckland’s numerous volcanic
cones. The summit is dominated by the
Auckland War Memorial Museum.
6:30pm
BACK AT SKYCITY Grand Hotel, wind
down in the sanctuary of the hotel’s East
Day Spa or try the new Chuan Spa at The
Langham, Auckland where harmony has
been created using feng shui principles.
DINE
Agents & Merchants
+64 9 309 5852
www.agentsandmerchants.co.nz
Brookview Teahouse
+64 9 423 0390
www.brookviewteahouse.co.nz
4pm
FOR FIRST-CLASS shopping, visit
design stores and galleries in heritage
buildings near the waterfront or walk
along the main thoroughfare, Queen
Street, to heritage-listed Vulcan Lane
and High, O’Connell and Chancery
streets. This area has many designer
stores, including top New Zealand
labels such as Karen Walker, Zambesi
and World. Several also have outlets in
34 THE CLUB
Viaduct
Harbour,
where the
fun revs up
when the sun
goes down
Cosi
+64 9 422 7484
www.morrisandjames.co.nz
dine by Peter Gordon
+64 9 363 7030
www.skycityauckland.co.nz
Euro Restaurant & Bar
Shed 22, Princes Wharf, Quay
Street, Viaduct, +64 9 309 9866
Iguacu Restaurant & Bar
+64 9 358 4804, www.iguacu.co.nz
Kahve
401 Tamaki Drive, St. Heliers
+64 9 575 2919
Prego
226 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby
+64 9 376 3095
dine by
Peter
Gordon
Racket
+64 9 309 5852
www.britomart.org
Rosehip
82 Gladstone Road, Parnell
+64 9 369 1182
Sierra
Princes Wharf,
137 Quay Street
+64 9 309 9064
Soul Bar & Bistro
+64 9 356 7249
www.soulbar.co.nz
SPQR
+64 9 360 1710
www.spqrnz.co.nz
Photos. Viaduct and SPQR: Tourism Auckland
2pm
12:30am
PA R T N E R O F F E R
DEVELOPED FOR the America’s Cup
regattas, the Viaduct Harbour has some
20 waterfront bars and restaurants, many
with open-air terraces. The Viaduct comes
alive when the rest of the city tucks up
for bed. In the nearby Britomart complex,
two classy new bars – Racket and Agent
& Merchants – look set to make a mark
on the night-owl scene. SKYCITY casinos
operate 24 hours a day, with gaming,
entertainment and dining options.
Enjoy a complimentary SkyWalk
when you purchase any
Auckland package
6:30am
8pm
CHEF PETER GORDON is regarded as
a master of fusion food that combines
elements of cuisines from around the
globe. At his restaurant, dine by Peter
Gordon at SKYCITY Grand, expect fine
food and wine, elegant décor and wellinformed service.
10:30pm
PONSONBY ROAD is a hip place in
which to see and be seen, and SPQR
is popular with the city’s celebrities.
Like many other New Zealand hospitality outlets it morphs from a daytime
café into an atmospheric restaurant
and winds up as a lively bar during
the evenings.
HEAD TO THE WATERFRONT for a
helicopter flight with Helilink and take
a last look at Auckland as the morning
sunlight spreads over the city's beautiful
harbour, islands and volcanoes.
Greens seen
at SPQR in
Ponsonby
From 16 November 2009 to 15 February 2010, book a
5-day/3-night Auckland package from Cathay Pacific
Holidays and travel from 20 November 2009 to 28 February
2010, and each member of The Marco Polo Club can
enjoy a complimentary SkyWalk.
Package prices start from HKD7,119 and include:
• A round-trip Economy Class flight between Hong
Kong and Auckland on Cathay Pacific Airways
• Three consecutive nights’ accommodation at
selected hotels
• Travel insurance
Soaring 192 metres above the ground, SkyWalk is
a walkway around Auckland’s famous Sky Tower
offering spectacular views of Auckland city and the
sparkling harbour.
For reservations, contact Cathay Holidays Limited:
Telephone: +852 2747 4388
Website: www.cxholidays.com
Terms and conditions
• Price is quoted per person, based on two adults sharing one room,
checking in together and travelling together
throughout the entire journey.
• Cathay Holidays Limited terms and
conditions apply.
THE CLUB 35
24 H O U R S
BeesOnline
+64 9 411 7953
www.beesonline.co.nz
The Vintry
Wine Centre &
Lounge Bar
www.thevintry.nz.co
Chuan Spa at
The Langham
+64 9 300 2960
www.chuanspa.co.nz
Matakana Farmers’ Market
+64 9 422 7433
www.matakanavillage.co.nz
Brick Bay Vineyard,
Sulpture Trail and
The Glass House
+64 9 425 4690
www.brickbay.co.nz
East Day Spa
+64 9 363 7050
www.eastdayspa.com
Mudbrick Vineyard
+64 9 372 9050
www.mudbrick.co.nz
4 Track Adventures
+64 9 420 8104
www.4trackadventures.co.nz
Sail NZ
+64 9 359 5987
www.sailnz.co.nz
Goat Island Marine Reserve
+64 9 422 6127
www.discovergoatisland.co.nz
SkyWalk and SkyJump
+64 9 368 1835
www.skywalk.co.nz
Helilink
+64 9 377 4406
www.helilink.co.nz
Soljans Estate
+64 9 412 5858
www.soljans.co.nz
Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic
Encounter and
Underwater World
+64 9 528 0603
www.kellytarltons.co.nz
Stonyridge Vineyard
+64 9 372 8822
www.stonyridge.co.nz
SHOP
PA R T N E R O F F E R
See the best of New Zealand
with Hertz and enjoy one
day’s free rental
From 16 November 2009 to 15 February 2010, rent
a car with Hertz for five or more consecutive days at
participating locations in New Zealand and you’ll
enjoy one day’s free rental. Plus, as a member of
The Marco Polo Club, you’ll receive a 10% discount on
Affordable Rates and earn 500 Asia Miles on every
qualifying rental.
To enjoy this offer, simply make your reservation
24 hours prior to your departure with Hertz.
Quote PC#137270 and CDP#1039946 (Green),
44130 (Silver), 226006 (Gold) or 226817 (Diamond)
at the time of reservation, and present your
Marco Polo Club membership card at the
rental counter.
Telephone: +852 2525 2838
Email: reshertz@hertz-gsa.com.hk
Website: www.hertz.com
Terms and conditions
• This offer is valid on Affordable Rates (leisure retail rates)
at participating locations in New Zealand.
• This offer is subject to a minimum of five
days’ rental, with a maximum of one day
free per rental.
36 THE CLUB
Leigh Sawmill Brewing
Company and Café
+64 9 422 6019
www.sawmillcafe.co.nz
Britomart
www.britomart.org
STAY
Hilton Auckland
+64 9 978 2000
www.hilton.com
Mollies
+64 9 376 3489
www.mollies.co.nz
SKYCITY Grand Hotel
+64 9 363 6000
www.skycityauckland.co.nz
VISIT
Auckland Bridge
Climb and Bungy
+64 9 361 2000
www.aucklandbridgeclimb.co.nz
Auckland War
Memorial Museum
+64 9 309 0443
www.aucklandmuseum.com
Tree Adventures
(toll free) +0800 827 926
www.treeadventures.co.nz
MORE INFO:
www.aucklandnz.com
Mollies
hotel
PA R T N E R O F F E R
Mark Pirihi
Cathay Pacific Sales & Marketing Manager,
New Zealand
My recommendation is to hire a car and get going.
Heading west, you can visit the vineyards or take
in surf and sun on the beaches. East is the waterfront and Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Encounter and
Underwater World. Head north over the Auckland
Harbour Bridge to see more beaches, go shopping,
and visit cafés.
To the south are the Bombay Hills and the route
to the rest of the country: first stop, Rotorua, which
can be seen in a day but it is best to allow at least
three days to experience the true Maori culture.
Auckland is based around the sea and, for a relaxing day, take the ferry to Waiheke Island. Lunch at
either Stonyridge or Mudbrick vineyards with fine
New Zealand wines, or enjoy the many walks around
the island, horse-riding, or swim in the bays.
Dining in the central business district revolves
around the famous Viaduct Basin – the base for
previous America’s Cup teams. The cafés in the
basin are plentiful and you can’t go past a good
coffee and big brekky at Sierra.
For a more relaxing start, breakfast at Rosehip in
Parnell, across the road from the rose gardens, or
make your way to Mission Bay where there are many
eateries. From here, you can walk around to the next
few bays. At St. Heliers, a favourite café is Kahve. Then
walk it all off again along the beautiful waterfront.
At dinner time, Soul Bar & Bistro and Euro Restaurant & Bar offer first-class seafood and New Zealand
meat, plus extensive wine lists. Stay in the Viaduct
after your meal and visit the vast range of pubs,
bars and lounges. Parnell has Iguacu Restaurant &
Bar, named Best New Zealand Restaurant in 2008;
Ponsonby has more of a relaxed café scene – a
popular spot for many locals is Prego.
Shopping is wide and varied, but most first-time
visitors leave with Kiwi souvenirs such as sheepskin
products or Maori crafts.
In summer, if you want to blend in with the locals,
adults should cool down with a cold Kiwi beer and
kids love our famous hokey-pokey ice-cream. And,
if in town when the All Blacks are playing a rugby
Test match, find a ticket and experience this integral
part of Kiwi culture.
Receive special privileges
from The Westin Auckland
Lighter Quay
From 16 November 2009 to 1 February 2010, book a
minimum two nights’ stay at the Best Available Rate at
The Westin Auckland Lighter Quay to experience the
ultimate night’s sleep in the internationally renowned
Westin Heavenly® Bed – and you’ll also receive the
following benefits:
• An upgrade to the next room category
• A sumptuous daily buffet breakfast at the waterfront
Q restaurant
• A cocktail to be enjoyed at the chic Office Bar
To enjoy this offer, please quote promotion code
“Marco Polo Club” at the time of reservation.
Telephone: +64 9 909 9000
Email: reservations.auckland@westin.com
Website: www.westin.com/Auckland
Bars and restaurants
in Viaduct Harbour
Terms and conditions
• Room stay is based on a single or
double occupancy.
• This offer is not available on
31 December 2009.
THE CLUB 37
What lies
beneath
BY VALERY G AR R E T T
Royal seal: the Nanyue
King’s Tomb Museum
displays a jade suit
which was believed
would preserve the
body of Zhao Mo
T R AV E L
Photos: ChinaFotoPress
Guangzhou is known to most visitors as a capital of commerce, but
the historic city also has a wealth of spectacular hidden treasures
only now seeing the light of day
hile tourists flock to the
led away from the palace through the city’s four main gates
Forbidden City in Beijing
to fool grave robbers and prevent looting of the fabulous
or the Terracotta Army in
funerary goods. His tomb has never been found, although
Xian, most visitors head to
some suspect it may lie under the hill in Yuexiu Park bearing
Guangzhou on business, quite
the monument to Sun Yat-sen. But labourers levelling a mound
unaware of its long history.
near the China Hotel in June 1983 struck gold. They had
stumbled upon the tomb of Zhao Tuo’s grandson, Zhao Mo,
“Guangzhou is a unique city, but
the kingdom’s second ruler who reigned from 137-122BC.
many foreigners are not familiar
with this,” says Dr Marlley Wang, Vice-Director of the Museum
Incredibly, nothing in the tomb had been touched, although
of the Western Han Dynasty and Mausoleum of the Nanyue
it had been flooded. “After permission was received in August,
King. “It is a historical place full of archaeological discoveries
archaeologists were given only 40 days for excavation before
work began on the building,” says Dr Wang.
and ancient buildings.”
“Since nine out of 10 tombs have
Once known as Canton, Guangzhou has
been robbed, this was a coma horde of hidden treasure to rival any
pletely unexpected find.”
city, but it’s often overlooked. This
In the centre of the
area of South China was settled
three millennia ago by the Yue
cross-shaped stone burial
group of ethnic tribes who fished,
chamber, the king was
dressed in a jade suit of
farmed and traded. In 203BC a
Hebei Province general, Zhao Tuo,
2,291 plaques linked with
united the tribes and established
silk ribbons, believed to
the kingdom of Nanyue – or Southern
prevent the body from decaying
Yue – crowning himself King Wu. He named
and promising immortality. The
the capital Panyu (today’s Guangzhou), making it one of
corpse lay in a wooden coffin with a silk sack
Jade
of pearls placed behind its head. In an outer coffin
the oldest cities in China. The kingdom stretched beyond
jewellery
modern-day Guangdong to cover parts of Guangxi, from the
above the head was a lacquer wooden box containYunnan and what is now northern Vietnam.
ing more pearls – in all more than four kilos were
Nanyue
Dr Wang says when Zhao Tuo died in 137BC corteges king’s tomb found. Pearls were given to kings and emperors
THE CLUB 39
T R AV E L
PA R T N E R O F F E R
Enjoy a special rate and
exclusive benefits at the
Grand Hyatt Guangzhou
From 16 November 2009 to 15 February 2010,
members of The Marco Polo Club will enjoy
the following privileges during their stay at the
Grand Hyatt Guangzhou:
• Special room rate from just RMB1,600 per night in a
Grand Club room for two, including access to the
Grand Club Lounge, daily continental breakfast, an
evening cocktail and much more
• A 60-minute O Signature Body massage for two
• One-way airport transfer in a Mercedes-Benz S300 or
use of a city car for two hours
Conveniently located in the heart of Guangzhou’s new
Central Business District, the Grand Hyatt Guangzhou
offers easy access to major business and shopping areas.
Please quote offer code MP726 when making your
reservations.
Telephone: + 86 20 8396 1234
Website: www.guangzhou.grand.hyatt.com
Terms and conditions
• The above rate is subject to 15%
service charge.
40 THE CLUB
as charms of good fortune. A silver box, believed to have
come from Persia, held medicinal pills and was placed at the
foot between the two coffins.
Zhao Mo was apparently keen to live in
heaven in the manner to which he was accustomed on earth. The remains of 15 sacrificial
victims were found in the tomb: his four
concubines, two guards, a eunuch, a young
musician and seven servants, as well as cattle,
sheep and pigs to provide sustenance in the next
world. A rear storeroom contained traces of rice and
fish, together with several cooking pots. More than
10,000 relics, including jade ornaments, ritual vessels,
musical instruments, pottery and iron swords were
unearthed, making this one of China’s major historical sites.
Many of these treasures are displayed in the red sandstone
museum next to the tomb. An exceptional piece is a gold seal
with a dragon. “This is the first example found of a dragon being
used by a ruler,” says Dr Wang. “Later emperors used the dragon
as a symbol of power.”
More examples of the city’s distant past can be seen in the
Guangzhou Museum in Yuexiu Park, across the road from
the tomb. To the left of the restored Great North Gate, once
a major entry to the city, a path runs alongside the ancient
city wall until it reaches the Zhenhai Tower, built in the Ming
Part of the excavated site
Dynasty (1368-1644) as a watch tower. Now the city’s main of the Palace Garden of the
museum, four floors of exhibits tell the story of Guangzhou Nanyue Kingdom
from early times to the 20th century, and include the famous
clepsydra, or water clock, which stood in Beijing Road
(Beijing Lu). Outside are the remains of a wooden tomb of the
Nanyue period discovered in 2003 that belonged to a high
official or nobleman. The tomb had been robbed and only
the lacquered leather armour, the first of its kind discovered
in China, remained. It has now been restored.
“We have had items on loan from the Nanyue Palace
Gardens since 2007,” says Dr Cheng Cunjie, Director of the
museum. He’s referring to the 15,000-square-metre site
Photos. Guangzhou Museum: Alamy/ArgusPhoto. Excavation: Xinhua News Photo.
Dragon seal: Courtesy of Nanyue King's Tomb Musuem
Gold seal that
is the earliest
example of a
dragon used
by a ruler
discovered in 1995 in the heart of the oldest part of the city.
This covers just a tenth of the estimated total area of the
palace and gardens.
The land on Zhongshan 4 Road had been sold to a large
Hong Kong developer but when construction started and
tiles from the Nanyue kingdom were unearthed, work quickly
stopped. Since then excavation has been carried out under
huge curved iron roofs covering the rough brown earth.
The imperial garden is the oldest and best preserved
example found so far. Kings and courtiers in flowing robes
walked on flagstone paths winding through the garden and
over the earliest surviving stone bridge in China. There is
evidence of pavilions where they sat by crescent-shaped pools
and lotus ponds. Sandstone slabs with the characters “Pan Yu”
were discovered on the walls of one of the ponds. An artificial
brook meandered through, as slabs and pebbles controlled
and shaped the flow of water, creating a soothing rippling
effect. The stone pond and the brook were both listed in the
top 10 archaeological discoveries of China that year.
The site closed to the public in May this year for the
construction of a garden-like museum at a cost of up to
RMB800 million (about HKD908 million). Divided into three
phases, the first is scheduled to open in time for the 16th
Asian Games in Guangzhou in November 2010. When the
entire project is completed in 2016, the new Nanyue Kingdom
Palace Museum, along with the Museum of the Western Han
Dynasty, will apply for World Cultural Heritage status.
Guangzhou
Museum where
exhibits tell
the story of the
city from early
times to the
20th century
“KINGS AND COURTIERS IN FLOWING
ROBES WALKED ON FLAGSTONE PATHS”
THE CLUB 41
T R AV E L
PA R T N E R O F F E R
From 16 November 2009 to 15 February 2010, members
of The Marco Polo Club will receive a complimentary
upgrade to the next car class on an eligible chauffeurdriven car rental from Avis in Guangzhou, China, when
renting for a minimum of two days at participating
locations. Plus, you’ll also enjoy the Avis Worldwide
25% Discount and earn Asia Miles.
To enjoy the offer, simply quote your membership
number as well as the appropriate Avis Worldwide
Discount number when making a reservation.
•
•
•
•
Green: AWD K305400
Silver: AWD K305500
Gold: AWD K305600
Diamond: AWD K305700
Email: rentacar@avis.com.hk
Telephone: +852 2576 6831
Website: www.avis.com.hk (Hong Kong)
www.avisworld.com (other countries)
Terms and condition
• All rentals must commence and be
completed between 16 November 2009
and 15 February 2010.
• Standard Avis terms and conditions apply.
42 THE CLUB
Jade ornament
with a monster
mask found
on the Nanyue
king’s forehead
More of Guangzhou’s past was discovered across from the
Palace Gardens on Beijing Road in the summer of 2002. Always
an important street, in earlier times scholars flocked to the
bookstores. Now it’s lined with fashion outlets. Remains of
the road from the Song (960-1279), Yuan (1279-1368) and Ming
Dynasties are visible under glass at ground
level. Here, for almost 1,000 years, highranking mandarins in richly embroidered
robes stepped over these stone slabs from
the Treasurer’s office down to the Pearl River.
Before it silted up the river was much wider.
A large relief map shows the ancient city with
its walls, canals and river.
The most recent find from the Nanyue
kingdom, which ended in 111BC when it was
incorporated into the rest of China, came in
2000 during the construction of the Metro Mall
shopping centre off Beijing Road. From April to
October archaeologists raced to excavate the
wooden watergate, the earliest example ever
discovered. Built next to the Pearl River as part of
Photos. Jades: ChinaFotoPress. Beijing Road: ImagineChina
Explore Guangzhou with Avis
and receive a complimentary
upgrade
Layers of
history under
Beijing Road
The rhinoceros horn-shaped
drinking vessel found in the
Nanyue king’s tomb
PA R T N E R O F F E R
the city flood-control system, the watergate is the largest and
best preserved in the world. Wooden planks controlled the flow
of water and modern watergates still in use are similar in design.
In the mall’s basement museum, the watergate is surrounded
by display cases including tiles, an iron axe head, bronze bowls
and ceramics, dating through to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
“Since China’s open-door policy in the 1980s, more construction work has been carried out, and more archaeological
sites will be found,” Dr Wang says. In July, she says, a team from
the Institute of Archaeologists were urgently called out to
an island in the Pearl River. It was being cleared to attract
manufacturers of medical products. The archaeologists found
more than 100 tombs dating from the Han Dynasty (206BC220AD). Many had been looted but others were well-preserved
and contained bricks, pottery houses, animals and vases.
One thing’s for sure. As Guangzhou continues to develop
in the pursuit of business, much more of its ancient history
will be uncovered. It’s only a matter of time.
Enjoy an upgrade and
other privileges at the
Shangri-La Hotel, Guangzhou
From 16 November 2009 to 12 February 2010, simply
book a Deluxe Room at Best Available Rate at the
Shangri-La Hotel, Guangzhou − and you’ll receive:
•
•
•
•
GUANGZHOU HISTORY REVEALED
Museum of the Western Han
Dynasty and Mausoleum
of the Nanyue King
867 Jiefang Bei Road
+86 20 3618 2920. Open
daily 9am to 5:30pm (except
28 February and 31 August)
www.gznywmuseum.com
Archaeological site of the
wooden watergate
Take the lift to the basement
of Metro Mall Shopping
Centre, Guangming Square,
Xihu Road.
Open 2pm-6pm Mon-Fri,
and 12pm-6pm Sat and Sun.
Archaeological site of
the palace garden of
the Nanyue Kingdom
Zhongshan 4 Road, across
from Beijing Road and
Wende Road.
Song, Yuan and Ming
Dynasty streets
Visible under glass at the top
of Beijing Road.
Guangzhou Museum
Zhenhai Tower,
Yuexiu Park
+86 20 8355 0627
+86 20 8354 5253
Open daily 9am-5:30pm
www.guangzhoumuseum.cn
An upgrade to a Premier RiverView Room
Daily buffet breakfast at Wok Too for two
Daily international buffet dinner at Wok Too for two
A bottle of wine to enjoy in your room
Conveniently located within a five-minute walk from
the Guangzhou International Convention and
Exhibition Centre, the Shangri-La Hotel, Guangzhou
offers spectacular views of the Pearl River and
comfortable, lavish accommodation and
dining options.
For reservations, please quote your membership
number and rate code “CXMARCO”.
Telephone: +852 2331 6688
Fax: +852 2331 6699
Website: www.shangri-la.com
Terms and conditions
• Rate is subject to 10% service charge and
5% government tax.
THE CLUB 43
INSIDE CX
BY K AR EN PI T TAR AND TAR A JENK INS
Say cheese
Brendan Duffy,
the man who
organises
the onboard
cheese board
44 THE CLUB
rendan Duffy, Cathay Pacific’s Catering
Manager, is an expert on mould. In fact,
he’s passionate about it. He understands
the intricacies of injecting the Penicillium
roqueforti fungus into France’s pungent
“king of cheeses” – the deliciously sharp and
tangy Roquefort. He can explain in great
detail how six million wheels of the greenish-veined cheese
ripen underground in the 10 hectares of natural limestone caves,
hidden inside the Combalou mountain near Marseilles.
Duff y knows how cheese must be stored so it doesn’t lose
its taste and aroma, and he understands that cheese resembles
a fine wine: every time you try a different variety it’s a brandnew taste sensation.
Duffy is responsible for selecting the meals on every
Cathay Pacific flight, and he says choosing the selection of
onboard cheeses is his favourite part of the job: “I’ve always
loved cheese. To a lot of people, it’s an important part of the
meal structure. But it can actually cleanse the palate and is a
wonderful alternative to dessert.”
For Duffy, part of the appeal in choosing cheese is
uncovering exciting new flavours and aromas from artisan
cheesemakers. “Flavour is affected by what the animals eat in
the fields: fresh herbs, lush grass. All can be subtly detected
in the final flavour of the cheese.”
One inflight favourite is the rich, velvety brie from Somerset,
one of the best dairy regions in Britain. The county’s ideal soil
and regular rainfall produce lush pastures that, in turn, lead
to the creation of superb cheeses. These undulating hills in
England’s West Country are dotted with artisan cheesemakers
who specialise in this handmade, creamy farmhouse cheese.
“There are little gems everywhere,” says Duff y. “Some of our
lesser-known cheeses include Cornish Yarg from Cornwall,
England; Gubbeen from West Cork in Ireland; Forme d’Ambert
from Auvergne, a mountainous central region of France; and
Te Mata blue [from New Zealand].
“For flights out of Hong Kong, we work with a company in Zurich that sources cheese from all over Europe
– France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the UK. They go to the
artisan cheesemakers and dairies and ask them to prepare
samples to ensure a balance of quality, seasonality and
consistency of supply.
“We then do an annual tasting and decide the best selection for the meals onboard at that time. Our monthly cheese
Photos: Gareth Brown
It’s popular, tasty, versatile and has countless varieties. Cathay Pacific
catering’s “big cheese” talks about the favourite part of his job
A way
with curds:
Executive
Sous Chef
Gary Thomas
46 THE CLUB
order for flights in and out of Hong Kong is 2,000 kilograms.
In addition we also travel to over 40 different Cathay Pacific
ports – Australia, New Zealand and so on – where we taste
local cheeses to be used onboard.”
Duff y says the most popular cheeses are soft, such as the
mild and creamy bries and camemberts, but Cathay Pacific
also carries a selection of superb hard cheeses. “There is a
selection of four cheeses in First Class and three in Business
Class. We always offer a blue, a hard, a semi-hard and soft –
we like to mix it up and offer variety. Asian passengers tend
to choose soft cheese but Western passengers prefer the
harder, stronger
cheese.”
Another of Duffy’s
recommendations is the
robust, semi-firm Manchego,
from central Spain. Harsh weather
conditions mean the elevated plateau
of La Mancha is arid and windswept, but
also surprisingly fertile. Home to flocks of hardy
Manchega sheep, the region produces Manchego cheese.
The herringbone pattern on the surface of the rind and
imprints of wheat ears on the top and bottom of the wheel
render this cheese’s earthy appearance.
But it’s not enough to simply source the best cheese from
all around the world, it’s equally important to prepare and
serve it correctly.
“Cheese is basically fat from milk and, like any fat, it hardens
in chilled conditions, so temperature is profoundly important,”
says Duff y. “The best way to eat cheese is at room temperature.
Bring it out of the chiller one to two hours before [serving] to
make sure it [releases] the intensity of its flavour.
“Take goat’s cheese, for example. Right out of the chiller it’s
chalky in the centre, but leave it for an hour and it becomes
gloriously gooey. Like any wine or food, serving cheese too
cold doesn’t allow it to reveal its full characteristics.”
Duff y says cabins are normally cooled to the mid-20 degrees
Celsius and the chillers set to 4 degrees, so cabin crew are
asked to take cheese out of the chiller an hour before they
serve it. Cathay Pacific is also in the process of introducing
tasting notes on every inflight cheese board, providing information on the cheese’s origin, type of milk and characteristics,
which the crew can then share with passengers.
Given the menus change anywhere between one and
six months (and more often on some short-haul flights for
Photos. Quince paste: JupiterImages/FoodPix/Getty Images
INSIDE CX
“THE CHE
CHEESE IS SUSPENDED
IN NITROG
NITROGEN AND IT’S ALMOST
AS IF IT
IT’S HIBERNATING”
frequent flyers), that’s a
great deal of cheese to taste.
Traditional methods dictate cheese
should be wrapped in grease-proof or wax paper to retain its
moisture, but still allow it to breathe. Cathay Pacific’s modern
solution is gas-flush packaging. “The cheese is suspended in
nitrogen and it’s almost as if it’s hibernating. If the cheesemaker cuts the cheese into slices three weeks before the
flight and it’s immediately packed, it in no way affects the
quality or flavour. It is totally different from cling film, which
suffocates the cheese, making it lose its taste and aroma. So
when the crew opens the pack, it’s as if the cheesemaker
has just handed it to them.”
Duff y suggests serving cheese with fruit, such as slices
of fresh green Granny Smith apple or grapes, or combining
it with a fruit paste such as quince or fig, all of which are
offered on Cathay Pacific’s flights around the world. “A lot of
new products, such as South Australian chef Maggie Beer’s
delicious fruit pastes, complement cheese very well.”
Cheese is traditionally served at the end of a meal, but other
cultures have influenced its use in cuisine, says Duff y.
“You can choose to have cheese in your soup or freshly
grated over pasta. In different parts of the world, cheese is
served at different times. In the Middle East, haloumi is typically an appetiser; grilled goat’s cheese can also be served
as a first course. In France, it [can act as] a palate cleanser
after the main meal.”
Soft cheeses
such as brie and
camembert are
always part of
the selection
(above)
As this article goes to print, it’s likely Duff y is flying to one
of Cathay Pacific’s 40 ports with his two assistants, making
choices about the next array of delicious cheeses to offer
onboard. And if he’s not at work, he will probably be relaxing with friends, sharing a bottle of red wine and, of course,
sampling a plate of cheese.
Maggie Beer’s
quince paste:
delicious
with cheese
THE CLUB 47
C X N E WS
Cathay Pacific launches new services to
Saudi Arabia and Fiji
Cathay Pacific’s
hospitality box
The Wing at
Sha Tin Racecourse
Cathay Pacific launched flights to Jeddah, the second major commercial
city in Saudi Arabia, on 25 October. The four-times-weekly service
operates through Dubai on the way to and from Hong Kong. In
addition, Cathay Pacific will launch a codeshare service with
Air Pacific to Nadi, Fiji, from 3 December, with two flights a week.
The new services will serve to further boost Hong Kong’s position
as a leading international aviation hub.
Fast track with Frequent
Visitor e-Channels
Watch in style and comfort with Cathay Pacific
hospitality boxes
Experience the thrill of racing at Cathay Pacific’s hospitality boxes,
The Wing, at the Hong Kong Jockey Club racecourses in Happy Valley
and Sha Tin. Reserve your seats now to enjoy a sumptuous international buffet and prime views of the final furlong and finishing line.
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.
Silver or above members of
The Marco Polo Club can now
enjoy quicker and more convenient immigration clearance at
Hong Kong International Airport
by using the Frequent Visitor
e-Channels. Members need
to enrol by presenting their
Marco Polo Club membership
card and travel documents
in person at the Immigration
Department Enrolment Office
located in the Arrivals Hall at
Hong Kong International Airport.
Central America’s Mexicana joins oneworld
Mexicana, the leading airline in Mexico
and Central America, became part of
oneworld® alliance on 10 November,
2009. Its subsidiaries MexicanaClick and
48 THE CLUB
MexicanaLink are affiliate members. You
will be able to earn tier status miles and
sectors and receive all other oneworld
benefits on Mexicana and its affiliates.
Quick and easy
Home Delivery Service befitting of a wine hub
Paul Loo, General Manager
Cathay Pacific Loyalty
Programmes Ltd. (right),
accepts the award from guest
presenter and cellist Trey Lee
Asia Miles collects
Best Frequent Flyer
Programme award
Asia Miles was named Best
Frequent Flyer Programme
in the 2009 Business Traveller
Asia-Pacific Travel Awards. It is
the fifth consecutive year it has
won the award that recognises
the effort and commitment of
Asia Miles to provide the best
products and services to its 3.5
million members worldwide.
Are you a Marco Polo Club
member residing in Hong Kong?
You can now order wine sourced
from renowned winemakers in
France and Australia and have it
delivered to your home through
Estate Wines Direct.
“The new Home Delivery
Service had its origins in the
Hong Kong Government’s
removal of the import duty
“A new dimension of service,”
says Jessica Wan
on wine in February 2008
08 in
order to position the cityy as the
‘wine hub of Asia’,” explained
ained
the Cathay Pacific Inflight
ht Sales
Operations Manager, Jessica
ssica
Wan. “More and more people
eople
in Hong Kong have developed
eloped
an interest in wine appreciation
eciation
and our selections offer a variety
of wines to suit differentt tastes
tastes.””
The four selections include:
Discovery: Cabernet sauvignon,
shiraz, semillon sauvignon blanc,
and chardonnay from Edwards,
an award-winning winery in
the Margaret River region of
Western Australia
Bordeaux-Lovers’: Chateaux
Liversan 2006 Haut-Médoc
Collectors’: Echo de LynchBages 2008
Sparkling: Taittinger
Non-Vintage Brut Réserve.
“The Home Delivery Service
adds a new dimension of
service to the overall shopping
experience for our valued
customers,” said Jessica.
“It is a complement
to our inflight sales business
that extends our service from
inflight to your doorstep.”
To find out more, please ask the
Cabin Crew on your next flight
with Cathay Pacific or visit
www.cathaypacific.com/
dutyfree
CLUB PARTNERS : For exclusive Club partner offers, please visit the member’s area of www.cathaypacific.com
Hilton Worldwide • Hilton® Hotels • Conrad® Hotels &
Resorts • Doubletree by Hilton™ • Embassy Suites Hotels
by Hilton™ • Hilton Garden Inn™ • Hilton Grand Vacations™ •
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Collection® • Le Méridien • W Hotels® •
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Hertz
SIXT rent a car
For all partner offers, prices quoted are subject to change without prior notice. Peak season surcharges apply. Advance reservation is required. Rooms and offers are subject to availability.
Blackout dates apply. Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotional offer or membership benefit.
THE CLUB 49
WHAT LIES
BENEATH
GUANGZHOU’S
PAST UNEARTHED
QUARTER
4 2009
CLUBHOUSE
HOMES AWAY
FROM HOME
MAGAZINE OF THE MARCO POLO CLUB
QUARTER
4 2009