acclaimed chef mark hix master perfumer anne flipo fiction … · 2020. 5. 14. · culinary...
TRANSCRIPT
Acclaimed chef Mark HixCulinary inspirations from Shenzhen
Master perfumer Anne FlipoAn olfactory journey in the Seychelles
Fiction author Nell StevensWarsaw’s soul through its sounds
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RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 32
Since 1887, Raffles has welcomed literary and artistic luminaries to write their own tales inspired by its majestic surrounds and unique destinations. This issue of Raffles Magazine builds on this longstanding tradition, inviting five celebrated masters of their craft on a journey to explore the five senses in
different destinations around the globe.
We follow renowned chef Mark Hix MBE on his culinary quest to discover new tastes and flavours in Shenzhen, South China, from the city’s bustling markets to its quiet fishing enclaves. Meanwhile, novelist Nell Stevens captures the sounds of Warsaw in her entrancing short story, ‘Neon’. In Paris, photographer Alexis Armanet ventures behind the scenes of the iconic Moulin Rouge cabaret and, as an ode to the outstanding craftsmanship behind every show’s triumph, he explores our sense of touch by vividly bringing to life the different textures of the dancers’ costumes and stage décors.
Holding on to age-old traditions while crafting the fragrances of tomorrow, French master perfumer Anne Flipo takes an olfactory journey to Praslin Island in the Seychelles, noting new scents presented by the archipelago’s exotic flora and spices.
And last but certainly not least, underwater diver Tobias Friedrich swoops deep below the surface of the Maldives’ crystal-clear waters, evoking our sense of sight through his captivating photographs.
Above all, this magazine is a tribute to the Raffles legacy, one that is tethered to creative expression and long-lasting inspiration, which has been our guiding principle over the centuries – and still is today. Because just as the landmark reopening of Raffles Singapore heralds a new chapter for the iconic property’s history and story, Raffles is paving the way for a new legacy that honours its past, present and future – and celebrates our commitment to legendary service since 1887.
INSPIRED BY THE SENSES
Michele Tranquillini ------------
The artist behind this issue’s
cover, Italian-born illustrator
Michele Tranquillini, opened
his studio in 1995 while a
student at NYU. He has since
created over 1,000 sketches
for his book Un Giorno a
Milano and has worked with
La Repubblica and National
Geographic Magazine.
Nell Stevens ------------
Memoir and fiction writer
Nell Stevens is the author
of Bleaker House and Mrs
Gaskel & Me (UK) / The
Victorian & the Romantic
(US/CAN), which won the
2019 Somerset Maugham
Award. In 2018, she was
also shortlisted for the BBC
National Short Story Award.
Tobias Friedrich ------------
Self-trained underwater
photographer Tobias
Friedrich has come first
place in 31 competitions
over 10 years, including
Underwater Photographer
of the Year 2018. His images
have appeared in scuba
diving magazines as well as
The Times and Die Welt.
Anne Flipo ------------
French master perfumer
Anne Flipo has created
numerous fragrances
for luxury beauty brands
such as Giorgi Armani, Jo
Malone London and Lanvin.
Her unique creations
include La Vie est Belle
(Lancôme), Miss Boucheron
and La Nuit de l’Homme
(Yves Saint-Laurent).
Alexis Armanet ------------
Paris-based photographer
Alexis Armanet captures
fleeting moments and
immortalises them for
publications like Le Monde’s
magazine M, Architectural
Digest and T: the NYTimes
Style Magazine. In this
issue, he gives us a glimpse
behind the scenes of the
iconic Moulin Rouge cabaret.
Mark Hix MBE ------------
Known for his quirky
chicken-and-steak
restaurant Tramshed, in
Shoreditch, chef Mark
Hix has six top-ranked
restaurants in England and
has authored numerous
cookbooks. He was also
appointed an MBE for
his services in the British
hospitality industry in 2016.
CONTRIBUTORS
RAFFLES MAGAZINE ISSUE N°8 raffles.com
Deputy CEO, Hotel Operations & CEO Luxury Brands Chris Cahill
Senior Vice President, Luxury Brand Marketing Rick Harvey Lam
Vice President, Raffles Brand & Strategic Partnerships Jeannette Ho
Director, Raffles Brand Management Vivien Ivanyi
Senior Manager, Raffles Brand Management Christine Seiler
Manager, Raffles Brand Management Loic Terrien
Senior Vice President, Group External Communications Charlotte Thouvard
Director, Luxury Brands Communications Rebecca Quinn
Project Manager, Luxury Brands Communications Emeline Sympat
ACCOR 82 Rue Henri Farman, CS 20077 92130 Issy-Les-Moulineaux, France
accorhotels.com group.accor.com
RAFFLES MAGAZINE
Editor in Chief Rooksana Hossenally
Section Editor Jennifer Ladonne
Art Direction Aldo Buscalferri and Dominika Hadelova
CONTRIBUTORS Inspiration Jennifer Ladonne
Emotion Alexis Armanet, Aleksi Cavaillez, Tobias Friedrich, Mark Hix, Rooksana Hossenally, Neil Kreeger, Vivian Song, Nell Stevens, Ming Tang-Evans
Curation Eileen Cho, Cyrille Robin, Michele Tranquillini, Daven Wu
World of Raffles Mami Sato, Vivian Song
43-45 East Smithfield, London E1W 1AP
fms.co.uk
CEO Nigel Fulcher
Publisher Irene Mateides
Production Director Nick Fulcher
Director William Fulcher
Editor Harriet Hirschler
Graphic Design Grant Bowden and Flor Dai
Advertising enquiries: [email protected] COPYRIGHT ACCOR 2020: Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither the publisher nor Accor nor any of its subsidiary or affiliated companies can accept, and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise—without prior written permission of the publisher. Information correct at time of going to press. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher or Accor. Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders of material used in this publication. If any copyright holder has been overlooked, we should be pleased to make any necessary arrangements.
© M
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INSPIRATION
An inspirational notebook chronicling the people, places and curiosities that nourish the mind, body and spirit…
TASTE 08World-class chefs, restaurants and dishes
CELEBRATE 10Special places for out of the ordinary occasions
TREASURE 12Compelling crafts from across the globe
DISCOVER 14Soak up the best in art and culture
READ 16Literary luminaries and beautiful books
FLOURISH 18Relaxation, rejuvenation and reflection
THE RETURN OF AN ICON 20The grand reopening of Raffles Singapore
EMOTION
Acclaimed masters of craft embark on a journey to bring to life our sense of sight, sound, taste, touch and smell...
SIGHT — Into the Blue 26Underwater photographer Tobias Friedrich explores the Maldives
SOUND — Neon 38A short story of love, reflection and sound set in musical Warsaw by Nell Stevens
TASTE — Taste of Shenzhen 50 Renowned chef Mark Hix MBE embarks on a culinary journey through Shenzhen
TOUCH — French Touch 62Photographer Alexis Armanet goes behind the scenes of the iconic Moulin Rouge
SMELL — Scents & Senses 72Master perfumer Anne Flipo uncovers the aromas that define the sublime Seychelles
CURATION
A selection of destinations and styles curated around unique details and characteristics that build a sense of place...
DESTINATIONS 84Boston, Jakarta and Dubai
STYLES 90Elevated styling from morning to night
WORLD OF RAFFLES
WORLD OF RAFFLES 96 Discover Raffles’ unique destinations around the world and its legendary service
Cover by Michele Tranquillini
For this issue of Raffles Magazine, we take readers on a journey through the five senses, as captured in Michele Tranquillini’s immersive illustration.
Acclaimed chef Mark HixCulinary inspirations from Shenzhen
Master perfumer Anne FlipoAn olfactory journey in the Seychelles
Fiction author Nell StevensWarsaw’s soul through its sounds
RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 76
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2401_Gilan-Raffles-Magazine_R1_1.pdf 1 24.01.2020 16:07
An inspirational notebook chronicling the people, places and curiosities that nourish the mind, body and spirit…
Ruby Barber’s floral designs
TASTECELEBRATE
TREASUREDISCOVER
READFLOURISH
RAFFLES MAGAZINE8
O f all the famous chefs in France, few can boast
a history and pedigree quite as illustrious as
Anne-Sophie Pic’s. But boasting is something
this modest chef will never do. For Pic, the proof is in
the pudding – and oh what a pudding. A cuisine of
such rare sophistication and refinement that she has
maintained three Michelin stars since 2007 and was
awarded the French Legion of Honour.
This year, Maison Pic, her historic restaurant in
Valence, France, celebrates 130 continuous years
through four generations of the Pic family, and 40
years of holding three Michelin stars. But Pic did not
set out to be a chef. She studied business, while her
brother Alain took over the kitchen after the death of
their father, who had been a chef since 1956. When
Alain stepped down in 1998, Anne-Sophie took the
reins and never looked back.
Being a woman in a man’s world was not easy. Yet
every obstacle Pic faced made her tougher and more
determined. She takes risks and continuously
experiments, but her famously audacious flavour
combinations are balanced by a precise attunement
to aroma, colour and the poetry of food on a plate.
Pic describes her creative process in terms of
emotion and memory, and says the closest métier to
hers is that of perfumer. Like the ephemeral notes of a fragrance, the complexity
of her dishes is revealed sequentially in time. “In my kitchen, flavours, spices,
condiments play the role of these notes. The tasting must not be a linear exercise.
Each ingredient responds to another, enhancing their aromatic power or
prolonging the effect in the mouth by playing with similarity or contrast.”
In 2019, Pic celebrated the opening of her eighth gastronomic outpost – her
first in Asia – with La Dame de Pic, Raffles Singapore, uniting two traditions of
excellence and a strong identity with place.
“This collaboration seems natural as we already share common values to
offer a unique experience. We are both storytellers and forever seeking
excellence. This is the perfect place to present my cuisine and the century-old
culinary heritage of the Pic family.”
“Each ingredient responds to another, enhancing
their aromatic power or prolonging the effect in
the mouth by playing with similarity or contrast.”
SWEET DELIGHTS IN JAKARTA
A delicious interlude awaits lovers of fine pastry at Raffles Jakarta’s new Parisian-style
patisserie. In this boutique, filled with exquisite delights as gorgeous to behold as they
are to taste, the pastries can be savoured sur place at a charming table on the premises
or taken on the go for a sweet moment during the day.
Before a year had passed, husband and wife team
chef Noam Gedalof and sommelier Etheliya
Hananova were rewarded with a Michelin star for
their ravishing new Paris restaurant Comice. A
pinnacle of quiet elegance, from the paintings on
the wall to the fork you raise to your lips, no detail
is left to chance: “A restaurant is so much more
than just the cuisine. It’s about stimulating the
senses in every way, from the décor, the music, the
service, the wine, and the ambiance that surrounds
the guest,” says Hananova. Of course, the cuisine is
the core of the experience and, with access to some
of the world’s finest ingredients, Gedalof’s creations
are as delectable as they are beautiful. Paired with
top vintages from artisan winemakers, this is a
dining experience to be savoured. | comice.paris
TABLE TO BOOK IN PARIS
A few hours north of Boston, in a place called Freedom, Maine (population: 719) the
rustic 47-seat The Lost Kitchen restaurant has captivated the world. Barely known when
it opened in 2011, word of mouth travelled so fast that within a few years the restaurant
was receiving 10,000 phone calls a day from nearly every country in the world, routinely
crashing the town’s telephone lines. The current system of reservation by postcard,
accepted for two weeks in April for the following year, was a necessity. Chef Erin French
still seems mystified by her stunning success, “We’re not trying to outperform famous
chefs, this is comfort food – I just want to make people feel good.” Using only the freshest
local ingredients farmed by friends, the menu changes almost nightly, but the
atmosphere is unfailingly magical. “We’re joyfully working together; we love what we’re
doing and we’re proud of it. And that’s what people are eating and feeling.”
| findthelostkitchen.com
WISH YOU WERE AT THIS MAINE KITCHEN
MALDIVES FOODIECULTURE BLEND
Nikkei cuisine, a rare and delectable 100-year-old
alliance between the time-honoured cuisines of
Japan and Peru, provides a cosmopolitan dining
experience at Yuzu, Raffles Maldives Meradhoo. In
a quintessentially romantic atmosphere that puts
nothing between you and the sea and the sky,
Yuzu captures the essence of enjoyment in dishes
that are both luxurious and healthful.
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RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 1110
PARIS’S SECRET COCKTAIL CLUBSCocktail culture is thriving in Paris and these secret hotspots are long on glamour and short
on crowds. Unique in the city, Le Très Particulier is tucked away down a private cobbled street
in its own secret garden high in Montmartre. Sip an ambrosial botanics-infused cocktail in a
retro-chic atmosphere, featuring oriental rugs and a glass atrium (live DJs on weekends).
Part lounge, part social club, Club Silencio is Paris’s most exclusive hideaway. Luminaries from
the worlds of art, fashion, literature and the performance flock here for live concerts,
performance art, or just to dance the night away. Club members get in anytime, for everyone
else the revelry starts at midnight. Golden Promise, at La Maison du Saké, is the destination
for serious saké and whisky lovers. Knock at the vaulted door to be buzzed in and led to a
hidden cellar lined with prized bottles. Rare vintages can be stowed away for you in the cellar
vault, or sipped in the luxurious private tasting area.
Clément Lefaux is bringing a fresh
perspective on wine pairing. It’s not
enough that the three Michelin star
restaurant L’Arpège, where Lefaux is head
sommelier, is one of the most innovative dining
rooms in Paris. Lefaux won’t rest until he’s
changed your mind about wine. Nearly 20 years
ago, when chef Alain Passard shook the Paris
gastronomic scene with his plan to go vegetal, it
wasn’t just the menu that changed. An overhaul of
the wine cellar was in order, with a shift in focus
from robust, high alcohol reds to more nuanced
bottles, along with poetic and distinctive whites –
riesling, pinot blanc, chenin and chardonnay. Best
of all – Champagne. “Champagne has always been
synonymous with celebration, it’s part of a great
tradition... a ritual that dates back to the
coronation of kings, such as Clovis, who is said to
have served Champagne to celebrate his
coronation. King Louis XIV was also crazy about it
and offered it regularly at his internationally
renowned table.” You don’t need a coronation at
this internationally renowned table, perennially
celebrating the humble vegetable, to pop the
Champagne cork. The drink pairs beautifully with
Passard’s exquisite vegetable-based dishes as well
as his seafood and poultry. And Lefaux’s great
inspiration is to seek out the best.
“There is such a multitude of outstanding
Champagne makers. I have a wonderful – often
confidential – selection of attentive and passionate
small producers whom I love to highlight for their
exceptional work. Thanks to this collection, I will
always have a Champagne that will correspond to
a season, an occasion and a particular moment.
That is the talent of a great Champagne!”
At L’Arpège every day is a celebration of
season and discovery comes with the terrain. With
the produce from Passard’s now-famous garden
changing almost daily, Lefaux is most inspired by
pairing these passionate winemakers with an
equally passionate cuisine: “Chef Passard creates
his menu according to the harvests and arrivals of
his gardens. Our menu changes daily and with it
our selection of wines. These are spontaneous
food and wine pairings that we decide at the
last moment.”
SKY-HIGHDINING
CELEBRATION ELEVATION
How do you take a sky-high dining
experience even higher? From the
122nd floor of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa,
the world’s tallest building,
At.Mosphere’s private dining room
offers all the restaurant’s elegance
with an additional touch of exclusiv-
ity and culinary flair – not to men-
tion sensational views of the city.
At.Mospere takes any celebration to
new heights.
With all of London at your fingertips,
watch the city turn to gold under the
setting sun, then come brilliantly to
life illuminated by the sparkle of a
million glittering lights. Called Cirrus,
Stratus, Cumulus and Nimbus after
the towering clouds in the distance,
each private party space at Searcys at
The Gherkin offers a different
spectacular view of the city for 18 to
50 lucky guests or combined for up to
280 revellers. On level 39, the Helix
restaurant offers sky-high private
dining, and the Iris Bar on level 40
opens to breathtaking 360-degree
views for a truly majestic moment.
− INSPIRATION −
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RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 1312
An intricate golden vine entwines a wrist;
a jewelled leaf dazzles from an earlobe;
an exquisitely wrought bird’s wing
embraces a finger. Nature, movement and
beauty: this is the world of Aida Bergsen. For the
Istanbul-based jeweller and sculptor, the allure
of nature is her deepest inspiration. Born in
Cyprus to an adored artist father, whom she
helped from an early age in his painting studio,
she draws on the details that she loved as a child
to inform her work – the sea and sky, jasmine
flowers, Cyprus and pomegranate trees, and the
small, colourful creatures around her. Though
Bergsen completed her economic studies in
Grenoble, France, and earned a diploma in
teaching French as a foreign language, it wasn’t
long before she returned to her artistic roots.
Bergson’s jewellery craft evolved from her
work in wax sculpting, a lost métier she is
determined to keep alive. Volume, colour and
dimension are all elements in the stories she
weaves when handmaking a piece, with myth
and the natural world as motifs for her Flora,
Fauna, Wings and Medusa collections: “I see myself as a sculptor-cum-storyteller... each
theme has an underlying reference to a very personal and significant experience. It is a
very individual expression.”
As gorgeous as they are, Bergsen’s creations are rarely benign. Her pieces move
fluidly with the body and can feel fragile and intimate or seductively dangerous, like
Sleeping Beauty’s thorn. A spider lurks in the daisies, a diamond serpent bares its fangs,
a jewelled bee gathering pollen from a flowered necklace seems poised to sting the
wearer’s throat. Gilded reminders of life’s inevitable barbs.
Now based in Istanbul, where she has her studio and boutique, she is exhilarated by
the allure of Istanbul’s architecture, its Ottoman designs, rich history and skilled
craftspeople, whom she seeks out for her more intricate goldsmithing. It is a city so
eclectic and vivid one is inevitably inspired by it. Bergsen’s collections and sculptures
are available at her Istanbul boutique and online. | aidabergsen.com
“Each theme has an underlying reference
to a very personal and significant experience.
It is a very individual expression.”
− INSPIRATION −
TREASURE
He has adorned the most glamorous stars and
collaborated with the likes of Alexander McQueen,
Cartier and Dior, but Eric Charles-Donatien, one of
world’s last and greatest plumassiers (feather-
craft designers), remains steadfastly behind the
scenes, meticulously crafting his designs in his
atelier in Paris’s Marais district. Having mastered
his craft at the legendary Maison Lemarié, Paris’s
most venerable makers of couture embellishments
(the creators of Coco Chanel’s original camellia),
Charles-Donatien is endlessly inspired by how
feathers and birds represent the beauty nature is
capable of and the gowns, jewellery and sculptures
he creates are his ode to nature’s infinite variety
and wonder. Ambitious yet humble, Charles-
Donatien professes: “I do not use nature, I put
myself at its service with what I know how to do.”
Unique commissions, as well as his jewellery and
objects for the home, are made to order and can
be seen on his website. | ericcharlesdonatien.com
THE FEATHERMASTER
CAMBODIAN LACQUER BEAUTY
For Erik Stocker, there’s nothing like the feel of natural lacquer. The master lacquerer
engages all of his senses in the pursuit of his art – the whisper of sandpaper as each one
of a bowl’s or statuette’s 30 layers is meticulously sanded one by one; the subtle perfume
of lacquer dust; and, above all, its feel. “To caress the lacquer is to appreciate its softness
and warmth, almost too precious for visitors who dare not touch. I encourage them to use
their fingers – eyes closed!” Born and trained in lacquer work in France, Stocker was sent
to Siem Reap by the European Commission to learn the ancient techniques and bring
them home to Europe. Now, the artisan, whose work is prized by many, including
Cambodia’s King and Prime Minister, transmits his knowledge to young apprentices from
around the world to ensure the survival of this ancient craft. | stocker-studio.com
TEMPORAL CROSSROADSTradition and modernity seamlessly unite in Aljoud Lootah’s award-winning designs,
which range from diminutive gold-inlaid boxes to edgy home furnishings. The ferociously
versatile Dubai-based designer loves to experiment with materials and techniques, yet
she does not stray far from home for her inspiration, finding it in the patterns, materials
and colours used in traditional crafts of Dubai and United Arab Emirates. Whether a
jagged wooden chair, a sleek sofa sheathed in a camel-leather weave, or a geometric
gold necklace flecked with diamonds, each piece is exquisitely made, giving the ancient
artistry of her homeland a contemporary edge. | aljoudlootah.com
RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 1514
An elegant curtain creates an irresistible allure in any space: will it rise to reveal a
dazzling performance or lead to hidden places? Such is the mystery created by Blessed
Relief, a giant site-specific ceramic artwork that wraps around the bar of Raffles
Europejski Warsaw.
Warsaw-based artist Jarosław Flicinski, who was one of several local artists scouted
to contribute to the 160-year-old landmark building’s exquisite décor, created the
stunning artwork. “You can be there or here, for or against. Everyone has a moment, the
desire to disappear on one side. And this is a blessed relief,” says Flicinski, whose work
can also be seen at the Museum of Modern Art Warsaw and was also the very first guest
speaker at the hotel’s exclusive Art Talks series, launched in 2019. | flicinski.net
At the vanguard of Shenzhen’s dynamic arts scene, since its
opening in 2005 OCT-LOFT’s chic galleries, cafés, artist studios,
bars, boutiques and design shops have spilled into the adjacent
neighbourhood and now cover nearly half a square mile. The
ambitious project, designed by URBANUS architects,
transformed an abandoned industrial area into one of the
world’s biggest creative culture parks. As the host of trailblazing
arts, architecture and design events — and its own jazz festival
— OCT-LOFT is well on its way to becoming China’s most
ambitious creative centre. | octloft.cn
BEHIND THE CURTAIN IN WARSAW
SHENZHEN’S NEW ART HUB
For Ruby Barber there is no such thing as a
wallflower. The Berlin-based floral designer’s
bold sculptural creations defy common
notions of beauty, in compositions that are as
exuberant and unpredictable as nature itself.
Whether she’s designing a photo shoot for a
Gucci perfume or a site-specific sculptural piece for
Hermès, Barber’s blooms and stems are routinely
liberated from the vase and do not merely adorn a
room but create their very own atmosphere: her
bouquets may possess the studied extravagance of
a 17th-century Dutch still life or hover mid-air like a
giant unruly cloud.
The daughter of an art gallery owner and a
photographer, Barber grew up in Sydney, Australia,
in a home filled with contemporary art and objects.
It was her parents’ unique eye for beauty that first
inspired her or, as she puts it, “finding poetry in
things that could often be overlooked“. After
working with flowers in Sydney and New York,
Barber chose Berlin to open her botanical
consultancy Mary Lennox, named after the heroine
in the children’s classic The Secret Garden.
With an acute sensitivity to texture and colour,
Barber favours the unexpected – long feathery
grasses, dried moss, weeds – and has a knack for
transforming the drooping, protuberant and
unwieldy into something romantic and sublime.
“I find beauty in stems that are imperfect and
unusual. For example, a garden rose that has
discolouration from the rain or a leaf that a beetle
has taken bites out of. This is poetry to me.”
Nowadays, her inspiration comes from travel –
which she does a lot of, as 80 percent of her
commissions are outside Berlin – and spending
time in diverse landscapes, both urban and natural.
Her floral sculptures are also heavily influenced by
the seasons, since she likes to use whatever is
growing wild at the time of a project.
Barber has worked with such far-flung clients
as The New Yorker, Vogue and the New York Times
magazines, high-end jewellers and eyewear
designers, fashion and sportswear brands (Nike,
Hogan, Asics), international design fairs and
boutiques. She also takes private commissions and
can be contacted via the website of her Berlin-
based studio Mary Lennox. | marylennox.de
In the late 1800s, Clémence d’Ennery, the wife of
the famous French playwright Adolphe Philippe
d’Ennery, fell hard for Paris’s Japonisme craze. So
vast grew her collection that she built a mansion
on the exclusive Avenue Foch just to house her
rare Chinese and Japanese porcelains, ivories,
jade, lacquer ware, gilded Buddhist sculptures,
and 3,000 netsuke – tiny hand-carved figures of
unparalleled artisanship and charm. D’Ennery
bequeathed the mansion and collection to the
Musée Guimet in Paris, and the recently reopened
galleries now welcome 15 visitors for an hour-long
guided visit on Saturdays and Thursdays to view
this outstanding collection in its jewel-box setting.
Visits, in French, are by reservation only through
the Musée Guimet. | guimet.fr
ASIAN TREASURES IN PARIS
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RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 1716
For a travel writer, Pico Iyer talks a
lot about home. Having roamed
the world for the greater part of
his life, and resided in many countries,
Iyer’s writings suggest that in our global,
multicultural world, home may be a
concept more fluid than we imagine.
Of Indian parentage, Iyer grew up in
Oxford, England, and in California, where
he once looked out the window to see
70-feet flames about to engulf his house.
He escaped with the clothes on his back
and a toothbrush – all of his possessions,
including years of paper manuscripts,
reduced to ashes.
Instead of devastating the writer,
the experience reinforced what he felt
he’d already known. “I always had that
sense that home was not where I lived,
but what lived inside of me. When our
house burned down in the forest fire,
that became literal.” This is not exactly
to say wherever you go, there you are,
but that travel is reciprocal: it transforms
us to the extent we’re willing to be
transformed. For Iyer, “The street
around the corner from our home can
be as transporting as Bali or Bolivia if
only you can see it in the right light
(through a visitor’s eyes, perhaps, or as
if you’d never been there before).”
When we look through Iyer’s eyes,
whether we’re encountering a leading
spiritual figure or a rickshaw driver, we
are drawn closer to what unites us than
to what sets us apart. And it is in this mix
of the foreign and the familiar that Iyer
finds his inspiration. “It’s the foreign –
something new, different, unfathomable
– that excites the mind and imagination
and coaxes the muse out of hiding; but
it’s the familiar that gives it a context and
something to settle into.”
For 35 years, the legendary Raffles
Singapore has been Iyer’s home-away-
from-home. His newest book, This Could
Be Home, celebrates the historic land-
mark’s reopening after an extensive
restoration – concurrent with the 200th
anniversary of the founding of modern
Singapore. As Raffles’ first writer in
residence in 2019, Iyer was “inspired by
everything that takes me back to the
27-year-old who first stayed there, new
to the East and dreaming of becoming a
full-time writer; and by all the fresh
developments that will surprise me as
they do whenever I meet an old friend.”
| picoiyerjourneys.com
“I always had that sense that home was
not where I lived, but what lived inside of me.”
− INSPIRATION −
In honour of Raffles’ long and distinguished literary heritage,
the Philippines Readers and Writers Festival, hosted by
Raffles Makati, gathers prominent international authors and
artists for this annual summer event. The festival’s sixth
edition featured Pulitzer Prize winning writer Viet Thanh
Nguyen (author of The Sympathizer) and Gina Apostol, whose
latest book Insurrecto was named one of the best books of
2018 by Publisher’s Weekly. Meet-the-author book signings,
discussions, and panels around literature and culture are just
some of the compelling events (readersandwritersfestival.
com). Save the date for this three-day celebration of literature
and culture which will return next summer.
Lovers of art and literature in Dubai will soon have a luxurious new haven to
indulge their passion and curiosity in the company of like minds. In 2020,
London’s illustrious The Arts Club, founded in 1863, will open its second
branch in a sleek, glass-encased building in Dubai, harbouring several
restaurants and bars, a nightclub, a wine cellar, private dining rooms, a cigar
lounge and a roof terrace, not to mention a riveting programme of artists.
Beauty and boldness, seduction and style... David Bailey didn’t
just capture the swinging 60s he embodied them. Bailey’s
iconic black and white portraits earned him a job at Vogue by
the age of 22 and ushered in an audacious new era of celebrity
allure that he himself helped create. Married to supermodel
Jean Shrimpton, then Catherine Deneuve, Bailey’s glamorous
life was the inspiration for Michelangelo Antonioni’s film
Blowup. Taschen’s new SUMO edition David Bailey features
300 legendary portraits and comes with its own stand or
signed prints of the likes of Mick Jagger, Andy Warhol or
the Beatles. | taschen.com
LITERARY ENCOUNTERS IN MANILA
OPENING OF THE ARTS CLUB, DUBAI
DAVID BAILEY SHOOTS FOR THE STARS
READ
Raffles’ long and illustrious history embraces all the mystique and allure
of world travel. Created in collaboration with Rizzoli Publications,
Soirées, Sojourns, and Stories by Raffles sets out Raffles’ glamorous
history in 200 pages of stories and illustrations that take you back to
the golden age of world travel. Penned by Natasha Fraser-Cavassoni
with illustrations by Luke Edward Hall, each chapter is a voyage into
Raffles’ fascinating world and will enchant wanderlust-filled luxury
aficionados from every corner of the globe.
TIMELESS JOURNEYS BY RAFFLES
RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 1918
“The most important thing we can do
for our world is to start with
ourselves. We need to make sure
we’re better first, make sure our space reflects
who we are. Then, when our glass is half full
instead of half empty, we can go out and change
the world.” Wise words from young Feng Shui
master Thierry Chow, who has devoted herself to
adapting this ancient practice to our modern
world. Although Chow is the daughter of one of
Hong Kong’s most revered Feng Shui practitioners,
if you’d asked her 15 years ago what she’d be
doing today ‘Feng Shui master’ would not have
been on her list, as she resolutely followed her
own creative path.
One day, having forged a career as an art
teacher and artist – not to mention fashion icon,
with an unerring sense of style and a trademark
black asymmetrical bob – she had a rather
unusual experience. “I heard a voice, sort of like
a calling, that said ‘You must learn Feng Shui
from your father’.”
Since that day, Chow has made it her mission to
reinterpret this 5,000-year old practice – based on
the five elements, Chinese astrology and the
I Ching, an ancient book of Chinese wisdom – for
21st-century lives by applying it to her far-flung
projects in design, interiors, art and fashion. She
hopes to help people see that Feng Shui is “neither
magic nor superstition”. Her modern interpretation
is a creative and fun approach to understanding
our environment and how it influences us, from our
sense of happiness and fulfilment to the quality of
our personal and professional relationships.
Chow will soon unveil her chic new brand, TRE,
which incorporates her unique philosophy in Feng Shui-inspired housewares
and accessories. Chow, who works both in person in Hong Kong, as well as
long-distance via floor plans and other precise information sent via email, is
devoted to helping people evolve in their living spaces and in their lives, but
her most powerful inspiration has been her father: “I learn so much from him:
to treat everyone with respect and to be humble no matter what.”
“We need to make sure we’re better first, make sure our space reflects
who we are.”
Glittering fountains, gleaming chandeliers and miles of pristine marble set the scene at
Kılıç Ali Pasa Hamam for a complete range of luxurious treatments at this glorious 16th-
century landmark. A stunning seven-year restoration returned the architectural
masterpiece to the days of the Ottoman Empire, when Sultan Suleiman himself was a
regular. Flooded with light under a soaring dome, you’ll enjoy revitalising scrubs,
massages and purification rituals that will leave you luminous and replenished, like
you’re walking on air. | kilicalipasahamami.com
Called the Hawaii of the East, Hainan is China’s
island oasis par excellence. This lush paradise
shelters one of the world’s three best preserved
tropical rainforests, teeming with rare bird, animal
and plant species, majestic mountains, waterfalls,
caves, coral reefs, and miles of sandy beaches. The
ideal place to refresh and restore among exotic
flowers and pristine nature, intrepid travellers can
also surf, sail, paraglide or scuba dive along
preserved reefs. In addition to its own lush
botanical garden and miles of soft sand, Raffles
Hainan also offers expert advice on what to see
and do on the island, from bird watching excursions,
a wildlife trip to nearby Nanwan Monkey Island,
home of the protected macaque monkey, or can
help you book a private yacht cruise.
ROYAL REJUVENATION IN ISTANBUL
PARADISE FOUND IN CHINA
There is nothing more crucial to wellbeing than a
good night’s sleep, yet for travellers there is often
nothing more elusive. Raffles Sleep Serenity, a
new programme offering a range of slumber-
inducing amenities, underscores the brand’s total
commitment to guests’ physical, mental and
emotional wellness. A soothing eye pillow, calming
goodnight cards, a sand timer reminding guests to
take time before sleep to decompress, a luxurious
aromatherapy oil, and a special menu created to
mitigate the effects of travel and stress all
combine to provide guests the ultimate luxury:
comfort, tranquillity, wellness and, above all, a
good night’s rest. Raffles personalised sleep
experiences can be discovered at Raffles in Dubai,
Makati, Seychelles and Warsaw.
Anyone can meditate. That’s the optimistic
message of filmmaker David Lynch, who says that
Transcendental Meditation®, or TM, gave him
access to unlimited reserves of energy, creativity
and happiness deep within. What’s more, it’s
simple and effortless.
It may sound like a panacea, but this easy
technique to access a deeper, clearer and more
tranquil part of the mind has proven effective for
millions of people who prefer to meditate without
a guiding philosophy or spiritual leaning. Lynch’s
eponymous foundation provides access to this
20-minute, two-time daily technique to everyone,
including kids, students, veterans, prisoners and
populations in need. | davidlynchfoundation.org
SLEEP SERENITY
TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION®,
NATURALLY
− INSPIRATION −
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RAFFLES MAGAZINE20 RAFFLES MAGAZINE 21
Few, if any, hotels in the world are as synonymous
and intertwined with their locale as Raffles Singapore
is with the Lion City. First opened in 1887, and declared
a ‘National Monument’ by the Singapore Government a
century later, Raffles Singapore has through the years
gained both local and international recognition as one of
the few remaining great 19th-century hotels in the world.
There is a reason why this property is a national treasure.
While Singapore is undeniably a hyper-kinetic destination
where change is near-constant, this colonial stalwart has
always stood out as an oasis for the well-travelled with its
storied elegance, compelling history and colourful guest list.
After reopening its doors following a sensitive three-phased
restoration, the flagship hotel embarks on an exciting new
chapter, inviting guests to discover reimagined and never-
before-seen spaces behind its revitalised, famous white façade.
THE RAFFLES LEGACYRaffles Singapore speaks to a
legacy that recalls the age of
writers and authors. Among them
was W. Somerset Maugham, whose
name is widely associated with
Raffles Singapore, a place that,
he wrote, “for all the fables of the
exotic east”. It was in the hotel’s
Palm Court, at a table partially
concealed by a frangipani tree, that
he would eavesdrop as expats after
one gin sling too many confided
tales of intrigue. Maugham listened
attentively and, once home,
recounted them as short stories.
This is among the many legacies
of Raffles Singapore – but the
property is an evolving story,
as its highly anticipated reopening
in 2019 demonstrated.
OLD FAVOURITES RESTOREDHonouring the Raffles heritage was central to this restoration,
led by acclaimed interior designer Alexandra Champalimaud, with
many of the features that make the hotel unique sympathetically
preserved. In the Grand Lobby, the original Victorian floor-to-
ceiling columns look as pristine as ever and, nestled in the
frontmost corner, the Writers Bar once again welcomes renowned
and budding writers alike to congregate, in tribute to the illustrious
authors who have resided here. The Writers Bar is not the only
famous feature element to make a return: Tiffin Room, a restaurant
which has been a part of the hotel since 1892, returns to serve
North Indian classics in the eponymous tiffin boxes amid a restored
interior décor inspired by the early 1950s. The Long Bar, meanwhile,
continues its proud tradition as the home of the Singapore Sling
and meeting point for scintillating conversation and merriment.
− INSPIRATION −
RAFFLES SINGAPORE
Grand Lobby
Writers Bar
RAFFLES MAGAZINE22
READ W. Somerset Maugham, one of the most well-travelled writers of his generation, takes readers on a journey across Malaya, Singapore and other outposts of the former British Empire in his collection of stories, Far Eastern Tales.
TREASUREJot down memories in the Raffles Leather Pocket Notepad, available from the Raffles Boutique. rafflesarcade.com.sg/raffles-boutique
FLOURISHSir Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore Raffles, was a keen naturalist and – once you escape the hustle and bustle of the city and enter into the hotel’s lush tropical gardens – you will see why.
TASTEThere are numerous interpretations of the Singapore Sling all over the world, but there is no better place to sample the gin-based cocktail than at the Long Bar in Raffles Singapore, where it originated.
DISCOVER Many may find it hard to believe that Singapore teems with all sorts of wildlife, given its small size and rapid urbanisation. During March and September a variety of migratory birds pass through and Raffles Singapore even has its own resident squirrel.
CELEBRATEWith a diverse populance living in Singapore, both visitors and locals can revel in a mix of festivities throughout the year, such as Divali and Chinese New Year.
RAFFLES ARCADE REIMAGINEDRaffles Arcade, the shopping wing of the Raffles Hotel, has
re-opened its doors to provide new experiences across not only retail
but also lifestyle, dining and entertainment. Boasting a meticulously
curated mix of high-end, bespoke and iconic brands, Raffles Arcade
also houses a spa, an art gallery and a co-working space.
SUITE REFRESHIt is hard to believe that Raffles Singapore was once a ten-room bungalow
with the hotel’s accommodation now encompassing 115 revamped suites.
Amongst them, the 12 Personality Suites pay tribute to renowned guests
who have stayed at the hotel, including American actress Ava Gardner,
British playwright Noel Coward and Chilean poet Pablo Neruda.
A TIMELESS ICONMany aspects of Raffles
Singapore still feel as though
they are frozen in time, from
the hotel’s charming colonial
façade to its lush tropical
gardens lined with palms.
The beauty of this restoration,
however, resides in the
balance of old and new; of
old-world splendour and
contemporary luxury.
The story of Raffles Singapore
has many chapters and verses.
It’s a story that has been and
will continue to be told, and
the next chapter promises to
be as enthralling as the last
with the hotel officially
returning to the city refreshed,
reimagined and revitalised.
ACCLAIMED CULINARY COLLABORATIONS
As well as rejuvenating the iconic property,
the restoration has also ushered in a
number of exciting additions, including the
La Dame de Pic from Chef Anne-Sophie Pic,
of the three-Michelin starred Maison Pic in
Valence, France. The restaurant marks Pic’s
first restaurant concept in Asia. Guests and
locals will also delight in exploring other
restaurant collaborations between Raffles
Singapore and some of the world’s leading
chefs including French Master Alain
Ducasse and Chef Jereme Leung, known
for his innovative Chinese cooking.
AN OASIS IN THE CITYThe rooftop pool provides the ultimate vantage point
to admire Singapore’s skyscrapers. Surrounded by lush
greenery, with a colonial-style building in the backdrop
giving a nod to the hotel’s heritage, it is one of the many
areas guests can head to for a refreshing retreat.
− INSPIRATION −
Pineapple and chamomile at La Dame de Pic, Raffles Singapore The Presidential Suite Verandah
Presidential SuiteRooftop pool Raffles Arcade
RAFFLES MAGAZINE 23
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EMOTIONAcclaimed masters of craft awaken our five senses as they embark on a journey to bring to life our sense of sight, sound, taste, touch
and smell in different Raffles destinations around the world...
INTO THE BLUE
A deep dive below the surface of the Maldives’ crystal blue waters
NEON
A short story of love, reflection and sound set in musical Warsaw
TASTE OF SHENZHEN
Gastronomic chronicles from Shenzhen’s food frontiers
FRENCH TOUCH
Behind-the-scenes photography at the iconic Moulin Rouge
SCENTS & SENSES
An olfactory journey through Praslin Island, Seychelles
SIGHTTobias Friedrich
SOUNDNell Stevens
TASTEMark Hix mbe
TOUCHAlexis Armanet
SMELLAnne Flipo
RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 2726
Photo essay by TOBIAS FRIEDRICH
Words in collaboration withROOKSANA HOSSENALLY
Gliding through the Maldives’ bright blue waters, the award-winning underwater photographer and deep-sea diver Tobias Friedrich takes
a journey to the secluded Raffles Maldives Meradhoo to explore the ocean floor and bring us back a snapshot of the treasures that lie
below the water’s shimmering surface.
− EMOTION −
A split-level underwater photograph of a hawksbill turtle swimming in the waters of the Gaafu Alifu Atoll.
intotheBLUE
RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 2928
Jacques-Yves Cousteau once said: “From birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders. He is bolted to earth. But man has only to sink beneath the surface and he is free.” Following in the footsteps of the great French explorer, Tobias Friedrich has defied the laws of gravity for most
of his life. Deep-diving to explore the spectacular worlds that lie beyond most people’s reach, Tobias puts on his gear and descends once again to bring into sight the magnificence of the Maldives’ seafloor and its unique hues.
With its luminous turquoise waters lined by a ribbon of powder-soft sand pinned with palms that sway in the light breeze, the remote island of Meradhoo is certainly the stuff of dreams. And it’s right here, in the middle of the Indian Ocean with nothing but the horizon in sight, that Tobias set down his bags.
A string of 22 low-lying coral atolls surrounded by bright blue lagoons that filter into inky blues as the water gets deeper, the country is composed of about 1,200 islands in total, of which only 200 are actually inhabited. The Maldives is the ultimate paradise for unspoilt seclusion. However, while there’s plenty to keep sunbathers busy, there’s also lots to explore off the island in the way of diving and snorkelling, with Raffles Maldives Meradhoo’s own marine biologist and marine butler to help guests experience the life of the reef.
Having dived in some of the world’s deepest and coldest waters, including in the icy Arctic, the award-winning underwater photographer Tobias Friedrich travelled from his native Germany to the archipelago of exotic islands with the aim of seeing some of the country’s unique marine life.
While this was his third time diving in the Maldives, Tobias was delighted to find that his explorations of the hotel house reef alone yielded its rewards. Every day, as he strapped on his diving gear, he would come across a bale of friendly sea turtles that come to greet him. In fact, one of his favourite moments was capturing the image of a turtle swimming along the soft sands of the ocean floor in the lower half of the picture and Meradhoo island rising above the water in the top half.
Every dive is a visual feast in the Maldives, and the colourful reef teeming with underwater life, from sea turtles to anemones in pink and orange hues, has been captured in images by Tobias to delight us with a deluge of colours.
Raffles Maldives Meradhoo is located in the Indian Ocean’s pristine Gaafu Alifu Atoll, surrounded by soft white sands pinned with swaying palms, and iridescent crystal-clear waters.
Flair and first-rate photography have earned Tobias Friedrich first place in 31 competitions over the course of 10 years, including the award for Underwater Photographer of the Year 2018 in the prestigious UPY London competition. A self-trained underwater photographer, he usually takes 20 to 30 dive trips a year, capturing the wonders of underwater worlds for various scuba diving magazines, as well as the BBC, The Times and Die Welt.
TOBIAS FRIEDRICH
RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 3130
“Every dive is a visual feast... from sea turtles to anemones in pink and orange hues.”
− EMOTION −
The reef teems with beautiful fauna and soft coral colonies, such as this gorgonian sea fan, which was discovered by Tobias in a small underwater cave. Its delicate vein-like branches grow up to 17cm in length.
Opposite pageCaesio teres, the yellow and blueback fusilier, beautiful
fusilier, blue and gold fusilier or yellow-tail fusilier, captured
swimming above the hard coral reef and a type of small stony
coral called acropora.
Hawksbill sea turtles, Eretmochelys imbricata, take their species name (imbricata) from the overlapping plates on their upper shell. They usually spend most of their time in shallow lagoons and coral reefs, which the island of Meradhoo has plenty of.
RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 3332
A split-level underwater photograph of a snorkeller coming up to the surface, after exploring the ocean floor, where a boat waits to collect him.
RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 3534
Amphiprion chrysogaster, the Mauritian anemonefish, swimming in front of a beaded sea anemone, Heteractis aurora.
Paracanthurus hepatus is a species of Indo-Pacific surgeonfish, now widely known as ‘Dory’ from the Disney movie Finding Nemo.
Anemonefish, also known as Amphiprion nigripes or blackfinned anemonefish, shelter among a sea anemone’s tentacles. They get their name from their symbiotic relationship with a host anemone. In return, they defend the anemone against predators and parasites.
RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 3736
IF LIGHT WERE A FLAVOUR AND ILLUMINATION A SCENT.
44°N shop.comtedegrasse.com
A school of Platax teira, also known as the teira batfish, longfin batfish, longfin spadefish or round faced batfish create beautiful blue hues below the surface of the Gaafu Alifu Atoll’s crystal waters.
Mackerel swimming amid the shallow coral reef, framed in a split level underwater
photograph, with palm trees in the backdrop.
RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 3938
A stay at Raffles Europejski Warsaw and the sounds of the city inspired young British author Nell Stevens to pen this story of
a soul-searching solo trip through Warsaw. As the main character explores the city, guided by its multiple sounds, he uncovers the
heart of the Polish capital, giving his own situation clearer focus.
A short story by NELL STEVENS
Illustrations byALEKSI CAVAILLEZ
RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 4140
− EMOTION −
R ALPHANDRUSSO.COM
NELL STEVENS
I said it in a rush, apropos of nothing: “I’m going to Warsaw. I’ll be gone for two days. I’ll be back in time for work on
Monday morning.” I’d said it so quickly that when, at first, you didn’t react,
I thought perhaps you hadn’t understood.
“Warsaw,” I said, again “Me. I’m going there.”
All evening, I’d been trying and failing to find a subtle way to raise it. I’d wanted to work
the conversation around in a way that seemed natural. When we’d discussed your day, I thought
about saying, “Well speaking of days, on Saturday I’m going to Warsaw.” When you’d mentioned a
colleague from Paris, I could have said, “Oh, since we’re talking about European capital cities...”. More tenuous still: from your recent appointment with the optician to the concept of sight in general, “and funny you should mention sight, the past tense of which is saw, because I’m going to Warsaw”. Or from the roses in the vase on the dinner table to the Wars of the Roses, to war in general and from there to Warsaw. All hopeless. None of it worked. And so, when I finally said it, it came from nowhere. It was after dinner and you were washing up. You had your back to me. You flipped a dirty plate over in the water and slid the sponge across it. You didn’t say a word as you rinsed it under the tap. Bubbles slid off the white ridges of the base. You slotted it into the drying rack, and wiped your hands on a tea towel. Then, finally, you turned around. I was convinced you’d look angry. Instead, you only looked bemused.
“Why?” you said.
It was absolutely the right question to ask. There were so many reasons why not. I shrugged. Crossed my arms. “Because I want to?” Reasons why not to go to Warsaw included: we had already made plans to see friends for dinner that weekend; we were supposed to be saving money; I was a nervous traveller who, even on our honeymoon, got homesick and wanted to leave early;
Memoir and fiction writer Nell Stevens is the author of Bleaker House and Mrs Gaskel & Me (UK) / The Victorian & the Romantic (US/CAN), which won the 2019 Somerset Maugham Award. Nell was shortlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award in 2018 and her writing appears in the New York Times, Vogue, The Paris Review, the Guardian and elsewhere. She also lectures in Creative Writing at Goldsmiths, University of London.
“Warsaw,” I said, again. “Me. I’m going there.”
Paris-based visual artist, illustrator and animator Aleksi Cavaillez has published several books and worked for several galleries in Paris including agnès b and Patricia Dorfmann Gallery. Today, he focuses on his books and illustrations, which have been published in Le Monde newspaper, Vanity Fair and Madame Figaro.
ALEKSI CAVAILLEZ
RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 4342
I had no sense of direction and was always getting lost; I had never previously mentioned a desire to go to Warsaw; we had a lot to do around the house to get it ready for the baby; you were, at that point in time, five months pregnant and feeling tired all the time.
“Why?” you said again. “I’ve just been thinking about it for a while, and I decided I should do it before the baby comes,” I said.“Why?”I struggled to maintain the façade, then gave up.“I want to listen to Chopin’s heart,” I said.
I had been learning the piano, at that point, for ten years. I started casually, quite soon after we got married. I had just turned twenty-four and you were still a graduate student, writing your PhD on road trip narratives in contemporary American literature and film. We lived in a top-floor flat that got too hot in summer, and I had a job as an assistant manager at a petrol station on the ring road just outside of town. Every day I would drive to work, leaving you at your desk in the window, and I’d come back to find you still there, head down, busy. The sink would be full of dishes, the carpet flecked with moulted fur from the elderly Siamese cat we inherited from your grandmother. I would kiss the top of your head and retreat into the bedroom to practice. I taught myself using online tutorials and a little electric keyboard that I balanced on the ironing board. It was the kind that came with sound effects: cymbals, a cheesy drumbeat. There was a button you could press to play the entirety of ‘The Moonlight Sonata’. I wore headphones so I didn’t disturb you, and practised scales, shaky and unsure: C major, G major, D major. Arpeggios. I tried stretching my fingers out to span an octave, then further. It didn’t feel important, but it didn’t feel unimportant either.
When you asked me why I wanted to play the piano I was furious, full of spluttered indignation. Look what you have, I wanted to say. You have all those American road trips to think about: Kerouac and Steinbeck and Route 66 and Thelma and Louise. Sometimes when I get home you don’t even look up from what you’re writing! And what do I have? Car wash tokens and bouquets of carnations wilting outside the kiosk and everything smelling of petrol, even things that are nothing to do with petrol, even you.
I think what I actually said was something about a creative outlet. You never asked again. For my 25th birthday, you gave me an electric piano with weighted keys, designed to respond to touch like real ivory. It had a sustain pedal that
plugged in with a wire at the back. You asked to hear me play and I told you I wasn’t ready. For my 26th birthday, you gave me a piano stool, velvety as a ring box. I could have got on one knee, opened the hinged seat and proposed to you all over again. Inside was a stash of old sheet music you said had been there when you bought it. Dusty, yellowed pages of Mozart. Bach. Debussy. Chopin’s Nocturnes. I stared at the notes: semiquavers crushed together between the neat lines of the staves, ants emerging from a crack in the pavement. I could play none of it: my fingers too slow, my brain too sluggish.
When you finished your doctorate, you were offered a job at a university on the other side of the country. We packed up the house: pot plants; all the clothes we’d forgotten we owned and which probably didn’t fit us anymore; the books you had written about in your thesis; DVDs; the little round cat bed we no longer needed since the Siamese cat had died, but which we might want one day, you said, because we might get kittens. On moving day, I carried the keyboard out to the van and you put your hand on my arm and said, “No need to bring that.” I was ready to argue, but you carried on:
“There’s a surprise waiting for you in the new house.”
The surprise in the new house was a rickety, old upright with red candle wax stains down the side. The A flat below middle C was permanently stuck down. It was beautiful and I almost cried when I saw it. I loved it for its haphazardness, for its weight and clout and not-plugged-in-ness. It had the lettering of the maker inlaid on the inside of the lid in gold. Its keys were as white as a veneered smile. I was 29 by then, had been playing for five years and had mastered the basics. I could play some Mozart sonatas and a few simple Bach pieces. I could be relied upon to accompany the singing of ‘Happy Birthday’ at parties. You had a salary from the university, and I got a job as the business manager of an auto repair shop; it meant I could afford a piano teacher, who came to the house for an hour every Saturday morning and told me my technique was all wrong, that we would have to start from scratch, all the way back to the C major scale. It was two years until the teacher let me open the crinkled copy of Chopin’s Nocturnes and play the easiest one: No. 2 in E flat, Op. 9. When I finally mastered it, you wandered in from your study and lingered in the doorway to listen. By then, you were three months pregnant with our baby, just beginning to show: light streaming in behind you and your silhouette ridiculous, too beautiful, too much to bear. At the airport I stood, foolishly, beneath
− EMOTION −
RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 4544
− EMOTION −
the signs that said ‘Departures’ and ‘Arrivals’. I was departing for Warsaw from the airport at which I had just arrived.
I had no sense at all of which I should report to. This was the sort of thing you knew and, whenever we’d travelled before, I had followed you unthinkingly, without noticing there had ever been a choice about where to walk. The phrase ‘new arrival’ lodged itself in my head, which was how the doctor always referred to the baby, and which always made me think of the baby as coming from somewhere. As though the baby was, at present, sitting in the departures lounge of a far-away airport, rather than doing what it definitely was doing: unfurling, twitchily, in your womb.
This train of thought made me certain – almost certain – that I should follow the ‘Departures’ sign. I set off in that direction, then doubted myself and asked a woman in a fluorescent jacket. She looked me up and down. I felt self-conscious, suddenly, about my shoes, which were old, the sole coming loose on the left. Her expression said: you should know that; who doesn’t know that? Her face said: you should just give up on whatever this scheme is and go home. Then she waved me on in the direction I’d been heading. This scheme was, at most, a blip.
A research trip (though you might ask, reasonably enough, what the purpose of the research was; what book did I think I was writing; what conference would hear my academic paper). I tried to think of it, at the time, as a weekend away: the thing that people who aren’t me might call ‘me time’. It was reasonable, wasn’t it, as parenthood approached with all its attendant responsibilities, to want to take a mini break, to visit the home of the composer whose music I loved so much, which meant so much to me? Other people did similar things: a trip to Stratford-upon-Avon, the home of Shakespeare; Oscar Wilde’s tomb in Père Lachaise cemetery peppered with lipstick kisses. Not so strange, then, to want to visit the city of Chopin’s birth. A little stranger, I will admit: the heart thing.
Now, years later, you sometimes refer to it as, “that time you left”. You say it gruffly, a little morosely: “It was a while after that time you left.” Or, “It was around the time you went away.” And it’s true there was a moment when I left,
standing there confused beneath the airport signs; handing over my passport at the check-in desk and noticing only then that in the little square photograph I looked deranged, a frond of hair poking up at the back of my head like a radio antenna; stumbling through security towards the gate. But from the moment the plane took off for Warsaw, as soon as the wheels no longer touched the runway and there was thin air below and around and above, and I had never, truly, been more alone in my entire life and all I could think about was things inside of other things, me inside the plane inside the air, Chopin’s heart inside a jar inside a brick wall inside Poland and the baby inside you inside my brain.
From that moment on, it’s the story of how I came back to you. When I told you the heart plan, after all the initial “why’s, you had googled, “where is Chopin buried” and
the internet had told you he was buried in Paris. “There,” you had said, “he’s in Paris. You can take the train. You could go for the day.” And I’d had to explain to you – and in explaining it notice the weirdness of it all over again – that, yes, Chopin was buried in Paris, but his heart, the heart of him, was in Warsaw. Which was when, yet again, you were forced to ask why. The first answer is that Chopin, on his deathbed, was seized by a patriotic frenzy, and expressed the wish that wherever his body ended up, his heart be returned to his homeland. In this version, the request is borne of love for his country. I imagine a kind of homesickness in Chopin’s bones, growing more intense the closer he came to death. A sense of never being able to sit comfortably; fidgeting, itching for home, for Poland, a country whose name in English gets tangled in my brain with his own – Poland, Chopin, Cho-Poland – and which in Polish sounds like music, a kind of dance: Polska, polka. Did Chopin ever write a polka, I google, and learn that the Polka in C minor, posthumously attributed to Chopin, was most likely written by his pupil Charlotte de Rothschild.
I fall down a rabbit hole of internet searches; I listen to the polka on repeat, trying to recognise Chopin in it, as though I would be the one, finally, to solve this musical mystery. Hours later I emerge, unsure what, if anything, I was looking for. A second answer: Chopin, in his final weeks, developed a terrible fear of being buried alive. As his illness worsened, the fear increased, until he was dreaming about it, afraid even to shut his eyes, the closed lids like a premonition of that final closed lid, from which he would never escape. To ensure he wouldn’t wake up underground, he requested his heart be taken from his body before he was buried. Dutifully, when he died, his sister, Ludwika Jędrzejewicz, removed the heart and placed it in a jar of cognac. She smuggled it, under her cloak, back to Warsaw, where it was eventually interred at the Holy Cross Church on Krakowskie Przedmieście. The third answer is that
“Chopin was buried in Paris, but his heart, the heart of him, was in Warsaw.”
Ludwika Jędrzejewicz was crazy. In the taxi from the airport, the radio was playing a Polish pop song. I tried and failed to get a sense of the meaning of the words; I noticed – guessed – that it was in G major; I imagined it was a love song, because most songs are. When the driver turned it off, what was left was the hum of the engine: a low F sharp. “Oh,” I said, “you can turn it back on.” I mimed twisting a dial, as though that were still how radios worked, but by then we were drawing up outside my hotel and the driver was saying something in Polish which I guessed was, “You are here.” I looked out of the window: I was there. I had been so preoccupied with the music that I’d barely noticed the city. In the hotel lobby, there was a sculpture: a large glass vase and, inside it, neon strands twisting like branches, brittle. It was hard to look away from: transfixing and lovely.
The light emitted a faint, persistent buzz, as though it was alive, trying to say something: “psst”, it said, “psst, psst, over here”. It sounded as though an insect were trapped inside the glass, frantic wings strumming the surface. As I walked past it to the front desk, I felt I should resist the urge to listen, as though I might get lost in that strange buzz. It seemed so urgent. I checked in. I filled out the form with my name and address. And, behind me, I could hear the neon whispering. Hush, I thought, to the neon. There is nothing you can tell me, vibrating like that. I know what I have come here for.
“Are you here for work, or for a vacation?” the man behind the desk asked.
Without hesitating, I said, “Work.” This was a lie that felt like the truth. I was there with a very specific task. I was focused on it. I would not be distracted. I marched past the vase of neon strands without pausing: Hush, I thought, as I walked.
In my room, I changed my shoes, grabbed the guidebook I had bought at the airport. I took out my phone to text you – “Safely arrived!” – and slid it back into my pocket before I could think too much about that word again: arrived, arrival, the new arrival, our new arrival, when it was me, after all, who had just arrived. Then I hurried to leave. I did not pause to shower, or to lie on my back on the bed and stare at the high ceiling above it. I did not listen to the psst, psst of the neon light in the lobby as I passed it, yet again, to step into a valve of the revolving door. I stepped out of the hotel onto the bright street, and I began to walk through Warsaw, towards Chopin’s heart. I listened out for it, harder than I looked, harder than I felt the cobbles underfoot or the hot light on my face: Chopin’s heartbeat in the footsteps of passers-by, tourists and tour guides, a woman hand in
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hand with a little girl, a man holding up a bunch of big red heart-shaped helium balloons in a square next to a boy selling bread rolls, which were nestled together on a trolley, each one like a little heart, plump and primed.
There was a spring in my step, my pulse rising. I walked and I walked and snippets of conversation in Polish floated past me and I understood nothing but believed, with all my heart, that I was nearing Chopin’s heart, was being drawn nearer to it, by it. I turned down an alley: sunlit buildings chequered with dark doorways like piano keys. A woman in one of the houses was singing. A child laughed. A car horn sounded. A light breeze picked up and hissed, and I heard your voice in my head: “You have no sense of direction.” I turned a corner and knew I was lost. I was in a square I only recognised because it was on the cover of the guidebook. I found it on the map; it was nowhere near the Holy Cross Church. I sat down on a step, let my head fall back against the wall: suddenly too hot, disoriented. I had come entirely the wrong way. In admitting that, there was a secondary admission: whatever I’d been hearing, which had led me to that square, with its pretty painted houses and its sunlit cobbles, it had not been Chopin’s heart. When I listened to the square, then, I heard nothing at all.
The guidebook said I was just under a mile away from where I was meant to be. The guidebook said the buildings in the square had all been destroyed in the Second World War; they were reconstructed based on cityscapes by the 18th-century Italian painter Bernardo Bellotto. Everything around me, I realised then, looked very bright, very clean.
I thought of you saying the baby would be a “new start” and how that had terrified me: how I had tried to find the words to tell you I didn’t want anything to change. I made a mental note to tell you about the reconstruction of Old Warsaw, how things could be entirely new and still look exactly the same. The works of Bellotto, the guidebook said, were not strictly accurate and included occasional “improvements” to the city. What Warsaw looked like now was, in fact, a manifestation of what Bellotto had imagined and not what had really been there. So: things could be entirely new and not exactly the same. Possibly even better.
The guidebook said that in many cases, only the façades of destroyed buildings had been restored. Inside, they were modern: high ceilings; clean lines. The guidebook suggested this was the best of both worlds. The jar of Chopin’s heart-in-cognac didn’t have a fixed abode until 30 years after his death. I can find no information about where it was in those three decades: a shelf, a mantelpiece, a cupboard, a cabinet. Was it dusty and forgotten, or treasured and displayed? I pictured it wandering, as lost as I was, through the streets of Warsaw, searching for a place to end up. What I do know is that in 1879, after years of nowhereness, the heart found a home in the Holy Cross Church on Krakowskie Przedmieście in Warsaw, where it was placed behind a stone bust of Chopin’s face, and the words, “Gdzie skarb twój, tam i serce twoje,” taken from the Book of Matthew: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” This is pleasing for two reasons. The first is that when I initially read it I thought it was saying that Chopin’s heart is treasure, though on second reading that’s not right. The second is that it’s not clear who the “you” is: it could mean Chopin himself, could mean that Poland is his treasure and that his
heart is with Poland (probably does mean this but what if it doesn’t); it could mean me: where my treasure
is, there will my heart be also. In which case: is my treasure Chopin’s heart, or is Chopin’s heart my
heart? And then the Nazis took it. In Occupied Poland, performances of Chopin’s music were prohibited.
The statue of Chopin in Warsaw’s Łazienki Park was blown up. Chopin’s heart, planted deep
inside the Holy Cross Church, was removed for ‘safekeeping’. It was held by a high-ranking SS commander called Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski who professed to love Chopin. (My blood boils.
My heart hurts.) When the heart was returned to the Holy Cross Church, it was 96 years since Chopin had
died. Flags lined the route the heart took. People gathered
to throw flowers. By the time I found the church, I was overheating from the walk, sweaty and a little dusty. There had been no flags to show me where to go, no garlands, and the map bore no relation at all to what I could see around me. It had taken me three times as long as it should. When I finally made it inside, my skin prickled, as though I were entering a new climate.
The air in the church was thickly cool. A choir was rehearsing. Everywhere: the echoey chill of the singers’ voices. And it was as though the space was full of water, or mud; as though I was submerged in a swimming pool. It was hard to move forwards, but hard, too, to go back. I waded down the steps towards the central aisle, and the music was so loud I felt as though I couldn’t see: not even the great gleaming altar, or the white walls or the dark pews or the shadows everywhere. I blinked. I took a breath. I didn’t recognise what they were singing: it swelled and ebbed away and then interrupted itself, starting all over again. The sound was crisp. It seemed to have edges, like the fine glass of a neon tube. As though you could crack it. As though it might shatter. And I wished they would stop
singing, wished they would snap their lips together and cut the sound off mid-flow. Because they were drowning out the real music; they were making it impossible to
hear what I had come all that way to hear. I found the heart – or rather, the pillar in which the heart was – exactly as I had seen it in pictures: grey stone against light grey stone, and in neat black lettering, as though
none of this was strange:
Tu spoczywa serce Fryderyka Chopina
Here rests the heart ofFrederick Chopin
I wanted to reach up and pick the letters off the wall. I wanted to peel them away from the stone one by one
and tuck them into the back pocket of my jeans. I didn’t like the phrase here rests the heart. I didn’t like the word rests. I wanted to cross out the word rests and replace it, in permanent marker scrawled above, beats. Here beats the heart of Frederick Chopin. I pressed a hand against my own heart and thought here beats the heart of me. If only the choir would stop singing, I thought, I would hear it. My heart. Chopin’s heart. At the hospital, the doctor performing your ultrasound seemed unimpressed by the magic she was performing. She slid the probe over your domed stomach, and from a machine resting on the trolley by the bed, the sound
of the baby’s heart blared: rubbery, persistent, as though someone were massaging two balloons together.
“It sounds like balloons,” I said. You said, “It sounds like soldiers marching,” and then I heard it that way, too: hundreds of footsteps in time, a little too fast to be sanguine: rushing towards something, or fleeing something else. There was an army marching, invisibly, behind the smooth wall of your skin. You seemed transformed, as the heartbeat continued to applaud us from the monitor, from a person into a surface, flattened and surprised, as strange and upside-down as a foetus. You didn’t notice whatever the look on my face was. You smiled and, when it was over, took fistfuls of tissues to wipe the gel from your stomach. Later, when we got home, you were jubilant, as though you’d won a prize, and I retreated into the bedroom.
I listened to Chopin’s ‘Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2’. I listened to the ‘Raindrop Prelude, Op. 20 No. 15’. I looked up videos of people playing Chopin online: shaky beginners hesitantly picking out the melodies; virtuosos whose fingers seemed not to touch the keys. I listened to ‘Polonaise No. 6 in A
RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 4948
While at Raffles,why not visit the Maldives?
Legendary Service since 1887Meet your Marine Butler at our new ocean paradise
answer. It was a case, I knew, of listening very carefully, as I had been ever since I’d arrived. Keep your eyes peeled was the phrase, and what I was doing was peeling my ears and keeping them that way. Expectant. A word might appear in a Polish sentence – telefon – that was recognisable. The stone might start to vibrate. The neon might finally speak.
“Hi,” you said. “Hi. Can you hear me?”“The signal’s very bad,” I whispered. “I’m in a church. The signal’s very bad.” A tourist standing very close, glared at me. She was holding a camera up. I was ruining her shot of Chopin’s heart. I waved at her to apologise, and in doing so let go of the pillar, was standing on my own.“The baby,” you said, and then the phone crackled.“What? The baby what? Are you all right?”“Clicked,” you said.“What?”“Ticked,” you said.“What? I can’t hear you. The baby what?”The line cleared.“Kicked,” you said. “The baby just kicked. It’s never done that before.”“Oh,” I said, “oh,” and I was thinking about how loud the baby was, suddenly, how urgent and imminent and potent and completely new it was, lurking behind the familiar façade of you. “I’m coming home now,” I said.“Hello? Can you hear me? I said I’m coming home.”“Hello?” you said. “Can you hear me?”“Hello?” I said. “Can you hear me?”
But by then the signal had cut, and there was nothing on the other end of the line. Only a neon buzz, a quivering crackle. Only an insect trapped in glass. Only the infant, agitating in the womb.
flat major’ on YouTube and read the comments underneath: 1. I wish Chopin had a youtube channel and uploaded new music every week. 2. This song has a huge problem! It ends!! 3. Is polonaise an instrument. I thought: I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to lose you. When the Polonaise ended, I heard water rushing: you were running a bath. I pressed my face against the cold stone between me and Chopin’s heart.
The folds of my ear flattened; my cheek cooled. I pushed away the phrase: here rests the heart. Also the phrase: like getting blood from a stone. Also the phrase: I don’t want to lose you. I pushed away the sound of the choir singing, and the thought of your sleeping, oblivious face, and the thought of your expressionless stomach, bulging like an eyelid. And what I heard was silence. What I heard was the sound of sedate, unmoveable stone; particles fixed in hard, grainy order. Nothing. I heard nothing at all. Until, that is, I heard something. I heard a low, persistent buzz: repetitive, insistent, pulsing. I felt certain I could feel it, too, tickling the pads of my fingers, reaching all the way down my back: the stone resonant, coming to life, purring like a cat. I cut my breath off in my throat. I held on tighter, as though my life depended on it. The buzzing continued, on-off-on-off, slow. Somebody nearby hissed at me. I tried to ignore it. I wanted to listen. A man approached and murmured,
“Twój telefon dzwoni.”
I shook my head, tried to indicate I was busy.
“Twój telefon,” he said again, more forcefully. He pointed at me. He lifted a hand to the side of his face and extended the little finger and thumb. “Twój telefon.” I closed my eyes, listened for one more second, then admitted I knew what he meant. My phone was still ringing when I slid it out of the back pocket of my jeans, its face a luminous green and your name flashing on the screen. Then it stopped, and the phone said (2) missed calls. Both were from you. I looked up to thank the man, though what I felt was more like boiling rage – it was his fault, after all, that I could no longer feel what I was feeling before – but he was gone. I let myself lean against the pillar, and breathed out. I called you back. The phone played a rippling sound as it waited for you to
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Travel notebook by MARK HIX
Photography by MING TANG-EVANS
Words in collaboration with
VIVIAN SONG
For acclaimed British chef Mark Hix, cooking is a form of storytelling and, to avoid telling the same, staid stories, it’s important to seek out
new experiences and inspiration. As an avid traveller and fishing aficionado, Hix journeyed to Shenzhen, South China, where his
search for new flavours and tastes took him from the city’s sprawling markets to off-the-radar eateries on the water.
Raw scallop ceviche and deep fried seaweed, a dish created by Mark Hix at Raffles Shenzhen, inspired by his stay.
Opposite pageMark plating his dish in the kitchen of Yun Jing, Raffles Shenzhen.
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As a chef and restaurateur, I was looking forward to this culinary expedition for the chance to try new foods and discover new flavours from a country with which I had but a passing acquaintance. Throughout my travels, I’ve only ever passed through China on quick stopovers en route to countries
such as Australia or New Zealand. But, each time, I’ve always made an effort to peel off from my party, set off on my own and try the various local delicacies. I’ll never forget my initiation to snake at a tiny hole-in-the-wall eatery in Hong Kong’s Kowloon Peninsula. It was my first time trying the slithering reptilian delicacy. And what was supposed to be a novelty experience turned out to be quite a delicious one. That same night, I also ventured into the city and tried sea cucumbers at a restaurant set inside an impressive high-rise block. On this particular trip to Asia, though, I’ve travelled an hour north of Hong Kong to Shenzhen, in the Guangdong province, to stay at the newly built gleaming Raffles hotel which occupies the top floors of a 72-storey tower. And this time, I’m delighted to be able to set my bags down in this part of Asia for longer than 24 hours.
Today, Shenzhen might be dubbed the ‘Silicon Valley of hardware’ but, just 30 years ago, the city was nothing more than a small fishing village of 30,000 people. Fast forward to 2019, and it has morphed into a tech hub of colossal size, serving a population of 12 million, and with a growing cultural and gastronomic scene. Today, the metropolis and the surrounding Pearl River Delta are home to a diversified tech industry with a focus on hard-drive manufacturing. As a result, it’s now one of the wealthiest cities in the country: Shenzhen’s real estate ranking is higher than even Beijing and Shanghai. But exploring Shenzhen’s lightning-speed growth isn’t why I’m here. As a chef and restaurateur, it’s my love for Asian food that has brought me to this part of the world. As soon as I landed, even before fully acclimatising to the weather – noticeably sunnier and warmer than the dismal grey dampness I left behind in London – I couldn’t wait to feel the city’s pulse, to explore its cuisine, learn about what the locals eat here, how they cook and why.
The urban jungle I had just set foot in was all very impressive, especially from my hotel room perched up on the 38th floor of the new 400-metre skyscraper glinting in the early sunlight. When I stepped out of the lift onto the 71st floor, where the hotel bar is found, I was taken aback by yet more spectacular city vistas of the Shenzhen Bay area, where towering skyscrapers merged with the far-away mountains and hills beyond in Hong Kong. To the left is the Shenzhen sports complex that surrounds a sea inlet which runs into various canals and reminds me of the Miami waterways. Next to the sports complex is a sculpturally interesting building: a towering 400-metre skyscraper that made me think of the bullet-shaped Gherkin landmark in London. This is the headquarters of China Resources, a state-owned conglomerate, also known locally as the ‘bamboo shoot’ for its rounded top. From where I’m sitting, Hong Kong looks pretty small. As my eyes get used to the golden light above the cityscape, they begin to pick out a smattering of oyster farms set on either side of the bridge to Hong Kong.
Shortly after settling into the hotel, I sat down to dinner at Yun Jing, the hotel’s contemporary Cantonese restaurant. Set on the 70th floor, it comes with the same incredible panoramic views of the bay as from my room. Yun Jing offers four set menus of eight courses full of interesting ingredients, which I was desperate to try.
London-based lifestyle photographer Ming Tang-Evans covers a diverse range of topics from food and interiors to travel. Ming Tang-Evans has photographed features for Condé Nast Traveller, the Lonely Planet and Wallpaper* City Guides. For this issue of Raffles Magazine, he travelled to Shenzhen, China, with British chef Mark Hix to document a culinary adventure.
MING TANG-EVANS
Spectacular city views from Raffles Shenzhen.
Epic panoramas show Shenzhen Bay, the
headquarters of China Resources, Shenzhen
sports complex and downtown Shenzhen.
Although best known for his carvery concept restaurant Tramshed in London’s Shoreditch, set against the backdrop of one of artist Damien Hirst’s signature-style installations of animals conserved in fish tanks, the renowned British chef, restaurateur and author, Mark Hix, has six top-ranked restaurants in England and has authored numerous cookbooks. He was also appointed an MBE Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for his services in the British hospitality industry in 2016.
MARK HIX
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“That’s why I was there: to challenge and awaken my palate and make new
epicurean discoveries.”
A FEAST OF PIGEON EGG SOUP, PREMIUM PORK STEW AND ‘PARASITIC FUNGUS’
The menu was excitingly new and mysterious to me, with foods and dishes I’d never heard of before. That’s why I was there: to challenge and awaken my palate and make new epicurean discoveries. I took a stab in the dark and started off with ‘New Zealand jellyfish shrimp’ (langoustine or Dublin Bay prawns). That was followed by an intense double-boiled pigeon egg soup with matsutake mushrooms, prized in Asia for their spiciness. Next came a slow-stewed Kurobuta pork meat (basically the pork equivalent of Wagyu beef ), which could easily have been featured on a gastronomic French tasting menu. The flurry of dishes continued with lightly steamed abalone, served in their shell and presented on flaming sea salt crystals – and lobster dumpling in a crisp coating with dried, powdered fried-egg-flavoured seasoning.
But the most interesting dish of the night, the one that stayed with me long after the meal, was simmered wild bamboo fungus in winter melon broth. Being a real mushroom fiend, it piqued my interest immediately. It certainly looked strange – a bit like pig’s mesh-like caul fat hanging from a mushroom cap which looks like a cross between a morel and a parasol mushroom. It was also served with fried rice-paper roll filled with Cordyceps, perhaps one of the planet’s most fascinating fungi. Not familiar with it? It’s also known as zombi fungus, for being a parasitic fungus that feasts on insects and other arthropods. The edible kind, however, has a delicious flavour and texture.
SEA TO TABLE DINING
As an avid fisher, I take my fishing tackle wherever I go. So when my tour guide and translator Michael Yang, Shenzhen-based but originally from the north east of China, announced that we would be getting some fishing in during our trip, I was all set to go, especially as I always like to anticipate a meal to cook with what I catch. But it’s never easy to predict what you’ll catch. Michael had organised a boat for the day, which would collect us from Dapeng, just off Jiaochangwei Beach, to the east of Shenzhen, where a local fishing community still thrives.
Alas, it was the squid season and I didn’t come prepared, so we stopped by a local tackle shop where I stocked up on lures and spinners for the trip, and also gifts for my fishing companions back home. Tackle shopping spree aside, one of the most poignant scenes that etched itself on my brain that day was seeing a woman out back from the shop, sitting on a
Mark Hix takes a short shuttle boat from the beach to a low-key floating restaurant for dinner.
The freshest, locally caught prawns, simply steamed and delicious.
The still-live seafood is weighed and priced before being cooked.
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stool, in a world of her own, making dumplings. This was probably nothing more than a part of her daily routine, preparing dinner for the family, but it was a sight that stood out for me. I couldn’t imagine going to a tackle shop back home and stumbling upon someone making something similar, like Cornish pasties, in the back.
We fished for a couple hours without much luck, to be honest. The boats around us were much more successful, I suspect because they had local insider knowledge. Speaking of local knowledge, Michael took us to his favourite restaurant in the area which was just off the beach, set amidst a cluster of floating restaurants. They were nothing more than simple rafts accessible only by a small shuttle boat from the beach; exactly the kind of unique culinary experience I was looking for.
Upon arrival, we were motioned to a hole in the deck with a series of cages containing the catch of the day. As the diner, you choose which fish and shellfish you want prepared for your meal. Your selection is weighed on great big old scales which look like they’ve been used for decades, and for hundreds of meals before you. Our enthusiasm and excitement got the better of us, and we went slightly overboard with our order. Our plates were piled high with spiny local lobster (the kind that comes without claws), tiger prawns and Turban snails, a horned mollusc that’s a local delicacy. Everything was prepared very simply, without sauces and with very little else apart from ginger, chilli and green onions sprinkled on the steamed squid.
Our selection of fish came quickly, as soon as it was prepared and cooked. This is my kind of food: ridiculously fresh, simple, no-frills cooking that allow the ingredients to speak for themselves. Michael ordered his favourite dish, sea urchin fried rice cooked with lots of fragrant spring onions. It was the perfect addition to our seafood feast.
YAM CAKES AT THE BUFFET, LYCHEES AT THE MARKET
The next day, with the memory of our wonderful trip over the water still fresh in my mind, I was looking forward to delving deeper into what the city had to offer. We started with breakfast at the hotel, a thoughtful mix of Western and local Chinese offerings that included homemade breads and pastries, steamed and sesame buns and yam cakes, and noodle stations where dishes are made-to-order. My go-to station was the Chinese buffet line, where I indulged in my personal favourite, chicken feet, and beef flank with bean curd sticks. I would also recommend the cheung fun, rice noodle rolls from Southern China made-to-order with various fillings and presented in steamer boxes. I could have stayed here all day, sampling every dish while gazing out at the bay views. The only thing that could tear me away from the buffet was the promise of visiting a local wholesale produce and seafood market, led by Michael.
The ground floor of the Meilin market brims with fresh local produce, including an impressive array of teas, dried mushrooms, and fresh fish. Despite the vendors’ booths having a high-end, boutique-like appearance, the produce here is of very good value when compared with food prices back in England.
As it was lychee season, the market was bustling with traders selling baskets of the freshly harvested plump red fruit, which still hung on their branches. I also came across bayberries, which looked like a cross between a lychee and a blackberry. Inspired, I decided to take some back to the hotel to make a bayberry sour cocktail as a nod to one of my speciality cocktails. In London, at my Hix Soho restaurant’s Mark’s Bar downstairs, we make various seasonal sours based on the classic gin sour, and my favourite is the Temperley Sour using my friend Julian Temperley’s Somerset cider brandy. In autumn, we add blackberry syrup to it, with a fresh blackberry popped in the glass as a variation on our popular classic.
FINDING LOCAL CHINESE SPIRITS AND PIZZA
To go with these inspiring ingredients, I also set out to find Chinese wine and a local spirit at the market. The local tipple is made with grain called sorghum and, oddly, is sold by the kilo instead of by the litre – at least that’s what l understood. The shop I discovered was stacked wall-to-wall with all sorts
An abundance of exotic and unusual ingredients on sale at Meilin market.
Meilin market’s brilliantly coloured bayberries.
Mark Hix’s special bayberry gin sour cocktail prepared at Raffles Shenzhen.
Fresh seed pods of the lotus flower on sale at Meilin market.
Lychee season in fullswing at Meilin market.
− EMOTION −
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A DAY OF DISCOVERY AT SHEKOU SEAFOOD MARKET
To add to my culinary journey, my visit to Shekou seafood market, a major local seafood market, with Johnny Lai, the chef at Raffles Shenzhen, was also a highlight. Shekou used to be part of the fishing port and is just 15 minutes from the hotel. A good fish market should never smell fishy. Shekou smelled of the sea instead, a scent which can be traced back to the bowls of live seafood bathed in continually fresh running water. It’s a far cry from our fish markets back home, where dead fish sit on ice.
Johnny and I, both being chefs, wanted to sample some of the seafood on offer together. My Chinese language skills are non-existent, so I would mime and point at what I wanted to try and Johnny would do the talking. When I cook there’s nothing better than being face to face with the ingredients for inspiration. I came across local razor clams which looked shorter and stubbier than those I am used to, and outside the market I found some beans that were similar to soya beans. The combination inspired me to revisit a dish I’ve been making for years – razor clams with chorizo and broad bean – and give it a Chinese twist, replacing broad beans with soya beans and chorizo with the Chinese roast pork like the one I saw at the breakfast buffet.
of spirits. Big stone urns sat on the floor full of different types of grain spirit, which could be tasted before buying and could either be taken home in one’s own vessel or one purchased from the vendor. If I had to compare it to something, I would say that Chinese grain spirit is evocative of grappa. I picked out a well-balanced one.
After the market, Michael took me on a brief visit to Nantou Old Town, one of Shenzhen’s last surviving villages. These are dense neighbourhoods where old fishing and farming communities jostle with classic street-food vendors that line narrow streets and alleyways. We even stumbled upon a Chinese pizzeria, which reminded me of naan bread doused with hot chilli sauce. The streets in these parts of town are sinewy and locals live in single-room spaces that open out onto the streets. While the living conditions are not as modern as the city’s high-rises, the villages are reminders of Shenzhen’s roots and provide travellers with a taste of its history and culture.
Among the jumble of streets, I found lots of stands specialising in mushrooms and managed to find both the Cordyceps and bamboo fungus tasted the previous day. I couldn’t leave Shenzhen without these fascinating fungi so bought a few bags so that I could experiment with them back in London. I could happily have filled my suitcase with dried foodstuffs from the market like dried abalone, sea cucumbers and all sorts of other dried fish. On the way back to the hotel we stopped off for a spot of culture at OCT-LOFT project, which reminded me of up-and-coming areas of London in their early days, like Shoreditch, or Downtown LA in the United States. It’s a creative hub for start-ups, galleries, fashion brands, and you’ll also find an offshoot of the Istituto Marangoni fashion school. The area is brimming with young, fresh energy.
As a dynamic metropolis, Shenzhen is a creative hotbed that attracts all kinds of people. Michael had told me that the standard local greeting when meeting someone new in Shenzhen is “Where are you from?” as people come from all over the country to make the most of the city’s new economic opportunities. As a hub for start-ups, Shenzhen is seen as a bit of an El Dorado, a land of opportunity where dreams can come true. The city is seen as an embodiment of the Chinese proverb, “Tian gao, Huangdi yuan,” which translates to ‘The mountain is high and the emperor far away.”
Chinese grain spirit being poured into a clay vessel.
Seaweed, razor clams and scallops from Shekou market.
One of the many art-cum-leisure spaces at OCT-LOFT.
Collecting ingredients from Shekou market.
Chefs Mark Hix and Johnny Lai pick up fish at the market.
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I also spotted a version of a scallop which I had tried in Tokyo 20 or so years ago, a shellfish that looked like an overgrown mussel. I’d never tried cooking them before so they went into our basket too. In my head, I was already writing an impromptu recipe: to dress the scallops, I would segment fresh yuzu from the hotel kitchens and chili to add a kick of flavour.
We wandered around the market a little longer, looking for the ingredients Johnny needed to make his signature lobster dish, which involves caviar, rice wine and lobster ‘custard’ for the base. We both caught sight of bright blue-shelled abalone, which I’d never seen before. Curiosity got the better of me and of course they had to go in the shopping basket also, as I could envisage how beautiful they would look presented artfully on the dinner plate.
On our last day in the city, Johnny rustled up a delicious meal as a send-off that had all the fullness in flavour we sampled on our very first night here. Thanks to an in-depth crash course on Shenzhen cuisine with my knowledgeable guides, although we had only spent four days in the city I felt like we had been here for a lifetime – like I knew it well. I was leaving with a head full of flavours and a bag full of ingredients I couldn’t wait to experiment with back home. I only hoped I could be back again soon, to explore this fascinating country of a great many culinary cultures even further.
Chef Johnny Lai tasting the meal created together with chef Mark Hix.
Chef Johnny Lai plating up his
signaturelobster dish.
In the kitchen of fine dining restaurant Yun Jing at Raffles Shenzhen.
Mark Hix enjoys the meal created together with Johnny Lai.
Among the dishes created during his trip: razor clams, soya beans and Chinese roast pork.
Views from the 70th-floor Yun Jing restaurant.
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Photo essay byALEXIS ARMANET
Words in collaboration withROOKSANA HOSSENALLY
We slip behind the red curtain of the Moulin Rouge with photographer Alexis Armanet as the world-famous cabaret celebrated its 130th
anniversary. Camera in hand, he roams its dark corridors lined with soft velvet that crushes slightly to the touch, capturing and vividly bringing to life the textures and materials of the costumes and décors, as an ode to the
delicate craftsmanship away from the hot lights and glittering stage.
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EMOTION
Agreat many stars, from Edith Piaf to Frank Sinatra, have performed on the stage of this Parisian landmark, which symbolises all the jaunty buoyancy and flamboyance of the Belle Époque period of Paris, which is also the home city of
Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris. We delve into the Moulin Rouge’s rarely seen quarters to get a sense for what makes up its unique allure.
The most famous cabaret in the world, known for its high-kicking cancan dancers, still draws the crowds who travel far and wide for a chance to marvel at its windmill’s neon-red sails and bask in the bright lights of the dazzling shows masterfully performed by the 60-strong troupe. An enchanted microcosm where every night is a celebration, it is founded upon the traditions and heritage that live on within its red walls. However, the magic not only lies in the dancers’ performances, but also in the craftsmanship behind the shimmery costumes and the antique interiors that pull you further into its rich history.
Alexis Armanet takes us to the heart of this landmark, through the labyrinthine passages that lie backstage to the dressing rooms and costume ateliers brimming with ribbons, feathers and accessories. His photographic journey reveals the lesser-known side of the Moulin Rouge – making it almost tangible – in celebration of this storied Parisian icon. By capturing its artisanal traditions, we are encouraged to imagine running our fingers along the prickly sequinned costumes painstakingly sewn by hand and feeling the silky softness of the props stacked along the walls.
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The first word that often springs to mind when people think of a show at the Moulin Rouge is ‘feathers’. And there are lots of feathers everywhere you look on stage and backstage. Light, cheerful and feminine, they instantly bring to mind the devoted team of dancers and, of course, the feather that dances on the dancers’ heads as they perform the cancan finale.
A portrait and landscape photographer, a poet, a lover of all things seen and unseen, Alexis Armanet captures fleeting life moments and immortalises them for various publications including Le Monde’s magazine M, Architectural Digest, T: the New York Times Style Magazine, Air France Magazine and more.
ALEXIS ARMANET
Left Colourful feather boas lined up and waiting in the wings before having their moment to shine on stage once more.
Previous page, left The Moulin Rouge was the first building to be powered by electricity in Paris and it owes its bright iconic façade to designer Adolphe Léon Willette. When shows were on, its lights would illuminate the dark streets of Paris, while the interior reflected the glamour of the era with mirrored walls and crystal chandeliers, which still dazzle visitors today.
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A seamstress from Maison Valentin at work before a show, replacing a costume’s missing sequins. The team, devoted to arts and crafts since 2003, are masters in embroidery, bringing elegance and refinement to the show’s costumes – it’s craftsmanship at its finest.
Each new performance needs new outfits, materials and sparkling jewels – with each dancer required to make between ten and 15 costume changes per show. These are all crafted in the workshops that have been supplying the cabaret for decades.
The Moulin Rouge has its own feather atelier,
which you can find in the cabaret backstage. It’s
called Maison Février and it’s been making
fabulous feather boas and headpieces, body suits and
other apparel and props for the shows since 1929.
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“Delve into the Moulin Rouge’s rarely seen quarters...”
The dimly lit corridors are lined with sparkling set props
expertly crafted by the cabaret’s team of artisans, whose dedication
to their art is clear.
A whole team is on call to mend and create costumes helmed by the talented costume-maker Mine Verges. She knows by instinct which fabrics and materials, synthetic or natural, to choose so that they enhance the choreography of the show. And the atelier tables are full of exquisite sparkling jewels, ribbons and accessories that evoke magic of the cabaret.
One of the more elaborate headpieces found backstage at the Moulin Rouge – a team effort between Maison Février’s savoir-faire with feathers and costume designer Mine Verges’ keen eye for detail.
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EMOTION
The abundance of costumes spilling out of boxes and
hanging in corridors and dressing rooms are all
unique in texture and form.
One of Alexis Armanet’s favourite places that he discovered during his exploration of the Moulin Rouge was the costume and feather atelier, which is tucked in the wings of the cabaret and is lined with boxes bursting with sequins and ribbons. All the seamstresses know exactly where everything is stored.
A backstage tour of the Moulin Rouge reveals
flamboyant pieces from the stage stored in the cabaret’s
corridors, nooks and crannies.
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Inspirational notebook byANNE FLIPO
Words in collaboration with VIVIAN SONG
Lined by crystal-clear turquoise waters, the Seychelles is a tropical haven of fragrant forests, exotic flowers and sweet spices. If one could capture the Seychelles’ unique fragrance, what would it smell like? On her first visit to the archipelago, master perfumer
Anne Flipo, the creative ‘nose’ behind some of the world’s most renowned perfumes, takes an olfactory journey through the island
of Praslin, using Raffles Seychelles as her base.
− EMOTION −
Beneath a lush green canopy in
the Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve on
Praslin Island.
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I will always remember the moment I emerged from the plane and took my first steps on Praslin Island in the Seychelles. It could only be described as sensory overload – in the best way possible.
I remember how the fatigue and stress of my Parisian life as a master perfumer seemed to evaporate with every inhalation of the lemongrass-scented, salty sea air. Like adjusting from darkness to broad daylight, I remember how my eyes needed to acclimatise to the many nuanced, technicolour hues of greens and blues of the island – colours my eyes had never beheld before. The memory of my latest business trip to Madrid just days before my flight to the Seychelles for the launch of the latest perfume I worked on fades as the colours of the island come into focus.
I am a long, long way from my office in Paris and my usual international business circuit: New York, Shanghai, São Paulo and Singapore. Although beautiful in their own way, most cosmopolitan cities choke under a fog of pollution and particles. I’ve always thought of it as though we were living in a constant state of apnea; like living underwater where you’re forced to hold your breath.
In Paris, for instance, I would never take deep, deliberate breaths. But here on Praslin Island, I find myself gulping in the saline, sweet, perfumed air and filling my lungs with it as though it were an air purifier, inhaling the good, exhaling the toxins. As a perfumer, my nose is always ‘switched on’ and I am constantly attuned to my olfactory surroundings. I liken it to being a professional violinist or pianist who is never without their instrument. I confess I knew little about my destination before this trip. But, in preparation, I did a little light reading and learned that the Seychelles is made up of 115 granite and coal islands in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa.
My first destination, Praslin, is the second-largest island in the Seychelles after Mahé, the capital of the archipelago, and is home to around 6,500 locals.
“If one could capture the Seychelles’ unique fragrance, what would it smell like?”
− EMOTION −
Raffles Seychelles, located on the north-eastern tip of Praslin Island.
Anne Flipo is a master perfumer in Paris with IFF (International Flavors and Fragrances) and has created unique fragrances for luxury beauty brands such as Giorgio Armani, Jo Malone London, Lanvin, Lancôme, Jimmy Choo and Yves Saint Laurent. A number of renowned perfumes are among her creations, including La Vie est Belle (Lancôme) and Miss Boucheron. For the duration of her stay, Anne was a guest of Raffles Seychelles on the island of Praslin.
ANNE FLIPO
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“Having grown up near the ocean, I find the fragrance of seaweed, fish and marine life
comforting and familiar.”
PARIS WARSAW ISTANBUL DUBAI MAKKAH SEYCHELLES MALDIVES SINGAPORE SIEM REAP PHNOM PENH MANILA JAKARTA HAINAN SHENZHENUPCOMING: UDAIPUR LONDON BOSTON
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Along with two stunning white sand beaches, Anse Lazio and Anse Georgette, Praslin’s crown jewels, is its Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve, an ancient, 20-hectare palm forest that can be traced back to prehistoric times. As I begin to explore my tropical surroundings, I can’t help but marvel at the freshness of it, the brightness of it all.
I’m surprised by the smell of the sea, and how closely it resembles the Atlantic Ocean. For some reason, I thought it would be milder. Having grown up near the ocean, I find the fragrance of seaweed, fish and marine life comforting and familiar. The base notes of the ocean are spiked by top notes of crisp and tonic lemongrass which grow in abundance on the island and awaken the senses.
SPICE JOURNEY THROUGH THE SEYCHELLES
This sense of marvel is awakened again during an olfactory visit of island spices with Chef Robyn at Raffles Seychelles’ Danzil Bar Lounge. Until then, I had always believed allspice to be a mix of spices. Imagine my surprise when the chef debunks this long-held assumption by introducing me to fresh allspice leaves, a spice that comes from a single plant.
I would make its acquaintance again during a jungle trek into the ancient forests of the Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve with my guide Sean, where cinnamon trees and allspice plants grow wildly. It’s not hard to see how, upon visiting the Vallée de Mai in the 19th century, British officer Major-General Charles George Gordon (also known as Gordon of Khartoum following his death during a military operation in Khartoum, Egypt) would proclaim with unwavering conviction, that the stunning, ancient forests were the original site of the Garden of Eden. Today, the Vallée de Mai is one of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Seychelles, along with change to Aldabra, one of the world’s largest raised coral atolls.
Meanwhile, when Sean challenges me to guess the type of plant from its smell, I mistake allspice for nutmeg. How can one single plant emit such a rich, heady mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and pepper?
Similarly, I thought I knew cinnamon well as I use its spiciness and heat to warm up fragrances. It’s not the easiest spice to work with and must be used sparingly, as its strength
− EMOTION −
A coco de mer palm tree in the Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve.
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can be overpowering in perfume. But upon smelling fresh cinnamon bark and fresh cinnamon leaves plucked straight off the tree, I see this ingredient in a new light and understand how fresh, uplifting and sprightly it can be. Nothing like the dried, pulverised cinnamon we get back home. I make mental notes to experiment with cinnamon – fresh cinnamon – back home at the lab.
Like the local cinnamon, hearing Seychellois Creole evokes a sense of familiarity and newness at the same time. Though I’m able to catch snippets of the French-based language, it’s also wonderfully foreign and new. Along with English and French, Creole – a lilting, French-based patois – is an official language in the Seychelles.
Bonjour becomes “bonzour”; the French expression for “I don’t know”, “Je ne comprends pas” is “Mon pa konpran” while “How are you?” or “Comment ça va?” becomes “Ki dir?” If allspice is a discovery, cinnamon and Creole represent surprise and revelation. While at Raffles Seychelles, meal times consist of flaky, tender fish perfumed with coconut milk and warm island spices such as turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, while cocktails are made with fresh fruit plucked straight from backyards.
When a downpour thwarts our visit to the Kot Man-Ya Exotic Flower Garden on Mahé Island, owner and retired Seychelles Ambassador to the United States and United Nations, Marc Marengo prepares a simple drink made with passion fruit and lime harvested from his garden, ice, sugar and a dash of salt.
Kot Man-Ya is a labour of love that was eight years in the making. Marengo opened his private garden to the public in 2008, bringing in 200 varieties of tropical plants and orchids. The garden is a small ecosystem in itself, with giant tortoises, guinea pigs, rabbits, green geckos, frogs and exotic bird species living happily together. The garden also grows papaya, breadfruit, passion fruit, star fruit, yams, mangoes, bananas, curry leaves and lemongrass.
I’ve tried to recreate the cocktails back in Paris. But without fruits grown from Seychelles soil, it just isn’t the same. If I summon all my memories, I can taste it now, the pleasurable sensation of crunching the seeds between my teeth and the tart, bright flavours of the fruits.
Exotic fruits make for wonderful points of departure in fragrances with their juicy, sweet, ripe aromas. During my trip, I come across fresh star fruit, coconuts and papaya, and discover for the first time jackfruit, which smells of mango and pineapple when ripe, and pawpaw with its custard-like flesh. During an expedition to Fond Ferdinand on Praslin Island, I’m astonished when I pick up the husk from a coco de mer, which translates to ‘coconut of the sea’, a remarkable fruit known as being the world’s largest seed (they weigh in at about 25kg) and for its suggestive shape. The husk gives off a beautiful aroma of freshly cut, juicy pineapple, again inspiring the perfumer in me.
THE BOOMERANG EFFECT
During a bike ride along La Digue island, just a short boat ride from Praslin, I remember noticing the number of households that grow their own fruits and vegetables and how happy the Seychellois seem to be living so close to nature. So perfectly sublime is the setting, for a moment I wonder if I’m on a Hollywood film set: everything is just as charming as it should be, no more no less. As I pedal under a warm, tropical sun, I find myself wistfully fantasising about how wonderful it would be to live in such simplicity.
The pace of life here is slow and languid, such a stark contrast to the life I lead back home in Paris where the soundtrack to life is the constant honking of scooters and motorists, and time is squeezed at both ends. Here, time is frozen, with ox-driven carts and old-fashioned bicycles the main forms of transportation. I understand it better when locals tell me the islands have a boomerang effect: more often than not, Seychellois who leave the islands eventually make their way back home.
I’m glad I was able to do the bulk of my excursions and tours at the beginning of my trip, because on my last day a powerful downpour is battering the island. I manage to make quick rounds of Le Jardin du Roi Spice on Mahé island, inspired by 18th-century spice gardens planted by the French to promote spice trading in the colonies. At the Seychelles National Botanical Gardens also on Mahé island, I sniff patchouli leaves and creamy white gardenias, letting the rain soak me head to toe. The tropical gardens span five acres and date back more than a century, housing a diverse
− EMOTION −
The large leaves of the Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’, also known as ensete or Ethiopian black banana.
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collection of stunning, native orchids and other exotic plants and flowers, spices and fruit trees. Permanent residents also include families of giant tortoises from Aldabra (the world’s second-largest atoll part of the outer islands of the Seychelles), some of which are over 150 years old, and colonies of fruit bats that reside in the trees overhead.
In the Seychelles the rain is warm and soothing, like being under a tepid shower. The smell of wet earth fills the air, and I feel cleansed, detoxed and comforted.
Along with the olfactory and visual stimulation of the island beauty, I’m continually struck by the warmth and genuineness of the Seychellois I meet. Their love for the island runs deep and genuine. They are proud of the jewel they call home, conscious of the fragile heritage they collectively own, and fierce guardians of their island. Over two centuries, the island’s fabled beauty has attracted everyone from freed slaves, European settlers, political exiles, traders, and Chinese and Indian voyageurs. Today, about 90,000 people are lucky enough to live in this paradise year-round.
As my time in the Seychelles comes to a close, I think about how powerfully fragrant the island is and start to compose a formula in my head. “The best perfumers are storytellers. We aim to evoke powerful emotions in a single spritz; emotions that transport both the user and the people around them to a particular moment, memory, time or place.”
Were I to try and bottle the Seychelles and its sights and sounds, I know it would have to have notes of lemongrass and the sea. To evoke water, I would add notes of sea salt. To evoke the sun and the blue of the skies, the blue of the waters and of the lagoons, I could use coconut, jasmine and the freshness of bergamot. To evoke the ancient coco de mer forests of Praslin, basil for notes of green. To round out the olfactory journey, I could try to evoke the pineapple from the husks of the coco de mer, local native vanilla and exotic fruits such as papaya and star fruit.
On my way home, my mind unavoidably turns to a big work project that awaits me in Paris. But I feel recharged and inspired. Although I am no longer young, the revelations of this trip have taught me that I have so much more to discover – and I can’t wait to return with my husband and share some of my discoveries.
“If I summon all my memories, I can taste
it now, the pleasurable sensation of crunching the seeds between my teeth.”
Tabebuia rosea, also called pink
poui, and rosy trumpet tree.
Vanilla at Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve, Praslin Island, Seychelles.
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CURATIONA curated selection of unique objects, products and styles for the
sophisticated traveller, and city highlights that make a destination unique…
DESTINATIONS STYLES
Courtyard Tea Room, Boston
© B
init
a P
atel
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− CURATION −
1 Queen of Swords
In the heart of artsy Somerville,
this light-filled boutique
stocks small-batch, ethically-
made clothing, homeware
and jewellery. The brands
are mostly run by women,
or are local to Massachusetts.
shopqueenofswords.com
2 Walking Tour of Back Bay
Back Bay features one of the
best preserved examples of
19th-century American urban
architecture. Highlights include
the Boston Public Library and
Trinity Church.
3 Wink & Nod
Every six months, this innovative
culinary incubator in the South
End introduces a new ingénue
chef, alongside a tipsy menu of
seasonal craft cocktails.
winkandnod.com
4 Bully Boy Distillers
A customised 750-gallon copper
pot still sets the mood for Bully
Boy’s imaginative drinks menu of
limited editions or test batches of
whiskeys and rums.
bullyboydistillers.com
5 Brattle Book Shop
Since 1825, bibliophiles looking
for second-hand, out-of-print
or rare editions have flocked to
this charming three-storey
West Street landmark.
brattlebookshop.com
BOSTON
From the historic Back Bay neighbourhood where the Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel & Residences will open its doors, to local craft distillers and boutiques
bursting with antiques, discover ten of Boston’s most unique addresses.
6 Farm & Fable
Abby Flanagan scours workshops
across America, sourcing chic
handmade home accessories,
which she stocks in her minimalist
South End store alongside vintage
and antique kitchenware.
farmandfable.com
7 Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Centre
Named after the late real estate
tycoon, this fascinating spot in
the Boston Public Library McKim
Building is a treasure trove of
250,000 rare and historical
maps and atlases.
leventhalmap.org
8 Courtyard Tea Room
A gracious Italianate courtyard
in the Boston Public Library is
the escapist setting for elegant
afternoon tea with Maine Lobster
sandwiches and blueberry cobbler.
librarytea.com
9 Marika’s Antique Shop
Owner Matthew Raisz’s
Hungarian grandmother opened
this Aladdin’s cave of silver,
jewellery and porcelain back in
the 1950s, and it’s still the place
for covetable collectibles.
130 Charles Street
10 Drink Fort Point
Cocooned in a chicly converted
wool warehouse, this Congress
Street bar specialises in cocktails,
especially Prohibition era classics
and bespoke tipples hit with
seasonal ingredients.
drinkfortpoint.com
Illustrations by MICHELE TRANQUILLINI
RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 8786
− CURATION −
1 The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara
Originally designed to house
the private collection of local
tycoon Haryanto Adikoesoemo,
the MACAN features a first-rate
collection of modern and
contemporary of both Indonesian
and international art.
museummacan.org
2 Jalan Kampung Lima food stalls
This little side street is the local
go-to spot for delicious Javanese
fare, such as spicy fried chicken,
curries and crisp banana fritters.
3 Cork & Screw Country Club
Styled like a Balinese retreat
in the bucolic grounds of the
Senayan National Golf Club, this
restaurant features authentic
Indonesian and western dishes.
corknscrewjkt.com
4 1/15 Coffee
The monochromatic palette
of hipster coffee specialist
1/15’s new Kemang outpost
is an Instagram darling, but
the main draw is the superbly
brewed coffee.
1-15coffee.com
5 ROH Projects
With quiet élan and authority,
ROH focuses on modern
contemporary art in Indonesia and
Asia Pacific – its all-white gallery
is a haven for emerging artists.
rohprojects.net
6 D.Classic
Inspired by an upscale Ginza bar,
this elegant speakeasy has no drinks
menu. Instead, tipples are created,
like an omakase meal, according to
each guest’s personal taste.
facebook.com/DClassic.Jakarta
7 Rumah Makan Medan Baru
Aficionados of Aceh-style nasi
padang rave about Medan Baru’s
no-frills setting and menu. The
favourites here are the fish head
curry and creamy beef rendang.
rumahmakanmedanbaru. business.site
8 Oemah Etnik
Wrapped in bold colours and
flattering silhouettes, local brand
Oemah Etnik shows that ethnic
fashion can be freshly youthful,
modern and yet feminine.
oemahetnik.com
9 Ciputra Artpreneur
Indonesia’s only multi-arts
centre includes galleries, exhibition
halls and a 1,200 seat theatre,
alongside property magnate
Dr (HC) Ir. Ciputra’s private collection
of contemporary and modern art.
ciputraartpreneur.com
10 Kota Tua Jakarta (Old Town)
The original colonial Dutch centre
is a fascinating contrast to Jakarta’s
buzzing metropolis. The antique
houses, museums, bridge and
churches are charming echoes
of old Europe.
JAKARTA
Explore the unique local culture of the Indonesian capital, from its colonial old town to its contemporary art scene and golf club retreats, without forgetting
to savour its burgeoning food scene and craft coffee made with local beans.
RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 8988
− CURATION −
1 LOWE
A self-proclaimed ‘relaxed eatery’,
dishing up contemporary cuisine,
using seasonal ingredients. Come
for the food and stay for the
coffee and lively local ambiance.
lowe-dubai.com
2 Art Dubai
The art fair to attend, it has helped
shape Dubai to be one of the
leading global destinations for
art, design and culture. The 14th
Edition returns in March 2020.
artdubai.ae
3 Marea Dubai
The celebrated New York
Michelin-starred Italian restaurant
Marea Duab has opened its latest
location in the much buzzed about
DIFC neighbourhood.
marearestaurant.com/dubai
4 Mohammed Bin Rashid Library
This new library is expected to
open in 2020 and cost $272
million to complete. The seven-
storey structure is shaped like an
open book and houses no less
than 4.5 million books.
dm.gov.ae
5 Jameel Arts Centre
The new waterfront museum
dedicated to contemporary art,
overlooking Dubai Creek, houses
ten galleries, a library and
research centre, desert gardens,
and relaxing open spaces.
jameelartscentre.org
6 Bluewaters Island
An urban shopping destination, this
island has 132 shops, restaurants and
attractions such as the soon-to-be-
opened Ain Dubai, the world’s largest
observation wheel, and it even has
its own beach, Cove Beach.
bluewatersdubai.ae/ en
7 Alici
Alici serves food inspired by the
Amalfi Coast. The fresh seafood
dishes paired with the jaw-dropping
view of the Dubai Marina make for
an unforgettable dining experience.
alici.com
8 The London Project
A trendy restaurant and bar that
brings a bit of eclectic London to
Dubai. The space itself, lushly
decorated with plants, revolves
around fashion, art and music.
thelondonproject.com
9 Deira Islands Night Souk
The Night Souk located on Deira
Islands proudly touts being the
world’s largest night market with a
stunning boardwalk and countless
dining and shopping options.
nakheel.com/en
10 The Arts Club Dubai
The Arts Club is a highly sought
after exclusive members-only
club that originated in London.
The Dubai venue is opening in
the DIFC area in 2020.
theartsclub.co.uk
DUBAI
While Dubai needs no introduction, take time to explore the city’s new places as the emirate gets ready for Expo 2020, from
restaurants to exclusive boutiques and a dynamic arts scene.
RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 9190
− CURATION −
Lady Dior This nature-themed bag is
perfect for that special outing
MadLab A beautiful wooden box to
store your travel treasures
Leica Get ready to photograph your
day and surroundings
Fine and Candy Hand-made Portuguese
notebooks for jotting memories
Assouline Inspirational book on
flowers in the arts and media
Versace Evoke spring with this crystal
flower necklace
Louis Vuitton Timeless, luxury notebook for
reflections on your travels
S.T. Dupont A pen to help you rediscover the
pleasure of putting ink on paper
Fine and Candy Send news home in style with
this elegant envelope
Nicolas Theil Enjoy the weighty feel of
this bold, modern bracelet
Nars Make a daring statement
with this red lipstick
Saint Laurent Pack your essentials in
this chic, discreet carry bag
Saint Laurent Be noticed in this light,
Andalusian style felt hat
MORNING
It’s one of life’s greatest pleasures to wake up, at home or abroad, and have the luxury of an unplanned day ahead. The possibilities are
almost endless, as are the ways in which you can begin your day.
Penhaligon’s Relax with the help of this
Earl Grey scented candle
Fine and Candy Your pens and pencils merit a home
of their own in this stylish holder
Penhaligon’s Light a fire with a satisfying
flick of a match
Lady Dior The perfect silk scarf to
enhance any outfit
Gubi Set the mood with a touch
of atmospheric lighting
Montblanc Be prepared for the sun
as you head out the door
Francis Kurkdjian Leave a floral scent in your
wake walking out the door
Fine and Candy Great ideas come from
great writing materials
Louis Vuitton Because you need pages for
jotting down your great ideas
Armani Casa Open this box up and you
may just find inspiration
Fine and Candy An eraser, in case your pencil
wanders as you draw
Fine and Candy A sharpener, for images as
clear as your memories
Photography by CYRILLE ROBIN
RAFFLES MAGAZINE 93RAFFLES MAGAZINE92
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Armani Casa Find inspiration from
your well classified books
Ermenegildo Zegna Perhaps music will trigger
an idea for an activity
Louis Vuitton A luxururious pencil case for
ticking off your bucket list in style
Ralph Lauren Home Watch box, because an
itinerary needs great timing
Tiffany & Co You never know, you might
need that passport
Montblanc Write down your thoughts in
style, whatever time of day
Montblanc Vision is key to a successful,
productive 24 hours
Louis Vuitton You’ll need somewhere to write
your notes on the day past
Montblanc A classic watch will look
good in any context
Tiffany & Co Be reminded of home wherever
you go with this key chain
Tiffany & Co. A protractor for those who like
to be extra precise in their plans
Armani Casa Desk set, because the best
laid plans need support
Dior Homme A busy bee never knows when
its phone will be needed
Fine and Candy A notebook for logging that
bright idea
AFTERNOON
After a day’s exploring, there’s nothing better than taking the time to contemplate the afternoon past and look forward to the evening to come.
Here are some hand-picked essentials to set the mood.
Borsalino This light hat suits both the
city and the country
Lumio A book table lamp to set
the afternoon mood
Montblanc
Sunglasses to keep these
late-afternoon sun rays at bay
Cartier Time is an illusion, but
wear it in style all the same
Francis Kurkdjian Travel spray case for your favourite
scents to take on the go
Fine and Candy Sketch your day with these
stylish pencils
Armani Casa Open this box up and you
may just find inspiration
RAFFLES MAGAZINE 95RAFFLES MAGAZINE94
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Oluce
Create an ambient light to read
by with this table lamp
Armani A stylish box for storing your
favourite jewellery
Dior A touch of silk before bed
to wind down
Bvlgari The perfect soothing travel
scent for night time
Sony Find the ideal sound to help
record the day’s events
Assouline A collection of special places,
perhaps the next trip?
Smythson Because we all need
a little black book
Fine and Candy You can never have too
many notebooks
Nars Bring a pop of colour with
this lipstick as it turns dark
Smythson Some notebooks are just
more classic than others
Kate Spade Be sure to keep your papers
together and in order
Pols Potten Watching the sand flow in this
timer is surprisingly calming
Penhaligon’s Who doesn’t like a nocturnal
scent to help unwind?
Delvaux Best to be ready for an early
departure tomorrow
EVENING
As the activity of the day gives way to the quiet hours of the night, retire to the peacefulness of your room and
take a moment for yourself to relax and rejuvenate.
Kate Spade After a day’s exploring,
it feels good to freshen up
Tiffany & Co. It’s a relief to empty those pockets
when returning to your room
Boucheron For weary eyes the morning
after the night before
Ralph Lauren Mark your territory
with this desk ornament
Charles and Ray Eames There are just some objects
that you must have
Francis Kurkdjian For that favourite, calming
scent you can’t do without
Smythson Everything you need for
working home and away
Francis Kurkdjian For that fresh, rose perfume
wherever you may be
Tiffany & Co. A ballpoint pen should
always be at the ready
S.T. Dupont For those who love the
flow of ink on paper
Mark Cross Inspired by Grace Kelly
from Rear Window
Penhaligon’s That scent you need to
help you get to sleep
RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 9796
Illustrations byMAMI SATO
From Singapore where it all began to the Maldives, Dubai and Warsaw, discover Raffles’ iconic properties around the world...
Residence
Upcoming openings
Hotel
RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 9998
− WORLD OF RAFFLES −
01.
08. 10.04.
14.RAFFLES SEYCHELLES Seychelles
One of the world’s most
far-flung destinations,
Praslin is home to natural
wonders and one of the
best beaches in the world.
The hotel’s 86 villas have
breathtaking views of the
opal-hued Indian ocean.
raffles.com/seychelles
07. RAFFLES SINGAPORESingapore
Opened in 1887, this
legendary Grande Dame
is an icon epitomising
luxury and the golden age
of travel. After an extensive
restoration, Raffles
Singapore has begun a
new chapter and no stay
in the Lion City would be
complete without a visit
to this iconic hotel.
raffles.com/singapore
12.
05.
11.
13.
02. 09.
03.
RAFFLES RESIDENCES
With all the elegance
and tailored service
associated with Raffles,
these luxurious suites
and apartments offer a
private home to return
to time after time.
Residences are and
will be available at the
following locations:
JakartaMakatiSeychelles Shenzhen
UPCOMING OPENINGSBahrain (2021)Bali (2020)Boston (2022)Jaipur (2022)Jeddah (2021) London (2022)Mykonos (2022)Singapore Sentosa (2022)Sharm El-Sheikh (2023)Suzhou (2022)The Palm Dubai (2021)Udaipur (2021)
03.RAFFLES HAINANChina
Offering unparalleled
luxury on Hainan island,
this exquisite resort is set
among landscaped tropical
gardens overlooking
the crystalline Clearwater
Bay, with one of the finest
beaches by the South
China Sea.
raffles.com/hainan
01.RAFFLES HOTEL LE ROYAL Cambodia
Located in the heart of
Phnom Penh, this hotel has
been an iconic resting place
for the well-travelled since
1929. Part of Cambodian
history, the design reflects
Khmer, art deco and French
colonial architecture.
raffles.com/phnom-penh
06. RAFFLES MAKATI Philippines
Combining understated
sophistication with
Filipino hospitality, Raffles
Makati is a haven with a
distinct personality. This
stylishly designed all-suite
hotel creates a wonderful
sense of warmth and
comfort with commanding
views of the city.
raffles.com/makati
02. RAFFLES GRAND HOTEL D’ANGKORCambodia
Set across from the Royal
Palace, Angkor Thom,
is one of the historic hotels
on the legendary Grand
Tour of Indochina. This
beautiful oasis features
15 acres of French gardens
and Cambodia’s largest
swimming pool, styled after
the Angkor royal baths.
raffles.com/siem-reap
04. RAFFLES SHENZHENChina
Innovatively designed
with contemporary
architecture, state-of-
the-art facilities, and 168
generously spacious guest
rooms and suites, Raffles
Shenzhen is an urban oasis
that occupies the top floors
of the 72-story tower in
the prestigious One
Shenzhen Bay.
raffles.com/shenzhen
13.RAFFLES MALDIVES MERADHOOMaldives
Raffles Maldives Meradhoo
is a rare haven. In its remote
location on the southern tip
of the Maldives archipelago,
surrounded by crystalline
Indian Ocean waters home to
unspoilt house reefs and their
incredible inhabitants, it is as
far away from the rhythm of
everyday life as can be.
raffles.com/maldives
10.RAFFLES ISTANBUL Turkey
A beacon above the
Bosphorus, Raffles Istanbul
is located at the heart of the
luxury Zorlu Center shopping
haven. Home to one of the
city’s largest spas, stunning
views of the Bosphorus,
and the world’s first Raffles
Patisserie, the hotel is a
timeless fusion of inspired
architecture and cultural chic.
raffles.com/istanbul
06.
07.
05.RAFFLES JAKARTA Indonesia
Discover luxurious calm at
the core of Jakarta’s golden
triangle, beyond the bustle
of this vibrant metropolis;
an elegantly designed hotel
that celebrates Indonesian
artistry, including the
distinctive works of iconic
artist Hendra Gunawan.
raffles.com/jakarta
08.LE ROYAL MONCEAU – RAFFLES PARISFrance
Close to the Champs Elysées
and Arc de Triomphe,
Le Royal Monceau – Raffles
Paris is an oasis of creativity,
designed by Philippe
Starck, complete with an
art gallery and bookshop,
a private 99-seat cinema
and art collection, and an
Art Concierge service.
raffles.com/paris
09.RAFFLES EUROPEJSKI WARSAWPoland
In the historic district
of Warsaw, next to the
Presidential Palace,
Raffles Europejski Warsaw
represents the heart of
the city with world-class
cuisine, local craftsmanship
and Polish art. It also
heralds a major restoration
of one of the city’s most
iconic buildings.
raffles.com/warsaw
11.RAFFLES MAKKAH PALACE Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
A resting place for pilgrims,
which offers a world of calm
contemplation, overlooking
the most sacred site in
Islam. Surrounded by holy
sites, Raffles Makkah Palace
boasts a unique setting with
views to lift the soul and
take your breath away.
raffles.com/makkah
12.RAFFLES DUBAIUnited Arab Emirates
As well as its year-round
sunshine, stunning deserts
and beaches, Dubai’s
shopping, cultural and
tourist attractions are
just minutes away from
this hotel with rooms
and suites among the
city’s largest.
raffles.com/dubai
14.
RAFFLES MAGAZINE100 RAFFLES MAGAZINE 101
In 1887, Raffles Singapore set the standard for luxury hospitality, introducing the world to private butlers, the Singapore Sling and its enduring, legendary service. Today, Raffles continues this tradition in each of its 14 iconic properties, enchanting travellers with meaningful experiences and its gracious service. Be it the Art Concierge or Bridal Butler, each Raffles property has unique curators who bring the Raffles experience to life for our guests.
BRIDAL BUTLER
A dedicated Bridal Butler at Raffles Shenzhen makes sure all the bride’s dreams come true on their big day.
You could call the Wedding Butler
every bride’s fairy godmother. The
Bridal Butler at Raffles Shenzhen
helps the bride-to-be plan her
dream wedding from start to
finish. Be it a traditional Chinese-
style ceremony or a Western-
style wedding party, the Wedding
Butler’s mission is to facilitate a
stress-free, blissful day for the
bride, and make her feel like a
princess. Because every bride
has a different vision for their big
day, the Wedding Butler’s job is
to respond to their needs with
tailor-made precision. When
booking the Grand Ballroom,
the Raffles Shenzhen team will
help couples select everything
from the in-house centrepieces,
decorations, wedding cake,
invitations, champagnes and
even the bride’s wedding gown.
ROYAL BUTLER
Butlers at Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Phnom Penh go the extra mile by researching their guests’ preferences and creating personalised experiences throughout their stay.
Part of Sambath Yoeun’s role as
a Royal Butler is to research guest
profiles to anticipate their needs
and offer detailed, personalised
service. When Sambath learned
that one of his guests loved
monkeys, he surprised them by
folding the towels in the form of
their beloved animal as part of
the evening turn-down service.
Because, as a butler, Sambath
believes guests should be treated
like valued family members and
made to feel special during their
stay. Sambath has been with the
Raffles family for nearly a decade,
starting out as a room attendant
before moving up to become
a bellboy, then a butler. Be it a
wedding anniversary or birthday
celebration, Sambath is always
working in the background to help
create unforgettable memories.
RESIDENT HISTORIAN
The Resident Historian at Raffles Grand Hotel D’Angkor is a survivor of the brutal Pol Pot regime and is passionate about sharing the history of Cambodia.
Saravann Mouth is more than just
the hotel’s Resident Historian.
He is a living historian of the
brutal Khmer Rouge era, during
which time he lived as an orphan,
separated from his mother and
left with no choice but to collect
cow dung to sustain himself. After
20 years of working at Raffles as
a room attendant, room valet, and
now Resident Historian and Butler
Manager, Saravann is passionate
about sharing the history of
Cambodia with curious, open
guests. “I love my job as I love
sharing with people the history of
Cambodia. Travellers are always
intrigued to know more about
Cambodia’s history, especially the
communist rule of Pol Pot in the
late 70s. I believe everyone should
have some knowledge about
our history.”
LI TRADITIONAL WELCOMER
Dressed in traditional clothing unique to the indigenous Li people, hotel welcomers at Raffles Hainan represent their local heritage.
To reflect the hotel’s Hainanese
heritage and culture, Li traditional
welcomers proudly wear intricate
brocade uniforms designed with
distinctive prints and colours – red,
yellow, black and white – that tell
the story of the local Li population.
The Li ethnic minority group in
Hainan is believed to be one of
the oldest ethnic groups in China,
with a history that stretches back
3,000 years. They were also one
of the earliest masters of textiles,
producing brocades and cotton
prints that were highly prized
from the Song to Qing dynasties.
Not only do the uniforms honour
Hainan’s Li heritage, but they’re
also meant to tell a sartorial story
of the local culture.
RAFFLES SHENZHEN
RAFFLES HOTEL LE ROYAL
RAFFLES GRAND HOTEL D’ANGKOR
RAFFLES HAINAN
RAFFLES JAKARTA
ROYAL HOST
Delivering service fit for a king or queen, Royal Hosts at Raffles Jakarta are trained to treat their guests like Indonesian royalty.
They’re called ‘Royal Hosts’ for
good reason. As gateways to the
hotel and the Raffles Jakarta
universe, the Royal Host is trained
in the ancient tradition of serving
Indonesian Kings. That is, to treat
their guests like royalty. A good
look at their uniform also serves
as a glimpse into the lives of ‘Abdi
Dalem’ — real-life royal butlers who
serve the monarchy in the Special
Region of Yogyakarta today. Raffles
Royal Hosts can be called upon to
serve as local art guides, help with
check-in and check-out services and
provide insight into local attractions
and events in Jakarta.
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RAFFLES MAGAZINERAFFLES MAGAZINE 103102
− WORLD OF RAFFLES −
ART COLLECTION MANAGER
Learn about contemporary Polish art with a tour of Raffles Europejski Warsaw’s own curated art collection led by a resident Art Collection Manager.
More than just a luxury hotel,
Raffles Europejski Warsaw
doubles as a city museum and
gallery, housing almost 500
works of art created by more
than 120 Polish artists. Carefully
curated to tell the narrative of the
contemporary Polish art scene,
the Hotel Europejski Art Collection
is managed by art historian Igor
Bloch, who leads exclusive art
tours for hotel guests. Igor is a
graduate of the Academy of Fine
Arts in Warsaw and the prestigious
Courtauld Institute of Art in
London. Along with guided tours
of the hotel’s own treasures, Igor
can also arrange and book private
gallery and studio visits, and
organise meetings with artists of
the Hotel Europesjki Art Collection
and art professionals.
ART CONCIERGE
The dedicated Art Concierge at Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris, has her finger firmly on the pulse of the city’s vibrant art scene so guests don’t miss the best in show.
As a world-class capital of culture,
there’s always a new, dynamic
exhibit happening in the City
of Light. At Le Royal Monceau
– Raffles Paris, Art Concierge
Julie Eugène offers tailor-made
recommendations on the best
exhibits and shows to catch
during your stay, based on guest
preferences. “I am very lucky
to have a job where I share my
passion with the client. Paris is a
great place for this job as there is
both the heritage of the city and a
very interesting contemporary art
scene. The talk always goes both
ways as the client tells me about
the things they loved or saw as
well, so I learn as much from them
as they learn from me.”
RESIDENT HISTORIAN
With more than 47 years under his belt, the Resident Historian at Raffles Singapore boasts encyclopedic knowledge about the hotel, which dates back to 1887.
Leslie Danker has justifiably earned
his title of Resident Historian.
As the hotel’s longest-serving
employee, Leslie started out
working in hotel maintenance and
gradually rose through the ranks
to office manager, guest relations
and Resident Historian. He is the
only person to have seen the hotel
through two major restoration
efforts and witness the iconic
hotel’s evolution. On his heritage
tours, he can regale guests with
his extensive knowledge about
the hotel, be it some of its most
famous guests, the making of the
Singapore Sling cocktail, which was
invented at the hotel’s Long Bar,
and the significance of the hotel
in local Singaporean history. He
even wrote a book about it, called
Memoirs of a Raffles Original.
Leslie recently worked on a new
book to coincide with the hotel’s
re-opening in 2019.
BUTLER
From booking a traditional spa treatment at the Turkish hamam or high tea at the hotel lounge, Raffles Istanbul is personified by its legendary Butler service.
At Raffles Istanbul, true luxury is
not just about what guests see, it’s
about how they feel as the hotel
delivers the warmest welcome,
most comfortable stay and richest
experiences in order to create the
fondest memories. The Raffles
Butlers make every stay seamless
and memorable, standing for
elegance, charm, refinement and
quality and, most importantly,
discreet service. The secret of
the Raffles Butlers is that they
anticipate the needs of every guest
in advance, and fulfil service before
it is even requested. From room
decorations for special occasions
to arranging a Turkish hamam
party at the spa, Butlers are the
conduits for an effortless Raffles
experience, establishing a long-
lasting relationship with guests
and taking a genuine interest in
their preferences in order to best
anticipate their needs.
RAFFLES SINGAPORE
LE ROYAL MONCEAU – RAFFLES PARIS
RAFFLES EUROPEJSKI WARSAW
RAFFLES ISTANBUL
RAFFLES MAKKAH PALACE
BUTLER
Private butlers at Raffles Makkah Palace are on hand to help with a variety of tasks so that guests can spend more time exploring the holy city.
Guests of the Raffles Makkah
Palace have access to 24-hour
private butlers so that they can
make the most of their time in
the sacred city. From packing
and unpacking, to pressing,
laundry and shoe shining, the
role of the Palace Butlers is to
anticipate every guest’s needs.
They can also help draw up tailor-
made itineraries on how to best
experience Makkah, the heart
of Islam and the birthplace of
the Prophet Muhammad. Raffles
Makkah Palace is adjacent to the
Grand Mosque, and is within easy
access to the main entrance,
the King Abdul Aziz Gate, and a
four-storey premium shopping
centre, prayer hall, museum and
Lunar Observatory.
ART CONCIERGE
Raffles Makati’s Art Concierge is available to guide guests on private tours of the hotel’s 1,600 pieces of original Philippine artworks.
Upon entering the hotel lobby of
Raffles Makati, guests will note the
elegant, hand-crafted metal work
of the female form, shaped into a
violin. By the hotel elevators,
a large oil painting depicts old-
world travel and trade in the
Philippines. And at the Writers Bar
— which pays tribute to writers who
have stayed at the flagship Raffles
Singapore hotel — six acrylic
paintings depict Filipino-style
courtship. Overall, Raffles Makati
features 1,600 original pieces of
Philippine artworks, which tell the
story of the country’s rich culture
and heritage. Guests can request
a guided tour with the hotel’s Art
Concierge, who is able to provide
context and back stories to select
masterpieces at the hotel.
RAFFLES MAKATI
HEAD GARDENER
Supplying the restaurants at Raffles Seychelles with the freshest ingredients, the resort’s long-serving Head Gardener is a nature lover at heart.
Jason Ernesta has been with
Raffles Seychelles in various roles
since before the resort opened
in 2011. Today, he’s the property’s
Head Gardener. Guests can find
Jason, 73, tending to the edible
garden which supplies the resort
restaurants like Curieuse and
Losean with everything from fresh
chilli, butternut squash, eggplants
and tomatoes, to mint and dill.
For Jason, tending to the resort’s
lush gardens is more a hobby, less
a job, as the plants, vegetables
and herbs keep him connected
both to the earth and to the
guests. He enjoys exchanging
with visitors from abroad about
the different species of plants,
fruits and vegetables he cares for
throughout the property.
MARINE BUTLER
Guests at Raffles Maldives Meradhoo can unravel the mysteries of the deep with the resident marine biologist and marine butlers.
Built to showcase its ocean
surroundings, the Raffles Maldives
Meradhoo is home to resident
marine biologist Giulia Pellizzato
and a team of marine butlers who
are available to create customised
underwater experiences, organise
diving and snorkelling trips, and
teach guests about the marvels
of the ocean. Giulia also heads
restoration efforts for local coral
reefs, sea turtle preservation
projects and the promotion of
sustainable tourism. Accessible
only by boat, the resort’s beach
villas and overwater villas are
located on Gaafu Alifu, one of the
most remote and pristine atolls
in the world, where reefs are
teeming with marine life unique
to the Indian Ocean.
RAFFLES SEYCHELLES
− WORLD OF RAFFLES −
RAFFLES MALDIVES MERADHOO
CONCIERGE
Booking experiences unique to the United Arab Emirates is just a quick request away through the Concierge at Raffles Dubai.
From desert falconry shows to
the region’s most popular and
unique desert sports, there are
myriad activities and attractions
within easy reach of Raffles
Dubai that can’t be experienced
anywhere else. Enter Raffles
Dubai’s concierge team who will
offer you insider tips on the best
adventures during your stay.
Whether it’s adrenaline pumping,
dune bashing safaris, falconry
shows or a historic and cultural
journey or a day of shopping in
one of the city’s luxury malls,
the concierge knows how to
experience and recommend
the best of Dubai.
RAFFLES DUBAI
RAFFLES MAGAZINE104
MORE THAN JUST A SEAT
Introducing our new Club Suite, business class reimagined.
A luxurious personal space to sit, sleep, work, or relax. Now with direct aisle access.
Discover more ba.com/new-club-suite