Ananatara resident spa guru and unofficial Ramadan expert, Liz Smailes, shared her advice with us on incorporating the relevant messages behind the holy celebration into daily life.

The focus of this month is all about detoxification of your body and habits—and through her travels around the Gulf Peninsula, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Southern Philippines and Thailand Liz has developed wonderful detox plans and recipes.  Detox has never looked so good! First, she advises fasters to get about 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night during the program, avoid prolonged exposure in the sun, have a sensible breakfast before the fast/sunrise, and drink fresh detox juices and lots of water throughout the day. Being mindful of these tips will help jumpstart your new, healthier routine!

Once you’ve finished your cleanse, don’t just jump back into your old daily routine. Liz’s post-detox menu looks like this, and is similar to what Muslims will eat after Ramadan:

• First Day: Add a raw salad in the mid-day meal along with soups.
• Second Day: Add backed or boiled potato, rice (without any seasoning and heavy sauces) along with soups
• Third Day: Add steamed vegetables along with soups
• Thereafter: Start back with your normal diet, but maintain your favorite fresh juices as part of your daily intake.

Follow Liz’s advice and you’re guaranteed to have a much cleaner body on the inside. And with a visit to one of Anantara’s fabulous spas, it will be very easy for the new you to be reflected on the out.

 Liz also shared some of her favorite, and most effective, juice recipes that both new and seasoned fasters enjoy.

 Start with a pre-sunrise drink made from:

• 2 springs of parsley
• Small handful of wheatgrass
• 4-6 carrots
• 2 celery sticks
• 1 apple
• ½ beet

Finish the day with her sunset concoction:

• 1 Green Apple
• 2 cucumbers
• 2 Celery stalks
• ½ deseeded Indian bitter gourd

For any smokers looking to finally kick the habit, Liz also shared her detox juice to help you stop craving the nicotine:

• 1 Apple
• 300 grams Pumpkin
• 1 handful of lettuce
• Sprouts of alfalfa

The resort played host to seven of the world’s finest chefs, who together, served seven courses from their respective countries. If you’re hungry thinking about that, the details will really have you drooling.

The chefs were: Chef Prajak Pookabot from Thailand, Chef Handhi Wijaya  from Indonesia, Chef Wael Atia Abd Elkader from Egypt, Chef Dineneren Marath  from India, Chef Umberto Piccolini  from Italy, Chef Ken Murphy from Ireland, and Chef Mohamed Ahmed  from the Maldives.

Each of those country’s already wonderful cuisines united in perfect harmony for the diners in attendance. A dry coconut salad in betel leaf was followed by a Balinese satay pentul in lemongrass; next cumin infused lentil shurba complemented Maldivian spiced marinated Wahoo fillet; only to be followed by a tandoori lamb chop; and last, but certainly not least, the meal was finished with gorgonzola dolce soufflé and melktert with frozen cappuccino.

The resort also served five of the finest Rupert & Rothschild wines from South Africa to compliment the unique spices and flavors of each dish.

Hotel guests and local residents alike were able to share this one-of-a-kind meal together on a beautiful summer evening on the beach along the South Male Atoll. 

 Interior of Sea.Fire.Salt. at Anantara Phuket Villas

Congratulations are in order for the Bangkok-based Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas! We raise our glasses to the 5 amazing establishments that were featured in the 2010 Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards.  The new recipients include: Fuddan Fusion Grill at Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa; Geckos Restaurant, Anantara Veli Resort & Spa; Baan Thalia, Anantara Hua Hin Resort & Spa; and Sea.Fire.Salt. at Anantara Phuket Villas.  Special praise is due to Anantara Bophut Resort & Spa, after winning its fifth straight Award of Excellence for its delicious Italian eatery Full Moon. Cheers!

At the beginning of the month, celebs took a break from their usual red carpet to attend the Elephant Parade charity auction, of which Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas is a strong supporter. Stars including Elizabeth Hurley, Goldie Hawn, and Princess Beatrice of York hit the grass to show their support of the protection and conservation of endangered Asian elephants. Despite the rough terrain, fashion did not suffer. Sporting colorful dresses and forever high wedges and heels, these celebs looked almost as good as the painted model baby elephants (all of which were on sale at the event, including Anantara’s own ‘Little Bird’). The auction marked the end of the Elephant Parade in London, which earned over $1.5 million dollars for this great cause!

Remember when we told you about the Elephant Parade, the installation of model baby elephants scattered around London? Run by Elephant Family, the goal of the charity is to raise awareness of the declining population of the Asian Elephant.

‘Little Bird,’ the baby elephant representing Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, is somewhere throughout London.  Now there is a little extra incentive to finding her, as the Director of Elephants at Anantara Golden Triangle, Mr. John Roberts, has announced that he would give out a free dinner to the first person to send in a photograph of themselves with ‘Little Bird’.   And that’s not all!  Elephant Family is offering the chance to win a vacation for two to none other than Thailand’s Anantara Golden Triangle where the lucky winners will train with mahouts at the resort’s famed elephant camp and learn about these gentle creatures. To enter, visit http://www.elephantfamily.org/how-can-you-help/events/competition/, fill out the petition, correctly answer the questions, and tweet a message to encourage your followers to sign the petition. The competition closes on July 9^th, so hurry before it is too late!

The elephants are on the move! As the Elephant Parade comes to a close, 62 of these life-size, model baby elephants will be migrating from their positions around the city and congregating in Leister Square. July 3rd will mark the end of the parade, when these magnificent pieces of art will be auctioned off in hopes of raising over $2 million!

The Elephant Parade officially began in London this month. How will they fit, you might ask?

Well, the Elephant Parade is actually an open air art installation of life-size, model baby elephants positioned around the city. Elephants are painted by artists and celebrities, such as Diane von Furstenberg, Isaac Mizrahi and Lulu Guinness to inspire awareness of the plight of the Asian Elephant. With a current population of only 1,500 in the wild in Thailand (down from 300,000 at the turn of the last century), they face a severe risk of extinction.

Run by the small charity Elephant Family, these efforts require serious support from their patrons, which include Goldie Hawn and Sarah, Duchess of York. Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas is a sponsor and champion of this cause, and has a little baby of its own, known as ‘Little Bird,’ placed somewhere around Londontown. All elephants are for sale by auction and Elephant Family aims to raise over $2 million.

This is London’s biggest outdoor art event on record and runs from May to July 2010. If you are hanging out in Trafalgar Square or Green Park, these colorful creatures will be impossible to miss. So, enjoy the exhibit because it may be the only time you see an Asian elephant in London!

CARIBBEAN

Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos
Getting married at a private island resort in the Caribbean is a fantastic kick-off to a new life.  Parrot Cay offers two beachfront setting for wedding ceremonies – a boardwalk aisle that leads to an unspoiled beach, or the beachfront of a private villa available for rent.  Parrot Cay also insists that stress need not be a part of the preparations; all weddings include the dedication of a planner to assist with all preparations, including reserving the dates, food and beverage details, music and entertainment, photography, and any other service requested.   Parrot Cay can accommodate small, intimate weddings, or can be bought out for larger weddings (up to 120 guests). 

Rosewood Mayakobá, Mexico
Weddings at Rosewood Mayakobá are all about choices – choose stunning outdoor venues like the white sand beach or the Plaza with views of the resort, lagoon, and tropical jungle.  Three different restaurants are available to cater.  Retreat to the privacy of a private plunge pool after the ceremony, or come down a day early with the wedding party and receive treatments at the resort’s spa, Sense, which is its own private island. 

NANTUCKET

White Elephant, Nantucket
The landmark White Elephant offers the perfect venue for an in-town wedding with 64 beautifully appointed rooms, suites, and stunning spa.  The hotel can also accommodate guests in the newly added White Elephant Loft, a luxurious three-bedroom, four-bathroom Loft complete with gourmet kitchen, gas fireplace, exquisite living room and dining room, sitting room, and massive skylights.  Also new this year are the White Elephant Hotel Residences – a collection of 25 one-, two-, and three-bedroom Hotel Residences just steps from the White Elephant.  At White Elephant, Nantucket Island Resorts can arrange for an array of ceremonies, from the sandy beaches of Brant Point Light to the green lawn overlooking Nantucket Harbor. The Sun Deck at the Brant Point Grill caters to up to 60 guests; for larger receptions of up to 300 people in the spring and fall, couples have the option of reserving the entire hotel and holding the reception under a tent on the lawn.   And if the soon-to-be newly-weds need to relax from all the hectic planning, guests can go off to town for shopping and biking, or the 32 miles of beach, while the couple can relax at the White Elephant Spa, complete with champagne and strawberries.


The Wauwinet, Nantucket
For those couples seeking a truly intimate experience, The Wauwinet offers an unrivaled location for the most elegant and classic weddings. Wedding season at The Wauwinet is in May or October, and the inn can accommodate up to 150 guests. Located nine miles outside of town on the peacefully secluded northeast tip of the island, guests can relax in one of the 28 guest rooms with bay or garden views or in one of the four garden cottages.. With a backdrop of Nantucket Bay at sunset, those who wed at The Wauwinet are hard-pressed to find a more romantic location. The Wauwinet offers the services of the highly-lauded TOPPER’S Executive Chef David Daniels who caters food to a pristine tent on the lawn overlooking the Bay.   Pre-wedding jitters can be taken care of with a couples’ massage at The Wauwinet Spa by the Sea.

THAILAND

Anantara Golden Triangle Resort & Spa, Chiang Rai, Thailand
Perched amidst luxuriant tropical forests, Anantara Golden Triangle is culturally rich and naturally beautiful – a meaningful setting for an intimate garden wedding.  The resort offers two wedding packages that include everything necessary to make it a celebration to remember. The “Regal Elephant” wedding adds a Thai touch to the ceremony as the bride and groom share a memorable elephant ride.  

Anantara Hua Hin Resort & Spa, Thailand
The gentle lull of rolling waves and rose petals strewn on golden sand makes a wedding at Thailand’s original seaside resort paradise a favorite.  The “Western Wedding” at the Anantara Hua Hin provides a ceremonial cabana for the wedding, along with cake, decorations, and music.  For a more traditional Thai ceremony, The “Thai Wedding” includes sacred chanting by Buddhist monks during the “Rod Nam Sang” well-wishing holy water ceremony. 

Anantara Bophut Resort & Spa, Koh Samui, Thailand
Choose a stylish indoor ceremony or a beachfront exchange of vows at Anantara Bophut. Awaken to the sound of jovial drumbeats and the festive “Hae Khaan Maak” parade, as the groom escorts his bride from her chamber. Adorned in traditional Thai costumes and flower garlands, tie the knot in front of family and friends, followed by blessings from Buddhist monks and well-wishers during the “Rod Nam Sang” ceremony.

Anantara Si Kao Resort & Spa, Thailand
Glide into marital bliss on a catamaran weaving through the islands of the Andaman Sea off the coast of Trang. Anantara Si Kao offers these exotic options for exchanging vows.  For those looking for a more traditional approach, the resort also arranges for land ceremonies and receptions.

MALDIVES

Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa and Anantara Veli Resort & Spa, both in the Maldives, offer several different packages for unique destination weddings.  Wedding experiences offered include getting hitched aboard a yacht sailing through the sea, or walking down a torch-lit aisle to the beat of island drummers.  Both resorts provide for all the necessities of a wedding ceremony; from photographers to flowers and cakes to spa treatments for bride and groom.

Cocoa Island
A private island in the South Male Atoll, Cocoa Island has just 33 suites and villas – so forget about crowds of strangers peering in on the ceremony.  Weddings are Cocoa Island are purely ceremonial (not recognized by law), so maybe the perfect place to take those gorgeous wedding photographs after a less aesthetic wedding at City Hall.

SOUTH ASIA

Uma Paro, Bhutan
Take part in an intimate and spiritual marriage blessing ceremony at the magnificent shrine of the Kyichu Lhakhang, one of Bhutan’s oldest temples. Wed amidst the splendor of this 7th-century temple’s magic orange trees, bearing fruit year-round. During the two-hour ceremony, 20 monks will conduct prayers, accompanied by drums, horns, and cymbals.

INDONESIA

Uma Ubud, Bali
Choose a legal marriage, commitment ceremony, or even a simple, traditional Balinese blessing in the quiet, culture-rich countryside of Bali. Arrange for your ceremony to take place in the remote meditation bale, a site for some of Bali’s most inspiring views of the River Oos and the Tjampuhan Valley. Let the resort do the work for you, covering everything from table settings, to flowers, even traditional masked fire dancers and Balinese music.

In search of some last-minute loving? Who needs pink champagne and chocolate truffles when you can whisk away to dreamy Anantara Veli Resort & Spa for some real romance in South Malé Atoll. The resort has garnered the #4 spot in this year’s “Most Romantic Hotels in Asia” Trip Advisor Travelers’ Choice Awards.

Reserve your secluded over-water bungalow to share with that special someone and spend the day sun bathing together on your private terrace. Take a more active stance with a private windsurfing lesson on the lagoon and a colorful market stroll through Malé.

Then head to the beach for a private Valentine’s Day degustation, Sand & Sea, sweetened by a palm-fringed view, white sand between your toes, and fresh Maldivian lobster. Or craft your own menu wish list with Dining by Design and enjoy noshing alongside the resort’s master chef!