all the dish that’s fit to print
happy birthday, barack!
Celebrity sightings are all the rage these days, but let’s not forget about government’s royalty. In honor of Obama’s birthday, we’ve rounded up a few locales where you’re likely to run into an off-duty lawmaker or two. Who knows? Maybe you’ll get the chance to bend their ears about your political views over cocktails…
Bern, Switzerland
Bellevue Palace, in the capital city of Bern and right next to the Swiss Parliament, has long been a meeting place for politicians, royals, and dignitaries the world over. As the only 5-star hotel in Bern, the hotel’s luxury is renowned, as is its statesmanlike discretion, making it a natural host for world leaders. During WWII, Bellevue Palace was the picture of political neutrality, as was its famed restaurant, La Terasse, serving guests from Axis nations meeting in one half of the restaurant, and those from the Allied Powers in the other. (more…)
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picasso profusion
Got a passion for Picasso? Not everyone has $106.5 million burning a hole in his pocket – which is the going price for a Picasso these days. Quell your art envy with help from The Victoria-Jungfrau Collection. Switzerland is hosting two upcoming exhibitions devoted to Pablo, brimming with priceless oeuvres. With the Art & Culture package at the Bellevue Palace in Berne, art lovers get a bubbling flute of champagne upon arrival, a sumptuous breakfast buffet in the morning, a four-course dinner at La Terrasse, and admission to the Paul Klee Zentrum to see the Klee Meets Picasso in Berne exhibition. (The exhibition runs from June 6-September 26.) Starting October 15, a Pablo Picasso Retrospective will grace the city of Zurich. With the City Break package at Eden au Lac, guests get two nights in a deluxe double room overlooking Lake Zurich, complimentary breakfast, a four-course dinner at Restaurant Eden, and plenty of time to peruse those Picassos.
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bern baby bern
As anyone who has ever gone to Art Basel (the Swiss original, not the Miami offshoot) knows, finding a decent hotel room is next to impossible. The good hotels are spoken for months in advance, leaving auction house and gallery assistants scrambling. However, the well hasn’t run completely dry: capitalize on Switzerland’s stunningly efficient national rail system and consider staying in a nearby town like Bern, a quick one-hour ride to the center of Basel. The only five-star hotel in the Swiss capital of Bern, the Bellevue Palace, is certainly worth the short trip.
Not to mention, Bern is an infinitely more charming place to wake up in each morning. The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with medieval streets full of kooky boutiques (Gothic gear, handmade wooden toys, avant-garde kitchen items) set against a backdrop of the River Aare and a perfectly Swiss alpine landscape. The hotel sits next to the Swiss Parliament, and some say that more decisions are made over lunch on the Bellevue Palace terrace than in the halls of its more official neighbor. For more information on the Bellevue Palace, visit www.bellevue-palace.ch/en.
AMPR Calendar: 2009 Fairs in Basel: BaselWorld, Watch and Jewelry Show – March 26 through April 2, 2009 / Art Basel – June 10-14, 2009 / Basel Wine Fair – October 24 through November 1, 2009
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go now: bern, switzerland
An art aficionado, or just like to ‘see and be seen’ at the original Art Basel and other fairs in that admittedly less-than-fair city? Why not do as the Swiss do and stay at the elegant Bellevue Palace in Switzerland’s capital city of Bern. The train station is a 5-minute walk from the hotel, and the train ride to Basel is short and lovely. In Bern, shop in the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or visit the Paul Klee Center, a Renzo Piano-designed homage to the Swiss native in the countryside.
Hot off the press: rumor has it that French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his glam new wife, model and chanteuse Carla Bruni, have booked “a whole floor” of the Bellevue Palace for the upcoming World Cup C Match between France and Italy. May we suggest a little… romance? (more…)
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amuse-bouches: from the terrace to the skies
From May 28 through August 26, first and business class passengers on Lufthansa flights from Switzerland are in for a treat, beyond all that enviable leg room. They will be treated to the cuisine of Gregor Zimmermann, executive chef at the Bellevue Palace in Bern. Dinner onboard, for example, will begin with amuse-bouches, including crêpe rolls with salmon trout and fennel. Zimmerman’s food is beloved in Bern and has garnered him 16 Gault Millau points. Our travel tip? Relax on the restaurant La Terrasse before boarding your flight to soak in all that fresh Swiss air. The al fresco cafe is the best perch in town for people-watching all the dignitaries who stop in for a meal and meet-and-greet when passing through the Swiss capital.
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greening up around the world
As being “green” has evolved from the hot new trend into a conscientious way of life, the luxury travel industry has followed suit.Hotels across the globe have moved beyond posting “Please Conserve Water” bathroom signs to embracing programs, practices, and products that are both eco-friendly and socially responsible. (more…)
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