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spotlight on sue harmsworth
Today is International Women’s Day and it’s very clear that Mother Nature has been notified as it is the most gorgeous spring day here in New York City – finally!
It’s also a very appropriate day to recognize strong independent females, like Sue Harmsworth, the CEO and founder of the global spa company ESPA International. Sue has been working in the spa industry for over 40 years and has consulted on nearly 200 spas in over 60 countries worldwide since she started ESPA in 1993 – quite the accomplishment!
Here is a little advice and insight from Ms. Harmsworth for all women to absorb and consider: “I have a very female workforce globally and try to mentor them in how to deal with the stress of modern life. I believe that if you are straight with people it is much easier in the long run. The world is very small and any attempt to cover up will always be found out. If you don’t know something, don’t pretend that you do. Respect other cultures and don’t think our way is the best. Be open to new ideas and people who know better. We never stop learning; I learn something new every day. Have a curiosity about everything and everybody and be aware of everything around you. Assume nothing, what you say is often heard in a different way. Believe in yourself, many people can achieve great things.”
Right on, Sue, and Happy International Women’s Day!
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nantucket film festival has the golden (oscar) touch
The Academy Awards will be presented in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 7. But did you know the road to this year’s Oscars actually started at the Nantucket Film Festival?
Three Oscar nominated films, The Hurt Locker, The Messenger, and The Cove, all screened at the 2009 Nantucket Film Festival. Together, they have collectively garnered 12 Academy Award nominations.
Wait! There’s more! Nantucket Film Festival alumni of previous years are also nominated for Academy Awards.
Lee Daniels (Film Festival Alum 2007) is nominated for Best Director and Best Picture, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire.
Jason Reitman (Film Festival Alum from 2000-2001) is nominated for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay (co-written with Sheldon Turner), and Best Picture, Up in the Air.
Stanley Tucci (Film Festival Alum 2001) is nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, The Lovely Bones.
Celeb spotting during last year’s Festival included Ben Stiller, Meg Ryan, Ben Foster, Harold Ramis (a.ka. Egon from Ghostbusters), Kathryn Bigelow, Cheryl Hines, Paul Giamatti, Fisher Stevens, Peter and Bobby Farrelly, Lily Taylor, NBC’s Brian Williams and Chris Matthews, husband-and wife-duo (and part-time Nantucket residents) Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, and director, John Hamburg.
This year, the 15th Annual Nantucket Film Festival will take place June 17-20, 2010, and will be filled with parties, screenings, discussion panels, awards, and more.
Stayed tuned to learn how one lucky couple can win a VIP Trip to the 2010 Film Festival and The Wauwinet!
For more information on the 2010 Nantucket Film Festival please visit http://nantucketfilmfestival.org/
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nutritious nantucket
Nantucket was just named the healthiest county in Massachusetts according to a new report released this week by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. With all that the island has to offer, this is certainly no surprise to us!
Biking
Nantucket’s small size, flat terrain, and scenic beauty provide an ideal environment for bicycling. There are over 30 miles of bicycle paths on the island. Island bike paths are separated from the adjacent roadways, provide convenient access to many areas of the island, and are an enjoyable way to explore the entire island and closely view its natural beauty.
Yoga
Yoga on the Beach is held each morning (except Sundays) at 7 a.m. on Children’s Beach. Islanders and guests can achieve their personal Zen while watching the sun rise over the beautiful waters of Nantucket.
Fresh, Local Cuisine
You will not find a fast-food chain on Nantucket. However, what you will find are remarkable restaurants offering fresh and local ingredients.
Bartlett’s Farm has a plethora of good eats and its newly-expanded farm market is an easy swing-by to or from a number of the ocean beaches. While there, choose from ready-made salads and ogle the vast amounts of fresh produce, herbs, and beautiful plants grown on the surrounding acres. Saturday food tastings and garden classes are available for those who want to dig deeper
The Wauwinet has answered your prayers (and your rumbling stomachs) with TOPPER’S restaurant now serving their infamous breakfast to all of Nantucket! Their new European-inspired Continental breakfast menu includes Wauwinet granola and yogurt, freshly squeezed juices, and more!
Brant Point Grill at the White Elephant’s raw bar offers a creative twist to the old world oyster bar with oysters, fresh catches of the day, and various combinations of delectable lobster dishes.
Stress-free Relaxation
Simply basking in the natural beauty of the island can be incredibly restorative. Walking the miles of beach can be an amazing energy rejuvenator (not to mention great for the legs!) as crashing waves boost the mood and relax the mind. For those seeking a more concentrated dose of serenity the White Elephant Spa serves as the perfect location to release tension and return to equilibrium.
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maldives gone wild
The 2010 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition has drawn in one of the publication’s highest number of site visitors ever. And we’re not surprised: Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa is looking pretty sexy on the cover! With snapshots of ultrafine sand, crystalline waters, and luxe overwater suites at both the Dhigu and Naladhu properties – well frankly, the photos leave us a little breathless.
(Ok, so maybe bikini-clad models Brooklyn Decker, Bar Rafaeli, Dominique Piek, and Christine Teigen posing on these enchanting Maldives beaches had something to do with the issue’s popularity, too).
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santa fe by day, inn on the alameda by night
Santa Fe’s authentic small hotel, Inn on the Alameda, could not agree more with Henry Shukman’s thoughts on New Mexico’s capital city! Nestled between historic Santa Fe Plaza and Canyon Road art galleries, the inn provides an ideal and enchanting central location for strolling the streets of Santa Fe.
Run, don’t walk, to explore this fascinating, all-season destination and discover that ‘something’ that only a personal experience can unveil. Click here to read Mr. Shukman’s full article from The New York Times!
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t+l 500: world’s best hotels 2010
It’s time for champagne popping (and not because New Year’s Eve is just around the corner). Travel + Leisure magazine has doled out its annual T+L 500 awards to the top hotels across the globe. And with three of our properties in the top 50 and 14 listed overall, we feel a little bit like celebrating. Check out the ones that made the cut:
Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa (#37 in the World)
Anantara Golden Triangle Resort & Spa
Anantara Koh Samui Resort & Spa (now Anantara Bophut Resort & Spa)
Palacio Duhau, Park Hyatt Buenos Aires (#11 in the World and #1 in South America)
Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort & Spa
Rosewood Mayakobá (#18 in the World and #1 in Mexico)
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turquoise in 2010
The Pantone Color Institute®, the acknowledged international standard-setter for color, has announced that turquoise is its color of the year for 2010, describing it as “an inviting, luminous hue.”
“In many cultures, turquoise occupies a very special position in the world of color,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “It is believed to be a protective talisman, a color of deep compassion and healing, and a color of faith and truth, inspired by water and sky. Through years of color word-association studies, we also find that Turquoise represents an escape to many – taking them to a tropical paradise that is pleasant and inviting, even if only a fantasy.”
Here is a list of our favorite turquoise fantasies: Dream away!
Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos
White sandy beaches, clear turquoise waters, kaleidoscopic marine life, and flocks of brilliantly plumed tropical birds – no wonder Parrot Cay is where A-listers go to kick off their shoes and escape the world’s zoom lens.
The beautiful view from Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos
Inn on the Alameda, Santa Fe
Nestled in the heart of the city, the Inn on the Alameda is the perfect location from which to discover Santa Fe, the city that is home to beautiful handcrafted Native American turquoise jewelry. Sip on the Inn’s signature drink- a turquoise margarita of course!- while you unwind in the tranquility of the 71 thoughtfully-designed rooms and suites, whose interior spaces, handcrafted finishes, graceful Pueblo-style architecture and authentic southwestern decor capture the timeless essence of New Mexico.
The turquoise margarita is Inn on the Alameda’s signature drink.
Crystal Cruises
Crystal’s signature turquoise seahorse logo is not the only shade of blue to see while cruising the world’s oceans. Escape to blissful tranquility, where gentle trade winds caress the senses and sandy beaches are wrapped in turquoise waters with Crystal’s Caribbean Voyages. Or set sail for the storied Mediterranean where turquoise is the color of the sea, the color in a brilliantly patterned rug in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, or the beautiful color of the sky over Santorini seen from your private verandah.
Crystal’s signature turquoise seahorses logo
Crystal has made the deal even sweeter with 2- for-1 pricing on all itineraries in 2010 as part of the line’s 20th Anniversary promotion. What’s more, free business class or economy air for most sailings, so you can have your cake and eat it, too!
The Maldives, Indian Ocean
Almost everything you see in The Maldives is turquoise, cerulean, and azure, and the three Anantara properties are no different! In the South Malé Atoll, neighboring properties Anantara Dhigu and Anantara Veli offer overwater suites and beachfront villas, so you can take in the views of the surrounding Indian Ocean. Or, check out Naladhu on its private island for the ultimate romantic experience with only 19 beach-facing villas. Lastly, never too early to plan for your upcoming summer vacation! If you find yourself headed to The Maldives, check out the soon-to-be-opened all-suites Anantara Kihavah on Kihavah Huravalhi, one of the most exclusive of all The Maldivian islands (opening July 2010).
Blue-sky view of the Indian Ocean from a room at the new Anantara Kihavah
Cocoa Island’s distant locale, intimate size, and striking surroundings (turquoise as far as the eye can see) impart a Robinson Crusoe feel to the atypical Maldivian getaway. Wake up to an empty horizon from your over-water bungalow at a small private resort designed for those seeking an easygoing, toes-in-the sand experience. The rich, warm turquoise waters and bountiful coral also promise some of the world’s best beaches, snorkeling and diving.
Ariel view of Cocoa Island in the Indian Ocean
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concierge secrets: istanbul
Want to know what and where is hot in Istanbul? Brad Johnson of Modern Luxury checks in with the concierge at Park Hyatt Istanbul–Maçka Palas to find out…
Helene Dubreucq is a concierge at Park Hyatt Istanbul–Maçka Palas, and she is quite possibly the best in the city. She speaks six languages with ease and has the inside track on what’s hip and what’s just posing as such. On a recent visit to the hotel, she saved the day and got us to the airport in world-record time when our original private driver turned out to be a snake oil salesman. The Park Hyatt’s new steakhouse, The Prime, serves the city’s best steak and pours superb, locally sourced wines (who knew?). But when we weren’t eating in the hotel or lounging poolside with a cocktail in hand, Helene totally hooked us up with killer reservations, nightlife suggestions and shopping advice.
So, we’ve come back to Helene to find out what’s on her radar at the moment:
Q: What’s the hottest restaurant in Istanbul right now?
A: Lipsi. It opens only in wintertime, and it’s just a short walk from the hotel. You can enjoy special cocktails made of ”raki” (an anise-flavored local aperitif) in the lounge (red wallpaper, dimly lit, lots of candles). My favorite cocktail is the Rakito. Lipsi has the best mezze in town. The atmosphere is great. Hot, really. (It’s from the same team that owns Topaz, an amazing dinner spot overlooking the Bosporus). The staff makes you feel like you’re at home. The place is designed in a cozy tavern style, and they play live modern Greek and Turkish music on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and Traditional Turkish music on Mondays. On the weekends, you’ll hear the city’s top DJs.
Q: Istanbul is renowned for its leather goods. What’s your favorite shop?
A: We are located in the best neighborhood for shopping. I recommend two leather specialists: Koc, for classical cuts, and Punto, for up-to-date fashion. They are both walking distance to the hotel and offer leather and fur. I like that Punto offers the possibility to create a bespoke handbag to your own specifications.
Q: I’m looking for an authentic, off-the-beaten-path nightlife experience. Where would you send me?
A: You should go to the Asmalimescit district, near the Tünel (subway station), at the very end of 2 km long pedestrian-only Istiklal Avenue, about 15 minutes from the hotel by taxi. This neighborhood is full of life. In the daytime, you love it for its shops and designer galleries. But at night, it comes alive with its countless restaurants and bars, and this is where you can listen to great live music.
Q: I’m a hopeless romantic. Where would you send me for the perfect date night in Istanbul?
A: For the perfect date, I would advise Mikla Restaurant, which offers amazing modern Turkish cuisine. It’s perched on the top of the Marmara Pera hotel, and the view of the Golden Horn overlooking the Marmara Sea is breathtaking.
Q: I want to experience Istanbul’s art scene and see the work of emerging artists. What gallery or museum should be tops on my list?
A: The Istanbul Modern is located next to the water-pipe cafes on the docks, and it’s a must visit. They currently have a very important exhibition of emerging artists. And you can have a great lunch at the museum, with a great view of the Bosporus. Also, Proje 4L/Elgiz is a private collection museum that’s worth a look. For galleries, you should consider X-ist, 44A and Mac Gallery. All promote the brightest new talent, and all are within walking distance from the hotel.
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another top rating for crystal cruises
And the surveys say: Crystal Cruises is the favorite of readers worldwide! Not only an unprecedented 16th straight “best large ship line” from Travel + Leisure and a 14th straight “world’s best” from Conde Nast Traveler, but in the inaugural cruise survey by the esteemed Zagat’s readers, Crystal Cruises was their “favorite” among mid-sized ships. The ultra-luxury line was also the winner for Top Facilities and Top Activities.
See for yourself at www.crystalcruises.com.
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