T R U T H I N T R AV E L J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 4

The Worlds Best Hotels

Gold List
Its the golden hour at the
Castello di Casole in Tuscany. For more
dream-worthy hotels, see page 65.
From California to Thailand,
the places you ll fall in love with this year
CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM
YOUR DAILY TRAVEL INTELLIGENCE



The steaming
geothermal hot springs
of Icelands Blue
Lagoon. See Water
Worlds, page 106.
I NCORPORATI NG EUROPEAN TRAVEL & LI FE / PRI NTED I N THE U. S. A.
AFRICA
Tunisias
Time
Despite the recent
upheaval, Tunisia is
experiencing a surge of
optimism and opportunity
all too rare in North Africa.
JOSHUA HAMMER heads
to the one Arab Spring
nation that started it all
and just might emerge as
a success story.
88
UNITED STATES
The Paper
Chase
Sometimes the best
journeys are all about
indulging your passions.
MARIA SHOLLENBARGER
reports on two Manhattan-
based artists road trip
into the far corners of the
American heartland.
100
WORLDWIDE
Water
Worlds
Our photo portfolio of
six spectacular bodies of
waterfrom the jungles
of Bali to Icelandic lava
fieldsreminds us
why swimming is so
sublime . . . especially
in the dead of winter.
106
ENGLAND
Keep Calm
and Cook On
Until recently, the phrase
English food was enough
to provoke mockery and
derisionbut no longer.
GULLY WELLS dishes with
some of the countrys
finest chefs and learns
that Englands newfound
culinary excellence has
some very old roots.
118
Cond Nast Traveler
Contents
Jan
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Cond Nast Traveler
Contents
DEPARTMENTS
12 Cond Nast
Traveler Digital
Te latest on our
Web site and in
our digital edition.
14 Insta-Inspiration
Editor in chief
Pilar Guzmn on
travel planning in
the new year.
16 Contributors
24 Your Turn
Toughts on solo
travel and the Villa
dEste.
65 The 2014 Gold
List Our annual
roundup of the
worlds very best
hotels, resorts,
and cruise lines.
124 Where Are You?
On top of the
world.
132 Room with a View
Te Biltmore, Coral
Gables, Florida.
THE INFORMER
45 New Beginnings
A detox guide to
OjaiCalifornias
capital of wellness.
51 The Perrin Report
Finding oases in
an airport desert.
61 Ombudsman
Grounded in San
Francisco, with no
ticket home.
WORD OF MOUTH
27 Caf Amricain
Chef Jody Williams
brings her beloved
New York City caf
Buvette to France.
30 Strap Happy
Te seasons best
sandals for the
beach and beyond.
32 Prep School
New tools and
resources to
ensure a hassle-
free getaway.
34 Travel Resolutions
Arbiters of
fashion, food,
and design tell us
where theyre
traveling in 2014.
Jan
FYI
Made in Italy
Tuscanys Castello di
Casole is a renovated
castle (now 41-suite
hotel) dating back to
the tenth century.
Photograph by Matt
Hranek. See page 65.
FOR YOUR TABLET
Download our digital edition for
interactive features and bonus
content (access is included with
your subscription). Visit
condenasttraveler.com/apps.
34
45
I started my banquet with
a dish called Meat Fruit apparently
a wild success in the best social
circles between the thirteenth and
ffeenth centuries.
Keep Calm and Cook On, page 118
CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM 8 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014




Contents
WHAT A trip through Central
Asia from Turkmenistan to
Kazakhstan, taking in
UNESCO-protected Silk Road
sites, frontier boomtowns,
and wild landscapes.
PERKS A trip to rarely visited
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan;
historian-guided tours
of the storied Uzbek
city of Samarkand;
hunting with eagles in
Kyrgyzstan; and more.
FROM The journey has
been curated by Cond
Nast Travelervetted Central
Asia specialist Zulya
Rajabova.
HOW Download our tablet
edition for the price, full
trip information, and your
access code to purchase.
For details, see condenast
traveler.com/apps.
Cond Nast Traveler Digital
Whats new this month on the Web, tablet, and social media.
GO FOR THE GOLD
The Mandarin Oriental, Prague, one of our
favorite Gold List hotels with a historic pedigree.
From top:
@andreagentls
pic of Delaware
County, New York;
on the road with
@anotherfeather.
CARIBBEAN SPECIAL
Everything you need to
know to plan an island es-
cape this season, from the
best hotels and villas to
the best restaurants and
beachside bars. Plus private
islands, hidden beaches,
and pools worth the trip.
TRAVEL TECH
We pick the hottest gadgets
from Januarys Consumer
Electronics Show, as well
as indispensable apps and
predictions from innova-
tors about how technology
will shape travel this year
and beyond.
Follow us on Instagram
(@condenasttraveler),
where were sharing
dispatches from some
of our favorite
contributors and
photographers. And
be sure to use
#tasteintravel on your
own best travel shots,
for a chance to be
featured too.
NEW YEAR, NEW YOU
Just in time for resolution
season, weve got ideas to
help you kick-start your
2014, including spas to get
you off on the right foot, ten
places to reinvent yourself,
where to go to avoid the
post-holiday blues, and
even hangover cures from
the world over (we know
some habits die hard!).
The CNT Collection
Our monthly trip of a lifetime that you can purchase in one click or callup to
56 percent of retail prices! Available exclusively in our tablet edition.
Exclusively at condenasttraveler.com this month: an in-depth look at the Gold List, our an-
nual collection of the very best hotels, as chosen by you. In addition to the full list of the top
500 properties around the world, well have dream-worthy slide shows of our editors fa-
vorites in different categories: beach resorts, wilderness retreats, hot spots, historic grandes
dames, and more. So whether youre planning your next getaway or just looking for some in-
spiration, this is one you wont want to miss. Also online:
12 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014 CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM


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Editors Letter
at press time, the U.S. State Department
still had a travel warning in place for Tuni-
sia, security experts in the region consider
it one of the safest Arab Spring countries.)
At Cond Nast Traveler, we believe that
passport stamps and miles logged in the
air and on the ground are key metrics to
a life well lived. And so we hope this is-
sue gets you on your computer in search
of cheap ights . . . or at least sends you
down the rabbit hole of some of our favor-
ite bloggers and Instagrammers (see left),
whose pictures of near and far-ung lo-
cales alike have launched at least a dozen
trips among us.
Insta-Inspiration
PILAR GUZMN
EDITOR IN CHIEF
WHILE YOURE RENEWING YOUR VOWS
to eat more kale and less bread in this season
of post-holiday penance, were suggesting
that you make another kind of New Years
resolution: Simply ask yourself where you
want to go in the world, and then take steps
toward planning that trip. Sounds easy
enough, but chances are its been a while
since youve given a globe the proverbial
spin and thought beyond business travel or
set annual vacations that are perhaps gov-
erned less by discovery and more by room
availability during high season. Whether
its a road trip to the Adirondacks or a ten-
day safari, the point is to seek something
out consciouslyand we dont mean the
all-inclusive package you passively agreed
to because you ceded the family reunion
planning to your taskier sister. In Travel
Resolutions (page 34), we asked 11 of our
favorite travelers where they want to go
this year in hopes that we might inspire
you. In some cases, their choices were
driven by a desire to explore their ancestral
history, in others by a longing for clean air
and quiet. You can always nd a good rea-
son not to go on a trip, but you will never
ever regret having gone.
Many of us become so paralyzed in the
planningwe often put too much pressure
on a trip to meet everyones needsthat
we end up running out of time and options.
In Water Worlds (page 106), we give
six of the most gorgeous bodies of water
enough breathing space to transport you
just by looking at them. Whether at a cliff-
side innity pool in Ubud or an outdoor
mineral bath in a lunar landscape near
Reykjavk, the prospect of weightlessness
(with or without drink in hand) is some-
times reason enough to book a trip. And in
the annals of unspoiled gems, Tunisia (page
88), with its Roman ruins, seaside villag-
es, nuanced Mediterranean cuisine, and
sense of political and economic possibility,
bears the imprint of numerous occupying
cultures and civilizations over thousands
of yearsCarthaginian, Roman, Arab, Is-
lamic, and French, to name a few. (While
@wmbrownproject
@julia_chance
@andreagentl
CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM 14 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014


Contributors
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If I return to Britain . . .
I am absolutely determined to go to Heston Blumenthals first
restaurant, the three-Michelin-starred Fat Duck in Bray, where
he perfected his revolutionary approach to cuisine. There are so
many dishes Id love to try, but my number one has to be his
scrambled-egg-and-bacon ice cream served with pain perdu and
tea jelly [1 High St.; 44-1628-5800-333; tasting menu, $315].
Wellss next trip, this winter, will take her to the Canary Islands to
visit her father.
What didnt make it into the story is . . .
How my husband, Russell, caught a fish while we were out on
the Mississippito the total shock of our friend Gaylord, who
thought Russell to be so citified that he wouldnt even know how
to hook a fish.
Schlechter recently photographed Pasta, by Christopher Boswell,
the third in a series of cookbooks from the kitchen at the American
Academy in Rome, and is currently working on a series of photo-
graphs of New Yorkers and the books in their apartments.
Gully Wells
BASED IN: New York
REPORTED FROM: Britain for Keep Calm and Cook On, p. 118
At the Blue Hill Inn, near Acadia
National Park, in Maineit dates
back to 1835 and has only 11
rooms. I chose one with a wood-
burning fireplace, and it had
a four-poster bed so high off the
floor that you had to climb little
steps to reach the divinely com-
fortable mattress and the puffi-
est duvet Ive ever snuggled
under. Heaven [207-374-2844;
doubles from $175]. G. W.
Probably the Kenoa Resort, in
Barra de So Miguel, Brazil.
Every time I left the room, some-
one would immediately straight-
en up after me. It was very
attentive service, but I never
actually saw them come in so
it started to get a bit weird after
a few days [55-82-3272-1285;
doubles from $580]. D. L.
There have been many, but
on this particular trip, we flew
out to Iowa City and stayed
at the 1913 gambrel-roofed
Brown Street Inn. Its a friendly
place where they bake cookies
daily and leave them out for
guests, making the house par-
ticularly cozy [319-338-0435;
doubles from $95]. A. S.
At the Peponi Hotel, on the is-
land of Lamu, off the northeast
coast of Kenya. Its a dozen
bungalows with 29 rooms on
a pristine expanse of white sand
beach lined with palm groves,
on a calm channel facing the
Indian Ocean [254-722-203082;
doubles from $296]. J. H.
WHAT WAS YOUR MOST
MEMORABLE HOTEL STAY?
Annie Schlechter
BASED IN: New York
PHOTOGRAPHED: Cities across North America for The Paper
Chase, p. 100
The most remarkable meal I had while reporting this story was . . .
Supper at Dar Boumakhlouf, a new bed-and-breakfast in El Kef,
a historic town in northwestern Tunisia. The hostess served a
wonderful couscous with almonds, dates, and lamb as she told
us about the towns history and its singular cuisine [13 rue
Kheireddine Becha; 216-53-784-379; doubles from $138; dinner
from $21].
Hammer is currently working on a book about Al Qaeda in northern
Africa, tentatively titled Taking Timbuktu.
Joshua Hammer
BASED IN: Berlin
REPORTED FROM: Northern Africa for Tunisias Time, p. 88
What didnt make it into the story is . . .
The delicious pixie tangerines that are found only in the Ojai
Valley. The area is full of citrus trees with all sorts of unusual types
of fruits. It just happened to be between seasons so I wasnt able to
get any to bring home.
Lauridsen lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two daughters. His
photographs frequently appear in Inc., Southwest Spirit, and Sunset
magazines. Follow him on Twitter @dlauridsen.
Dave Lauridsen
BASED IN: Los Angeles
PHOTOGRAPHED: Ojai, California, for New Beginnings, p. 45
16 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014 CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM



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Twitter @CNTraveler, or e-mail us at letters@condenasttraveler.com.
Your Turn
Maiden Voyage q In our special report
on travel safety concerns for women,
Traveler or Target? (October 2013),
Istanbul- based correspondent Suzy Hansen
examined why some destinations seem
riskier than others, and globe-trotting pho-
tographer Tai Power Seeff shared tried-
and-true tips on how staying safe neednt
mean staying home. Readers responded
with their own stories of the pleasures and
pitfalls of going it alone.
q Donna Harshman writes, As a female
solo traveler who has been to more than 35
countries, my negative experiences have
been few and far between. Traveling alone
as a woman is a joy and a freedom as long as
common sense is practiced.
q Online commenter cej18nyc writes,
Great advice! Ive traveled solo for many
years to the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle
East, South America, Canada, and through-
out the United States. Te two worst inci-
dents I encountereda stolen purse when
in the company of my husband, and two
men stalking me for many blocks at night
until I found a policeman on the street
both happened in Paris, of all places. Tere
is no such thing as a safe placeyou make
your own safety.
La Dolce Vita q Sure, the room is nice,
but what really struck readers about the
photo of Italys legendary Villa dEste
(Room with a View, October 2013) was on
the other side of the curtains.
q Any view of Lake Como is stunningits
the most beautiful lake Ive ever seen.
Pat Kephart
q We celebrated our fortieth wedding an-
niversary on Lake Como this May and had
the exact same view from our room (at the
Hotel Florence Bellagio, for a fraction of
the price). One night we ran to our balcony
to see reworks and listen to the music of
Andrea Botticelli blasting from a barge
on the lake. It was the highlight of our trip!
Patty Bono
q Lake Como is nice . . . but Lake Geneva
blows it away. Rick Elezi
Corrections q An editing error in
My Big Safari Surprise (October 2013)
has author Michela Wrong suggesting that
wildlife in Kenya are best protected by
the bans on hunting and culling popular
with Western conservation groups, rather
than by making sure they have value for
the landowners whose territory they stray
onto. Te sentence should have read:
It is in the private sector that the most
encouraging changes in Kenya are taking
place, as ranch owners, farmers, and pas-
toralist communities together discover
reasons for nurturing what had come
in part thanks to legal bans on hunting
and culling popular with Western-funded
conservation groupsto be seen as
disease- bearing, cattle-eating, fence-
attening, water-hogging pests.
In You Go Girl! the sidebar accompa-
nying Traveler or Target? (October
2013), Isabel Weiner says that she always
carries a mini pepper spray when she trav-
els, but reader Regina J. Elliott correctly
points out that pepper spray is illegal in
many countries, including the United
Kingdom, and that even if an airline in the
United States allows you to bring spray
aboard, you may be detained or denied en-
try at your destination.
MISSED IT THE FIRST TIME? The articles to which these letters refer are available online at condenasttraveler.com.
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Lake Como, the
view that launched a
thousand trips.
WHERE ARE YOU?
NOVEMBER ANSWER
Guangzhou Opera
House, Guangzhou,
China.
SEPTEMBER WINNER
Kenneth Gilbert
of Hingham,
Massachusetts, whose
entry was drawn at
random from 5,021
correct responses
(out of a total of
5,972an accuracy
rate of 84 percent).
TO PLAY
this months contest,
turn to page 124.
CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM 24 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014







WORD OF MOUTH
WHAT TO SEE, DO, BUY, EAT & KNOW NOW
CAF
AMRICAIN
Buvette, the ultra-charming new caf in
Pariss ninth arrondissement, may
seem a prototypical French haunt . . . but
its actually run by a native Californian,
Jody Williams. The restaurant is
the sister establishment to Williamss
more-French-than-the-French place of
the same name in Manhattan.
For more on her new Paris outpost,
see page 28.
PHOTOGRAPH BY NICOLE FRANZEN JANUARY 2014 COND NAST TRAVELER 27

Word of Mouth
P
H
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B
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In French, the word
buvette describes
a laid-back place to
eat or drink no mat-
ter the time of day.
Its also precisely
the sort of estab-
lishment chef Jody
Williams has a
knack for creating.
When she opened
Buvette, her French
mini-bistro in
Manhattans West
Village in 2010, it
instantly charmed
seen-it-all locals
with its unabashed
embrace of classic
French iconogra-
phy and comfort
food, from silver
cake stands
topped with ptis-
series to a small-
plates menu big on
tartinettes and
croques mon-
sieurs. Recently,
the American chef
and lifelong Fran-
cophile opened a
second bistro, in
the Quartier Pigalle
in Pariss ninth ar-
rondissement.
This Buvette is
grounded in old
thingsold tables
and chairs, old mu-
sicdown to the
dishes we serve,
says the northern
California native,
whose cookbook,
Buvette: The Plea-
sure of Good Food,
will be out this
spring. Its made
for a lazy lunch or a
drop-in dinner.
The caf is a near
replica of its state-
side sibling, with
An American
in Paris
1. Dishes from nearby antiques shops line the shelves
of Buvette in Paris. The capers, wines, and jams are
sourced from throughout France. 2. Chef Jody Williams.
3. Pastries and tins of fresh herbs top the long white
marble bar, which is reminiscent of Buvettes original
New York City location.
the same pressed-
tin ceilings, brick
walls, and marble
bar lined with mis-
matched Toledo
stools. And the
menus just as
homey. No wonder,
then, that Wil-
liamss neighbors
in Pigalle have
already embraced
Buvette as their
cozy local spot . . .
just as shed hoped
they would (28 rue
Henri Monnier).

FOR CHEF JODY WILLIAMSS FAVORITE SHOPS IN

PARIS, DOWNLOAD OUR DIGITAL EDITION OR VISIT
CONDE NAST TRAVELER .COM /SHOPPING-STYLE.
CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM 28 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014


Strap Happy
Leave the ip-ops at home. With their
bright pops of color and touches of
texture, this seasons sandals are as fabulous
poolside as they are after sundown.
1. Felicity sandal in Peruvian
silk by Tabitha Simmons
(tabithasimmons.com; $695).
2. Black-and-white woven
leather Rebecca Minkoff
sandal (212-677-7829; $250).
3. Leather Shako sandal by
Rupert Sanderson
(footcandyshoes.com; $865).
4. Nicholas Kirkwood
turquoise and nude calf-
leather flat sandal (Nicholas
Kirkwood, N.Y.C.; $495).
1
4
3
2
S
T
Y
L
E
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B
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R
A
N
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B
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O
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H
A
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I
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Word of Mouth
PHOTOGRAPH BY GREG VORE 30 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014


Word of Mouth
B
O
T
T
O
M

L
E
F
T
:

P
H
O
T
O
G
R
A
P
H

B
Y

L
E
O
N
A
R
D
O

N
A
K
A
S
H
I
M
A
This new vacation-home
rental service was inspired
by founder Zoie Kingsbery
Coes need to find truly kid-
friendly properties around
the world (shes a mother of
two). So every home fea-
tured in the sites roster of
28 destinations world-
widefrom a chalet in the
Swiss Alps to a stone cot-
tage in Francemeets the
companys safety standards
and is roomy enough for
families big and small (no
pullout sofas required).
Homes also come with a list
of nearby family-friendly ac-
tivities and destinations, in-
cluding restaurants where
waiters wont roll their eyes
when you request a high
chair (kidandcoe.com; rent-
als from $105 per night).
Unlike traditional guidebooks that list the
same old must-see sights and touristed
neighborhoods, this new series gets at the
soul of a city. In the Nashville edition, youll
find top live-music venues as chosen by lo-
cal songwriters, and in the Austin guide, an
interview with a neon-sign maker. The books
are crammed with idiosyncratic best-of lists
(finest swimming hole near San Francisco:
the Ink Well in West Marin), personal essays,
and bits of local trivia. The San Francisco
edition was just released, and New Orleans,
Brooklyn, Detroit, and Charleston will follow
this year (wildsam.com; $17).
Our senior editor Lindsay
Talbot swears by this
organizing app. From its
pre-set packing index,
check off all the stuff you
want to bring (shoes,
shirts, gadgets), then type
in specics like colors and
brands so you know
exactly which bikini to
grab (once packed, tap the
item to hide it so you only
see whats still needed).
You can even set
reminders so youll never
forget your phone charger
again (iTunes; $2).
Three essential pre-vacation resources that tackle the minutiae
of travel . . . so you dont have to.
Prep School
THE WEB SITE
Kid & Coe
THE APP
Travel List
THE BOOK
Wildsam Field Guides
Kid & Coe can
arrange nanny
services as part of
your stay at this five-
bedroom house in
San Franciscos
Marina District.
CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM 32 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014




Word of Mouth
Theres no better way to ring in 2014and your freshly replenished supply of
vacation daysthan by planning your next big getaway. To inspire you, we asked a few
modern-day explorers where theyre longing to go in the months ahead.
Travel Resolutions
Id love to take Ken Keseys novel Sometimes
a Great Notion and head to the southern
Oregon Coast. Its perfect reading country:
quiet, stunning, and off the beaten path.
Foster Huntington, co-founder of travel
blog arestlesstransplant.com
1
At the end of a trail leading to Agios Sostis
Beach on Mykonos is Kikis Taverna, a shack
of a restaurant serving simple, rustic food
like grilled seafood and salads. I have
beautiful memories of my family laughing
and eating there for hours. Id love to return
this summer.
Athena Calderone, creator of food and
design Web site eye-swoon.com
2
I want to visit the Douro River Valley in
Portugal. Some of the best wines hail from
this region, and its about an hour away from
where my family is originally from.
George Mendes, executive chef of Aldea in
New York City
3
1
2
3
34 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014 CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM


Word of Mouth
I hear that Ibiza is having a resurgence.
I love the Mediterranean culture, but I
havent been there in years, so Im excited
to see whats going on. Its such a
beautiful island.
Eric Ripert, chef and co-owner of Le
Bernardin in New York City
4
I work with two women from New
Zealand who have turned me on to the
country in a big way. Im really interested
in exploring what seems like virgin
territory in terms of design. Theres so
much raw material and talent to discover
in such a powerful, beautiful setting.
Ambra Medda, creative director and
co-founder of design Web site
larcobaleno.com
5
Im longing for the woods, pristine air,
and a little peace and quiet. Walloon
Lake in northern Michigan, where Ernest
Hemingway had a childhood cottage,
absolutely fits the bill.
Bridget Russo, director of marketing at
Shinola, the Detroit-based watch, bicycle,
and leather goods company
6
My father was Armenian, so Id like to
experience Armenia and that part of my
familys history. Ive heard that the food in
Yerevan, the capital, is amazing.
John Derian, designer and founder of
John Derian Company
7
4
5
7
6
38 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014 CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM


Word of Mouth
Ive fallen in love with Scandinavia. It has
great food, interesting wine, and friendly,
gorgeous people riding bikes everywhere.
Id particularly like to experience the bike-
through cafs in Malm, Sweden.
Lorenzo Martone, founder of New York
based bicycle brand Martone Cycling Co.
Last year I made a quick trip to Istanbul by
myself, but I want to return with my family
for a longer stay. Id spend afternoons
researching designs and fabrics at the citys
colorful bazaars, and since my son loves to
sketch, Id like to see his take on the old
architecture and lit-up skyline.
Clare Vivier, founder of Los Angeles
based accessories brand Clare Vivier
Im ready for a Texas road trip. Friends of
mine went to Marfa and stayed at the
Thunderbird Hotel and loved it. In the
meantime, Ill get my Texas fix by
rewatching the fifties movie Giant,
starring James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor.
Jane Smillie, co-founder of U.K.based
map producer Herb Lester Associates
I want to see Neolithic sites, eat
smoked haddock, and stay in cozy
Highland villages like Torridon, which
Im told has one of the best Scotch
whisky bars in the world.
David Moltz, co-founder of Brooklyn-
based fragrance company D.S. & Durga
8
9
10
11
8
9
10
11
FOR MORE TRAVEL
RESOLUTIONS DOWNLOAD
OUR DIGITAL EDITION OR
VISIT CONDENAST
TRAVELER.COM/WOM.
40 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014 CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM





PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAVE LAURIDSEN
The Herb Garden
Pool at the Ojai
Valley Inn & Spa,
where the air
is perfumed with
rosemary and
lavender.
THE INFORMER
NEW BEGINNINGS
The Ojai Valley is Californias own Shangri-la, where a commitment to good health and a laid-back vibe
have drawn wellness-seekers for decades. Where better, then, to kick off the new year.
JANUARY 2014 COND NAST TRAVELER 45

Te Informer
AT FIRST GLANCE, Ojai has all the iconic imag-
ery of Southern California: an endless expanse of
blue sky, palm-fringed streets lined with white-
washed, red-tiled Spanish Revival architecture,
yoga studios, a mild climate, and acres of citrus
and avocado orchards. But what really distin-
guishes this village of 8,000 is the SoCal staples
it lacks, including smog, trac, crowds . . . and
Starbucks (the local government has banned cor-
porate chains). Here, what youre left with is a
dream of West Coast healthy living, a place where
the bohemian romance of the 1960s never soured,
where daily hikes are the norm, and where or-
ganic and holistic arent mere marketing buzz-
words but expressions of an ingrained way of life.
So theres nowhere better to go for a beginning-
of-the-year getaway thats sure to jump-start
2014 as your healthiest (and calmest) yet. All you
need is our insiders guide to the best of Ojai.
HOW TO GET THERE
Fifteen miles inland from the Pacic Ocean, Ojai
is an easy 90-minute drive north of Los Ange-
les. Otherwise, Santa Barbaras airport (40 miles
northwest) serves Denver, Portland, San Fran-
cisco, and Seattle.
WHERE TO STAY
Te air around the 308-room Ojai Valley Inn
& Spa is perfumed with rosemary and laven-
The sunset view over the Ojai Valley from Meditation Mount, a nonprofit meditation center set amid acres of gardens
(left); tableside at the resorts Caf Verde, where you should order the vegan spring rolls.
der, which grow everywhere on the 200-acre
property. The spa uses healing techniques of
the Chumash Native American tribe (the val-
leys rst settlers), and the treatments incor-
porate cleansing desert clays and essential
oils. For some post-holiday purification, try
the Ayurvedic Detox Body Treatment, which
promises to strengthen immunity and elimi-
nate stress through an herbal body mask thats
made with cardamom and sandalwood. Ten
get physical by taking an outdoor hatha yoga
or Pilates class before sitting down to pressed
organic green juice and vegan spring rolls at the
spas Caf Verde (805-646-1111; doubles from
$450; entres from $15; spa treatments from
$160).
WHERE TO EAT
Strictly organic, the Farmer and the Cook is the
go-to spot for Ojais health-conscious contin-
gent (i.e., everyone), where the husband-and-
wife team of Steve Sprinkel (hes the farmer)
and Olivia Chase (shes the cook) grow all their
produce on their 15-acre farm. But dont come
here just for the health benetsthe food is de-
licious, much of it with a Mexican bent. Try the
raw tacossun-dried tomato and chipotle
with cashew cream wrapped in a cabbage leaf
shell (339 W. El Roblar Dr.; 805-640-9608;
entres from $10).
THE ROAD TO
WELLNESS
If Ojais too far afield,
never fear: You can still
kick off the new year
right with one of these
clean-living getaways.
FROM THE EAST
Its easy to be a glutton
in New York City, where
theres a bar or amazing
restaurant on every
corner. But youll also
find some of the best
urban health escapes
in the world, such as
TriBeCas Aire Ancient
Baths, a soaring, can-
dlelit subterranean spa
that makes you forget
all about the Manhattan
bustle. The bath and
46 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014 CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM


Te Informer
WHERE TO SHOP
Time your trip to experience the Ojai Certied
Farmers Market, a lively, block-party-like out-
door event held Sundays from 9 .. to 1 ..
year-round just off the Arcade (along Ojai Av-
enue, the towns main drag). Te goodies and
vendors include local specialists Ojai Olive Oil
and organic honey from Ojai Valley Bee Farm
(300 E. Matilija St.).
WHAT TO DO
Hiking is almost a religion here, so dont leave
without hitting one of the 24 paths that wind
through the hills and canyons. Te most popular
route is the Shelf Road Trail, for the lovely set-
ting (partly lined with tangerine trees) and the
modest diculty levelits mostly at and just a
half-mile long. First-time visitors might consid-
er using a guide (as some of the trails are poorly
marked) from Trails by Potter, which offers
hikes, bike rides, and rock climbing excursions
(hikingojai.com). For something more spiri-
tual, head up to Meditation Mount, a nonprot
meditation center consisting of ve temple-like
buildings amid 32 acres of gardens. Come at
sunset to witness Ojais famed pink moment,
when the entire valley is bathed in a magical
rosy hue (meditation mount.org). JOHN WOGAN
Clockwise from top: Sunlight filters through the Peace Portal, a gateway to one of Meditation Mounts many gardens;
the organic kale Caesar salad at the Farmer and the Cook; the Shelf Road Trail, popular with hikers and cyclists.
yoga treatment pack-
age includes a 30-min-
ute vinyasa session and
dips in three pools
from cold to steaming
hotwhich are meant
to improve circulation
(212-274-3777; treat-
ments from $75).
FROM THE SOUTH
It may be one of the
fashion crowds favor-
ite vacation spots, but
Tulum, Mexico (an
hour-and-a-half drive
south of Cancns
airport), is also home to
a tough-as-nails fitness
retreat. Amansalas Bi-
kini Bootcamp offers a
daily regimen of cardio
circuit training, ab
workouts, yoga, and
salsa or African dance
classesall on the
beach or in open-air
studios next to the
aquamarine sea. There
are also bike rides to
explore the Mayan
ruins (bikinibootcamp
.com; weeklong boot
camp from $1,875 per
person, all-inclusive).
FROM THE WEST
Skiers not content with
just hitting the slopes
can head to Jackson
Hole, Wyoming, for
a holistic health week-
end. The town has a
progressive bent,
evidenced by the plen-
itude of yoga and
Pilates studios. This
winter, theyre joined
by something called
the Mindful Ski Camp,
hosted by Teton
Mountain Lodge.
Dharma talks and med-
itation sessions are
led by Buddhist teach-
ers . . . all to get you
focused before you
begin your downhill
runs (800-450-0477;
two-night ski camp
from $985 per person,
including lift ticket
and lodging). J. W.
DOWNLOAD OUR DIGITAL
EDITION FOR A SLIDE
SHOW OF ADDITIONAL
PHOTOGRAPHS OF OJAI,
OR VISIT CONDENAST
TRAVELER.COM.
48 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014 CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM



Te Informer
Secrets every smart traveler should know.
BY WENDY PERRIN
THE PERRIN REPORT
GOT QUESTIONS FOR
WENDY OR YOUR OWN
TIPS TO SHARE? E-MAIL
HER AT WENDY@
CONDENASTTRAVELER
.COM. YOULL FIND
MORE TIPSAND PHOTOS
OF OUR FAVORITE NEW
AIRPORT LOUNGESAT
PERRINPOST.COM.
AIRSPACE LOUNGE
LOCATIONS JFK, Cleveland, and Baltimore/
Washington International.
PERKS Power outlets at every seat, food, drinks,
free printing and scanning; at JFK, showers.
PRICE $20 to $35 a day.
CHICAGO (OHARE):
TERMINAL 2S UNITED CLUB
The first of the sleek new
lounges United is introducing,
it has 13,300 square feet
of seating comfy enough to
snooze in, and the back wall
is floor-to-ceiling glass, which
means lots of natural light.
Open to all for $50 a day.
DALLAS/FORT WORTH:
CENTURION LOUNGE
It has shower suites, gourmet
food, tablets, Samsung Smart
TVs, a playroom, and a spa
with free 15-minute massages.
Open to AmEx cardholders
for $50 a day; free for AmEx
Platinum and Centurion
cardholders and their family
or up to two guests.
LAS VEGAS:
CENTURION LOUNGE
Same amenities as at DFW,
minus the spa. Come
July, San Francisco will have
a Centurion Lounge too.
LOS ANGELES (LAX):
STAR ALLIANCE LOUNGE
There are shower suites,
iPads, and a terrace with a
waterfall and fire pits. Open
only to those with Star
Alliance Gold status or who
are flying internationally in
first or business class.
Otherwise, the ReLAX Lounge
is open to all for $50 a day.
NEW YORK (JFK): DELTA
SKY CLUB
The 24,000-square-foot
space includes shower suites,
50 workstations, a terrace,
and free cocktails. Open to all
for $50 a day.
My Top Picks in Major U.S. Hubs
Terminal Bliss
TIS THE SEASON when winter weather strands us in airports, but theres good news: More
and more VIP lounges have been popping up, providing an oasis of peace, comfort, and nour-
ishmentto anyone ying any airlinefor a daily fee of $20 to $50. Airline-aliated lounges
sell day passes too, of course (entry to American, Delta, and United clubs costs $50 a day).
Tese offer the signicant advantage of priority assistance with rebooking when a storm
cancels your ight, a much shorter line for help, and more resourceful agents than in the
concourse. Here are some of the best havens in the busiest airports across the United States.
Must-Have App
With the growing number
of airport refuges comes a
new tool for finding the
closest one and sussing
out whether its worth
the splurge. The free
LoungeBuddy iPhone app
points you to hundreds of
lounges worldwide that are
accessible for a one-time
fee and also details the
amenities youll find inside.
Great VIP Lounges with Multiple Locations
The Centurion Lounge in Las Vegas.
THE CLUB
LOCATIONS Atlanta Hartsfield, Dallas/Fort
Worth, Raleigh/Durham, San Jose, and
Las Vegas (two lounges).
PERKS Wi-Fi, food, drinks, TVs, showers.
PRICE $35 a day.
JANUARY 2014 COND NAST TRAVELER 51 CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM








Te Informer
Your court of last resort for the trials of travel.
Ombudsman
OMBUDSMAN OFFERS A
FREE SERVICE OF ADVICE
AND MEDIATION. Because
of the volume of letters, we
cannot act in all cases.
Write to Ombudsman at
Cond Nast Traveler (4
Times Square, New York,
N.Y. 10036) or e-mail
ombudsman @ condenast
traveler .com; include ALL
DOCUMENTATION AND
PHOTOS. (Please note that
we cannot respond to
handwritten letters.
Correspondence must
include an address and
daytime phone number. All
submissions become the
property of Cond Nast
Traveler and will not be
returned. Submissions may
be edited and may be
published or otherwise
used in any medium.) Most
Ombudsman cases (71
percent) are resolved in
the travelers favor.
Become a smarter traveler
by reading them at
condenasttraveler .com/
ombudsman.
Lihue ight had never been ticketed due to
a booking error. Since US Airways admits
that it failed to ticket the nal legdespite
e-mail conrmation to the contraryI be-
lieve a refund is warranted. Can you help?
Skyler Hester | GOODYEAR, ARI ZONA
ZUT ALORS! A trip to the City of Light should
never end on a dark note. Tough we have
come to expect bare-minimum customer
service from most airlines, Hesters case
caught our attention because of US Air-
ways admission of the booking error. Since
its agent acknowledged that it had failed to
ticket the nal legand since the conrma-
tion e-mail included that leg as paid fora
refund was denitely due.
Perplexed by US Airways response, Om-
budsman approached the airline and asked
it to take another look at the case. A rep-
resentative eventually replied, explaining
that a technical glitch had allowed the San
Francisco Lihue flight to be added to the
itinerary without Hesters being charged for
it. Since the reservations agent failed to spot
the mistake, US Airways accepted responsi-
bility for the oversight and determined what
the lowest price for that ight would have
been had it been booked in February: $920.
US Airways refunded Hesters mother $240
the difference between the last-minute fare
and what she should have been charged.
This resolution seemed fair, until Om-
budsman did some research on US Airways
Web site and found that San FranciscoLihue
ightswhen part of a multi-city itinerary
cost substantially less: as little as $277.
(Multi-city bookings, even if not round-
trip, offer individual flights at the lowest
coach fare available at the time of booking,
unlike one-ways, which are often priced as
unrestricted fares.) We confronted US Air-
ways about the discrepancy and requested
a bigger refund. Eventually, it agreed to re-
imburse the full $1,160. Te airline industry
could take a lesson in customer service from
US Airways.
When booking complicated itineraries
especially if you are ticketed on more than
one carrierbe sure to call all the airlines on
your itinerary to conrm that every ight
has been ticketed. Ombudsman recom-
mends calling one week after booking the
ticket and again three days before you y.
Nothing is foolproof, but one small step can
make a big difference.
Grounded in
San Francisco with
no ticket home
LAST FEBRUARY, I booked a trip for my
mother on US Airways, with a total of seven
stops between Lihue, Kauai, and Paris. Since
it was a complicated itinerary, I made the ar-
rangements on the phone with a US Airways
agent, who booked all of the ights for me.
I received an e-mail from the airline with a
conrmation number and all of the stops on
the itinerary listed. Te trip went off with-
out a hitch . . . until my mother arrived at
San Francisco International for the nal leg
home. It turned out that United Airlines was
the carrier for that last ight, and a United
gate agent told my mother that she did not
have a ticket or a reservationand the con-
rmation e-mail showing proof of purchase
was insucient. Te agent told her that US
Airways would have to resolve the mat-
ter, but a US Airways agent sent her back
to United. Neither airline offered a solution
other than to suggest that she purchase a
one-way ticket to Lihue, which she eventu-
ally didfor $1,160.
When I wrote US Airways, requesting
an explanation and a refund for the last-
minute ticket, a representative denied the
request, saying that the San Francisco
Card Ticket
GOT A PROBLEM?




CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM JANUARY 2014 COND NAST TRAVELER 65
2014
GOLD
LIST
FOR THIS YEARS COMPLETE GOLD LIST, CHECK
OUT CONDE NAST TRAVELER .COM/GOLDLIST.
ALL OF US at Cond Nast
Traveler love hotels. But you?
You really love hotels. So much so
that nearly 80,000 of you took
to our Web site, condenasttraveler
.com, to ll out our highly nosy
multi-part survey, just so you
could tell usand your fellow
travelersabout your most
beloved hotels and resorts (and
cruise lines) everywhere from
Anguilla to Zihuatanejo. Te result
of your impassioned weighing in,
sharing, selecting, and evaluating
is this, our annual Gold List, the
worlds best ranking of the worlds
best properties.
Tis year, youll notice, were
doing something different with the
Gold List. Because as much as we
value your feedback about hotels,
we also value your feedback about
how this list is typically presented:
as a jam-packed, micro-point-size
sea of text (magnifying glass,
anyone?) thats perhaps less fun
than it should be.* So we listened
to you, taking the opportunity
to instead highlight some of your
favorite trends in hotels (from
the bumper crop of heritage
renovations to the oases of calm in
the most frenetic of mega-cities),
while at the same time giving you
pictures of the places on the list
that youand welove so much.
Because really . . . isnt that what
every hotel lover truly wants?
P
H
O
T
O
G
R
A
P
H

B
Y

M
A
T
T

H
R
A
N
E
K . . . AND FIVE MORE HISTORIC GEMS
1. Grand Hotel Timeo, Sicily
2. Parador Santiago de Compostela
3. Le Meurice, Paris
4. Sofitel Legend Santa Clara, Cartagena
5. Rambagh Palace, Jaipur
*
For our top 500 hotels, resorts, and
cruise lines, along with full write-ups
and picturesand now with enough
room to breathe!head to conde nast
traveler.com/goldlist.
66 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014

THE HISTORIC GEM
Castello di Casole, Tuscany
WHY WE LOVE IT
Imagine yourself walking down the stone-lined streets of this
quintessentially Tuscan village, on your way, perhaps, to a late
lunch amid the cypresses, where youll sip your glass of Brunello
while gazing at the roll of green plains before you. Except
surprise!this isnt a village: Its a hotel, a 41-suite property located
in a breathtakingly restored tenth-century castle on a 4,200-acre
estate. (What you see below is the back of the castles former
stables, which have now been turned into plush 400-square-foot
guest rooms.) Contemporary additions include three restaurants,
a spa (inspired by Roman baths and located in the old wine
cellars), and a pool overlooking the hills. If you can tear yourself
away, Siena is just 20 minutes to the east . . . but really, no one
will blame you if this particular village proves too irresistible to
leave (39-0577-961-501; doubles from $469).
WHY YOU LOVE IT
It was the staff that
made our experience
truly special. They
are clearly very
carefully selected
and just get it.
Incredible wine and
dining, a beautiful
spa, and grounds
you can walk
for hours just taking
in the views.
ANDREA PLECKO,
CHICAGO
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THE AFRICAN FANTASY
WHY WE LOVE IT
Two lodges, one tented camp, and a spectacular TT
private house all command superb views across the
Serengeti Plains (and of the annual migration of
millions of wildebeests, heading north in mid-June and
south in autumn). The interiors at this conservation
companys reserve are decidedly Out of Africa, with
leather luggage trunks, crystal decanters, Oriental
rugs, and wrought iron beds. And all except the lavish
air-conditioned tents have private infinity pools
(27-21-683-3424; doubles from $1,990).
Singita Grumeti, Tanzania
WHY YOU LOVE IT
This was our fifth safari camp and we
arrived with impossible expectations, but
Singita exceeded them. The staff didnt miss
a single detailour guide wouldnt
quit till wed spotted an elusive leopard.
HELMI BANTA, INDIANAPOLIS
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AND FIVE MORE SAFARI CAMPS
1. Phinda Private Game Reserve, South Africa
2. Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Rwanda
3. Singita Kruger National Park, South Africa
4. Kirawira Luxury Tented Camp, Tanzania
5. Mombo and Little Mombo Camps, Botswana
FOR THIS YEARS COMPLETE GOLD LIST, CHECK
OUT CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM/GOLDLIST.
68 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014


THE SOUTHERN CHARMER
Inn at Palmetto Bluff,
Bluffton, South Carolina
WHY WE LOVE IT
Beyond a four-mile private drive lined with ancient
oaks draped in Spanish moss and the evocative
ruins of a once-fabulous turn-of-the-twentieth-
century mansion, 50 cottages and two- to four-
bedroom homes create a village (complete
with post ofice) on the banks of the May River.
Golf carts and bikes transport guests along brick
walkways and wooden bridges to kayak, golf,
swim, fish, and throw a boccie ball or two . . .
though many come simply for the terrific spa,
the weekly oyster roasts, and the porchingthe
Low Country art of socializing from a rocking
chair, wine glass in hand, on your veranda (843-
706-6500; doubles from $475).
WHY YOU LOVE IT
Seclusion and serenityno two words
better describe this unique place.
Stay here and all other lodgings you choose
in the future just wont be the same.
TIMOTHY LLOYD, PHILADELPHIA
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. . . AND FIVE MORE SECLUDED GETAWAYS
1. Auberge du Soleil, Napa Valley
2. Rosewood San Miguel de Allende
3. Twin Farms, Barnard, Vermont
4. Le Sirenuse, Positano
5. Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens,
Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica
FOR THIS YEARS COMPLETE GOLD LIST, CHECK
OUT CONDE NAST TRAVELER .COM/GOLDLIST. 72 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014



THE MODERN MASTERPIECE
WHY WE LOVE IT
The PuLis pulled of the impossibleits a true oasis in the
heart of frenetic Shanghai. From the street it may look
like just another of the citys glass towers, but inside it feels
more like a resortan extremely modern onewith 229
huge, minimalist rooms, a gently rippling reflecting pool
that runs the length of the hotel, and a serene garden terrace.
Then theres the free minibar, the 24-hour butler service,
and the sublime Anantara spa. The downside? You may never
want to leave (86-21-3203-9999; doubles from $645).
PuLi Hotel and Spa, Shanghai
WHY YOU LOVE IT
Complete peace and tranquillity. Be sure
to request a room overlooking the luscious
green Jingan Park, which, in the early
morning, is full of tai chi practitioners.
LISA RAFFAELI, TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA
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1. Perivolas, Santorini
2. 21c Museum Hotel, Cincinnati
3. Las Alcobas, Mexico City
4. Jade Mountain, St. Lucia
5. Soho Hotel, London
FOR THIS YEARS COMPLETE GOLD LIST, CHECK
OUT CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM/GOLDLIST. JANUARY 2014 COND NAST TRAVELER 75

. . . AND FIVE MORE MODERN MASTERPIECES
THE DREAM BOAT
Seabourn Quest
WHY YOULOVE IT
Its all about understated elegance, tasteful style,
and unparalleled service. There arent any in-
your-face activities, but there are always plenty
of interesting things to do.
JANE ROIG, PHOENIX
WHY WE LOVE IT
Seabourn earned its place as the number one
small-ship cruise line with a refined but still easygoing
approach to cruisingthe ships water-sports marinas
are a signature feature, as are the beach barbecues on
a private Caribbean island, where uniformed staf wade
into the surf to serve caviar and champagne. The
generous size of the staterooms helps too: Aboard the
newest shipsthe Odyssey, Quest, and Sojournthey
start at 295 square feet, and 90 percent have balconies.
New this year are the lines extended explorations,
28- to 116-day sailings to destinations including
Southeast Asia and South America (866-755-5619;
seven-day sailings from $2,499 per person).
2
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AND FIVE MORE DREAM BOATS
1. Grand Circle Cruise Line
2. Tauck
3. Windstar Cruises
4. Crystal Cruises
5. Disney Cruise Line
FOR THIS YEARS COMPLETE GOLD LIST, CHECK
OUT CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM/GOLDLIST. 76 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014


THE COSMOPOLITAN CLASSIC
Four Seasons Hotel
George V, Paris
WHY WE LOVE IT
This Art Deco beauty, just of the
Champs-lyses, is all polished
marble, accented by some of the
worlds most impressive floral
displays. Its Michelin two-starred
Le Cinq draws French starlets,
politicos, and gastronomes for
lunches that stretch till early
evening. And while flashier rivals
have emerged, the 244-room
George V keeps it traditional, from
the stellar service to the Louis XVI
inspired decor in every room.
After all, isnt this exactly why we
come to Paris? (33-1-49-52-70-00;
doubles from $1,345.)
WHY YOU LOVE IT
Its steps to the Eiffel Tower,
Ladure, and the Mtro.
And the staff go over and above.
They even dust off the seats
before you enter your car.
NADIA LOUZADO, VANCOUVER
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. . . AND FIVE MORE COSMOPOLITAN CLASSICS
1. Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong
2. Waldorf Astoria, Chicago
3. Ciragan Palace Kempinski, Istanbul
4. Le Bristol, Paris
5. The Connaught, London
FOR THIS YEARS COMPLETE GOLD LIST, CHECK
OUT CONDE NAST TRAVELER .COM/GOLDLIST.
78 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014










With its tradition of tolerancenot to mention glorious Roman ruins and
Mediterranean beaches Tunisia may yet emerge as a beacon of
hope in one of the worlds most troubled regions. Joshua Hammer relishes the
sights and the spirit of optimism in this rare desert bloom.
Photographs by
Cathrine Wessel
Tunisias Time
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Honeyed sweets and
Turkish cofee at Dar El
Jeld, a restaurant in a
centuries-old home in
the Tunis medina.
Opposite: Houmt Souk,
the vibrant, multi-
cultural commercial
center of Djerba Island.


i
IM SITTING in the garden of
the Mornag Eco Farm, outside
Tunis, Tunisias capital, dip-
ping slabs of atbread in olive
oil and honey and basking in
the Mediterranean sunshine.
I have bicycled here with a
frienda twelve-mile jour-
ney past mosques and a giant soccer stadium,
across wetlands and a scruffy beachto an un-
developed slice of rural Tunisia. We are meeting
Amine Draoui, a hydrology engineer who had
been working in France and was vacationing
in his native Tunisia when the Jasmine Revolu-
tion swept his country. He decided to stay and
now owns an ecotourism company
that teaches organic farming and
leads hiking trips into the nearby
mountains for young Tunisians and a
few Western adventurers. Before the
movement that unseated Tunisias
dictator in January 2011 (and launched
the Arab Spring), security forces had
regarded the mountains as a potential
sanctuary for Islamic militants. Tey
were generally suspicious of everyone
and made it dicult to obtain permits
to hike there, Draoui says. Nowa-
days, all those restrictions are gone.
He leads me around the experimen-
tal farm, through an olive grove and
herb gardens of fragrant thyme, basil,
and coriander. We wind up at an igloo-
like apiary, where Draoui is consider-
ing importing bees and teaching tour-
ists and local kids how to harvest the
honey. Nearly three years after Tuni-
sias democratic revolution, Draoui
tells me, the atmosphere here is wide
opentheres a sense that anything is
possible.
Tat feeling of a society unleashed
practically knocks me off my bar
stool that same night, when I visit the
year-old Le Plug Rock Bar on a pier in La Marsa,
a beachfront suburb north of Tunis. At happy
hour, I take a seat beside the large open windows
overlooking the bay, order a Celtia beer (the lo-
cal brew), and take in the scene. U2 blares over
the sound system, the air is thick with cigarette
smoke, and waitresses with lip rings and tight
denim cutoffs dart among tables fashioned from
fty-ve-gallon red metal oil drums.
Some ninety-eight percent of Tunisias popu-
lation is Muslim, but this boisterous scene is far
from any stereotypical image of the conservative
Muslim world. Te country has always looked
toward different religious and cultural models,
including southern Europe and Moroccothe
cradle of Susm, the mystical, tolerant form of
Islam that spread through North Africa centu-
ries ago. Tunisia is as Mediterranean as it is North
African. Tis bar is really all about freedom,
says Salim, a Marlboro-smoking college student.
Hes wearing a black T-shirt that proclaims,
Dear God, thanks for women, beer, and foot-
ball. Le Plug, Salim continues, reminds us that
were not a country of Islamists. Were a lot of
things. We cant be pinned down.
From this vantage point, its almost hard to
imagine that over the past three years this coun-
try has witnessed protests and street battles,
the overthrow of a dictator, short-lived interim
North Africas largest
island, Djerba, where
Berber horsemen
still perform at village
weddings, has some
of Tunisias finest
beaches and splash-
iest resorts. Its also
home to the highly
atmospheric Dar Dhi-
afa hotel (opposite),
composed of a series
of sixteenth-century
stone houses.
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A brik pastry, a
Tunisian staple, made
with minced meat,
herbs, and spices.
Opposite: The Tunis
medina, built by Arab
conquerors in the
ninth century, is a
magnificent jumble of
ancient mosques,
Ottoman-era
mansions, cafs, and
overflowing shops.
A waiter brings in a platter of bourzguen, couscous
blended with sugar and almonds and covered
with a layer of dates.
He puts it down beside a plate of lamb
steamed with rosemary.
You can tell the whole story of El Kef from what youre eating,
says the owner.

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Dougga, a second-
century outpost
established by the
Roman conquerors
about sixty miles
due west of Tunis.
Until recently, the
settlementone
of the best surviving
examples of an
ancient Afro-Roman
townwas virtually
ignored by travelers.
Dropping down near-ninety-degree slopes,
the camel almost jolts me from my saddle.
The sun bathes the dunes in a luminescent glow
and casts elongated shadows on the sand walls behind us.
It is like a frozen orange sea, says my guide.

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governments, clashes between Islamists and
secularists, and the near collapse of its economy,
which is largely reliant on tourism. Extremist Is-
lamists are accused of assassinating a prominent
secular politician last July. Te killing set off pro-
tests that led the ruling Islamist Ennahda party
to agree to step down in November and turn over
the reins to a nonpartisan interim government.
(At press time, new elections were scheduled for
the spring.) And yet despite all the recent turbu-
lence, this North African nation of 10.7 million
sandwiched between Libya and Algeriais expe-
riencing a surge of optimism and opportunity. A
sense of freedom is percolating throughout the
country, influencing everything from interior
design to offbeat tourism ventures like Draouis.
With a democratically elected government, a fa-
mously tolerant society, an educated citizenry,
and a sizable middle class, this is the one Arab
Spring country that just might emerge as a suc-
cess story.
I visited Tunisia in the tumultuous aftermath
of the revolution, but this time Ive returned to
experience newly unfettered Tunis and to ex-
plore less traveled parts of the country. After a
few days of wandering the French colonial bou-
levards and labyrinthine medina of the capital,
I set out for Dougga, one of the best-preserved
Roman settlements in all of North Africa. Sixty
miles west of Tunis, its an astonishing site con-
sisting of a beautiful facade of a small Roman
temple, the foundations of private homes, a still-
intact grid of streets, an amphitheater, thermal
baths, and Te Capitol, an imposing shrine to
Jupiter. On the stone plaza, I can make out a
mosaic map, bordered by sea nymphs and other
divinities, cheeks puffed out like tuba players,
depicting the worlds prevailing winds.
Te complex provides an extraordinary image
of life in an outpost of the Roman Empire two
millennia ago, but until now its been virtually
ignored by travelers. Tats slowly changing with
the help of a few new small hotelsand their de-
termined innkeepersin the town of El Kef, forty
miles from the ruins. I have a reservation at the
year-old Dar Boumakhlouf, the guesthouse of
Faouzia Alaya, the former director of the local
conservation society. Faouzia has gambled that
Tunisias new spirit of openness will pay off in
travelers eager to explore the countrys multi-
layered past, and theres no better place for that
than El Kef. A city of 45,000 built on a moun-
tainside high above a fertile plain, it was seized
from Numidia by the Romans in 106 .., then
conquered by the Byzantines, who laid out the
medinaone of Tunisias best preservedbefore
surrendering the city to the Arabs in the seventh
century. In the early seventeenth century, the
scholar Sidi Bou Makhlouf arrived from Fez, the
spiritual capital of Morocco (some 1,000 miles
west), bearing Susm. French troops marched
into El Kef from nearby Algeria in 1881 and soon
declared Tunisia a protectorate.
So rich and colorful is El Kefs past that Faouzia
accompanies her spectacular multi-course din-
ners with erudite lectures about the citys culi-
nary and cultural history. Te night Im there,
a waiter brings in a platter of bourzguen, a dish
indigenous to El Kef and consisting of couscous
blended with sugar and almonds and covered
with a layer of dates. He puts it down beside a
plate of knef (lamb steamed with rosemary) and
bowls of yogurt. You can tell the whole story of
El Kef from what youre eating, says Faouzia.
Te Berbers, a tribe that dominated the Maghreb
before the seventh-century Arab invasion, in-
troduced couscous, she explains. Andalusian
Muslims brought the dried fruit after their 1502
expulsion from Spain. After two hours of non-
stop eatingand the most delicious history les-
son Ive ever hadits time to walk off the meal.
Faouzias son, Tarek Chokki, a twenty-eight-
year-old law student at the University of Tunis,
leads me on a stroll through town. We didnt
have much of a revolution here, unlike in Tunis,
he says. Tings were mostly quiet. We stop at
the towns popular gathering place, at the top of
the medina: Caf Sidi Bou Makhlouf, six rickety
metal tables and chairs on a agstone plaza in
An antique tea set at
Dar El Mdina, near
Tuniss Casbah. A
converted Ottoman-
era villa, its now a
twelve-room hotel.
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Sidi Bou Sad, an artists
colony in the hills above
Tunis. During French rule,
Paul Klee lived and
painted here, drawn by
the Mediterranean light.

the shade of a mulberry tree. Over cups of tea,
we breathe in the scent of jasmine from nearby
gardens and watch a group of young locals at
the next table, chatting in Arabic sprinkled with
French phrases. Next to us is the three-domed
zaoua (shrine) of Sidi Bou Makhlouf, a pilgrim-
age site for Sus from across the Maghreb. Tarek
tells me that a mob of fundamentalist Salafist
Muslims tried to damage the shrine two years
This bar is really all about freedom, says Salim, a Marlboro-
smoking college student.
It reminds us that were not a country of Islamists.
Were a lot of things. We cant be pinned down.
ago, but irate locals drove them
off. Tis town has a reputation of
being very open-minded, and we
dont have much use for the Sala-
sts, he says. Te fundamentalists
recently launched a half-hearted
campaign to shut down the citys
bars but got nowhere. You cant
take the beer away from the peo-
ple, Tarek says with a laugh.
FROM THE FERTILE, ruin-studded
plateau near the Mediterranean
coast, our three-man traveling
teama young driver; my guide
and translator, Hatem Bourial, a
veteran newspaper columnist and
TV talk show host; and Ispeed
by van across the industrial heart-
land. Tis is a dreary zone whose
phosphate factories and mines
became breeding grounds for
discontent during the last days of
the dictatorship. Ten we follow a
causeway across the Chott el Jerid,
a crystalline salt pan that forms a
barrier between Tunisias north
and south. Ksar Ghilane, once a
military post, is a tourism gateway
to the Sahara, although the busi-
ness has almost disappeared since
the revolution. Its ve-thirty in
the evening and the heat has be-
gun to subside when Hatem and
I arrive at this man-made oasis
fed by boreholes. We walk to the
stables on the settlements out-
skirts, where Belgessam, a wiry
and unsmiling Bedouin guide with
a white turban, helps us mount a
pair of docile camels, then leads us
into the desert. Te burnt-sienna
dunes rise like waves, rippled by
the wind and speckled with tufts
of desert grass. Dropping down
near-ninety-degree slopes, the
camel almost jolts me from my
saddle. Te sun bathes the dunes
in a luminescent glow and casts
elongated shadows on the sand walls behind us.
It is like a frozen orange sea, says Belgessam.
After an hour-long ride, we reach the ruins of
Tisaver, one of a six-hundred-mile line of Ro-
man forts in Tunisia and Libya built in the second
century to secure the southern frontier of the
empire from Berber attacks. Today its a silent,
windswept pile of stones. Belgessam disappears
with his camels to deliver food and supplies to
The Moorish-style
atrium at Dar
Boumakhlouf, one of
a handful of small
hotels that opened in
the storied city of El
Kef in the wake of the
Tunisian revolution.

Jewels of
the Sahara
WHERE TO STAY
Dar Dhiafa, Djerba Tucked
on a backstreet in the inte-
rior town of Er Riadh, this
Moorish-style guest-
housea feast of arches,
cupolas, and passage-
wayshas 14 rooms, a
hammam, and a fine res-
taurant (216-75-671-166;
doubles from $100).
Dar Boumakhlouf, El Kef
With three tidy guest rooms
built around a Moorish atri-
um, and sumptuous break-
fasts and dinners, this
guesthouse at the top of El
Kefs medina is full of per-
sonal touches: The blankets
on the beds, for instance,
were knit by the owners
mother for her bridal trous-
seau (216-20-447-116; dou-
bles from $135).
Dar HI, Nefta The design
may be stark and modern,
but this hotel in the south-
ern oasis and religious cen-
ter of Nefta is anything but
ordinary. The four catego-
ries of rooms include cave-
like dwellings resembling
the subterranean homes of
Tunisias Berber troglodytes
and pilotis, or towers, with
dramatic views of Sufi
shrines, date palm groves,
and the Sahara beyond.
The outdoor pool is fed by a
hot spring (216-76-43-2-
779; doubles from $345).
Dar El Medina, Tunis Just
down the street from the
landmark Jemaa Zitouna
(Grand Mosque) in Tuniss
Casbah, this converted Ot-
toman-era villa has 12 indi-
vidually furnished rooms
built around a limestone
courtyard (216-71-56-30-
22; doubles from $198).
Mvenpick Gammarth,
Tunis This 119-room resort,
which opened just before
the revolution, suggests an
Andalusian palace, with
fortress-like white walls
and verdant lawns shaded
by date palms and drop-
ping down to a private
beach. It is the ultimate
place to relax in style be-
fore venturing out to dis-
cover the rest of the
country (216-71-74-14-44;
doubles from $170).
WHERE TO EAT
Restaurant Haroun, Djer-
ba This huge, nautical-
themed restaurant at the
Houmt Souk Marina has
been around for years, and
while not known for its cre-
ativity, it does know how to
cook fish. All of it is freshly
caught and served with
traditional side dishes,
along with a good sample
of local wines (216-75-650-
488; entres from $11).
Dar Zarrouk, Sidi Bou Sad
Down the street from the
more famous Au Bon
Vieux Temps, Dar Zarrouk
has an equally splendid
setting and a betterif
often overpricedmenu.
Grilled sea bass with fries
and tastira (a peppers-and-
egg dish) is $47, while the
well-prepared chicken with
stufed peppers is a more
modest $17 (rue Hdi Zar-
rouk; 216-71-74-05-91; en-
tres from $17).
Dar El Jeld, Tunis You pay
for the location if you de-
cide to dine at the eigh-
teenth-century ancestral
home of the Abdelkefi fam-
ily, in the heart of Tuniss
medina. The generally fine
foodlamb topped with a
layer of dates, fish cous-
cousis served in the An-
dalusian-style courtyard or
on balconies one level
above (5-10 rue Dar El Jeld;
216-71-56-78-45; entres
from $25).
El Firma, Tunis A convert-
ed 1920s farmhouse with
antique cushioned chairs,
old stone walls, and a win-
dow framing a lush gar-
den, this trendy French
option serves (mostly)
good haute cuisine such
as crme de fois gras and
magret de canard (58 rue
des Fruits, La Soukra; 216-
71-86-30-89; entres from
$18).
La Srene, Tunis This fish
restaurant in the harbor-
side neighborhood of La
Goulette doesnt appear in
any guidebooks, but its
one of the liveliest spots in
Tunis. Pluck a raw fish from
the ice beds at the fish-
monger next door, weigh
it, drop it of to be grilled,
and then take a seat on a
crowded bench and watch
the procession of Tunisian
street life while you wait
(ave. Franklin Roosevelt;
216-24-970-409; entres
from $15).
HOW TO BOOK
Travel specialist Jerry
Sorkin, founder of
TunisUSA, served as a
World Bank consultant in
Tunisia following the 2011
revolution (cntrvlr.com/
Jerry; 888-474-5502). J. H.
TO SEE MORE PHOTOS OF
TUNISIA, DOWNLOAD OUR
DIGITAL EDITION OR VISIT
CONDE NAST TRAVELER
.COM /TUNISIA.
nomads camped a couple of miles away, leaving
Hatem and me to explore the ruins. I pass be-
neath an ancient archway and inspect the foun-
dations of Roman legionaries quarters. Con-
temporary invaders have sprayed some walls
with gratinamely boasts in Arabic of sexual
prowess. A gang of teenagers roar out of the des-
ert on dune buggies and swarm over the fort,
searching for a good vantage to observe the sun-
set. Ten Belgessam reappears and we remount
the camels, trekking back to Ksar Ghilane in the
gathering darkness.
THE NEXT DAY, after a long
drive east, we catch the fer-
ry to Djerba, a large island
off the southern coast that
has some of Tunisias most
beautiful beaches and luxu-
rious resorts and, remark-
ably, one of the last Jewish
communities in the entire
Arab world. Hatem and I
order freshly caught shrimp
at one of the many seafood restaurants that line
the harbor of Houmt Souk and, toward evening,
walk down the sandy streets through Hara Kabi-
ra, the Jewish quarter. In all of my travels across
the Arab world, I have never seen a Jewish en-
clave as thriving as this one. Mezuzahs hang on
every doorway, and boys in yarmulkes wander
home from their yeshivas, past kosher butcher
shops adorned with Hebrew signs.
We work hard to keep our community togeth-
er, and were holding out, says Yusuf Kohen, a
septuagenarian in a prayer shawl, inviting me to
sit with him inside the Synagogue of the Kohanim
of Djirt. One of twelve on the island, it has stained
glass windows, blue-and-white arches, and col-
umns fringed with gold. Tunisias Jewish popu-
lation numbered 105,000 in 1956, but increasing
tension and fallout from the Six-Day War drove
out almost all of them. Of the remaining 1,500,
about 500 live in Tunis, the rest here on the is-
land. Residents worry about the protests Salasts
have mounted in front of the Grand Synagogue in
Tunis, and hardliners in Parliament have tried
so far without successto write a law into the
new constitution that would criminalize contact
with Israel. But multiculturalism still rules in
Djerba. After services to celebrate Shavous, the
holiday commemorating Gods handing down
the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Si-
nai, men, women, and children throng the main
promenade. Muslim teenagers on motorbikes
cruise by and wave hello. Locals greet me with
Chag sameach, Hebrew for Happy holidays.
Somewhere in the distance, a muezzin begins to
call the faithful to prayer.
BACK IN TUNIS, Hatem takes me to his favor-
ite corner of the city: Sidi Bou Sad, the artists
colony named for a Su holy man who retreated
here in the thirteenth century. In the Ottoman
era, wealthy residents built vacation homes in
the neighborhood; during French colonial rule,
painters such as Paul (Continued on page 129)
t
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THE
PAPER
CHASE
We all know about slow foodbut this is slow art.
Printer Russell Maret and photographer Annie Schlechter
discovered this firsthand on their road trip to visit
paper artisans across the country. First stop: the studio
of master papermaker Mina Takahashi, in Oxford,
New York (opposite).

Sometimes the best trips arent about fancy
hotels or memorable meals but about indulging your
most dearly held passions.
MARI A SHOLLENBARGER talks to two artists
whose pilgrimage to learn more about the craft they
love became a voyage of discovery.
photographs by
ANNI E SCHLECHTER
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One of the duos stops
was Stockholm, Wis-
consin, where they
visited wood engraver
Gaylord Schanilecs
studio; he only en-
graves things he has
caught or harvested
himself. Opposite:
Schanilecs wood-
drying loft.

RAVEL IS SUPPOSED to be about a de-
parture from the familiar. Whether
the setting is the parched Kalahari
Desert or the barrel-vaulted space
of a Florentine cathedral, the point
is to relinquish your everyday self
to new surroundings and a new
context. But then theres another
kind of journey: one in which furthering self-
knowledge is the very goal, with the route and
even the destination secondary to that pursuit. On
these trips, boutique hotels and Michelin-worthy
dining arent just minor considerations, theyre no
consideration at all.
Its exactly this kind of travel that appeals to
Manhattan-based letterpress printer Russell Maret
and his wife, photographer Annie Schlechter. An-
nie and I use work-related projects or topics were
interested in as a springboard for traveling, says
Maret. Te idea isnt to get away or take a break
from our daily livesbut to go even further into
them. And so last summer, they went on a road
trip to visit a small group of like-minded crafts-
people at their homes. For Maret, who produces
exquisite limited-edition art-and-type books, the
goal was to acquire both concrete new skills and
inspiration. For Schlechter, it was a chance to doc-
ument the dedication these people have to the art
of making books that are a pleasure to hold, turn
the pages of, and read.
Marets line of work is fascinatingand rar-
eed. Although the printing technology he uses is
about ve hundred years old, his signature pro-
cess incorporates computer-generated drawings
that must be transferred to lm before they are
printed on the page. In an era of dwindling lm-
stock supply, Maret wanted to nd a more viable
technique. So he looked to a small group of his
peers for counsel and tutelage.
Teir workation, as they dubbed it, took them
to Upstate New York and Ontario, and from Appa-
lachia to the northern Mississippi Valley. Tough
they eschewed major interstates in favor of back-
country roads, there were no detours to pretty
inns or photogenic villages: Te point was to get
there and be there, says Maret. We were doing
this, in a sense, to inhabit the lives of these people
for a few days as if they were our own.
Tere was invariably light-years away expe-
rientially from the industrial-chic neighborhood
of Brooklyn where Maret maintains his studio. If
there was an actual town of Oxford, I didnt see
it, Maret says of their Oxford, New York, stay
with master papermaker Mina Takahashi and
her husband, Marco Breuer. For years Takahashi
was the executive director of Manhattans Dieu
Donn Papermill, a nonprot that promotes and
preserves papermaking traditions. In 2007, she
and Breuer pitched it in to become subsistence
farmers. What they have isnt far from an Amish
lifestyle, says Maret. Tey grow their own food;
all the labor is done with draft horses. When they
need something, Marco makes it. Tat total
self-reliance, and total freedom, have allowed
Mina to experiment with more original process-
es, says Maret. He and Schlechter reveled in
the early-morning chores and garden-to-table
meals (While Mina milked, Russell and I would
collect eggs and feed the chickens and ducks,
says Schlechter), while for a few hours each day
Maret observed and took inspiration from Taka-
hashis craft.
From Oxford, they made their way north to
Shanty Bay, above Toronto. Here, Walter Bachinski
and Janis Butler operate the Shanty Bay Press. Like
Takahashi and Breuer, they live in a small para-
dise at the end of a dirt road, says Maret. Teyre
twelve miles from the nearest town; theres an
abandoned water mill on their propertyits ut-
terly bucolic. Bachinski is a noted pochoir artist,
an elaborate stenciling technique that often em-
ploys numerous hand-layered color applications.
For Maret, cutting stencils with Bachinski was an
experiment in going backward technologically to
advance his own creative process.
Teir route then took them southwest to (very)
rural Carrollton, Ohio, in the Appalachian Moun-
tains. Its gorgeous countrybeautiful rolling
hills and lovely redbrick towns with grand Victo-
rian houses, says Maret. Tey were there to stay
with Bob Baris, a niche publisher cum gentleman
farmer, and his wife, Freddy. Baris works with a
The idea isnt to get away or take
a break from our daily livesbut to go
even further into them, says Maret.
T
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A journey of new places and new techniques. Here, papermaker
Mina Takahashi at work in Oxford, New York . . .
At his studio in Carrollton, Ohio, Bob Baris works with a
nineteenth-century iron handpress, which requires no power.
At the Shanty Bay Press in Ontario, Maret learned pochoir,
a highly refined stencil technique.
. . . while Maret experiments with a hydraulic press that
squeezes excess water out of the handmade paper.
Then it was of to Wisconsin, where Maret marveled at
printmaker Gaylord Schanilecs stately cylinder press.
Some of Schanilecs fish prints, which will be
included in his upcoming book, Lac des Pleurs.

Paper samples made by Maret and Mina
Takahashi at her studio. As Maret notes, he
and Schlechter wanted to inhabit these
artisans lives as if they were their own.
THREE FOR THE ROAD
The United States is home to a number of crafts communitiestowns or regions where
like-minded artisans have put down roots. Weve rounded up a few of our favorites, from the quilting
scene in Pennsylvania to the woodworking hub of Hawaii. All you have to do is pick your passion.
nineteenth-century iron hand press, which re-
quires no power; Maret describes it as the closest
thing to what Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor
of movable-type printing, would have used some
ve hundred years ago.
Te nal stop was Wisconsin and the Mississippi
River town of Stockholm (population: sixty-ve).
Tis was the only real tourist destination, says
Maret. Tere are a couple of little galleries, a
bakery, and some crafts shops, and, down the
road in Pepin, the Harbor View Caf, which is
well knownits where people like the king of
Jordan go when theyre at the Mayo Clinic. But
the main attraction was Gaylord Schanilecs
farm and woodshop. Schanilecs primary work
is woodcutting, with an esoteric bent: He only
engraves images of things he has caught or har-
vested himself.
Schlechter and Marets stay on Schanilecs
twenty-acre farm corresponded with morel
season, which meant, Schlechter recalls, that
Gaylord was more often impelled by a deep-
seated need to go out and look for mushrooms
than by the urge to put graver to woodblock.
Tus, Schlechter and Maret spent quite a bit of
time foraging in Schanilecs elm forests for their
dinnerwhich, it turns out, was absolutely ne
with them.
You know, I can probably count on my ngers
and toes the number of people in America who
do this sort of craft as a living, says Maret. Te
work is very process-oriented, but those processes
are an intrinsic part of a larger lifestyle, which
everyone we visited is utterly serious about. So it
was as important for us to eat food that we cooked
together as it was to practice techniques. Partici-
pating in that life was an exercise in discovery.
In other words, sometimes the most rewarding
journeys are made in the absence of a conventional
agenda . . . and sometimes the best kind of travel
leads you down a direct path to inspiration.
QUILTING
Where and Why: Southeastern Penn-
sylvania. A robust quilting culture has
thrived in the heart of Pennsylvania
Dutch Country for centuries, and quilts
have become the regions best-known
art form.
What to See: Begin your trip in Inter-
course, at the Old Country Store, for a
wide selection of quilts by local arti-
sans, to shop for material, or to take a
quilting class (3510 Old Philadelphia
Pike). Kitchen Kettle Village, also in In-
tercourse, has quilts in contemporary
and traditional patterns and other re-
gional goods like hand-dipped candles
(3529 Old Philadelphia Pike). For tradi-
tional Amish quiltsa specialty of the
areahead to Sylvia Petersheim
Quilts & Crafts, which has both mod-
ern and antique pieces (2544 Old Phil-
adelphia Pike, Bird in Hand).
WOODWORKING
Where and Why: Hawaiis Big Island.
The states tradition of handmade
wood bowls dates back to its kingly
years, when monarchs would eat poi
from vessels made from tropical hard-
woods. Now the scene is centered in
the Waipio Valley, on the islands north
shore.
What to See: For a large selection of
koa wood objectsincluding stunning
lathe-turned bowls and hand-carved
boxesvisit Waipio Valley Artworks
(48-5416 Kukuihale Rd., Kukuihale) be-
fore heading over to Clif Johns Gal-
lery for pieces by some of the islands
finest wood artists. If youre lucky,
youll get to see one of them demon-
strating wood turning on the gallerys
front porch (79-7460 Mamalahoa Hwy.,
#104, Kealakekua). And for wood sculp-
tures, swing by Wishard Gallery, in the
Parker Ranch Center (67-1185 Mamala-
hoa Hwy., Kamuela).
GLASSBLOWING
Where and Why: Seattle. This is the
home of Dale Chihuly, Americas most
famous glass artist; many of his former
students and acolytes have set up their
own studio spaces here as well.
What to See: Visit Chihuly Garden
and Glass, a museum devoted entirely
to glassworks (206-753-4940), and
Glassybaby, where you can shop for
innovative glass vessels and watch art-
ists at work (3406 E. Union St.), before
heading to the Seattle Glassblowing
Studio, where you can order custom
pieces and take a lesson from a master
glassblower (2227 5th Ave.; 206-448-
2181). REBECCA MISNER
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Mountains are majestic and sweeping plains sublime, but nothing
fuels our wanderlust quite like a vast pool of water (especially in
the dead of winter). The spectacular bodies of water on the following
pages are found everywhere from the jungles of Bali to the lava
felds of Iceland, but they all have one thing in common: the ability
to make us marvel.
So what are you waiting for? Dive in.
wat er
Santorini, Greece
Set against the azure of the Aegean Sea, the infinity pool at the
Grace Santorini hotel, in the quiet and lovely village of
Imerovigli, zigzags across a whitewashed cliff overlooking the
caldera. While reaching the islands volcanic black sand
beaches requires trekking down steep hillside terrain, this minimalist
21-room hotel is the perfect place for a late-afternoon plungeand
for soaking up views of the sun setting over the Cyclades.
30-22-8602-1300; doubles from $500

worl ds
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Budapest, Hungary
Built in 1918, the bathhouse at Budapests Hotel Gellrt is the
picture of Art Nouveau opulence with its marble columns,
domed ceiling, and majolica tiles. Hot springs heat its famous
thermal baths, which are believed to have healing powersand
the spa also includes Finnish saunas, massage rooms,
and an open-air swimming pool overlooking the banks of the Danube.
Hungarian bathing culture dates back to Roman times and
is still considered to be one of Budapests most vibrant social rituals:
Today, the hammams draw everyone from businessmen to families.
36-1-466-6166; day passes from $11

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Ubud, Bali
Undulating tiers of infinity pools reach over the dense Balinese rain
forest and the rushing Ayung River at the 38-suite
Ubud Hanging Gardens. Walled in solidified volcanic ash, the two
horizon-edged cantilevers were designed to mimic the rice
paddies in nearby Payangan. After your swim, sip a Bali mango
mimosa on a waterside lounger at the Bukit Becik bar,
or wander through the hotels tropical gardens, ornamented with
cacao plants, flame trees, and orchids.
62-361-848-2166; doubles from $350

Grindavk, Iceland
So otherworldly is the Blue Lagoon, set in the black lava fields
outside the fishing town of Grindavk, that it might feel as if youre
taking a dip on Saturn (its milky, mineral-rich pools form when
seawater meets volcanic magma deep underground). Temperatures
average 100 degrees year-round, swim-up bars serve ice-cold
smoothies, and visitors spend hours soaking in the steamy waters
which are thought to do miracles for the skin. The white silica mud
also acts as an exfoliant, and spa products made from the lagoons
algae can be found at the on-site boutique.
354-420-8800; day passes from $50
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Canyon Point, Utah
Snaking around a 165-million-year-old sandstone butte,
the Amangiri at Canyon Point looks like a dazzling desert mirage:
The 600-acre, 34-suite oasis stands in serene isolation
against the dramatic contours of southern Utahs arid landscape.
(Tucked in a valley just west of Lake Powell, its a 25-minute drive from
the nearest town, Page, Arizona.) The resorts centerpiece is a
stone-lined pool that sprawls through a sunken courtyard where
outdoor fireplaces, a hot tub, and king-size daybeds hug
stretches of rugged canyon rock; at night, its the perfect spot for
swimming beneath a canopy of stars.
435-675-3999; doubles from $1,100

Uluwatu, Bali
Wood-slatted cabanas seem to float in midair at the
Alila Villas Uluwatu. The hotel, perched 330 feet above Balis southern
coastline, has breathtaking views of the Indian Ocean, and just
below lies one of the best surf breaks on earth. The Alilas 65 sleek
villas have private freshwater pools, flat lava-rock roofs,
and bamboo ceilings that allow sea breezes to circulate naturally,
making it as eco-friendly as it is heavenly.
65-673-58-300; doubles from $685

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KEEP
CALM
AND
COOK
ON

Its not every British
pub that serves such
exquisite food . . . or
has two Michelin stars.
But thats the case
at the Hand & Flowers,
in Buckinghamshire,
outside London.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY TOM PARKER
Whos afraid of English food? Not usnot anymore.
Banish all thoughts of suet pudding and overcooked sausages:
These days, British chefs the country over are looking
to their storied gourmet past to create some of Europes
most inventive (and delicious) food.
GULLY WELLS grabs a seat at the table.
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home-baked crusty Irish soda bread. There was
also a little dish of salt akes made from evaporated
seawater, just as has been done here ever since the
Middle Ageshence the name Seasalter.
I saw no menus, just a blackboard listing the days
dishes. After consulting Philip, a jolly giant of a man
who was on patrol behind the bar, I asked him to
choose for me. A baby sole no bigger than my hand,
quickly sauted in seaweed butter (made from sea
lettuce gathered from the beach, dried, and added
to the buttercup butter) appeared rst, followed by
tender pork belly (the pigs feast on apples, lucky
pigs), crunchy cracklings, mashed potatoes, and
slightly tart applesauce.
It all sounds deceptively simple, doesnt it? But
of course it isnt. Achieving this degree of pitch-
perfect taste never is.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT we had a lack of condence
in our ingredientsand in our indigenous way
of cooking. We just forgot how good food should
taste. I was sitting by the
re with Stephen Harris, co-
owner of Te Sportsman and
the man who had just cooked
my lunch, talking about what
had gone wrong with En glish
food. When and how did it
happen? Harris pointed out
that until the Industrial Rev-
olution, foreigners had noth-
ing but praise for the quality
of the food in England. But
with the mass migration from
the country to the cities, the
backbone of English food
produce grown at home by
a rural culturestarted to disappear. Old recipes
were forgotten, and the quality of meat and produce
declined with the industrialization of farming. Te
new urban working class subsisted on whatever
they could afford, mostly bread, potatoes, massive
quantities of sugary tea, and cheap gin, while the
snobby middle and upper classes were seduced by
the siren song of French cuisineor at least a sad ap-
proximation of it produced by English cooks. Te in-
evitable result was a depressing slide that continued
until well after World War II. Soon the very phrase
English food was enough to provoke snorts of mock-
ery and derision.
Although the concept of Michelin-starred restau-
rants serving English food was unimaginable twen-
ty years ago, the truth is that Stephen Harris and
many other chefs are in the business of revival rather
than revolution. Like archaeologists, they are dig-
ging deep into the past and
ARLY LAST SPRING, ON A
slate-gray morning that faithfully delivered rain fol-
lowed by more rainjust as the BBC had forecast it
wouldI found myself standing outside the station
in Whitstable, a dispiriting seaside town about sixty
miles southeast of London, with not a cab in sight.
But a drizzly ten minutes later, an exuberantly
overweight man with a bright-red face suddenly
roared his taxi around the corner. Look, Im warn-
ing you right now, he happily informed me when I
told him where I was going. Its complete rubbish
from the outside, and on a day like this its going to
look even worse. Oh, how the English love being
the bearers of bad news. And its not much better
inside, he continued. No tablecloths. No curtains.
No menus. But the food is eng amazing, and thats
why you go to a restaurant, innit?
Yes, I agreed, thats why we go to restaurants. My
search for eng amazing food was the reason I
had come all the way from New York and was now
hurtling toward Te Sportsman, a pub in Seasalter,
a tiny village in an obscure, extremely wet corner
of England. By the time we arrived, the rain had
gone horizontal and the sky had become a boiling,
bruise-colored Turner tempest (the great man ac-
tually lived in nearby Ramsgate). But the moment
I stepped through the front door I was enveloped
in a sea of warmth. A coal re glowed in the brick
replace, locals (I could tell by their accents) were
crowded around the bar laughing and drinking beer,
and the plain wood tables, each with its own small
bunch of fresh spring owers, were full of families
plus the odd dog snuing about underneath. I felt
as though Id come home.
In the old days, it was said that the Michelin in-
spectors would always order a plain omelet at ev-
ery restaurant they tested. It was the baseline, the
sine qua non of a good chef. For this inspector, its
all about the bread and butter: so easy to get wrong,
almost impossible to perfect. Yet as I sat down, per-
fection promptly appeared in the form of buttercup-
yellow butter (churned with cream from the Hinx-
den Farm Dairy, thirty-ve miles away) resting on a
piece of cool slate, and beside it, on a wooden board,
A BABY SOLE NO BIGGER
THAN MY HAND, QUICKLY
SAUTED IN SEAWEED BUTTER,
WAS FOLLOWED BY
TENDER PORK BELLY AND
CRUNCHY CRACKLINGS.
Clockwise from top
left: The Hand &
Flowers only looks like
a typical English
pubhere, the food is
extraordinary; loaves
for the sharing at
Fergus Hendersons
St. John restaurant;
local favorite
E. Pellicci has been in
business since 1900;
while youre there,
order a pot of strong
tea (or, yes, a Coke) to
go with your classic
English breakfast.
E
(Continued on page 126)
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Chef Fergus Henderson, whose
nose-to-tail cooking transformed the
contemporary food scene in both
England and abroad, at St. John, his
legendary restaurant. Opposite: Dover
sole with seaweed-infused butter at
The Sportsman.

WHERE TO EAT
LONDON
Arbutus Like the perfect French bistro,
chef Anthony Demetres Arbutus
serves straightforward but subtle com-
fort food. Youd be crazy not to try the
pigs head with mustard mayonnaise
and a crispy salad of tiny cornichons,
apple, and radish (63-64 Frith St.;
44-20-7734-4545; entres from $26).
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal All the
food at Blumenthals newest restaurant
is based on recipes culled from his
collection of antique British cook-
books. Nettle porridge, from 1660, is a
combination of frogs legs, smoked
beetroot, garlic, parsley, and fennel
(Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park; 44-20-
7201-3833; entres from $23).
E. Pellicci This classic English caf in
Bethnal Green has been around since
1900 . . . and in the same family at that.
Behind the yellow enameled facade,
the interior (with only 12 tables) is a
marvel of Art Deco marquetry. Regu-
lars range from artists like Gilbert &
George to local cab drivers. Get a pot
of extra-strong tea to go with your
baked beans on toast (332 Bethnal
Green Rd.; 44-20-7739-4873; entres
from $12).
Hereford Road Tom Pemberton is just
one of a number of brilliant acolytes of
Fergus Hendersons who have gone on
to open their own restaurants. Start
with the silky, buttery potted crab or
the deep-fried calfs brains and tartar
sauce, and then move on to the hake
with Jerusalem artichokes and frise.
For dessert, theres rice pudding and
rhubarb jam (3 Hereford Rd., West-
bourne Grove; 44-20-7727-1144; en-
tres from $21).
Le Caf Anglais Despite the French
name of Rowley Leighs establishment
in Bayswater, the menu couldnt be
plus anglais if it tried. Whats more tra-
ditional than wood pigeon with Swiss
chard and salsify or roast chicken with
bacon and bread pudding (8 Porches-
ter Gardens; 44-20-7221-1415; entres
from $15).
St. John Fergus Hendersons acclaimed
restaurant opened in 1994 in Smith-
field, near the citys 800-year-old meat
marketappropriately, since Hender-
son is passionate about meat. His roast
marrow and parsley salad remains a
best seller. For dessert, have the mar-
malade ice cream (26 St. John St.;
44-20-7251-0848; entres from $22).
Sweetings Originally a fishmonger,
Sweetings hasnt strayed far from its
fishy past. The classic fish pie is the
best in London, and the place is also
justly famous for the salmon steak and
the cod steak with parsley sauce. Open
only for lunch (39 Queen Victoria St.;
44-20-7248-3062; entres from $24).
Wiltons Even if you dont happen to be
a member of one of Londons private
gentlemens clubs, just walking into
Wiltonsthe urestablishment restau-
rant on Jermyn Street that has been in
business since 1742will make you feel
BEYOND
THE PUB
FOR MORE
PHOTOGRAPHS FROM
THE BRITISH FOOD
REVOLUTION,
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DIGITAL EDITION OR
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as though youre dining in one. Except
here the food is far, far better. Begin
with a classic dressed crab, or go for
the oysters: Wiltons was awarded a
Royal Warrant as purveyors of
oysters to Queen Victoria in 1884. For
the main event, theres Dover sole
meunire or wild turbot (55 Jermyn St.;
44-20-7629-9955; entres from $35).
Wright Brothers Oyster & Porter
House Located in the heart of trendy
Borough Market, near London Bridge,
this is the place for some of the best
oysters in London. You should also
consider the Devilled Whitebait, the
Cornish dressed crab, or the roast tur-
bot in red wine sauce. When weather
permits, snag one of the tables (actual-
ly big wooden barrels) for two outside
(11 Stoney St.; 44-20-7403-9554; en-
tres from $25).
OUTSIDE LONDON
MARLOW, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
Hand & Flowers It may feel like the
quintessential cozy British pub, with its
low beamed ceiling and small, flower-
festooned garden, but not many pubs
have a chef like Tom Kerridge in the
kitchenand even fewer have been
awarded two Michelin stars. Have the
crispy pigs head with artichokes,
crackling, and pancetta or the braised
pearl barley with foie gras and smoked
poultry, then get the line-caught cod
with pastrami, herb crust, and English
asparagus (126 West St.; 44-1628-482-
277; entres from $40).
SEASALTER, KENT
The Sportsman Forget about the
90-minute journey from Londonthis
restaurant falls into that special cate-
gory that Michelin refers to as vaut le
voyage (worth the trip). The menu
changes daily and is deeply imbued
with the spirit and ingredients of the
surrounding land and sea. Both the
mussels and the bacon in the chowder
have barely traveled at all to arrive on
your plate, and nearby Monkshill Farm
supplies the pork belly thats served
with applesauce (Faversham Rd.; 44-
1227-273-370; entres from $31).
WHERE TO STAY
LONDON
Caf Royal Right on Regent Street,
this restored nineteenth-century caf
turned hotel has 160 sober, elegant
rooms furnished in a muted, sophisti-
cated palette, bathrooms with acres of
marble, and an expansive spa (44-20-
7406-3322; doubles from $514).
Hazlitts Some of the 30 accommoda-
tions at this property, in four early-
eighteenth-century town houses, come
with sumptuously curtained four-poster
beds and fireplaces, and even the
smallest rooms are full of charm and
character (44-20-7434-1771; doubles
from $429).
Number Sixteen Three elegant white-
stucco town houses in South Kensing-
ton have been combined to make this
beautiful and intimate 41-room hotel.
The fresh decor adds a twist of the
modern to traditional English style, but
the true glory of this hotel is the enor-
mous garden at the back: Full of foun-
tains and rambling roses, it has a
glassed-in pergola where breakfast is
served (44-20-7589-5232; doubles
from $444). G. W.
PG 123
J ANUARY 2014
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WHERE
ARE
YOU?
YOU TREKKED TO THE TOP OF THIS FOUR-
thousand-foot-high snowy plateau
and all you found was a rusty box.
But appearances can be deceiving.
For inside this thousand-square-
foot pavilion youll discover a group
of impassioned naturalists devoted
to safeguarding a four-hundred-
pound lichen-munching nomadic
creature.
The oxidized look of the structures
steel shell is a nod to the iron ore
once extracted in this repurposed
mining camp. The interiors rough-
hewn pine beams were milled, using
3-D models, to suggest flowing con-
tours caused by water and ice ero-
sion. While the backside before you is
open to the elements, the northern
facade is glassed in.
In the distance looms a massif
whose main peak lent its namea
compound of the local words for
snow and hoodto a native architec-
tural firm. Just a quick detour
off one of eighteen stops on a nation-
al scenic route, the range is so deeply
embedded in the local psyche that
its been praised not only by a famous
romantic composer and a realistic
playwright but in the constitution as
well. You know the region, however,
for its Olympic Games.
When you retrace the trail up here
for a lecture in the spring, buttercups
and mountain poppies will cover the
hills in color, and falcons and golden
eagles will be soaring overhead. With
bovids bellowing happily in the plain
below, for once itll be okay to give in
to the herd mentality. JOHN OSEID
WHERE ARE YOU, ANYHOW?
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British Food
CONTI NUED FROM PAGE 120
piecing together the broken fragments of
a long-buried culinary civilization. With
an understanding of the historical basis
of English cooking, access to magnicent
local produce, meat, and sh, and most
important, with their talent and imagina-
tion, they have created a cuisine that can
hold its own against the worlds best.
One could argue that no one has dug
deeper into the culinary past than the
mercurial and wildly gifted Heston Blu-
menthal. Catapulted to fame fteen years
ago by his daring exploration of entirely
new cooking techniques and radical jux-
tapositions of tastes (crab ice cream, any-
one?) at the Fat Duck, in Berkshire, west of
London, Heston became the most modern
chef in the country. It was the shock of the
new and, of course, the stratospherically
high quality of his food that earned him his
three Michelin stars, but it was his discov-
ery some thirteen years ago of Te Vivend-
ier, a collection of fteenth-century reci-
pes, that took him in an entirely different
direction. Although it now seems naive to
admit this, he told me, it was only as I
read Te Vivendier that I realized the past
could be a source of culinary inspiration.
After this epiphany, Blumenthal added
dozens more old cookbooks to his collec-
tion and later joined forces with Marc Melt-
onville and Richard Fitch, who explore old
recipes, menus, and banquet records in
the enormous kitchens of Hampton Court,
home to British monarchs and their courts
from the sixteenth to the early eighteenth
centuries, for insights into the past. Af-
ter studying these recipes, Blumenthal
played with them to make them work for
the modern palate. He was especially taken
with Beef Royal, a dish that was served at
the coronation feast of James II in 1685.
I wasnt interested in creating a histori-
cal facsimile, he explained. Instead, I
wanted to capture something of the spirit
in which the dish was conceivedits mag-
nicent extravaganceand bring that to
a new audience. Which is how Dinner
whose menu spans seven centuries, and
which opened in Knightsbridge in 2011
came into being.
Hundreds of years ago, nothing amused
a royal host more than playing tricks on his
jaded guests when they came to dine. With
that in mind, I started my banquet with a
dish called Meat Fruitapparently a wild
success in the best social circles between
the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries.
(Each dish on the menu is dated and placed
in historical context.) Imagine the surprise
of sitting down for dinner at Hampton
Court Palace and being served an orange,
decorated with real leaves, that turns out
to be madecue loud guffaws from the
king, sycophantic laughter from every-
body elseof silky chicken liver mousse
Word Trips
Doubling Up (November 2013)
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SQUARES WITH UT, CO, AZ, AND NM
SUGGEST THE FOUR CORNERS.
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U
T
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E C U A D O R
R N B T
I N D I A N A
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B R A H A N
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A wheel of Stilton cheese ready for the eating at Paxton & Whitfield, one of the oldest
cheesemongers in England.
126 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014 CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM


infused with the scent of mandarin oil, its
awless skin colored with paprika.
After this literal amuse-bouche, I
tried the very earliest dish on the menu,
Rice and Flesh, taken from a book pub-
lished in 1390 called Te Forme of Cury,
by the Master Cooks of King Richard II.
This medieval version of risotto, with
tender calfs tail and red wine, was just
as subtle and sophisticated as anything
being made in Italy then or now. Zoom-
ing three centuries ahead, I chose for my
main course Powdered Duck Breast (from
The Queen-like Closet or Rich Cabi-
net, by Hannah Wolley, 1670), a smoky
confit of duck with fennel and umbles.
Umbles? Not some obscure vegetable res-
cued from oblivion by Heston but rather
a rich, gamey, delicately spiced mixture
of chopped heart, lungs, liver, and kid-
neysas in umble pie.
After nishing this truly inspired meal,
I realized that Blumenthal has succeeded
in creating a window into the past that
delivers extraordinary food on its own
terms, or rather his own terms. Te Mi-
chelin inspectors clearly agreed, having
given Dinner its rst star within a year of
opening.
GROWING UP in London in the fties and
sixties, I remember coming home from
school and making my American mother,
who had nothing but contempt for the
food of her adopted country, scream with
laughter as I described the full horror of
what wed been given for lunch. Dour-
faced ladies in hairnets would shovel
toad-in-the-hole (sausages made out of
who knew what, lurking in a swamp of
batter) onto our plates, followed by a des-
sert called spotted dick (a leaden suet pud-
ding enlivened with too few raisins and
drowned in fake yellow Birds Custard).
But the entire landscape of English food
was transformed in the early sixties by
the arrival of a culinary tsunami named
Elizabeth David. An English but entirely
cosmopolitan lady, David spent many
years in Mediterranean countries and the
Middle East, where she was converted to
the indigenous gospel of food. Her theory
and recipes were not complicatedper-
fect ingredients were allowed to speak
for themselves, with no fussy saucesbut
the impact of her books, Italian Food,
French Provincial Cooking, and A Book of
Mediterranean Food, was nothing short
of sensational. Sometimes compared to
M.F.K. Fisher for the elegance of her lit-
erary style, deep understanding of food
culture, and skill with a skillet, she had a
profound effect on a whole generation of
English cooks.
But as talented as David was, you could
argue that her inuence prevented, or at
least delayed, the English from rediscov-
ering the glory of their own cuisine. Te
culinary goddess who led the sad Brits
to the sun-dappled promised land of the
Mediterranean seduced them with risotto,
radicchio, and rillettes instead of inspiring
them to take another look at deviled crab,
jugged hare, or ham in parsley sauce.
Oh yes, that Elizabeth David, she cer-
tainly has something to answer for,
Fergus Henderson, revered as the found-
ing father of the English food movement,
told me, laughing, as we sat together at
lunch in Leicester Square. Nearly twenty
years after eating at Hendersons early,
acclaimed restaurant, St. John, shortly
after it opened in 1994, I still remember
its revelatory roasted bone marrow and
parsley salad followed by crispy pigs
tails. Never in my life had I eaten English
food like this. It was the one restaurant
in London I always returned toand be-
lieve me, I wasnt the only one. Anthony
Bourdain, the American food writer and
chef, became an early disciple, and in his
introduction to the new edition of Hen-
dersons 1999 book, Nose to Tail Eating,
he writes that the chefs food ew in the
face of accepted culinary doctrine, both as
a proud proclamation of the true glories
of pork, offal . . . and as a refutation of the
once deeply held belief that the English
couldnt, and never could, cook.
Hendersons favorite restaurant in
London (if not the world) is, however,
a place called Sweetings. Originally a
fishmonger, Sweetings serves his kind
of old-fashioned unfancy English food,
a menu in this case consisting entirely
of sparkling fresh, simply cooked fish.
The countertops are marble, the wait-
ers elderly, and the sh and crustaceans
all served on suitably battered old white
plates. Hendersons description in Nose
to Tail Eating: When having lunch at
Sweetings, you sit at a bar behind which a
waiter is trapped, you order your smoked
eel, they yell to a runner who delivers
your eel over your shoulder to the waiter,
who then places it under the counter and
then in front of you as if they had it all
along. Yes, thats exactly how I remem-
ber it forty years ago. When I went back
last springinspired by Hendersonnot
a single thing had changed.
I recalled my conversation with Stephen
Harris after lunch at Te Sportsman. I just
cook whats around, he said with habit-
ual modesty. Yes, thats the whole point of
eng amazing food, isnt it? It also hap-
pens to be what not only Harris but all the
other great English chefs are doing right
now. Let their food be the nal nail in the
dusty con stuffed with hoary jokes about
English food. May they molder in peace
forevermore.
British Food
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
If you cant get over to England to experience its back-to-basics
culinary revolution right now, dont worry: Here are the best books
about British food, past and present.
French
Provincial
Cooking
by Elizabeth David
Before David gadded
through France, Italy,
and Greece prior to
the Second World War,
olive oil was
purchased in the
pharmacy and used
to relieve earaches.
She returned from
her Mediterranean
travels with exotic
garlic- and herb-
studded recipes
coq au vin, osso
buco, pissaladire
that changed
British palates
forever (Penguin
Classics, $18).
Historic Heston
by Heston Blumenthal
Blumenthal plundered
cookbooks from
the Middle Ages to
Victorian times for his
latest, weighty tome,
which was published
in November and
not only delves into
the history of each
dish but ofers a
modern interpretation
as well. Many of the
recipesincluding
Meat Fruit (ca. 1500)
and Powdered Duck
Breast (ca. 1670)are
on the menu at his
restaurant Dinner,
at the Mandarin
Oriental in London
(Bloomsbury, $200).
Plenty
by Yotam Ottolenghi
Israeli chef
Ottolenghis weekly
Guardian column
and ever-expanding
array of London deli-
restaurants have
helped make salad
sexy in England over
the last decade (this
is, after all, a country
where dinner is
generally served hot
and consists of meat
and two veg). The
recipes in this entirely
vegetarian Middle
Eastern cookbook
produce results that
are as aesthetically
pleasing as they are
delicious (Chronicle
Books, $35).
Real Food
by Nigel Slater
A quick scan of the
kitchen shelves of
any Brit with a vague
interest in cooking
will reveal a grease-
spattered copy of
Observer newspaper
columnist Slaters
book, first published in
1998. Recipes are
broken down by
ingredientpotatoes,
chicken, sausage,
garlic, bread, cheese,
ice cream, and
chocolateand are
easy, unpretentious,
and unfailingly tasty
(Fourth Estate, $30).
The Whole
Beast: Nose to
Tail Eating
by Fergus Henderson
Henderson introduced
the U.K., and then the
world, to ofal: brain,
tongue, heart,
kidneythe stuf that
generally ends up in
the trash but was
celebrated at St. John,
his restaurant in
Londons Smithfield. A
decade later, its hard
to find a restaurant in
downtown Manhattan
that doesnt have roast
bone marrow on the
menu (HarperCollins,
$20). KATE MAXWELL
128 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014 CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM

Tunisia
CONTI NUED FROM PAGE 99
Klee, drawn by the seductive Mediterra-
nean light, established ateliers; and literary
greats from Cervantes and Flaubert to Co-
lette and Simone de Beauvoir wrote there.
Today, Sidi Bou Sad is a maze of cobble-
stoned alleys lined with whitewashed stone
houses and artists studios, with window
shutters and arched doors painted pea-
cock blue. Bougainvillea climbs the walls,
and every turn produces a vertiginous
view of the Gulf of Tunis. It could almost
be a mountaintop village in the Sporades
of Greece or a slice of the Amal Coast.
We head down a cliffside path to the
Centre of Arab and Mediterranean Music,
in the Ennejma Ezzahra Palace. Consid-
ered a masterpiece of traditional North
African architecture, the palace was con-
structed in the early twentieth century
by Baron Rodolphe dErlanger, a French
Arab ist, musical scholar, watercolorist,
and preservationist. Its fortress-like ex-
terior conceals elaborate interior spaces:
veined pink-marble walls, arabesque
friezes in white stucco, and gilded wood
ceilings. Today, the center hosts such di-
verse acts as Parisian jazz quartets and
Arab electronic musicians from the
Maghreb. Apparently, business has never
been better. People are using culture as
a form of deance to the Salasts, says
Mounir Hentati, the centers curator, as
he leads me through a miniature Persian
garden filled with fountains and Seville
orange trees. Despite a recent attack on a
Su mosque not far away, he is optimistic.
Tunisia has always been an open coun-
try, and we would never accept the idea of
going backward, Hentati says. Nobody
will convert Tunisia into Afghanistan.
But given Egypts continuing struggles,
is there a chance that Tunisia could be
swept up in similar violence? Despite the
recent political turmoil, there are reasons
to trust in Tunisias stability. For one, its
military is small, weak, and averse to in-
tervening in politics; during the 2011
revolution, the troops sat on the sidelines.
Tunisias constitutional process has also
been far more inclusive than that of Egypt.
CREDITS
Page 6: Arctic-Images/Corbis. Page 8: Left: Sta-
pleton Collection/Corbis. Page 12: From top: George
Apostolidis/Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group; Andrea
Gentl, @andreagentl; Hannah Ferrara, @another
feather. Page 16: Top to bottom, from Schlecter: Cour-
tesy Annie Schlecter, photograph by John Gill iland;
courtesy Dave Lauridsen, photograph by Rachel Laurid-
sen; courtesy Joshua Hammer, photograph by Jerome
Delay. Page 24: Claire Ingram. Page 32: From top: Kid
& Coe; courtesy Wildsam Field Guides. Page 34: Clock-
wise from top: Macduf Everton; Laurie Frankel/Gallery
Stock; Steve Morris Photography; Frdric Lagrange/
Truck Archive. Page 38: Clockwise from top: HG/Mag-
num; FoodCollection/Aurora Photos; Pim Vuik/Gallery
Stock; courtesy Don Harrison and UpNorth Memories;
Stapleton Collection/Corbis; courtesy John Derian; Bob
Krist/Corbis. Page 40: From top: John Huba/Art & Com-
merce; Yadid Levy/Getty Images; courtesy Chard Ltd.;
Cameron Davidson/Gallery Stock; Adrian Beesley/Getty
Images; Peter Marlow/Magnum Photos. Page 68: Cour-
tesy Singita Grumeti (2). Page 72: Courtesy Palmetto
Bluf. Page 75: Courtesy PuLi Hotel and Spa (2). Page
76: Courtesy Seabourn Cruises (2). Page 78: Guillaume
de Laubier. Pages 108109: Yves Geille/Corbis. Pages
112113: Atlantide Phototravel/Corbis.
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JANUARY 2014 COND NAST TRAVELER 129 CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM

Tunisians are likely to put their trust in the
ballot box rather than force a violent, Egypt-
style counterrevolution in the streets.
On one of my last evenings in Tunis, I re-
turn to the Centre of Arab and Mediterra-
nean Music for a performance by whirling
dervishes from Istanbul. Te event itself is a
vote for tolerance: Hentati has invited them
to dance before an audience of Tunisian Su-
s, whose mystical form of Islam has been
threatened by the ultraconservatives. I walk
down a moonlit path to the palace entrance
and take a seat in a columned concert hall.
Te stage lights darken, a trio begins to play
a haunting melody, and three dervishes,
dressed in tall maroon kepis and wide white
skirts, sweep into the room. Eyes shut, heads
tilted back, arms raised, the men begin to
spin. Around and around they twirl, skirts
billowing upward, their facial expressions
frozen into masks of devotion. Afterward, I
join the throng of excited Sus in the court-
yard, conversing happily about the perfor-
mance. Ten I walk alone down the cliffside
path, through the streets of Tunis. Te lights
twinkle across the way in Sidi Bou Sad, the
moon rises over the Mediterranean, and I
pray that this diversity and toleranceso
rare in this part of the worldwill endure.
Tunisia
130 COND NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2014


Room with a View
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