Mercedes Benz fall-winter 2013

mercedes-magazine.ca i s s n 1925-4148
13·FALL/WINTER
FUTURE PERFECT
Meet the next generation
of S-Class
ISLAND APPEAL
Dine your way around PEI
TOKYO TALE
Japan’s secret
shopping rules
NICO ROSBERG
60 minutes behind the scenes
with the Grand Prix superstar

Alexander Skarsgård
© 2013 Calvin Klein Cosmetic Corporation / ENCOUNTER FRESH Calvin Klein ®

calvinkleinbeauty.com
available at Hudson’s Bay
and thebay.com

SAN FRANCISCO
Shreve & Co
Tel. + 1 415 860 4010
BERLIN
KaDeWe Tel. + 49 30 21 01 65 80
Hotel Adlon Tel. + 49 30 20 45 52 88
HONG KONG
ifc
Tel. + 852 25 40 10 28
CALGARY: J. Vair Anderson, Tel. (403) 266 1669 • VANCOUVER: Montecristo, Tel. (604) 263 3611
TORONTO: Bandiera, Tel. (416) 642 8806 • Wellendorff • Tel. (415) 860 4010 • www.wellendorff.com

Celebrating 120 Years
Genuine Values since 1893

® CHANEL S. de R.L.
www.chanel.ca ©CHANEL, Inc. CHANEL ®
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Watch in high tech ceramic. Moonphase complication with aventurine counter.
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CHANEL BOUTIQUES AND FINE JEWELLERS

in this issue
16
FASCINATION
From dining to style,
Canadian culture stays
ahead of the curve.
26
STAR PROFILE
ARTIST UNSCRIPTED
Director Paul Haggis makes
connections between two disparate
worlds: Hollywood and Haiti.
118
STAYS
TOWN & COUNTRY
Five of our favourite getaways
around the globe, from oceanside
resorts to urban Art Deco meccas.
20
DESIGN
EBB AND FLOW
Canadian designs eschew
90-degree angles in favour
of sinuous forms.
SCENE
40 120
CANADIAN BEAUTY
A look at three homegrown
cosmetics brands – and the
women who aren’t afraid to put
their money where their makeup is.
SOCIETY
FILM, FACES,
FESTI VA LS
Step out with Mercedes-Benz at
the season’s hottest events, from
parties to concerts.
22
EVENTS
RUNWAY, THEIR WAY
Alternative takes on fashion week
are springing up across Canada,
and they don’t always fit the mould.
GETAWAY
56 122
A SHORE THING
On Prince Edward Island it
takes a village to make a meal.
DRIVING PERFORMANCE
FANTASTIC FOUR
The CLA 45 AMG 4MATIC
is a four-door coupe with
superpowers.
24
AREA
PRAIRIE STYLE
What to see and do in Edmonton’s
hippest neighbourhood.
64
JETSET
RETAIL ZEN
Experience the refined
simplicity of the Japanese
aesthetic where you would
least expect it: in the bustle
of Tokyo’s shopping districts.
this page: toronto art fashion week

13•FALL/WINTER
bulletin
spotlight
12
PRESIDENT’S
NOTE
28
MISSION: PERFECTION
Retaining the title as World’s Best
Automobile since its inception,
the S-Class lives up to that billing
more impressively than ever.
92
A B R E AT H
OF MOBILITY
Japanese artist Yasuaki
Onishi created a virtually
weightless sculpture using
the Mercedes-Benz CLA.
46
TEA TIME IN BOOM CITY
Chengdu may be the fastestgrowing
city in all of China, but
the metropolis situated in the
province of Sichuan carefully
preserves its traditions.
72
THE LONGEST
HOUR
Join Mercedes AMG
Petronas driver Nico Rosberg
in his pre-race ritual ahead
of the Australian Grand Prix.
98
SIT BACK
The new S-Class turns the
humble driver’s seat into a
Human Machine Interface.
80
RUNNING START
Athletes train for years
with a single objective:
to optimize their technique.
100
CHANGE IS GOOD
A look at how the new
Mercedes-Benz 9G-TRONIC
automatic transmission will
raise the bar once more.
102
A LEGEND
The S-Class has earned a
reputation as the doyen of
every class – and the epitome
of exclusivity.
86
THE PERFECT SHAPE
Nature frequently provides
the best ideas for making energyefficient
buildings or even
streamlined swimsuits.
105
LUXURY
FOR ALL
How to sport designer
handbags, sunglasses and
watches without having to
own them.
107
IN NOVATION
From 3-D printers to a limitededition
smart fortwo, here’s where
high-tech meets fine design on
the international stage.

PRESIDENT , S NOTE
With every new generation,
the S-Class has introduced
groundbreaking technologies
and sophisticated systems that continue to
revolutionize the automotive industry. The
S-Class is not just a technological spearhead for
Mercedes-Benz, but for vehicle development as
a whole. This tradition of excellence was established
with the very first S-Class, and we have
subsequently brought to market such significant
advancements as the Airbag, ABS brakes
and ESP with every new model introduction.
Our brilliant engineers worked tirelessly on
three main development priorities for the 2014
S-Class. These included “Intelligent Drive,”
“Efficient Technology” and “Essence of Luxury.”
Page 28 provides a detailed preview of the many
impressive attributes that will allow the S-Class
to set the benchmark in the luxury segment. For
example, DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist
allows for hands-free semi-autonomous driving
in traffic situations, while PARKTRONIC with
Active Parking Assist automatically searches for
suitable perpendicular and parallel parking
spaces via ultrasonic sensors, and can take over
control of the steering wheel to smoothly steer
the car into a parking space.
Inside the luxurious cabin, the Drive-Dynamic
multicontour front seats cradle passengers in
ultimate comfort and offer the option of a hot
stone massage (page 98), while the standard
Burmester Surround Sound System was precisely
configured to the vehicle’s interior to
ensure well-balanced and dynamic sounds that
will envelop the entire passenger compartment.
In addition, the new AIR BALANCE System
provides the choice of four high-quality interior
fragrances that can be selected according to
personal preference and mood, and optimized
filtering and special oxygen ionization further
improves air quality while reducing viruses,
bacteria and odours from outside air.
After spending some time behind the wheel
of the new S-Class during the world press launch
in Toronto and the Muskoka region in July, I can
unequivocally say that we have certainly
achieved our objective to build one of the best
cars in the world. We were extremely proud to
host over 700 journalists from around the globe
here in Canada. The picturesque roads and
special demonstrations provided an ideal backdrop
to introduce the world to our new flagship
sedan. This program marked the first trip to
Canada for many of our international guests,
and I can’t think of a better way to see a small
section of our vast country than from behind
the wheel of an S-Class.
On that note, while this issue does a great job
of painting a vivid picture, there is certainly nothing
like experiencing the countless game-changing
innovations for yourself first-hand when the
S-Class arrives in dealerships this November.
Whether you are first drawn to its striking
design that pays homage to its storied heritage,
or the countless systems that effortlessly merge
comfort and safety into an opulent form, as you
explore the pages in this issue, you’ll quickly
realize that the S-Class does not disappoint on
any front.
Sincerely,
Tim A. Reuss
President & CEO
12

publication details
Published by
Daimler AG · Communications · HPC E402 · D-70546 Stuttgart
Responsible on behalf of the publishers
Mirjam Bendak
Publisher’s Council
Dr. Joachim Schmidt (Chairman) · Daniel Bartos · Thomas Fröhlich · Lüder Fromm ·
Christoph Horn · Jörg Howe · Anders Sundt Jensen · Alexandra Süss
Canada
Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc., 98 Vanderhoof Ave., Toronto, ON M4G 4C9
President and CEO Tim A. Reuss
Vice-President, Marketing Gavin Allen
Director, Communications and PR JoAnne Caza
National Marketing Communications Manager Jay Owen
Supervisor, Customer Relationship Management Lisa Hynek
Supervisor, PR Michael Minielly
Coordinator Vanessa Pagliaroli
Concept and editing
Germany
Condé Nast Verlag GmbH · Karlstrasse 23 · D-80333 München
Contributors 500GLS, Bernhard Bartsch, Fabrice Braun, Leandro Castelao, Annabel Dillig,
Björn Fischer, Lyndon Hayes, Christoph Henn, Jasper James, Jörn Kaspuhl, Anatol Kotte, Harmut Lehbrink,
Michael Moorstedt, Tobias Nebl, Ulrike Stierle, Matthias Straub, Wolfgang Wilhelm, Meike Winnemuth
Canada
Spafax Canada, 4200, boul. Saint-Laurent, suite 707, Montreal, QC H2W 2R2
President, content marketing Raymond Girard
Executive vice-president, content marketing Nino Di Cara
Vice-president, finance and operations Paula Pergantis
Content director Arjun Basu
Senior strategist Courtney MacNeil
Project leader Celyn Harding-Jones
Editor Natasha Mekhail
Senior editors Christopher Korchin, Isabelle Vialle-Soubranne
Associate editor Eve Thomas
Editorial assistant Stephanie McBride
Online editor Jasmin Legatos
Assistant online editor Renée Morrison
Contributors Rich Begany, Mike Berson, Curtis Comeau, Kate Hahn,
Valerie Howes, Tracy Hyatt, Christophe Jasmin, Frances Juriansz,
Paige Magarrey, Celeste Moure, Julie Saindon, Chantal Tranchemontagne
Acting art director Christine Houde
Graphic designers Bruno Dubois, Nicole Noon
Production director Joelle Irvine
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Fact checkers Catherine Korman, Lisa Voormeij
Proofreader Katie Moore
Translation CH-Kay, Marie-Paule Kassis
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Spafax Canada, 1179 King Street West, Suite 101, Toronto, ON M6K 3C5, sales@spafax.com
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Rights
©Copyright 2013 by Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. All rights reserved. Reprints and use, as a whole or
in part, only with the express written permission of Daimler AG. No responsibility can be taken for
unsolicited texts and photographs. Signed articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher
or the editors. Some vehicles may be shown with non-Canadian equipment. Some vehicles may be shown
without side marker lights. Some optional equipment may not be available on all models. For current
information regarding the range of models, standard features, optional equipment and/or colours
available in Canada and their pricing, contact your nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer or visit
mercedes-benz.ca. All other content in this magazine has been compiled to the best of our knowledge,
but no guarantee is given.
Mercedes-Benz magazine appears semi-annually, with editions published under cooperation or
licence in 40 languages. Number 324, 59th year of publication, succeeding Mercedes – the
magazine for people on the move and Mercedes-Benz in aller Welt.
Return undeliverables to
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ISSN 1925-4148
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14

GOODS
Bricks
& Bones
bonestructure.ca
Putting together a house without nails is all in a day’s work for
BONE Structure president Marc-André Bovet. Working out of Laval, Quebec, the
eight-year-old construction company builds environmentally responsible homes
made entirely out of recycled steel. Each tailor-made building is designed to snap
together like a giant Meccano set, from the walls to the roof, eliminating waste, not
to mention the need for bearing walls and posts. The resulting open-concept homes
are built to last generations, and can be assembled in as little as four days.
g o o d s S T Y L E C U L T U R E T R A V E L D I N I N G
fascination
DINING
Food
Fetish
whistlercornucopia.com
Montreal-Based Ecksand Fine Jewellery is dedicated to keeping
their hand-hewn pieces as natural as they are beautiful, using materials that
include conflict-free diamonds and family-farmed pearls. Divers pull pearls
up from oysters in Australian and Tahitian lagoons (replacing each gem with
grains of sand to restart the process), while naturally coloured diamonds are
ethically mined in northern Canada and Australia. Founders Erica Bianchini
and Yoan Gehant-Vidoni also keep the jewellery line as organic as possible:
The Little Eck line uses reclaimed leather and the Classic Pearl collection is
entirely glue-free (a first in the industry).
GOODS
Blessed with the best of mountain culture, Whistler
has always been a draw for hedonists – epicures included. Cornucopia, the
village’s biggest culinary bash, has recently expanded from a five-day affair to
an 11-day marathon, held November 7–17, 2013. Expect more tastings, feasts,
cooking classes and cocktail competitions. Foodies in the know will want
to snap up tickets for the Chef’s Trip to the Farm and Araxi’s Winemakers
Dinner, headed by award-winning chef James Walt. For the cherry on the
cake, revellers make their way to the après-party, the legendary Masquerave,
presented by Bearfoot Bistro, home to a subzero vodka tasting room.
ecksand.com
True
Colours
16

STYLE
Renewed
Interest
harricana.qc.ca
style
Tie One On
stolenriches.com
In 1993, Montreal’s Mariouche Gagné took her mother’s fur coat and reworked it
into a reversible ski suit, complete with accessories. Since then, the doyenne of ecological
fashion has grown her company, Harricana, into a global brand sold in 15 countries (while
saving more than 800,000 animals in the process). Most recently, she collaborated with
Rossignol, the storied ski brand, to create a 12-piece capsule collection. The vibe is
European ski racer meets Inuit artisan, in a sophisticated mélange of technical materials
with fur, First Nations motifs, braids, fringes and sheepskin. Sustainable fashion never looked
or felt so good, whether on the ski hill or in the street.
In the swag suites of the 2012 Toronto
International Film Festival, celebs coveted one very
unexpected item: Stolen Riches shoelaces. David
Barclay, a fourth-generation textile manufacturer, took
the once humble accessory and elevated it, with the
idea that “if shoes make the individual, then the laces
make the statement.” Available in 69-cm, 81-cm and
163-cm lengths, the nylon-core laces come in hues that
give footwear extra flair, like Portsalon Red, Bubba Blue
and Huckleberry Yellow. And the beefy construction,
beautifully finished with gold, silver and gunmetal
aglets, gives the company the confidence to offer a
laces guarantee.
CULTURE
photo Joern Rohde/joernrohde.com (bearfoot bistro)
yinggao.ca
Eye for
Fashion
Having previously constructed the Living
Pod dress with light sensors that activate miniature motors
sewn into the fabric folds, Montreal fashion designer Ying
Gao is no stranger to innovative design. Her current
exhibit, (no)where (no)here, displays two interactive frocks
that seem to mimic the movement and disappearance of
jellyfish in the water. Gao’s dresses are crafted with
photoluminescent thread and eye-tracking technology that
lights up and moves in response to a viewer’s gaze. Find
Gao’s work in November 2013 at the new Museum of
Contemporary Art Shanghai or in spring 2014, closer to
home, at the Textile Museum of Canada in Toronto.
17

CULTURE
Spirited
Scenes
phi-centre.com
STYLE
Guy Maddin, the venerable experimental filmmaker, spent the first part of July shooting
12 films in 13 days at Montreal’s PHI Centre for his Seances project. Haunted by early Hollywood
films that were destroyed intentionally or through decay, the Winnipeg-based director and his
cast of 66 Québécois actors, including Karine Vanasse (Pan Am) and Roy Dupuis (Shake Hands
with the Devil ) plunged themselves into a deep trance in order to summon the souls of lost
silent films. Cameras transmitted the performances to a live remote audience, and Maddin
plans to produce a film chronicling the experience as well as an interactive work to be released
Sole of
the Slopes
burton.com / manitobah.ca
in 2014. For their winter 2013–14
boot collection for women, the world’s
largest snowboard brand tapped into
Manitobah Mukluks’ Storyboot Project
and traditional First Nations design.
Burton Snowboards partnered with the
Aboriginal-owned Manitoba company
to offer the Memento (pictured below),
a performance riding boot based on
a traditional design by the late Annie
Madeleine McKay of the Misipawistik
Cree Nation. While the Memento
beautifully reflects the hallmarks of
a traditional mukluk with its classic
rolled toe, fringe and floral trim, it still
retains the technical aspects of a great
Burton boot, like quick-fit laces, heatmouldable
liners and special pockets to
accommodate toe warmers.
GOODS
Form &
Function
zoemowat.com
Edmonton-born, Montreal-based designer Zoë
Mowat has made a name for herself with furniture featuring
smooth lines and pops of colour, and she has a talent for finding
the right mix of form and materials – spot her felt-topped Soft
Table in Wallpaper* magazine’s most recent Global Interiors
special. Now she is favouring a smaller scale, providing admirers
with a more intimate look at her aesthetic. She’s collaborated with
Canadian chefs on a series of cutting boards and released Arbor, a
jewellery caddy, as well as Table Service (pictured), a modular set
for the modern meal.
18

DINING
DINING
Forest
Fare
Jam
Packed
dorigina.com
kitchenbybrad.ca
In northern Quebec, four hours north of the
provincial capital and deep in the boreal forest, lies a treasure
trove of flavours. d’Origina, a company founded by the Girardville
Forestry Cooperative in 1979, hand-harvests native plants at the
precise time that they release their peak powers and aromas.
The result is a line of sustainable and organic essential oils, teas
and herbs that are high in antioxidants. The herbs are especially
popular with chefs like Jean-Luc Boulay, one of Quebec City’s
greatest culinary influences, who has opened Chez Boulay,
Bistro Boréal, with a menu featuring d’Origina products such as
powdered wintergreen and peppery green alder.
There are several bacon jams on the market today, but none is
quite like chef Brad Smoliak’s. Forget sweet and heavy – his is savoury and complex, with
layers of flavours including chipotle, espresso, maple syrup and tomatoes, plus a dash of
spiciness. This bacon jam can elevate your grilled cheese or burger, make your scrambled
eggs sing or turn crackers and cheese into a real treat. Smoliak is a big player on the
Edmonton scene, having cooked for Queen Elizabeth II, co-founded the Hardware Grill
and most recently started up Kitchen, a local test kitchen, cooking school and privateparty
venue.
Distinctive Style on the Go
1
2
photo curtis comeau (bacon jam)
Whether you’re heading off on a business trip, a weekend break or a long holiday, every memorable journey begins
with a well-packed bag. The exclusive Mercedes-Benz luggage range, made by Samsonite, offers you the perfect piece
to put in your trunk, including the X-Pression Spinner 66 Suitcase (1), a selection of fashionable handbags (2) and
the X-Pression Holdall weekender (3). They all have one thing in common: the high-quality materials, functionality and
elegant design you can expect from both Mercedes-Benz and Samsonite. thecollection.ca
3
19

f a s c i n a t i o n : d e s i g n
1
2
3
Ebb and Flow
Forget square furniture: Canadian designs eschew
90-degree angles in favour of sinuous forms.
Working with shapely lines, their creators produce
light-as-air pieces that look like they’re about to
float away.
words Paige Magarrey
1
Ripple
Effect
merganzer.com
Seemingly lightweight despite its
down-to-earth palette, the Wave table
is as undulating as its namesake.
Toronto woodworker Brett Lundy
of Merganzer Furniture and Design
creates the made-to-order coffee
and side tables by hand-carving the
sculptural base out of solid walnut,
cherry or sassafras and then topping
it off with simple floating glass.
2
Smoke and
Mirrors
tsunamiglassworks.com
Now available in a sophisticated
new polished mirror finish, Tsunami
Glasswork’s one-of-a-kind Cell Bowls
feature rounded, organic forms
created using the Windsor studio’s
special blown-glass technique.
Available in four sizes – from 15 to
40 centimetres in diameter – the
bowls also come in a bevy of shiny
and matte colour combinations.
20

4
5
6
3
4
5
6
Line
Drawing
kinoguerin.com
Kino Guérin’s quest to build furniture
with no legs, crossbars or supports led
the Quebec craftsman to develop his
seamlessly tangled benches, tables
and art pieces made of thin layers of
wood glued together and then bent,
folded and knotted into airy creations.
The Double Twist Shelf, for example,
is made of a single piece of wood
layering with a walnut veneer.
Wall
Art
keioudesign.com
For a touch of tactile drama,
Keiou Design Lab’s three-dimensional
Dapli Wall Surfaces twist up interior
spaces in a variety of patterns.
The Richmond, B.C., design studio
developed the pourable stone
substance out of fine-grained white
jade and uses it to create large-scale
panels with dramatic reliefs and
intricate layers of textures and colour.
On the
Floor
creativemattersinc.com
Hand-knotted in Tibetan wool with
pure Chinese silk, #432 is part of
Creative Matters’ Art Day Collection
of motifs. It was developed during
the Toronto rug company’s Art Day
brainstorming sessions, when the
entire staff gets together to draw,
paint or even build sandcastles around
a specific theme. This layered rug was
inspired by a day of stamp-making.
Geometry
Lesson
oneillfurnituredesign.ca
Inspired by Art Deco, Kitchener
designer Shawn O’Neill uses layers
of walnut, Baltic birch and plywood
to create this glass-topped cocktail
table’s dramatic, multi-toned base.
It features a stepped arch that
creates a convex curve at each
end, evoking a feeling of expansion
and contraction, as though it’s in a
constant flex.
21

f a s c i n a t i o n : E V E n t s
Runway,
Their Way
Mercedes-Benz Start Up showcases emerging
Canadian talent at World MasterCard Fashion Week in
Toronto. But you don’t have to be in Toronto – or, for
that matter, New York, Paris or Milan – to be part of the
experience. Alternative takes on fashion week are springing
up across Canada, and the designers, collections
and models they showcase don’t always fit the mould.
Regina
National Aboriginal
Fashion Week
facebook.com/nationalaboriginalfashionweek
JUNE Debuting in 2012 in Regina, this three-day event has helped bring
North America’s aboriginal fashion designers into the spotlight, fusing
fashion and music from First Nations artists and designers from across
North America. “We are letting the world know that we are here and we are
beautiful and very creative,” said Linsay Willier, an aboriginal model and
runner-up on Canada’s Next Top Model, at last year’s inaugural show.
words Celeste Moure
Toronto
Fashion Art Toronto
fashionarttoronto.ca
APRIL More than just a catwalk, Fashion Art Toronto celebrates style in
all its forms: on the runway, through live music and dance performances on
stage and on film, as well as through photography exhibits and art installations.
Held every April in Canada’s fashion capital, the week welcomes thousands of
guests as well as 200 local and international designers and artists in an effort
to explore a new era of clothing – from streetwear to avant-garde collections –
and redefine the fashion experience.
22

Vancouver
Eco Fashion Week
ecofashion-week.com
APRIL Believing that we can look good and still be
good to the environment, Myriam Laroche launched EFW
four years ago. More than 2,000 sustainability-minded
fashionistas, stylists and photographers descend twice
annually upon Vancouver to promote, discover and celebrate
innovative and sustainable collections from around the
world. But if you think eco fashion is just about hemp
clothes, think again. The category covers organic materials,
fair trade, renewable production and environmental welfare –
subjects addressed during EFW’s free seminars.
photos Fashion art toronto (matière noire by Cécile RaizonvillE); Leftboot productions (Cree nisgaa clothing boots)
Vancouver
Men’s Fashion Week
mensfashionweek.ca
AUGUST It’s no secret that menswear designers are underrepresented in fashion
weeks – not just across the country, but around the world. Jun Ramos, co-owner of Canadian
accessories company Ramos & Fortier, took notice. So in 2010 he launched MFW, the third
of its kind – behind Paris and Milan, but before London. The reason was simple: “We need to
have a stage that puts a spotlight on Canadian talents,” said Ramos. The event continues to
highlight established and up-and-coming menswear designers and has become a bridge for
international labels to break into the local market.
Montreal
Black Fashion
Week
blackfashionweekmontreal.com
MAY Following on the chic heels
of Black Fashion Week Paris, 2013
marked the debut of the Montreal
edition, which celebrates and
promotes black fashion in Canada.
Organized by Senegalese designer
Adama Paris, the three-day show
featured homegrown and French
designers as well as models from
such far-flung countries as Senegal,
Haiti and Cameroon. The expertly
choreographed catwalks wowed
audiences inside the transformed
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church in the
heart of the city.
Toronto
Canada Philippine
Fashion Week
canadaphilippinefashionweek.com
JUNE After his son died of a genetic condition, Filipino-
Canadian broadcaster Jeff Rustia found a way to channel his
grief into something positive. The result was 2013’s inaugural
Toronto event to celebrate the best of Philippine fashion and
culture in Rustia’s adopted country, while at the same time
raising money for Canada’s Kol Hope Foundation for Children,
a charity that helps and supports children with disabilities.
The five-day affair features innovative and pioneering
designers from the Philippines and Canada.
23

f a s c i n a t i o n : A R E A
1 2
3
Prairie Style
What to see and do in Edmonton’s
hippest neighbourhood.
words Tracy Hyatt
TRAVEL
The Scene
A decade ago, downtown Edmonton
was a virtual ghost town after the
business crowd cleared out for the day.
Today, thanks to revitalization efforts,
an influx of new condo developments
and some enterprising entrepreneurs,
Edmonton’s core has risen again, its
historic brownstones sharing real estate
with modern glass-and-steel towers. At
its heart is the 4th Street Promenade,
a pedestrian enclave and former
warehouse district – home to luxury
clothiers, hip wine bars and some of
Canada’s best dining. We explore
a sophisticated new downtown that
will change your mind about this
Prairie city.
The Market
The plein-air City Market Downtown is
one of the most noteworthy reasons to
explore 104 Street on Saturdays. Before
noon, the market is already in full swing
with 100 vendors selling local goods
– such as just-bottled thistle honey,
local pecorino cheese and organic
honey wine – that represent the best
of Alberta’s artisanal food movement.
Edmonton chefs make a stop at
Evoolution’s tasting bar for premium
olive oil and balsamic vinegar. You’ll
also find the handiwork of the local
creative class in the form of wood-fired
ceramic bowls, delicate découpage
jewellery crafted from paper and
Australian lacewood cribbage boards.
24

4 5
photos Curtis Comeau (Corso 32); Edmonton Economic Development Corporation (art gallery of alberta)
The Spa
Experience blissful pampering at The
Beauty Lounge, a large salon, day spa
and medi-spa in downtown Edmonton
run by local beauty-industry veteran
William Halabi. The spa’s signature
mud and clay contour wrap detoxifies
the skin and shrinks fat cells. Other
services include Dermalogica facials,
therapeutic massages and Ciaté
Caviar manicures. While reviving tired
muscles, you’ll also want to soak in
your surroundings. The three-storey
former Birks Building on Jasper Avenue
resembles an opulent 1930s Art Deco
mansion, further embellished with
damask wallpaper, crystal chandeliers
and rococo settees.
Goods
The Shops
The best menswear outpost on
what’s becoming the go-to street for
exclusive clothing labels, The Helm
has a penchant for bespoke clothing
and exceptional craftsmanship (think
Corneliani suits and Magnanni laceup
oxfords). Three doors down, find
Coup Garment Boutique, stocked with
women’s niche luxury labels from
Tokyo, London and New York, and
a cross between sharply structured
garments and casually elegant slouchy
layers. The shop was in the spotlight
two years ago as one of a handful of
Canadian boutiques to carry the navyblue
Smythe blazer Kate Middleton
wore while touring Canada.
1 Chef Daniel Costa presents modern
plays on rustic Italian fare at Corso 32.
2 The Helm specializes in sharp Italian
suits and bespoke styling for men. 3
Cavern’s exceptional wine and cheese
selection makes it a go-to after-work
destination. 4 The metal lines of the
Art Gallery of Alberta were designed
to evoke the aurora borealis. 5 Coup
stocks niche luxury labels for women.
6 The Beauty Lounge occupies the
historic Birks Building.
Dining
The Menu
Tucked away in Phillips Lofts
basement is Cavern, an intimate shop
and café-bar run by Montrealer Tricia
Bell, whose culinary pedigree includes
apprenticeship under America’s
foremost cheese authority, Max
McCalman. Down the street, Tzin
impresses as much for its extensive
wine selection as for its small plates
(try the spicy potato bravas and warm
marinated olives). Less than a block
southeast at Corso 32, there’s no
bolder Edmonton chef than Daniel
Costa. The tiny restaurant attracts
reverent gourmets to modern-Italian
mainstays, like the arancini balls and
pasta with black truffle butter.
Culture
The Arts
Just off the strip, the Art Gallery of
Alberta reopened in 2010 with a new
design by American architect Randall
Stout, whose curvaceous steel-andglass
facade pays tribute to the
Northern Lights. The AGA maintains
a permanent exhibit of 7,000 modern
works, including a large Group of
Seven collection. Meanwhile, nearby
avant-garde gallery Latitude 53 shows
thought-provoking works by local and
international visual artists, like Megan
Dickie’s interactive leather sculptures
and Kyle Whitehead’s light and sound
installations. Both galleries throw
late-night fêtes that draw the local
smart set.
6
25

S t a r p r o f i l e
Artist Unscripted
The Canadian-born director of Crash and Third Person is
known for films that put different social spheres at odds,
but in real life Paul Haggis makes meaningful connections
between two disparate worlds: Hollywood and Haiti.
words Kate Hahn
P
aul Haggis was on his first visit to
Haiti in 2008 when he saw her: the
little girl in the white dress. Her
pristine school uniform gleamed
against the wooden shacks of a crowded slum. Her
bright smile shone even as she lugged cooking
pots to a ditch of dirty water and sewage. Her feet
were bare.
“That little girl says a lot about Haiti,” says the
award-winning filmmaker. “That joy and that
beauty – and that level of despair.”
The desire to eradicate that despair drove
London, Ontario-born Haggis to found the nonprofit
Artists for Peace and Justice (APJ) to support
healthcare and education programs in Haiti.
It was a full two years before the 2010 earthquake
would make the Caribbean island a cause célèbre.
But Haggis is well-known for veering ahead of
the Hollywood curve. In the 2006 Academy Award
winner Crash, which he wrote and directed, he
eschewed the traditional hero story for a less pretty
one about racism when the disparate worlds of
Los Angeles residents randomly collide. A similar
narrative ties together this fall’s release of Third
Person, starring James Franco and Mila Kunis as one
of three couples whose paths cross unexpectedly.
Haggis’ unconventional touch as a screenwriter
also helped create a modern, moodier James Bond
(played by Daniel Craig) in the blockbusters Casino
Royale and Quantum of Solace, and several notso-good
soldiers, including those in the 2007
Iraq War-era thriller In the Valley of Elah, which
he also directed.
It was on a trip to Italy to promote that film that
Haggis found his philanthropic calling. Following
an interview with a reporter, as they sat in a café
finishing their coffee, the conversation drifted to
her recent assignments. She told Haggis about
her visit to Haiti to meet Father Rick Frechette,
an American doctor and community organizer
who has spent over 20 years in the Caribbean
photo WireImage (portrait)
26

nation – the poorest in the Americas – building
orphanages, schools and hospitals. Intrigued,
Haggis asked to see the article. When he read it
later, his jaw dropped.
“I frankly couldn’t believe this man existed. I
have a cynical heart, but the stories of what he’d
built were so heroic,” recounts Haggis, who wasted
no time in flying to Haiti to find Frechette. He
stayed for a week and worked in the slums.
Haggis has light blue eyes and a kind face
splashed with a few pale freckles and a slightly
scruffy, close-cropped beard. Were he an actor,
a casting director might have him audition
for the role of a civil servant turned heroic
whistle-blower.
As the first screenwriter to pen two back-toback
Academy Award best picture winners – with
Crash following on the heels of Million Dollar Baby
in 2005 – he has no trouble attracting top talent.
Haggis also likes to work with the same actors
as often as their schedules allow – people like
Liam Neeson and Olivia Wilde, with whom he has
lasting friendships.
So in what could have been a scene from
Crash, Haggis hosted a small dinner party at his
house in Los Angeles to introduce Father
Frechette to some A-list celebrities. It was a
mash-up of social spheres so profoundly different
that at one point, Frechette gestured toward
a tall blonde across the table and asked, “What
does that woman do?”
“That’s Charlize Theron,” Haggis replied. “She’s
an actress.”
At first, donations came mostly from a small,
core group of Hollywood artists. But when the
earthquake struck in 2010, Haggis sprang into
action, flying APJ straight into the chaos with
supplies, aid money and returning to L.A. a week
later to raise $4.5 million in one afternoon. He
had the will to fix everything, but Frechette had
a longer-term plan. Frechette would focus on
rebuilding what had been; Haggis would create
what had never been before.
Their approach changed the face of Haitian
education. The year of the quake, APJ built Haiti’s
first free secondary school, the Academy for Peace
and Justice, and the first free arts and technical
college, the Artists Institute. At both institutions
young attendees receive a full scholarship. Since
opening, the secondary school’s student body
has grown by 400 kids a year and is expected to
reach 3,000 by 2016, when the facility reaches
full capacity.
In the APJ mandate, school buildings not only
have to be functional, they must also be beautiful.
That helps fulfill a more elusive aspect of APJ’s
mission: “giving people dignity,” Haggis explains.
“That feeling of self-worth is part of the cure.”
He understands the power of encouragement.
As a child, he discovered his special talent for writing
when his fifth-grade teacher praised one of his
essays. “That had a profound impact,” he says.
“Somebody believing in me. Often, we need just
one kind word and we take the rest on our own.”
Clockwise from top: Haggis and actor Olivia Wilde
on the set of Third Person, his latest release, which
he wrote and directed; Breaking ground with Haitian
students at the Academy for Peace and Justice as
construction begins on a third wing of classrooms;
Worlds collide in Haggis’ provocative drama, Crash,
the Best Picture winner at the 2006 Academy Awards.
So perhaps what seemed like another crash of
cultures at first – glamorous Hollywood and underserved
Haiti – took a mind like Haggis’ to
reconcile. In fact, this year, Haggis along with
music-pal Quincy Jones and other artist members
of APJ are opening an Audio Institute. It’s an
initiative that will give Haitian students a chance
to enter the entertainment industry – or maybe
even build one of their own – in a future that
already looks more hopeful. Like a starched white
dress among the shacks.
>
27

S p o t l i g h t
The World’s Best Automobile: This title has stuck to the flagship model since its inception.
28
words MICHAel Moorstedt
photos anatol kotte
Leather coat: Belstaff

And the new generation of S-Class lives up to that billing more impressively than ever.
Mission: Perfection
29

S p o t l i g h t
A vision of the
automotive future
30

left page JACKET, VEST: LAGERFELD; TIE, SHIRT: HACKETT; GLASSES: PRIVATE this page suit, shirt: boss
SQUEAKY CLEAN
The optional AIR BALANCE
Package ionizes the air and filters
out dust particles and germs.
31

S p o t l i g h t
W
hat exactly is the “smell of success?” Is it that
heady aroma of fireworks and champagne, the
rich scent of rose petals as they flutter to
the ground around the feet of the champion? If
you’re talking about a one-off triumph, perhaps
– like celebrating a promotion in the workplace
or winning an award, for example. But what if
success has become the norm, if setting the
benchmark is no longer exceptional but routine,
and the one to beat is always yourself? These are
circumstances that call for a good deal of subtlety.
So how do you go about moulding an idea that
is already tough to define into microscopically
small scent molecules that give the uninitiated
nose only a vague sensation of what it feels like?
After all, the nose is directly linked to the limbic
system. “That’s the oldest area of the brain, the
part responsible for the emotions,” explains Sabine
Engelhardt. She should know. She developed the
AIR BALANCE System for the new S-Class and
came up with olfactory equivalents for concepts
such as familiarity and comfort, progress and
luxury. Working in tandem with a renowned perfumer,
Engelhardt’s team created four different
fragrances – ranging from a Sports variety, which
has the freshness of bright green foliage, to
Nightlife, with luxurious wood and ambergris notes.
Of course, the fragrances have to be just right in
intensity: not overpowering, but rather “like taking
a sniff from a perfume bottle,” she stresses. >
JACKET, VEST: LAGERFELD; TIE, SHIRT: HACKETT; GLASSES: PRIVATE
32

CLASSICALLY MODERN
The two-spoke steering wheel is a
holdover from the S-Class legacy.
INTELLIGENT
CONTROLS
A wide range of
assistance systems
support the driver.
33

S p o t l i g h t
A monument to what
is technologically feasible
COAT, SHIRT, PANTS: JIL SANDER; GLASSES: BOTTEGA VENETA; LOAFERS: GUCCI
34

Sabine Engelhardt speaks eloquently and at
length about vertical-axis flows and optimum air
distribution in enclosed spaces. To talk to her is
to feel the enthusiasm the new S-Class triggers
in those who helped create this car, even those
who focus – like Engelhardt – on what you might
think of as small details. Development has
involved many experts – people willing to look
beyond their areas of specialization and embrace
a role as part of something bigger.
The S-Class has always been more than just a
vehicle. It is a monument to what is technically
feasible, and a vision of our automotive future. The
meticulous work of people like Engelhardt has had
its intended effect: Journalists at the influential
tech magazine Wired even proposed taking up
immediate residence in the new Mercedes-Benz
flagship. The words they used were not “drive,”
“cruise” or “floor the gas pedal,” but “move in” –
pack your belongings, ditch the apartment and, if
necessary, recruit a few roommates. After all, the
car comfortably accommodates four.
100 motors – in the interior
But even leaving size out of the equation, it’s no
surprise that the new S-Class has grabbed the
attention of the engineering and IT fraternity. More
than 30 million lines of programming code are at
work in a car like this, though the driver would
never know it. That’s just a little less code than is
used in a modern passenger aircraft. In short, it’s
the perfect symbiosis of software and hardware.
The list of technological innovations developed
by Mercedes-Benz for this S-Class is as long as it
is impressive. There are over 100 actuators and
electric motors in the interior of the new S-Class
alone – although naturally the highlight remains
the machine under the hood. But the string of new
developments and technological world premieres
is almost endless. It includes intelligent driverassistance
technology such as DISTRONIC PLUS
with Steering Assist and BAS PLUS with Cross-
Traffic Assist – systems that, respectively, help the
driver maintain the correct lane position and distance
to the car in front, and recognize pedestrians
and potential hazards at road junctions.
Then there is the multimedia system, which
gives each of the four vehicle occupants dedicated
access to the entertainment package. Or a suspension
system that enlists the aid of a stereo camera
mounted behind the windshield to scan the surface
of the road ahead so it can counteract any
THE LONG VERSION
For the first time, the focus
of development was on the
long-wheelbase sedan. flaws or unevenness in a fraction of a second. >
35

S P O T L I G H T
PERFECTLY PITCHED
The Burmester surround sound
system with FrontBass provides
a 3-D auditory experience.
MORE THAN JUST A CAR
Fragrances and a hot-stone
massage effect turn the S-Class
into a mobile wellness centre.
TOP DRESS, BAG: PRADA BOTTOM, HER JACKET, BELT, PANTS: BURBERRY LONDON; DIAMOND BRACELET: POMELLATO HIM JACKET, PANTS, SHIRT: EMPORIO ARMANI; GLASSES: BOTTEGA VENETA
36

ugatti-fashion.com | 1.800.363.7442

S P O T L I G H T
Mercedes-Benz calls this innovation MAGIC BODY
CONTROL. As science-fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke
stated, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable
from magic.” Except that even Clarke
could never have dreamed that the spirit of human
engineering would get us to this point as early as
2013 – and certainly not be manifested in such a
prosaic object as a car.
Indistinguishable from magic
Of course, throughout its long history the S-Class
has never been just a simple – if high-tech – means
of getting about. Indeed, it has now morphed into a
moving office, prestigious lounge and mobile wellness
centre all in one. Martin Bremer and his team
were responsible for ensuring that the latest incarnation
of the flagship model from Mercedes-Benz would
successfully fill these various roles, both now and in
the future. As Head of the Colour and Trim department,
Bremer is in charge of equipping the entire
interior. As he puts it, “We’re responsible for everything
you can see and touch inside.”
Having worked on both predecessor series and
undertaken a lengthy journey with the new model,
this is a man who knows the S-Class. “From coming
up with the initial idea, it takes 60 months to produce
the first customer-ready vehicle,” he says. Bremer
and his team were there from the start. “Visual serenity”
was the goal with the new car, he explains. “Our
view is that you shouldn’t be aware of the complexity
of the various mechanical systems and technology.”
So while they worked, the designers focused on
creating an interior that would not alienate the occupant
– despite the built-in technology, the large-format
screens, the many buttons and switches – and instead
would communicate craftsmanship and bear the
hallmarks of handmade exclusivity.
In-turn, that meant using only materials suitable
for processing and crafting by hand. Bremer and his
team took two years just to select the leathers and
fine woods for the interior. Only then did they start
looking for the best suppliers and processing methods
in order to be certain that these natural materials
would maintain their original form and colour even
after years of use.
That is not something you learn by spending a
couple of days at Milan Fashion Week, notes Bremer,
adding – with barely concealed pride – that his lead
designer also possesses a background in haute couture.
“The most important aspect,” explains Bremer,
“is that there is harmony between the various elements.”
But isn’t there one feature of which he is
particularly proud? Yes, he says: the seats. Or to be
i
S 550 4MATIC
Engine/Performance
4.6-litre V8,
449 hp at 5,250-5,500 rpm;
max. torque 516 lb-ft
at 1,800–3,500 rpm
Transmission
7G-TRONIC PLUS
seven-speed automatic
Safety
The optional Premium Rear Seating
Package includes a beltbag that
protects rear-seat passengers in
a crash. An airbag inside the seatbelt
strap inflates it to almost three
times its normal size. This additional
inflated surface mitigates the
impact of an accident.
Mood
Ambient lighting – in the form of
a wraparound band of light – uses
seven different colours to enhance
the feeling of on-board comfort.
The above data do not relate to an individual
vehicle and do not form part of an offer but
serve solely to facilitate comparisons between
different models.
mercedes-benz.ca
FIRST CLASS
Unprecedented
luxury awaits rearseat
passengers.
more precise, the way in which the seams of the
optional perforated leather upholstery have been
stitched. Bremer calls it “stagecraft,” explaining
how it evokes associations with designer footwear
and luxury handbags.
And while you’re still musing over the significance
of such fine details, the realization suddenly
hits you: That is precisely what makes the new
S-Class unique. When you take a good long look
around the outside, inspect the interior and try
out the seats for the first time, you come face to
face with new master strokes and superlatives at
every turn. And yet none of them appear to stand
out on its own to claim the limelight for itself.
The S-Class is the sum of its parts. And so much
more besides.
>
HER DRESS: BURBERRY PRORSUM; EARRINGS: POMELLATO HIM JACKET: BOSS; SHIRT: BRIONI STYLING LYNN SCHMIDT/SCHIERKE HAIR AND MAKEUP FEE ROMERO/KULT ARTISTS MODELS ROBERTAS AUKSTUOLIS/SELECT, JAY SHIN/MD MANAGEMENT
38

REAL BEAUTY
LiEs wiThin ThE wALLs
Steel structure homes.
attend our Free information sessions. register today! BONEstructure.ca
VancouVer . calgary . edmonton . regina . Winnipeg . toronto . ottaWa . montréal . St John’S
©2013 Simple Concept Inc. | BONE Structure. The illustrations can differ from the actual model. Architectural works relative to BONE Structure houses are subject to international copyright law.
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or model homes of the former, without the express consent of Simple Concept Inc. might constitute an infringement to international copyright laws.

S C E N E
Canadian
Beauty
A look behind the bottles and beauty counters of three homegrown cosmetics brands
– and the women who aren’t afraid to put their money where their makeup is.
words Eve Thomas photos rich begany
40

Good skin IS a canvas. Trends change every season, and you
can play with your nail polish or your hair colour on a whim.
But show me someone who doesn’t want healthy, flawless skin.
l e e g r a f f, c o v e r f x
L
> –The Trailblazer
ee Graff never thought she’d be taking on Estée
Lauder. But scan the shelves at Sephora and
you’ll find the makeup line she co-created,
Cover FX, flanked by Clinique, Dior and other
top-selling brands. It’s also in over a thousand
Shoppers Drug Marts across Canada and at
upscale British department stores Harvey Nichols
and House of Fraser.
Quite a feat when you learn that Cover FX
wasn’t even created with the commercial market
in mind. It was originally developed for the
CosMedic Clinic at Sunnybrook Health Sciences
beauty firsts
M.A.C
“I could fill this entire place with the products I
tried!” says an exasperated Lee Graff from a
boardroom at the Cover FX headquarters. She
spent 15 years searching for the perfect product
to hide a range of dermal conditions – everything
from acne scars to skin-discolouring vitiligo –
without inflaming them further with ingredients
like fragrance, gluten or mineral oil.
Luckily, she had the ideal research tools on hand:
1984, Toronto
Centre in Toronto, where Graff still works as a
a lab around the corner from her office and patients
Top product: Lip liner
corrective makeup specialist.
eager to try anything. “Normally, people with sensitive
skin are extremely cautious. But they’ll open
in Spice
“I was brought in to help patients referred by Beauty buzz: All Viva Glam
dermatologists and plastic surgeons,” says Graff,
who has a background in psychology. “It turns
product sales go to the
M.A.C AIDS Fund,
up in a medical setting,” says the native Torontonian
and grandmother of two (though you’d hardly know
out they’re not the only ones who want to feel
which has raised over
it to look at her – as seems to be the case with
$240 million since its
comfortable in their own skin.”
most beauty-industry entrepreneurs, she is her
creation in 1994.
Though the hyper-competitive beauty industry
maccosmetics.com
own best advertising).
has long been dominated by European labels
and American corporations, Cover FX is hardly Lise Watier
Graff tested early foundation formulas on rosacea
sufferers, the canaries in the coal mine of the
1968, Montreal
the only success story to come out of Canada.
skincare world – if an ingredient doesn’t trigger a
Top product: Portfolio
The men behind M.A.C, Frank Toskan and Frank
flare-up in them, it’s going to be safe for almost
Professional Corrector
Angelo, got started in a Toronto kitchen almost concealer
anyone. At the same time, Toronto’s multicultural
30 years ago, Lise Watier ran her epon ymous
skincare and makeup line out of Quebec for over
Beauty buzz: The Lise
Watier Institute was
nature ensured a refreshingly diverse range of
shades, what Cover FX calls its “global palette.”
40 years before stepping down in September,
founded in 1968 as a
In 2003, a local news team aired a segment
charm and beauty school
and Cargo Cosmetics, with its signature silver
about the clinic and Cover FX, broadcasting footage
of a makeup application and flooding Graff
that taught grooming
tins and numerous awards for eco-friendly and etiquette.
design, was founded in 1996 by Egyptian-born
Montrealer Hana Zalzal.
There may very well be something distinctly
lisewatier.com
Miracle10
with calls from people (including many men)
who had never been to a department store beauty
counter let alone a dermatologist.
2005, Toronto/
Canadian about the cosmetics brands that come
Then SARS struck. The clinic closed temporarily,
like much of the city, and it looked like all the
Mississauga
out of this country – a commitment to quality, Top product: Platinum10
the hands-on approach of their founders, a
focus on green packaging and natural ingredients
with EMC10
Beauty buzz: The skincare
buzz would die down. Instead, Graff went over to
a Shoppers Drug Mart and set up shop, seeing
(including some sourced in the Great White
line was created by The
patients and introducing the line to passersby.
Plastic Surgery Clinic
North) – but you’ll find each of the following
“I’ve always had a hand in everything,” says Graff,
in Toronto’s upscale
entrepreneurs approaches the market from her Yorkville neighbourhood. laughing, “mixing products in a basement, packing
own unique angle. miracle10.com
up and shipping out orders.”
>
41

S C E N E
A Lot of our products were developed with the Canadian
climate in mind. When your heat is on half the year, your skin
needs something nourishing. You can’t fake it.
h e a t h e r r e i e r , c a k e b e a u t y
Of course, she gets help from an accomplished
team. Graff still works alongside Sunnybrook’s
chief of dermatology, Dr. Neil Shear, and the
company’s new CEO, Sharon Collier, is the former
president and CEO of Laura Mercier. Then there’s
chief innovation officer Victor Casale, who can
often be spied in a white lab coat covered in
clouds of pigment. He has a background any
cosmetics brand, Canadian or not, would covet:
founding partner, chief chemist and managing
director at M.A.C.
Like M.A.C, Cover FX quickly became a favourite
among makeup artists, especially for covering
tattoos and blemishes in the unforgiving age of
high-definition cameras. Though the line has
evolved and expanded, adding brushes, lip treatments
and new packaging, the emphasis will
always be on the fundamentals. “Good skin is a
canvas,” says Graff. “Trends change every season,
and you can play with your nail polish or your
hair colour on a whim. But show me someone
who doesn’t want healthy, flawless skin.”
> –The Celebrity
Across town, another Torontonian is helping
people feel good about themselves in a completely
different way. You may not know the name
Heather Reier, but you’ve likely spied her pinkhued
products on the pages of Lou Lou or Hello!
magazine. Or perhaps you’ve simply smelled
them across a crowded room – lemony fresh dry
shampoo, luscious vanilla-coconut body mousse,
sugar cookie lotion that could be mistaken for
the real thing.
Cake Beauty’s oft-repeated origin story goes
like this: In 2003, a twentysomething Reier shut
herself in her kitchen and came out with her
first signature product, Velveteen Hand Creme.
While the image of a beaming blonde Reier
star power
FACE Atelier
2005, Calgary
Top product: Ultra
Foundation
Beauty buzz: Famous
fans include Kelly
Clarkson, Pink, Fergie,
Lady Gaga and
Madonna (the line
even sponsored her
“Confessions” tour).
faceatelier.com
DaLish
2006, Toronto
Top product: Mascara-
Liquid Eyeliner Duo
in Slate
Beauty buzz: Canadian
celebs who’ve sported
the line include Nina
Dobrev of The Vampire
Diaries, Sass Jordan
and Corner Gas star
Tara Spencer-Nairn.
dalishcosmetics.com
Mèreadesso
2008, Toronto
Top product: All-in-One
Moisturizer
Beauty buzz: Founder
Linda Stephenson has
an honours degree in
chemistry and biology
and a minor in botany.
mereadesso.com
whipping up cosmetics with nothing but a
wooden spoon and a dream is tempting, it’s only
partially true.
“Sure I was in my kitchen, but I went in with
a solid business plan,” says Reier, a mother of
two and Kitchener, Ontario, native who holds a
degree in political science (which she insists
comes in handy when negotiating with suppliers).
At a time when women were lining up for
Magnolia cupcakes thanks to Sex and the City,
Reier, a former Roots employee and selfproclaimed
beauty junkie, harnessed both an
industry craving for something sweet and the
timeless appeal of indulgent bath products.
A little celebrity attention didn’t hurt, either.
Cake got noticed in the United States after Kate
Hudson ordered some creams and spread the
word through Hollywood. A nod from Oprah was
the icing on Cake’s climb, and the brand has
since benefited from the most coveted product
placement of all: gifting suites and goodie bags
at TIFF, Sundance and the Oscars.
“We didn’t target celebrities, but it’s had a lot
of impact,” says Reier. “After all, they have access
to anything they want and they chose us.”
Cake also looks to the catwalk for inspiration,
launching new lines seasonally and collaborating
with other brands for limited-edition products.
The first was for Barbie’s 50th anniversary (“Can
you believe Mattel contacted me?” Reier marvels),
and this fall they are launching a bag custommade
with Nella Bella, an upscale vegan
accessory brand that’s also proudly Canadian.
Still, Reier is adamant that Cake is about more
than just pretty packaging. For one, she specifically
created a line she could afford, with a host
of items costing under $20. She also couldn’t
help but make something catering to her fellow
citizens. “I think Canadians are especially
conscious about ingredients,” she says, noting
that everything at Cake is paraben-free. “Plus,
a lot of our products were developed with >
42

S C E N E
Starting a cosmetics company today, in 2013,
I don’t think it’s even an option not to make ingredients
a priority.
j u l i e c l a r k , p r o v i n c e a p o t h e c a r y
the Canadian climate in mind. When your heat is
on half the year, your skin needs something nourishing.
You can’t fake it.”
> –The Healer
Across the country, in Halifax, Julie Clark started
small. Very small. “I was just looking for something
I could put on my face,” confesses Clark, who, on
the day she graduated from high school, moved to
Montreal to study fashion and costume design. She
continued on to New York to work as a stylist, where
stress and city living aggravated what she calls her
“triangle of afflictions” – eczema, asthma and more
allergies than she can count.
Clark did lack one thing: American healthcare.
So before you can say, “Physician, heal thyself!” she
was mixing up her own creams and potions in local
DIY workshops. But even small-batch, handmade
products couldn’t save her, not when coconut oil
and shea butter were still too harsh for her skin.
Enrolment in a holistic health school brought
Clark back across the border to Toronto, where she
eventually opened Province Apothecary (PA) in 2012.
She now has a small treatment studio in Little
Portugal, where she offers customized aromatherapy
facials as well as an organic skincare line that she
also sells online, in city shops and at the trendy
Junction Flea Market.
Once packaged haphazardly and slapped with
handwritten, Scotch-taped labels, PA products got
an upgrade care of Clark’s design- and businesssavvy
friend. Though their minimal blue packaging
reflects the simplicity and purity of the ingredients
inside, it barely hints at their diverse origins.
Between treatments and products, Province
Apothecary lives up to its name, sourcing ingredients
from coast to coast: glacial clay from British Columbia,
sweetgrass dried and braided by First Nations women
in Manitoba, lavender from a family-owned Ontario
green party
Éminence
1958, Vancouver/Hungary
Top product: Strawberry
Rhubarb Dermafoliant
Beauty buzz: Though the
line’s “ingredient farm” is
in Hungary, its global HQ
is in Vancouver because
of the city’s reputation
for healthy living and its
Hollywood North status.
eminenceorganics.com
Smith Farms
2009, St. Polycarpe (QC)
Top product: Vitamin-Rich
Hand Cream
Beauty buzz: The company
operates out of a real
family farm in Western
Quebec, where the
founding sisters used to
spend their summers.
smithfarmsproducts.com
Sappho
2008, Vancouver/Toronto
Top product: Liquid
foundation
Beauty buzz: Their goal
is 100 percent transparency
when it comes to
ingredients – they’ll pull
a product or change its
formula based on new
scientific findings.
sapphocosmetics.com
farm and seaweed harvested in Yarmouth, Nova
Scotia. (Even the handful of ingredients that just
can’t be sourced locally, like apricot oil, are
imported from France by a Montreal-based, ecocertified
company.)
Appropriately enough, Clark says she’s met
most of her suppliers organically. “Someone will
hear what I do and say, ‘Oh, my grandma has a
friend who makes honey and beeswax.’”
PA’s marketing has been just as natural. “Word
of mouth and Instagram,” states Clark, and,
indeed, her treatment room, with its dried lavender
hangings and unframed, silkscreened
zodiac print, looks like it was made for a vintage
photo filter.
PA may just be starting out, with a new line
of essential oil perfumes and plans to expand
into the U.S., but Clark is part of something larger
than her brand. She’s an example of a new wave
of cosmetic entrepreneurs who consider green
ingredients a default rather than a perk. PA’s
products are all free of petroleum, parabens,
synthetic fragrances, dyes and pesticides, and
Clark stands behind them so firmly, she swears
you could eat most of them (though she doesn’t
recommend it).
“Starting a cosmetics company today, in 2013,
I don’t think it’s even an option not to make
ingredients a priority,” she says.
That’s a sentiment echoed by both Graff and
Reier, who adds: “The new buzzwords aren’t
special ingredients, they’re all the things that
you don’t put in your products.”
In truth, no one can tell when someone
is wearing a homegrown cosmetics or skincare
brand. But look into the company’s history and
you’re apt to find traces of that typically Canadian
do-gooder streak: ethically sourced ingredients,
eco-friendly packaging, charitable tie-ins. They’re
just not always front and centre. After all, when
it comes to cosmetics, it’s often what’s left unseen
that leaves the strongest impression.
>
44

facebook.com/GiorgioArmaniFragrancesCanada
The new intense fragrance for men

B U L L E T I N
Tea Time in Boom City
Chengdu may be the fastest-growing city in all of China, but the metropolis situated
in the province of Sichuan carefully preserves its traditions. The people here love progress,
but they also know how to maintain a laid-back attitude.
words bernhard bartsch
photos Jasper James
CONTRASTS
A view of Chengdu,
population 14 million.
Not visible here are
the traditional townhouses,
which nestle
alongside the skyscrapers
in defiance of
the economic boom.
46

B U L L E T I N
A
typical day in Chengdu starts slowly. Early in the
morning, tai-chi practitioners gather beneath the
trees of Wenhua Park to perform slow-motion
shadow boxing. Old men appear carrying birdcages,
hang their feathered friends on tree
branches and sit down on stone benches for games
of Chinese chess. A group of women does fan
gymnastics to the upbeat sounds of pop music.
Couples dance Viennese waltzes. Inside a gazebo,
a small choir enthusiastically belts out folk songs.
The becoming capital
Chen Shuwei has settled down at a stone table
with a notepad, ready to write poetry. That is,
unless he once again whiles away the entire morning
in conversation. “Nobody likes discussing
things more than we Chengduese,” the retiree
explains. “In our dialect, we call it ‘making battle
plans.’” Chen, who used to work in the administrative
office of a state-run factory, has been
to change
and yet
stay true
to oneself.
That’s
Chengdu.
s u q i a n ,
e n t r e p r e n e u r
“making battle plans” for nearly 70 years, and
even though the city around him has changed
dramatically since his youth, Chen is still his old
loquacious self. “We’re not your usual sort of folk,”
he grins. “We stay the way we are.”
It is exactly this characteristic which makes the
Chengduese the envy of many of their countrymen:
The residents of the capital of the southwestern
Chinese province of Sichuan are considered the
happiest people in China. Though the city of some
14 million is the fastest growing in the People’s
Republic, the pace of life here is more relaxed than
in other Chinese megacities. Glittering skyscrapers
brush up against classical courtyard houses, mighty
highways abut ancient alleys, modern lifestyle exists
next to traditional culture. “Develop quickly, live
slowly,” is Mayor Ge Honglin’s motto.
Like Chen, Su Qian also starts her day with tea.
Ensconced in a teahouse in Kuanzhai Alley, the
31-year-old entrepreneur is awaiting the arrival
48

of a business partner as the tea ceremony is being
prepared in the background. “Teahouses are the
locus of social life in Chengdu,” explains Su, who
studied economics in Britain and now runs a wine
business. “Just as Europeans meet up in a cafe,
we get together for tea.” Over tea, business deals
get negotiated, contracts are signed and intellectuals
and artists debate the issues of the day. No
subject is too small or too weighty to be hashed
out over tea. Chengdu’s teahouse culture may
have given the city’s residents a reputation for
not taking their work too seriously, but Su doesn’t
consider this a problem: “Why not have a good
time while you’re working?”
Things operate a bit differently in Chengdu than
in the rest of the country, and this has traditionally
been the case. The city has played a unique role in
Chinese history. Long before the first camels inched
their way to China along the Silk Road, Chengdu –
which literally translates as “becoming the capital”
– was China’s gateway to the rest of the world. The
city supplied fine fabrics to destinations as far flung
as the Roman Empire. During the Mao era, Chengdu
became the vanguard of the new China: Situated
deep in the country’s interior, its geographical
placement made it the ideal strategic location for
industry and research. According to Chen, it was
hardly a coincidence that the great reformer Deng
Xiaoping, who put China on the path towards a free
market economy, hailed from this region. “Deng
had his own head on his shoulders,” says Chen.
“That’s typical of us Sichuanese.” Today, Chengdu
is the economic hub of western China. Over 200
international corporations have built factories in
the industrial parks surrounding the city. Apple’s
iPad is made here. During the last few decades, the
CHENGDU successfully
balances progress with the
past. Left page: the recently
completed Raffles Mall and
the entrance to a restaurant
in the Old Chengdu Club
Hotel. This page: a traditional
“face changer” (above) and
past meets present on People
South Road.
city’s population has more than doubled. Chengdu
is the fastest growing city on the planet.
“Not everything the boom has brought to
Chengdu is good,” notes Su. Returning home after
three years abroad, she hardly recognized parts
of the city, so quickly do new streets, apartment
houses and shopping malls spring up.
Nevertheless, Chengdu’s urban planners grasped
much faster than their colleagues in other Chinese
cities that modernization isn’t worth much unless
it can incorporate historical elements. Green parks
and restored alleyways preserve the city’s traditional
character – a cherished commodity among
older and younger generations alike. Many of the
upscale restaurants which Su supplies with wine
are tucked inside the red gates of the old city.
“We like the mix of old and new,” she says. Among
her favourite locales is White Nights, an establishment
which stubbornly refuses to decide whether
it would rather be a teahouse or a bar.
History meets modernity
So where do the Chengduese get their balance?
“From the Tao,” says Chen. The philosophy of the
“way” teaches the importance of recognizing connections,
going along with life’s flow, and not
allowing oneself to be blinded by false appearances.
“To change and yet stay true to oneself
– that’s Chengdu,” agrees Su Qian. A little stuffed
panda dangles from her handbag. No wonder the
endangered bears, who have found their last
remaining refuge in the nature preserves
surrounding the city, are the favourite animals of
Chengdu’s residents. Pandas, so the saying goes,
are true Sichuanese: unhurried, pleasant, idiosyncratic
– but not to be underestimated.
>
49

Even Better Than Home Cooking
AROMATIC FEAST
In his trendy restaurant, up-and-coming young chef Zhou
Shicheng cooks with locally grown ingredients.
CHENGDU’S RESTAURANTS are famous across China, and Zhou Shicheng is its
young culinary star. The 27-year-old is head chef at the popular restaurant Zheng Qifu, which
specializes in Sichuan cuisine with a modern twist. “A hundred aromas” is how he describes
his philosophy of cooking: No other province offers a wider variety of ingredients than fertile
Sichuan. “For us, natural flavours are key,” says the son of a farmer who inherited his love of
cooking from his mother. She constantly found different ways to combine the abundant harvest
from her garden. At 16, Zhou began an apprenticeship with a chef in Chengdu. It was a very
traditional education: He spent a year slicing vegetables and observing the master at work
before being allowed near a stove. But Zhou’s talents were soon obvious. Following stints in
several restaurants, he took over the kitchen of the small but elegant Zheng Qifu in 2010. He
gets his produce from small local farmers and his wild herbs from the mountains. His parents
raise the pigs for the cured ham that he puts inside dumplings. “The salty pickled tofu we serve
as an appetizer is prepared by one of my aunts,” explains Zhou. “Some dishes simply can’t be
improved upon.” Restaurant Zheng Qifu, Kuangxiang Street 2, +86 28 8626 8777
50

IN THE EARLY
morning, calm reigns on
Jinli Street. Later, it comes
to life with tourists,
traders and performers.
Some Like It (Very) Hot
JUST AS THE INUIT have a plethora of words
for “snow,” the Sichuanese scrupulously differentiate
between varying degrees of spiciness. The word “ma,”
for instance, specifically refers to the flavour of the
Sichuan pepper, which technically isn’t a pepper at all
but rather a citrus fruit like the lemon. Tasting faintly
of anise, when bitten it leaves a numbing sensation on
the tongue. “La,” by contrast, is the Sichuan term for
the piquancy of dried red chilies, which tend to appear
on tables here en masse. Many recipes unite “ma” and
“la,” like the famed “huoguo,” or hot pot. But be careful:
>
The dish didn’t acquire its name by accident!
i
Zhou Shicheng’s
Early-summer Menu
Dried yak meat with pepper
Pork in spicy Xiangchun sauce
Beans with wild vegetables
Hot pot with tofu
Homemade cured ham
in spinach dumplings
Braised carp
Stir-fried pickled cabbage
with red beans
Beet stew
Baked Suining sweet potatoes
Stir-fried spring bamboo shoots
Shangri-La pears with
lotus seeds
KITCHEN
heat: Westerners
may
find the culinary
offerings
in Chengdu
a bit on the
spicy side.
THE GARDENS
in Sichuan offer an
abundant selection
of ingredients. Here,
sweet potatoes roast
atop a mini-oven.
51

B U L L E T I N
Look, Relax and Marvel
1
EXEMPLARY ART
Just an hour away from Chengdu, the
Jianchuan Museum is recognized even
beyond China’s borders for its exemplary
work in the area of historical interpretation.
The museum’s grounds are enormous,
containing among other things a group of
200 sculptures dedicated to the resistance
against Japanese occupation.
2
WHITE NIGHTS
In Chengdu, everyone knows where to go
for a little enjoyment: to the teahouse.
People chat, play mah-jong or simply
relax while savouring a fragrant green
blend or a smoky Pu’Erh. The White
Nights teahouse, run by renowned poet
Zhai Yongmin, enjoys cult status – in the
evenings, it turns into a bar.
3
(NOT SO) GOOD MATES
Chengdu is home to the panda.
Nowadays, most of these endangered
bears reside in Sichuan’s nature
preserves. At a dedicated research
facility, scientists seek to understand the
bear’s idiosyncrasies, including its rather
lethargic reproductive habits. The highlight
of any visit is, of course, the baby pandas.
KITSCH
or tradition?
A classic door
knocker
The street of caramel animals
JINLI STREET
is especially popular
among the young.
CHENGDU is a modern
metropolis that never forgets its
past. Nowhere else in the city is
this more apparent than on Jinli
Street. Just 350 metres long, this
historic promenade transports
visitors back to an earlier era:
Street musicians play traditional
songs, while classic handicrafts
such as 17th-century embroidery
abound. Some cynics dismiss
the street as nothing but a tourist
trap. Nevertheless, plenty of locals
can be found here as well. Above
all, Chengdu’s children love Jinli
Street – not least because of
the caramel artists who fashion
three-dimensional animals from
the hot sugary confection. Those
with a taste for more sophisticated
cultural offerings need only turn
their heads for a great view of
a stage on which a Sichuanese
opera is being presented, with
highlights including the “face
changers,” who swap masks with
>
breathtaking rapidity.
52

A S P O R T I N G L I F E !
Vancouver – Calgary
Toronto – Oakville – Waterloo
Montréal – Laval
Hermes.com

need to know
Chengdu
Tipping
In restaurants, hotels and taxis, leaving a
tip isn’t the norm. Feel free to give your tour
guide a gratuity, though, unless he or she has
taken you to a shop where you’ve purchased
something. In that case, you can rest assured
a tip has already been collected there.
The Aristocratic Life
AT THE OLD CHENGDU CLUB, residents can sleep like ancient Chinese royalty. Situated
in a traditional courtyard complex once home to an aristocratic family, the boutique hotel boasts
spacious rooms with antique wooden furniture and four-poster beds with yellow curtains – yellow being
a colour long associated with imperial royalty. After a long day out in steamy Sichuan, guests are
extremely grateful for the swimming pool, even if it’s out of place in terms of period authenticity.
Beat the Heat
Chengdu is among the hottest cities in
China. Local residents like to combat the
external heat using heat from within:
Warm tea is a more effective coolant than
cold water, so they say.
ROOM APLENTY
The Mercedes-Benz ML 350
4MATIC outside the Old
Chengdu Club.
Tea Droppings
Chengdu loves its pandas, its tea – and
especially panda tea. Leaves from tea
shrubs grown in panda dung cost on
average $3,000 per kilogram.
Table Manners
Making a mess is okay. But don’t ever
stick your chopsticks upright into the rice
bowl. This reminds the Chinese of the twin
incense sticks that are placed upright in a
shrine for the deceased.
Wonder Worms
Sichuan is a hotbed of traditional Chinese
medicinal remedies. One such miracle cure
is the caterpillar fungus, which looks like
dried worms.
Secret Tongue
The Sichuan dialect, with its harsh vowels,
is unintelligible for many Chinese. In
government offices, conversing in high
Chinese is required.
The city is defined by its teahouse
culture. People love to converse. And they’re
extremely idiosyncratic. l i a o y i w u , w r i t e r
JINLI STREET
5
4
3
2
1
JIUYAN BRIDGE
Go, Go, Go!
Jiuyan Bridge makes a good
starting point for a picturesque evening
stroll. Amble your way upstream past small
restaurants offering grilled meat skewers or
spicy river crabs, and take in the bars with live
music. At the fifth bridge, after roughly four
kilometres, turn left and in 10 minutes you’ll
arrive on Jinli Street, where a nightcap in the
Lotus Palace garden awaits.
>
EUROPEan MODEL SHOWN
54

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G e t a w a y
A Shore Thing
On Prince Edward Island, where foraging and
locavorism were long-standing traditions before
they became culinary buzzwords, it takes a
village to make a meal.
words Valerie Howes photos Frances Juriansz
56

T
They call this place the Gentle Island. As I drive
past Guernsey cows in buttercup fields, wooden
houses in bridesmaid-dress hues and blue herons
in wind-tickled rushes, I get that. But on an eating,
sipping, cooking and foraging road trip through
Prince Edward Island, between the capital city
and the north coast, I also get the sense it’s a lot
more intense than it first appears. I discover fierce
loyalties and dynamic collaborations between
those who produce, harvest and serve the island’s
outstanding land-and-sea delicacies.
“My business partners and I are the hardestworking
lazy people I know,” says Robert
Pendergast, pulling a tray of country, oat and Red
Fife loaves from the oven, glancing over to check
on his sleeping baby, Beatrice, and garnishing
my meal. We’re in Pendergast’s kitchen at the
very back of Youngfolk & The Kettle Black,
Charlottetown’s newest coffee house – a breakfastsandwiches-and-burgers
place where the smoky
maple syrup on your French toast is bought in
small batches from a local forager, and the fresh
dill and chives on your lobster roll are snipped
from the overgrown gardens of neighbourhood
restaurants where Pendergast has the kinds of
ties that make pilfering okay.
At Youngfolk he’s becoming known for the
specialty breads he bakes each day: only three or
four kinds, but each the result of obsessive experimentation
with heirloom grains grown by local
organic farmers. After hours, the native Islander
is setting up a wedding catering company with
culinary adventure operator and chef Ross Munro
to ferry feasters – and their feasts – to secluded
beaches in a small boat. He throws five-course
beer dinners with Gahan House brewery and is
refining his rye bread for an upcoming throwdown
with Montreal’s famous smoked-meat restaurant,
Schwartz’s. So I’m not convinced by the “lazy”
part (I’d go with “calm”). Pendergast has the air
of a man doing exactly what he should, on a scale
that keeps him busy yet sane, buoyed by likeminded
people.
beachy keen
A view of the Cavendish shore
on northern PEI; breakfast at
Youngfolk & The Kettle Black
The art of cooking
After breakfast, I head northwest from Charlottetown
on Highway 2. Salt-and-fir-scented air wafts
>
57

G e t a w a y
in through the open window as I pass emerald
potato plants pushing through rust soil, buoys
bobbing above a mussel farm, a trotting fox. Then,
just after the prim white house of Anne of Green
Gables author Lucy Maud Montgomery, in New
London, I pull into the car park at Annie’s Table,
a new culinary school in a converted church where
the focus is on island flavours.
I’m soon aproned-up with half a dozen locals
and learning to bake gluten-free with Tracey Allen,
a hog farmer-turned-cookbook author who’s teaching
her very first class. The school invites everyone
from sommeliers to chefs to mussel fishers to
serve as special-interest instructors, and today
in-house chef Norman Zeledon is on hand to ease
Tracey through her debut.
Norman dashes outside to gather basil, tarragon,
savory, mint and lemon balm from his kitchen
garden so we can customize Tracey’s dough. He
suggests fanning PEI pear slices on top of her biscuits
and sprinkling them with brown sugar, salt
and pepper. And for dessert, he shows us how black
garlic with a paste consistency – developed by island
farmer Al Picketts and a world exclusive to PEI –
can be used as a sweetener, much like dates. “I’d
never have thought of that,” says Tracey, increasingly
animated after every tip. By the end of the
class, the two instructors are talking quietly off to
the side about co-authoring Tracey’s next book.
Teamwork and improvisation are the lifeblood
of this school. “Sometimes our neighbour Herb,
an organic farmer, will drive right up to the door
on his tractor with a bucket of green beans and
ask, ‘Do you want them?’” says Norman. “We’ll
take them and tell the students we’re switching
up the recipe.”
Norman also asked a local artisan, Suzanne
from Village Pottery, to use his Thai garlic rasp
as a prototype for ceramic versions in her studio.
Now, when people admire his, he can send them
over to her place to buy their own after class.
When I pop in to see Suzanne, she tells me she’s
working on Dutch ovens and tagines, too. “Every
time I see Norm, he has a special project for me,”
she says, chuckling at her potter’s wheel.
There’s just time for an afternoon walk along
the beach before dinner in North Rustico. The
huts sit empty – lobster fishers start at 4 a.m., so
they’re done by early afternoon. But there’s action
to spare in a speedboat piloted by two sunburned
dads. As it comes into the harbour, a freckled kid
58

Most of our partners are small-scale
organic farmers who want to be certain
their product is treated well.
j o h n p r i t c h a r d , c h e f
Island time
Clockwise from top left: baking
bread at Youngfolk & The Kettle
Black in Charlottetown; a water-side
scene in Naufrage; antique signs
at Water-Prince Corner Shop and
Lobster Pound; Village Pottery
in New London; brunch at the
Pearl Café
on board yells, “Everybody first!” All four children
and a sheepdog abandon ship at once, a leaping
blur of sunblock-streaked limbs and wet fur.
I drive on to the Pearl Café, where the menu
is built around iconic local ingredients such as
Raspberry Point oysters, grass-, potato- and grainfed
beef, and of course PEI spuds. The garden is
alive with blooms and driftwood sculptures, a
taste of what’s to come inside. Owner Maxine
Delaney greets me in the art-filled dining room,
cutting a striking figure with her poker-straight
red hair and bangs illuminated against a bay
window. I’ve sipped my way through an entire
cocktail (concocted by Maxine using vodka,
Cointreau, lime and a cordial of forsythias from
her own flowerbeds), before I notice I’m surrounded
by naked people – on the walls, that is.
This year’s exhibition, Exposed, showcases nudes
by local artists.
>
59

G e T A w A Y
I point out my favourites to Maxine: two
stripped-off cyclists, a golden bum and a naked
knitter. In that last one, a young woman sits crosslegged,
casually plain-and-purling in the nude
beside serious grandmothers decked out in full
twin-sets. It’s hilarious. “Oh, I painted that!” says
my shy server as she pours my tea. A broad grin
lights up her face. “And I’m the knitter.”
A painter herself, Maxine often hires up-andcoming
artists, both for the back and front of
house. You get the sense that their creativity adds
to the magic that draws people out to her rural
restaurant, not just for dinner (well-executed as
it is) but for a dining experience.
Plants and animals
On day two, I head to Terre Rouge Bistro Marché
in Charlottetown to load up on charcuterie and
cheese. Here, locals come by for morning coffee,
their weekly grocery shopping or even date night.
It’s a joint venture, opened in 2012 by chef John
Pritchard, who once taught skills like making edible
underwear on his own TV cooking show for men,
and chef Dave Mottershall, nicknamed “Animal”
after the wild Muppet drummer for his frenetic
kitchen pace – a must in this 360-degree enterprise.
At the back is a chalkboard-walled fine-dining area.
Up front they sell everything from mini turnips to
yellow artisan butters from suppliers they’ve come
to know over the past 25 years. “Most of our partners
are small-scale organic farmers who above
all want to be certain their product is treated well,”
says John.
I head east, stopping at Dalvay-by-the-Sea resort
to rent a bike for the four-kilometre stretch to
Covehead Harbour along marsh-lined coastal
trails. I turn off at a red-and-white-painted lighthouse
toward Richard’s Fresh Seafood, where I
scoop out fresh-from-the-sea steamed mussels
bounty hunter
The Inn at Bay Fortune’s sous-chef
Melinda Gorman forages for local
ingredients. Opposite page: Julie Shore
of Prince Edward Distillery; a pier view
by Confederation Landing Park; glutenfree
pie at Annie’s Table; apple brandy with an empty shell.
>
i
The Mercedes-Benz GL 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC is a joy to drive along the hilly, winding roads
of PEI’s backcountry or down red-sand paths leading to the sea. This is an amply proportioned,
confidence-inspiring SUV that offers a commanding view of the road, an airy cabin with seating
for up to seven adults, an industry-leading suite of security features and a level of luxury that
you’ll appreciate as much on vacation as on the daily commute. What’s the catch? There isn’t
one. Thanks to cutting-edge technology like the energy-saving 7G-TRONIC PLUS transmission
and new low-sulphur diesel fuels, the powerful GL 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC delivers compact-car
fuel economy and low emissions in a glorious full-size package.
60

Sometimes our neighbour Herb will
drive right up to the door on his tractor with
a bucket of green beans and ask, ‘Do you
want them?’ n o r m a n z e l e d o n , c h e f
61

G E T A W A Y
adDresses
Prince
Edward
Island
The Great George
Book the signature island flavours
experience, Savour! – which includes
an improvised chef’s dinner – at this
heritage boutique hotel. 1-800-361-1118
t h e g r e a t g e o r g e . c o m
Charlottetown Farmers’ Market
Spend Saturday morning meeting
local artisans selling everything
from quince jam to hand-sewn
undergarments. 902-626-3373
c h a r l o t t e t o w n f a r m e r s m a r k e t .
w e e b l y . c o m
Annie’s Table
Explore island flavours and
traditions with PEI chefs and
producers. 902-314-9666
a n n i e s - t a b l e . c o m
water ways
Oyster fisherman George Dowdle; Naufrage beach;
a batch of clams ready to steam
I have just enough time to check into the Johnson
Shore Inn on the northeast coast before my last
meal of the day. It’s run by Prince Edward vodka
distillers Arla Johnson and Julie Shore, and in the
mornings they serve up ham from their own pigs
in your morning omelette – or shellfish or beef
that they’ve bartered for their coveted meat or
booze. I sip tea for five minutes in an Adirondack
chair, perched on a point where two ocean-battered
cliff walls meet and the crashing waves are at their
loudest. I leave for dinner feeling replenished.
Chatting with sous-chef Melinda Gorman on a
tour of The Inn at Bay Fortune is a similarly
amped-up experience. Melinda on the pork belly
she made yesterday: “I took a chainsaw to this tree
for applewood to put in the cold smoker.” Melinda
on salmon-skin risotto: “I want to make it here
soon. It’s metallic silver! People will be shocked.”
Melinda on waste: “I just don’t like throwing things
in the garbage. I need to know how to use every
part of an animal or vegetable.”
One of Melinda’s favourite aspects of the job
is training apprentice chefs in this kitchen.
They’re not just here to stir pots, they’re expected
to figure out how to forage for kelp on the beach,
strike deals with cheesemakers at the
Charlottetown Farmers’ Market and make everything
in-house, whether it’s sweet-potato brioche
or chicken liver crème brûlée.
When I peek into the kitchen halfway through
my dinner on the veranda, I’m surprised how calm
the staff is, under such a firecracker. But Melinda
knows how lucky this next generation of island
chefs is to be in such a unique place, and she takes
passing on her knowledge seriously. “When the
restaurant closes for winter, I go work in Montreal,”
she says. “There I’m always aware, when I’m cutting
open a package, that if I were on PEI I’d be
making that same thing from scratch.”
Above all it’s the ties on this island, forged over
seven seasons, that seem to pull her back. “You
can get our oysters all over the world, but there’s
nothing like having them dropped off by the fisher
you drink pints with at the local pub.”
>
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62

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j e t s e t
Retail
Zen
Experience the refined simplicity of
the Japanese aesthetic where you
would least expect it: in the bustle
of Tokyo’s shopping districts.
words Natasha Mekhail
The whole ideal
of Teaism is a result of
this Zen conception of
greatness in the smallest
incidents of life.
f r o m t h e b o o k o f t e a
b y k a k u z o o k a k u r a
In a Japanese tea ceremony, the walk to the
tearoom is the first step in the ritual. In this short
stroll through a garden, forest or bamboo grove,
guests are expected to leave behind the cares of
the outside world and clear their minds for the
simple appreciation of tea.
And while the upscale Omotesando Hills shopping
centre in Tokyo’s densely populated Shibuya
district is about as far removed from a tearoom
as a brick from a flower, there’s an element of
ceremony to my stroll through the mall’s causeway,
which coils uninterrupted through three
floors. The gradual incline eliminates the need
for escalators and maintains a peaceful order even
on a busy Saturday afternoon.
It’s also no coincidence that the mall’s design
counteracts the frenetic pace that normally accompanies
the shopping experience. Its architect,
Tadao Ando, references Zen philosophy in all his
work. His Church of the Light in Osaka features
a sanctuary cross made up of bisecting seams of
sunlight streaming through concrete: an interfaith
yin and yang. His partially subterranean Chichu
Art Museum on the island of Naoshima is literally
one with the earth. Omotesando Hills, with its
photos Sivan Askayo
64

atrium flooded with natural light and concrete
walls that undulate without corners, is not just a
mall, it’s a place for quiet perambulation.
Mindful design is a feature of all Japanese
spaces, from tearoom to shopping centre. Art
scholar Kakuzo Okakura described this concept in
a turn-of-the-last-century Boston salon when he
delivered the lecture that would become The Book
of Tea. Translated into more than 30 languages,
his essay provided four generations of Westerners
with an insider’s look at the Japanese aesthetic.
Its premise – “there is beauty even in the mundane”
– is just as relevant today. Here in retail Tokyo,
that translates to consumerism elevated to art.
The art of life lies in a
constant readjustment to
our surroundings.
Shopping is Japan’s unofficial national pastime.
In the world’s third-largest economy after the
United States and China, consumer spending
accounts for about 60 percent of GDP. It’s a culture
obsessed with “specialties” – every small town
has one, be it Bizen pottery, rice-paper screens
or sour-plum preserves – and all are snapped up
by the domestic populace on their travels. Giftgiving
is also a cultural essential, and every visit
to a friend’s home means the purchase of flowers,
a box of sweets or a set of teacups.
But while spending may be fast and loose, the
focus is always on quality. Japanese consumers
are discriminating. That’s why a mall like
Omotesando Hills, with Dolce & Gabbana as
anchor and row upon row of high-end independent
boutiques, may appear devoid of merchandise
to Western eyes. But delve below the surface and
the reason becomes clear.
In Edition, one of the many well-edited niche
luxury boutiques in Omotesando Hills, the floor
stocks only one of everything. The organic-cotton
T-shirt, the flame-forged silver ring, the handstitched
leather moccasin… all are arranged with
the greatest care. One dangles loosely from a wood
hanger, another peeks out of a glass drawer and
another tops a metal podium in a lesson that any
student of ikebana (Japanese floral arrangement)
learns on day one: The space between things is
as important as the things themselves.
Each object can be appreciated on its own,
<
Art Forms
Japanese pottery embraces
the beauty in imperfection
(opposite); the flagship location
of cultured pearl brand
Mikimoto, designed by
Toyo Ito, is a Ginza icon.
65

J E T S E T
Japanese outpost was assembled by Comme des
Garçons founder Rei Kawakubo, who describes
her creation as “beautiful chaos.” There are no
walls between bookstore, clothing shop or
fragrance counter. Instead, each area is delineated
by the mood it strikes. Black Comme des Garçons
sells only monochrome garments; Balenciaga
marks its territory with dizzying, kaleidoscopic
mirrors; Mulberry is flanked by an army of
oversize garden gnomes. In the Comme des
Garçons Junya Watanabe Man space, a vending
machine sells the brand’s cult white T-shirts.
Their classic simplicity is the essence of the
Japanese aesthetic.
turned over, observed from various angles. The
shop is a gallery. But far from being cold and
austere, the ambiance is warm and lively, with
the salespeople calling out the ubiquitous
“Irasshaimase” of welcome and the shop’s windows
covered in a living wall of ferns.
The mall is just one of the many beautiful
examples of design along Omotesando Avenue,
where luxury brands compete for prominence
with lavish flagships designed by some of the
world’s top architects. Today, the crowd along the
strip is a mix of serious shoppers (a.k.a. aristocratic
Tokyo girls carrying teacup poodles),
Harajuku hipsters and international tourists
taking cellphone pictures of this architectural
permanent exhibit.
I shyly pull out my own camera in front of
Italian shoe and leather goods emporium Tod’s,
a seven-storey glass tower, designed by Toyo Ito,
ensconced in a criss-crossing frame of concrete.
Then I join the throng snapping the Bruno
Moinard-designed Cartier, where sets of vertical
wooden slats run the length of the glass-and-steel
building like stalks of bamboo. The neighbouring
building is arguably the street’s most famous: the
Herzog & de Meuron-designed Prada, whose
smoky, bubbled-glass facade mimics the patina
of a luxury handbag.
Art as shopping, shopping as art is an unwritten
code, and there’s nowhere in Tokyo that embodies
it more than Dover Street Market in tony Ginza.
A sister property to the London original, the
Space age
The Herzog & de
Meuron-designed Prada
(above); thoughtful gift
selection is a ritual in
Japan (below).
Teaism is the art of
concealing beauty, that you
might discover it.
Back in Shibuya, Found Muji’s rustic window
display of vintage-looking ceramic cups and preserve
jars seems out of place along the six-lane
Aoyama Boulevard. A concept-store offshoot of
Japan’s beloved minimalist clothing and housewares
brand, the shop’s one and only location
sells objects inspired by traditional handicrafts,
household implements and tools that represent
exceptional design. Think Chinese bamboo steamers,
English pewter teaspoons and Swedish
waxed-canvas military backpacks. Once again,
great pains are taken to showcase each object for
the attributes that make it a universal staple.
photos IwanBaan (prada); Sivan Askayo (shopper, chopstick rests)
66

Detail oriented
Even a simple chopstick rest
receives a place of honour
(above); the Mulberry space at
Dover Street Market (right).
You might wonder why a store with some of
the most expensive square footage on the planet
would give an empty jam jar a place of such reverence.
But there’s logic to it. In Japanese art,
wrote Okakura, there is meaning in suggestion:
“In leaving something unsaid, the beholder is
given a chance to complete the idea.” That simple
jar whose design hasn’t changed in centuries is
in itself perfection. It could be filled with preserves,
with river stones, with seashells. In other
words, it’s not the jar for sale, it’s its potential.
A similar concept exists at Over The Counter.
The shoebox-sized apothecary and lifestyle store
curated by Tokyo fashion stylist Sonya Park sells
cashmere scarves, eggshell-porcelain teacups and
badger shaving brushes. But rather than having
the wares out in the open, the stock is kept behind
the counter.
The system forces a dialogue between buyer
and seller about where the object comes from, the
history of the brand and its special features. It
recognizes that one should only purchase a premium
toothpaste if one appreciates the reason
why it’s more expensive than its drugstore counterparts:
Maybe it’s made by a fifth-generation family
business, maybe it uses ingredients harvested in
an ethical way. In making this conversation part
of the purchase experience, Over The Counter
shows its customers a profound respect.
<
67

j e T S e t
Until one has made
himself beautiful, he
has no right to approach
beauty.
Window Dressing
Comme des Garçons’
Omotesando address (above)
and its T-shirt vending
machine at Dover Street
Market (below)
there is already a lineup of customers outside. At
precisely three minutes to the hour, three female
attendants in immaculate uniform (hats, blazers,
pencil skirts, gloves) approach the entrance. Two
hold the doors slightly ajar while the third steps
forward. She welcomes customers to Takashimaya,
addressing them in the formal manner as
okyakusama (“honoured guest”), listing the store
and restaurant hours, letting everyone know that
there is a rose exhibit on the eighth floor and a
new ikebana installation in the entrance gallery.
She retreats back inside with her cohorts and a
minute later, at precisely 10 o’clock, they whisk
the doors open to customers.
And just as they’ve done every morning for
almost a century, the store’s employees form two
perfect lines on either side of the entrance. As
the first guests enter, the staff folds at the waist
in unison. A deep bow. A gesture of the utmost
respect for their clientele. A ceremony of beauty
among the mundane.
<
Respect is intrinsic to a society that always
puts the group before the individual. Place your
handbag in the basket, remove your shoes, step
onto the raised platform, pull the curtain, cover
your face with a face cloth. These are the steps
involved in trying on clothes in a Japanese dressing
room. Shopping protocol is a ritual of polite
behaviour in which the garments – and ultimately
the next person to try them – also receive their
due respect.
And in the same way that merchandise in a
Japanese store may seem sparse to Westerners,
the number of personnel may also seem excessive.
Shops often employ greeters whose job is
merely to say “welcome” and “come again” to
customers. But sadly, this is one aspect of the
experience that is vanishing as post-recession
cost-cutting has resulted in many retail
redundancies.
Still, there is one place that rigorously upholds
tradition. The glamorous Takashimaya department
store in Chuo has remained largely unchanged
in its decor (marble floors and crystal chandeliers)
and customer service (white-gloved and attentive)
since it opened in 1933.
When I arrive just prior to the 10 a.m. opening
Tokyo Minute
A Marni doll necklace at Dover
Street Market (above); Found Muji
recreates design staples and traditional
handicrafts (below).
photo Sivan Askayo (storefront)
68

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It’s your drive.
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Addresses
Tokyo
Omotesando Hills
An architectural shopping experience.
4-12-10 Jingumae, Shibuya
o m o t e s a n d o h i l l s . c o m
Dover Street Market Ginza
Rei Kawakubo’s favourite things meet in
“beautiful chaos.”
6-9-5 Ginza, Chuo
g i n z a . d o v e r s t r e e t m a r k e t . c o m
Found Muji
Practical objects from around the world
get a Mujification.
5-5-6 Jingumae, Shibuya
m u j i . n e t / f o u n d m u j i ( j a pa n e s e o n l y )
Over The Counter
Grooming and provisions apothecary.
101 Palace Miyuki, 5-3-8 Minami
Aoyama, Minato
a r t s - s c i e n c e . c o m / s h o p l i s t /
o v e r _ t h e _ c o u n t e r
Takashimaya Nihonbashi
Tokyo’s original luxury department store.
2-4-1 Nihonbashi, Chuo
t a k a s h i m aya . c o . j p / t o k y o
( j a pa n e s e o n l y )
Art of the Stay
I’d marvelled at the artwork in the Shangri-La
Tokyo for two days before a staff member let me in on a little secret. All of
the 2,000 originally commissioned artworks – from the lobby screens of gold
embroidery silk, one-tenth the width of a human hair, to the 2,400 eggshell
porcelain tiles making up the mural installation at the entrance – were based
on the Tang Dynasty Chinese poem “Song of the Pipa.” The Shangri-La takes
aesthetics seriously, from these works to the design of its rooms to the spa
services. The two-hour Kisetsu Ritual includes a foot scrub, skin polish, steam
bath, full-body massage and mineral soak replete with spa products, essential
oils and fragrant teas that respond to the body’s seasonally changing needs.
For an artful meal that also has a seasonal twist, try Nadaman restaurant’s
kaiseki meal, a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner. In this chef-selected
collection of small plates, served in ceremonial procession, only the freshest
in-season ingredients are used. Every dish is artfully presented with sprigs of
in-bloom flowers, and the lacquered bowls and chopstick rests are themed to
match the colours and mood of the time of year. shangri-la.com/tokyo
>
Little extra
The Shangri-La
can arrange a visit
to Takashimaya
department store
in the care of a
personal shopper – an
interpreter and guide
who can talk you
through the teacups,
equip you with
incense or show you
how to tie a kimono.
Make a Connection
So much more than a dealership, Mercedes-Benz Connection, Tokyo, is a
meeting place for those who love the brand. In Downstairs Coffee, sip lattes and cappuccinos
made by internationally award-winning barista Hiroshi Sawada. Afterwards, visit the Gallery to
get a closer look at the lineup of Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Take one on a spin in the Trial Cruise
or just relax on the sofas to watch their performance on widescreen TVs. Still peckish? On the
second floor, the Upstairs bar and restaurant serves casual French fare from a menu developed
by Michelin-starred chef Ryuta Iizuka. Mercedes-Benz Connection, 7-3-10 Roppongi, Minato
mercedes-benz-connection.com
>
photo Alex Segre/Alamy (elevator operator)
70

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S P O T L I G H T
The
Longest
Hour
words Hartmut LEhBRINK
photos WOLFGANG wilhelm
72

THE ARRIVAL
of the high-speed gladiator:
Nico Rosberg strides from
paddock to garage ahead of
the Australian Grand Prix.
The 60 minutes
before the start
of a Formula 1
Grand Prix pull
the teams this way
and that. Gone in a
flash one moment,
time passes at a
snail’s pace the
next. The pre-race
ritual follows a
cleverly devised
choreography.
MULTITASKING
Ninety minutes before
the race, the drivers
head out to greet the
spectators. Time to
turn on the charm.
73

S P O T L I G H T
RELAXED
Stage fright is
not an issue for
Nico Rosberg.
T
ime is a fascinating yet inexorable fact of life, and
nowhere is it more keenly felt than on a racetrack.
Fractions of seconds, discernible only with the
help of high-tech gadgetry, draw the line between
victory and defeat, triumph and disaster.
Start the clock
But what precisely happens in that hour before the
lights above the grid go out? The final 60 minutes
leading up to a race are something of a paradox:
not enough time, and yet too much. The seconds
can pass at a tortuous plod, but equally run through
your hands like water. The meticulously measured
world of Formula 1 appears to keep a different
time compared to our internal clocks.
As the minutes were ticking down to this year’s
Australian Grand Prix, there was no sign of stage
fright on the face of Nico Rosberg. “Not after 128
F1 races,” says the Mercedes AMG Petronas man
with a shrug of the shoulders.
Flash back to that big day Down Under. There
are 80 minutes to go before the race, and Rosberg
has just made his way back from the drivers’
parade. He’s deep into the relaxation zone now,
chatting with girlfriend Vivian on his cellphone
while resting up. Not that there’s time for any
restorative shut-eye: Rosberg has yet to crack the
crucial “power nap on demand” skill mastered
by such illustrious F1 predecessors as Nelson
Piquet and Gerhard Berger.
>
a key
skill for a
Formula 1
driver: power
napping on
demand
Sixty minutes to go: The team runs an engine
test on one Mercedes F1 W04, then the other, using
an external starter motor. This allows them to fix
the revs and oil pressure before the ignition spark
is released. The V8 machines let out a potent baritone
bellow, then a few angry barks, before dying
away again as if nothing had happened.
Undeniable calm
Fifty-seven minutes to go: warm-up time. For Nico
Rosberg, this means a kick-about with physiotherapist
Daniel Schlösser, juggling the ball and not
letting it touch the ground – “keep-ups” in soccer
parlance. “It’s been years since anyone beat me in
a keep-up contest,” says Rosberg, smiling.
Meanwhile, the mechanics have pulled on their
flame-retardant suits and wired themselves up to
their radios. Sporting Director Ron Meadows is
focusing on the team’s race strategy. The fuel tanks
of the two Mercedes AMG Petronas race cars have
been filled to brimming, the fuel coolers removed.
The temperature of the gasoline rises to as high as
60°C during a race, expanding as it heats up. The
cooler it is at the start of the race, the more you can
fit in the tank. “The fuel can be chilled to a maximum
of 10°C below air temperature,” explains Meadows.
Forty-two minutes to go: “Around this time I
walk or jog to the garage – it all helps the warmup
process,” says Rosberg. He shares a joke with
his mechanics in a show of calm. Then it’s down
to business with race engineer Tony Ross. Rosberg
analyzes the start of last year’s GP: the way the
race panned out, the areas of concern. Even professional
racing drivers never stop learning. The
German driver pushes in his earplugs, pulls the
fireproof balaclava over his head, presses on his
helmet and lowers himself into the cockpit. The
eight-cylinder engine lurking behind his neck
bursts noisily to life. The top brass on the pit wall
have been topped up with drinks, and team boss
Ross Brawn has stocked up on bananas. Things
are rather less luxurious – and a whole lot more
cloak-and-dagger – in Rosberg’s world. A chilled
drinks bottle holds 1.5 litres of the top-secret
“special mixture” that he sips on inside the cockpit.
That’s the maximum amount of liquid
permitted by the regulations (to prevent it being
used as movable ballast). Rosberg will need to
have emptied the bottle by the halfway point of
the race to keep it from getting too hot in the
stuffy carbon confines of the cockpit.
Thirty-six minutes to go: The weather is holding
up, the rain is staying away, so the mechanics
>
74

TIRE GAMBLE
The decision as to
which tire to fit
can be delayed
until three minutes
before a race.
TEST RUN
Engine check in the pit
garage: The infernal
roar of the V8 powerplant
has some people
blocking their ears.
THE KEEP-UP KING
Keeping the ball in the air is
part of the Mercedes AMG
Petronas driver’s warm-up
routine. Rosberg says it’s
been years since anyone
got the better of him.
75

S P O T L I G H T
SLIM FIT
Rosberg worms his
way into the confined
carbon monocoque of
his Silver Arrow.
QUIET, PLEASE
Bonding time for man
and machine: The
mechanics escort
the Mercedes into its
starting position.
send the car out onto the grid, shod with slick
Pirelli tires. Once there, a new set of slicks will
be fitted. If there’s a threat of rain, the teams can
change their choice of tires up to three minutes
before the start.
Thirty-two minutes to go: The pit lane is open.
Nico takes the car for a couple of warm-up laps,
during which radio exchanges with Tony Ross come
thick and fast. If something’s not right with the balance
of the car, the driver will have to come in briefly
for front-wing adjustments to dial out some understeer
or oversteer. Those are the only interventions
allowed under F1 rules at this stage. Ross urges his
driver to go easy on the engine “so that it doesn’t
rev too high but still gets enough cooling air.”
Vanity fair
Nico Rosberg’s V8 falls silent 100 metres before
he reaches the end of the grid. The Mercedes mechanics
wave the W04 toward its slot on the third
row and push it into position. The Silver Arrow
drills its way through the carnival-like throng. The
cars are arranged according to their starting place,
an archipelago of 22 small islands held in check
by narrow markings on the track surface. And all
around them whirs the glitz of F1’s own vanity
fair. The grid girls wheel out their best smiles. F1
president Bernie Ecclestone, flanked by local dignitaries,
laps up the limelight. It’s all about seeing
and being seen. The photographers creep backwards,
bending as they must to snare their shot,
flashbulbs probing for signs of emotion in the
Formula 1 ringmaster’s features. Nico Rosberg
creates his own island of concentration amid the
hubbub. He climbs out of the car one last time,
swaps a few final words with his engineers, and
does the honours for the TV crews.
Fourteen minutes to go: Nico sinks into the cockpit,
sealing the bond between man and machine.
He checks the radio link with the pit crew and
tickles the brakes to allow the wheels to be correctly
mounted. Finally, the jacked-up single-seater
is lowered onto the track. Bring on the racing.
Twelve minutes to go: Only key personnel are
allowed onto the grid now.
Six minutes: The cooling fans are taken out of
the car.
Four minutes: The engines roar thunderously
into action. The noise is unbearable.
Three minutes: Off come the covers keeping
the tires warm. Without them, the Pirellis would
bring next to no grip to the track in the early
stages of the race. The tires have reached
>
76

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S P O T L I G H T
GREEN LIGHT for the
formation lap. Twenty-two
race cars wind their way
around the circuit. No
overtaking is permitted.
>
nico Rosberg
may be driving a
single-seater, but
with his engineer’s
voice in his ear
– urging him to
get heat into the
brakes and keep
the engine cool –
he is not alone.
80°C, but the cool of an Australian fall afternoon
is already drifting over them.
Two and a half minutes: Nobody is allowed near
the cars now.
Two minutes: Green light for the formation lap.
Rosberg nails a practice start and takes his place
in the flinching, twisting line of 22 race cars.
During the formation lap, overtaking is strictly
prohibited. The Mercedes may be a single-seater,
but the driver is never alone. “My engineer is
constantly chattering in my ear, always the same
things: Keep the brakes and tires warm, the
engine cool and an eye on the clutch and gearbox
settings. Get the car how you need it for the start.”
The crews, meanwhile, are rushing back to the
pits in a multicoloured swarm. When they get
there, they reach straight for their helmets and
fireproof gloves: “One of the cars might get tagged
on the opening lap and need a new nose cone,
for example,” explains Ron Meadows, speaking
from unfortunate experience. Under these conditions,
the dash back to the garage is hard work,
and nowhere does it take longer than at the
Malaysian Grand Prix, which is only in a week’s
time. “A couple of years ago we had a number of
restarts there,” recalls Meadows, shivering at the
memory. “And a few of the guys just keeled over.”
AND. . . GO!
The tension that
builds the hour
before the race explodes
into speed.
Sixty minutes are up: The five red lights on
the gantry above the grid light up at one-second
intervals, then disappear in a single jolt. The neat
rows of cars explode into a sea of chaos, and Nico
Rosberg is in the middle of it all. At last, the race
for victory in the Australian Grand Prix is underway.
But that’s a story for another day.
>
78

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benchmark for automotive forward-thinking. In the 2014 S-Class,
you can now experience an integrated suite of driver assistance
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drive the S-Class, you drive the future.
Visit futuredriven.ca
A Daimler Brand
THE ALL-NEW 2014 S-CLASS.
Explore our 2014 lineup
through the Mercedes-Benz
Vehicle App.
© 2013 Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc.

B U L L E T I N
RUNNING
photo Levon Biss/Contour by Getty Images
80

start
Sprinters, golfers and
swimmers train for years
with a single objective:
to optimize their running
technique, golf swing or
tumble turn – for defeat
or victory is often decided
by the tiniest detail.
words annabel dillig
FORERUNNER
Usain Bolt has changed
the world of sprinting with
his running technique.
81

B U L L E T I N
bubble bath
Swimmers hone
their body positions
in specially designed
flow chambers to
reduce resistance
through the water.
U
sain Bolt bursts out of his starting blocks – the
movement is more horizontal than vertical. From
here to the finish line he takes just 41 strides. As
he accelerates, he eats up the ground like a wildcat
on the chase, each foot kissing the track every two
and a half metres. At around 45 metres, having
reached maximum velocity, he appears to be in
flight. And he is able to sustain that for longer than
any of his rivals. A mere 9.58 seconds for 100 metres
– the Jamaican has set a new world record.
Can something as fundamental and primal as
running actually be improved? Is there a perfect
way to put one foot in front of the other? For decades
the world’s scientists, coaches and athletes have
been trying to find answers to such questions. In
laboratories and on running tracks they have
employed high-tech equipment and a painstaking
methodology to optimize the sequence of biomechanical
movements, which – like walking – has
evolved over millions of years. And sometimes even
the smallest of factors can make all the difference.
For in disciplines like the 100 metres, fame and
wealth are decided by just hundredths of a second.
Anyone who, like Usain Bolt, sets a new world sprint
record has secured their place in the history books.
Twitching muscle fibres
Volker Herrmann from the German Sport
University in Cologne is one such researcher studying
the secrets of perfect action. “Usain Bolt’s
running style confirms something the science
world has been talking about for some time,” the
biomechanics expert explains. Bolt has switched
from the “push” technique that was common in
THERE’S A SAYING among track
athletes: Anyone can become a marathon
runner, but you are born a sprinter.
the 1980s to a “pull” approach, meaning that most
of the work is done in front of the body’s centre
of gravity rather than behind it. This action
requires the athlete to quickly pull the knee back
and under, and the foot strike is landed just in
front of the hip. “It enables the runner to reduce
braking forces on the body,” says Herrmann. This
new style of running can better exploit the potential
of the posterior thigh muscles.
But the perfect running action is worthless
unless it is successfully combined with a sprinter’s
physique. In the athletics community there
is a commonly held belief: Anyone can become a
marathon runner, but you are born a sprinter.
The necessary physiological attributes include
high tendon stiffness for optimum power transmission
from the muscle, the correct leg length
for optimum leverage and the right proportion of
white, fast-twitch muscle fibres in the body.
Through personalized training programs, athletes
can activate residual potential in these
inherited predispositions. Of the 15 sprinters in
Volker Herrmann’s training group, 13 have personalized
training schedules that take into account
individual strengths and weaknesses. All are
striving for the perfect action, something they
have in common with scientists and athletes in
other disciplines.
>
photos DPA Picture Alliance; Contour by Getty Images
82

flight test
It takes around
500 practice dives to
master a new sequence
of movements.
83

B U L L E T I N
swingtime
In the golf swing,
the brain has to
coordinate
approximately
130 muscles.
Below: Image
sequence analysis
is used to study
biomechanical
movements.
A few years ago, American individual medley
swimmers succeeded in shaving off one or two tenths
of a second at the transition from backstroke to breaststroke
by spinning in an almost sideways position,
thereby reducing the angle and distance of travel to
make the turn – an extreme but legal interpretation
of the rules. This meant that training involved the
swimmer having to learn to rotate more quickly about
the body’s lateral axis.
In the 1970s, climbers in Yosemite National Park
started honing their sense of balance by practising on
a slackline, a rope slung just above the ground between
two posts. The idea was quickly adopted by practitioners
of other sports. For climbers this training makes a
lot of sense, since like real climbing it requires the
coordination of many different muscle groups simultaneously.
Board and platform divers frequently require
some 500 practice dives to learn a new sequence
of movements, first on the trampoline, then in the
foam pit and finally in the pool, where the water’s
surface is “softened” by adding air bubbles to reduce
the impact on the body.
Tricking the brain
When asked about the perfect golf swing,
Nuremberg-born golf pro Bernd Ritthammer
simply puffs out his cheeks and exhales. The
gesture has nothing to do with the 30°C heat that
greets us at the München Eichenried golf club.
“Of the 72 shots it takes to complete an average
round of golf, there are at most two or three I
would describe as almost perfect.”
The golf swing involves approximately 130
muscles simultaneously and is considered one of
photos Getty Images; Gallery stock
84

B U L L E T I N
OF THE 72 SHOTS it takes
to complete an average round
of golf, there are at most two
or three I would describe as
almost perfect.
b e r n d r i t t h a m m e r
the most complex biomechanical movements in
sport. Ritthammer is 26 and has been playing golf
since the age of three. How can you still perfect an
action you have practised hundreds of thousands
of times over so many years? And even if your head
knows what the perfect action looks like, how do
you get your body to execute it? This very question
is the research focus of biomechanics expert Peter
Lamb from Munich’s Technical University. Here
in his laboratory, the Canadian golfer attaches
sensors to golfers’ bodies and maps the arc traced
by their swing. The players receive feedback even
as they execute the movement: If the golf club is
not taken back far enough above the shoulder, they
hear an acoustic signal. “This enables the golfer
to get used to recognizing what the correct movement
should feel like. The brain then remembers
this body position,” Lamb explains.
As references for his research, Lamb has collected
swing analyses from hundreds of golfers,
half of them PGA professionals. “This statistic is
my approximation of perfection,” he says. The
quest for the perfect golf swing is never-ending
– as every player knows. “A single successful golf
shot is all it takes to get you hooked and ensure
you come back for more.”
Bernd Ritthammer prefers to solve his problems
out on the golf course rather than in the laboratory.
“Your hip is coming through too quickly, too
abruptly,” is the expert’s diagnosis. It’s the age-old
problem: The coach explains what needs changing,
the student nods – and then carries on virtually as
before. So Ritthammer attempts to modify technique
through exaggeration, minimizing all rotation of
the hips on the downswing. In the heat of the
driving range, he stands there hitting ball after ball.
They fizz through the air, flying 150 yards, 200
yards. Ritthammer looks satisfied enough.
But he has another favourite trick: “I imagine
the ball’s trajectory if I were to rotate my hips
more slowly – and then try to strike the ball
exactly like this.” Sometimes you just have to
dupe the brain.
>
85

B U L L E T I N
getaway
The
Bionics refers to the
art of basing technological
applications on natural
phenomena. Below: an
artificial recreation of a
gull’s flight. Right page:
the interior structure of a
pavilion, modelled after
a sea urchin.
Perfect
Shape
WORDS FABRICE BRAUN
photos Festo; ICD/ITKE
86

Architects, researchers and
engineers often look to the plant
and animal kingdoms for inspiration
in their quest for the ideal shape.
Nature frequently provides the best
ideas for making fuel-stingy aircraft,
energy-efficient buildings or even
streamlined swimsuits.
87

B U L L E T I N
Modelled ON
a tropical flower: The
flexible lamellae can
be cambered to align
with the sun’s rays.
T
he huge dragonfly lifts gingerly off its perch, beating
all four of its wings, slowly at first, then faster and
faster. Hovering in place for a few seconds, it suddenly
darts forward, describes a few bold curves, descends
almost to the ground, then climbs steeply upward
again, its twin pairs of transparent wings beating so
quickly as to be a nearly invisible blur. One could
easily imagine that a prehistoric dragonfly has actually
been restored to life – were it not for the hum of the
servomotors. In fact, this 44-centimetre-long flying
machine is not a living , breathing animal, but a hightech
creation made of aluminum, carbon fibre and
polyamide. Constructed by Festo, an engineering firm
in southwestern Germany, the faux dragonfly is called
the BionicOpter. Weighing in at 175 grams, this
minuscule flier is controlled by a smartphone. The
man-made insect’s wings can beat up to 1,200 times
per second, and it boasts a repertoire of 13 different
manoeuvres – it can even fly backwards. “We view
this project the way automakers view a concept car.
We want to demonstrate what is technologically possible,”
explains project manager Heinrich Frontzek.
Lab with a view
Although the concept of bionics has only existed
since the mid-20th century, nature has always been
a source of inspiration for scientists and inventors.
In 1505, Leonardo da Vinci composed his famous
study, Codex on the Flight of Birds, and subsequently
tried to build flying machines based on the knowledge
he gained. All he lacked was the technological means
to realize his visions. Since then, researchers in various
disciplines have repeatedly looked to the natural
world outside their laboratory windows whenever
they felt short on inspiration.
COPYCAT
The BionicOpter
imitates a dragonfly.
Its twin pairs of wings
operate independently
of each other, enabling
it to fly backwards.
Swiss engineer Georges de Mestral, for example,
based his invention of Velcro in the 1940s on the hooked
seeds of the burdock plant. In the 1980s, Dietrich
Bechert designed a specialized type of foil that imitated
the hydrodynamic properties of sharkskin. Aircraft
covered with this foil consume four percent less fuel
than they otherwise would. The upwardly bent wingtips
found on modern aircraft are also a fuel-saving measure:
By minimizing turbulence, they reduce air resistance.
The naturally occurring counterparts of these winglets,
which are also found on Formula 1 race cars, are the
wingtips of large birds with their manoeuvrable feathers.
Tire manufacturers have also modelled their tread
profiles on natural phenomena, such as bee honeycombs
or the feet of tree frogs and geckos.
Mercedes-Benz also has a hand in bionics research.
In 2005, the company unveiled the “bionic car,” a
concept vehicle based on the principles of bionics.
The car’s extremely low drag coefficient of 0.19 is a
direct result of its aerodynamic shape, inspired by
the tropical boxfish.
Just how efficiently nature optimizes certain
shapes via the process of evolution is clearly illustrated
by a wind tunnel experiment conducted by
Mercedes-Benz engineers: An anatomically accurate
model of the boxfish recorded a drag coefficient >
photos Soma; Festo
88

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B U L L E T I N
THE LOTUS
EFFECT used
in roof tiles and
windows helps
create self-cleaning
surfaces. The
flower also serves
as an architectural
template.
of just 0.06. “Mother Nature has had millions of years
to hone her designs,” is how Werner Nachtigall explains
these near-perfect aerodynamics. Nachtigall is one of
the world’s most renowned bionics pioneers. For over
50 years, the now retired professor, has been researching
what technology can glean from biology. “Nature’s
work is unfocused, but it occurs on a massive scale.
In Europe, for example, there are billions of blue bottle
flies, and each one is slightly different.”
Through experimentation, mistakes and natural
selection, forms of life emerge with characteristics
that are often astounding: “The whirligig beetle, when
swimming, exhibits a 93-percent efficiency rate in
energy consumption,” he notes. Achieving this sort
of perfection in energy usage is something engineers
can only dream of.
Beauty vs. functionality
But the field of bionics isn’t about simply aping nature
in all its detail. The key is to stay faithful to the overarching
principle. A few years ago, Festo engineer
Frontzek and his team developed a highly responsive
grappling arm using an elephant’s trunk as their realworld
model. The arm could be used to sort vegetables
that bruise easily: “A real elephant’s trunk has 40,000
muscles, but we were able to make do with 11.”
Soma, a Viennese architectural firm, also employs
bionics. “Nature is our main source of inspiration,
especially in the conceptualization phase,” says Stefan
Rutzinger, one of the company’s founders. At the 2012
World Expo in South Korea, Soma’s spectacular One
Ocean pavilion raised eyebrows. The high-tech structure’s
organic lines and surfaces were especially
impressive. But beauty – at least in terms of bionic
structures – is considered a coincidental, albeit pleasing,
by-product that takes a back seat to the main goal
of functionality. The building’s highlight is its
140-metre-long facade consisting of huge lamellae – up
to 13 metres high – that can be cambered. In addition
to its biomimetic qualities, this facade also fulfills an
architectonic function by controlling the influx of light
SHARK EYES
on endless vigil: The
fish’s skin is also
hydrodynamically perfect.
An elephant’s trunk was
the model for a highly
responsive grappling arm.
and the interior temperature. The Soma team went a
step further in its design for a Salzburg art pavilion:
Using a computer to calculate the optimal position of
1,500 aluminum struts with a random number generator,
the team essentially created a time-lapse version
of the natural process of evolution. The architects input
certain parameters, but they had no idea how the final
product would turn out once the computer began its
calculations. Nonetheless, Rutzinger is conscious of
the process’s inherent limitations: “We can try to
approach nature’s complexity, but nature will always
be more complex by a huge margin.”
Attempting to imitate nature can be fraught with
difficulty, as biologist Wilhelm Barthlott learned. In
the 1970s, the German professor discovered the
“lotus effect.” He noticed that the Indian lotus flower
is always immaculately clean, even though it grows
in filthy water. Considered a Buddhist symbol of
purity, the flower has the unique ability to self-clean.
Examining it under an electron microscope, Barthlott
discovered the reason: The surface of the flower’s
petals only appears smooth to the naked eye, while
in reality it is covered with microscopic waxy nubs.
This covering makes water bead, taking dirt particles
along with it. The biologist quickly saw the potential
for applying the lotus principle to the manufacture
of self-cleaning materials. But the road to an actual
manufacturing process was filled with obstacles: “It
took us 10 years just to determine that we could
actually make something.” It took another decade to
get a real product onto the market. Today, we have
self-cleaning roof tiles, window glass and auto-care
products all incorporating the lotus effect.
Adopting a long-term perspective, as Barthlott did,
is essential when working with bionics. After all,
what’s 20 years of intensive research compared to
millions of years of evolution?
>
PHOTOS MAURITIUS IMAGES; GETTY IMAGES; F1 ONLINE
90

Because some dreams are
too good not to come true.
Excitement has never been so palpable. Discover the fascinating
cabriolets, roadsters and coupes from Mercedes-Benz that you
have always dreamed of, now within your reach. Visit your local
Mercedes-Benz dealership and we’ll inspire you to take a test drive.
A Daimler Brand
THE 2014 SLK, E-CLASS CABRIOLET AND SL-CLASS
© 2013 Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc.

S P O T L I G H T
Suspended animation: Japanese artist Yasuaki Onishi created a virtually
A Breath
of Mobility
To te dolecumquae
imilitaque laut et repro
omni te volupta cor.
92
words Ulrike Stierle photos Björn Fischer, Matthias Straub
european vehicle model shown

weightless sculpture using the Mercedes-Benz CLA.
shaping air
A plastic sheet assumes
the contours of the CLA,
seemingly suspended from
threads of black glue.
93

S P O T L I G H T
Glue artist
Yasuaki Onishi (left)
creates sculptures
out of air and glue.
L
ight as a feather and pulsating in the slightest
breeze, the gossamer shell hangs in space,
illuminated by the ambient light that catches it.
The shimmering, silvery silhouette is suspended
from the ceiling by countless transparent
threads, appearing at once weightless and solid.
At first sight it is reminiscent of an abstract
mountain range in miniature; on closer inspection,
however, the contours reveal the distinctive
form of the Mercedes-Benz CLA.
Yasuaki Onishi steps back and lowers his glue
gun. The Japanese artist runs his fingers pensively
through his hair and reviews his
installation with a trained eye. “I’ve noticed how
simple and elegant this car is. I just wanted to
capture the form in a work of art.”
Air as a construct, negative space as art: That
is Yasuaki Onishi’s vision. Using the simplest
tools – translucent polyethylene sheets and
threads of black glue – the 34-year-old creates
works of art that challenge our viewing habits.
As virtually weightless as they are colossal, they
appear to be floating in mid-air.
Until recently, the Osaka-based artist focused
mainly on abstract landscapes, such as his famous
installation series Reverse of Volume, which has
received showings at prestigious galleries in
Norway, Israel and the United States. His latest
artwork, Shaping Air, was created in a hangar near
Stuttgart and sets out to capture the flowing lines
of the Mercedes-Benz CLA. Boasting a drag coefficient
as low as 0.28, the four-door coupe is one of
the world’s most streamlined production cars. “It’s
got something organic about it – a natural, aerodynamic
form. I think the parallels to my artwork
can definitely be found here,” Onishi explains.
His signature approach is to create works by
slowly drizzling glue from nylon threads >
94

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For over 125 years, the Mercedes-Benz star has remained unchanged as
the symbol of quality and craftsmanship. Now you can bring this icon to
life in the grille of your vehicle. The Illuminated Star is subtle, but eyecatching.
Bright but sophisticated. It’s a new and exciting way to make your
Mercedes-Benz truly yours.
Available for most models, see dealer for details.
A Daimler Brand
Mercedes-benz.ca/genuine-accessories

S P O T L I G H T
Einarmiger Handstand bei starkem Wind: Jede seiner
Bewegungen sieht leicht und beiläufig aus, egal, ob er
über knorrige Bäume oder bröckelnde Felsen springt.
attached to the ceiling. As the thousands of
beads drip downward, they come into contact
with a giant sheet of translucent polyethylene
spread out over an object a few metres beneath.
When the object is subsequently removed, it
leaves behind a negative space – and a silhouette
that is floating in the air.
Using just a plastic sheet and a glue gun,
Onishi is able to shape air into organic works of
art that often have a ghostly, ethereal effect –
and invariably leave a great deal of scope for
interpretation. “My artworks often remind people
of mountain ranges. But this time I wanted to
create a piece using a more materialistic object,”
says Onishi. He spent five days working on his
unusual project with patience, absolute precision
and meticulous attention to detail. And all
the while, the artist studied the shape of the
Mercedes-Benz CLA, carefully running his hand
over the plastic sheet, memorizing every curve
and indentation of the coupe’s silhouette. The
more precise the representation of the car’s
shape beneath the sheet, the greater the number
of glistening beads of glue.
To help him concentrate, Onishi listens to
classical music while he works. During a break,
the artist sips green tea and explains how this
intense artistic encounter with the Mercedes-
Benz CLA triggered a special feeling in him: “I
sense the pride of a manufacturer that derives
from a long tradition.”
By contrast, Onishi’s works are made for the
moment. His Shaping Air installation was created
to be the subject of a fascinating video,
before being dismantled once filming was complete.
In this way, Onishi’s unusual creative
process is itself part of the fragile artwork –
a breath of mobility.
>
ghost rider
The plastic sheet
catches the ambient
light, creating an
ethereal, ghostly effect.
96

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To view our upcoming auctions please visit:
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+1 778 484 5300

S P O T L I G H T
Sit Back
. . . and relax: The new S-Class turns the humble driver’s seat into a
Human Machine Interface – hot-stone massage included.
W
hen it comes to the necessity of sitting down to drive from point A to B, little
has changed since the automobile was invented. However, the seat behind
the steering wheel is an altogether different beast nowadays. In fact, it’s no
longer just a seat but a Human Machine Interface, if you please – a key factor
in maximizing comfort, and one that plays an active role in keeping the driver
fresh during the journey. This advanced technology benefits the front-seat
passenger as well. From four-way power lumbar support to head restraints
that can be electrically adjusted both horizontally and vertically, occupants
in the new S-Class (see page 28) will want for nothing. Indeed, once you’ve
sampled the delights of the energizing massage function and seat climatization,
you’ll never want to get out.
STARS BEHIND THE SCENES
The position, length, height and angle of the seat – even the depth of the seat
cushion, the height of the head restraints and the four-way power lumbar support
– can be adjusted electrically as a standard feature. But the really spectacular
stuff takes place within the side bolsters: The optionally available Drive-Dynamic
Multicontour seat inflates the bolsters individually – and in a matter of seconds –
in response to the car’s steering movement, to provide even better lateral support
for the driver and front passenger.
words tobias nebl illustration 500 gls
98

HIGH TECH IN LAYERS
Comfort and lightweight design shared centre
stage in the development process for the new
front seats. Their structure weighs under 20
kilograms – around 20 percent less than a
conventional design – thanks, among other
factors, to a sandwich construction based
around steel shells with integrated plastic inlays.
VISIBLE
RELAXATION
The engineers also had
quite a brainwave when
it came to operating
the energizing function.
The central, 12.3-inch
display of the COMAND
Online infotainment
system shows the
individual massage
zones in the seats. In
addition, a rotary knob
graphic appears on the
screen displaying the
desired program as a
number. The menu for
the seat functions can
be called up directly
using a button on the
centre console.
PHOTO DAIMLER AG
SEAT CLIMATIZATION
At the touch of a button, four electric fans in the
seat surface and two in the backrest draw cooler
ambient air onto the seat’s perforated leather
surface. After four minutes, the fans automatically
invert their direction of rotation to prevent drafts
over longer journeys. The fans’ intensity can be
adjusted through three stages.
HOT-STONE
MASSAGE
The energizing function
of the seats is a
world first, using the
hot-stone principle to
deliver active relaxation.
Six programs are
available, two of them
heat-assisted. Each
program separately
controls the 14 air
chambers in each seat,
some of which benefit
from quick-responding
seat heating. Heat and
pressure are used to
simulate the effect of
traditionally applied hot
stones, massaging and
mobilizing the shoulder
area, back and hips.
99

S P O T L I G H T
Change Is Good
With nine forward speeds, the new automatic transmission from
Mercedes-Benz will raise the bar once more on driving enjoyment
and efficiency. The perks of the 9G-TRONIC include smooth, lightning-quick
gear changes and improved fuel economy.
4
3
he 7G-TRONIC seven-speed
T
automatic transmission long
ago laid to rest the notion that
you can only have fun with a
manual transmission. Now, the
latest evolution is just around the corner. The
aptly named 9G-TRONIC boasts nine forward
and two reverse speeds as well as a choice of
Manual, Economy and Sport modes. In Manual
mode, gear changes are carried out by the
driver, using the steering-wheel shift paddles.
Alternatively, the driver can select Economy or
Sport modes and hand over the shifting duties
to the intelligent control logic. While the gear
changes are barely perceptible, the savings at
the pump are sure to grab the driver’s attention.
100

2
1
1 PIONEERING
Nine forward and two reverse speeds: Most
Mercedes-Benz model series will get this new
technology over the coming years.
2 FlexibLE
The transmission offers three different modes:
Economy keeps the rpm low, while Sport
mode delays upshifts. In Manual mode, it’s the
driver who calls the shots.
3 DynamiC
The gear-skipping multiple downshift capability
is an enormous advantage in terms of agility
and fast mid-range acceleration.
IlLustration 500GLS
4 LIGHT
The 9G-TRONIC has a torque capacity
of 737 lb-ft. Despite the two additional
ratios (compared to the 7G-TRONIC), the
magnesium-alloy casing and plastic sump
make the new unit lighter than its predecessor.
ECONOMICAL
The large ratio spread has major benefits
for efficiency. The new 9G-TRONIC
transmission also supports ECO start/stop,
which switches the engine off at traffic lights
or in stationary traffic.
101

S P O T L I G H T
Stately, Sophisticated, Superior
1954–1959
W 180 / W 128
The Ponton would be the first
Mercedes-Benz car with
a self-supporting body.
1959–1968
w 111 / w 112
Premiere: The 220, 220 S
and 220 SE Fintails boast
a safety body.
1965–1972
W 108 / W 109
Thanks to its V8 engine, the top-ofthe-range
300 SEL 6.3 combines
luxury with sports-car performance.
1972–1980
W 116
The first S-Class series
brings ABS to the road and
diesel to the luxury class.
The ancestors of the S-Class were always highly prized by statesmen and celebrities keen on
creature comforts. Thanks largely to its ongoing technological advances, the top Mercedes-Benz
model has earned a reputation as the doyen of every class – and the epitome of exclusivity.
A Legend
Whenever the paparazzi
snap stars like
Céline Dion, an S-Class
is rarely far away.
102

1979–1991
W 126
Marks a world first for airbags,
and a Mercedes-Benz premiere
for plastic bumpers.
1991–1998
W 140
Noise insulation and extra space
enhance comfort; the revolutionary
ESP system improves safety.
1998–2005
w 220
With the top-of-the-range S 600,
the S-Class reaches the 500-hp
mark for the first time.
2005-2013
W 221
Night vision, distance control,
braking: Assistance systems
are a real boon to drivers.
WORDS CHRISTOPH HENN PHOTOS SPLASHNEWS; DAIMLER AG; CELEBRItYCARSBLOG.COM
A
L.a. style
Actor Gerard
Butler also
appreciates
the comfort
that comes
with an
S-Class.
lthough the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic
of Germany didn’t have a driver’s licence, he did
enjoy riding in style. In 1951, Konrad Adenauer
decided on the Mercedes-Benz 300 as his official
car, but discreetly suggested that his ministers
should opt for something a little smaller in scale
for themselves. The Chancellor himself, however,
was reluctant to go anywhere without his luxury
limo – and when he flew to Moscow at the height
of the Cold War in 1955, his Mercedes-Benz was
sent ahead in a freight car specially converted for
the purpose by the German Federal Railway. The
largest and fastest German production vehicle of
its day, the 300 impressed not only the Chancellor
and many other heads of state, it also established
the basis for the high regard in which Mercedes-
Benz vehicles are now held. This explains why the
sedan is part of a special exhibition featuring the
S-Class and its forerunners, which runs until
November at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in
Stuttgart. The model series was only officially given
the S-Class designation in 1972, but its earliest
direct ancestor, also introduced in 1951, was the
220 model (W 187). Then, in 1954, Mercedes-Benz
introduced a new premium-class generation. With
its self-supporting body, the 220a (W 180) offered
hitherto unknown levels of interior comfort. The
successor series of subsequent decades boasted
>
Favoured by
international
VIPs from
Elvis Presley
to the Pope
– as a state
limousine
or status
symbol
STATELY
Konrad Adenauer
always rolled up in his
Mercedes-Benz 300.
features that today read like a catalogue of automotive
firsts: safety body, ABS, driver and
front-passenger airbags, Electronic Stability
Program – all these made their debut in the S-Class.
Innovations such as these would help steer the
luxury class as a whole to a new world record: With
sales totalling over 3.5 million, the S-Class and its
predecessor models became the most successful
model series in its vehicle segment.
In part, this success was due to countless VIP
fans – from popes and politicians to stars like Frank
Sinatra and Elvis Presley. And once won over, many
of them became regular customers. Perhaps the
most unusual multiple purchase was that of Sheikh
Hamad bin Hamdan al Nahyan, who ordered six
sedans from the W 126 series to match his family
coat of arms, each in a different colour of the rainbow.
This bestselling S-Class series was also
hugely popular among the racing fraternity.
According to the motorsports press of the day, 20
out of 35 Formula One drivers in 1983 privately
owned either an S-Class or one of the SEC coupes
– including, of course, many drivers who represented
rival constructors on the racetrack. <
103

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Certified Pre-Owned vehicles.
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■ Confidence: complete vehicle history report
■ Security: 24-hour special roadside assistance
■ Peace of mind: five day/500 km exchange privilege
For a complete listing, visit your local Mercedes-Benz dealership or mercedes-benz.ca/certified
0.9% * APR
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available
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© 2013 Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. *0.9% fi nancing only available through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services on approved credit for a limited time. See your authorized
Mercedes-Benz dealer for offer details or call the Mercedes-Benz Customer Relations Centre at 1-800-387-0100.

B U L L E T I N
P. S.
Luxury for All
sharing doesn’t have to be
a purely selfless act. In a new
trend from which we have
much to learn, all of us can
now enjoy designer handbags,
sunglasses and watches without
actually owning them, as
Meike Winnemuth discovers.
Illustration jörn kaspuhl
Perhaps one of the most convincing
explanations as to why the principle of
sharing has recently become such a surprising
social phenomenon is its strong
latent moral aspect. As the new mantra
goes, sharing products and using them
can be better than owning. In addition,
it is a form of consumerism that makes
us act more responsibly, think more
sustainably and ultimately turns us into
better people. For after decades of conspicuous
consumption, we have finally
returned to the point from which we all
began at nursery school: the selfless
sharing of the sandbox.
So much for the bright “new” theory
of the “sharity” world. Curiously,
though, one of the most successful business
sectors of the sharing society
caters to a deeper and more devious
motive: sharing as a market opportunity
to simulate status, feign extravagance
and enjoy the pretense of wealth, even
when you can’t afford to.
Nowadays, luxury goods – sports
cars, jewellery, designer clothes,
handbags and even sunglasses – can
be borrowed from online platforms. The
most desirable of all designer handbags,
the Céline Trapèze, for example, can
currently be rented for about $510 a
month from runawaybag.com, a Chanel
J12 white ceramic ladies’ wristwatch for
$720 and Tom Ford sunglasses for a
“mere” $67 from bagborroworsteal.com.
And a month later you can return to the
websites to select your next must-have
accoutrement in a never-ending simulation
of inexhaustible resources.
From car shares to house swaps,
sharing now embraces luxury living.
Onefinestay.com, for instance, is a highend
version of Airbnb, offering exclusive
accommodations in London and New
York, such as a Park Avenue apartment
for $1,750 per night. In certain areas,
particularly those where the burden of
upkeep is greater than the desire for
ownership – yachts and private jets, to
name but two – the sharing principle
is already well established and goes
under the highbrow name of fractional
ownership. You might think that people
with the wherewithal to pay the rental
on a Birkin bag by Hermès ($2,450)
could just as easily obtain financing to
buy it. Yet some choose not to. So why
is that? It appears that the object’s value
has more to do with being seen with it
rather than its intrinsic worth.
Of course, you need not advertise to
the whole world that the magic promptly
Meike
Winnemuth
spent a whole
year living in
12 cities on five
continents after
winning a large
sum of money
on the German
version of Who
Wants to Be a
Millionaire? She
describes her
experiences
in her book
Das grosse Los
(Jackpot). Here,
she gives her
views on sharing,
borrowing and
non-ownership.
In particular, she
explores the insights
that are to
be gained from
borrowing and
renting the trappings
of wealth.
rubs off at the end of the month, when
the borrowed baubles are returned to
their owners. We have known for years
that glamour is mostly on loan.
The Oscars are now less about the
films than about which designer has
created an evening dress for which star,
or which jeweller has loaned which
necklace, with two grim-faced security
guards to keep an eye on it. The fact
that this Cinderella feeling is now available
to ordinary people may have a
genuine therapeutic effect: It affords us
an opportunity to play dress-up with
precious goods that would normally be
off-limits. But is the experience as amazing,
as uplifting, as transforming as we
imagine it to be? Or is the high-end
designer bag ultimately nothing more
than a piece of leather with carry straps?
As always when earthly desires find their
fulfillment, mundane reality usually wins
the day, such as the comforting thought
that even the owner of a luxury sports
car has to sit in traffic jams alongside
the ordinary motorist.
And yet we all deserve the pleasure
of treating ourselves every once in a
while – if only fleetingly – to something
irresponsible. It’s a little bit like a test
drive, a dress rehearsal, an experiment
with an uncertain outcome. For without
the excitement of trying it out at least
once, how can we ever know whether this
new life will fit us like a glove or merely
make us feel uncomfortable?
>
105

Experience a new
level of control.
The Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy.
mercedes-benz.ca/drivingacademy

B U L L E T I N
F A S H I O N F O R W A R D
Flight of Fancy
THERE ARE NO LIMITS to what star
designer Jeremy Scott is willing to try out in the
name of style. Wings are a trademark of his often
rather eccentric fashion creations, for which he
is worshipped by pop stars like Lady Gaga and
Rihanna – and respected by fellow designers like
Karl Lagerfeld. Now this fashion rebel has turned
his hand to the smart: Eye-catching rear wings
distinguish this special version, which Scott
initially created as the “smart forjeremy” show
car but is now destined for production in a limited
edition. The smart fortwo edition by Jeremy Scott
comes in polar white with a pair of wings above
the rear lights, while leather lends the interior a
touch of haute couture. It’s literally tailor-made.
smart.ca
THE WINGS
of the show car
(with Jeremy
Scott, below)
have been
“clipped” for
the production
version.
I n n o v a t i o n
107

B U L L E T I N
Driving Force
Paul Rustchynsky is a racing games
specialist. As the design director
at Evolution Studios, his mission
is to make the PlayStation4 game
DriveClub (out late 2013) as realistic
as possible.
D E S I G N
Hot on the Scent
How authentic a feel does
driving have in your game?
DriveClub isn’t a simulator – but
we’re definitely edging closer and
closer to reality.
PERFUMER Gérald Ghislain
was looking for a way to combine his
two passions – travelling and scents
– which was what prompted him to
create his The Scent of Departure
series: 22 perfumes for 22 cities,
from New York to Budapest. The
idea is that the aromas capture the
atmosphere of each city – and help
combat homesickness, too. The
scent of tiare blossom and coconut
transports you to Bali, whereas
bergamot and amber whisk you off
to Abu Dhabi.
thescentofdeparture.com
How do you achieve that? And
how do you incorporate the
CLA 45 AMG into the game in a
realistic way?
With a lot of hard work! We start
by reproducing the vehicle using
original CAD data. Then we take
thousands of photos to record every
detail of the exterior and interior.
And we incorporate all the technical
data we can to capture the essence
of the car. Several AMGs feature
in DriveClub, so we also visited
their HQ in Affalterbach, Germany,
to experience the feel of actually
driving an AMG.
What role does the sound of a
car play in your work?
An important one, because it
reinforces the feeling of sitting
in a car. Our audio team visited
the racetrack and used dozens
of internal and external mikes to
record all the sounds, which they
then reproduced in 3-D.
What is still needed to create a
perfect simulation?
Television sets don’t normally
allow any peripheral sight, which
increases the sensation of speed
and makes it easier to think ahead
while driving. We’re working
on solving this.
A U T O M O T I V E
D I C T I O N A R Y
Mo|tion cap|ture,
noun; a tracking
process that turns
human movement
into computer data.
Daimler uses special
suits fitted with sensors
that record a test
subject’s every movement
in real time.
Exact analysis of the
data can be used, for
example, to optimize
the design of a future
vehicle’s interior.
I N N O V A T I O N
Get the Doodle Bug
THE 3DOODLER is a pen that frees you from the
surface of the paper and enables you to continue sketching
in any direction you want – it’s a sort of hand-operated 3-D
printer, but instead of ink, it uses plastic. This is first heated
and then, with the help of an integrated fan, rapidly cools
and hardens. You can use it to make three-dimensional
sketches or to create jewellery and accessories by hand.
The clever little hand printer from Wobble Works is set to
be available this fall.
the3doodler.com
PHOTOS DAIMLER AG ILLUSTRATION LYNDON HAYES/DUTCHUNCLE
108

SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. TM
Hear every play.
Upgrade to Sirius Premier. Now you can get all the content you love with SiriusXM plus exclusive premium channels,
including SiriusXM NHL Network Radio ȚM PGA TOUR® Radio, MLB Network Radio
ȚM
NBA games, Oprah Radio,
®
Opie &
Anthony and more, all for just $19.99/month. * Visit siriusxm.ca to learn more.
*Additional fees and taxes apply. © 2013 Sirius XM Canada Inc. “SiriusXM”, the SiriusXM logo, channel names and logos are trademarks of Sirius XM Radio Inc. and are used under license. MLB is available on the XM network only. Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major
League Baseball Properties, Inc. Visit MLB.com. The NBA and NBA member team identifi cations are the intellectual property of NBA Properties, Inc. and the respective NBA member teams. © 2013 NBA Properties, Inc. All rights reserved. NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks of the National Hockey
League. © NHL 2013. All rights reserved. PGA TOUR and the Swinging Golfer design are trademarks of PGA TOUR, Inc. and used with permission. All other trademarks, service marks, images and logos are property of their respective owners and are displayed in this publication with permission. All rights reserved.

B U L L E T I N
350,000
PEOPLE work in the so-called “Square Mile,”
the centre of London’s financial-services industry
and one of the biggest concentrations of finance
companies in the world. Things don’t come cheap
here. But at least Europe’s biggest-gigabit WLAN
network ensures that anyone can gain free access
to the Internet. The network is open for unlimited
use and covers 95 percent of the City of London.
Other cities have similar plans: In Berlin, for
example, a network of 100 hotspots is currently
being set up in the Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg
districts. But in this case, free surfing will only be
permitted for a maximum of 30 minutes.
N O W I N A U D I O . . .
The Other
MIDDLE-CLASS
BOY Neil gets to
know John, the son of
rich parents, at school,
and the two become
friends. But whereas
Neil opts for an average
existence with a job, a
wife and two kids, John
breaks off all contact
and withdraws into the
remote backwoods.
David Guterson (Snow
Falling on Cedars) tells
the tale of an unusual
friendship that ends
under mysterious
circumstances.
amazon.com
24° 3' 31'' N, 55° 46' 39'' O
al AIN
from Al Ain
to Jebel Hafeet
distance 24 kilometres
duration 32 minutes
HIGHEST POINT 1,219 metres
JEBEL HAFEET MOUNTAIN straddles the border
between the United Arab Emirates and Oman. The road
winds its way around 21 bends as it climbs the barren ridge.
At the top there is a spectacular view – particularly at sunset
– across the empty desert. Along the way you pass a hotel, a
radar station and a number of small palaces.
110

SiriusXM PGA TOUR ® Radio. Hear every round.
Upgrade to Sirius Premier. Now you can get all the content you love with SiriusXM plus exclusive premium channels,
including SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio, SiriusXM NHL Network Radio ȚM MLB Network Radio
ȚM
NBA games, Oprah Radio, ®
Opie & Anthony and more, all for just $19.99/month. * Visit siriusxm.ca to learn more.
*Additional fees and taxes apply. © 2013 Sirius XM Canada Inc. “SiriusXM”, the SiriusXM logo, channel names and logos are trademarks of Sirius XM Radio Inc. and are used under license. MLB is available on the XM network only. Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major
League Baseball Properties, Inc. Visit MLB.com. The NBA and NBA member team identifi cations are the intellectual property of NBA Properties, Inc. and the respective NBA member teams. © 2013 NBA Properties, Inc. All rights reserved. NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks of the National Hockey
League. © NHL 2013. All rights reserved. PGA TOUR and the Swinging Golfer design are trademarks of PGA TOUR, Inc. and used with permission. All other trademarks, service marks, images and logos are property of their respective owners and are displayed in this publication with permission. All rights reserved.

B U L L E T I N
1
2
HOW DO YOU DO IT?
Take a daring leap from a cliff
more than 10 metres above
the sea. You’ll attain a velocity
of 50 km/h; if you jump from
28 metres, you’ll reach more
than 90 km/h.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE?
Train beforehand by jumping
from five- and 10-metre
diving boards at your local
pool; then start with low, safe
cliffs. And no – Acapulco is
not an option.
O N C E I N A L I F E T I M E . . .
3
WHERE CAN YOU
LEARN TO DO IT?
At a swimming club that
offers dive training. You
can find a list of clubs on
the Web.
Jumping off a Cliff
“AN AUTOMOBILE
represents your own
personality and is an
exact reflection of your
taste. It is an object
of desire, just like
toy cars when you
are a child.”
u s h e r , m u s i c i a n
CABLE
The cable structure
distributes the
skyscraper’s weight
evenly.
Propeller
A helium balloon
and a propeller
provide lift.
PLATFORMS
Adjustable slabs
regulate the overall
balance.
International
pop superstar
Usher visits
Mercedes AMG.
GREEN AREAS
Plants clean
the air.
Hanging Gardens
THE LIGHT PARK is a
concept for architecture magazine
eVolo, which holds an annual
competition to design a skyscraper.
The hovering tower is intended
to reduce the strain on the
infrastructure of the city of Beijing.
The fan-like platforms could carry
parks, restaurants and greenhouses,
while solar panels on the helium
balloon would provide the structure
with energy. evolo.us
PHOTOS GETTY IMAGES; DAIMLER AG; CORBIS; EVOLO
112

SiriusXM NASCAR ® Radio. Hear every lap.
All Sirius equipped Mercedes-Benz vehicles include a 6 month complimentary subscription. SiriusXM gives
you the content you love, including SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. And when you upgrade to Sirius Premier, you’ll also get
exclusive premium channels, including SiriusXM NHL Network Radio ȚM
SiriusXM PGA TOUR® Radio, MLB Network Radio
ȚM
NBA games, Oprah Radio,® Opie & Anthony and more, all for just $19.99/month. * Visit siriusxm.ca to learn more.
*Additional fees and taxes apply. © 2013 Sirius XM Canada Inc. “SiriusXM”, the SiriusXM logo, channel names and logos are trademarks of Sirius XM Radio Inc. and are used under license. MLB is available on the XM network only. Major League Baseball trademarks
and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. Visit MLB.com. NASCAR® is a registered trademark of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. The NBA and NBA member team identifi cations are the intellectual property
of NBA Properties, Inc. and the respective NBA member teams. © 2013 NBA Properties, Inc. All rights reserved. NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. © NHL 2013. All rights reserved. PGA TOUR and the Swinging Golfer
design are trademarks of PGA TOUR, Inc. and used with permission. All other trademarks, service marks, images and logos are property of their respective owners and are displayed in this publication with permission. All rights reserved.

B U L L E T I N
Original and Fake
The concept GLA shows what a compact premium SUV from Mercedes-Benz might look like. The coupe-like concept
car includes groundbreaking technologies such as laser projectors in the headlights that can project pictures or films
onto screens and other surfaces. Which of these two examples is the original?
FOUR MISTAKES can be found in the right-hand photo when viewed the right way up. The brand emblem is missing, as are the near-side mirror, the rear door handle and one of the daytime headlights.
all-embracing The Up wristband from
Jawbone tracks how much ground you cover,
checks how much energy you consume – and even
monitors your sleep. A special app analyzes your
profile and shows how you can improve it.
jawbone.com
A P P Y V A C A T I O N
Downloads for Travellers
HOTEL TONIGHT enables you to book a hotel
room for the coming night at last-minute prices – with
guaranteed discounts of up to 70 percent. With a
growing list of countries, it’s ideal for spontaneous
trips both in Canada and abroad.
Peak Scanner
identifies mountains
and tells
you their name,
height and
distance.
Paris for Parents
offers travel tips
and tells you about
things to do with
kids in the City
of Light.
Freshly Printed
HOW DO YOU COMBINE modernity with
tradition? In the Dutch village of Schijndel, the roof and
facade of a high-tech glass palace have been covered
with a picture of a traditional farmhouse. Inside, there are
restaurants, shops and a wellness centre.
mvrdv.nl
PHOTOS DAIMLER AG; FOTOLIA APPS APPLE APP STORE FOR IPHONE, IPOD TOUCH AND IPAD
114

We’ve got you covered.
The Mercedes-Benz Extended Limited Warranty.
Enjoy even more worry-free driving with the Mercedes-Benz Extended
Limited Warranty, an affordable way to help retain the value of your vehicle.
Best of all, you can purchase extended coverage at any point during your
new vehicle warranty period.
Extended Limited Warranty
Your coverage can be extended to a total of 7 years and a maximum of
160,000 km (double the basic warranty distance). Benefits include a zero
deductible, Roadside Assistance, and it can be transferred to a new owner.*
Ask your Service Advisor for more information, or visit mercedes-benz.ca.
*Certain terms, conditions and an administration fee apply.
See your authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer for details.
A Daimler Brand

B U L L E T I N
Electric Cruiser
QUESTION: What links Miami and Affalterbach? The answer is the Concept
Cigarette AMG Electric Drive that AMG and boat-builders Cigarette Racing
presented at the International Boat Show in Florida. The motor produces an
astounding 2,221 hp, and the boat has a top speed of 160 km/h – a triumph of
technology transfer from road to water.
Going, Going – Mine!
AUCTION HOUSE BONHAMS normally sells Ming vases and old
masters – objects that have an immaterial as well as a material value. So
one of the world’s most important historic racing cars did not look out of
place in their catalogue: When Juan Manuel Fangio won two Grand Prix in
this 1954 W 196, it marked Mercedes-Benz’s triumphant return to racing.
The famous model went on the block last July at the Goodwood Festival
of Speed.
bonhams.com
POWERPACK
They look like V12
engines, but are in
fact handcrafted
espresso machines
from Espresso Veloce.
Instead of a turbocharger,
they have a
grappa reservoir for
making caffè corretto.
espressoveloce.com
PHOTOS MAURITIUS IMAGES CIGARETTERACING.COM; ESPRESSOVELOCE.COM
116

stays
1
2
Town &
Country
Five of our favourite getaways
around the globe, from
oceanside resorts to urban
art deco meccas.
1
Jamaica
The Tryall
Club
tryallclub.com
Intro A country club resort set on 2,200 acres
along Jamaica’s north coast, offering 88 rental villas
of one to 10 bedrooms.
Design If you like modern Caribbean architecture,
choose Hummingbird House; a Bali-style retreat, look
to Mahogany Hill; eco-friendliness, check out partially
solar-powered Jubilation.
Amenities Each villa comes staffed with a chef,
housekeeper, laundress and gardener. Save your energy
for the tennis courts and championship golf course.
Dress Code Appropriate sports attire while
in play; resort wear everywhere else.
Drink Planter’s Punch paired with the
Friday-night beach party.
Dish Jamaican breakfast (ackee ’n’ saltfish,
johnnie cakes, fried plantain) prepared by your villa
chef. He’ll also garnish your morning table with fresh
fruit and flowers from the garden.
Outing Everyone visits the Lobster Trap (boxer
Lennox Lewis is a regular), a rustic beach resto serving
up tasty local fare and mouth-watering crustaceans.
Don’t Miss The 19th-century water wheel
is a plantation-era relic. See it on the golf course’s
seventh hole or arrange a private dinner at its base.
2
Rhode Island, USA
Ocean
House
oceanhouseri.com
Intro This grand Victorian hotel has been a
community hub in Rhode Island’s Watch Hill since
1868 – so much so that it was razed and rebuilt
in its former image over 130 years later. The new
buttercream facade is so faithful to the original, it
could fool former guests.
Design Find 5,000 original artifacts and antique
touches throughout the hotel, including a stone
fireplace and historic photos.
Amenities Bath products come from the
hotel’s Forbes Five Star OH! Spa.
Dress Code New England casual – find
Barbour jackets and Kiel James Patrick nautical
bracelets in the hotel boutique.
Drink Take a martini-making class in the private
Club Room.
Dish Sautéed scallops at Seasons.
Outing Go sailing or birdwatching at
refurbished sister hotel (and fellow Relais & Châteaux
property) Weekapaug Inn, a 15-minute drive away.
Don’t Miss Travel in the fall or winter and
the 200-metre private beach could be all yours, or
find yourself in good company there for summer
surfing classes and oceanside yoga.
Kiddie pool
Candlelight
Dinner
Canoeing
Croquet
118

3
4
5
3
New York, USA
The Jade
Hotel
thejadenyc.com
Intro This 113-room Greenwich Village hotel
may be brand new, but it feels right out of the
Roaring Twenties. A speakeasy vibe runs through
every room, from the velvet-draped lobby to its
tucked-away restaurant, Grape & Vine.
Design Art Deco-inspired style
interspersed with authentic vintage objects,
including rotary phones (that really work!)
and Macassar ebony desks.
Amenities The lobby’s bookcase
is furnished with elegant hardcover editions
from one-time Village residents such as
Allen Ginsberg and Dylan Thomas.
Dress code Boho 2.0 (less tie-dye,
more tailoring).
Drink Old-fashioned with bourbon- or brandysoaked
cherries (depending on the bartender’s mood).
Dish Classic New York strip steak served
with béarnaise or salsa verde.
Outing Embark on the hotel’s free, low-key
neighbourhood walking tour.
Don’t miss Toiletries care of C.O. Bigelow,
the oldest apothecary in America, whose 1838
flagship store is four blocks from the hotel.
4
California, USA
The Fairmont Sonoma
Mission Inn & Spa
fairmont.com/sonoma
Intro There’s something for gourmets and
golfers alike in California’s other wine country,
Sonoma, at this historic hotel. Originally built as
a hot-springs destination at the end of the 19th
century, its latest incarnation, including a red-tiled
roof, is modelled after a religious mission.
Amenities The pools at the 3,700-squaremetre
spa are still fed by the area’s healing mineral
waters, and guests have access to the adjacent
Sonoma Golf Club, designed in 1928 by Sam Whiting,
the man behind the celebrated Lake Course at the
Olympic Club in San Francisco.
Dress Code Wine-country casual
(think linen and low heels).
Drink Need we say it? Any local bottle will do,
and many of the sommeliers and wait staff were
raised amid the vineyards.
Dish Grand Marnier soufflé at the
Michelin-rated Santé.
Outing Work off those wine-tour calories at the
Jack London State Historic Park.
Don’t Miss Some suites come with their
own wood-burning fireplaces – perfect for the
surprisingly cool nights.
5
Ireland
The Merchant
Hotel
themerchanthotel.com
Intro Located in Belfast’s dynamic Cathedral
Quarter, this five-star hotel bridges sleek design and
retro style.
Design The original 19th-century Italianate
building features 24 Victorian-style rooms (think
silk curtains and antique furniture), while the 2010
extension boasts 38 lavish art deco-inspired rooms.
Amenities On-site boutique Harper is Northern
Ireland’s sole stockist of Valentino, Céline and
Christian Louboutin.
Dress Code Dapper but not stuffy (doublebreasted
jackets are acceptable).
Drink In 2008, the hotel’s Mai Tai, then made with
the ultra-rare 17-year-old J Wray & Nephew Jamaican
Rum, entered the book of Guinness World Records as
the world’s most expensive cocktail.
Dish Cucumber, cream cheese and mint fingersandwiches
for afternoon tea at The Great Room
Restaurant.
Outing Giant’s Causeway, home to over 40,000
interlocking basalt columns, is just over an hour’s
drive away.
Don’t Miss A live performance at Bert’s, the
hotel’s jazz bar.
F. Scott
Fitzgerald
Jack Kerouac Food truck
Picnic basket Louise Brooks
Queen Victoria
119

s o c i e t y
Films, Faces,
Festivals
STEP OUT WITH Mercedes-Benz
at the season’s hottest events,
from star-studded parties to
private concerts.
toronto international
film festival Mercedes-Benz
partnered with Hello! Canada
at the celebrity magazine’s
exclusive annual cocktail party,
where movie stars and TV
personalities rubbed elbows with
industry VIPs (including comedian
Russell Peters, pictured left with
Mercedes-Benz Social Reporter
Michelle Danese). One special
attendee stole the show – a shiny
new CLA 45 AMG 4MATIC.
photo Michael Perl (F1)
120

B-The Face After a
nationwide search, four
contestants were selected
to test drive the new 2013
B-Class for a year and log
their journey on their social
media pages. The winners
included (clockwise from
left): Natasha Chudyk
(B-Spontaneous), Chelsea
McDermott (B-Playful)
and Charles Ruocco
(B-Adventurous). Follow
the Social Reporters at
mercedesbenzcanada.
tumblr.com
formula 1 Racing phenom (and Mercedes AMG Petronas
team member) Lewis Hamilton is welcomed to the stage at a
Formula 1 event in Montreal by Mercedes-Benz President and
CEO Tim A. Reuss.
b-class launch B-Scene celebrated the
Canadian launch of the 2013 B-Class with DJ sets from
Chromeo and Dirty Vegas, who played to a packed
house at Sound Academy in Toronto.
121

Driving
Performance
Fantastic Four
The CLA 45 AMG 4MATIC is a
four-door coupe with superpowers.
words christopher korchin
european vehicle model shown
This fall marks the debut of the new CLA, a striking four-door Mercedes-Benz with
the streamlined silhouette and aerodynamics of a coupe. It’s a compact vehicle that feels anything
but. And though it offers exemplary performance, it also has a stablemate that offers, well, unrivalled
performance. Behold the CLA 45 AMG 4MATIC.
The story begins, of course, under the hood, with the most potent series production four-cylinder
passenger car engine in the world: a 2.0-litre turbocharged inline dynamo, developed independently
by Mercedes-AMG, that unleashes an unfathomable 355 hp at 6,000 rpm and produces 332 lb-ft
of mid-range torque. The AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT seven-speed sports transmission, combined with
4MATIC all-wheel drive, draws on its racing heritage to extract prodigious results from this fabulous
powerplant. If you need to get from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds, then this is the CLA for you.
The AMG treatment also means that this astounding coupe is bedecked with stylish features
like Bi-Xenon headlamps, 18-inch AMG five-twin-spoke alloy wheels, a racing-inspired flat-bottom
steering wheel and stainless steel sports pedals. And because it’s a thoroughly modern Mercedes-Benz,
the CLA 45 AMG 4MATIC balances all that power and glory with innovative safety features like
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST, and energy-saving technologies like the ECO start/stop function.
Now that’s a vehicle without equal.
Visit mercedes-benz.ca to learn more
about the exhilarating new CLA 45 AMG 4MATIC.
122

Turns the city into a loft. The smart fortwo edition BoConcept.
What do a Danish urban interior designer and a car maker have in common? Quite a bit, actually. BoConcept and smart:
both stand for contemporary, urban design that is distinctive, functional, innovative, and always something special.
It’s no wonder something truly special was created when these two got together – a car in which you’ll feel so comfortably
at home in, you’ll never want to get out. Find out more at www.smart.com or visit your local smart Centre.
www.smart.com
smart – a Daimler brand
© 2013 smart Canada, a division of Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc.