VOLUME VI / ISSUE VI / JUNE 2022
F1 G RA N D P RIX MIAMI · MIAMI BE AC H PO LO WO R L D C UP · SA A R G EN T I N E PO LO AT I N A N DA CONCORSO D'E LE GAN ZA VILLA D'E ST E · T R O PHÉE B O UR B O N PO LO C LUB DU DO M A I N E DE C HA N T I L LY
F1 VROOMS INTO MIAMI
FANS REVEL IN SUPER-CHARGED
HORSEPOWER GIVING IT ALL AWAY
A FASHION GIANT GIFTS $25M TOWARD CURING CANCER
GETTING DOWN & DIRTY WITH THE NEW RANGE ROVER
A BROTHERHOOD OF TRAUMA STORIES FROM BOYS TO MEN
IN-SIGHT-FUL
COULD CONTACT LENSES BE THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER? A WINE SNOB'S GUIDE TO SCREW TOPS
AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK INSIDE VILLA D'ESTE'S
CONCORSO D'ELEGANZA
CONFESSIONS
OF A CLEAN FREAK
CANNES 2022
VOLUME VI / ISSUE VI / JUNE 2022
Ambassador Claude-Alix Bertrand Publisher
Joshua Jakobitz Editor-in-Chief
William Smith
Katerina Morgan
Polo Photographer
Aubrey Chandler
Copy Editor & Philanthropy Contributor
Contributing Photographer
Claire Barrett
Contributing Photographer
Eva Espresso
Lifestyles Contributor
Cezar Kusik
Wellness Contributor
Raphael K. Dapaah
Trends Contributor
Head of Photography
Contributing Photographer
Wine Contributor
Art Contributor
Eric CarrÉ
Michael J. Snell Joey Velez
Brett Chody
Justin "Goliath" Johnson
Jyoti Paintel
Wellness Contributor
Brand Representatives
Polo Lifestyles is a publication of HT Polo Publishing Co. 995 Detroit Avenue, Suite A Concord, CA 94518
Spiritual Contributor
Michael J. Snell - The Hamptons Stanley Pierre-Etienne Caribbean Jessica Foret Wax - Santa Fe K & Co. Media - Los Angeles Justin Johnson - Atlanta Contributing Photographers Global Polo Entertainment Eric Carre Nacho Corbolan Matias Callejo Kristian Gonzalez
Content Copyright © Polo Lifestyles 2021 All Rights Reserved. For information or to advertise Contact editor@htpolo.com Read online at www.pololifestyles.com Cover Photo by Katerina Morgan Photo on this page by Katerina Morgan
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GUARDS POLO CLUB La Martina Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Centenary Trophy Cartier Queens Cup The Royal Windsor Cup Indian Empire Shield DOMAINE DE CHANTILLY Coupe PGH - Deauville Trophee Bourbon Charity Cup INANDA POLO CLUB Africa Polo Cup SANTA BARBARA POLO & RACQUET CLUB USPA Intra-Circuit Cup Robert Skene Trophy USPA Silver Cup
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SCOREBOARDS & COCKTAILS
SAISON D'ETE
PHOTOS FROM DOMAINE DE CHANTILLY Page 28 POLO LIFESTYLES EDITORS & CONTRIBUTORS
Ambassador Claude-Alix Bertrand Publisher Polo Lifestyles @haiti_polo_captain
Eric Carré
Photographer EC Photography @ti_carre
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Josh Jakobitz
Editor-in-Chief Polo Lifestyles @joshuajakobitz
Eva Espresso Photographer
Eva Espresso Photography
@eva.espresso
Claire Barrett
Head of Photography
Claire Barrett Photography
@clairebarrettphoto
Michael J. Snell
Lifestyles & Automobiles Contributor @agnello_1
Raphael K. Dapaah Art Contributor Dapaah Gallery @dapaahgallery
Aubrey Chandler Photographer Polo Lifestyles @aubreychandler
Katerina Morgan
Polo Photographer Horse Polo Art Gallery @horsepoloartgallery
Joey Velez
Cezar Kusik
Wine Contributor Polo Lifestyles @cezartastesearth
William Smith
Brett Chody
Trends Contributor Polo Lifestyles @brettchody
Justin Johnson
Wellness Columnist
Philanthropy Contributor
Wellness Contributor
@velezmentalhealth
@willismith_2000
@goliathcoaches
Velez Mental Performance May & Stanley Smith Charitable Trust
Goliath Coaches
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A brotherhood of common trauma, page 186
Ask these questions when you feel misled, page 182
Enjoy Paris from the rooftop Cheval Blanc, page 97
You might be a wine snob if..., page 172
HORSEPOWER F1 VROOMS INTO
MIAMI PAGE 102
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MIAMI BEACH POLO
I
T SEEMS THAT THE WORLD IS BACK IN NEARLY FULL SWING. THERE WERE SO MANY LUXURY EVENTS IN THE LAST 30 DAYS THAT THIS ISSUE OF POLO LIFESTYLES COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN 250 PAGES IF WE HADN’T CUT IT BACK. FROM NEW YORK TO MIAMI TO VILLA D’ESTE, OUR CONTRIBUTORS WORKED AROUND THE CLOCK TO BRING THIS ISSUE TO LIFE. FOR OUR INAUGURAL PARTICIPATION AT THE CONCORSO D’ELEGANZA AT VILLA D’ESTE, LUXURY AND AUTOMOBILE CONTRIBUTOR MICHAEL SNELL WORKED BOTH HIS TIME ZONE IN ITALY AND MINE ON THE WEST COAST TO BRING THE STORY TO LIFE – IT STARTS ON PAGE 70 AND THE CARS ARE TO-DIE-FOR. Life coach Justin “Goliath” Johnson’s very personal column this month about childhood trauma through the lens of his krump-dancing Facebook common-interest group is a powerful follow-up to our February story about the discussion of rape and sexual assault in polite society. Silence, they say, is complicity. An open channel of communication; however, is a path forward to understanding and dealing with trauma. His Facebook group page is that platform for himself and his fellow krump-afficionados. Our cover – F1 Vrooms into Miami – celebrates the panache and luxurious, invitation-only set-ups where VIPs sipped hand-shaken cocktails on yachts overlooking the racetrack. F1, one of the most lucrative sports in the world (polo and sailing are in its good company), has found a home in Miami and the luxury industry there couldn’t be happier. Our friends at Glenfiddich extended an invitation their lounge and photographer-extraordinaire Claire Barrett was on-hand to capture the beautiful moments and perspectives (all while bracing nearly unbearable humidity!). It’s a double-whammy for Miami this month, with the realization of the annual Miami Beach Polo World Cup from World Polo League and Tito Guadenzi. Their largest crowd ever – upwards of 45,000 over three days – packed their stands to watch the action on the sand. Eric Carre, our Miami-based photographer, brings the action to the pages of Polo Lifestyles this month. With all that’s going on in the world – good and bad – we hope this issue of Polo Lifestyles brings you joy and inspiration. Best, Josh Jakobitz josh@pololifestyles.com
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VOLUME VI / ISSUE VI / JUNE 2022
allisonspeerpr Anna Wintour was regal in @ chanelofficial at the annual Met Gala in New York City
globalpolo Outfit your phone so that everyone knows what your polo passion looks like
lenouvelliste
Gary Durdan joined Jimmy JeanLouis at a fundraiser in Cannes for Les Centres GHESKIO in Haiti page 24
condenastetraveler The Moulin Rouge is now officially listed on AirBnB... book your stay (or not) at the iconic location
santabarbarapoloclub It's been rumored for weeks that HRH Prince Harry would play the Santa Barbara season - and now confirmed
guardspoloclub The Queen's Cartier Cup is underway at Guards Polo Club and streaming on @globalpolo TV
dukeanduchessofcambridge Tom Cruise was joined by HRH Prince William for a screening of Top Gun: Maverick
luxury_listings Russell Wilson lists his home for a cool $28,000,000
airfrance With non-stop service around the world, kick back and relax in Air France's updated first class cabins
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Click and comment on our choices... Tag @pololifestyles. We will share noteworthy comments with you next month.
alvaronunez Cannes-chic to beat the heat in the Cotes d'Azur for the annual film festival
prabalgurung A close-up from designer Prabal Gurung of the gown designed for Camila Cabello's Met Gala debut
chevalblancparis A cocktail and a view at the seasonal rooftop Cheval Blanc Paris - get there before it's too late
eqluxe Ralph Lauren Corporation announced another $25 million gift to fund curing cancer
shotbyud Laser-sharp focus, drive, meditation... what's your secret to staying sharp around the clock?
lewishamilton F1's most interesting personality is getting ready for his appearance in Monaco
francis.york Luxury properties are a hot commodity as the world enters a period of inflation and global shortages
townandcountry
Downton Abbey: A New Era is now playing only in theatres - we love seeing the actors in real life
mjsgroupe Spending a weekend at Villa d'Este to cover the Concorso d'Eleganza does have it's benefits page 25
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P H OTO G RA P H Y BY E RI C CA RRE / P O LO LI FE ST Y LE S
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MIAMI BEACH POLO WORLD CUP
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MIAMI BEACH POLO P H OTO G RA P H S BY E RI C CARRE / P O LO LI FE ST Y LE S
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T
HE WORLD POLO LEAGUE (WPL) BEACH POLO WORLD CUP TOOK OVER THE SANDS OF SOUTH BEACH FROM APRIL 29 TO MAY 1, WITH OVER 12,000 ATTENDEES IN MIAMI FOR THE THREE-DAY POLO EXTRAVAGANZA. Team Casablanca, consisting of Grant Ganzi, Nic Roldan, and Juancito Bollini, took home the first-place trophy, defeating Team Richard Mille, consisting of Santos Bollini, Agustin Arellano, and Pablo Mac Donough, by a score of 11-7. Kicking off the last day of the tournament was the Celebrity Charity Polo Match to benefit Give Back for Special Equestrians, a Florida non-profit 501C3 that provides therapeutic horseback riding scholarships for disabled children and veterans, Museum of Polo
& Hall Fame, and The Polo Training Foundation. The teams included Give Back for Special Equestrians (CEO & owner of Bodvár Rosé Ann Hafstrom, Miami news anchor Luis Aguirre, and WPL Beach Polo World Cup founder and organizer Tito Gaudenzi), The Museum of Polo & Hall of Fame (Meredith Lovegrove, Ryan Shank, and Sugar Erskine), and The Polo Training Foundation (actor Sterling Jones, Mitch Ward, and Juan Bollini). Team Polo Training Foundation (PTF) then took on The Museum of Polo & Hall of Fame, winning 2-0 and clinching the Celebrity Cup win. Ahead of the championship match was the Casablanca Cup, where Team Setai (Melissa Ganzi, Alejandro Novilla Astrada, and Torito Ruiz) took on Team Land Rover (Juan Bollini, Sugar Erskin, and Tito Gaudenzi), winning the Casablanca Trophy with a final
score of 9–7.5. In the Bodvár Cup, Team Abra (Bash Kazi, Agustin Kronhaus, and Adrian Laplacette) came in seventh place, and the World Polo League (Haley Schaufeld, Tomacho Pieres, and Gonzalito Pieres) came in eighth. Team Ketel One (Vinny Sangaline, Pable Spinacci, and Jason Crowder) ended the consolidation matches with a 4.5-4 victory over Bodvár (Chetan Krishna, Brandon Phillips, and Tommy Biddle). The tournament ended with a special award ceremony on the sand, during which Nic Roldan, Alejandro Novilla Astrada, and Vinny Sangaline were named Most Valuable Players, as well as the WPL’s Best Playing Ponies, Cubano (played by Roldan) and Picara (owned and played by Melissa Ganzi). Pablo Mac Donough’s horses won two Best Playing Pony awards: Irenita Creyente was named Argentine Association’s Best Playing Pony, and Nestle was named American Polo Horse Association’s Best Playing Pony. page 31
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MIAMI BEACH POLO
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MIAMI BEACH POLO
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POLO CLUB DU DOMAINE DE CHANTILLY
SAISON D'ÉTÉ TROPHÉE BOURBON
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUSTINE JACQUES
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POLO CLUB DU DOMAINE DE CHANTILLY
TROPHÉE BOURBON
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TEAM ARGENTINA WON THE GOLD PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUSTINE JACQUES
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POLO CLUB DU DOMAINE DE CHANTILLY
TROPHÉE BOURBON
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUSTINE JACQUES
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POLO CLUB DU DOMAINE DE CHANTILLY
TROPHÉE BOURBON
T E A M U S A B AT T L E D T E A M A R G E N T I N A I N T H E F I N A L page 46
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUSTINE JACQUES
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SA ARGENTINE POLO
INANDA CLUB, SOUTH AFRICA
SA ARGENTINE POLO
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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY INANDA POLO CLUB
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" C O D A" T O O K H O M E " B E S T P I C T U R E " page 54
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SA ARGENTINE POLO INANDA CLUB, SOUTH AFRICA
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY INANDA POLO CLUB
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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY THE ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURES
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FESTIVAL DE CANNES 2022 P H OTO G R A P H S C O U R T E S Y F E S T I VA L D E C A N N E S 2 0 2 2
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FESTIVAL DE CANNES 2022
T
HE OUTBREAK OF WORLD WAR II FORCED THE CANCELLATION OF THE INAUGURAL CANNES FILM FESTIVAL, MEANT TO TAKE PLACE IN 1939 ON THE FRENCH RIVIERA AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE VENICE FILM FESTIVAL.
In September of 1946, seven years after ideation, the Cannes Film Festival finally rolled out its red carpet with 18 countries attending, including the United States and their premiere Cannes Film Festival candidate, The Wizard of Oz. Today, 89 countries attend the annual May festival, and while the films are a main attraction of the event, so are the fashions. This year’s event— taking place through May 28—will include not just movies but dinners and parties with A-list attendees like Anne Hathaway and Julianne Moore. Like the Oscars and the Met Gala, those in attendance put their best fashion foot forward, donning custom designs and haute couture. Stylist Alexandra Imgruth, dressing French actress Léa Seydoux for this year’s film festival (you might recognize her from the 2011 movie Midnight in Paris), weighs in on what it takes to get red carpet ready. “Léa and I began discussing ideas for Cannes during the BAFTA’s back in March—even though film nominations don’t get announced until April. It’s good to have ample time,” she explains. “We knew we wanted to do something different from our most recent looks—a bit more European,” she says. The event’s dress code is strictly black tie, even for paparazzi in attendance. Still, Imgruth feels, given the International attendance of the festival, that people take more creative liberties with their looks.
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Imgruth’s favorite past Cannes Film Festival ensembles include Sophia Loren’s old Hollywood glamour looks from the 1950s. Her recent best-dressed nominees include Julianne Moore in Chanel and Diane Kruger in Vivianne Westward. Ahead we’ve included some of the best Cannes Film Festival looks from 2022, with plenty more glamorous moments on the way. page 62
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B Y I N V I T A T I O N O N LY
CONCORSO D'ELEGANZA VILLA D'ESTE COMO DI LAGO
REPORTING BY MICHAEL SNELL
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HIGH SOCIETY
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRISTIAN GONZALEZ & BMW GROUPE
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COMO DI LAGO
CONCORSO D'ELEGANZA VILLA D'ESTE
MICHAEL SNELL
@agnello_1 LUXURY & AUTOMOBILE CONTRIBUTOR
C
ERNOBBIO, ITALY, WHERE TIME HAS STOOD STILL ON THE MAGNIFICENT SHORELINE OF LAGO DI COMO FOR CENTURIES, IT IS HERE THE WORD ‘ELITE’ MAY AS WELL HAVE NO VALUE. A FASCINATING CURATION OF THE WORLD’S MOST RARE AND
PRISTINE AUTOS GATHER AT VILLA D’ESTE, ARGUABLY THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS HOTEL PROPERTY - WHERE STYLE, ELEGANCE AND TRADITION ALL MEET IN PERFECT SYNCHRONY. This event quickly becomes the seasonal envy for most enthusiasts, beginning from the first yearly announcements as both the participants and attendees are carefully hand-selected for each of the invite-only highlights of the weekend program. While the last weekend of May continued to be the traditional selection for the festivities, the organization returned to the normal schedule after last year’s pause due to continued pandemic precautions.
Sprawled across Villa d’Este’s enchanting estate, is a selection of the most luxurious automobile finds. While most assume the vehicle selections to be comprised of vintage displays, the show itself is dedicated to highlight autos that are world-elite in their categories; from concept, bespoke to new-line production onward. While the show is organized by the BMW Group, many of their first-time viewings on new models from the BMW and Rolls-Royce marquees also take place during the auto-focused weekend. With a kickoff that begins with a Concorso Prelude Tour Drive from the heart of Milano Central all the way to Como, the cars and their owners arrive in Cernobbio for the inaugural dinner. With over 100 entrants, technical and mechanical inspections are done at the page 73
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time of check-in and then during judging, so the process can be quite tedious. The judging panel divided the parameters into 7 + 1 distinct classes: The Golden Age of Elegance - Art Deco Era of Motor Car Design - luxury cars that were produced in the period between the end of the 1920s and the end of the 1930s; Kompressor! The Supercharged Mercedes-Benz - supercharged Mercedes produced between the end of the 1920s and the end of the 1930s; Celebrating 150 Seasons at Villa d’Este – in celebration of the Anniversary of 150 Seasons of the Villa, the Concorso highlighted automotive masterpieces from the 1950s and 1960s. The Cavallino at 75 – with a special look at the Ferrari brand, the extraordinary history of this brand came to life with its own competition category with each vehicle representing the vision of its decade and page 74
the technological excellence behind its creation. In addition, special models from the recent past, each bearing the legendary “Cavallino Rampante” (prancing horse) symbol, will be exhibited for the first time. Born for the Racetrack – win on Sunday and sell on Monday mentality. 50 Years of Mean Machinery – dedicated to the BMW Motorsport GmbH anniversary being celebrated at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. Founded 50 years ago, today the BMW Group subsidiary is known as BMW M GmbH. Its first independently developed vehicle, named the BMW M1 and introduced in 1978, was a milestone in its history. BMW M GmbH continued its impressive history by then designing engines for Formula 1 and developing the most successful touring car in the history of motorsport, the BMW M3.
Breaking the Speed Barrier- Speed has always had a magical effect on automotive aficionados. Since the invention of the motorcar, higher top speeds have always been regarded as a sign of technological progress and a key to success. After having exceeded top speeds of 150 km/h relatively early, it took considerable engineering skill to reach and exceed 300 km/h. Last but not least, a Special Mention class reserved for contemporary concept cars and prototypes. The high-caliper group of collectors, four-wheel restorers and prominent personalities from within automotive high society gathered in the gardens and former Renaissance residence of Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio to analyze and elect the most beautiful car. This year, the Concorso organization included three important anniversaries within the program: the 50th anniversary of BMW
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COMO DI LAGO
CONCORSO D'ELEGANZA VILLA D'ESTE
M GmbH, the 75th anniversary of Ferrari and 150 Seasons Celebrated for Villa d’Este. Additionally, some of the notable vehicles revealed and placed on display to the public during the course of the show included the all-new BMW M4 CSL, BMW i7, BMW IX FLOW, Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, DeTomaso P72, Gemballa Marsien and the Vayanne. On Saturday, perhaps being one of the most-coveted days to attend, guests were invited to rest and retreat at beautiful tables flanking the presentation driveway lining the bank of Lago di Como. Between bites of their famed Villa d’Este Club Sandwich and sips from their chilled Vranken Pommery Champagne, we watched as the dance of the cars began, ending with the prestigious Gold Cup Award. Reserved for the most beautiful car chosen by the public in referendum, winning this
honor denotes a pure enjoyment and acceptance for years of restoration, patience and finances spent resulting in a trophy of respect by your peers. This year, it was no surprise that the prize of the show went to the wedge-shaped and beautifully maintained stunning Aston Martin Bulldog owned by Philipp Sarofim entered in the Breaking the Speed Barrier class. The Bulldog, being a true one-of-one, also comes with an interesting history to match its exterior coachwork design and a history that Sarofim noted he wished to maintain in his acceptance speech. On Sunday, however, the most important of trophies and the grand conclusion to the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este takes place. This year, the two notable trophies: The Concorso d’Eleganza Design Award - for concept cars and prototypes (which also came in via
public referendum) and the coveted BMW Group Trophy - Best of Show. This year The Concorso d’Eleganza Design Award was awarded to the incredible Bugatti Bolide presented by Achim Anscheidt. The Bugatti Bolide is a track-only, hyper-sports car featuring a W16 engine derived from series production combined with a minimal body for maximum downforce. It consumes 110-octane racing fuel that propels new aerodynamics and a lightweight construction into an aesthetic that reflects the unique Bugatti DNA at a price point of $5 million USD. In great anticipation however, The BMW Group Trophy - Best of Show trophy was awarded to The Bugatti 57 S, a 1937 convertible owned by Andrew Pisker of Monaco that included a beautiful A. Lange & Söehne timepiece, as an official partner of The Concorso d’Eleganza page 75
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CONCORSO D'ELEGANZA VILLA D'ESTE
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Villa d’Este. The Bugatti 57 S is noted as a triumph in a carefully curated field of participating rare jewels from eight decades of automobile history. The elegant convertible body and perfectly balanced proportions accentuate calm, knife-edge lines that reject any form of opulence or flamboyant ornamentation. The additional award winners include: The Golden Age of Elegance - 1937 Bugatti 57 S owned by Andrew Pisker, KOMPRESSOR! The Supercharged Mercedes-Benz – 1936 Mercedes-Benz
540 K Cabriolet owned by A Hans Hulsbergen, Celebrating 150 Seasons at Villa d’Este - 1956 Chrysler Boano Coupé Speciale owned by Stephen Bruno, The Cavallino at 75 – 1966 Ferrari 365 P Berlinetta Speciale Tre Posti owned by RQ Collections, Born for the Race Track – 1961 Porsche 356 B Carrera Abarth GTL owned by Robert A. Ingram, 50 Years of Mean Machinery – 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL owned by Michael Ulbig, Breaking the Speed Barrier - 1989 Porsche 959 Sport owned by Andreas
Gundermann, and Concorso d’Eleganza Design Award for Concept Cars – 2020 Bugatti Bolide accepted by Achim Anscheidt. Continued prestige and an elevated refinement marked the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este a destination for the appreciation of vintage motoring. Once again, the festival was a true celebration of elegance and timeless beauty, on four wheels. MICHAEL SNELL LUXURY & AUTOMOBILE CONTRIBUTOR POLO LIFESTYLES 2022
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THE CONFESSIONS
OF A CLEAN
FREAK
O
(ALMOST) EVERYTHING WE THOUGHT WE "KNEW" ABOUT DISINFECTING IS WRONG
NE OF MY FIRST MEMORIES IS THE PUNGENT SMELL OF RUBBING ALCOHOL. EVERY EVENING, MY MOTHER SPRAYED THE KITCHEN SINK AND COUNTERS WITH ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL TO DISINFECT THEM.
hand sanitizer stashed around my house and car, and keep an emergency bag tucked away in my closet stuffed with bleach wipes and other strong disinfecting paraphernalia should the dreaded stomach bug strike our household. (I should add: There’s a difference between cleaning and tidying. I’m a zealot with the former, but lazy with the latter.)
And no wonder: She’d cared for me for months when I caught a nasty salmonella infection as a toddler. Bacteria were her nemesis. “I became a real nut about it,” she admitted recently. “I really became a germaphobe.”
Today, because of the pandemic, I’m not alone in my germ paranoia. In a 2021 survey of 2,000 U.S. adults, 42 percent of respondents said they now identified as germaphobes. But our fears aren’t always well-founded, I learned this week when I interviewed chemists and cleaning experts. It turns out, many popular cleaning practices aren’t effective, and some are just unnecessary.
It’s no surprise, then, that I grew up to be a germaphobe too. I keep a dizzying array of antimicrobial wipes in the basement, have at least seven bottles of page 82
FOCUS ON THE BAD BUGS I’m often guilty of thinking that viruses and bacteria are unequivocally “bad,” but many bacteria do good things — like those in our gut that help us digest food and build our immunity. “Microbes are absolutely everywhere,” said Erica Hartmann, an environmental engineer at Northwestern University. “And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.” Research suggests that children who grow up on farms, surrounded by microbes, have a lower risk of developing asthma and allergies than other kids. Before getting into the nitty-gritty, let me explain the scientific difference between cleaning and disinfecting. Cleaning removes things — dirt,
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crumbs, germs, dog hair — from surfaces. Disinfecting, on the other hand, kills things — typically viruses and bacteria. Cleaning is something we may want to do regularly, Dr. Hartmann said, but we need to worry about killing (disinfecting) only dangerous, disease-causing germs. And we can often predict where they’ll be. For instance, you probably don’t need to disinfect your kitchen counters every day, unless you’ve handled raw meat. You also don’t need to obsessively disinfect your bathroom unless someone in your home has an infection that spreads through stools, like salmonella or norovirus. For standard messes — like when my 11-year-old drips maple syrup all over the kitchen table at breakfast — you don’t need to reach for a disinfectant wipe when soap and water will remove the sticky residue just fine. (Soap is also great for removing germs from your hands, but you need to build a good lather and wash for 20 seconds.) Why not disinfect everything anyway, you ask? There are long-term risks associated with the overuse of certain disinfectants, such as quaternary ammonium compounds. These “quats,” as they’re called, are found in many popular household cleaning products, including sprays and wipes made by
Lysol and Clorox. These cleaners may increase the risk of antibiotic resistance, Dr. Hartmann said. Plus — although experts I spoke to disagreed on just how much to worry about this — disinfectants like bleach, ammonia and quats release fumes that can be harmful, said Pawel Misztal, a chemist who studies disinfectants at the University of Texas at Austin. So use disinfectants when you need to disinfect, but not when you want to just clean.
And I hate to tell you, but you’re probably disinfecting all wrong. Many people spray or spread disinfectants on a surface and then immediately wipe the cleaner off with a paper towel or sponge, Wuest said. However, this only serves to remove the disinfecting chemical before it has had a chance to actually disinfect.
CHOOSE AND USE DISINFECTANTS WISELY
If you’re using a store-bought product, the disinfection time should be on the label. Lysol disinfectant spray, for instance, needs to sit on a surface for three minutes. Recommendations for bleach solutions vary between letting it sit for one to 10 minutes. Alcohol-based solutions don’t need to be wiped at all, since they eventually evaporate, said Cassandra Quave, an ethnobotanist at Emory University. And some botanical disinfectants may need to be left on for a long time, even 15 or 30 minutes, Hartmann said.
When you do have reason to worry about bad germs, heck yes, kill them all with a disinfectant, but keep in mind that some chemicals will work better than others. Plain soap and water can kill germs when lathered, but it’s not going to be as foolproof as other, stronger options if you’re trying to eliminate microbes on surfaces, said Bill Wuest, a chemist at Emory University. Far more effective are disinfectants like bleach, isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol, ethanol, hydrogen peroxide and quat-based cleaners. If you’re using a disinfectant that releases fumes, such as bleach or ammonia, ventilate the area first by opening doors or windows, or wear a disposable face mask and throw it away afterward, Dr. Misztal suggested.
Wondering about other disinfectant options? Here’s some more information: You can make disinfectants at home to save money. For a disinfecting bleach solution, mix one-third cup of household bleach with one gallon of water. (Note that bleach breaks down rapidly in water, so you’ll need to make a new
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CONFESSIONS OF A CLEAN FREAK solution each day. And never mix bleach with chemicals other than water.) Sprays containing 70 percent ethanol or isopropyl alcohol and 30 percent water are also effective, Quave said. She emphasized that you should mix alcohol with water because otherwise it will evaporate before it has a chance to disinfect. You can also make or buy plant-based disinfectants, some of which are less toxic and more environmentally friendly than conventional options. But note that botanical disinfectants may not work as quickly or thoroughly as bleach, quats or alcohol. Household vinegar, for instance,
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is a popular botanical disinfectant, but it’s not nearly as effective at killing germs as bleach or alcohol. One study found, for instance, that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, was not inactivated even after soaking in a potent vinegar solution for five minutes. The Environmental Protection Agency maintains a list of disinfectants that meet certain environmental and health safety standards. If you want to know which disinfectants are effective against which pathogens, check out this E.P.A. Web page. Note, for instance, that norovirus, which causes stomach bugs, is an especially hardy
virus, and that bleach solutions are most effective against them, Hartmann said. The bottom line: We germaphobes can still delight in killing germs, but perhaps not all of them. When I need to clean a spill, I’ll use soap and water or a gentle cleaning spray, not a disinfectant. But after handling raw meat, or when a family member is ill, I’ll reach for the stronger stuff to clean contaminated surfaces, and I’ll make sure to let it sit long enough to work, with the windows open. And while I wait, maybe I’ll have the chance to tidy my house, too. By Melinda Wenner Moyer / Special to Polo LIfestyles
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THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER
SMART CONTACTS
I
MAGINE YOU HAVE TO MAKE A SPEECH, BUT INSTEAD OF LOOKING DOWN AT YOUR NOTES, THE WORDS SCROLL IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES, WHICHEVER DIRECTION YOU LOOK IN.
That’s just one of many features the makers of smart contact lenses promise will be available in the future. “Imagine... you’re a musician with your lyrics, or your chords, in front of your eyes. Or you’re an athlete and you have your biometrics and your distance and other information that you need,” says Steve Sinclair, from Mojo, which is developing smart contact lenses. His company is about to embark on
comprehensive testing of smart contact lens on humans, that will give the wearer a heads-up display that appears to float in front of their eyes. The product’s scleral lens (a larger lens that extends to the whites of the eye) corrects the user’s vision, but also incorporates a tiny microLED display, smart sensors and solid-state batteries. “We’ve built what we call a feature-complete prototype that actually works and can be worn - we’re soon going to be testing that [out] internally,” says Mr Sinclair. “Now comes the interesting part, where we start to make optimizations for performance and power, and wear it for longer periods of time to prove that we can wear it all day.”
Other smart lenses are being developed to collect health data. Lenses could “include the ability to self-monitor and track intra-ocular pressure, or glucose,” says Rebecca Rojas, instructor of optometric science at Columbia University. Glucose levels for example, need to be closely monitored by people with diabetes. “They can also provide extended-release drug-delivery options, which is beneficial in diagnosis and treatment plans. It’s exciting to see how far technology has come, and the potential it offers to improve patients’ lives.” Research is underway to build lenses that can diagnose and treat medical conditions from eye conditions, to diabetes, or even cancer by tracking
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certain bio-markers such as light levels, cancer-related molecules or the amount of glucose in tears. A team at the University of Surrey, for example, has created a smart contact lens that contains a photo-detector for receiving optical information, a temperature sensor for diagnosing potential corneal disease and a glucose sensor monitoring the glucose levels in tear fluid. “We make it ultra-flat, with a very thin mesh layer, and we can put the sensor layer directly onto a contact lens so it’s directly touching the eye and has contact with the tear solution,” says Yunlong Zhao, lecturer in energy storage and bio-electronics at the University of Surrey. “You will feel like it’s more comfortable page 90
to wear because it’s more flexible, and because there’s direct contact with the tear solution it can provide more accurate sensing results,” says Dr Zhao.
“Actual battery life will depend on how and how often it is used, just like your smartphone or smartwatch today,” a company spokesperson explains.
Despite the excitement, smart lens technology still has to overcome a number of hurdles.
Other concerns over privacy have been rehearsed since Google’s launch of smart glasses in 2014, which was widely seen as a failure.
One challenge will be powering them with batteries these will obviously have to be incredibly tiny, so will they deliver enough power to do anything useful? Mojo is still testing its product, but wants customers to be able to wear its lenses all day, without having to recharge them. “The expectation [is] that you are not consuming information from the lens constantly but in short moments throughout the day.
“Any discreet device with a forward-facing camera that allows a user to take pictures, or record video, poses risks to bystanders’ privacy,” says Daniel Leufer, senior policy Analyst at digital rights campaign group, Access Now. “With smart glasses, there’s at least some scope to signal to bystanders when they are recording - for example, red warning lights - but with contact lenses it’s more difficult to see how to integrate such a feature.”
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Aside from privacy worries, makers will also have satisfy worries over data-security for the people wearing the lenses. Smart lenses can only fulfill their function if they track the user’s eye movements, and this plus other data could reveal a great deal. “What if these devices collect and share data about what things I look at, how long I look at them, whether my heart rate increases when I look at a certain person, or how much I perspire when asked a certain question?” says Mr Leufer. “This type of intimate data could be used to make problematic inferences about everything from our sexual orientation to whether we’re telling the truth under interrogation,” he adds. “My worry is that devices like AR (augmented reality) glasses, or smart contact
lenses, will be seen as a potential trove of intimate data.” For its part, Mojo says all data is security-protected and kept private. Additionally there are concerns about the product that will be familiar to anyone who wears regular contacts. “Any type of contact lens can pose a risk to eye health, if not properly cared for or not fitted properly. “Just like any other medical device, we need to make sure the patients’ health is the priority, and whatever device used has benefits that outweigh the risk,” says Ms Rojas, from Columbia University. “I’m concerned about non-compliance, or poor lens hygiene and over-wear. These can lead to further complications like irritation, inflammation, infections or risks to eye health.”
With Mojo’s lenses expected to be used for up to a year at a time, Mr Sinclair admits this is a concern. But he points out that a smart lens means it can be programmed to detect whether it’s being cleaned enough and even to alert users when it needs replacing. The firm also plans to work with optometrists for prescription and monitoring. “You don’t just launch something like a smart contact lens and expect everyone’s going to adopt it on day one,” says Mr Sinclair. “It’s going to take some time, just like all new consumer products, but we think it’s inevitable that all of our eye wear is eventually going to become smart.” By Emma Woollacott
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ENJOY THE SUMMER AT
CHEVAL BLANC PARIS S TR AWBER RY- A N D TO M ATO - IN SP IRE D DI S H ES ST E A L T H E SH OW
P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y C H E VA L B L A N C PA R I S
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C
HEVAL BLANC PARIS IS CELEBRATING THE OPENING OF ITS SEVENTH-FLOOR SUMMER GARDEN ON MAY 25. FAR ABOVE THE BUSTLING STREETS OF THE CITY OF LIGHT, THE 650 M2 PANORAMIC TERRACE IS A GARDEN, VERDANT WITH TREES AND FLOWERS.
The most beautiful landmarks of the capital are in plain sight, on one side stretching from Notre-Dame to the colonnade of the Louvre, and on the other from the Eiffel Tower to the top of Montmartre. From this vantage, time stands still. Aglow with the rays of the sun, this floating garden is a destination in its own right on a floor dedicated to the French art de vivre at its most relaxed. page 98
Everything here exudes joie de vivre and conviviality. For this new creation of Cheval Blanc Paris, Arnaud Donckele has worked with Chef William Béquin to compose a concise and colorful menu of unparalleled freshness, where lunches and dinners center on strawberries and tomatoes. Pineapple, Crimean Black, Beef or Pigeon Heart, Cranberry, Cherry... the many variations of the tomato offer the Chef an experimental playground that reveals every facet of this sun-saturated fruit. The alchemy of these recipes unlocks the sweet perfume of Mediterranean summer, tantalizing the senses. The holidaymaker is astonished by a tomato French toast with a Green Zebra tomato sorbet. Meanwhile, other surprises await: Cornue tomato stuffed with bulgur “Return from the Islands”style prepared in the bread oven shares pride of place with its brother on the
menu, another tomato with a juicy stuffing of beef, pequillos and sage. It must be noted that fish and meat play secondary roles in this playful and resolutely summery cuisine. For dessert, Pastry Chef Maxime Frédéric has created a menu where the strawberry is the delicious medium for the many expressions of the sweet joys of this place: try the île flottante with wild strawberries and orange blossom, for example, or the shortcake with Ciflorette strawberries and rhubarb jam. The Chefs are the privileged partners of Plantation Paris, the brand-new urban garden whose rooftop greenhouse and permaculture vegetable plots are just a stone’s throw from Montmartre. The team there is as concerned about the environment as the quality of the fruit and vegetables they grow with such care.
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P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y C H E VA L B L A N C PA R I S
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F1
TAKES OVER
MIAMI
BRINGING OPULENCE, WEALTH & HORSEPOWER TO THE SELECT FEW
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F1 MIAMI
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300,000 FANS REVEL IN HIGH-SPEED EXCESS
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ICKETS TO THE RECENT FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX IN MIAMI SOLD FOR THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A PIECE, AS SURGING U.S. INTEREST AND THE GLOBAL WEALTHY DROVE UP PRICES FOR A WEEKEND OF HIGH-SPEED EXCESS. More than 300,000 race fans, tourists, executives and party-goers descended upon Miami for the event, sponsored by Crypto.com. It’s the racing league’s inaugural Miami event and took place across three days. The crowds and spending are expected to have surpassed Miami’s 2020 Super Bowl and its annual Art Basel festival, according to local
officials. Miami’s top hotels were charging more than $100,0000 a night for their top suites. Notable chefs offered up special dinners for $3,000 a plate, and night clubs brought in top DJs with tables at the venues going for up to $100,000 a night. “This is going to be the biggest week in Miami history,” said Jeff Zalaznick, managing partner of Major Food Group, which sold out its dinner on Miami Beach at $3,000 per person. “We’ve never seen demand like this. It’s going to be a very hedonistic experience.” Formula 1 has always been a sport for the rich, whether watching from their mega-yachts in Monaco or the SkyPark at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. Miami’s Grand Prix will mark a whole new level of spending for a U.S. sporting event — fueled by the surging popularity of
Formula 1, and the post-pandemic wealth boom in south Florida. Netflix’s hit series “Drive to Survive” has created a new generation of F1 fans in the U.S. TV ratings for the races were up 54% in 2021 over 2020, and the first two races of the 2022 season were up 47% over 2021, according to ESPN, which broadcasts the races in the U.S. Miami organizers say many of the ticket buyers and attendees to the Grand Prix are first-time race-goers with money to burn. The average ticket price for Sunday’s race was $2,179 — three times the average price for the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin last year, according to online ticket seller SeatGeek. Some tickets sold for north of
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$7,200 each. Organizers say the prices soared even higher into the weekend, with hospitality packages listed on resale site StubHub for more than $25,000. The massive race campus built around Hard Rock Stadium for the event included a beach, dry-dock yacht marina and several VIP viewing areas. “Sand Tickets” at the Hard Rock Beach Club promised a resort-style seat for the racing action and were offered for $1,000 a piece — “beach attire encouraged.” “Deck tickets” at the Beach Club went for $2,000. With hundreds of thousands of fans, but capacity limited to about 80,000 at the race venue itself, local hotels, restaurants and bars are said to have been overrun — and they charged accordingly. Event organizers project an economic impact of $400 million to the city of Miami Gardens, where the Hard Rock Stadium and track are located.
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Local hotels also leaned heavily into the luxury. The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort offered a $110,000 “Diamond Package” that included an oceanfront villa, round-trip private jets, dinner and a bespoke piece of diamond jewelry from De Beers. The five-star Faena Hotel Miami Beach offered its 4,500 square-foot Faena Suite for $120,000 a night during race weekend. The package included access to the Red Bull team’s hospitality suite, which offered one of the best viewing areas of the race. Red Bull is currently second in the F1 team standings, behind Ferrari, and boasts current World Champion Max Verstappen as one of its drivers. The restaurant Carbone, whose parent company Major Food Group is building an empire of glitzy restaurants stretching from Las Vegas to Miami to Hong
Kong, created a special pop-up restaurant on South Beach for the Formula 1 crowds. This event was set to play host to 200 guests a night at Carbone Beach, offering cocktails, wine, champagne, caviar, and dinner prepared by Chef Mario Carbone, as well as nightly performances by surprise guests. With a price tag of $3,000 per person per night — not including tip — Zalaznick said the dinners basically sold out. “Honestly, I think it’s worth $6,000 per person,” Zalaznick said. “We’re way ahead of where we projected we would be.” And the spending doesn’t stop at sundown. The nightclub E11even Miami brought in celebrity DJs such as Tiesto and Diplo for the week and offered tables for between $5,000 and $100,000 per night.
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F1 MIAMI
A B OA R D T H E YAC H T S L I N E D U P TO V I E W T H E R AC E PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLAIRE BARRETT / POLO LIFESTYLES
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F1 MIAMI
T R AC K- S I D E V I P B A R S E R V I C E AT T H E G L E N F I D D I C H LO U N G E PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLAIRE BARRETT / POLO LIFESTYLES
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THE WILLIAMS SISTERS
F1 MIAMI
THE REAL STARS OF THE SHOW
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HE 2022 FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX IS DONE AND DUSTED. THE MOSTHYPED AND ANTICIPATED EVENT ON THE F1 CALENDAR DELIVERED PRETTY MUCH AS EXPECTED IN TERMS OF THE OUTCOME: MAX VERSTAPPEN CLAIMED ANOTHER WIN FOR RED BULL RACING, FERRARI FILLED OUT THE PODIUM, AND MERCEDES STILL HAS WORK TO DO. That is what die-hard racing fans will most likely remember. The others, many page 110
of whom don’t know the difference between a slick and a wet tire, will remember the Miami experience for different reasons. Athletes from other sports who have an appreciation for the hard work and dedication it takes for an F1 driver to rise to the top of their world came to see it up close. Party people came to dance, drink, vape, and smoke at “The Beach” 20 miles west of the ocean. Celebrities—the ones who passionately follow and love F1 and attend as many races as possible—turned up once again. And there were others whose agents probably insisted they attend “the event” in Miami just to be seen in the spotlight that now shines brighter than ever upon the F1 circus.
Then there were the real stars of the show: the CEOs and money men at every level of F1 who use the platform to entertain clients, close business deals, and create and invent products to generate revenue streams at every price point imaginable. Yes, welcome to Grand Prix Racing, where 20 drivers race the fastest Brinks trucks in the world and everyone in the paddock sniffs out money like a truffle hog. Just look at the sponsor boards outside of every garage. Each team has an international corporate Fortune 500 listing of sponsors and partners. Some of these companies are technical partners, working with the teams to develop products. Some are there simply for marketing
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DAV I D B E C K H A M A N D TO M B R A DY
and brand exposure. All are there to make money. Pretty much all this drives some of the die-hard fans crazy. They complain in website comment sections and whine on social media about how money has stolen the purity from sports. And they’re not wrong; sport is a $600 billion global industry. And growing. Wait till the NIL (name, imaging, licensing) craze reaches full speed at your alma mater this coming college football season. Soon, very soon, an incoming, unproven freshman quarterback will make more NIL money for playing 12 football games than the university’s provost or Nobel Prizewinning professor. Sport has always mirrored society. Today’s reflection shows the growing divide between the haves and have nots—and this doesn’t necessarily mean the rich and the poor. A middle-class family of four would have spent nearly $5,000 just to attend the three-day
F1 event in Miami Gardens, and that doesn’t include paying for parking, food, water, and souvenirs.
it aired on its ESPN cable channel. It’s the reason for the 90-minute pre-race show.
That’s a steep entry point for any sporting event, and it just goes up from there in F1. The prices for an “F1 Experience” are not even shown online. You can apply for a package on the F1 web site, and more info will be sent your way. Seems like a nice way to collect your data and eventually, it seems, sell you an $8,500 (per person) ticket. Perhaps you want to be part of the Romain Grosjean guided tour? That was an option in Miami, and we’ll go out on a limb and guess it probably cost a bit more. The F1 website promises you “Relationship Building Opportunities,” “Social & Networking Environments,” “Unrivaled Access to Venues & Assets,” and on and on it goes. This is the F1 business and the business of all major sports from the Olympics to World Cup Soccer to the NFL etc. It’s the reason ABC broadcasted the Miami F1 race instead of the NBA playoff game
F1 is riding a massive wave right now. The sport, thanks in large part to Drive To Survive, has never been more popular. But it needs to be careful. A 23-race schedule is right at the point of too much of a good thing. More races risks diminishing the value of each F1 Grand Prix, exhausting team personnel and crews, and racing just for collecting another huge promoter’s fee. The “NASCARing” of F1 would be its downfall. Over-saturation, a Howdy Doody pre-race show and Buffalo Bob broadcast team, and trying to control what drivers say and do won’t work anymore. True F1 fans are more sophisticated and knowledgeable than that. And the influencers and celebs will find the next shiny object to rub up against if the series loses its shine. A big part of its appeal to the core audience is
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F1 MIAMI
that it’s not an American sport, and it needs to remain this way. ESPN is in the process of renewing its U.S. broadcast rights, and the best thing it can do is continue to take the feed from England’s Sky Sports. ESPN, you cannot do it any better; please don’t try. Meanwhile, the FIA—the sport’s governing body—is trying a bit too hard to control the drivers. Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel have too much experience, too much clout, too much decency to back down. Hamilton wearing three watches at a Miami GP press conference page 112
to push back against the FIA’s jewelry rule, and Vettel wearing his underwear on the outside of his racing suit—easily the best product placement and packaging of the 2022 racing season—are minor displays of defiance compared to the far more important causes the drivers support. Those include, among other things, inclusion and diversity, women’s rights, and climate change. And those who say athletes should not be involved in politics of any sort simply don’t understand that athletes have always been involved in politics of every
sort. They direct attention to much needed issues, be it social, cultural, environmental, or political. They help facilitate change. And F1 drivers, perhaps more than any other athletes, have a global stage to work from. Indeed, these drivers help provide a balance to the crusades of causes larger than money and profit. Pro sports, including F1, market themselves as megachurches of excess. They sell the religion of abundance and consumption. They pass around the collection plate, and with a large enough
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F 1 M I A M I C H A M P I O N M A X V E R S TA P P E N
CELEBRITY INTERACTIONS
A F T E R H O U R S W I T H P A R I S H I LT O N
donation will, for example, provide the racing worshiper access and a chance to breathe the incense of success, a blessing selfie, and to post how they saw the face of God. He was wearing Nomex with our corporate logo on it.
G A B R I E L L E U N I O N A N D DWAY N E WA D E
The F1 Miami Grand Prix is a vision of the sport’s future. A mixture of entertainment and massive corporate activation, all placed upon the altar of auto racing. But if F1 cannot quickly find a way to narrow the gap between the haves and have-nots, to narrow the divide between those who attend a World Championship Grand Prix for profit and those whose only hope of seeing a race in person is a wing and a prayer, it will soon realize its business model is a blessing and a curse. And like NASCAR has discovered the hard way, the once-blind faithful will no longer believe. PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY F1 MIAMI
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F1 MIAMI
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FASHION & STYLE
THREE INCREDIBLE CRUISE COLLECTIONS FROM DIOR, GUCCI AND LOUIS VUITTON page 119
PHOTOS COURTESY THE IMPRESSION
STYLE
DIOR MEN'S
CRUISE COLLECTION 2023
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KIM JONES: A FRIEND OF COLLABORATIONS
D I O R MEN 'S 2 0 2 3 C R U ISE CO L LE CT IO N IS CA LI- CO O L
D
IOR MEN’S CREATIVE DIRECTOR KIM JONES IS A FRIEND FOR COLLABORATIONS: FAR MORE OF HIS MAJOR SEASONAL COLLECTIONS HAVE FEATURED ARTIST OR GUEST DESIGNER COLLABORATIONS THAN HAVE NOT.
Though often interesting, the rapid rhythm of another season, another page 122
collaboration has induced something like collaboration fatigue in many of us. Perhaps recognizing this, Dior and Jones have shifted their approach, with the latest Spring 2023 “capsule” collection marking a change to biannual collaborative capsules, while major seasonal collections will mark Jones-only affairs. Something like a happy medium.
based ERL label, which has quickly carved out a place for itself in contemporary California fashion. The two designers set out to create a collection that fused the gonzo style of 90’s California culture – think lots of retro skate and surf bro aesthetics – with Jones’ contemporary rewriting of Parisian elegance and Dior codes.
For the first of these co-designed collections, Jones has tapped Eli Russell Linnetz, founder of the Venice Beach-
The collection takes this assignment rather literally, mixing and matching oversized skate shoes with relaxed tai-
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STYLE
PHOTOS COURTESY THE IMPRESSION
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STYLE
loring, luxe materials with baggy grunge shapes, Dior saddle bags with gold chains and puffer fabric. Some smart graphical work was on display, leaning just a bit into logo-mania with re-imagined Dior logos though
vintage So-Cal text design. Though it might be hard to imagine someone in Los Angeles or Paris wearing one of these full looks, many of the individual pieces are sure to be strong sellers, and these pieces that proudly bear a one-off PHOTOS COURTESY THE IMPRESSION
reconfiguration of the Dior name and logo are sure to be foremost among them. The strongest aspect of the collection felt like its tailoring, which has always been a strong suit for Jones. page 125
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GUCCI CRUISE COLLECTION 23
"COSMOGONIE"
STYLE
T
AKING HIS CUE FROM THE NIGHT’S RARE LUNAR ECLIPSE, GUCCI CREATIVE DIRECTOR ALESSANDRO MICHELE WEAVED LIGHT AND SHADOW, HISTORY AND HUMOR INTO HIS BELOVED SIGNATURE DESIGN STYLE FOR COSMOGONIE, THE HOUSE’S RESORT 2023 COLLECTION. page 130
Following his star-studded Hollywood show for Spring 2022 and his subsequent return to Milan for Fall, Alessandro Michele’s latest destination synthesizes the best of both approaches, at once suggesting fantasy and cultural exploration while staying close to home: Castel del Monte, a 13th-century citadel and castle situated atop a hill in the Apulia region of southeast Italy, built during the 1240s by King Frederick II. After having been abandoned for a considerable length of time, the castle was purchased in 1876 by the Italian State,
which began the process of restoration in 1928. Today, the castle is celebrated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and appears on the Italian-issue one-euro coin. For the show, the castle is bedecked with lasers, fog machines, flashing lights, and projections of constellations thanks to the production work of Bureau Betak. These themes are further embodied in the intentional timing of the show with the lunar eclipse, a super blood flower moon, and the show invitation, which informed every guest that a star had been registered in their name.
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PHOTOS COURTESY THE IMPRESSION
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GUCCI CRUISE COLLECTION 23
"COSMOGONIE"
STYLE
But for the most part, the collection avoided the literalism, overt symbology, and trendy astrology references that this theme might have led us to expect. Instead, Alessandro Michele delivered a body of work that was much in the same vein of what we have seen from him in collections past, but subtly threaded through with a theme of the night sky, and in particular the moon.
timelines, Michele hopped with effortless grace from intricate and austere Victorian influence to 60’s mod to baroque opulence and back again.
Weaving together elegance, glamor, and dark seduction across various sartorial
Rather than obvious graphics, the reference to the eclipse was smartly conveyed
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Well-deployed details like ruffs, lace collars, and cuffs suggested Italian Renaissance aristocracy – but these royalty were never without a court jester nearby.
through simple color-blocking: for example, a half-white-half-black look that suggests a shadow creeping over the lunar surface, a motif that was carried across or reconfigured on a number of looks. Silver embellishments and bejeweled adornments ran throughout the collection, exuding opulence and winking through the darkness. A part of the history of fashion we haven’t seen Michele explore much, primitive and folk-art-
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esque geometric motifs were revisited and glammed up, perhaps pointing to the reverence of the moon as one of the oldest human traditions. This was particularly recognizable in the frequent headbands with dangly attachments. While a sense of nocturnal seduction was certainly present, the overt sexual references of previous collections were not – nobody held anal beads or a horse whip (though a few pieces didn’t leave much to the imagination). Another
sign of development from the last few collections (particularly the collaboration with Adidas), there was nothing resembling sportswear and very little that could be called “casual” to be seen: while eminently wearable, this is a collection for rare moments of revelry, for nights that are meant to be commemorated and remembered…
natural rhythm and supernatural power, Alessandro Michele further illuminates his iconic vision for Gucci with intrigue and elegance. He shoots for the moon, and lands among the stars.
And what better time to share such a collection than a rare lunar eclipse? Tapping into this event’s symbolism of page 133
"COSMOGONIE"
GUCCI CRUISE COLLECTION 23
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PHOTOS COURTESY THE IMPRESSION
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LOUIS VUITTON
CRUISE COLLECTION 23
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OASTING A DAZZLING INTERPLAY OF TEXTURE AND LIGHT AND A VISIONARY FURTHERING OF CREATIVE DIRECTOR NICOLAS GHESQUIÈRE’S MINGLING OF PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE, LOUIS VUITTON‘S CRUISE 2023 SHOW WAS A BRILLIANT DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE DESIGNER’S CRAFT AND THE LOCATION HE SELECTED TO SHOW IT.
Last year’s Cruise 2022 show was held at Paris‘ Axe Majeur, a freestanding series of sculptures that form a sort of propulsive and linear journey through geometry. A palpable and symbolic sense of the axis or the straight line is present in the location of today’s show as well: the courtyard of San Diego’s Salk Institute for Biological Studies, a visionary complex designed by architect Louis Kahn in the early 60’s and named for its founder, Jonas Salk, the developer of the polio vaccine. One of the most impressive examples of brutalism in the United States (a sadly under-appreciated style in the country’s collective consciousness), the space’s symbolic suggestion of progress and infinity elegantly expresses the endless procession towards knowledge. While Salk’s selection of Khan to design his laboratory space certainly was partially rooted in the look toward the future that characterized the careers of both men, their tie was rooted more personally in the past as well: both were born to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents. This sense of the commingling of the past and future embodied in the location is also a defining characteristic of Ghesquière’s design work for Louis Vuitton. This collection saw the designer push this sensibility more inventively than ever before, abstracting and broadening his references to the past while looking more boldly toward the future. Multi-piece wraps recalled Ancient Greek tunics or the garb of Amazon warriors, while metallic scales updated medieval armor for the modern warrior woman, who, on another day, might step out in a moto jacket (one of the few more direct reappearances from previous collections) rendered in fabrics and graphics inspired by the
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STYLE
aesthetic heritage So-Cal’s water-sports culture. The sunset-drenched location seemed to be on the forefront of Ghesquière’s mind in crafting the collection and in particular selecting its material palette, and in many ways the sun felt like the show’s protagonist, making itself known as its light reflected and shimmered in myriad ways off the lustrous fabrics. High-shine leathers and metallic denims were stitched with embroidery that oxidizes and changes color with time. Laser-cut, gladiator-like skirts danced and shimmered in the sun along with their wearers steps. page 140
Other essential standout looks included the opulent metallic suit that merged tailoring and streetwear – worn by model and activist Lauren Wasser, whose golden prosthetic legs were proudly on display and whose presence was an important step in her mission to further conversation and advocacy on toxic shock syndrome – and the final three looks, which featured tops that were all immense, ballooning shoulders from which a downpour of shimmering furlike fabric cascaded. It’s no coincidence that the show was held at a place named for the creator of one of history’s most important vac-
cines. For obvious reasons, now feels like a particularly important time to recognize the importance of innovations such as these, and to challenge the world to keep dreaming them up. Looking to the futuristic visions of the past and recognizing the obligation to the future of the present, Ghesquière and Louis Vuitton deliver a collection and presentation that inspire us to meet the future with optimism, grit, bravery, and imagination – to work for a world where we can continue to celebrate the sun, rather than fearing it.
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TRENDING: WORK EMAILS
HOW LATE IS TOO LATE?
BRETT CHODY
@brettchody TRENDS CONTRIBUTOR
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HE NEW NORMAL OF REMOTE AND HYBRID WORKING ENVIRONMENTS HAS CAUSED MANY LINES TO BE BLURRED IN THE BUSINESS WORLD– ONE BEING HOW LATE EMpage 144
PLOYEES CAN TEXT OR CALL ANOTHER ABOUT SOMETHING WORK-RELATED. Since many American workers’ days are spent in front of their computer screens sending quick questions or comments to their fellow employees, bosses and subordinates, it’s easy to forget what the proper etiquette is for reaching out after work hours conclude. How late you can text a coworker is subjective and varies based on the company you work for, the substance of
the message, and the hierarchical rank of your title. For example, an analyst at a finance firm should likely expect to be working long hours and therefore receiving work-related messages at all hours of the day. On the other hand, reaching out to a freelance designer that you hired for a job at midnight would most likely be viewed as out-of-line and inappropriate. And finally, it’s obvious that a company’s chief executive officer should not be bothered with pesky questions after they leave the office or sign off for the day,
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but they typically reserve the right to message any subordinates after hours if something urgent arises. But working after the workday shouldn’t be the norm for anyone. Work-life balance is essential to emotional well-being, and receiving messages about work when you’re supposed to be relaxing can lead to stress, anxiety and burnout. In fact, Millennials– who now make up half of America’s workforce– highly value jobs with good work-life balance,
with 80 percent saying they seriously consider it before accepting a position. And this is not just a problem in the United States. France and Italy both have Right to Disconnect laws that ban work emails after hours while Germany’s government has considered similar Anti-Stress legislation. While this isn’t currently on the table in America, and there most definitely are larger issues to tackle first, it should be on the table in the future.
As corporate America returns in life post-COVID, it’s pertinent to keep all employees’ mental health in mind. Giving your coworkers and subordinates grace and considering their personal lives before reaching out about work late at night should be at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Emergencies are unpredictable and bound to arise at some point, and in that case, feel free to reach out at all hours of the day. But try to keep it rare and only during times that truly warrant it.
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PHIL ANTHROPY IN FOCUS
GIVING IT ALL AWAY THE RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION PLEDGES $25 MILLION TOWARD CANCER ERADICATION WILLIAM SMITH
@willismith_2000 COPY EDITOR & CONTRIBUTOR
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N THE PAGES OF POLO LIFESTYLES, WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY HIGHLIGHTED THE PHILANTHROPY OF DESIGN AND FASHION ICON RALPH LAUREN. AND RIGHTLY SO. The various entities associated with Lauren have, over many years, shown that the power of philanthropy is alive and well in the family of brands. Late last month, Lauren announced yet another investment in ending cancer, an issue that has been central to his philanthropy for nearly three decades and is the sole focus of his Pink Pony Campaign. Launched over 20 years ago, the Pink Pony Campaign is the Ralph Lauren Corporation’s global initiative in the fight against cancer and it supports programs that help to ensure quality treatment and reduce the disparities in cancer care. Then in 2003, Lauren teamed up with the cutting-edge can-
cer team at Sloan Kettering in New York City, launching the Memorial Sloan Kettering Ralph Lauren Center and doubling down on the focus of access and eliminating disparities to care by providing care to the under-served residents of Harlem and beyond. Now, Lauren has announced a new $25 million USD philanthropic investment that builds upon the success of the Ralph Lauren Center at Sloan Kettering by providing grant funding that will expand or establish five Ralph Lauren Centers, again with a focus on eliminating disparities in cancer care for under-served communities. The $25 million pledge is the largest single funding commitment ever made in the 20 years of the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation’s history. This new gift will benefit health care institutions with a National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation and both the current center in New York City, as well as the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, D.C., have been announced as grant recipients. Three other centers will be announced in the future.
The announcement was applauded by the White House’s Cancer Moonshot, a clarion call to end cancer led by President Joe Biden when he served as vice president and that has since been revitalized under his current administration. The Cancer Moonshot held a Goals Forum earlier in May that called for greater unity in purpose and in providing resources to end cancer. “When someone we love has cancer, it affects all of us — our families, our friends, our communities,” said Ralph Lauren, executive chairman and chief creative officer of Ralph Lauren Corporation, and chair of
the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation. “While we have made significant progress and advancements in the fight against cancer, barriers to care and access persist, particularly in medically under-served and vulnerable communities. It is our hope that, together, we can strengthen avenues of support and generate meaningful change for families and communities who need it most. For over 30 years, this has been my personal commitment, and now, joined by so many dedicated partners, we envision a world where cancer outcomes improve for everyone and survivors thrive.” page 147
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STYLE
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TEST DRIVING THE ALL-NEW
RANGE ROVER
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LUXURY MEETS HORSEPOWER & OFF-ROAD PERFECTION
GETTING DOWN & DIRTY THE 2022 RANGE ROVER
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LIMBING A MUDDY HILL IN CALIFORNIA’S WINE COUNTRY PRESENTS BUT A MODEST CHALLENGE FOR THE 2022 RANGE ROVER. Like every one of its predecessors, the fifth, and latest iteration, has an adpage 152
vanced off-road skill set, perfect for gettin’ down and dirty. Sure there are a few things you need to do to prepare it for even a tame little hill climb. You’ll need to flip it into lowrange, raise the air suspension for extra clearance, and choose the setting for the kind of terrain you’ll be tackling. There’s one more toggle that isn’t technically re-
quired for off-roading, but we’d recommend flipping anyway: massaging seats. Because why not? The entire conceit of the vehicle, throughout its 50-year history, is that it can take you anywhere and do anything—all while riding ensconced in the lap of luxury. Sadly, very few owners will ever allow their Range Rovers to wander from the
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pavement, which is a shame since offroad capabilities are so integral to the line’s DNA. But so is apex luxury, and that’s the draw for the vast majority of customers. During a couple days tooling around San Francisco (plus neighboring Napa and Sonoma wine country) to test out a few models, we found the 2022 Range Rover exceeded expectations in terms of both bells and whistles and indeed, the entire driving experience.
2022 RANGE ROVER ON THE ROAD As good as it is in the rough, this 5,700-pound beast truly excels at cruising. It chews up the road so fast, you
might wonder why you didn’t pick a longer route. On the highway, the ride is soft and sumptuous—exactly what you’d expect from a luxury SUV with a base price in the six figures. When the roads start to turn and twist, the body produces a bit of roll, but that posh feel doesn’t wane, even in dynamic mode, which stiffens things up a bit but not to a sports-carlike rigidity. Striking an almost Goldilocks-style balance, the air suspension softens all but the most cavernous potholes to barely perceptible hiccups—and still manages to give the driver a connected-to-theroad feel. Our only critique behind the
wheel is with the brakes. They feel a touch soft for our taste and could grab a little more with less pressure. But overall, the 2022 Range Rover is incredibly comfortable and pleasurable to drive.
POWER TRAINS On our California trip, we experienced two of the engines in the lineup—both with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The base 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder kicks out 395 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque, and the twin turbo V8 offers 523 horsepower. They go from 0 to 60 mph in 5.8 and 4.4 seconds, respectively. The inline six is smooth and we rarely found it wanting for power. The V-8 is, page 153
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of course, beefier with loads of torque (553 lb-ft to be precise). Choosing between the two is nearly a coin toss, but we slightly preferred the effortlessness of the V-8—healthy price bump notwithstanding. Not out just yet, the 2023 model will be available as a plug-in hybrid with a 48-mile, battery-only range and the ability to reach 87 mph without the use of a gasoline engine. Plus in 2024, the company plans to roll out a fully battery-powered Range Rover. (No, we can’t wait!)
DESIGN AND INTERIOR On the outside, the new Range Rover has a familiar look but with a sleeker swagger. It throws out an effortlessly cool vibe, even though Professor Gerry McGovern OBE, chief creative officer for Jaguar Land Rover, and his team put in quite a bit of work applying their modern design philosophy—which they say is reductive but not minimalist. The headlights have been slimmed down while the rear tailgate has been re-imagined in exquisite simplicity. Overall, the lines are more cohesive, which creates a
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striking visual package. The reductive aesthetic continues on the inside. While it’s still appointed in beautiful leathers (or textiles) and woods, the simplicity lends sophistication and offers refinement that elevates driving into an enviable experience.
TWO LENGTHS The new Range Rover comes in two wheelbases—the standard 199- and 207-inch-long wheelbase. The extended wheelbase allows customers the option of a third row, a first for the Range Rover. Or for those who truly enjoy a flex, the SV model focuses attention on the “Executive Class Comfort Plus” rear seats. It’s a configuration that evokes the seating you might find on a private jet, with a refrigerator and a folding, retractable tray table in the center console— perfect for well-heeled buyers who like to be chauffeured.
TECH FOR BOTH ON- AND OFF-ROAD Most will find the technology in the Range Rover intuitive and dynamic, including Land Rover’s Pivi Pro interface. The 13.1-inch curved infotainment
display is plenty big, and navigating the features is simple. The system also comes with Alexa, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto—all standard, as are adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist. An optional extra to consider is the ear-tickling, 35-speaker Meridian stereo that drivers can use not only to rock out but also to create a quieter cabin—thanks to a third-generation active noise-cancellation system. For those few owners who are keen to get off-road, the Range Rover comes with locking front and rear differentials. The air suspension has the ability to raise the ride height more than 11.5 inches, and a downhill assist will prevent the Range from careening too fast on descents. The new Range Rover’s camera system can also show the driver where the front wheels are for navigating particularly technical off-road situations. Sure, only a scant few will make use of all those features. That makes us a bit sad—because as pretty as the new Range Rover is, it looks twice as cool caked in mud.
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MANSION OF THE MONTH LA JOLLA FARMS CALIFORNIA
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MANSION OF THE MONTH
LA JOLLA FARMS
SECLUDED ON THREE IDYLLIC ACRES $23,500,000 2681 IDLE HOUR LANE SAN DIEGO CA 92037
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HE PINNACLE OF PRIVACY TUCKED AWAY ON ALMOST THREE ACRES IN THE LA JOLLA FARMS IS THE IDLE HOUR ESTATE. Settled behind private gates and abundant landscaping is over 14,000 square page 160
feet of grand living not to mention a billiards room, library, home theater, disco/ bar area with private entrance, a multitude of living areas and entertaining spaces...just a few of the many features in this incredible opportunity. Outdoor space is not lacking with a pool, tennis court, volleyball area, rock climbing wall, skateboard ramps, cryotherapy, saunas and cold plunge...
there are really endless features to enjoy! Should you want to venture out, just use your private key to Black’s Beach which provides you premier access to drive up beachside. Listed by Amber Anderson DRE# 01423536 M: +1 858.333.6458
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BEDROOMS 9 | BATHROOMS 11 FULL | 3 PARTIAL INTERIOR 14,252 SQUARE FEET
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MANSION OF THE MONTH
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NANTES PAYS DE LA LOIRE 44000 FRANCE
PRICE $29,967,206 USD BEDROOMS 8 / BATHROOMS 2 FULL INTERIOR 10,7639 SQ FT. / EXTERIOR 317.29 ACRES NANTES, PAYS DE LA LOIRE, 44000 FRANCE HUS STUD FARM This exceptional estate comprises not only a historic chateau but also one of France’s biggest equestrian facilities with page 166
the capacity to house approximately 400 horses. The castle has been restored and offers 1000 sq. meters of perfectly renovated living space including an indoor pool, a steam room and a gym. The spacious grounds comprise 128 hectares including private access to the River
Erdre, a 30-meter mooring, extensive equestrian training facilities including show jumping and dressage with 200 hectares extra rental. Restored outbuildings, helicopter pad and only 35 kilometers from the international airport. The sale includes 300 horses.
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CASTILLO CARIBE CARIBBEAN LUXURY IN THE CAYMAN ISLANDS PRICE UPON REQUEST
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OW YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL: LIFESTYLE, LUXURY, LOCATION AND LIMITED TAX LIABILITY. WITHOUT DOUBT CASTILLO CARIBE IS ONE OF THE FINEST BEACH-FRONT ESTATE HOMES IN THE WORLD OFFERING EVERY LUXURY FOR MODERN DAY LIFE WITH ALL THE LIFESTYLE OPTIONS ONE WOULD EXPECT FROM THE CAYMAN ISLANDS AND THE CARIBBEAN.
Although the Cayman Islands enjoy year-round sunshine and a temperate climate, this benefit is eclipsed in most people’s eyes by the Islands’ offshore status. The Cayman Islands are well known as a financial center on the world’s stage and provide the highest quality of lifestyle available in a tax
neutral environment, making it very appealing to people of high net worth to seek residency here - a position that is actively encouraged by the local government and, as a British Overseas Territory, is a very stable option. There are a number of destinations in the world that are able to offer offshore status to a greater or lesser degree, but the Cayman Islands have no local taxes whatsoever: no property tax, no income tax, no capital gains tax and no inheritance tax. Castillo Caribe offers a rare opportunity to combine this with privacy, security, luxury and lifestyle all on a pristine white sandy beach overlooking the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean Sea. The space afforded here is too limited to provide adequate description of all the properties features and amenities, please request a detailed package by emailing: heather.carrigan@sothebysrealty.com.
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In Search To Screw or... of Solace Not ?
DOES THIS MAKE ME
A WINE SNOB? WILLIAM SMITH @willismith_2000 COPY EDITOR & CONTRIBUTOR
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HEN I WAS
GROWING UP, WINE WAS NON-EXISTENT IN OUR HOUSEHOLD. WELL, ALMOST. ON ONE SHELF IN OUR DINING ROOM THERE WAS AN ARRAY OF BOTTLES THAT SEEMED, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, MORE ORNAMENTAL THAN PRACTICAL. page 172
I cannot remember a single occasion in which I saw my parents imbibe from that sad trove, nor did the bottles ever get changed out. Only evaporation, perhaps from a poor seal, caused a bottle’s level of liquid to drop.
Sitting alongside a bottle of old rye, I remember a bottle of wine. Manishewitz. Concord grape. A kosher wine that has a purpose, but also flummoxes me to this day as we had no Jewish relatives or friends, let alone observant ones. But there it was, in a uniquely shaped bottle and a screw top. Later, in my teen years, I remember a Riunite peach wine that may have shown up at an errant party or two whilst my parents were away. And I
remember that it, too, also had a screw top. It was excessively sweet and it was not a pleasant drinking experience. The wine experiences of my youth imprinted on me that inexpensive wine that tended to be inferior in quality and very sweet, was not for me. And that these bottles of wine always had a screw top. An early bias – perhaps even a snobbish one – had settled in. As I entered adulthood, confirmation of this bias occurred at nearly every turn. As my palate matured and my experience of wine evolved, screw top wines disappeared from my experience. That is, until a visit to Bonny Doon Vineyard’s now-closed tasting room in Santa Cruz, California.
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On that trip, I encountered the screw top, or the Stelvin closure as Bonny Doon’s founder, Randall Grahm, insisted on calling it in his endeavor to educate the consumer. Grahm is legend in California wine history, eschewing the increasingly popular environs of Napa and founding his vineyard in the Santa Cruz mountains, which became its own AVA in 1981. There, Grahm perfected the Rhone style that he deigned to bottle not with a cork, but with a screw top. The horror of it all upturned many a nose. As it turns out, Grahm was on to something. The purpose of “bottling” wine is to preserve it, and preserving it means that whatever and however the bottle is sealed, it prevents excess oxygen from getting into the bottle and affecting the wine. In the same way many of us invest in various vacuum pump devices to remove the air and preserve the remains of an open bottle of wine for a day or
two at home, the bottling process does the same, only the time horizon for protecting the wine is, within reason, nearly indeterminate. The seal must work, and it must last. While nothing is fool-proof, corks often don’t work. You’ve no doubt experienced a “corked” wine somewhere along the way. It’s “corked” because the cork either contained trichloroanisole, or TCA, a naturally occurring compound that can ruin wine, or the cork somehow otherwise failed to create a proper seal. Estimates are that somewhere between three and eight percent of all wines are corked. So while cork has been used since the earliest of times, technology leans in to offer something perhaps more reliable. The most popular of screw tops for wine is the one adopted by Bonny Doon, the Stelvin. Developed in the late 1960s and early ‘70s, at the request of an Australian winemaker, the Stelvin is usually made
of some metal, typically aluminum, and then utilizes a plastic inserted into the cap for sealing the bottle’s contents. The foil of the Stelvin also typically runs down the neck of the bottle so as to aesthetically mimic a traditional cork bottling. While there is no doubt that the Stelvin creates a more reliable seal than does cork, it has its critics. For example, particularly for red wines that need or benefit from bottle aging, the Stelvin may not allow the sufficient and minimal exchange between the bottle and the environment to allow that aging to occur. To this very point, many say that the Stelvin is ideal for those wines meant to be consumed immediately, including whites and roses. The ease of opening the screw cap is also often cited as a benefit for consumers. Call me a luddite, but I love popping the cork. I love the sound and I love my many contraptions to achieve the goal, from my trusty waiter’s corkscrew to page 173
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To Screw or... Not ?
various iterations of the Rabbit that I’ve collected over the years. There are also ongoing efforts to create synthetic corks from various materials and that frequently can closely resemble a traditional cork. And many other efforts are underway to perfect the tried-and-true cork itself. For me, that early experience at Bonny Doon’s tasting room tested my own suppositions about wines with a screw top. page 174
I don’t, for example, hesitate to buy the latest production of rosé from a favored winemaker in Côtes-de-Provence if it happens to come with a screw top. You shouldn’t either. It’s a perfectly acceptable, and perhaps even superior, way to ensure that bounty reaches your glass in all its splendor. Still, I can’t let go of favoring a cork for most reds. The organic smell of the cork interacting over time with the bottle’s
contents is part and parcel of the overall experience for me and likely for so many others who find it difficult to make the switch. Still, perhaps my mind may also change as producers themselves make the switch. For now, though, I’d like that Barollo, Reserve Rioja, or Malbec with its cork in place. Luddite that I am. WILLIAM SMITH COPY EDITOR AND CONTRIBUTOR POLO LIFESTYLES 2022
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ALIGN WITH YO SPIRITUALITY · FAITH · QUESTIONS · GROWTH · FOCUS
BRENDAN FRASER WAS BROKEN
A SPIRITUAL CONNECTION WITH A HORSE SAVED HIS LIFE
NOW TH E " TR US T" A N D "M U M M Y" ACTO R STAYS CE N TER ED AN D F O CU SE D W IT H "P E C AS"
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RENDAN FRASER WANTS ME TO MEET HIS HORSE. “I GOT THIS HORSE BECAUSE IT’S A BIG HORSE,” HE SAYS, STANDING IN A BARN IN BEDFORD, NEW YORK. HE REMOVES A GREEN BANDANNA FROM HIS POCKET AND GENTLY WIPES THE ANIMAL’S EYES. THE HORSE’S NAME IS PECAS—THE SPANISH WORD FOR FRECKLES. Fraser met him on the set of a 2015 History Channel series, Texas Rising. Fraser played a mid-19th-century Texas Ranger. They were filming down in Mexico, he says, when he and the horse had a shared moment of recognition. “Without doing too much—what’s the word? Anthropomorphic…anthropomorphizing… Without pretending that the animal is a human, he looked like he
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needed help. Like: Get me out of here, man.”
tive that something so unpredictable can still exist in this world.
So Fraser brought him back here. Fraser lives nearby and owns property that overlooks this farm, about an hour north of Manhattan. And though he’s been traveling for most of this past year, going back and forth between Toronto, where he was shooting a series based on Three Days of the Condor called Condor, and Europe, where he was shooting Trust, an FX series about the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III produced by Danny Boyle, he makes sure to stop in and visit Pecas every few weeks or so. Why he does this is a question with a few different, surprising answers. But that is the way it is, I’m learning, with Brendan Fraser. He can’t help but digress—“Instead of telling you what time it is, I might give you the history of horology,” he says, in the middle of saying something else. He’s compulsively honest. His mind is like a maze. You wander in and then emerge, hours or days later, disoriented but apprecia-
His eyes are pale and a bit watery these days—less wide than they used to be when he was new to the screen, playing guys who were often new to the world. Blue-gray stubble around the once mighty chin, gray longsleeve shirt draped indifferently over the once mighty body. I’m 35: There was a time when the sight of Fraser was as familiar to me as the furniture in my parents’ house. He was in Encino Man and School Ties in 1992, Airheads in 1994, George of the Jungle in 1997, The Mummy in 1999. If you watched movies at the end of the previous century, you watched Brendan Fraser. And though his run as a leading man in studio films lasted to the end of this past decade, he’s been missing, or at least somewhere off in the margins, for some time now. He was there on the poster, year after year, and then he wasn’t, and it took him turning up in a supporting part in the third season of
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OUR PURPOSE IN SY N C W IT H YO UR V IB E
R E N E WA L · C O M M U N I T Y · S U P P O RT · E X P LO R AT I O N · E N E R G Y
a premium-cable show, The Affair, for many of us to even realize that he’d been gone. There’s a story there as well, of course, and Fraser, in his elliptical way, will eventually get around to telling it to me. But first, Pecas. The other horses in Mexico were lean: mustangs, Fraser says. “And they beat up on this horse. I mean, I swear, I saw him get kicked so many times, bit, by other horses all the time. And I never saw him fight back.” Fraser watched this daily – this big, silvery horse being taunted by the sleeker horses around him. “And I thought, All right, I got a job for you if you want it.” He put the horse on a trailer, Durango to Juarez. Quarantine in El Paso. A FedEx cargo plane to New York. “And
the veterinarians that ride on those cargo planes, they were like, ‘This horse walked on like he wanted to know what the movie was and what was for dinner.’ He just marched right on. He got off, came here, saw the cedar chips in the stall barn… Anyway, so I can get Griffin on him.”
of loving torrent. Griffin, he says, is “a curative on everyone who meets him, I noticed. People have some rough edges to them. Or he just makes them, I don’t know…put things into sharper relief and maybe find a way to have a little bit more compassion. They don’t put themselves first so much around him.”
Griffin is Fraser’s eldest son—15 years old. “Griffin’s rated on the autism spectrum. Um, and so he needs extra love in the world, and he gets it. And his brothers”—Holden, 13, Leland, 11—“ever since they were small, one was always the spokesperson and the other was the enforcer.” Fraser interrupts himself here to talk more about his eldest son. We’ve just met, but that doesn’t seem to bother him. Details just pour out in a kind
This was the job Fraser had for Pecas, to take care of Griffin: “There’s something good that happens between the two of them. And even if he doesn’t ride him, just give him a brush. The horse loves it, the repetitive motion that kids on the spectrum have that they love. And it just works… You know, you have to find those tools, strategies. If I ride, too, I just feel better. I just feel better.”
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MOLD YOUR MIND T H E
P O W E R
O F
U N L O C K I N G
Y O U R
M I N D
TWO QUESTIONS TO ASK
WHEN YOU FEEL MISLED JOEY VELEZ
COMMON THINKING PATTERNS
H
Everyone reading this has made an assumption or a conclusion based on the actions of others or a situation that occurred. Thinking in an impulsive way is in our nature, whether due to past experiences or beliefs developed over time. When something happens, the mind wants to quickly make sense of it. Research tells us that our thoughts trigger emotions and reactions based on that situation that occurred, so if you have impulsive thoughts, then you are going to have impulsive emotions and reactions as well. However, the shortcuts our mind takes often means we are wrong more often than we are right, and as a consequence, may lead to experiencing an increase in negative emotions. Negative emotions can increase your stress levels and impact your critical thinking, which in turn, cause us to miss critical information and not see the situation accurately, which can then impact your overall well-being and your relationships with other individuals.
@joeyavelez88 HEALTHY LIFESTYLES CONTRIBUTOR
OW MANY MONTHS HAVE 28 DAYS? IF YOU ANSWERED ALL OF THEM, THEN YOU ARE CORRECT. IF NOT, YOUR SECRET IS SAFE WITH ME. HOWEVER, WHETHER YOU WERE RIGHT OR WRONG, HOW QUICKLY DID YOU ANSWER THIS QUESTION? Our mind is quick to arrive at a definitive answer and make judgments, whether we know-know the answer to a question or we think we know the answer to a question. When we are under stress, our thinking patterns cause more harm than good by leading us to miss key information and to experience more negative emotions such as helplessness and hopelessness. You may not be able to control those initial thoughts that come in, but you control what you do with them and how you respond.
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In high school, when people threw parties and I was not invited, I immediately chalked that up to, “I am not good enough,” or “They do not want me there.” Even when they would double back and invite me, my thoughts drifted toward pity, leading me to experience higher levels of sadness and isolating myself from my friends. It got to a point that my friends named this “J-Mode” because they felt I was being dramatic.
WHAT DID I MISS?
Now maybe at the time, I did not have all the information, but I felt like I did, and as a result, I did not enjoy high school to the full extent that I probably could have. All because I allowed my thoughts to control me and not the other way around. I could not control whether I got invited to these events, but I could have controlled my ability to seek more information by asking questions, rather than reverting to self-isolation. High school is supposed to be a fun time when you begin to find yourself and I feel that I did not give myself that full opportunity because of I consistently accepted my thinking as fact.
When I was in high school and the early stages of college, it was almost a guarantee that I would not only jump to conclusions, but also that my thoughts were fact and I could not be told otherwise.
To this day, I still fall under the same thinking patterns. Like I mentioned before, they are common, but I am quick to remove myself from those patterns by asking for more information and bring-
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ing my attention to what I controlled in the situation to allow myself to move forward and not experience higher levels of negative emotions.
WHAT CAN YOU DO? While this may seem simple, sometimes all you have to do is ask yourself two questions: Did I ask? And what do I control? It is mind-blowing how many challenges can be solved by asking yourself these two questions. The first of these prompts you to seek more information. Whether you have conflict with another individual, something does not add up, or you are confused by a decision, you can often clear up the misunderstanding
and see the situation more accurately by asking yourself “Did I ask?”. Equally powerful, is the second question, “What do I control?” We do not have control over the actions or decisions of others, nor do we have control over what happens around us in general. However, you can control where you place your attention moving forward. Stress often causes our minds to be stuck in the past or in the future, so guiding attention to what you currently control gets you back into the present moment and puts you in a position to take a more productive step forward into changing or adapting to the situation. This is not to say that asking yourself these questions will solve all
your problems or resolve all the conflict you may be experiencing, but they may direct your attention in the right direction to uncover a more likely solution.
FINAL THOUGHTS Take the time the seek out additional information. If things are not going your way, think about what aspects you control and what you can do to move forward. Your mind is powerful. The thoughts you have matter because they truly can harm you or help you. Take control of your life by taking control of your thoughts so that you can enhance your relationships with others and enhance your decision-making. page 183
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LIFE COACHING AND EXPERT
WELLNESS EXERCISES THE BROTHERHOOD OF SHARED TRAUMA
FROM BOYS TO MEN JUSTIN "GOLIATH" JOHNSON @goliathcoaches WELLNESS CONTRIBUTOR
I
AM A KRUMP DANCER AND RECENTLY IN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP PAGE WHERE WE TALK ABOUT BATTLES, SHOW OUR DANCING CONTENT, ARGUE AND CELEBRATE COMMUNITY THE QUESTION, “HOW MANY OF US (MEN) WERE SEXUALLY MOLESTED IN CHILDHOOD?” WAS POSED. Now, you may say, a krump-dancing, common-interest Facebook page is an odd place for this discussion, so let me give you some background. Kendrick Lamar recently released – what I consider to be – an incredible album. It features a song that addresses page 186
the trauma he endured during a time when his family believed he had been sexually molested. Krumpers like us are heavily influenced by hip-hop music, including that of Lamar. We decided to give it a go at expressing this trauma through dance. It was at this point that the question was raised. The response was overwhelming: men coming out and expressing how a family member touched them, being forced to perform sexual acts, losing their virginity before the age of 10! Men spoke about performing forced sexual acts before they even understood sex.
Nationally in the United States, the One In Six Institute (1in6.org) estimates that one in six men has experienced being sexually assaulted, but reporting it remains vastly underrepresented. One in five women are estimated to experience an attempted or completed rape. Now there is a huge difference between sexual assault and rape; therefore, this is not at all a comparison. The point is that these numbers show a real issue with men – nay, young boys – being ex-
posed to sex during their adolescence. June is men’s health awareness month and rather than going into what we need to do to exercise and make healthier consumption decisions, I want to talk about mental health and lasting trauma. When you experience a traumatic event that’s difficult to reconcile, your brain literally changes. All three parts of your brain: the amygdala, the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex, are affected. Each one of these parts of the brain show decreased function in the areas of memory, learning, executive/ higher-level thinking and emotional response within traumatized men. For the sake of me being a black man, I want you to understand and empathize with the black community for a minute. One in six black men have experienced sexual assault and three out of 10 black men have been the victim of violent interactions with police. Black people make up 13 percent of the U.S. population, but account for 22 percent of fatal police shootings. I’m throwing a
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lot of statics at you, but I need you to understand what’s happening. We live in trauma, a community that is made up of so many different fears affecting traumatic experiences. Our mothers and fathers teach us, from very young ages, how to protect ourselves from the dangers in the world. However, this well-intentioned teaching actually walls up our emotions, ignoring memories and stunting our ability for high-functioning learning because what we don’t learn is how to heal from trauma. I am no victim, so I’m not looking for pity; but what would be amazing is if there were some sort of accountability for the fact that so many of us are angry. We are angry because we can’t be vulnerable. We are angry because we desire so much. One of many things that sexual abuse does to a child is strip them from an immense level of vulnerability. Children are innately vulnerable and usually have
no issues with showing it. They know they are dependent, so they act out their dependencies and when issues arise, they cry. It is a healthy way to release the emotional energy that builds up from not having control of a situation. What happens when you are stripped of that ability? What happens when you don’t know how to heal from trauma and you’re lumped up into a group that is called apathetic, lazy, uneducated and undeserving? Anger, resentment, pain, hurt and you start to build walls to protect that inner child that no one was there to protect. No one wants a weak man; a weak man is almost an oxymoron. No one is opening their window to scream out into the world, “Hey everyone, I’m weak!” Furthermore, the men that do allow themselves to, even for a moment, be viewed as weak are treated like less than a man altogether. We are not trash, we are not “no good men;” but many men are grown children, children who have
hid away the traumas created the man you see before you because there has never been a time for him to release pain. Here’s my call to action, men. We have to start to heal ourselves from the inside out. We can no longer look at healing as a physical thing. We put time into exercise and eating right. We have to prioritize our mental heath and we have to teach our kids – especially our sons. We can no longer teach tough love, to ignore traumas and to suppress emotions. Men, it is up to us to change our circumstances. It is up to us to ensure our kids feel protected, It is up to create a new narrative of what man is. We do not have to be victims to understand we have traumas. During men’s health month, let’s spend some time truly looking into ourselves. Seek therapy, seek coaching, talk to a trusted individual. You are not weak because you hurt. We all hurt, and hurt is one of the most human things you can experience. page 187
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