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- Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants: Tokyo's Narisawa the region's top feed
- Hottest new hotels for 2013
- The darker side of Bali: Drugs, mules and tourism
- How to see the best of Sydney in a week
- History and great buys in Okinawa's Tsuboya Pottery District
| Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants: Tokyo's Narisawa the region's top feed Posted: 25 Feb 2013 05:11 AM PST Narisawa, which combines French cuisine with earthy Japanese tones, has been named Asia's best restaurant at the inaugural S.Pelligrino Asia's 50 Best Restaurants awards held in Singapore on Monday. Led by chef Noshihiro Narisawa -- known for his wild imagination -- the restaurant has grown a massive following by serving nature-focused dishes made with seasonal ingredients. A signature dish: Wagyu rump roast marinated in leek, basted in olive oil before having its exterior carbonized. The top gong was not unexpected -- Yoshihiro Narisawa's Tokyo-based restaurant has consistently rated among Asia's highest on the S.Pelligrino global list. Narisawa was ranked 27th on the World's Best Restaurants 2012 list. This year saw a version of the awards focus solely on Asia. Another Tokyo restaurant, Nihonryori Ryugin, placed second. In third place was Bangkok's Nahm restaurant -- one of two Thai eateries in the top 10. Amber restaurant, in the Landmark Mandarin hotel, was fourth while Singapore's Restaurant Andre rounded out the first five places. The full list of 50 is below: 1. Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan)
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| Posted: 25 Feb 2013 02:02 AM PST We know, we know. You haven't gotten around to staying at last year's top new hotels and now this bursts onto your screen. The good news is, 2012 is so last year. The best new hotels of 2013 are higher, shinier and deluxier than their one-year-older peers.
1. Mukul Resort & Spa, Nicaragua
Part of Guacalito de la Isla, a 676-hectare, eco-sensitive resort on four miles of untouched Pacific coast, Mukul has only been open a few days as of this posting, but is already a benchmark for luxury in Nicaragua. The brainchild of entrepreneur Carlos Pellas, the retreat takes its design cues from local culture: villas and bohio-styled huts crafted from native teak and pine are distinguished by an ancient Mayan numerical system, reclaimed rum barrels are used in headboards and the Pellas' family rum is the nightcap of choice. Book the six-bedroom Casona Don Carlos, Pellas' private beach residence, and you'll also enjoy a pool and oceanfront living area. Spa treatments offered in themed suites include a crystal temple, rainforest room and hammam using a bounty of local ingredients: raw cane sugar crystals, seaweed and Nicaraguan volcanic clay. There are plenty of more active diversions, such as golf on an oceanfront course -- its 18 holes were chiseled without cutting down a single tree. Mukul Resort & Spa, Kilometer 10, Carretera Tola-Las Salinas Rivas, Nicaragua; rooms from US$550 per night; +505 2563 7100; www.mukulresort.com 2. Anantara Xishuangbanna Resort & Spa, China
The first five-star hotel in the jungle-laced Xishuangbanna region of China's southern Yunnan province, Anantara is set on a sweeping curve of the Luosuo River, its 105 rooms and villas overlooking tropical forest and water features. The week-old hotel (as of this writing) offers plenty of diversions, including an Indochine specialty restaurant and a spa focusing on traditional Chinese medicine. Anantara excels in cultural offerings and experiences. Guests can visit nearby Dai minority villages, trek through the Hengduan Mountains, where the Lancang River later becomes the Mekong, or visit a nature reserve where China's last remaining wild elephants roam wild. The hotel's "tea guru" is also on call to lead excursions into the surrounding mountains, where fields of pu'er tea, the country's most prized brew, are opened to guests for picking, followed by tea ceremonies at the resort. Anantara Xishuangbanna Resort & Spa, Xishuangbanna, China; rooms from RMB 1,800 (US$289) per night; +86 691 893 6666; xishuangbanna.anantara.com 3. Nobu Hotel, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas
Actor and hotelier Robert De Niro, Hollywood film producer Mier Teper and notable chef Nobu Matsuhisa are behind this newcomer, opened at the start of February. Part of the Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas empire, the Nobu Hotel will be positively petite in comparison to the Caesars Palace property that it adjoins: the hotel, the first of its kind, will feature 181 Japanese-inspired rooms, conceptualized by New York interior designer David Rockwell. While all rooms come with niceties such as Japanese artwork and traditional Umi-tiled bathrooms, the Sake Suites take things up a notch with a home theater and pool table; the Nobu Suites come with a sushi counter and personal chef. Guests have access to the extensive Caesars facilities next door, but will also enjoy priority access to the Nobu Restaurant, the largest in the group's portfolio, covering some 1,040 square meters. Three additional Nobu hotels are in the pipeline, set to open in London, Bahrain and Riyadh. Nobu Hotel, Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Boulevard S., Las Vegas; rooms from US$249 per night; +1 866 227 5938; www.nobuhotels.com 4. W Guangzhou, China
The first W Hotel in mainland China opens on March 12 with all the pizzazz we've come to expect from the Starwood brand. The who's who of the design world -- New York's Yabu Pushelberg, Glyph of Toronto, Hong Kong's AFSO, A.N.D. of Tokyo -- were called upon to fit out the property. Touches include a dramatic four-story glass loft suspended from the side of the hotel, illuminated by optical fiber strings of light. Welcome to WooBar. Yan Yu, the signature Chinese restaurant, is more restrained in its design, with orchid motifs and dapper waiters done up in a rainbow of silk uniforms: mandarin, fuchsia, lemon, lime and plum. The visuals continue throughout the public spaces, with larger-than-life installations, such as a three-story "luminous waterwall" and an oversize "nest," creating an entry you won't forget. Bookings open from the end of February. W Guangzhou, 26 Xian Cun Road, Pearl River New Town, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; room rates to be announced; +86 20 2213 1000; www.starwoodhotels.com 5. Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai
The Mandarin Oriental hotel group hasn't cut any corners at its newest outpost, expected to open at the start of April. Located in Shanghai's booming Pudong district, on the east bank of the Huangpu River, the property unites Asian styling with every modern touch imaginable. The 362 rooms and suites come designed with verve and vision, from the peacock-inspired bed throws to the black marbled counters and curved leather armchairs. Six restaurants and bars will include Yong Yi Ting, where a pared-back dining room belies impeccable Chinese fare. Other highlights include Qi Bar, with lavish chandeliers, marbled floors and velvet sofas, and the Mandarin Cake Shop, stocked with signature MO pastries, cakes and truffles. Spa facilities include 13 suites alongside all manner of Jacuzzis, saunas and showers. Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shangahi, 111 Pudong Road, Pudong, Shanghai; room rates to be announced; +86 21 2082 9888; www.mandarinoriental.com 6. Capella Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Opening on April 1, Washington D.C.'s newest hotel is a canal-side darling offering just 49 guest rooms and suites, each appointed with lavish European fixtures: original modern art, hand-crafted paneling, Italian marble flooring, handmade upholstery. Added niceties include mini-bar snacks included with the room, and access to "personal assistants" around the clock. With al fresco seating, the restaurant will serve grilled meats, but the pick of the dining options will be the rooftop bar, where cocktails and canapés are only outdone by views of the Potomac River, Kennedy Center and Washington Monument. Guests can have a personal assistant organize after-hours retail therapy, backstage passes to the ballet or a winery tour to Monticello and Thomas Jefferson country. Capella Georgetown, 1050 31st St., Washington, D.C.; rooms from US$745; +1 202 617 2400; www.capellahotels.com 7. Shangri-La Hotel, at the Shard, London
Due to open in May, the Asian-based Shangri-La Hotel Group's first property in the United Kingdom is located from levels 34 to 52 in the spire of London's Shard -- at 310 meters, one of the tallest buildings in Europe. The property offers views over the city from each of its 202 rooms and suites, designed by internationally acclaimed architect Renzo Piano. No detail has been overlooked, from heated bathroom floors to designer LED televisions, high-speed Internet access and butler service available in all suites. The first new-build five‑star hotel in the central London area in more than a decade comes with four restaurants and bars, as well as an infinity pool and 24-hour fitness center on level 52 -- over the edge of the pool you can see St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London on the hotel's doorstep perch on the south bank of the River Thames. Shangri-La Hotel, at the Shard, London, 32 London Bridge St., Southwark, London; room rates to be announced; +44 22 3102 3704; www.shangri-la.com 8. Banyan Tree Kerala, India
Resorts don't get much more exclusive than the Banyan Tree's debut property in India, set on a private island in Kerala's backwaters and due to open in the first half of the year. Guests sail into the lobby of the all pool-villa property, inspired by Kerala's highly stylized Kathakali art -- elaborate teak woodwork and carvings, decorative copper artwork, coir handicrafts and vivid fabrics. With Kerala's appeal as a wellness destination, the Banyan Tree offers multi-day spa packages that incorporate a range of Ayurvedic treatments alongside yoga and spa cuisine, inspired by the tri-dosha concept of Ayurveda. Poolside, hotel butlers roam with cool towels, platters of fruit and refreshing sprays. Those looking for more fast-paced diversions will want to catch a boat to the hotel's neighboring Activity Island, where a climbing wall, archery range and obstacle course await, or indulge in immersive tours such as backwater houseboat jaunts, cooking classes focusing on southern Indian specialties and clam-diving excursions. Banyan Tree Kerala, Nediyathuruthu, Panavally, Cherthala, Alappuzha District, Kerala, India; room rates to be announced; kerala@banyantree.com; www.banyantree.com Other notable hotel openings in 2013:The 12-room Mahali Mzuri, Richard Branson's Kenyan safari lodge in the Motorogi Conservancy in the northern region of Maasai Mara; The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi, with seven restaurants and a sprawling spa; the Peninsula Paris, the first European outpost from the hotel group, set to dazzle near the Arc de Triomphe by the end of the year; Sofitel So Singapore, opening in July and only the third So-branded property in the world; the Oberoi Dubai, its 250 rooms overlooking Burj Khalifa; the Regent Bali, located beachside in Sanur.
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| The darker side of Bali: Drugs, mules and tourism Posted: 24 Feb 2013 10:02 PM PST The following story is adapted from Kathryn Bonella's new book, "Snowing in Bali," for which she spent 18 months interviewing convicted drug criminals in Bali's Kerobokan Prison. When Rafael, a Brazilian surfer, flew into Bali for the first time, he quickly fell in love -- not with his girlfriend, but with the island. It was everything he'd dreamed of as a boy in Rio so, at the end of the holiday, he waved goodbye to the girl and stayed. He quickly discovered a lifestyle of sunsets, surfing and sex with beautiful girls -- all he needed now was a way to fund it. Enter another Brazilian, who offered him quick cash for a quick job -- as a drug runner. This was the mid 1990s and the island's Western drug dealers, most of whom had found the island the same way as Rafael, were making big bucks. Rafael soon became one of the island's top cocaine bosses. Living a drug lord's dream
"Rafael was the boss: really rich, big car, big gold chains, tattoo on both arms, diamonds in the teeth; you see, he is a drug dealer, like he has a sticker 'drug dealer' across his forehead," says Andre, a fellow Brazilian drug boss, talking to me from his prison cell in the notorious Kerobokan Prison, also known as "Hotel K." Rafael was living his hedonistic dream -- orgies, parties and surfing, buying whatever he wished: cars, motorbikes, first-class travel, designer clothes. He once paid €25,000 (US$33,400) in cash for a Rolex and built his dream house on the beach with all his boyhood fantasies, including a diving board off his bedroom balcony. Others in the game bought villas, bars, restaurants and shops, investing their drug money into legitimate businesses. Many still flourish today, some still subsidized by drug money. And the island's endemic corruption ensures no one ever asks where the cash comes from. All this, from a chance trip made as a tourist, looking for a little vacation. Tourists among us
Some 2.9 million people visited the island last year, nearly equal to its population. This allows traffickers to slip in and out of Bali, carrying windsurfers, backpacks, surfboards, kite sails and hang gliders stuffed with cocaine, surrounded by real tourists with the same gear. But the traffickers must blend and look the part, or face suspicion. Luis Alberto Cafiero, 27-year-old Brazilian, was departing Brazil to Bali when customs officers noticed he had surfboards but no suntan. It instigated a full search, uncovering 7.3 kilos of cocaine in his luggage. "He did not look like a person who's always out on the beach," a federal police officer told local media. Tourists also provide a camouflage for dealing, according to the drug bosses. One told me of how he once buried 250 grams of cocaine on Legian beach, surrounded by tourists. The trouble came the next night, when his client wanted it back. "I knew that the place was very, very dodgy to go at night, because a lot of Indonesian cops hang around there because a lot of local drug dealers hang around at night," he said. Having retrieved the coke, he became convinced some men lurking in the shadows were undercover cops. He raced across the sand to the water, and started wading towards Kuta. With the dark figures still following after two miles, he lost his nerve and dumped the US$20,000 worth of cocaine into the water -- staying out of jail, for the time being. Drug-inspired innovation
"I used to joke with my friends that I'm the only one riding a Jimny that's worth a Ferrari, because I had all the doors stocked up with coke," the dealer says. Although the dealers work among them, most tourists have little clue transactions are going on all the time. The closest one might come to noticing anything is seeing the desperate locals hanging outside clubs or in lanes in Kuta, calling out, "You want ephedrine, hashish, ganja?" displaying their fake drugs, which might only be headache tablets, in their palms. For the Western dealers, the tourist and expat markets are only a part of the equation. Huge profitsThe real cash comes as the cocaine makes its way to Australia, where it has the highest price tag on the planet, to Japan, which also has a big party market, and to other locations around Asia. The margins are huge. A kilo of coke costs US$1,000-2,000 in South America, and sells for between US$20,000-90,000 in Bali, the rate dictated by whether it is "snowing in Bali" -- a term used to describe how much coke is on the island -- and up to US$250,000 in Australia. Bali is an ideal transit point because the bosses are able to switch runners, ensuring those trafficking to Australia or other Asian countries don't have South American stamps in their passports, which creates extra scrutiny. But the big downside to working in Bali are the huge penalties for being caught. In January, British grandmother Lindsay Sandiford, 56, was sentenced to death after being busted at Bali's airport with 4.7 kilos of coke in her suitcase lining. She'll now spend years in Kerobokan Prison while she appeals, joining three other foreigners in the jail on death row and a revolving door of Westerners doing months or years for drugs. Lessons learned?
Last year there were 22 arrests -- including four Brits -- and 23 the previous year, including a Danish woman. But according to the dealers I interviewed, no more than 10 percent of traffickers to Bali get busted.    |
| How to see the best of Sydney in a week Posted: 24 Feb 2013 05:58 PM PST Thanks to warm weather, relaxed vibe, beaches, bars and world-class restaurants, most visitors to Sydney never want to leave. Some don't. But if you've just got to get back home, this harbor-side itinerary will get you to the best spots in short order. Day one: It's OK, just be a tourist
No matter how far off the trodden track you wander, Sydney's most famous icons -– the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House -- will always suck you back in. This iconic duo has helped make Sydney one of the most picturesque cities in the world and, whether you catch a show at "the House," scale the "coat-hanger" or simply stand in admiration enjoying the view from Mrs Macquarie's Chair in the Botanic Gardens, no trip to Sydney is complete without paying homage to the city's crown jewels. If that's not enough tourist action, amid the cobblestone laneways of The Rocks you can grab a drink in one of the city's oldest pubs, such as the Lord Nelson (19 Kent St.), or catch a ferry from Circular Quay to Taronga Zoo, where there are stunning views of the city alongside elephants and giraffes. More on CNN: Harbour Bridge climb guide "worried about heights" Day two: Turn your back on fame
While areas such as Circular Quay, The Rocks and Bondi draw the most visitors, Sydney's other suburbs are worth a look, too. In the city's Inner West, Glebe and Newtown are both eclectic enclaves full of arty hipsters, ethnic eateries, alternative bars and live music. The Inner East is home to trendy, gentrified areas such as Surry Hills, Paddington and Darlinghurst, which all offer vintage boutiques, galleries, cocktail bars and award-winning restaurants. We like to start with coffee at The Wolf and Honeybeein Newtown(206 Edgeware Road), where you can view work by emerging artists in the café's exhibition space; or kick off the day with boiled eggs and soldiers at The Bunker in Darlinghurst (399 Liverpool St.). For lunch, there's Glebe Point Diner (407 Glebe Point Road), which has an ever-changing menu featuring local, seasonal produce, or Reuben Hills café in Surry Hills (61 Albion St.), where you can pair a Reuben sandwich with a salted caramel milkshake. In the evening, relaxed nightlife options include jazz at 505 in Surry Hills (280 Cleveland St.) or bourbon and beer at Shady Pines Saloon in Darlinghurst (4/256 Crown St.). Day three: Slather on the sunscreen
Sydneysiders are rightly proud of their beaches and hitting the waves for a surf is among the quintessential Aussie experiences. While the notorious Backpackers Express rip current at Bondi Beach has seen many a novice surfer dragged out to sea –- much to the chagrin of the local lifeguards –- the mellower waves of Manly, on Sydney's Northern Beaches, offer beginners a more sedate surfing experience. Manly Surf School runs group lessons daily. Whether or not you hit the waves, it's worth making the trip to Manly for the 30-minute ferry ride to enjoy the views of the harbor; nearby Shelly Beach and Fairlight both provide excellent snorkeling in sheltered bays. If you're after a more serene seaside excursion, east from the city to Coogee you can take the six-kilometer coastal walkway north to Bondi Beach, enjoying dramatic cliff-top views as you pass beaches at Clovelly, Bronte and Tamarama. Day four: Look at things talented people make and do
Sydney packs cultural clout, with dozens of museums, galleries and historic buildings. A fine place to start is the Museum of Contemporary Art, where you can check out modern masterpieces before heading to Cadman's Cottage –- the oldest surviving residential building in the city –- and The Rocks Discovery Museum to learn about Sydney's earliest settlers. A short walk away is The Museum of Sydney, where state of the art displays reveal the city's entire history. Also recommended are Parliament House and Hyde Park Barracks, which show different sides of 19th-century life in Sydney. From there, you can wander into the Domain to the Art Gallery of New South Wales to enjoy works by European masters and Aboriginal painters, before strolling through the Royal Botanic Gardens to Government House to admire the Gothic Revival architecture. Consider finishing the day with a show at Sydney Theatre in Walsh Bay, or simply have a drink in the shadow of the Harbour Bridge at the theater's excellent bar, The Bar at the End of the Wharf. Day five: Watch some guys get pushed around
Aussies love their sport. With its Grand Slam tennis tournament, world-famous horse race and colossal MCG stadium, Melbourne can rightly claim to be the country's sporting capital, but Sydneysiders aren't far behind in their devotion to all things active. No matter what time of year, there's some kind of major sport on offer, with rugby league and Aussie Rules football dominating autumn and winter and cricket taking precedence in summer. Major rugby games take place at ANZ Stadium, in the Olympic Park, or Allianz Stadium, near Moore Park, while Aussie Rules and cricket are usually held at Sydney Cricket Ground. To fit in with the locals, place a bet and stock up on beer and meat pies –- they're all as much of an Aussie tradition as the sport itself. To create sporting highlights of your own, there's "barefoot bowls," a laid-back -– and often boozy –- take on the traditionally stuffy game of lawn bowls. Clubs across the city offer special deals, with Paddo Bowls usually the most lively and Clovelly providing awesome cliff-top views. Day six: Ignore Sydney (she'll still be waiting when you come back)
Sydney has incredible sights on its doorstep that are perfect for a day trip. In the Blue Mountains, Katoomba is just an hour-and-a-half from the city. Here you can enjoy stunning scenery on one of the area's many bushwalks. Hikers are advised to carry a map and plenty of water. Alternatively, a two-hour drive north from the city will take you to the vineyards of the Hunter Valley, where you can sample the region's famous semillon and shiraz. Day seven: Spend, eat, spend
Paddington Markets (395 Oxford St.), held every Saturday, features more than 150 stalls from designers, local artists and jewelers. The weekly Glebe Markets (40 Glebe Point Road) offers a mix of secondhand clothing, books and furniture, with live music helping to create a festival atmosphere. Sydney's markets also have something for food lovers, with Sydney Fish Market (Bank Street, Pyrmont) offering visitors a chance to watch live wholesale auctions before eating the freshest seafood in town. The monthly Pyrmont Growers' Market (Pyrmont Bay Park, Pirrama Road) features seasonal fruit and vegetables as well as live chef demonstrations. More on CNN: Trash and treasure: 5 Sydney flea markets    |
| History and great buys in Okinawa's Tsuboya Pottery District Posted: 24 Feb 2013 04:10 PM PST
But it does have its share of charming nooks and crannies. One of them is the centrally located Tsuboya Pottery District. "People from mainland Japan come here to get gifts," says my guide, Keiko Gibo, as we stroll along the winding, coral-and-limestone-paved Tsuboya Yachimun Street. "Okinawan pottery is well known. And it's very good quality." Long historyThe origins of this area date to the 17th century. At the time, craftsmen and pottery kilns were spread out across Okinawa. The administration of the former Ryukyu Kingdom decided to centralize the industry in Naha.
That continued for about 300 years until the 1970s, when many in the industry had to relocate again because the smoke from the concentration of kilns was having a negative impact on Naha's air quality. But the legacy of that period endures. Just off Tsuboya Yachimun Street, Gibo shows me the remains of a crumbling kiln, sheltered by a traditional red-tiled roof. Several cylindrical-shaped pots lean against a tree. Another tree sits atop a pile of broken wares, its twisted mass of roots seeming to hold hundreds of fragments together. Stores galore
Our first stop is Guma Guwa, a shop so small it can fit fewer than a dozen people. Glazed mugs, bowls, plates and pitchers line the shelves, some bearing delicately painted designs. Guma Guwa and its sister shop, Kamany, are operated by Ikutouen, a family-run business that's been making earthenware for six generations and which offers pottery lessons. We reach Ikutouen's hilltop location after walking down a quiet back alley.
We also wander through nearby Yonaha, which specializes in shisa, the Ryukyuan statue that looks like the product of a lion and dog coupling. People in Okinawa place pairs of shisa -- one with an open mouth and one with a closed mouth -- on their roofs or beside the gates to their homes to ward off evil.
In this district you'll also find Chatarol Cafe, a hole-in-the-wall that offers tasty meals, desserts and coffee. It's here I meet Jonas and Jutta Martens, honeymooners from Finland enjoying a quiet moment filling out postcards to send back home. "It looks really cozy," Jonas says of the Tsuboya Pottery District. "It's more traditional Okinawa than what we've seen in the bigger parts of the city."    |
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