This summer, Polo Lifestyles’ Giulia Di Palma had the opportunity to interview Luke Sandys-Renton of Brighton Polo Club, where he is the Club Founder, outgoing Team President and National University Polo Representative. His passion for the sport of kings is obvious and his enthusiasm and kindness made us very happy to get to know him a little bit better. GDP: When did you start to play polo? LSR: I first tried polo when I was at Hurstpierpoint College; however, I only started playing competitively when I went to University. After subbing in to play for University of Kent during my first year, I founded the University of Brighton Polo Team three years ago. GDP: How did your University supp

When I was tasked with writing a column on spirituality, mysticism, and all things Divine and Cosmic, my mind reeled. I found a way to quiet that critical part of my ego that never fails to tell me what I can and can’t do, and methodologically set about on the task ahead. How would I explain to a sophisticated and rational mind that our relationship with the Cosmic and Divine are the most important things we can cultivate for ourselves, and for others? I wanted these answers to be without excessive explanations. I needed to show that it is of a visceral nature, pure, and wholly ethereal - like the way the sun and the moon hang across from one another every day and every night, in a perfect

The great Nelson Mandela once said, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he-who-does-not-feel-afraid, but he-who-conquers-that-fear.” With the word fear, people think of spiders, or arachnophobia, but also the negative connotations that come with the word. What we fail to realize is that fear is a natural human emotion that all individuals experience. Although it may be unpleasant, fear does not have to be something that holds us back. We can use fear to step outside our comfort zone, we can use fear to motivate us, and we can use fear to gain life experiences. Will Smith once said, “God placed the best things in life are on the

Do you feel sore, stiff, exhausted, and broken down after every workout? If this is you, or even if this is not you, start paying attention to your recovery tactics with superior attentiveness. Resistance training and other variations of fitness and athletic training can cause elevated levels of cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone that leads to depression and cell destruction (catabolic). Training can also lead to extreme levels of lactic acid and/or hydrogen ion build up, which causes immediate and delayed fatigue. Lastly, training can lead to inelasticity within the soft tissue, tendons, and ligaments by training within a short range of motion (ROM), training with improper technique, a

Singapore may have a famous skyline -- made even more recognizable by this month's blockbuster "Crazy Rich Asians" -- but it’s hard to distinguish the best rooftop restaurants in Singapore. The city is so bright and vivid, so full of energy and countless forms of entertainment, shopping and dining venues, that is hard to simply choose one or two… or three or four. That’s why we’ve decided to bring to you a list of five fantastic places where you can indulge in traditional Asian cuisine or a fusion-driven dish or two. Polo Lifestyles’ contributor and The Rooftop Guide CEO Hans Ebenman’s top five choices for a dinner way up high in the Singapore sky follow. ORGO ROOFTOP RESTAURANT Orgo is the

With a 100% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, “Crazy Rich Asians” was well on its way to an epic opening when it premiered August 15. But it was a long time coming. The last big movie that told a story about Asian Americans, “The Joy Luck Club,” came to theaters in 1993. 25 years later, “Crazy Rich Asians,” which is based on the 2013 novel by Kevin Kwan, is the first-ever all-Asian romantic comedy made by a major studio. Kwan is from Singapore, where the film takes place, and said that everything described in his books — including a fish getting cosmetic surgery — is completely real. Kwan has spoken to every major media outlet about the pressures of this historic achievement, how his book s

Few things in life are as exciting as the idea of traveling somewhere else—with a bespoke Louis Vuitton trunk. About 30 minutes from Paris, in its special-order workshop at Asnières-sur-Seine, lies the heart and soul of Louis Vuitton. This is where LV transforms the desires of its travel-loving clients into reality—explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza’s famous bed trunk, the Maharajah of Baroda’s tea trunk, Ernest Hemingway’s library trunk, and Greta Garbo’s shoe trunk. To this day, key pieces are created in this shrine to the art of travel: rigid trunks, designs in rare or exotic leathers, as well as special orders such as skateboard trunks, iPad trunks or even one-off violin trunks. Whate

From Amedeo Modigliani and Vincent Van Gogh, to Frida Kahlo and Jean Michel Basquiat - I have long pondered how some of the most iconic artists endured such profound personal trauma, and whether perhaps conversely, it was this deep affinity with pain that inspired their masterpieces. The notion of the tortured artist is far from a new one, in fact, it’s probably as old as art itself. As such, there are several schools of thought on whether an artist can truly even be considered great if they have never loved and lost, or indeed experienced some form of debilitating vulnerability. Whilst the jury is still out on this age old debate, one artist who is not a stranger to battling with the de

I have a sister. Our relationship is the one that gives me the most grief and the most pleasure. She has this weird ability to brutally put me in check while being my biggest supporter. That bothered immensely me growing up. But I now realize that only a sibling can serve you the whole truth and nothing but the truth on a shiny silver platter. And that is priceless. I have personally known Roberta and Sarah for a large part of my life and it is apparent that their bond is similar to that of mine and my sister’s. Yet it is interesting how observing other pairs of sisters continually gives fresh perspectives on my relationship with mine. The relationship with a sister is the most significan

SEATTLE, Wash. – Cameron Smith’s cell phone wouldn’t stop ringing. “What’s the weather doing? It is raining there?” Blame the weather forecast for Seattle on August 11: rain, rain, and more rain. “Bright and sunny – see you soon,” Smith, the tournament director, replied to every inquiry; but to his team of staff and volunteers he countered: “Don’t tell anyone it’s raining! It’s gonna clear up before the gates open.” The dark clouds rolling in over Enumclaw, Wash., home to the Seattle Polo & Equestrian Club (SPEC), weren’t so convincing. Minutes later the sky opened up and soaked the entire set up. We huddled in the Frederique Constant VIP Tent, a 30x30 tent with a bar, display cases of fin

From a family of polo players is born Barbados’ first eventing equestrian team. Founded by Monique Bjerkhamn Archer, the three-person team that includes her daughter Zoe, competed in and finished in third place at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Colombia last month. Zoe delayed her freshman year of university to train for the three-part series that composes eventing: dressage, cross-country and show jumping. The Games, which were held on a military equestrian base outside of Bogotá in July, saw established teams from Central America and the Caribbean compete fiercely for medals and qualifications; none more so than the team from Barbados. Led by Coach Joss Gray of the UK, Moniq