Picture yourself lying on a beach in the tropics: the clear blue skies, the warm sand between your toes, the cool, soothing fresh air; the sound of the waves rising and falling along the beach front. Sounds relaxing, doesn’t it? Now, maintaining the same setting, imagine your phone ringing nonstop, responding to emails on your computer, or even scrolling through social media with no apparent purpose. Doesn’t sound as relaxing, does it? Whether you are on vacation or at home after a long work week, it is important to find ways to relax, or disconnect, from the distractions that surround you. Recently, I ventured to a local beach one beautiful afternoon to relax and clear my racing mind. I bro

Stress is one of the most devious things that we as human beings can encounter. Not only is stress linked to depression, mood swings and anxiety, but studies show that it leads to increased fat levels. Stress stimulates production of the hormone cortisol, which is linked to muscle breakdown and increased fat accumulation, especially in the belly. In fact, men with more belly fat stimulate more cortisol production. Cortisol is a hormone that is produced within the adrenal gland. Cortisol is stimulated as a result of stress, both physiologically and metabolically. Metabolic stress is caused as a result of vigorous physical exercise. Physiological stress is caused by over-working, having too

‘The fault lies not in our stars, dear Brutus, but in our ‘selves.’” – Julius Caesar Most people are surprised, and sometimes even amused, when I tell them that one of the issues I’m trying to sort through in becoming a better person is my anger. One common stereotype about anger or rage is that it predominantly affects men, or more specifically, anger is only socially acceptable for men to display, since women must be seen in nurturing roles as altruistic peace-makers. In fact, studies have shown that women are afraid of the consequences of displaying anger, so in order to cope, they suppress it, channel it toward something else, or downplay what caused it. Misconceptions aside, anger is

Like photosynthesis, which gives us air to breath, fermentation is one of those simple, yet marvelous chemical processes – a natural miracle one might say, which brings us, in one of its interpretations, a gift of life. Or at least a gift of a better life. Wine. The juice of grapes (or any fruit for that matter) is exposed to yeasts. Yeasts, which occur in plentitude in nature, have a bit of a sweet tooth – sugar is what they thrive on and grapes offer an abundance of it. While chomping on all this sweetness, yeasts convert sugars into alcohol releasing heat and carbon dioxide as byproducts. The more sugar gets devoured, the higher alcohol level in the resulting juice. It’s as simple as tha

Years ago, I learned of the Mona Lisa effect – the phenomenon in which portraits appear to direct their gaze at the viewer and follow them almost regardless of where they are positioned with respect to the painting. My initial reaction upon reading about this effect was one of generous skepticism and disbelief. That was until I visited the Musée du Louvre, and locked eyes with the mythical muse who has captured the hearts and minds of countless spectators since she was immortalized by Leonardo da Vinci in 1503. Fast forward to 2019, when I recently found myself gripped by the same eerie effect after coming face to face with a striking portrait of the Honorable Marcus Garvey at a private vi

For years, when critics referenced fashion in the tropics, it all came down to white linen, toes-out footwear and sunglasses. Not anymore. Here in the heart of the Caribbean, we are catching up to high resort trends from fashion's sunny capitals. In the Caribbean, we have our own aesthetics, our own style insight and we’re loud about it. It’s an aggressive and in-your-face kind of thing. We wear bold prints, especially African- and Caribbean-inspired. Some like to either stay true to traditional type of dressing under the sun while otherslove to experiment with colors, prints (more quiet ones) and textures. Adding some high fashion flair to their style in order to stay original is a growing

If someone asks me what truly made me fall in love with fashion, my answer would be: one exhibition of over 500 pieces and 200 haute couture gowns. It all began a few weeks ago as I, along with hundreds of other fashion-seeking women, descended upon the world’s leading museum of art and design. With our tailored jackets and classic handbags in arm, we anxiously gathered at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum for an event worthy of a trip across the pond. We were all there for the highly anticipated Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition, an expansion on last year’s couture exhibition in Paris and an experience that promised some serious wow-factor. The presentation of rare couture gar

Featuring Aida Jahic, Mailis Febrissy and Orane Ragot. Photographed by Claire Barrett. Styled by Polo Lifestyles.

The Role of Charitable Giving & Philanthropy in Rebuilding St-Barths You are no doubt familiar with the concept of “It takes a village.” Perhaps your reference point is the originating African proverb. Perhaps its from the 1996 book by former US First Lady Hillary Clinton. Whatever the case, the underlying sentiment is the same: the best problem-solving requires collective action by all members of a community. And in the case of addressing the unprecedented devastation wreaked upon St-Barths when Hurricane Irma unleashed her wrath on September 6, 2017, it has truly taken a village – in this case, an island – to bring the Caribbean paradise back. In this month’s focus on philanthropy, we look

ST-BARTHS GUIDE: SIX SPAS FOR TOTAL REJUVENATION Sisley Spa Hotel Christopher Spa Le Sereno Le Sereno Cheval Blanc Spa Cheval Blanc St-Barths Isle de France Le Barth Spa & Blow Dry Bar Le Barthelemy Spa by Clarins Le Guanahani (Opening late 2019) In-Room Spa Treatments Eden Rock (Opening late 2019)

Either rebuilt or brand new, 10 of St-Barths' exclusive hotels deliver five stars Hotel Christopher Located on St. Barths’ northern coast, Hotel Christopher provides luxury-seekers with an intimate getaway. Each of the 42 guest rooms and suites features neutral decor with pops of bright orange throughout and comes outfitted with a private terrace, free Wi-Fi, a minibar and Sisley toiletries. Visitors leave this Preferred LVX hotel feeling completely relaxed as a result of the property›s isolated location. High-end amenities like the full-service Sisley Spa and the stunning seaside infinity pool are bound to help you unwind, while the two on-site dining venues, Christo Lounge Restaurant an

Putting a Face on Concierge Services Today’s market for concierge services demands the highest attention given to the smallest detail. And in the world of luxury villa rentals, concierge reputation is everything. West Indies Management Co., or simply WIMCO, whose portfolio of properties in St-Barths continues to become more and more luxurious, found that making concierge services more personable is key to happy, returning customers. “At WIMCO, our principle of concierge service is to form a bond with and be accountable personally to clients,” explains WIMCO president Stiles Bennet, who’s been with the company for 11 years. “From behind the traditional hotel desk, to your front door deliveri

Often reduced to one line on a menu or review, St-Barths' Chefs are driving forces behind renewal Around 10pm we headed to our dinner reservation at L’Espirit in La Saline at the recommendation of our WIMCO concierge. The narrow and winding roads between Flamands and La Saline felt devilishly exciting in the pitch black. L’Espirit, in the dark, was a bit innocuous from the street parking, but once inside, a warm ambiance was cultivated with gorgeous greenery, rough cut lumber, chic white table cloths, furniture from local boutiques and the welcoming ways of our host Chef Jean-Claude Dufour. We started with a Jeroboam of Rose and small plates of appetizers. Never one to shy away from the loca

Since the ‘90s, Le Ti has hosted a nightly cabaret show centered around outrageous costumes, Jeroboams of champagne and celebrity guests. The costume room is stocked with wigs, crowns, masks, hats and accessories to borrow for the evening. We decked out our table mates as pirates, Rastas and ladies in the court of Marie Antoinette. Excellent food accompanies a rip-roaring good time. Other venues boasting nightlife include Shellona, La Guerite and Ociela.

Ah, fine dining: the joys and the frustrations. Sumptuous bites and novel entrées. Navigating the process of getting the table you want with the maître d’hotel. Wine pairings and specialty cocktails de la maison. St-Barths is a haven for all of the above, and with a few perennial favorites and fresh, can’t-miss hot spots, you definitely won’t go hungry or dissatisfied. Armed with our knowledgeable and connected WIMCO concierge Jules, we planned out our dining reservations daily based on Jules’ insider information as well as holiday schedules (we visited St-Barths over Mardi Gras). From fresh and light beach-front service at Shellona to unexpected Thai fusion food at Black Ginger and late-nig

SALINE BEACH A long, deep virgin beach undisturbed by development. Pack a picnic. COLOMBIER BEACH The most famous and a tour boat stop FLAMANDS BEACH Peaceful turf near Cheval Blanc Isle de France ST-JEAN BEACH The busiest, most popular beach in St-Barths situated at the end of the airport runway LORIENT BEACH A favorite beach for surfers and those wanting surf lessons SHELL BEACH A peaceful and popular retreat a few minutes outside of Gustavia GOUVERNEUR BEACH Boasting dramatic landscapes and water color GRAND CUL-DE-SAC Perfect winds for kite surfing and shallow waters make it family friendly TOINY BEACH A tucked away and undeveloped sanctuary

ARRIVE (AND DEPART) IN VIP STYLE One of the services we always opt for in St-Barths is VIP arrival and departure with St-Barths Services. Brice Cagan, who's been our VIP handler for decades, strongly recommended our arrival and departure vis-a-vis San Juan, Puerto Rico. The jet charter service serving the San Juan to St-Barths route, Tradewind Aviation, had excellent reviews from everyone. "It's the new way to go," said Stiles Bennet, president of WIMCO. As it turned out, our group of 11 was split between arrivals in San Juan and St-Marten. All on different flights and many on different days. "No problem," said Brice. "Send me the information." There is simply no other way to start or end y

Surrounded by sparkling blue water, the island of St-Barthelemy, or St-Barths as it’s better known, first appeared as a speck on the horizon from the window of our Tradewind Aviation jet that took off from San Juan only 45 minutes earlier. Descending closer, we circled the tiny island once as the pilot informed us that afternoon winds dictate an alternative landing pattern on the super-short runway at the Gustavia (SBH) airport. The typical landing pattern is a westward approach over the harbor of the perennially chic Gustavia and small mountain range that separates downtown from Saint-Jean. Once the planes are just over the grassy green peaks of Saint-Jean, they descend rapidly, nearly graz

It was an excellent day for polo fans at the Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club during the Silver Cup Final 2019. Attended by His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum, spectators were treated to a brilliant display of the Sport of Kings as the UAE Polo competed with Ghantoot Polo for the Silver Cup title and trophy. Guests of the Final enjoyed watching from the sidelines under gazebos while the little ones got on free pony rides and played in the kids area. Prizes with a total value of AED 10,500 were given away to fortunate guests at the Run-N-Hunt game and the picnic area was in full swing with vendors serving delicious treats. The Final of the Silver Cup 2019 was intense, fast-paced,

St-Barths’ Mardi Gras, locals promised, was a familial Carnaval in true Caribbean fashion. Every shop and business closed by 2 pm in order to participate. Carnaval began in the heat of the day and finished that evening at Le Ti St-Barths. The parade brought out groups of friends and family in coordinated costumes: traditional and national costumes mixed with super hero themes, a little BDSM, and more. The industries of the island and their lavish floats “chars” complete with blasting music, dancing troupes, confetti and drinks, headlined the Mardi Gras parade.