Cultural

November - December 2019

FUSION
THE
NEW YORK
TIMES
STYLE
MAGAZINE

OF THE

ILLUSTRIOUS
PLACES QATAR WANDERLUST

A Kingdom Up in The Sky

With monasteries sitting pretty at an altitude of 3,000 meters,
here’s a chance to look at the world from up in the sky.
By Debrina Aliyah
Photographs by Chan Mei Ling

ON A CLEAR DAY, the snow-capped mountains of Everest seem to young generation, monks included, with a communication
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float in the sky when viewed from an elevation of 3,000 meters.
To the naked eye, the powder-white peaks appear as clouds that
hover majestically over the Himalayan ranges which a nation of
very happy people have called home for the past one thousand
five hundred years. In a country with no traffic lights, where
chilies are a national obsession and the conventional GDP marker
has been replaced with a Gross National Happiness index, it is
tempting to illustrate Bhutan as just a destination of fun facts. But
for this remote Buddhist kingdom where centuries-old culture
and tradition are still very much part of daily life, its history of
uninterrupted sovereignty is a valuable lesson on embracing
modernity without compromising on identity.
Though the World Wide Web and television arrived in Bhutan
only two decades ago, mobile data coverage across the
mountainous country is impressively efficient, equipping the
channel to the world. With just a little over seven hundred
thousand inhabitants, more than 70 percent of the country is
covered by forests resulting in a negative carbon footprint, an
achievement that the government has pledged to maintain as part
of its mission to be the world’s first 100 percent organic nation.
Agriculture is rooted in traditional farming techniques with little
use of pesticides or industrial practices making the shift to
sustainability and organic processes a breeze.
As a parliamentary monarchy, both the king and the chief
monk are still very much revered for their roles within a social
and religious context. Through the lush green valleys dotted with
historic fortresses and shrines, and the mountains where
colorful prayer flags fly high, it’s the experience of
Zhiwa Ling hotel was
meeting monks, nuns, farmers and artisans that helps constructed over five
define this enigmatic nation. years with nearly all
details finished by hand.
 STAY
Zhiwa Ling Hotel An architectural gem envisioned by
architect Peter Kampf, nearly every part of the hotel is
handmade, from the massive hand-carved wooden beams
to the colorful hand-painted ceilings and walls by sixty
local artisans over the span of five years. Its main lodge
and cottages, featuring 44 rooms, are set in a lush
landscape in the hills of the Himalayas. The hotel’s private
temple was constructed using 450-year-old wood sourced
from one of Bhutan’s most sacred sites, the Gangtey
Goemba monastery, where guests can experience rituals
including decorating ritual cakes to offer to deities.
Satsam Chorten, Paro.
www.zhiwaling.com
Taj Tashi Nestled in the valley where the Wang Chu river
runs, the property is a great base to explore the Thimphu
region, home to some of the kingdom’s most revered
monasteries. Taj Tashi mirrors the architecture of the
country’s traditional fortresses with interiors adorned by
classical hand-painted Buddhist murals. Sixty-six rooms
and suites overlook the mountains while the spa offers
guests the opportunity to try a traditional hot stone bath.
Unwind with a drink on the terrace and take in the
spectacular view of traditional homes perched on the
mountains. Samten Lam, Chubachu, Thimphu.
www.tajhotels.com
Gangtey Lodge A 12-room lodge built to recreate
traditional Bhutanese farmhouses with a strong focus on
green operational practices. Designed by Mary Lou
Thomson, the property’s common spaces were conceived
to carefully frame the panoramic views of the Gangtey
Valley with floor-to-ceiling windows. With ultra-mod
fittings and amenities, the lodge finds a perfect fit with
luxury travelers but integrates into its surroundings
through sustainable architecture. The rooms feature
artefacts and ornaments sourced from local homes. Just
under the Monastery, Phobjikha Valley.
www.gangteylodge.com
PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHAN MEI LING
DO
Tiger’s Nest Monastery It is no coincidence that all the
monasteries were constructed on dangerously steep
mountains or impossible cliffs as the journey to the sacred
sites is considered a laborious test to be passed before
being allowed to ask for blessings. The Tiger’s Nest
monastery in Paro is probably the most symbolic
monument of the kingdom both for religious pilgrims and
visitors, requiring up to four hours of uphill ascent to
arrive at the site depending on fitness levels. It is home to
precious relics and invaluable temples. Take in the views
and relish the mystical legends that surround the stone
mountain where the monastery sits. Earth Cultures.
www.earthcultures.co.uk
Punakha Dzong Built at the confluence of two major
rivers, the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu, which converge in the
Punakha Valley, the fortress was the administrative seat
when the region served as the capital of the country from
1637 to 1907. Home to a hundred-pillar hall featuring
exquisite murals, the fortress gives an understanding of
Bhutanese carved woodwork and art. Punakha Dzong is
notable for containing the preserved remains of
Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the unifying leader of
Bhutan, as well as a sacred relic known as the Ranjung
Karsapani. Central Punakha. +975 17676729
Phobjikha Village Just beyond the famed Gangtey
Monastery in the Phobjikha Valley lies its namesake
village. Here, one of the world’s rarest birds, the black-
necked crane, migrates from the arid plains of Tibet to
spend the winter in a milder climate. Phobjikha, at an
altitude of 2,900 m, falls under the district of
Wangduephodrang and lies on the periphery of the Black
Mountain National Park. Visit a traditional farmhouse in
Gangtey Valley and partake in the daily chores of a
Bhutanese household, light butter lamps at the 13th-
century Khewa Lhakang monastery or mountain bike up
the strenuous climbs of Lawa Pass. Yana Expeditions.
www.yanaexpeditions.com
Taj Tashi mirrors the
architecture of the
country’s traditional
35
fortresses.
 Centenary Farmers’ Market To get a glimpse into the country’s
WANDERLUST

initiative in becoming a 100 percent organic nation, step inside

the busiest domestic fresh market where apples and puffed rice
are aplenty. Farmers from around the kingdom set up their stalls
every weekend to peddle freshly harvested produce that is
relatively small in size yet full of flavor, a typical indicator of
natural farming methods. Snack on puffed rice and corn flakes
– the natural cereals are among the most widely consumed grain
products here. www.cfmthimphu.com

EAT

Folk Heritage Museum Restaurant Try Eema datshi, a simple

dish of chilies with yak cheese that is a national staple present at
PLACES QATAR

every meal. Eaten with red rice or buckwheat pancake, the

creaminess of the dairy mellows the spiciness of the local chilies.
The restaurant serves traditional-style dishes including braised
beef and stewed potatoes in cheese. Make room for exceptional
buckwheat cookies and take away homemade jams and dried
fruits. Kawajangsa, Thimphu. +975 02334637

Zombala Momos are dumplings of Central Asian origin, and here

in Bhutan they are stuffed with cheese, beef or vegetables. The
locals flock to Zombala where the queues can get testy during
the weekend for the both the deep-fried and steamed versions. A
cheap and cheerful local dive near Hong Kong Market – get ready
to jostle for a seat. Doendrup Lam, +975 2 324 307.
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Clockwise from bottom-left: Ema

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHAN MEI LING

datshi, a local staple of chilies and

yak cheese; multi-colored wood
frontages, small arched windows,
and sloping roofs define the
architecture; a stall at the Centenary
Market peddling freshly harvested
apples.

WHAT’S ON
YOUR
PLATE?
A LARGE MURAL OF ARNOLD
SCHWARZENEGGER in his early
bodybuilding days adorns the
cement-finish wall at the entrance of
the open kitchen of Henem Chaar and
Matt Bolton’s bistro, just 100 meters
away from the black sandy beach of
Canggu, in the hip southern region of
Indonesia’s famed Bali island. The
stylized pop art is just the kind of
inspiration you would expect to see at
Macro Kitchen, the couple’s new
fitness venture in Asia. Here,
Schwarzenegger is holding a fork in his
right hand and a huge stalk of broccoli
in his left while flexing in his signature
bodybuilding side chest pose. “He
knew what nutrition was,” Bolton says.
“That physique was built on good old
solid knowledge of eating right.”
This is the philosophy that brought
On the island of Bali, two nutritionists
dish out burgers that fit your macros.
Text and Photos By Debrina Aliyah
Macro Kitchen to life, a nutrition-based eatery
founded on the couple’s obsessive search for the
right food to feed their lifestyles. Opened last
spring, the bistro serves a menu of well-loved
classics executed with macro-nutrient
compositions in mind. Fresh ingredients are key
with a cue from the locality – think dragon fruits
and tempeh – but it is the quality of the macro-
nutrient sources that the kitchen is most
concerned with. “In pursuit of optimal health,
these nutrients have to come from the cleanest
sources, hence our menu is crafted only from
organic meat, free range eggs, cold-pressed oils
and natural sweeteners,” explains Chaar. “And
thanks to the bountiful local produce, we are able
to use banana and cassava flour in addition to
oatmeal instead of wheat.”
From early morning right up to late afternoon,
the kitchen dishes out sweet and savory pancakes,
protein bowls and porridges, tacos, salads and
burgers in addition to a whole concoction of shakes
FOOD MATTERS
and smoothies. The Tutti Fruity
pancake is served with a generous
drizzle of dragon fruit sauce and
coconut flakes, the Fragglerock bowl
is a nutrient-packed punch of kale and
spinach goodness, while the Look
Who’s Talking taco wraps coconut-
marinated chicken in a wholesome
sweet potato tortilla. The portions are
generous, and the repertoires look
almost too delectable for a health-
food joint. “Have we discovered the
magic?” Bolton jokes. The key lies in
the couple’s nutritional knowledge
training that has allowed them to
fine-tune recipes in the right
macronutrient proportions that
support health and fitness
objectives. Chaar is Nutritional The Desperate Dan
burger with charcoal
Coaching Institute Level 1 bun and slow-
certified while Bolton has
45
cooked pulled beef.
FOOD MATTERS

certifications specializing in nutrition,

hormone, strength and conditioning
training. “Next to every item on our
menu, we list the count of protein, fats
and carbohydrates. Although different
people require different daily intakes,
our dishes are designed with a
well-balanced composition of the
three macros ensuring that you feel
satiated and well fueled,” Chaar
explains.
The macros on the menu are the
reason why the bistro has become a
favorite haunt of the island’s fitness
community. For the substantial
THINGS QATAR

demographic of digital nomads who

either live in Bali seasonally or
permanently, fitness and surfing are
important pasttimes that are well
complemented by a considered diet.
“Some already have an idea of what
and how they need to eat so they
know what to order based on the
macros of our dishes,” Chaar says.
“For others, it’s always a fun
experience introducing the idea that
food is made of nutrient blocks and
we always encourage them to DIY
something, like our customizable
porridge so they get a feel of how it
works.”
For a comprehensive nutritional
solution, the kitchen also offers weekly
or monthly meal plans that are
completely customized to the
individual’s macronutrient
requirements. Prepared fresh and
delivered to the client daily, the
service is offered with a pre-
consultation to determine how the
meals can fit into the client’s daily life.
“We pride ourselves on creating a
culture that is sustainable and getting
people to understand that a
purposeful diet is not a fad. It is
something that you learn so you can
put into practice for the rest of your
life, we hope,” Bolton explains.
Before moving to Bali, Chaar and
Bolton had spent half a decade in Clockwise from top-left: A make-your-
own porridge bowl where you get to
Qatar where they individually pick flavors; Bolton and Chaar have
pursued careers in sports and fitness.
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over 20 years of combined experience

Though their time in the desert city
has been rewarding where they
worked with clients of diverse
nationalities and background, they
felt the yearning for a more pared
down and relaxed existence. They
knew their expertise and passion in
fitness and health could be useful
anywhere in the world and, after
several trips to Asia, Chaar knew that
they would find a fit among the new
generation of global nomads. “If only I
could explain the feeling that ran
through me, the first time I cruised
down a chaotic Balinese street on a
in health and fitness; house-style nut
butters on-the-go; the Tutti Fruity
pancake with almond and coconut
flakes, chia coconut yogurt and honey.
scooter knowing that I am heading into a new chapter and
working on something that truly matters to me,” she says.
The new rhythm of life has given the two the freedom to
specialize further in the field of functional sports and
performance nutrition. Chaar recently attained a podium finish
in the Jakarta Wod Off, a functional fitness throwdown, and
Bolton is now coaching at Crossfit Wanderlust, one of Asia’s most
recognizable fitness collectives just a couple of miles away from
their bistro. “There’s a growing shift towards nutrition-based
eating here and we are ready to embrace what’s to come next,”
Chaar says.
 MARKET REPORT

Tech Savvy
Sleek accessories put the luxe in geeky
essentials.
By Debrina Aliyah
Clockwise from top-left: Gold lanyard, QR420, Chaos, AirPod
straps, QR220, Le Pom Pom, Speaker, QR1000, Bang & Olufsen,
Phone case, QR3,105, Rosantica, Charging pad, QR1,963,
Hadoro, Charging kit, QR3,446, Berluti, Phone dock, QR520,
Native Union
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHAOS; LE POM POM; BANG & OLUFSEN; ROSANTICA; HADORO;
BERLUTI; NATIVE UNION

49
 In its sixth year, a film festival continues
IN FASHION

Waris Dirie, founder

the increasingly relevant dialogue of the Desert
between fashion and social issues. Flower Foundation,
highlights women’s
issues at the
By Debrina Aliyah Fashion Film
Festival Milano.
THINGS QATAR

Cinematic IT BEGAN SOMETIME during the rise of social video streaming

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platforms, where visually engaging short clips became the très

chic way to communicate fashion concepts over traditional
printed pages. Among the pioneers were the eccentric Italian

Voices in
house Miu Miu which launched a series of short fashion films PHOTO COURTESY OF FASHION FILM FESTIVAL MILANO
based on abstract storylines but rich in aesthetics where the
clothes spoke the loudest. And it was around this time that
Constanza Cavalli Etro realized how quickly the new medium
had gained ground through social media. “Short attention-
grabbing videos that can be shared with just a click. It was as if

Fashion
the fashion narrative that had gone dusty for a bit has found a
brand-new way to come back to life,” says the communication
consultant who then kickstarted the Fashion Film Festival
Milano – its first edition in 2014 took place concurrently with
Milan Fashion Week and featured stalwarts like Wes Anderson
and Roman Polanski.
 While big houses dominated the headlines in
earlier editions, it has always been Etro’s vision
to steer the festival as a platform for new and
emerging talents to showcase their work on
an equal footing as the greats. “I see it as a big
cultural meeting point, where works from all
over the world from both new and established
talents present different viewpoints, aesthetics,
narratives and stylistic codes,” she explains. From
the very beginning, the festival has always had
an open-door policy where film submissions and
screenings are free of charge, allowing the public
to participate in the programs as opposed to the
“invite-only” norm of fashion week. “We want
everyone to experience fashion in a new way and
by using a familiar channel like cinema, it is the
perfect vehicle to democratize an industry that
has long been considered snobbish,” Etro says.
“A fashion film is a cinematographic experience
that enlarges our vision of the world and of the
contemporaneity; it is the new communication
medium used by fashion to express itself in the
digital era.”

From top: In conversation This year’s edition flew the inclusiveness flag high with a
with Kiera Chaplin, who
special focus on women’s rights and eco-sustainability, issues that
represented the Desert
Flower Foundation at the have been much discussed within the industry in recent times.
Fashion Film Festival Milano; The festival’s official selections, previews, conversation panels,
Constanza Cavalli Etro
and program content have been geared to create awareness on
founded the festival in 2014
with a vision of inclusiveness. initiatives supporting women and the environment including
the much-talked-about Peter Lindbergh: Women’s Stories
documentary. With these two themes at its heart, the festival
started receiving submissions for its official screening and annual
competition in March this year. “There were entries from over
fifty countries, a testament to the festival having grown to be a
constant exchange of global artistic expressions, idioms, voices
and experiences,” Etro says. Giorgio Armani headed the 2019 jury
panel which included Vicente Todoli, artistic director of the Pirelli
Hangar Bicocca Foundation, Waris Dirie, founder of the Desert
Flower Foundation, and Oskar Metsavaht, conscious fashion and
sustainable luxury advocate. “We brought together prominent
personalities from different fields to be able to select films that are
truly diverse and representative. And as for Armani, I would say
he was among the first who created the dialogue between cinema
and fashion with his work in the movie American Gigolo. He
understood even then that these two worlds can come together to
create an engaging and relevant narrative,” Etro explains.
Over two hundred films were selected for official screenings
while fifteen were awarded in categories that included Best
Green Fashion Film, Best Documentary and Best Director. Emily
Ford-Haliday won the Best New Fashion Film category for her
documentary, Fashion In the Dark, a project that explored fashion
and identity with people who are blind or visually impaired. “I
PHOTOS COURTESY OF FASHION FILM FESTIVAL MILANO

am encouraged and proud to be a part of such an amazing and

unique festival that actively celebrates and promotes diversity,
sustainability and inclusion through fashion film,” Ford-Haliday
says of her award. Body positive womenswear brand FantaBody
was awarded Best New Italian Designer for its dance video Body
Confy Dance directed by Enea Colombi and the brand’s founder
Carolina Amoretti. “It’s all about being comfortable in your own
body and allowing it to move freely,” Amoretti says.
“Beyond the films and videos, the festival is very social and
informative because the films are a means to starting important
conversations on contemporary issues,” Etro explains. With
the support of major players in the Italian fashion community,
51
IN FASHION
THINGS QATAR

Clockwise from top left:

Behind the scenes of Fashion
in the Dark; a jumpsuit from
Fantabody; Metsavaht
promotes socio
environmental practices
through awareness; Mark
Bozek, producer of “The
Times of Bill” presents the
European premiere of the
documentary at the festival.

the festival presented a series of talks featuring

influential personalities with topics ranging from
independent publishing for females to the future
of fashion films in the modern landscape. Dirie
alongside activist Kiera Chaplin also presented a
dialogue on the initiatives that the Desert Flower
Foundation has been pursuing to create awareness
against female genital mutilation around the world.
On the green side, Metsavaht in conversation with
fashion sustainability expert Hakan Karaosman
discussed the relationship between nature and
fashion while introducing the premiere of the
documentary ASAP – As Sustainable As Possible, As
Soon As Possible.
Etro sees the 2019 edition as the springboard to
the festival’s future. Having moved from its annual
September schedule to November, it has come into
its own without having to ride on the city’s fashion
week calendar. It is now the largest festival of its
kind in the world, and with its continuous open-

PHOTOS COURTESY OF EMILY FORD-HALIDAY; FANTABODY; FASHION FILM FESTIVAL MILANO

door policy, it’s set to make a mark for both the
fashion and cinematic industry.
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