Packing For A Resort Getaway

I travel a fair bit, racking up over 40 flights so far this year alone, so packing is something that I know a little about.

With a trip to the incredible W Retreat on Koh Samui, it’s the perfect time to put down a few recommendations about how to pack your bags for that all important resort getaway.

Pen – You will have to fill out numerous forms during your international transiting, and no one will have a pen you can borrow. A cheap black biro kept with your passport and travel documents works best

Flight Socks – Yes they may look silly combined with sandals (gentlemen you should not be wearing sandals at the airport) but they will help your legs from swelling up and prevent the possibilities of Deep Vein Thrombosis, a nasty complication that causes clotting in your veins

Wear good shoes on the plane – This saves space in your bag for more essentials. AS they say, you should always put your best foot forward.  

Light, playful clothing – Leave the jeans at home and pack light, versatile fabrics that can be matched with a variety of outfits.

Sunblock – Take two types: moisturising high SPF face block to keep you looking young and wrinkle free and waterproof lower SPF for your body.

Shoes in shoe bags – This is as it should always be, plus it will help protect your clothing from your dirty soles.

Bag your delicates – Ladies this one is for you. Using a mesh baggie, plastic sandwich bag or large scarf to contain your delicates not only keeps those sensitive fabrics safe from travel but organized as well.

 

A good book – Sometimes you just need to put the iPhone away and get lost in some literary fantasy.

 Snacks - For when airline food just doesn't cut it.

 

Saville Row, Mumbai

The world wasn't made by men in suits. But a well cut one really helps. And there are no finer suit makers in the world than the tailors of London's Saville Row.

For over a century those seeking out the finest in menswear have traveled to the small street in Mayfair where the craftsmanship of tailoring has reached its zenith.

The attention to detail is staggering. When was the last time your tailor took 35 measurements and asked you back for at least 3 fittings? You really have to see one of these fabric works of art in the flesh to understand the quality of the stitching, button holes and sculpting that goes into each and every suit.

As Saville Row looks to develop its business model into the 21st Century, the Master Tailors of Whitcomb & Shaftesbury have decided to bring their incredible attention to detail and bespoke fittings to India. This means that you can now have the finest suits in the world without having to hop on a plane to London.

Two ranges are offered, the full Saville Row experience where your entire suit is made in England and also a more wallet friendly suit which is stitched together in Chennai by coat-makers that have been through a 3 year training progam in the traditional techniques and expected standards. This isn't the usual cheap labour exercise however as each of the Chennai artisans is an active partner in the business and receive healthcare, education programs for their families and micro-finance loans. Bravo I say chaps!

And in case you were wondering the price of suit perfection, they start at 2,500 Pounds!

Thanks to Augusto Di Giacinto for generously offering his beautiful apartment for the launch and to Manesh Ramakishnan for his eloquent insight into the craftsmanship of Saville Row.

If you want to look like a million dollars, check out: whitcombshaftesbury.com

A most unusual discovery

I'm a self confessed spirits geek. I admit that the words 'small batch' and 'artisanal' excite me.

There are those occasional days when people that don't share my passion surprise me. Today was one of those days.

Whilst setting up a new bar in a 5 star hotel, mention was made of a couple of bottles of 'expensive' Scotch whisky that had been in the stores for a while, but had never sold. Famous names and big numbers were thrown around and a few minutes later two bottles appeared at the bar.

The first bottle, a 1991 bottling of the legendary Glenfiddich 50 (bottle number 475 from a batch of 500 to be exact) complete with box, scroll of authenticity and the other gumph that comes with such bottles is a rare enough find in India.

The second bottle tho. Oh the second bottle! There are cool bottles, sexy brands, products that make bartenders go a little weak at the knees and then there is pure, unadulterated booze porn. The kind of rare bottlings of liquid that you'd sell your first born just to have a taste of and leaves people wondering if there's a Mars bar in your pocket.

In 1926, the Master Distiller at Dalmore distillery (long before Richard Patterson or Vijay Malaya), laid down whisky that would remain in the barrel for 50 years. So in 1976 it had reached perfection and was removed from the barrels, blended and placed into a modest ceramic decanter that couldn't be further removed from the frankly ridiculous crystal decanters that clothe modern bottlings and add a third to the price of the liquid.

A quick scan of the Mc-internet shows a valuation of around $30,000 USD!

So if you're feeling wealthy, perhaps they'll put it on the menu.

Dalmore 50YO Pure Mal

December 1926 to 1976

So I've finally got back to finding enough time to put down a few random scribblings into a blog. I'll be rambling on about what I love the most: cocktails, spirits, clothes and travel.