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Month: August 2019

Prince Albert Foundation says efforts to protect forests should be redoubled amid Amazon fires

by: Cassandra Tanti
27/08/2019

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation has joined a growing chorus across the globe condemning Brazil’s deforestation practices which have contributed to the fires currently raging in the Amazon.

Image Credit: luoman

“The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, which since 2006 has made the preservation of biodiversity and the fight against climate change one of its priority missions, supports or has supported various projects to conserve equatorial forests in Latin America, Africa and Asia,” Bernard Fautrier, Vice-President and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, told Monaco Life. “It considers the situation in the Amazon, particularly in Brazil, ravaged by very large-scale fires to be extremely worrying.”

Satellite data has recorded more than 41,000 fires in the Amazon region so far this year – more than half of those this month alone. Experts said most of the fires were started by farmers or ranchers clearing existing farmland, supported by Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro who has relaxed the enforcement of laws against deforestation and encouraged mining and farming in the Amazon since his inauguration in January.

NASA’s Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Worldview

“Massive deforestation, a consequence of the policies pursued on Brazilian soil, is an attack on Nature and on the integrity of indigenous communities, which are under increasing pressure,” said Mr Fautrier. “This ‘oxygen reservoir’ represented by the Amazonian forest, essential for the future of our planet, is in great danger.”

Meanwhile, more than 1.8 million acres in nearby Bolivia have burned amid 13,396 fires in August, a 422% increase from the month before, according to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE).

“Far beyond national ownership, Amazonia is a heritage common to all humanity. The current situation should encourage us to redouble our efforts to protect forest ecosystems and continue our mobilisation in favour of territorial management strategies involving indigenous communities and respectful of biodiversity.”

1 in 10 of all known species on the planet live in the Amazon, while 305 indigenous groups depend on the forest and rivers for food and shelter.

Aerial view of the Amazon rainforest

After weeks of devastating fires, world powers are finally mobilising, led by French President Emmanuel Macron who last week hosted the G7 Summit in Biarritz and referred to the Amazon as the “lungs of the planet”. On Sunday, world leaders agreed on a 22 million euro aid package to fight the Amazon fires. But Brazil appears to have rejected that offer, with a senior Brazilian official telling French President Emmanuel Macron to take care of “his home and his colonies”.

“We appreciate [the offer], but maybe those resources are more relevant to reforest Europe,” Onyx Lorenzoni, the chief of staff to President Jair Bolsonaro, told the G1 news website.

The Brazilian presidency confirmed those comments to Agence France-Presse.

Nonetheless, outrage and support continue to mount across the globe, with high-profile personalities contributing to causes that bypass the Brazilian president. The latest is Leonardo DiCaprio who, through the Earth Alliance fund that he set up in July, will donate 5.5 million euros to local groups and indigenous communities as they work to protect the Amazon.

So how can you help? Well, there are a number of ways that you can aid in protecting the rainforest and our planet:

  • Donate to the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundationand support its projects for combating deforestation.
  • Plant a tree as part of the Trees for Water programme, an initiative of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundationand its partner Grow Trees.
  • Donate to the Amazon Forest Fund organised by Leonardo DiCaprio’s Earth Alliance organisation.
  • Donate to Monaco-based association AMLAto help local Bolivians purchase firefighting equipment, dry food, medication and support families in need.
  • Donate to Rainforest Action Network to protect an acre of the Amazonian rainforest.
  • Donate to the Rainforest Trust to help buy land in the rainforest. Since 1988, the organisation has saved over 23 million acres.
  • Reduce your paper and wood consumption.
  • Look for the Rainforest Allianceseal at the shops to know that what you’re buying is considered rainforest-safe. RA is a non-profit organisation made up of companies, farmers and consumers aiming to increase the prevalence of sustainable farming around the world.
  • Reduce your beef intake. Beef found in processed products and fast-food burgers is often linked to deforestation.
  • The World Wide Fund for Nature works to protect the species in the Amazon and around the world.
  • Donate to Amazon Watch, an organisation that protects the rainforest, defends Indigenous rights and works to address climate change.
  • Donate to the Amazon Conservation Team, which works to fight climate change, protect the Amazon and empower Indigenous peoples.
  • Amazon Conservation accepts donations and lists exactly what your money goes toward. You can help plant trees, sponsor education, protect habitats, buy a solar panel, preserve Indigenous lands and more.
  • Donate to One Tree Planted, which works to stop deforestation around the world and in the Amazon Rainforest.
  • Sign Greenpeace’s petition telling the Brazilian government to save the Amazon rainforest and protect the lands of indigenous and traditional communities.

 

Vera crosses line in Palermo-Montecarlo

by: Cassandra Tanti
26/08/2019

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Vera, owned by the Argentinian Miguel Galuccio, was the first yacht to cross the finish line of the XV Palermo-Montecarlo. The 82′ long hull, crewed by Volvo Ocean Race legend Bouwe Bekking and Olympic champion Michele Regolo, crossed the finish line on Friday morning at 5.13am.

Photo: Carloni – Raspar / CVS

The Argentine yacht finished the near 500 nautical mile racecourse in two days, 17 hours and 13 minutes, far above the record established by Esimit Europa 2 in 2015.

In taking line honours, Vera won one of the two challenge trophies up for grabs, the Giuseppe Tasca d’Almerita Trophy in the race organised by the Circolo della Vela Sicilia, in collaboration with the Yacht Club of Monaco and the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.

“We did well because at the start of the race we opted for a different strategic choice to the others, but in those situations, you never know if you made the right choice or not,” Bouwe Bekking said.

“We travelled more miles, but the option paid off in the end. The crew did great work, and we are really stoked with the result that allowed us to cross the finish line first.

“Palermo-Montecarlo is an excellent and perfectly organised race with a spectacular and challenging racecourse. It was the first time in the race for me and I’m really happy to be here.”

Michele Regolo, Italy’s Laser representative at the London 2012 Games, added: “We started well and our navigator, Aksel Maghdal, made a very good move and a choice that paid off.

Thirty miles from the finish line, the wind totally died, and we feared those behind would catch up, but then we found some breeze that fortunately held up to the finish line in Monte Carlo. We are really satisfied with this result.”

The second yacht to finish was the 72-foot Aragon, owned by Arco Van Nieuwland and Andries Verder. They crossed the finish line at 2pm and were followed three minutes later by the 70ft Maxi Adelasia di Torres, owned by Renato Azara.

At 2.05pm, the French IRC 52, Arobas, owned by Gérard Logel and navigated by Eric Drouglaze finished. Arobas was followed by the Estonian Volvo 65 Ambersail2, owned by Linas Ivanauskas, at 2.43pm.

Under the supervision of Race Director Alfredo Ricci, arrivals continued until Monday at midday.

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Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou comments on easyHotel share purchase

by: Cassandra Tanti
24/08/2019

Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou has welcomed a takeover of the hotel arm of his business, saying he is looking forward to working with the consortium to grow his chain of easyHotels threefold across the globe.

Sir Stelios. Photo: Philippe Fitte

Luxumbourg property fund manager ICAMAP had teamed up with Canadian fund Ivanhoe Cambridge for a takeover bid valuing easyHotel at £138.7, and on Wednesday increased its share of 37% to gain control of 50% of the chain.

As company founder and second largest shareholder in easyHotel PLC, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou had earlier asked shareholders to reject the offer of 95p, saying: “My plan was to increase my stake in easyHotel PLC from the current level of 27.5% to just under 30%. However, we managed to find only 10,000 shares at 95p and despite bidding up to 96p we found no other willing sellers at that price. Clearly this … is proof that the real value of an easyHotel share today is well above ICAMAP’s offer.”

However, the board of easyHotel, which offers budget accommodation in 38 cities across the globe including the UK, Spain and Switzerland, considered the bid “fair and reasonable”, allowing the consortium to gain control.

Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou responded exclusively to Monaco Life: “My business model with easyGroup is to cede control of each member of the easy family of brands to other investors (or groups of them if listed on a stock market like easyJet) in return for two things: more capital to grow each business which in turn means more royalty income based on revenues for me as ultimate owner of the easy family of brands.”

The Monaco resident added that with one shareholder just above 50%, he at almost 30% and a free float in between, he is looking forward to working together to grow the business “exponentially”.

“I am simply delighted that ICAMAP and Canadian pension fund Ivanhoe Cambridge think that easyHotel.com is such a great business that they want to invest their big money to build more easyHotels,” he said. “Nobody would be happier when this brand goes from 50 hotels in operation and under construction now to say 150 hotels. It’s good news all round for the easy family of brands www.easy.com.”

 

Superyacht awards to honour design and sustainability

by: Cassandra Tanti
21/08/2019

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Monaco will be rewarding the world’s eco-friendliest luxury vessel at the 6th annual Superyacht Awards this September. Four yachts in total will be commended during the gala ceremony this year, held on the eve of the Monaco Yacht Show.

Photo: MYS

The 6th annual edition of the show’s Superyacht Awards Ceremony will distinguish four spectacular luxury vessels that will make their world debut in Monaco.

The ceremony will be hosted during the MYS Inaugural Gala event that will take place on 24th September at the Yacht Club of Monaco. Attending will be 350 VIP guests from the yachting social elite, owners, business leaders and CEOs of the show’s partners from the luxury industry, by invitation only.

There are four categories of the MYS Superyacht Awards Ceremony: the MYS/RINA Award for the eco-friendliest superyacht, the MYS Interior Design Award, the MYS Exterior Design Award, the MYS Finest New Superyacht Award.

The jury of the MYS Superyacht Awards Ceremony is made up of an eclectic panel of journalists from yachting media who bring with them their expertise and culture to award the greatest superyachts out of the 125 jaw-dropping vessels on display from the following day at the 2019 Monaco Yacht Show.

The list of the participating yachts will be announced from 16th September.

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La Poste Monaco celebrates 25 years of electric fleet

by: Cassandra Tanti
21/08/2019

Before it was fashionable, or even common, La Poste Monaco was delivering mail using eco-friendly vehicles. Now they celebrate a quarter century of clean, green service.

Photo : © Charly Gallo/Communications Department

It all began in the 1990’s, when people were only just cottoning on to the idea of electric vehicles, and La Poste Monaco was one of the first adherents. The cars, made by Volta, weren’t at all like they are today. The range was limited and the designs not exactly sleek, but La Poste Monaco was ideally suited for testing out these cars, as the Principality’s size made the roughly 80km range workable.

Since then much has changed in style and technology, but what has not is La Poste’s commitment to using environmentally-friendly modes of transport. A partnership with Monaco Parking, who provide recharging stations, has helped in this endeavour.

And there are bigger plans in the works. In an interview with Monaco Matin, Frederic Defrance, Logistics Manager of the Monaco La Poste, said that they were considering purchasing an electric truck to handle the 25% yearly increase in parcels needing delivery.

 

Sources: Monacomatin.mc

 

Interview: Stefano Brancato, the legend of Casino Square

by: Cassandra Tanti
20/08/2019

For 150 years the Café de Paris has been at the heart and soul of Monaco. It is here where the first ever Crêpes Suzette was created for the future King of England, and where royalty, heads of state and internationally renowned performers are still drawn to today.

Transformed and renovated regularly since it was founded in 1868 by François Blanc and Prince Charles III of Monaco, the Café de Paris remains firmly rooted in tradition, from its classic interior to the time-honoured menu favouring Mediterranean brasserie cuisine.

On the legendary Parisian terrace and inside the chic retro ‘zodiac’ café are crisp white table cloths and perfectly suited waiters taking incredible care of their clients.

Nurturing this culture of perfection for almost a quarter of a century is Stefano Brancato.

Appointed Director of the Café de Paris in 1995, Stefano leads a brigade of no less than 200 people who are all charged with reflecting the fine image of this prestigious establishment.

“Next year will mark 25 years that I have been the director here, which has been a great pleasure for me,” Stefano tells Monaco Life. “There have been many changes over the years, but we have always tried to keep the soul of the Café de Paris.”

Photo: SBM

That soul lies in Stefano’s incredible attention to detail, which he expects to be replicated by all of his staff. Consistency is everything, and the Italian insists that nothing is left to improvisation.

“We change our menu every three months, with the seasons,” says Stefano. “The chef proposes new dishes and I must always see the plate, to touch and taste each dish, this is the only way. Sometimes we argue because we don’t always agree, but eventually we come to an agreement on what is best for the guest.”

The chef is Frank Lafon, who began working at the Café de Paris when he was just 17 years of age. It seemed only fitting that SBM chose to put one of its most historic and prestigious establishments in the hands of a locally grown chef. In paralell to the specific ‘Parisian brasserie’ quality of the restaurant, which is part of its DNA, the chef is passionate about incorporating regional fare into his dishes, like vegetables from the hinterland and seafood that has been responsibly fished. The café calls it “reassuring, unpretentious cuisine that inspires long-forgotten sensations and pure enjoyment.”

Chef Franck Lafon preparing the famous Crêpes Suzette. Photo: SBM

Unlike the three Michelin-starred restaurant on the opposite side of Casino Square (Alain Ducasse’s Le Louis XV), the Café de Paris is proud to offer simple plates that satisfy the modern appetite and are synonymous with Mediterranean culture.

“Here you can have just one course, something very simple,” explains Stefano. “You don’t need to take three or four gastronomic dishes. You can order, for example, a 700g sole and the flavour comes from the sauce, the seasonal vegetables… it is natural, simple, good food.”

Photo: SBM

A la carte classic starters include house-made foie gras and duck confit with seasonal fruits and wildflowers; smoked salmon with lemon cream; and poached eggs with asparagus, prawns, and crustacean sauce. For mains, there is linguini with clams; Mediterranean sea bass with summer vegetables and extra virgin olive oil; and lamb filet with baked petits farcie and a rich jus.

Guests can also enjoy two courses from the ‘plat du jour’ menu for just €33, giving them a chance to experience this legendary brasserie on Casino Square without breaking the bank.

It is a formula that works well for the iconic establishment, which manages to handle up to 1,000 covers a day in peak season and was voted Best Historic Brasserie in 2018.

Photo: SBM

But there’s more to the Café de Paris than the sun-filled terrace and incredible views of Monte Carlo. Inconspicuously located above is the Salon Bellevue, a popular location for cocktail events, receptions, parties and weddings. It also offers the most incredible view of the Formula One Grand Prix.

“It is very exciting to watch the race from up there,” smiles Stefano. “You see the cars as they slow down coming into Casino Square before firing off again. Combined with the background of the Casino and the Hôtel de Paris, it doesn’t get much better than that.”

At 150-years-old, the Café de Paris is in stark contrast to its newest neighbour, the multi-billion euro One Monte Carlo complex, inaugurated earlier this year. So what does this fierce traditionalist think of the ultra-modern development? “I think that for me the contrast is nice,” reveals Stefano. “People will always have their opinion, and will question the design and proximity of the complex to the other buildings in the square, but I think it is a great vision for Monte Carlo for the next 50 years.”

One Monte Carlo, located in Casino Square. Photo: Monaco Life, all rights reserved

“Of course, the last five years have been difficult with the construction, but it is finished now and, once the gardens are complete, it will be very nice. Plus, with the apartments that they will be renting out, people will stay in Monaco and spend money in Monaco, and that is good for everyone,” concludes the father of three.

Always keen to introduce new, but subtle, elements to the Café de Paris, Stefano reveals that from this summer, chefs are adding a touch of theatre to the dining experience by finishing dishes on the terrace. Furthermore, come winter, they will be preparing the famous Crêpes Suzette in front of guests. Of course, it is here where a waiter (accidentally) flambeed the crêpes that he was preparing for the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII, and some friends. When asked what he would name his new creation, Henry Charpentier replied: “Crêpes Princesses”, to which the prince replied, “Please, call them Crêpes Suzette”, in honour of a young female companion that he was dining with at the time.

It is just another way that the Café de Paris preserves its unique history and delivers it to guests with all the gusto, charm and deliciousness of yesteryear. And at every step of the way is the legendary Stefano Brancato.

 

Henry Charpentier’s traditional recipe for Crêpes Suzette, provided by the Café de Paris

Pancake batter:

(Makes around 30 pancakes)

400g sifted flour

50g caster sugar

200g butter

6 eggs

1L milk

1 pinch salt

Flavour with Curacao liqueur and mandarin juice

Cook crêpes and before serving, add the following to the pan:

50g butter at room temperature

50g caster sugar

1 spoonful of Curacao

Mandarin juice

Tangerine peel

Flambé and serve!

 

Top photo: Stefano Brancato, Director of the Café de Paris Monte Carlo. Photo: Monaco Life, all rights reserved