300 photos in large format by the Italian photographer Amedeo M. Turello are now gracing the walls of the exhibition room of the Quai Antoine 1er.
The works are 20 years in the making and are split into roughly a hundred landscapes and 200 portraits of famous Italians. The exhibit, a joint effort with the association Dante Alighieri Monaco, is timed perfectly to run in conjunction with the 19th annual Week of Italian Language, which took place 18th to 25th October.
Turello is one of the most established photographers in the world and since 1999 has primarily focused on fashion photography. He has taken the images of Naomi Campbell, Kevin Costner, Uma Thurman and Dita von Teese, to name a few, as well as the official portraits of HSH Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene.
Additionally, he has worked on high-end campaigns with major designers including Dolce & Gabbana, Roberto Cavalli and Tommy Hilfiger.
Prince Albert II was in Tokyo earlier this week to observe the enthronement of the new Japanese emperor.
The new Emperor of Japan, Emperor Naruhito, was officially enthroned at a ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Tuesday. The emperor took over the Chrysanthemum Throne in May when his father, Emperor Akihito, abdicated in favour of his son.
The ceremony was “ritual-laden”, with the new emperor proclaiming his intention to serve his people as a symbol of the state, representing them publicly on the world stage and at home.
Photo: Prince’s Palace of Monaco
In addition to the Sovereign Prince, over 180 heads of state, ambassadors, UN representatives and leading figures from the European Union were in attendance. Notably absent were Naruhito’s father and mother, who purposefully stayed away to make the message clear that they are now retired.
Photo: Prince’s Palace of Monaco
A dinner was held for 500 after the ceremony and there was a tea party the following day at the personal residence of the Emperor and Empress, Akasaka Palace, where his parents were present, as well as Prince Albert II, Prince Charles, King Gustaf of Sweden, Brunei’s King Hassanal Bolkiah, Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederick, and King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands.
Naruhito is the 126th Emperor of Japan and his ascension marks the beginning of the Reiwa era, meaning Beautiful Harmony.
After losing two in a row, Roca Team got their mojo back and won a decisive 82-65 victory over Germany’s Ratiopharm Ulm at the Salle Gaston Médecin.
After a rocky first half start which saw the Roca Boys head into the locker rooms behind their German opponents at the break, they came back in the second half with fire in their bellies.
An early slam dunk by Wilfred Yeguete, followed by a quick succession of baskets forced Ulm to call a timeout to stop the haemorrhaging. Ulm countered with some impressive ball handling, notably by American Killian Hayes, who scored 15 points on the night, but it wasn’t enough to stop the offensive onslaught.
Anthony Clemmons made a fantastic shot behind the arc, and due to a bit of rough play by opponent Dee Bost, he was sent to the free throw line, where he converted the shots to points. The points just kept coming after that, and when the buzzer went, Roca Team had their win.
“Our confidence was affected by our previous two games,” said As Monaco’s coach, Sasa Obradovic. “We were not precise in the systems and we did not communicate enough. It was in the fourth quarter that we played as we should, with a big defence at the base. Now we are already focused on the next game.”
As Monaco Basket’s next challenge will be Saturday, when they face Strasbourg in the Jeep Elite at home.
Monegasque entrepreneurs have had the opportunity to learn about business opportunities arising from the Principality’s collaboration with Hungary at a meeting organised by the MEB.
Held at the Novotel on Monday 21st October by the Hungarian Embassy, the Monaco Economic Board (MEB) aimed to give targeted entrepreneurs in Monaco access to high-level contacts.
Hungary has embarked on a major promotional campaign that includes Monaco. A top-level delegation was headed by György Károlyi, Hungary’s Ambassador in France and Monaco, accompanied by Vice-Consul Péter Bakos-Blumenthal, Róbert Ésik, CEO of HIPA (Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency) and Edina Nagy, Deputy Director of HTA (Hungarian Tourism Agency).
With GDP increase of 5% in 2018, a shrinking public deficit, a competitive tax regime (9% corporate tax rate, lowest in the European Union, income tax at 15%) and almost-full employment for its population of 10 million, Hungary presents as a country on the rise, boasting remarkable macroeconomic stability, as underlined by Róbert Ésik.
To maintain this momentum, the country has set a target to post growth rates 2% higher than the European average over the coming years. Róbert Ésik highlighted sectors that are expanding such as the car industry (AUDI, Mercedes, BMW, Suzuki), R&D (Samsung has just built a factory) and artificial intelligence notably for self-driving cars.
Edina Nagy drew attention to Hungary’s rich heritage, which includes the oldest metro in Europe and numerous UNESCO World Heritage sites. Dubbed “Pearl of the Danube”, Hungary is keen to promote its cultural and culinary diversity.
After the presentations, entrepreneurs had a chance to sample Hungarian wines and attend an official evening in honour of Hungary’s National Day, organised by its Honorary Consul in Monaco who paid tribute to his country’s film industry.
Best of the best – The Frankl family tests Lamborghini’s Urus
It’s trendy in some circles in Great Britain to refer in derogatory terms to any SUV as “Chelsea Tractors”, Chelsea being a Royal Borough of London and one of the more premium zip codes in the country, populated by lots of lovely ladies with spiffy looking, private school-educated and well-groomed children with names like Lilibeth, Humphrey, Geeta and Vladimir, often with a title thrown in. Although the titles have morphed like the population from Viscount and Earls to oligarchs and maharajahs.
They are usually found driving a Land Rover or big Range Rovers with no hint of mud or grass blemishing the highly waxed exterior or cow hide soft leather seats. HRH Prince Phillip loved the original Range Rovers as one could hose down the interior with water after a good days’ shooting on the highlands of Scotland, the water escaping through holes in the floor.
Naturally with its roots and family lineage firmly in the Tuscan countryside, the Urus is a direct descendant of the famous v12 LM002 – a favourite of African rulers which often came equipped with self-inflating sand tyres and a machine gun on the rear deck. Founder Ferrucio’s original tractor company carried full off-road all terrain credibility, and who better qualified than the storied Sant’Agata manufacturer to produce what is unquestionably the best all-round car in the world today.
Who else can instill outrageous V8 twin turbo power (641bhp) combined with supercar design theme styling, luxuriously comfortable seating for five (plus their considerable luggage), or three baby-seats with room for bottles and strollers, in a wide Porsche / Audi derived chassis with brembo brakes. All this combined with genuine supersports car character and performance plus trans-continental legs and versatility that can take you from the front row valet at Monaco’s Casino Square up the mountain passes to Lake Como and onto St Moritz for a touch of skiing without missing a beat, and producing broad smiles on all the faces. Turns out our 9-month-old little girl loves full power acceleration too!
The Urus is the first practical super SUV. It swallows all the baby gear, allows easier buggy loading than the narrower Porsche Cayenne and, even with genuinely huge 22-inch wheels and low-profile Pirelli P Zero’s, rides very comfortably.
Sales around the world have taken off with Hollywood celebrity waiting lists and production numbers on track to an all-time record for the brand. Competition is fierce. Rolls Royce developed its own cruise ship the Cullinan, sister brand Bentley has the Bentayga which has struggled as a “rebadged” Audi, Aston Martin will soon launch the DBX using AMG turbo power built in a new production plant in Wales, and Ferrari is already in secret development of its own four door 4×4 – likely a stretched and raised version of the excellent and popular V12 FF.
But let’s get back to baby Jolina sleeping quietly in her Grecco babyseat and our destination of Lake Como. She’s used to a Cayenne but settled in very nicely with the Urus, the green headrest badging attracting her attention as she is rear facing.
The steep rear roof line is a little more challenging to lift an infant into and out of, but the extra width is noticeable not just from the driver’s side on narrow truck infested Italian B roads, but when loading the stroller and accessory bags.
Initially, it’s easy to brush off the large Bull as a group badging exercise. That thought stops the moment you climb aboard, press the firm brake peddle and hit the red start button on the center console.
Swapping straight out of the flagship SVJ, the cockpit is totally Lambo – with an upgraded and improved touch screen central control center and a 1,000 watt digital stereo with umpteen speakers all over. You’re just higher up than you’re used to.
The all-encompassing black leather / alcantara-lined interior feels fresh and comfortable to the touch and it is highlighted by lime green stitching – all very Muira.
The dash is an enhanced version of what the driver will be familiar with from the Huracan and EVO, dominated by the rev counter which changes moods as you change the preselect lever where (if offered) the eight speed gear lever would be. Once again, all the design elements and driver toys will be familiar if you’ve any experience with the other models in the range: switchgear, air vents, and the very useful EGO mode are all here, where the driver can design the key dynamics themselves from normal to hard steering, normal to loud exhaust, sports or track suspension. Choices unique to the Urus include snow and sand mode. Makes me think these Italians have over indulged on the grappa. Who drives a $250,000+ Lamborghini up a sand dune? Turns out, the many devotes in Abu Dhabi don’t watch movies on Friday nights, they go sand dune racing. So, Lamborghini made sure they could be ‘King of the hill’ not just a ‘Lord of the ring’.
Nicholas and Andrew Frankl with baby Jolina
On the road, the car is hilariously impressive as one just doesn’t associate arriving at roundabouts, decelerating fade free from high speed, diving into the apex and torpedoing out of the exit, in any machine this large. One would be hard pressed to show this car a clean pair of heels – it’s not just very powerful it’s fast. It’s really, really fast in a total master and commander performance that will leave your Labrador breathless in the back. High speed cruising is a breeze, with the aggressive styling helping to inform other drivers that your intentions are to overtake briskly, not tailgate for the next 20 miles (a particular passion of Italian van drivers). Keeping ones driving license will be a challenge simply because the speeds are so aligned with the other V10 and V12 cars, but with 10% of the drama.
The white Urus isn’t intimidating to look at or drive, unless you opt for a high visibility colour – there’s plenty of choice. The 4X4 can easily lose itself in the supermarket car park, its dark colours resembling an Audi Q8 in profile. And there is something to be said for that given the more urban and hostile daily environment it will live in.
Francesco and the boys at the Aero Club on the south shore of Lake Como have enjoyed a few different charging Bulls these past few years and were mightily impressed by this new one. As was the valet at the Villa d’Este – the Grand Dame of Como – who remarked they were “all over Saint Moritz” this past season and that the hotel owner also had one.
My old friend Eddie Irvine, who lives between Milan and his island in the Bahamas and who nearly won the F1 world championship for Ferrari in 1998, calls the Urus “the best car on the market today”. If it’s good enough for him as a driver’s car, and as a high fashion statement for the SheShePoohPooh crowd (The Kardashian’s and Justin Bieber have one too) then bravo!
To Lamborghini, you started it back in ‘63 and now you’ve reinvented the genre as your second act. In Neil Armstrong’s words, sitting aboard Apollo 11 on launch pad 39b, 30 seconds from igniting seven million pounds of thrust to take him, Aldrin and Collins to the moon: “It feels good”.
There is no greater joy, in my opinion, than to sit at a table and have laid out before you a seductive array of dishes, each intended to take you on a culinary journey through the exquisite Mediterranean.
Such is the experience at Ômer, Alain Ducasse’s exciting new restaurant in the Hôtel de Paris. With the added expertise of Head Chef Patrick Laine, Ômer offers an exquisite experience that combines the simple pleasure of sharing a meal with the sophistication of fine dining.
There is no doubt that Mediterranean cuisine is a tired genre throughout Monaco and the French Riviera. But Italy, France and Spain alone do not make up the Mediterranean. Turkey, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Israel … in all 21 countries border the Mediterranean Sea, and each has its own culinary fingerprint. And, in his typical visionary way, Alain Ducasse has displayed many of these in the menu at Ômer.
The meze selection, which must form part of any visit to the restaurant, is an ode to the classics: delicate vine leaf dolmas, chicken Briouate, smokey aubergine dip with garlic, an amberjack carpaccio served on hummus … each is perfectly spiced and expertly finished.
Then the surprise: the chef’s interpretation of the classic Spanish favourite patatas bravas. In a unique twist, feathery potatoes serve as a vessel for a creamy, smoky, paprika filling. It is one of those rare occasions where the interpretation may just be better than the original.
The dish gives us an opportunity to understand more about chef Patrick Laine. In 1997, after completing his military service in the kitchens of the Ministry of Interior, Patrick began his first position in one of Ducasse’s restaurants, as a commis at the flagship Louis XV. From there, he moved on to Le Grill (also in the Hôtel de Paris) and La Trattoria at the Sporting Monte Carlo.
When Ômer first opened in the rotunda of the newly refurbished Hôtel de Paris in January, Patrick was a natural choice to head the kitchen.
“It was a new challenge,” the chef tells me as we sit in the luscious garden created by Jean Mus. “I am used to cooking Mediterranean cuisine, but I wanted to explore all of the different countries of the Mediterranean, not just France, Italy and Spain.”
Ômer terrasse
“So,” I ask, “how does a classically trained French chef approach the difficult task of balancing the spices of southern-Mediterranean cuisine such as cardamom, ras el-hanout and cumin?”
“I am always researching, learning from the locals who visit Monaco, and tasting,” he responds. “Then I adapt the dishes according to my palate, adding more lemon if I think it needs more acidity, for example, or more salt, less sweetness.”
He also had the opportunity to learn from the culinary Grecian icon Dina Nikolaou, who starred as the venue’s first guest chef during a four-day Greek feast this summer. Her influence was so formidable that three of her dishes have been permanently written into the menu.
“Dina’s philosophy of elevating traditional Greek cuisine is in line with what we do here,” says Patrick. “Fresh produce created under the sun, made for sharing. It is generous, simple cuisine.”
That simple happiness in sharing a meal is not only reflected in the mezes. Meat skewers are grilled at the table, an entire octopus is suspended and snipped in front of guests, and fish is deboned and served whole, perfect for sharing.
I try the chef’s signature chich taouk cockerel, roasted with chilli and paprika and served with perfumed rice. My lunch guest lets me sample one of her favourite dishes, manti tadbilé, a traditional lamb ravioli served with a yoghurt sauce and a spiced tomato syrup. Both are delicious.
Complimenting the traditional flavours of each dish are the plates upon which they are served: bright ceramics, classic marble, traditional copper, with touches of blue echoing the Mediterranean.
The chef’s favourite dish, if he had to choose one, is the charwarma lamb with fattouch, cooked on the spit. I wish I had the capacity to order this one too. But alas, that one will have to wait upon my return.
After our generous first two courses, there is only one dessert I can possibly order – the confit lemon (from Menton) filled with refreshing basil and lemon sorbet. It is the perfect way to end this meal.
But we are also treated to the hazelnut and chocolate baklava and, despite our bulging bellies, somehow manage to devour that also (the sickly sweetness of a traditional baklava is no-where to be found in this Dina Nikolaou original).
It is easy for me to get swept up in the food. Alain Ducasse and Patrick Laine have impressed me with their restraint, respect for tradition, and touches of individuality.
But I can’t fail to mention the wine. Head Sommelier Mathias Negro has done a fine job of sourcing an interesting array of Mediterranean wines, which my server confidently proposes. I try a crisp white Lebanese white to start; a full-bodied Israeli red to finish.
In fact, wine is a prominent feature at Ômer, as it is in the Hôtel de Paris itself. There is an eye-catching ‘Wine Circle’ featuring a selection from the mythical cellar of the Hôtel de Paris Monte Carlo (which has over 350,000 bottles), including the absolute essentials from Burgundy, the Rhône Valley and Bordeaux, as well as rare crus from the likes of the Aegean Sea, the slopes of Mount Bargylus in Syria, and Andalusia.
The ‘Wine circle’
At the heart of this space is a tasting table where wine lovers can gather and sample the selection, to be enjoyed over, of course, the mezes. Apero will never be the same again.
Combined with a décor designed by Pierre-Yves Rochon, reminiscent of a luxury cruise ship with its use of wood, light-coloured leather and brushed bronze, Ômer invites guests to travel the Mediterranean Sea without ever having to leave the luxurious comforts of Monte Carlo.
My only advice before entering: make sure you go on an empty stomach.
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