Virtuoso Life - September/October 2007 - (Page 19)

CONTRIBUTORS “The sign of a good wine is when you still want to keep drinking it after dessert,” reads a sign at one of the bodegas writer JEFF KOEHLER visited during a week of epic meals and vintages for this issue (“La Rioja on a Roll,” page 96). “I tasted plenty of memorable wines,” he says, “which is probably why so many meals lasted so long. But any excesses were tempered the next day with great cycling on the Vías Verdes (Greenways).” A longtime Barcelona resident, Koehler has written for Gourmet, Food & Wine, and The Washington Post. His cookbook, La Paella: Deliciously Authentic Rice Dishes from Spain’s Mediterranean Coast (Chronicle Books), is out now. Experience. Expertise. Exclusivity. Stylist BROOKE LEONARD, who joined us for our cover shoot, discovered her real passion – food – while passing time as a waitress and looking for her big acting break. That’s when the truly lucky breaks began: chef, menu consultant, commercial kitchen designer, and managing partner at a trendy Dallas restaurant. She’s since left the kitchen for the studio and styles shots for the likes of Food & Wine, Cooking Light, Better Homes & Gardens, and numerous cookbooks. “My favorite part is getting to work with highly creative people,” she says. “Their talent and dedication inspire me.” “I grew up not far from Genoa in Cinque Terre, so this trip was like going home for me,” says photographer LUCA TROVATO (“The Other Italy,” page 118), who made it a point to sample more than his share of pesto while there on assignment. Though he enjoyed it immensely, his family pride can’t be tamed: “One evening I visited my aunt and uncle at their home, and, I have to say, hers is by far the best – call me if you want their number.” Trovato lives in Santa Barbara and currently works for Town & Country, O, and Bon Appétit, among other publications. Private travel with custom-designed itineraries and insider access to: MARTIN WESTLAKE (“The Land of Curry and Spice,” page 144) arrived in Jakarta via Nigeria, Norway, and Saudi Arabia 19 years ago. Three years later the Brit swapped his oil-industry job for the life of a travel photographer, and promptly landed assignments throughout Indonesia and Southeast Asia. During the trip to Thailand that produced the photos for this issue, Westlake noticed diﬀerences in one of his longtime haunts. “Phuket has changed since my early travels to the island. It’s now much more a luxury destination,” he says. Westlake’s images have appeared in Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveller (UK), and National Geographic Adventure. Morocco Spain Portugal Turkey Southern Africa Call your Virtuoso Travel Specialist (TOP) JEFF KOEHLER SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2007 19

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Virtuoso Life - September/October 2007

Contents Editor’s Note Contributors Luxe Report Bon Voyage Suite Talk City to Go Vanity Case

Virtuoso Life - September/October 2007

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