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                                                                                           heres
  JANUARY 2013
THREE PERFECT DAYS: DOHA • TRAVEL SPECIAL 2013 • THE HEMI Q&A WITH JAMES PATTERSON




                                                                                                       THREE PERFECT DAYS
                                                                                                            IN DOHA
                                                                                                    25 NEW THINGS TO DO IN 2013 // HOW A NEW MEXICO ART DEALER SPARKED AN
                                                                                                    EPIC TREASURE HUNT // WHY SUPER BOWL GAMES ARE SURPRISINGLY SO GOOD
                                                                                                    AGAIN // THE HEMI Q&A PUTS A TAIL ON SUSPENSE WRITER JAMES PATTERSON




                                                                                 R1_P001_HEMUA_0113_Cover.indd 1                                                    11/12/2012 14:44
YOUR
                           COMPLIMENTARY
                               COPY




                                                                                              62
                                                                                          THE HEMI Q&A
                                                                                       With a new bestseller-
                                                                                        to-be out this month,
                                                                                       James Patterson talks
                                                                                         books, Hollywood
                                                                                           and pet peeves




                                                                                                       66
                                                                                                   THE THRILL OF
                                                                                                      THE CHASE
                                                                                                  How a Santa Fe art
                                                                                                 collector’s supposed
                                                                                                dying wish has turned
                                                                                                into a treasure hunt of
                                                                                                   epic proportions



                                   WELCOME ABOARD

                                           CEO LETTER
                                 A word from Jeff Smisek
                                                           12
                                                                                                                72
                                                                                                      OUT WITH THE OLD
                                               VOICES      14
                                     A message to flyers                                                The best new things
                                                                                                      to see in 2013, from a
                                       CONNECTIONS         15                                         Dr. Seussian garden in
                                   What’s new at United                                               Singapore to Picasso’s
                                                                                                       long-awaited return
                                                                                                              to Paris
    AURELIE KORADY




                                         80            THREE PERFECT DAYS: DOHA
                                         Cultural riches and exotic diversions await in Qatar’s booming capital city

                     HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY 2013                                                                    7




p007-08_HEM0113_TOC.indd 7                                                                                                     30/11/2012 10:04
JANUARY
                                                                            DISPATCHES
                                                                          GLOBETROTTING            17
                                                                        News and notes from
                                                                           around the world

                                                                                  ROAD TRIP        25                                     DOWNLOAD
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                                                                                  CULTURE
                                                                      THE MONTH AHEAD              39
                                                                     What to read, watch and
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                                                                                     THE FAN       47
                                                                         How the Super Bowl
                                                                    went from mere spectacle
                                                                            to one of the best
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                                                                          BRIGHT IDEAS                        “Wild Things”
                                                                                                               Wild
                                                                           HOW IT’S DONE           51         host Dominic
                                                                                                                 st
                                                                        The train of tomorrow                 Monaghan gets
                                                                                                                onaghan
                                                                          gets off the ground                    apped
                                                                                                              wrapped up in
                                                                                       in Japan               his work


                                                                                  INDUSTRY         53
                                                                      Could Detroit’s strategy
                                                                       for beating joblessness
                                                                    become a national model?

                                                                                         TECH      57
                                                                           Calling for a return
                                                                             to Silicon Valley’s
                                                                           pioneering heyday




                                                                                      ENTERTAINMENT
                                                                                     AND INFORMATION

                                                                                     Movies, Television and    97
                                                                                      Audio Programming
                                               ABOUT
                                               THE COVER:
                                               Doha’s skyline                       Crossword and Sudoku       106
                                                                                                                06
                                               as seen from the
                                               fountain courtyard                Route Maps, Customs &         111
                                                                                                                11
                                               of the I.M. Pei–           Immigration, Our Fleet, Terminal
                                               designed Museum                 Diagrams, Safety & Travel
                                               of Islamic Art,
                                               photographed by               Assistance, MileagePlus and
                                               Aurelie Korady                    Alliances & Partnerships

            WRITE TO US: editorial@hemispheresmagazine.com                                Food & Beverages     136
                                                                                                                36
        !   68 Jay St., Ste. 315, Brooklyn, NY 11201



            8                                                                                                        JANUARY 2013 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM




R1_p007-08_HEM0113_TOC.indd 8                                                                                                                                  11/12/2012 14:28
IN WITH THE NEW                                                                                               EDITOR IN CHIEF Joe Keohane
             WHAT DO A CUTTING-EDGE Canadian planetar-                                                                     EXECUTIVE EDITOR Chris Wright
                                                                                                                           MANAGING EDITOR Jennifer L. Johnson
             ium, an underwater “suburb” in Mexico, a Singapore                                                            SENIOR EDITOR Jacqueline Detwiler
             park straight out of Dr. Seuss and the world’s big-                                                           FASHION EDITOR Nino Bauti
                                                                                                                           EDITOR AT LARGE Sam Polcer
             gest Ferris wheel have in common? Not to mention
                                                                                                                           ART DIRECTOR Christine Bower-Wright
             a Parisian trove of Picasso paintings, a tank of sharks                                                       ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Jeff Quinn
             in Cleveland and a whole museum dedicated to                                                                  PHOTO EDITOR Julien Tomasello

             ABBA in Sweden?                                                                                               CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
                                                                                                                           Jay Cheshes, Alyssa Giacobbe,
                The answer: They’re all included in “Out With the                                                          Mike Guy, Michael Kaplan, Jon Marcus,
             Old” (page 72), a special travel package that rounds                                                          Adam K. Raymond, Cristina Rouvalis,
                                                                                                                           Grant Stoddard
             up some of the best new things to see and do in                                                               CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS
             2013—from Amsterdam to Beverly Hills to Rio.                                                                  Christine Berrie, Peter James Field,
                                                                                                                           Alex Nabaum, Peter Oumanski,
                When you’re done poring over the latest and                                                                James Provost, Steve Stankiewicz
             greatest from around the world, we’ll introduce you to a man who hid a treasure chest                         EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
             worth millions in Santa Fe, explain why Super Bowl games have suddenly go en so                               Michael Keating
                                                                                                                           U.S. EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
             exciting, diagnose Silicon Valley’s hopeless fixation on apps, and try to figure out, with                      Orion Ray-Jones
             help from mega-selling author James Pa erson, how, exactly, a person can write more
                                                                                                                           Ink, 68 Jay St., Ste. 315,
             than 100 novels (a resolution of ours). And from us to you, best wishes for a safe and                        Brooklyn, NY 11201
             prosperous new year. —The Editors                                                                             Tel: +1 347-294-1220 Fax: +1 917-591-6247
                                                                                                                           editorial@hemispheresmagazine.com
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                                                                                                                           WEBMASTER Salah Lababidi
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                       YOU MAY NOW USE YOUR ELECTRONIC DEVICES!                                                            Stephen Andrews
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                                                                                                                           DIRECTOR, SPECIAL PROJECTS
                                                                                                                           Greg Caccavale
                                                                                                                           NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGERS
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                                                                                                                           U.S. TERRITORY MANAGERS
             CONTRIBUTORS                                                                                                  Jack Miller, Jeff Miller, Lonnie Milligan,
                                                                                                                           Lisa Nelson, Ryan Sadorf, Ketan Solanki
                                                                                                                           HAWAII Robert Wiegand
                                                                                                                           EUROPE Sarah Orme
                                                                                                                           ASIA Jacqueline Ho
                                                                                                                           LATIN/SOUTH AMERICA
                                                                                                                           Daniela Cateriano
                                                                                                                           MEXICO Alejandro Salas
                                                                                                                           BRAZIL Olivier Capoulade
                                                                                                                           PRODUCTION MANAGER Joe Massey
                                                                                                                           Tel: +1 678-553-8091
                                                                                                                           PRODUCTION CONTROLLERS
                                                                                                                           Josette Berksteiner, Stacy Willis
                                                                                                                           MARKETING MANAGER
                                                                                                                           Nikkole Wyrick




             MARGIE GOLDSMITH                   GEOFFREY GRAY                        AURELIE KORADY
             is a New York–based                is a contributing editor             is a French freelance                 Ink (sales), Capital Building,
                                                                                                                           255 E. Paces Ferry Rd., Ste. 400,
             adventure, luxury and              for New York magazine                photographer based                    Atlanta, GA 30305
             lifestyle journalist who           and the author of                    in Qatar, where she                   Tel: +1 888-864-1733 Fax: +1 917-591-6247
             has traveled to 120                Skyjack: The Hunt for                frequently exhibits her               Ink
             countries and written              D.B. Cooper. He’s been               work. While Korady                    CEO Jeffrey O’Rourke
                                                                                                                           COO Hugh Godsal
             about them all. Though             spending a lot of time in            enjoyed the adventure                 PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Simon Leslie
             she didn’t find Forrest             Spain lately, wandering              of shooting “Three                    HEMISPHERES is produced monthly by Ink. All material is
                                                                                                                           strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. No part of this
             Fenn’s buried treasure             the provinces in search              Perfect Days: Doha”                   publication may be reproduced in whole or part without the
                                                                                                                           prior written permission of the copyright holder. All prices
             while in Santa Fe (“The            of adventure à la Don                (page 80)—including                   and data are correct at the time of publication. Opinions
                                                                                                                           expressed in Hemispheres are not necessarily those of the
             Thrill of the Chase,”              Quixote—though he                    a wild “dune bashing”                 Publisher or United Airlines, and United Airlines does not
                                                                                                                           accept any responsibility for advertising content. Neither
             page 66), she did                  vastly prefers a zippy               expedition—the people                 United, its subsidiaries nor affiliates guarantees the accuracy,
                                                                                                                           completeness or timeliness of, or otherwise endorses these
             discover Frito pie, and            Mini Cooper convertible              she met were the real                 facts, views, opinions or recommendations, gives investment
                                                                                                                           advice, or advocates the purchase or sale of any security
                                                                                                                           or investment. You should always seek the assistance of a
             bought enough Native               to an old nag named                  highlight. “Everyone’s so             professional for tax and investment advice. Any images are
                                                                                                                           supplied at the owner’s risk. Any mention of United Airlines
             American jewelry to fill            Rocinante (“Knight                   welcoming,” she says.                 or the use of United Airlines logo by any advertiser in this
                                                                                                                           publication does not imply endorsement of that company or
             her own treasure chest.            Shift,” page 25).                    “I love this country!”                its products or services by United Airlines.




             10                                                                                                  JANUARY 2013 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM




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THREE PERFECT DAYS


                              DOHAIn just a few years, the capital
                                  of Qatar has gone from desert
                                   backwater to major player in
                                global tourism, offering cultural
                                   riches, top-notch cuisine and
                                    a bo omless supply of bling
                                         BY ALISTAIR CRIGHTON
                                PHOTOGRAPHS BY AURELIE KORADY




            80                           JANUARY 2013 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM




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83
                                                                                             DAY ONE
                                                                                    A treasure island
                                                                                    of traditional art,
                                                                                  lingering over chai
                                                                                     and a shisha, an
                                                                                    evening of classic
                                                                                        American jazz

                                                                                                  86
                                                                                            DAY TWO
                                                                                      Wandering the
                                                                                     ruins at Zubara,
                                                                                       high-velocity
                                                                                         camels, wild
                                                                                      four-wheeling
                                                                                        in the desert

                                                                                                  88
                                                                                          DAY THREE
                                                                                       Shopping in a
                                                                                   Venetian fantasy-
                                                                                     land, Boléro by
                                                                                      the bay, a local
                                                                                       seafood feast




      RIDING HIGH A camel tender
      atop his mount at Al Shahaniya
      Camel Racetrack; left, shopping
      mecca Souq Waqif
                                        HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM • DECEMBER 2012              81




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THREE PERFECT DAYS || DOHA




            REFLECTING HERITAGE
            The I.M. Pei–designed Museum
            of Islamic Art; top right, an array
            of mezes at Tajine; bottom right,
            glitz for sale in Msheireb




            QATAR HAS COME A LONG WAY in a short                  More recently, Qatar has been on a development
            time. Having gained its independence only four binge that’s transformed it into one of the most
            decades ago, this small spit of desert jutting vibrant and a ractive spots in the Gulf.
            into the Persian Gulf now boasts the world’s             With the soccer World Cup heading to Qatar
            highest per-capita GDP, and is punching well in 2022, the capital city’s revival is being stepped
            above its weight in the fields of hospi-                         up. A er spending years in the shadow
                                                           WANT MORE?
            tality, finance and international sport.        Download         of nearby Dubai, Doha is emerging as
                                                           our iPad app.
              It’s a far cry from the 1930s, when a                         a destination to be reckoned with: a
            Japanese invention—cultured pearls—devas- place where travelers can immerse themselves
            tated the pearl diving industry on which Qatar’s in the best of Middle East culture while knowing
            economy relied. Then the discovery of fossil fuels that a hot nightspot, hip restaurant or fleet of
            here in the 1940s reversed its fortunes overnight. matching Rolls-Royces is never far away.



            82                                                                   JANUARY 2013 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM




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                                                                                                           DOHA BY THE NUMBERS


                                                                                                                POPULATION

                                                                                                                 796,947

                                                                                                          ESTIMATED PERCENTAGE
                                                                                                          OF POPULATION MADE UP
                                                                                                              OF EXPATRIATES

                                                                                                                     85

                                                                                                           AREA, IN SQUARE MILES

                                                                                                                     51

                                                                                                       NATURAL GAS RESERVES IN QATAR,
                                                                                                      IN CUBIC FEET (NO. 3 IN THE WORLD)

                                                                                                            896 TRILLION

                                                                                                              PER-CAPITA GDP
                                                                                                            (NO. 1 IN THE WORLD)

                                                                                                                $104,300

                                                                                                             VALUE OF WORLD’S
                                                                                                         MOST EXPENSIVE ARTWORK
                                                                                                        (CEZANNE’S THE CARD PLAYERS,
                                                                                                      BOUGHT BY QATAR’S ROYAL FAMILY)

                                                                                                            $250 MILLION

                                                                                                      NUMBER OF STADIUMS TO BE BUILT
                                                                                                       FOR THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP
          DAY ONE | The morning sun wakes you              Souq Waqif is still sleeping, so you
          earlier than expected, amplified as it is by   catch a cab to the Museum of Islamic Art,                     9
          the wall-to-wall shininess of your suite.     which rises like a cubist sculpture from
          Al Jasra Boutique Hotel, a neo-traditional    the uncannily turquoise waters of the
          property in Doha’s Souq Waqif market,         Persian Gulf. Set on a small artificial        NUMBER OF NEW HOTEL ROOMS
          is luxurious even by the Gulf ’s “seven       island, the I.M. Pei–designed building pays        NEEDED TO HANDLE
          star” standards, an opulence literally        homage to timeless Islamic architecture,         THE WORLD CUP INFLUX
          reflected in the mirror finish applied to       but with a modernist twist. You pause to
          every surface.                                watch dhows, traditional wooden sailboats,               10,000+
             Having located and donned your sun-        bobbing between the museum and the
          glasses, you indulge in a bedside treat of    glistening skyline, then head inside.
          espresso and chocolate-dipped straw-             It’s easy to lose yourself among the
                                                                                                       LENGTH, IN MILES, OF PROPOSED
          berries, then amble down to the hotel         museum’s cultural riches: ancient, finely
                                                                                                         WORLD’S-LONGEST BRIDGE
          restaurant for breakfast: a hearty bowl of    cra ed rugs, artworks and sundry imple-        BETWEEN QATAR AND BAHRAIN
          foul (cooked beans served with piquant        ments, many of which date back to the
          condiments) and more strong coffee.            time when the Islamic world led the way                    24.85


          HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY 2013                                                                                      83




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                                                                                                                        MAD STASH
                                                                                                                        A royal’s personal museum
                                                                                                                        pushes the boundaries of taste
                                                                                                                        If the Museum of Islamic Art’s
                                                                                                                        holdings are the most famous
                                                                                                                        of Qatar’s art collections, then
                                                                                                                        Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al
                                                                                                                        Thani’s personal stash is perhaps
                                                                                                                        the most infamous. Located
                                                                                                                        on the edge of the city, the
                                                                                                                        sheikh’s namesake museum
                                                                                                                        keeps irregular hours, but for
                                                                                                                        those who make it inside, a real
                                                                                                                        eye-opener awaits.
                                                                                                                           Over the years, the sheikh
                                                                                                                        has amassed a huge treasure
                                                                                                                        trove (there are tales of cargo
                                                                                                                        containers of purchases arriving
                                                                                                                        every month), and items on
                                                                                                                        display encompass everything
                                                                                                                        from U.S. muscle cars to
            GREAT CATCH Above, grilled prawns at L’wzaar Seafood Market; opposite, clockwise from top left,
                                                                                                                        Islamic manuscripts, nautical
            traditional pigeon towers in Katara; a selection of water pipes, called shishas; the Al Jasra Boutique      equipment, rugs, stamps, coins,
            Hotel’s over-the-top lobby; a sampling of Souq Waqif’s wealth of traditional crafts                         bowling balls and virtually any-
                                                                                                                        thing else that can be collected.
            in artistic and scientific development. The               A short taxi ride takes you to the Arab               The museum’s centerpiece,
            intricate weapons on display, meanwhile,              Museum of Modern Art, also known as                   though, is an array of Saddam
            remind you of the region’s corresponding              Mathaf, which is stacked with excellent
                                                                                                                        Hussein memorabilia, which
            military might.                                       examples of Arab modernist art (you are
                                                                                                                        includes items of the Iraqi
               Exiting the museum, you swing right                particularly taken with the “Tea With
            and stroll the palm-lined Corniche, a                 Nefertiti” exhibition, which showcases
                                                                                                                        dictator’s clothing. It’s a puzzling,
            favorite gathering spot for Doha society              Egyptian art from the age of the pharaohs             even unnerving thing to behold.
            in the cooler months. You stop at a café for          to the Arab Spring). Another cab whisks you           As one visitor was overheard to
            a restorative chai—sweet, spiced tea—then             through the city’s high-rise monuments to             wonder: Why? Of course, that
            cab it back to Souq Waqif, where you navi-            wealth and on to West Bay Lagoon, home                same visitor continued to gaze
            gate a warren of shops hawking everything             to the second hotel of your stay.                     upon these artifacts for a good
            from gaudy fabrics to sticky sweets. Wiz-                The St. Regis Doha is a paragon of Gulf            while, effectively answering her
            ened porters thread their barrows through             bling: a fleet of Rolls-Royces and Jaguars             own question.
            formations of black-clad matrons, watched             outside, acres of marble within.
            by officers of the mounted Amiri Guard,                 You push through the sprays of
            resplendent in their white kaffiyehs and                aromatic flowers and emerge
            gold-framed aviator sunglasses.                       into the gli ering lobby, where
               For lunch, you go for adventurous: baby            a female harpist who surely
            camel tagine at the stylish Moroccan eatery           moonlights as a supermodel
            Tajine, located on Souq Waqif’s main drag.            plinks melodiously. Soon you
            Served with a mixture of mezes, it’s rustic           are approached by a phalanx
            and very tasty—think mutton rather                    of liveried staff, one of them
            than lamb but leaner, richer and, thanks              your butler, and are led to your
            to hours of stewing, far more tender.                 gold-tinted room.
               Though Doha has a reputation for being                If you want a drink in Doha,
            fast-paced, locals have made an art form              the big hotels are pre y much
            of going nowhere slowly. Accordingly, you             your only option. So, after a
            linger at one of the cafés lining the main            sunset dip in the Olympic-
            street, where you spend a sedentary hour              size pool, you head for the St.
            smoking a shisha, an aromatic water pipe,             Regis’ Jazz at Lincoln Center         GRAND BIZARRE Inside the Sheikh
            and playing “guess the nationality” as a              Doha, a new club launched by          Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani Museum
            diverse parade of people passes by.                   its New York namesake, where




            84                                                                                                       JANUARY 2013 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM




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    PHOTO CREDIT TK - REMOVE IF EMPTY




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            you spend an evening in the company of
            jazz legend (and the club’s artistic direc-
            tor) Wynton Marsalis. Between sets, the
            musicians mingle with the audience, and
            you’re joined for dinner by saxophonist
            Walter Blanding, who, having watched you
            demolish pla ers of succulent crab cakes
            and lobster, declares his own entrée to be
            “the best darn burger I’ve ever had.”
               After dinner, you down a Sazerac—a
            New Orleans twist on the old-fashioned—
            and marvel at this cosmopolitan nightspot,
            smack-dab in the middle of the Middle
            East. A Sazerac or two later, the mood light-
            ing seems even moodier. Time for a snooze.

            DAY TWO | It’s another dazzler outside,
            so you grope your way to a bathroom
            bigger than many hotel suites and hit the
            shower. Then you pop downstairs to one
            of the St. Regis’ 10 on-site eateries, Vine, for
            a perfectly prepared chili-infused omelet.
            You’ll need the extra zing, you figure, for
            the experience that awaits.
                Driving in Doha isn’t for the faint-
            hearted, but it’s a must if you want to go
            beyond the city limits. So you rent a car
            and hurtle north toward Al Khor. While
            Qatar’s industrial second city is hardly an
            obvious destination, you want to see its
            wharf, which turns out to be well worth
            the 45-minute trip. The hulking dhows
            here were built using age-old methods
            in the nearby shipyard, and they still ply
            ancient trade routes. The captain of one
            scruffy vessel invites you to join him on
            deck for a glass of tea. You take him up on
            it (much to the consternation of his crew),
            and are entertained with what you hope
            are salty tales of the high seas but, given
            the language barrier, might be a commen-
            tary on the state of cricket in his home
            country of India.
                A 50-minute drive northwest takes you
            through an arid, relentlessly flat landscape,
            the monotony occasionally broken by an
            oasis or a pre y mosque. You’re heading
            for a local oddity: Zubara, an abandoned
            18th-century se lement that’s become a
            sort of al fresco museum. Upon arriving,
            you stroll among its ruined houses, then
            tour the nearby Zubara Fort, an imposing
            early-20th-century structure that must
            have been an unhappy post in the days
            before air conditioning.
                Turning back toward Doha, you stop
            at Al Shahaniya Camel Racetrack, about
            20 miles outside the city. There’s no race




            86                                                 JANUARY 2013 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM




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DOHA || THREE PERFECT DAYS




                                                         HUMP DAY A gaggle
                                                   of camels at Al Shahaniya;
                                                         top right, the opulent
                                                        Villaggio mall; bottom
                                                      right, the St. Regis Doha




          HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY 2013                                                          87




p080_90_HEM0113_3PD.indd 87                                                                                30/11/2012 12:27
THREE PERFECT DAYS || DOHA


            on, but you’re lucky enough to see some         a dune to watch one of the most dramatic     a tab that outstrips the GDP of some small
            practice runs. The surly animals achieve a      sunsets you’ve ever seen. Your inner peace   countries. All in all, then, a very good night.
            remarkable pace, geed on by bizarre robotic     abates, however, when the driver takes you
            jockeys. A local breeder tells you these ani-   roaring through the dunes once again. It’s   DAY THREE | A lie-in and breakfast in
            matronic riders are a Qatari invention, and     much scarier in the dark.                    bed—eggs Benedict (no ham)—steel you
            have replaced the child jockeys that only a        Having piloted your rental car back to    for your first activity of the day. At mid-
            few years ago were the norm.                    Doha, you clear the sand from your ears      morning, you’re heading to the ’burbs for
               Though you get back on the road, a truly     before heading to the W Hotel for dinner     that most Qatari of pastimes: shopping.
            arresting spectacle soon has you                                                                          Doha can’t compete with the
            hi ing the brakes. The sprawl of                                                                       retail wonderland of Dubai, but
            refineries just south of Doha is                                                                        Villaggio is a step in that direction.
            like a distorted reflection of the                                                                      With its swank boutiques and
            city’s skyline. You gawp for a                                                                         canal-traversing gondolas, the
            while at the flaming towers cut-                                                                        Venetian-themed mall is hugely
            ting through giant dunes, then                                                                         popular with locals, who shop
            make for your lunch destination:                                                                       for brands so exclusive you’ve
            Lagoon Ristorante, located at the                                                                      never heard of them, with price
            perfectly manicured Sealine                                                                            tags you’re not likely to forget.
            Beach Resort. You devour an                                                                            You pop into Gondolania, the
            excellent linguine al gamberi, yet                                                                     in-mall theme park, and perch
            you don’t tarry a erward—your                                                                          beside its ice rink to take in the
            driver from a local adventure                                                                          unlikely spectacle of a Qatari
            outfit has arrived to take you                                                                         hockey game. Then it’s back to
            dune bashing in a 4x4.                                                                                 downtown, where a different sort
                                                            NOTEWORTHY IMPORT Getting into the swing
               For the next hour or so, as the driver       of things at Jazz at Lincoln Center Doha     of retail experience awaits.
            negotiates near-vertical off-road terrain,                                                       Most of Msheireb, part of the old city
            you are able to form only two thoughts:         at the chic Market by Jean-Georges, where    center, is in the process of being rebuilt.
            “ouch” and “eek.” It’s fun, but you and your    you plump for an exquisite fontina and       The areas that have escaped demolition
            ra ling bones are happy to disembark at         black truffle pizza, washed down with a        are some of the most colorful in town—a
            the Inland Sea, a picturesque spot where        dra Hoegaarden. Next, you beeline it to      clu er of markets selling everything from
            billowing dunes plunge into an inlet of the     Crystal, the W’s studiously hip nightclub,   fruit-and-veg to $5 “Rolexes.” You hit the
            Persian Gulf. A er a quick dip, you climb       and dance into the wee hours, racking up     Gold Souq, where you deck yourself out in




              LOCAL KNOWLEDGE             THE INSIDE SCOOP FROM THOSE IN THE KNOW ILLUSTRATIONS BY PETER JAMES FIELD




                      Lana Shamma                                     Nicholas Wilson                                  Yasmine Kassem
                 EVENTS/PUBLICITY MANAGER                            MARKETING CONSULTANT                              MARKETING EXECUTIVE

                 “One of Doha’s hidden finds is                    “Taking in a local football match                   “The café at the Museum of
                 a kitschy antiques shop called                   is an experience. Qatari men are                   Islamic Art Park is one of the
               Champs-Élysées. It’s stacked with                    crazy about soccer. The 2022                   coolest places in the city to hang
                stuff like Arabic-language Coca-                   World Cup should have a great                        out. It’s a fantastic spot
                Cola signs and vintage cameras.                             atmosphere.”                            for cultured conversation in an
                     Don’t forget to haggle!”                                                                                idyllic setting.”




            88                                                                                           JANUARY 2013 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM




R1_p080_90_HEM0113_3PD.indd 88                                                                                                                        10/12/2012 12:00
DOHA || THREE PERFECT DAYS



                                                                                                             Opera House
                                                                                                                           Katara
                                                    Zubara                                          L’wzaar Seafood Market


                                                                                                              Onaiza St.
                                                                     Al Khor
                                                                                                                     Vintage
                                              Q ATA R                                            Jazz at Lincoln Center Doha Remède Spa
                                                                                                                             St. Regis Doha

                               Al Shahaniya Doha    a
                            Camel Racetrack                                                                                                                                          0                     1 mile
                                          Area of detail


                                        Lagoon Ristorante
                                                                                                                                   O
                                                                                                                                     m
                                                                                                                                       ar
                                                                       Inland Sea                                                           Al
                                                                                                                                                 M
                                                                                                                                                  uk                    Market by Jean-Georges


                                                                                                                        ial St.
                                                                                                                                                     ht                 Crystal
                                                                                                                                                         ar
                                                                                                 Al



                                                                                                                                                              St
                                                                                                                                                                .
                                                                                                    M



                                                                                                                    I s tiq
                                                                                                   ark
                                                                                                      hiy

                                                                                                                    Al
                                                                                                         aS




                                                                                                                                                                                           Persian Gulf
                                                                                                              t.




                                                                                                                                                   t.
                                                                                                                                         o       nS
                                                                                                                                       aw           St.
                                                                                                                                     Ta          he
                                                                                                                                  Al         nic
                                                                                                                                           or
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                                                                                                                                          C




                                                                                                    lifa
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                                                                                                                    Ma




                                                                                                             St.

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                                                                    aS
                                                                 biy
                                                                       Ahm




                                               ra
                                 Al Jazira Al A
                                                                                                            hani St.
                                                                           ed




                                                                                                        in T
                                           Jasim Bin Hamad St.




                                                                              Bin




                      Arab Museum                                                                  dB
                                                                                                me
                                                                                            ham
                                                                                  A




                      of Modern Art                                                      Mo
                                                                                li St
                                                                                     .




                                                                                                 Al




                                                                                                       ha                                         Museum of Islamic Art
                                                                                                   K




                                                                                                            lee                                   Co
                                                                                                               jS                                       rni
                                                                            Al Rayya                                                                       c   he
                                                                                         n Rd.
                                                                                                                   t.




                                    Villaggio
                                                                           DAY ONE                                                                        Souq Waqif             Al Jasra Boutique Hotel
                                                                           DAY TWO                                                Al Osra                    Tajine
                                                                           DAY THREE
                                                                              Al Saad St.                                                                           Msheireb




          DAY ONE                                                                           DAY TWO                                                                                      DAY THREE
          Al Jasra Boutique Hotel Souq Waqif,                                               Al Khor                                                                                      Villaggio Al Waab Street, Doha;
          Doha; Tel. 974-4433-6666                                                          Zubara                                                                                       Tel. 974-4413-5222
          Museum of Islamic Art Doha Port,                                                  Al Shahaniya Camel Racetrack                                                                 Msheireb
          Doha; Tel. 974-4422-4444                                                          Al Shahaniya                                                                                 Al Osra Omar Al Mukhtar and Al Fayhaa
          Souq Waqif Off Grand Hamad                                                        Lagoon Ristorante Sealine                                                                    streets, Doha; Tel. 974-4431-9941
          Street, Doha                                                                      Beach Resort, Mesaieed;                                                                      Remède Spa St. Regis Doha, West Bay,
          Tajine Souq Waqif, Doha;                                                          Tel. 974-4476-5299                                                                           Doha; Tel. 974-4446-0300
          Tel. 974-4435-5554                                                                Inland Sea                                                                                   Katara West Bay, Doha;
          Arab Museum of Modern Art                                                         Market by Jean-Georges W Doha                                                                Tel. 974-4408-0000
          Education City, off Al Luqta Street,                                              Hotel & Residences, West Bay,                                                                Opera House Bldg. 16, Katara,
          Doha; Tel. 974-4402-8855                                                          Doha; Tel. 974-4453-5135                                                                     West Bay, Doha
          St. Regis Doha West Bay, Doha;                                                    Crystal W Doha Hotel & Residences,                                                           L’wzaar Seafood Market Katara, West
          Tel. 974-4446-0000                                                                West Bay, Doha; Tel. 974-4453-5135                                                           Bay, Doha; Tel. 974-4408-0710
          Jazz at Lincoln Center Doha                                                                                                                                                    Vintage St. Regis Doha, West Bay,
          St. Regis Doha, West Bay, Doha;                                                                                                                                                Doha; Tel. 974-4446-0300
          Tel. 974-4446-0000



          HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY 2013 • MAP BY STEVE STANKIEWICZ                                                                                                                                                89




R1_p080_90_HEM0113_3PD.indd 89                                                                                                                                                                                               10/12/2012 12:00
THREE PERFECT DAYS || DOHA


                                                                                                                   FOR THE BIRDS
                                                                                                                   Falconry offers a soaring
                                                                                                                   reminder of tribal traditions
                                                                                                                   In modern Qatar, falconry may
                                                                                                                   be a status symbol for the
                                                                                                                   wealthy, but the sport itself
                                                                                                                   stems from an earthier concern:
                                                                                                                   protein. The Bedouin of old
                                                                                                                   trapped falcons in the autumn
                                                                                                                   as they migrated across the
                                                                                                                   Arabian Peninsula, using baited
                                                                                                                   cages festooned with nooses to
                                                                                                                   snare the raptors’ talons. They
                                                                                                                   then trained the falcons and
                                                                                                                   subsisted on the small game
                                                                                                                   that the birds would capture.
                                                                                                                      While these old methods
                                                                                                                   are still used, most falcons in
                                                                                                                   Qatar today are imported from
                                                                         AT THE OASIS Persian Gulf views           Central Asia. At Doha’s Falcon
                                                                                 at Sealine Beach Resort
                                                                                                                   Souq, birds come with prices
                                                                                                                   ranging from $275 for a puny or
            a handful of Mr. T–grade gold chains for a      but tonight it’s Ravel, with the full orches-          truculent male to $8,000-plus
            very reasonable sum.                            tra pulling out all the stops for Boléro. At           for a prized female saker falcon.
               Msheireb also boasts some of Doha’s          the intermission, you discuss the benefits              There’s never a shortage of
            best ethnic restaurants. You decide to go       of tax-free income with expat culture                  customers—as Qatar’s rampant
            Keralan at Al Osra, which does a mean fish       vultures before you shuffle off to L’wzaar                development continues, falconry
            curry, served with bu ery paratha and a         Seafood Market, one of the many excellent              is seen as a link to a way of life
            tangy mango lassi, all for less than the        regional restaurants in Katara. You select             that’s growing increasingly
            price of a knockoff luxury timepiece.            a healthy-looking hamour—a local meaty
                                                                                                                   remote. (And when birding
               From here, you scurry past the insis-        fish—and six giant Omani prawns. They
                                                                                                                   buffs aren’t buying these regal
            tent traders and retrace your steps to the      come grilled to perfection and accompa-
                                                                                                                   creatures, they’re taking pictures
            St. Regis, where you’re booked for a treat-     nied by an array of delectable mezes.
            ment at its Remède Spa. With every muscle          Finally, it’s back for a nightcap at Vintage,
                                                                                                                   of them with their cellphones.)
            being expertly tended to, you’re back in the    the upscale bar at the St. Regis, where the
            lap of luxury, and you’d be lying if you said   Czech lager is served in iced pewter tan-
            it didn’t feel good.                            kards and the patrons look like extras from
               Next, it’s a five-minute stroll to Katara,    Casino Royale. The la er turns out to be apt:
            a “cultural village” showcasing aspects         Not only is Doha known as a diplomatic hot
            of Qatar’s heritage that risk being swept       spot, but the bartender here shakes a very
            away by relentless modernization. You           good martini. While the cheesy lounge act
            decline the chauffeured golf cart and           diminishes the mystique a li le, you find
            wander among the mock-Arabian build-            yourself nodding in time to the music as
            ings, pausing now and then to look in on        you se le into one of the shadowy nooks.
            an art gallery. Having admired the lovely,      This, you feel, bodes well for Doha’s future.
            blue-tiled central mosque for a bit, you        Even the bad stuff is pre y good.
            move on to the Opera House, where you’ll
            catch the first half of a performance by the     Abu Dhabi–based freelance writer ALISTAIR
            Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra.                   CRIGHTON has very nearly recovered from his
               The QPO is famed for incorporating           afternoon of dune bashing.
            classical Arabic music into its repertoire,


               BOARDING PASS       With the sparkling Persian Gulf on one side and a sprawling desert landscape on the other, Doha offers a dramatic
               getaway for adventurers, history buffs, culture aficionados and hard-core shoppers alike. United can take you to Qatar’s capital city
               with convenient one-stop service from Washington Dulles through Dubai. Before boarding, consider purchasing a day pass to relax in a
               spacious United Club; memberships are also available. For more information or to book your flight, go to united.com.




            90                                                                                                 JANUARY 2013 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM




R1_p080_90_HEM0113_3PD.indd 90                                                                                                                         10/12/2012 12:01

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Ak photography hemispheres mag 3 pd-doha janv2013

  • 1. Hemisphe heres JANUARY 2013 THREE PERFECT DAYS: DOHA • TRAVEL SPECIAL 2013 • THE HEMI Q&A WITH JAMES PATTERSON THREE PERFECT DAYS IN DOHA 25 NEW THINGS TO DO IN 2013 // HOW A NEW MEXICO ART DEALER SPARKED AN EPIC TREASURE HUNT // WHY SUPER BOWL GAMES ARE SURPRISINGLY SO GOOD AGAIN // THE HEMI Q&A PUTS A TAIL ON SUSPENSE WRITER JAMES PATTERSON R1_P001_HEMUA_0113_Cover.indd 1 11/12/2012 14:44
  • 2. YOUR COMPLIMENTARY COPY 62 THE HEMI Q&A With a new bestseller- to-be out this month, James Patterson talks books, Hollywood and pet peeves 66 THE THRILL OF THE CHASE How a Santa Fe art collector’s supposed dying wish has turned into a treasure hunt of epic proportions WELCOME ABOARD CEO LETTER A word from Jeff Smisek 12 72 OUT WITH THE OLD VOICES 14 A message to flyers The best new things to see in 2013, from a CONNECTIONS 15 Dr. Seussian garden in What’s new at United Singapore to Picasso’s long-awaited return to Paris AURELIE KORADY 80 THREE PERFECT DAYS: DOHA Cultural riches and exotic diversions await in Qatar’s booming capital city HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY 2013 7 p007-08_HEM0113_TOC.indd 7 30/11/2012 10:04
  • 3. JANUARY DISPATCHES GLOBETROTTING 17 News and notes from around the world ROAD TRIP 25 DOWNLOAD A Spanish expedition in OUR FREE IPAD the sporty Mini Cooper S APP FROM convertible follows in ITUNES Don Quixote’s hoofprints SUBSCRIBE TO HEMISPHERES For a free subscription to our FOOD & DRINK 29 monthly eMag and to access recent issues, go to Meet Sergio Herman, HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM the Netherlands’ first rock-star chef STAY 35 facebook.com/UnitedHemispheres From Maine to Milan, the month’s hottest hotels twitter.com/hemispheresmag CULTURE THE MONTH AHEAD 39 What to read, watch and listen to in January THE FAN 47 How the Super Bowl went from mere spectacle to one of the best showdowns in sports BRIGHT IDEAS “Wild Things” Wild HOW IT’S DONE 51 host Dominic st The train of tomorrow Monaghan gets onaghan gets off the ground apped wrapped up in in Japan his work INDUSTRY 53 Could Detroit’s strategy for beating joblessness become a national model? TECH 57 Calling for a return to Silicon Valley’s pioneering heyday ENTERTAINMENT AND INFORMATION Movies, Television and 97 Audio Programming ABOUT THE COVER: Doha’s skyline Crossword and Sudoku 106 06 as seen from the fountain courtyard Route Maps, Customs & 111 11 of the I.M. Pei– Immigration, Our Fleet, Terminal designed Museum Diagrams, Safety & Travel of Islamic Art, photographed by Assistance, MileagePlus and Aurelie Korady Alliances & Partnerships WRITE TO US: editorial@hemispheresmagazine.com Food & Beverages 136 36 ! 68 Jay St., Ste. 315, Brooklyn, NY 11201 8 JANUARY 2013 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM R1_p007-08_HEM0113_TOC.indd 8 11/12/2012 14:28
  • 4. IN WITH THE NEW EDITOR IN CHIEF Joe Keohane WHAT DO A CUTTING-EDGE Canadian planetar- EXECUTIVE EDITOR Chris Wright MANAGING EDITOR Jennifer L. Johnson ium, an underwater “suburb” in Mexico, a Singapore SENIOR EDITOR Jacqueline Detwiler park straight out of Dr. Seuss and the world’s big- FASHION EDITOR Nino Bauti EDITOR AT LARGE Sam Polcer gest Ferris wheel have in common? Not to mention ART DIRECTOR Christine Bower-Wright a Parisian trove of Picasso paintings, a tank of sharks ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Jeff Quinn in Cleveland and a whole museum dedicated to PHOTO EDITOR Julien Tomasello ABBA in Sweden? CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jay Cheshes, Alyssa Giacobbe, The answer: They’re all included in “Out With the Mike Guy, Michael Kaplan, Jon Marcus, Old” (page 72), a special travel package that rounds Adam K. Raymond, Cristina Rouvalis, Grant Stoddard up some of the best new things to see and do in CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS 2013—from Amsterdam to Beverly Hills to Rio. Christine Berrie, Peter James Field, Alex Nabaum, Peter Oumanski, When you’re done poring over the latest and James Provost, Steve Stankiewicz greatest from around the world, we’ll introduce you to a man who hid a treasure chest EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR worth millions in Santa Fe, explain why Super Bowl games have suddenly go en so Michael Keating U.S. EDITORIAL DIRECTOR exciting, diagnose Silicon Valley’s hopeless fixation on apps, and try to figure out, with Orion Ray-Jones help from mega-selling author James Pa erson, how, exactly, a person can write more Ink, 68 Jay St., Ste. 315, than 100 novels (a resolution of ours). And from us to you, best wishes for a safe and Brooklyn, NY 11201 prosperous new year. —The Editors Tel: +1 347-294-1220 Fax: +1 917-591-6247 editorial@hemispheresmagazine.com hemispheresmagazine.com WEBMASTER Salah Lababidi ADVERTISING U.S. GROUP PUBLISHING DIRECTOR YOU MAY NOW USE YOUR ELECTRONIC DEVICES! Stephen Andrews Download Hemispheres’ free iPad app and get every issue, plus VP, STRATEGY AND BUSINESS special bonus features like additional photos, stories and video. DEVELOPMENT Andrea Alexander DIRECTOR, SPECIAL PROJECTS Greg Caccavale NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGERS Andrea Chase-Ward, Kristina Kurz, Scott Stone, Anna Szpunar, Banu Yilmaz U.S. TERRITORY MANAGERS CONTRIBUTORS Jack Miller, Jeff Miller, Lonnie Milligan, Lisa Nelson, Ryan Sadorf, Ketan Solanki HAWAII Robert Wiegand EUROPE Sarah Orme ASIA Jacqueline Ho LATIN/SOUTH AMERICA Daniela Cateriano MEXICO Alejandro Salas BRAZIL Olivier Capoulade PRODUCTION MANAGER Joe Massey Tel: +1 678-553-8091 PRODUCTION CONTROLLERS Josette Berksteiner, Stacy Willis MARKETING MANAGER Nikkole Wyrick MARGIE GOLDSMITH GEOFFREY GRAY AURELIE KORADY is a New York–based is a contributing editor is a French freelance Ink (sales), Capital Building, 255 E. Paces Ferry Rd., Ste. 400, adventure, luxury and for New York magazine photographer based Atlanta, GA 30305 lifestyle journalist who and the author of in Qatar, where she Tel: +1 888-864-1733 Fax: +1 917-591-6247 has traveled to 120 Skyjack: The Hunt for frequently exhibits her Ink countries and written D.B. Cooper. He’s been work. While Korady CEO Jeffrey O’Rourke COO Hugh Godsal about them all. Though spending a lot of time in enjoyed the adventure PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Simon Leslie she didn’t find Forrest Spain lately, wandering of shooting “Three HEMISPHERES is produced monthly by Ink. All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. No part of this Fenn’s buried treasure the provinces in search Perfect Days: Doha” publication may be reproduced in whole or part without the prior written permission of the copyright holder. All prices while in Santa Fe (“The of adventure à la Don (page 80)—including and data are correct at the time of publication. Opinions expressed in Hemispheres are not necessarily those of the Thrill of the Chase,” Quixote—though he a wild “dune bashing” Publisher or United Airlines, and United Airlines does not accept any responsibility for advertising content. Neither page 66), she did vastly prefers a zippy expedition—the people United, its subsidiaries nor affiliates guarantees the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of, or otherwise endorses these discover Frito pie, and Mini Cooper convertible she met were the real facts, views, opinions or recommendations, gives investment advice, or advocates the purchase or sale of any security or investment. You should always seek the assistance of a bought enough Native to an old nag named highlight. “Everyone’s so professional for tax and investment advice. Any images are supplied at the owner’s risk. Any mention of United Airlines American jewelry to fill Rocinante (“Knight welcoming,” she says. or the use of United Airlines logo by any advertiser in this publication does not imply endorsement of that company or her own treasure chest. Shift,” page 25).   “I love this country!” its products or services by United Airlines. 10 JANUARY 2013 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM p010_HEM0113_Contribs.indd 10 11/12/2012 14:51
  • 5. THREE PERFECT DAYS DOHAIn just a few years, the capital of Qatar has gone from desert backwater to major player in global tourism, offering cultural riches, top-notch cuisine and a bo omless supply of bling BY ALISTAIR CRIGHTON PHOTOGRAPHS BY AURELIE KORADY 80 JANUARY 2013 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM p080_90_HEM0113_3PD.indd 80 30/11/2012 10:47
  • 6. 83 DAY ONE A treasure island of traditional art, lingering over chai and a shisha, an evening of classic American jazz 86 DAY TWO Wandering the ruins at Zubara, high-velocity camels, wild four-wheeling in the desert 88 DAY THREE Shopping in a Venetian fantasy- land, Boléro by the bay, a local seafood feast RIDING HIGH A camel tender atop his mount at Al Shahaniya Camel Racetrack; left, shopping mecca Souq Waqif HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM • DECEMBER 2012 81 p080_90_HEM0113_3PD.indd 81 30/11/2012 10:47
  • 7. THREE PERFECT DAYS || DOHA REFLECTING HERITAGE The I.M. Pei–designed Museum of Islamic Art; top right, an array of mezes at Tajine; bottom right, glitz for sale in Msheireb QATAR HAS COME A LONG WAY in a short More recently, Qatar has been on a development time. Having gained its independence only four binge that’s transformed it into one of the most decades ago, this small spit of desert jutting vibrant and a ractive spots in the Gulf. into the Persian Gulf now boasts the world’s With the soccer World Cup heading to Qatar highest per-capita GDP, and is punching well in 2022, the capital city’s revival is being stepped above its weight in the fields of hospi- up. A er spending years in the shadow WANT MORE? tality, finance and international sport. Download of nearby Dubai, Doha is emerging as our iPad app. It’s a far cry from the 1930s, when a a destination to be reckoned with: a Japanese invention—cultured pearls—devas- place where travelers can immerse themselves tated the pearl diving industry on which Qatar’s in the best of Middle East culture while knowing economy relied. Then the discovery of fossil fuels that a hot nightspot, hip restaurant or fleet of here in the 1940s reversed its fortunes overnight. matching Rolls-Royces is never far away. 82 JANUARY 2013 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM p080_90_HEM0113_3PD.indd 82 30/11/2012 10:47
  • 8. DOHA || THREE PERFECT DAYS DOHA BY THE NUMBERS POPULATION 796,947 ESTIMATED PERCENTAGE OF POPULATION MADE UP OF EXPATRIATES 85 AREA, IN SQUARE MILES 51 NATURAL GAS RESERVES IN QATAR, IN CUBIC FEET (NO. 3 IN THE WORLD) 896 TRILLION PER-CAPITA GDP (NO. 1 IN THE WORLD) $104,300 VALUE OF WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE ARTWORK (CEZANNE’S THE CARD PLAYERS, BOUGHT BY QATAR’S ROYAL FAMILY) $250 MILLION NUMBER OF STADIUMS TO BE BUILT FOR THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP DAY ONE | The morning sun wakes you Souq Waqif is still sleeping, so you earlier than expected, amplified as it is by catch a cab to the Museum of Islamic Art, 9 the wall-to-wall shininess of your suite. which rises like a cubist sculpture from Al Jasra Boutique Hotel, a neo-traditional the uncannily turquoise waters of the property in Doha’s Souq Waqif market, Persian Gulf. Set on a small artificial NUMBER OF NEW HOTEL ROOMS is luxurious even by the Gulf ’s “seven island, the I.M. Pei–designed building pays NEEDED TO HANDLE star” standards, an opulence literally homage to timeless Islamic architecture, THE WORLD CUP INFLUX reflected in the mirror finish applied to but with a modernist twist. You pause to every surface. watch dhows, traditional wooden sailboats, 10,000+ Having located and donned your sun- bobbing between the museum and the glasses, you indulge in a bedside treat of glistening skyline, then head inside. espresso and chocolate-dipped straw- It’s easy to lose yourself among the LENGTH, IN MILES, OF PROPOSED berries, then amble down to the hotel museum’s cultural riches: ancient, finely WORLD’S-LONGEST BRIDGE restaurant for breakfast: a hearty bowl of cra ed rugs, artworks and sundry imple- BETWEEN QATAR AND BAHRAIN foul (cooked beans served with piquant ments, many of which date back to the condiments) and more strong coffee. time when the Islamic world led the way 24.85 HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY 2013 83 p080_90_HEM0113_3PD.indd 83 30/11/2012 10:47
  • 9. THREE PERFECT DAYS || DOHA MAD STASH A royal’s personal museum pushes the boundaries of taste If the Museum of Islamic Art’s holdings are the most famous of Qatar’s art collections, then Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani’s personal stash is perhaps the most infamous. Located on the edge of the city, the sheikh’s namesake museum keeps irregular hours, but for those who make it inside, a real eye-opener awaits. Over the years, the sheikh has amassed a huge treasure trove (there are tales of cargo containers of purchases arriving every month), and items on display encompass everything from U.S. muscle cars to GREAT CATCH Above, grilled prawns at L’wzaar Seafood Market; opposite, clockwise from top left, Islamic manuscripts, nautical traditional pigeon towers in Katara; a selection of water pipes, called shishas; the Al Jasra Boutique equipment, rugs, stamps, coins, Hotel’s over-the-top lobby; a sampling of Souq Waqif’s wealth of traditional crafts bowling balls and virtually any- thing else that can be collected. in artistic and scientific development. The A short taxi ride takes you to the Arab The museum’s centerpiece, intricate weapons on display, meanwhile, Museum of Modern Art, also known as though, is an array of Saddam remind you of the region’s corresponding Mathaf, which is stacked with excellent Hussein memorabilia, which military might. examples of Arab modernist art (you are includes items of the Iraqi Exiting the museum, you swing right particularly taken with the “Tea With and stroll the palm-lined Corniche, a Nefertiti” exhibition, which showcases dictator’s clothing. It’s a puzzling, favorite gathering spot for Doha society Egyptian art from the age of the pharaohs even unnerving thing to behold. in the cooler months. You stop at a café for to the Arab Spring). Another cab whisks you As one visitor was overheard to a restorative chai—sweet, spiced tea—then through the city’s high-rise monuments to wonder: Why? Of course, that cab it back to Souq Waqif, where you navi- wealth and on to West Bay Lagoon, home same visitor continued to gaze gate a warren of shops hawking everything to the second hotel of your stay. upon these artifacts for a good from gaudy fabrics to sticky sweets. Wiz- The St. Regis Doha is a paragon of Gulf while, effectively answering her ened porters thread their barrows through bling: a fleet of Rolls-Royces and Jaguars own question. formations of black-clad matrons, watched outside, acres of marble within. by officers of the mounted Amiri Guard, You push through the sprays of resplendent in their white kaffiyehs and aromatic flowers and emerge gold-framed aviator sunglasses. into the gli ering lobby, where For lunch, you go for adventurous: baby a female harpist who surely camel tagine at the stylish Moroccan eatery moonlights as a supermodel Tajine, located on Souq Waqif’s main drag. plinks melodiously. Soon you Served with a mixture of mezes, it’s rustic are approached by a phalanx and very tasty—think mutton rather of liveried staff, one of them than lamb but leaner, richer and, thanks your butler, and are led to your to hours of stewing, far more tender. gold-tinted room. Though Doha has a reputation for being If you want a drink in Doha, fast-paced, locals have made an art form the big hotels are pre y much of going nowhere slowly. Accordingly, you your only option. So, after a linger at one of the cafés lining the main sunset dip in the Olympic- street, where you spend a sedentary hour size pool, you head for the St. smoking a shisha, an aromatic water pipe, Regis’ Jazz at Lincoln Center GRAND BIZARRE Inside the Sheikh and playing “guess the nationality” as a Doha, a new club launched by Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani Museum diverse parade of people passes by. its New York namesake, where 84 JANUARY 2013 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM p080_90_HEM0113_3PD.indd 84 30/11/2012 10:47
  • 10. DOHA || THREE PERFECT DAYS PHOTO CREDIT TK - REMOVE IF EMPTY p080_90_HEM0113_3PD.indd 85 30/11/2012 10:48
  • 11. THREE PERFECT DAYS || DOHA you spend an evening in the company of jazz legend (and the club’s artistic direc- tor) Wynton Marsalis. Between sets, the musicians mingle with the audience, and you’re joined for dinner by saxophonist Walter Blanding, who, having watched you demolish pla ers of succulent crab cakes and lobster, declares his own entrée to be “the best darn burger I’ve ever had.” After dinner, you down a Sazerac—a New Orleans twist on the old-fashioned— and marvel at this cosmopolitan nightspot, smack-dab in the middle of the Middle East. A Sazerac or two later, the mood light- ing seems even moodier. Time for a snooze. DAY TWO | It’s another dazzler outside, so you grope your way to a bathroom bigger than many hotel suites and hit the shower. Then you pop downstairs to one of the St. Regis’ 10 on-site eateries, Vine, for a perfectly prepared chili-infused omelet. You’ll need the extra zing, you figure, for the experience that awaits. Driving in Doha isn’t for the faint- hearted, but it’s a must if you want to go beyond the city limits. So you rent a car and hurtle north toward Al Khor. While Qatar’s industrial second city is hardly an obvious destination, you want to see its wharf, which turns out to be well worth the 45-minute trip. The hulking dhows here were built using age-old methods in the nearby shipyard, and they still ply ancient trade routes. The captain of one scruffy vessel invites you to join him on deck for a glass of tea. You take him up on it (much to the consternation of his crew), and are entertained with what you hope are salty tales of the high seas but, given the language barrier, might be a commen- tary on the state of cricket in his home country of India. A 50-minute drive northwest takes you through an arid, relentlessly flat landscape, the monotony occasionally broken by an oasis or a pre y mosque. You’re heading for a local oddity: Zubara, an abandoned 18th-century se lement that’s become a sort of al fresco museum. Upon arriving, you stroll among its ruined houses, then tour the nearby Zubara Fort, an imposing early-20th-century structure that must have been an unhappy post in the days before air conditioning. Turning back toward Doha, you stop at Al Shahaniya Camel Racetrack, about 20 miles outside the city. There’s no race 86 JANUARY 2013 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM p080_90_HEM0113_3PD.indd 86 30/11/2012 12:27
  • 12. DOHA || THREE PERFECT DAYS HUMP DAY A gaggle of camels at Al Shahaniya; top right, the opulent Villaggio mall; bottom right, the St. Regis Doha HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY 2013 87 p080_90_HEM0113_3PD.indd 87 30/11/2012 12:27
  • 13. THREE PERFECT DAYS || DOHA on, but you’re lucky enough to see some a dune to watch one of the most dramatic a tab that outstrips the GDP of some small practice runs. The surly animals achieve a sunsets you’ve ever seen. Your inner peace countries. All in all, then, a very good night. remarkable pace, geed on by bizarre robotic abates, however, when the driver takes you jockeys. A local breeder tells you these ani- roaring through the dunes once again. It’s DAY THREE | A lie-in and breakfast in matronic riders are a Qatari invention, and much scarier in the dark. bed—eggs Benedict (no ham)—steel you have replaced the child jockeys that only a Having piloted your rental car back to for your first activity of the day. At mid- few years ago were the norm. Doha, you clear the sand from your ears morning, you’re heading to the ’burbs for Though you get back on the road, a truly before heading to the W Hotel for dinner that most Qatari of pastimes: shopping. arresting spectacle soon has you Doha can’t compete with the hi ing the brakes. The sprawl of retail wonderland of Dubai, but refineries just south of Doha is Villaggio is a step in that direction. like a distorted reflection of the With its swank boutiques and city’s skyline. You gawp for a canal-traversing gondolas, the while at the flaming towers cut- Venetian-themed mall is hugely ting through giant dunes, then popular with locals, who shop make for your lunch destination: for brands so exclusive you’ve Lagoon Ristorante, located at the never heard of them, with price perfectly manicured Sealine tags you’re not likely to forget. Beach Resort. You devour an You pop into Gondolania, the excellent linguine al gamberi, yet in-mall theme park, and perch you don’t tarry a erward—your beside its ice rink to take in the driver from a local adventure unlikely spectacle of a Qatari outfit has arrived to take you hockey game. Then it’s back to dune bashing in a 4x4. downtown, where a different sort NOTEWORTHY IMPORT Getting into the swing For the next hour or so, as the driver of things at Jazz at Lincoln Center Doha of retail experience awaits. negotiates near-vertical off-road terrain, Most of Msheireb, part of the old city you are able to form only two thoughts: at the chic Market by Jean-Georges, where center, is in the process of being rebuilt. “ouch” and “eek.” It’s fun, but you and your you plump for an exquisite fontina and The areas that have escaped demolition ra ling bones are happy to disembark at black truffle pizza, washed down with a are some of the most colorful in town—a the Inland Sea, a picturesque spot where dra Hoegaarden. Next, you beeline it to clu er of markets selling everything from billowing dunes plunge into an inlet of the Crystal, the W’s studiously hip nightclub, fruit-and-veg to $5 “Rolexes.” You hit the Persian Gulf. A er a quick dip, you climb and dance into the wee hours, racking up Gold Souq, where you deck yourself out in LOCAL KNOWLEDGE THE INSIDE SCOOP FROM THOSE IN THE KNOW ILLUSTRATIONS BY PETER JAMES FIELD Lana Shamma Nicholas Wilson Yasmine Kassem EVENTS/PUBLICITY MANAGER MARKETING CONSULTANT MARKETING EXECUTIVE “One of Doha’s hidden finds is “Taking in a local football match “The café at the Museum of a kitschy antiques shop called is an experience. Qatari men are Islamic Art Park is one of the Champs-Élysées. It’s stacked with crazy about soccer. The 2022 coolest places in the city to hang stuff like Arabic-language Coca- World Cup should have a great out. It’s a fantastic spot Cola signs and vintage cameras. atmosphere.” for cultured conversation in an Don’t forget to haggle!” idyllic setting.” 88 JANUARY 2013 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM R1_p080_90_HEM0113_3PD.indd 88 10/12/2012 12:00
  • 14. DOHA || THREE PERFECT DAYS Opera House Katara Zubara L’wzaar Seafood Market Onaiza St. Al Khor Vintage Q ATA R Jazz at Lincoln Center Doha Remède Spa St. Regis Doha Al Shahaniya Doha a Camel Racetrack 0 1 mile Area of detail Lagoon Ristorante O m ar Inland Sea Al M uk Market by Jean-Georges ial St. ht Crystal ar Al St . M I s tiq ark hiy Al aS Persian Gulf t. t. o nS aw St. Ta he Al nic or Kha jlis C lifa Al Ma St. t. aS biy Ahm ra Al Jazira Al A hani St. ed in T Jasim Bin Hamad St. Bin Arab Museum dB me ham A of Modern Art Mo li St . Al ha Museum of Islamic Art K lee Co jS rni Al Rayya c he n Rd. t. Villaggio DAY ONE Souq Waqif Al Jasra Boutique Hotel DAY TWO Al Osra Tajine DAY THREE Al Saad St. Msheireb DAY ONE DAY TWO DAY THREE Al Jasra Boutique Hotel Souq Waqif, Al Khor Villaggio Al Waab Street, Doha; Doha; Tel. 974-4433-6666 Zubara Tel. 974-4413-5222 Museum of Islamic Art Doha Port, Al Shahaniya Camel Racetrack Msheireb Doha; Tel. 974-4422-4444 Al Shahaniya Al Osra Omar Al Mukhtar and Al Fayhaa Souq Waqif Off Grand Hamad Lagoon Ristorante Sealine streets, Doha; Tel. 974-4431-9941 Street, Doha Beach Resort, Mesaieed; Remède Spa St. Regis Doha, West Bay, Tajine Souq Waqif, Doha; Tel. 974-4476-5299 Doha; Tel. 974-4446-0300 Tel. 974-4435-5554 Inland Sea Katara West Bay, Doha; Arab Museum of Modern Art Market by Jean-Georges W Doha Tel. 974-4408-0000 Education City, off Al Luqta Street, Hotel & Residences, West Bay, Opera House Bldg. 16, Katara, Doha; Tel. 974-4402-8855 Doha; Tel. 974-4453-5135 West Bay, Doha St. Regis Doha West Bay, Doha; Crystal W Doha Hotel & Residences, L’wzaar Seafood Market Katara, West Tel. 974-4446-0000 West Bay, Doha; Tel. 974-4453-5135 Bay, Doha; Tel. 974-4408-0710 Jazz at Lincoln Center Doha Vintage St. Regis Doha, West Bay, St. Regis Doha, West Bay, Doha; Doha; Tel. 974-4446-0300 Tel. 974-4446-0000 HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY 2013 • MAP BY STEVE STANKIEWICZ 89 R1_p080_90_HEM0113_3PD.indd 89 10/12/2012 12:00
  • 15. THREE PERFECT DAYS || DOHA FOR THE BIRDS Falconry offers a soaring reminder of tribal traditions In modern Qatar, falconry may be a status symbol for the wealthy, but the sport itself stems from an earthier concern: protein. The Bedouin of old trapped falcons in the autumn as they migrated across the Arabian Peninsula, using baited cages festooned with nooses to snare the raptors’ talons. They then trained the falcons and subsisted on the small game that the birds would capture. While these old methods are still used, most falcons in Qatar today are imported from AT THE OASIS Persian Gulf views Central Asia. At Doha’s Falcon at Sealine Beach Resort Souq, birds come with prices ranging from $275 for a puny or a handful of Mr. T–grade gold chains for a but tonight it’s Ravel, with the full orches- truculent male to $8,000-plus very reasonable sum. tra pulling out all the stops for Boléro. At for a prized female saker falcon. Msheireb also boasts some of Doha’s the intermission, you discuss the benefits There’s never a shortage of best ethnic restaurants. You decide to go of tax-free income with expat culture customers—as Qatar’s rampant Keralan at Al Osra, which does a mean fish vultures before you shuffle off to L’wzaar development continues, falconry curry, served with bu ery paratha and a Seafood Market, one of the many excellent is seen as a link to a way of life tangy mango lassi, all for less than the regional restaurants in Katara. You select that’s growing increasingly price of a knockoff luxury timepiece. a healthy-looking hamour—a local meaty remote. (And when birding From here, you scurry past the insis- fish—and six giant Omani prawns. They buffs aren’t buying these regal tent traders and retrace your steps to the come grilled to perfection and accompa- creatures, they’re taking pictures St. Regis, where you’re booked for a treat- nied by an array of delectable mezes. ment at its Remède Spa. With every muscle Finally, it’s back for a nightcap at Vintage, of them with their cellphones.) being expertly tended to, you’re back in the the upscale bar at the St. Regis, where the lap of luxury, and you’d be lying if you said Czech lager is served in iced pewter tan- it didn’t feel good. kards and the patrons look like extras from Next, it’s a five-minute stroll to Katara, Casino Royale. The la er turns out to be apt: a “cultural village” showcasing aspects Not only is Doha known as a diplomatic hot of Qatar’s heritage that risk being swept spot, but the bartender here shakes a very away by relentless modernization. You good martini. While the cheesy lounge act decline the chauffeured golf cart and diminishes the mystique a li le, you find wander among the mock-Arabian build- yourself nodding in time to the music as ings, pausing now and then to look in on you se le into one of the shadowy nooks. an art gallery. Having admired the lovely, This, you feel, bodes well for Doha’s future. blue-tiled central mosque for a bit, you Even the bad stuff is pre y good. move on to the Opera House, where you’ll catch the first half of a performance by the Abu Dhabi–based freelance writer ALISTAIR Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra. CRIGHTON has very nearly recovered from his The QPO is famed for incorporating afternoon of dune bashing. classical Arabic music into its repertoire, BOARDING PASS With the sparkling Persian Gulf on one side and a sprawling desert landscape on the other, Doha offers a dramatic getaway for adventurers, history buffs, culture aficionados and hard-core shoppers alike. United can take you to Qatar’s capital city with convenient one-stop service from Washington Dulles through Dubai. Before boarding, consider purchasing a day pass to relax in a spacious United Club; memberships are also available. For more information or to book your flight, go to united.com. 90 JANUARY 2013 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM R1_p080_90_HEM0113_3PD.indd 90 10/12/2012 12:01