Lifetime Communique Archives Archives

Prague: Fairy-Tale Europe’s Baroque Gem

By William Chamberlayne |

August 31, 2010

In this issue of the Lifetime Society Communiqué, we stroll the cobbled streets of one of Europe's most atmospheric and beautifully preserved cities. History hangs on every corner. You can see it in the decorative art of the churches and cathedrals, and even feel it in your feet on the old town's cobbled streets. This is Prague. A concentrated blob of pure baroque unscathed by the Second World War. It's a glorious place where beer is still brewed by monks and the stories of mad kings, tragic queens and foul monsters are still told.

Seascapes and Rolling Waves…Recapturing the Golden Age of Ocean Travel on the Turquoise Waters of the Caribbean and Mediterranean

By William Chamberlayne |

June 1, 2010

The glory days of the great transatlantic liners may be over…but in this month’s cover story, Paul Lewis finds you can embark on your own odyssey.

The “Pleasure of Kings”: Banned in the U.S. and the Downfall of Eisenhower’s Right-hand Man

By William Chamberlayne |

February 17, 2010

In your February issue, our travel correspondent, Paul Lewis, writes about the world’s rarest and most expensive wools. Shahtoosh shawls, made from the fine hair of the dwindling flock of Chiru, can retail today for $10,000 or more.

Delve into the History of Wine in Cape Town’s Winelands

By William Chamberlayne |

September 16, 2009

In our cover story, Paul Lewis writes about Cape Town’s wine regions. It’s a fascinating account, spanning 350 years, of how vineyards quickly spread across the Western Cape. And we hear from Lifetime Society Members Joel and Anna Moskowitz, who spent years scouring for affordable property in the U.S. and the Caribbean.

Museum Wars

By William Chamberlayne |

June 19, 2009

Museums are battling over the exhibited antiquities with the countries where the artifacts originated. Repossessions have occurred...and you can read just some of the examples of this in our cover story this month. Also in this issue of the Lifetime Society Communiqué, we profile American Cynthia Mulder. Cynthia first visited Panama with her husband and son in 2001 and liked what she saw.

Building a B&B Business in Panama from the Ground Up: A Tourism Venture on Tropical Taboga Island

By William Chamberlayne |

May 22, 2009

In this issue of the Lifetime Society Communiqué, we profile American Cynthia Mulder. Cynthia first visited Panama with her husband and son in 2001 and liked what she saw. “The year we first traveled to Panama we felt a contagious excitement across the country,” Cynthia says. “Business and construction were booming and potential retirees were flooding in to check the place out.”

Contradictions in Burgundy

By William Chamberlayne |

October 30, 2008

Looking for an autumnal escape from the gray skies of London recently, I ventured out in full hunting season to the mellow hills of Burgundy. Spurning the attractions of Dijon and its quaint Mustard Museum, not to mention the wines of Beaune (I intend to return for the charity wine auctions in November), I traveled instead into new territory: the unknown hinterland of Auxerre in northern Burgundy, for no other reason than it was there and I’d never been before. A few empty cases in the Chamberlayne wine cellar may also have been a deciding factor.

Shanghai’s Secrets

By William Chamberlayne |

September 5, 2008

During my recent trip to the east coast of China, I was able to use a well-known credit card in my hotel and in one anonymous international restaurant, but it was hard to get by with anything but cash elsewhere. Although credit is making inroads in this still largely rural nation, old peasant habits die hard—“better to do without until you can pay cash” seems to be the rule. My dear mother, who spent much of her youth in loan-wary France, taught me that same rule.

Casablanca

By William Chamberlayne |

July 7, 2008

From an early age I embraced exercise with respect and regularity, be it a round on the fairway, a brisk walk around town or the annual tennis tournament at college. I’m glad I’ve eschewed the automobile for the delights of public transport as well, as I’m not in the least inconvenienced by today’s high gas prices and the witch-hunt that goes with a public confession of what is now termed my “carbon footprint.” In this issue of your exclusive Lifetime Communique you can read about someone who has more time to explore other transport options since he moved to Mexico, and you can find out how to make your next international move in our upcoming events.

Uncovering Peru’s Inca Past

By William Chamberlayne |

February 25, 2008

I discovered this unpleasant fact on last year’s jaunt to Peru, where I holed up in Lima’s venerable Country Club Hotel. This colonial institution—vastly improved, by the way, since my last visit to San Isidro more than 20 years ago—overlooks a charming golf course, but the rigors of my travels had taken away all desire for even the simplest of swings. Instead I took to having a late breakfast in my spacious quarters (the eggs Benedict are perfectly comme il faut), rereading Shackleton’s Arctic hardships, and gazing wistfully over the fairway.