Travel & Entertainment

The Irrepressible Jolie

Hellcat, dazzling, provocative, compassionate – Jolie’s been called all this and more. She is equally comfortable being a red carpet bombshell one moment and a humanitarian goddess fighting landmines another. Her ‘friendship’ with Brad Pitt whets the most prodigious tabloid appetites and her role as the U.N. goodwill ambassador as she is captured hanging off monstrous trucks in Peshawar, inspires the respect of even the most hardened cynic. Both Collins – Powell and Farrell – are fans calling her “effective” and “a powerhouse” respectively. And let’s not forget she’s already bagged an Academy Award for Girl, Interrupted.

If there is one woman who can do it all, this just might be it.

So what better role to play than the indomitable Mrs. Smith across Brad Pitt in one of the most chemistry-laden screen pairings of all time? In the sexy comedy-thriller, Jolie plays Jane Smith, going through the motions in a dull suburban marriage mired in the secret that they are both highly-paid assassins for competing organizations. When the two get hired to kill each other, sparks fly and we are treated to a rollercoaster ride curved with humor and edge-of-your-seat action as their mettle and marriage is tested.

Jolie loved the film’s multiple tones. “There are dramatic scenes about relationship issues,” she notes, “and huge action sequences and fight scenes that push the envelope, and also there is real comedy. It’s a great balance and it’s perfect because it’s just like real life and marriage.”

Finding several parallels with her on-screen alter ego, Jolie also offers some valuable advice. “I’m very much like Jane. I learned something about myself through playing her. It’s important for women to feel that they can be strong on their own, but it’s great to be involved with a film where a man and a woman need each other and are better when they’re together. There’s something great about people functioning as a team that movies haven’t focused on in a while.”

To bring the necessary verisimilitude to their portrayals of top assassins proficient in a multitude of firearms and deadly martial arts, Jolie attended what the filmmakers describe as “spy school.” “Brad and I have separately appeared in action films,” explains Jolie, “but that’s a specific method of training. I’ve never had a partner on film before and it’s very different working with one. We had to learn to move in tandem with fully loaded pump shotguns, crossing each other, running into houses, breaking and covering an area, shooting at moving targets – it was crazy, but we learned to trust each other.”

But at the end of the day, Jolie finds there is nothing sexier than motherhood. “When I’m up in the middle of the night, trying to get (her son) Maddox back to sleep, that’s when I’m at my most beautiful and sexy.”

- RB

HOTEL MEURICE For the royalty in you!

228 Rue De Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France Tel: +33 (0) 1 44 58 10 10 www.meuricehotel.com

Whatever time of year, Paris never fails to impress. The grand boulevards, renowned museums, high fashion, exquisite dining and the Parisian joie de vivre, combine for a memorable experience. In finding a hotel to enhance the Parisian experience, look no further than the Hotel Meurice.

Overlooking the Jardin des Tuileries with the Louvre, the Musee D’Orsay and top quality boutiques just a around the corner, Hotel Meurice enjoys the perfect location in the heart of this pulsating city. The décor is opulent and regal drawing from the hotel’s historic past where it played host to many of the world’s most notable aristocrats including Queen Victoria and King Alphonse XIII of Spain. The stately interior is adorned with countless Louis XVI furniture, exquisite artwork, mosaic marble floors, and gilded ornaments that recreate the heritage of the hotel’s illustrious past.

The splendor of the hotel is nowhere more apparent than in the Restaurant le Meurice. With floor to ceiling beveled mirrors, sparkling chandeliers, draping lush curtains, and immense landscape paintings decorating the walls and ceilings, you enter a world of the privileged. Prestigious Chef Yannick Alleno’s haute cuisine is artfully served on Limoges fine china with Christofle silverware. Meals are presented in a grand style as attentive waiters effortlessly float by after each course whisking away plates, refilling your wine or offering you the next delight.

For a less formal affair, Le Jardin D’Hiver just by the lobby is perfect. The Art Nouveau décor, lush foliage, and glass-roofed ceiling create a relaxed outdoor atmosphere where you can sip a wide selection of international teas and indulge in decadent pastries freshly prepared by pastry chef Camille Lesecq.

The guest rooms and suites are just as ornately conceived as the rest of the hotel. Yards of luxurious Italian and French fabrics adorn the rooms building layers of texture and color. The period Louis XVI furniture, canopied beds, and hand-painted ceilings framed with intricate crown moldings blend together to compose a regal ambience. The rooms on each floor adhere to a particular aesthetic in their furnishings; on the 6^th floor rooms feel like Parisian apartments while on the 1^st floor Louis XVI style enhances the luxury of the Presidential Suites.

As you step into the bathroom, Carrara and Arabesscato white and gray marble form a bright open space. The deep bathtubs beckon a soak especially with Penhaligon’s of London royal products to pamper you. A select few rooms even feature bathtubs overlooking the Jardin des Tuileries - a perfect way to absorb the street life of Paris while in the comforts of your room.

Or for a more indulgent experience, head downstairs to L’Espace Bien-Etre where specially trained aestheticians pamper and prune you with the exclusive Caudalie line of products based on the antioxidant power of grape seeds.

All of this luxury, however, comes at a price. With double rooms starting at €720 (about $925) be ready to splurge.

-- Shayan Rayani

Scene around town…

JEFFREY SANKER’S WHITE PARTY 2005 – PALM SPRINGS

The hottest men gathered for the desert’s annual extravaganza of fun and frolic. Featuring world-class DJs like Manny Lehman, Tony Moran and Junior Vasquez, the celebrated gay event that sprawls over Easter weekend saw to packed pools, dance floors and more ‘see-it-to-believe-it’ series of world-famous parties.

MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION’S ANNUAL WINE TASTING & AUCTION – BARKER HANGAR, SANTA MONICA

Being generous with your wallet has never been as easy as when this renowned organization throws its annual event where the top vintners and eateries converge under one roof to raise money to make dreams come true for children with life-threatening medical conditions.


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SOUNDS

BILLY MILES (Aezra)

Erykah Badu, Billie Holiday, Sade, Macy Gray and few other divas rolled into one. Free of any filler, this sexy debut is a start-to-finish pleasure with the kind of tracks that get stuck in your head.

SHAHEEN Rock Candy (Azadi Music)

Pop-rock kissed with South Indian influences. The sultry debut by the singer/songwriter compared to the likes of Sean Colvin and Sheryl Crow, is an indie find with emotional resonance. www.shaheensheik.com

LADIES IN LAVENDER (SONY Classical) Nigel Hess / Joshua Bell

The fantastic score featuring the acclaimed performances of violinist Joshua Bell has sweeping emotional melodies and is able to stand independently of the equally engrossing film. Romantic and poignant, the score is full of pathos and a must-have for all music aficionados.


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