Take Note Mr. Lassman
On my way to the elevator, the doorman stops me and says, “Miss, I think this is important” and hands me an invitation:
“Harry Winston and Anthony S. Lassman, Founder and Chairman of Nota Bene, invite you to a sparkling evening to celebrate the best of Manhattan, as featured in NB Pulse.”
The Harry Winston store on Fifth Avenue is not very far from my house so I decide to put on a black and purple laced Marchesa dress (with my father’s South Sea pearls and diamonds) and walk with a friend from France to sip some Krug champagne, the one Paul Levy once said, “God gives his angels when they have been especially good.” After all lately, I have been especially good.
As soon as I enter the bright and elegant marbled room, I am welcomed by a stunning tall blond woman dressed in a white vison wearing diamond necklace. She compliments me on my earrings. My friend, Paul Lerner, one of the city most charismatic people from HWPR notices me and says: “Come you must meet him!”
I am intrigued, like myself, he has seen the world. His guides are the ultimate source for independent, unbiased information on the world’s most culturally rich and luxurious destinations. I’m sure would we have something to talk about — I would love to interview this charming man for my blog! “Mr Lassman”, I say with the best of my smiles, “What a pleasure to meet you.”
Twenty-four hours later, Anthony Lassman and I are now at the noisy but charming Bottega del Vino cafe and restaurant next to the newly renovated Plaza Hotel in Manhattan. At our table, my iPod Belkin recorder, my Moleskin notebook with the detailed questions and my vintage good luck gold Aurora ink pen. A decaf Expresso macchiato for me and traditional Earl Grey Tea for Mr. Lassman.
It all started in 2000 on a flight to New York. Anthony was reading a magazine out loud disturbing his wife who was peacefully reading herself a book, “Oh my God, look at this rubbish, this journalist never got to stay stay in this hotel.” Irritated, his wife Elaine answered “Then why don’t you do something about it?” — “You’re always never happy with the advice you are given, there is never trust.”
He pauses, takes a sip of his tea and reflects recalling that moment almost forgetful about my presence and of the Italian crowd around us. “I did not want to be just a successful business person, I actually wanted to create something…so I thought why don’t I take the challenge? I did not really know quite how much work it would be.” Ironically he states afterwards, “I do think you are meant to be on a journey, things happen for a reason.”
After asking this worldwide hotel evaluator to speak about the service and excellence of his own home, once more probably unconsciously, makes a notice about his wife Elaine’s personal touch of perfection and attention to detail when fixing a simple sandwich or making their bed: “I sort of got used that way and I became much more critical.”
We agree that in London, contrary to other cities like Sao Paulo or Singapore, staff that value their job is very hard to find. Anthony adds: “Why would I want the same experience at home in a Hotel? I want to have something different something that comes away from my daily life.”
When Anthony steps aboard a plane, he blesses the moment mobile phones are turned off. Like a child, flying from JFK airport over the Manhattan skyscrapers never fails to excite him.
Knowing that I am Brazilian, he confides me about his long time love affair with the country. He finds himself sometimes quoting: “More tolerant over an excessive wait in Brazil than the subservient service of the East…that obsequious prostration of the Thai culture, too much for me! I don’t like it to be You are staff and I am the very important person, I don’t care if it’s take forever” (he’s obviously been in Bahia for short periods of time that’s why!) He has also been he’s in Itacare, Corumbao, Alagoas and Espelhos. He loves the space, the culture, the music, he loves it all. What can I say… Sarava my Brazilian friends you just happened to pass the NB test!
Issued ten times a year, each NB review focuses on a single destination. Previous NB reviews have covered Milan, Paris, New York, Miami, Costa Smeralda (Sardinia), Marrakech (Morocco), St. Barth’s and St. Moritz. The Nota Bene Travel Team, reveals the good and the bad without reservation.
Sometimes Anthony Lasman would be the location spotter and his team would follow later on with specific instructions; other times, the other way around. Some places suggested by his team did not really interest him but he attentively replied when I asked (knowing he’s a man of truth,) if it was ever mentioned in that city guide.
“You must be careful, one must not offend, our writing is done with very careful attention to libel. Although we do sound sometimes repressive, we are quite direct. There is a border and you must never cross it, you can try to be too clever in what you say by picking everything to pieces, or trashing something. You must not do that, you must be absolutely based on your experience.”
“Mr Lassman, ” I decide to ask almost without giving him time to reflect, “in your opinion, what is the difference between a tourist and a traveler? “He manages to think but has a smile on his face, the tricky question must probably have a catch. “Tourists are on a mission, I have got to do this and that…” not quite satisfied with the answer, he then marvelously adds “I actually don’t have to go to the Uffizi to know about Florence… If we are all on a prescription trying to do everything at one single go…and… also I like to leave that open door for when I’ll come back!”
“The idea of the writing in the books, the guides, is about a friend you admire, that has a certain style. I like to think that we are like that traveler adviser telling you about its experience.
In the past, he sustained several times that he, not his team are trend-setter but without realizing he formulates exactly the trend-setter criteria when he explains about” that feel of where a place is right for our audience, why are we interested in the Seychelles rather than Mauritius, “(you’ll have to read the guides)” why Cartagena?… I am terrible, I could walk in a restaurant and know within the five first minutes whether I am going to like it or no; It’s about the connection.”
I then ask him to define the typical NB Review subscribers profile. “They are quite discerning in an unpretentious way, they are not demanding because I’ve got lots of money , they’re refined, well brought up, and are interested in a diverse range of destinations. Quite a nice group.”
NB Review provides the final word on super-luxury hotels, nightlife and shopping down to the best floor and room in a hotel, the finest place for a glass of champagne, the most popular locations for power breakfasts or lunches and even identifies the best tables in all the finest restaurants.
“People think we are the most expensive, we could find a little pousada its hospitality being so lovely in the small little things owners would do that are full of style, maybe the sheets are not changed everyday or not enough towels in the bathroom, but preparing a festive breakfast at 4 o’clock in the morning prior to an early flight when there is absolutely no expectation–that’s excellence! Could you believe it? That is my language for quality. What is so important in what we do are the details that nobody tells you, that’s endorsement.”
Recently launched, Nota Bene Travel is the net plus ultra in travel advisory service and travel planning. Under the direction of Gaelle Jupet, former head of VIP services at New York’s Carlyle Hotel it is designed to meet the very specific needs and lifestyle of the super-affluent traveler, it provides a class of travel where nothing is impossible and everything is flawlessly executed.
When I asked Mr Lasseman about the Nota Bene Travel x-factor offer regarding the constant search for next new thing for that ultimate special connection to the world he answered: “What I really think is important is to understand somebody’s individual needs because they are not looking for the same things all at the same time. Sometimes we find ourselves not dictatorial, but strong in our views, you must, you should, why don’t you, and and I feel people like to be lead , you must influence unless you are 100% passionate and convinced that it is good.
“What about a signature hotel by Anthony Lassman? “Well the first thing I hate any connotation with marketing material like water, sommelier, chocolate sommelier pillow menu, rubbish you don’t need that. My hotel firstly is the karma, the Feng Shui , the feeling that comes with the design with the space’s layout, the people that are working there and love everything that they are doing making you transport into something that is pure escape and you’d say: ‘Wow, I just love being there.’”
“Disturbance, is the first thing. I would work my way not to disturb people, no knocking or coming under the door sorry your privacy light was off when we came to check your room, mini bar. I don’t want a bloody mini bar! I don’t want someone checking in my room whether I had a bottle of something. My idea of a great hotel is about My space, My time, not their time; it’s the guest time.
“I want to have breakfast whenever I want. I want to come when I come within reason. If it’s a busy hotel I don’t expect the room to be ready, what I do expect is someone to manage me for those hours I am waiting knowing about the needs I might have. After a long flight I am not going to be filling forms about which newspaper I prefer in the morning, leave me until I relax.
“If I had to have a hotel, which I think I would have one one day, I would want to find out about the guests needs. I would take the credit card in advance because you know you have the authority for this, If you need the passport then ask for the passport maybe the next day. A mini bar that really has the things in it that I believe the person wants, things to put in your eyes when you arrive find them on your pillow, that will make you sleep, that will relax you.
“No notices that say ‘if you want to take this bathrobe a 150 dollars will be added to your bill.‘ I think that you have to build into your business plan that there is going to be certain amount of privileges. You just have to allow them. At Villa Feltrinelli at Lake Garda, which is a hotel I happen to like very much, for example, their rate includes laundry, phone calls and wine. Mr Markus Odermatt, who runs the hotel, told me on a conversation that nobody ever abuses on phone calls because, a decent human being that enjoys a hotel like that is not usually an abusive person.
“Mr Lassman, my last question and you are a free man: (he substantially affirms he is enjoying it!) what is your credo on Lifestyle?”
“I define lifestyle as going on that art of discovery, going on the journey of the wonderful things that are out there, whether it is sinking into the most comfortable sofa, whether it is looking at a beautiful piece of glass, a wonderful painting, a new store, a new place, see how something is being designed, enjoying a wonderful glass of wine, all of those things.”
His expression suddenly turns a little serious, “and, I think the most important, is never letting anybody that gets into your space, that drains your life. I don’t want people that take my life. People often ask me questions, and I know they are asking these questions in a way because they want what I’ve got but they don’t want to give anything back in return. And they want it for themselves and they want it in a way as if they knew it.”
“I love to be with people that share, love what I do with genuine interest as much as I am interested in what they’re doing; that has to be almost like a pre-condition of them enjoying lifestyles as much as I do and then nothing is invading you in a negative way, it’s being only in positive energies. I like being with people that energize me, and I love to be with beautiful things around me, great food, and it can be very simple..
Anthony Lassman’s lifestyle is about an almost devotional love for life, delicate sensibility for style but most of all the enormous driving passion for what he does. He affirms he hasn’t achieved “lifestyle perfection yet.”
As a lifestyle consultant, I suggested he kept on having more conversations with Elaine, his inspiring wife and muse, and who knows, perfection would manifest in that glimpse of a second just by taking a few more notes.
Joellel’s Tips:
For informations on NB REVIEW subscriptions
Mr. Jason Crockett
Tel + 44( 0) 870 240 40 89
Fax: + 44 ( 0) 870 241 90 73
E-Mail: jason@nbreview.com
