Precision timekeeping remains an essential part of high-octane racing, the same now as decades ago — including when Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer first introduced the Tag Heuer Monaco. The company’s legacy of race-ready timepieces now enters a new, illustrious and stylish chapter with the introduction of the Tag Heuer Monaco Chronograph in Racing Green, which manages to chart the past, present and future on (and off) roadways.
(Tag Heuer)
The Tag Heuer Monaco already boasts proper pedigree, performance and style winding its way through racing’s most iconic moments, as the Monaco was a trusted favorite of Steve McQueen (among others). The actor and famed driver “quickly became a style icon in his own right,” the watchmaker said, sporting a Monaco all the while. With its distinctive square case, Calibre 11 movement and water-resistant design, the timepiece was built for practically anything both beyond the wheel and off the track.
(Tag Heuer)
Fast-forward to 2024. The latest edition of the Monaco, in addition to its customary precision performance, pays tribute to old-school racing liveries, when drivers used country-specific colors rather than sponsors to differentiate their vehicles. British racing green makes a bold splash on the sleek 39mm chronograph in this instance.
(Tag Heuer)
And since the Monaco’s 1969 arrival, the watchmaker notes that “the brand has continuously been drawing a line through decades of history connecting the Maison to the world of motorsport.” Fittingly, Dutch champion Formula 1 racer Max Verstappen showcases the new Monaco Chronograph in Racing Green, a move that secures Tag Heuer’s legacy now and in the future (at least, if Verstappen’s streak of lightning-fast racing performance holds true).
(Tag Heuer)
The use of racing green in British autosports runs deep, as the winning shade made its first appearance in a 1902 Gordon Bennett Cup victory by driver Selwyn Edge. As the watchmaker notes, the color continues to appear today in impressive cars both on and off the course.
Indeed, “every element of the TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Green is inspired by historical British racing cars and their white and yellow touches,” Tag Heuer said. Even the dial design nods to 1920s and ’30s-era engine-tuned dashboard designs.
(Tag Heuer)
Tag Heuer took care in engineering this watch for streamlined performance, using a lightweight Grade 2 titanium case and a green perforated racing strap, which the company notes nods to “classic British gentlemen aesthetics.” Tag Heuer also calls the timepiece the “perfect watch for the perfect gentleman driver,” with just 1,000 individually numbered timepieces on the market. For about $10,800, another handsome piece of Tag Heuer racing history can grace your watch collection.
Sarajevo is renowned for its intriguing architectural medley, vibrant street life and the irrepressible spirit of its people.
Long renowned for its religious diversity, the capital of Bosnia & Hercegovina entered the world’s consciousness only in the 20th century – thanks to the 1914 assassination that precipitated WWI, the 1984 Winter Olympics and the brutal four-year siege that was a low point of the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s.
Yet both despite and really because of this potent history, Sarajevo is place few visitors will forget. If you’re heading there for the first time, here’s what you should know.
Head to the Olympic-caliber resort of Jahorina. Emel Kozomora/Getty Images
When should I go to Sarajevo?
There’s no bad time to visit Sarajevo; even winter – when the shortest days regularly see below-zero temperatures – has its charm, especially if you enjoy snowy sports. Host of the 1984 Winter Olympics, Sarajevo boasts two Olympic-caliber skiing resorts: Jahorina and Bjelašnica, both about 25km (15.5 miles) from the city center. The skiing season runs from November to March, with February being generally the best time to visit for reliable piste conditions. Both resorts offer hotels near the slopes. If you’re not a fan of the cold, early November has more-manageable temperatures and is also when the three-day Jazz Fest Sarajevo takes place.
Spring and autumn offer ideal conditions for hiking in the mountains surrounding the city. Bjelašnica is a fantastic base for hiking to traditional mountain villages like Umoljani, a remote spot where customs have not changed for hundreds of years. You can also take Sarajevo’s cable car, which climbs some 500m (1640ft) up to a viewpoint 1164m (3820ft) on Mt Trebević, or go to the popular large park Vrelo Bosne. Locals love to go to this collection of lush mini-islands at the Bosna River springs for picnics or restaurant lunches on weekends
While summer draws tourists to the wider region, including to Mostar and the Croatian coast, Sarajevo stays cooler and is less thronged with tourists. Summer is also packed with cultural events, such as the Sarajevo Film Festival in mid-August. Every July, the wide-ranging arts festival Baščaršijske Noći sees music, theater and all kinds of performances take place in the city center.
An ascent up Mt Trebević on Sarajevo’s famous cable car is a must. Aldin Cimic/Shutterstock
How much time should I spend in Sarajevo?
A weekend in Sarajevo will give you enough time to stroll the streets, eat out at restaurants and party with the locals. But we recommend adding a day or two on to your trip so you can venture out into the mountains and enjoy a hike or two with dramatic scenery.
Is it easy to get in and around Sarajevo?
Sarajevo is a very walkable city. And it’s easy to get between farther-flung destinations quickly thanks to an extensive network of trams and buses (including both so-called trolley buses and minibuses). You can pre-purchase tickets from kiosks, which are located on the main streets and easy to spot, or buy them directly from the driver as you board. Tickets must be validated once aboard; inspections to catch fare beaters are common.
Sarajevo International Airport is less than 10km (6 miles) southwest of Baščaršija. In town, you should have no problem finding a metered taxi to take you to the airport, yet at the terminal it’s not always easy to find a taxi prepared to turn on the meter.
Objects that belonged to children relate the experience of war in a unique and moving way at the War Childhood Museum. Elvis Barukcic/AFP via Getty Images
Top things to do in Sarajevo
Absorb powerful testimony about the city’s recent past
For a powerful look at Sarajevo’s more recent history, visit the War Childhood Museum. This institution grew out of a 2013 book by Jasminko Halilović, who asked survivors of the Sarajevo siege, “What was a war childhood for you?” The museum features 50 of these personal stories, each accompanied by items donated by their authors – such as diaries, toys, and ballet slippers – that reflect their experiences growing up during the war. At the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, you can visit a permanent exhibit on “Surrounded Sarajevo,” which documents daily life during the 1992–95 siege.
Get into Sarajevo’s coffee culture
Sarajevo’s cafe scene is an essential part of local life. Don’t miss the legendary Caffe Tito, decorated with WW2 Partisan paraphernalia (there’s even a tank in the garden), and Zlatna Ribica, which is filled with antiques.When the weather is warm, tables spill onto the streets, and friends gather for hours, chatting and people-watching. Be sure to take your time: it’s completely normal to linger over a single drink for hours. If you’re out with locals, remember that the person who does the inviting usually picks up the bill.
Soak in the ambiance of Baščaršija
Spend a morning wandering around Baščaršija (pronounced bash-CHAR-shi-ya), the heart of old Sarajevo and centered on the Sebilj fountain. The quarter’s name is derived from the Turkish for “main market” – and it’s accordingly and lined with stalls, a lively coppersmith alley, grand Ottoman mosques, restaurants and lots of inviting little cafes.
Take a walking tour through Sarajevo’s history
Follow Sarači St out onto the wide pedestrian boulevard Ferhadija to discover Austro-Hungarian Sarajevo. Some particularly grand examples of this period’s architecture line the riverfront, though the city’s pride and joy are the storybook neo-Moorish Vijećnica (City Hall) and the Old Orthodox Church, dedicated to the archangels Michael and Gabriel. The latter’s current form dates to 1730, but a church has stood on this site for much, much longer – possibly as far back as the 5th century.
Follow this up by a visit to the Jewish Museum, housed in a 1581 Sephardic synagogue that still sees active worship during Jewish New Year, to learn the story of Sarajevo’s Jewish community.
Kebab restaurants spill out into the narrow streets of Sarajevo’s atmospheric Baščaršija. Ajan Alen/Shutterstock
My favorite thing to do in Sarajevo
Living outside of my country of origin, I always miss Bosnian food. So when I return, I go for everything: stuffed peppers, tomatoes and onions. The best place to try these is Nanina Kuhinja in Baščaršija. My favorite barbecue staple – and the reason for all the smoke that wafts out of Baščaršija restaurants – is ćevapi (Bosnian kebab). Taste them at Željo, Sarajevo’s most famous ćevabdžinica (kebab shop). Naturally, I also regularly indulge in burek – filo pastry filled with meat, cheese, potato or spinach – and stuffed pita. Step into a buregdžinica (a bakery that specializes in pitas) and don’t forget to order a yogurt to dollop onto your bread.
How much money do I need for Sarajevo?
While prices have shot up in recent years, Sarajevo is still an affordable destination. You will be able to pay by card and Apple Pay in most places, although having some cash on you will come in handy for smaller purchases.
Hostel room: from 20KM (US$11)
Basic room for two: from 60KM (US$34)
Self-catering apartment (including Airbnb): from 70KM (US$40)
Apple, Google and Samsung are all working to integrate AI that can generate recipes into their virtual assistants, like Siri. People who work to develop recipes respond.
Since 1926 the stately and laureled InterContinental Mark Hopkins hotel has captivated its San Francisco-visiting guests from the moment they walk through the French Chateau-inspired marble arches into the opulent entrance. They’re even more entranced when they elevate up its 19 stories to the glass-walled Top of the Mark, the iconic Art Deco cocktail lounge and restaurant famous for its spectacular views.
The highest bar in all of San Francisco, and one of the most historic, it offers priceless panoramas of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz, and its character-rich Nob Hill neighborhood with the mysterious Pacific-Union Club next door on its manicured grounds.
Courtesy Intercontinental Mark Hopkins Hotel
A triple-A Designated San Francisco Landmark, the 5-star property is the oldest in the impressive InterContinental portfolio, which it joined in 1973. The hotel is named after railroad magnate Mark Hopkins, who built an elaborate mansion for his wife on the site, at that time the highest perch in Nob Hill, in 1878. The mansion was destroyed by fire after the 1906 earthquake.
The former mansion set the grounds for the pedigree that would see the French-and-Spanish-influenced hotel designed by the estimable Weeks and Day architectural firm, open in 1926. Opulence, refined taste, and escapism where channeled into an imposing 380-room structure with 33 suites for guests who cherished history, comfort, and a feeling, well, of being above it all.
Courtesy eBay
The Top of the Mark always attracted its share of affluent swells. But it also hosted countless uniformed servicemen and their gals before the men set off for the Pacific in WWII. A tradition of officers buying bottles for their battle-bound soldiers evolved into a tradition of “squadron shots,” and continued after wartime with a cabinet of bottles purchased by those wishing to do the same; the tradition continues to this day.
In its hallowed past, the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Judy Garland, Betty Grable, and Elvis Presley all made the Mark Hopkins their escape hatch from the press and paparazzi. Plus the likes of Charles de Gaulle, Britain’s Prince Philip, Herbert Hoover, and FDR. Many were entertained by Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey who performed at the hotel in the Big Band era.
Courtesy Intercontinental Mark Hopkins Hotel
Now you can keep up with the A-listers in a modernized but still classically elegant hotel. Buckwheat blinis with Beluga caviar and a Champagne tasting are a great way to experience the Top of the Mark; the favored hour being, of course, sunset. Open for all meals, the more casual Nob Hill Club, off the lobby and serving traditional American and San Francisco-inspired cuisine, is where to have classic Eggs Benedict, Dungeness crab rolls, or a fresh-caught salmon entrée.
Courtesy Intercontinental Mark Hopkins Hotel
Equally edifying is the treasure trove of artwork throughout the hotel. The nine historic seven-foot-tall murals in the stunning Room of the Dons depict various scenes from California’s history. They were unveiled at the hotel’s opening in 1926 and were created by Maynard Dixon and Frank Van Sloun. Most recapture “discoveries,” such as Sir Francis Drake’s landing in 1579.
Courtesy Intercontinental Mark Hopkins Hotel
The Continental-evocative rooms and suites feature all the modern amenities. And the higher-floor aeries are of course all about the views, views of all the landmarks and the Bay from nearly every room. The top suites, including the California Suite, Penthouse Suite, Presidential Suite, Nob Hill Suite, and, best of all, the Mark Hopkins suite, are a lot like checking into your own private Nob Hill mansion, some complete with wood paneling and fireplaces.
Courtesy Intercontinental Mark Hopkins Hotel
As Mark Hopkins with its elevated anchor, Nob Hill is one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in the city. Nearly every adjacent residence has its own intricate details. And besides all the restaurants, bars, and upscale retail, it is strategically located to take in all of the City on the Bay, with the Financial District and Chinatown just East and Fisherman’s Wharf to the north. Take one of the fabled cable cars on its 90-degree angle street, and visitors will pass emblems of historical and cultural divides, such as Grace Cathedral and roads that Steve McQueen made famous in car chases.
Courtesy Intercontinental Mark Hopkins Hotel
With the Pacific minutes away, as well as Napa and Sonoma wine country just to the north, it is clear why San Francisco is considered easily one of the finest culinary ports in the States. Gastronauts plan trips there annually to sample its seafood and other delights. And do not leave the city, or hotel, without asking concierges where to find the best cioppino, the port’s signature seafood stew first cooked up in the 1800s, or the intel on who has the best oysters in town.
Horror movie sequels rarely live up to expectations, but when it comes to scary cigars, Tatuaje just dropped another special-edition stogie collection that’s perfect for spooky season.
The Tatuaje Monsters package is an annual limited series of cigars. Each release since 2008 has been themed after a horror icon, from Frankenstein’s Monster to Dracula, Chucky to Jason Vorhees. Founder Pete Johnson created a total of 14 blends for the monstrous collection, but if you missed out on those releases, you’re in luck because he’s brought them all back for a gift set called the “Monster Smash.” For this 2024 collector’s set, each previous release has been recreated in a uniform size—a 5 1/4 x 52 box-pressed robusto.
That includes all 14 monsters, described somewhat cryptically in the special edition box as follows:
Frank
Drac
Face
Wolf
Mummy
JV13
Jekyll
Hyde
Krueger
Michael
Chuck
Tiff
Bride
Creature
Tatuaje may not be a luxury name alongside Davidoff and the well-known Cuban brands, but for 21 years, founder Pete Johnson has employed some of the best factories and cigar rollers in Nicaragua and the U.S., and for nearly all of that time his cigars have found their way onto revered lists like the Cigar Aficionado Top 25.
(Tatuaje)
But the Tatuaje Monster series has an equally long (and for its creator, exhausting) history. Johnson debuted the first Monster—The Frank — in 2008. In homage to Frankenstein’s monster, the cigar was big and squarish. At the time, Johnson sold the limited collection to just 13 brick-and-mortar stores because that was the number he could supply with the tiny run of smokes. The Frank was released in a production of just 666 13-count boxes.
Those boxes, shaped like coffins, were numbered and decorated differently each year with (fake) blood spatters, ski masks, and other gorgeous artworks in the campy spirit of classic horror films. Johnson released The Drac (a sharply pointed torpedo), The Wolfman (a shaggy-footed torpedo), and a number of other monster-inspired smokes.
Johnson kept the 13-store format for his future releases, but almost everything else changed—especially demand. “It caught on a little sooner than I expected it to,” Johnson told CigarPress a few years ago. The 666-box production run was amended with non-collector boxes for fans who just wanted one or two cigars—those afraid of missing out on the occasion but not about to commit to (or even find) a $200 box.
There have been a few sequels and remakes of these cigars over the years. Johnson released the Littler Monsters about a decade ago, then the Skinny Monsters in 2017, and a 13-cigar Monster Mash in 2021. Halfwheel has a fantastic comprehensive guide if you want to see a release timeline.
(Tatuaje)
This year’s package includes all 14 cigars in a book-like hinged double slide box. For $175, it’s a great way to light up some nostalgia—cinema and cigar alike .But the best news is that Tatuaje produced a total of 13,000 boxes for 2024. While it’s still a relatively small run, at least the prospect of tracking a set down for yourself isn’t as scary as it has been in the past.
G. Clay Whittaker is a Maxim contributor covering lifestyle, whiskey, cannabis and travel. His work has also appeared in Bon Appetit, Men’s Journal, Cigar Aficionado, Playboy and Esquire. Subscribe to his newsletter Drinks & Stuff for perspectives on drinks, and stuff.
The Substance is a bloody, campy, fiercely feminist body horror film. Demi Moore plays a TV aerobics instructor desperate to stay in the spotlight. She learns of a mysterious drug she can inject that causes another, younger, entirely separate version of herself (Margaret Qualley) to splurt out of her back and assume her consciousness. They must switch back and forth or very bad bloody things will happen.
