Category Filter

Reina’s Story, Part II

This is the continuation of Reina’s story, as she said goodbye to her family in October 2021, and made her escape from Afghanistan. My Homeland I long for my homeland. Afghanistan is a vibration that shakes my soul and makes me feel things I’ve never felt before. It’s like the touch of heaven and hell at the same time. Like a kid who dances on one leg, as she’s lost the other one in a war. My country is beautiful.…

DISCOVER MORE

Hotel Reviews

Lily of the Valley

Overview Philippe Starck has done it again with one of his most recent hotel enterprises. Unlike his scene-y in-the-center-of-it projects, this one is on an off-the-grid three-mile stretch of Mediterranean white-sand beach. That’s as off-the-grid as you can get if the location is St. Tropez. The Lily of the Valley is a world away, hidden in the magnificent rolling hills of Cap Lardier. Here’s the hotel to put on your list when you’re in St. Tropez but want to experience…

DISCOVER MORE

Road Trip

The Dewberry Hotel, Charleston

Overview Now that the Belmond Hotel has officially exited Charleston, this charming southern town was in need of a luxury hotel option. Enter The Dewberry, which strikes a fine balance amongst luxury, interior design, and a cool vibe atmosphere. The Dewberry Hotel is located right next to Marion Square, and in its short tenure, is already a Charleston landmark. Early word on the street is it may even be one of the coolest design hotels in the U.S. So, that’s…

DISCOVER MORE

FOOD

Ristorante, Trattoria or Osteria?

If you’re like us, the Italian you’re most proficient in is restaurant. Wait, is it restaurant or trattoria? Or osteria? We’ve always wondered what the difference was, and now, as our public service to you, we gone and found out. Dining in Florence One of the essential questions when traveling in Italy is how to navigate the food scene. Visitors are often confused by the difference between trattorias, osterias, and ristorantes. When dining in Florence, understanding these titles can help…

DISCOVER MORE

Celebrity Travel

Christian Bale On Vacation

Raise your hand if you can recite lines from American Psycho, where we first met Mr. Bale. The guy does have a point: There’s a fine line between Mergers & Acquisitions and Murders & Executions. But we digress. Christian Bale’s storied career has taken him around the world. Here are some of the best places you can spot Christian Bale on vacation. Kauai, Hawaii Almost anytime Christian Bale is on vacation, it’s a family affair. That was definitely the case…

DISCOVER MORE

Travel Buzz

A Private Club in London Arrives

We have to say, no city quite does the art of a private club like London. Maybe it’s because everyone speaks in those charming accents. There’s just something uniquely refined and high-brow about the whole scene. And now, The Twenty Two throws its hat into the ring as a new hotel and private club in London. Here’s the first look. The Concept Some things are born with the potential for greatness. You know, like when a rock star and a…

DISCOVER MORE

Destinations

Top Hotels in Madrid

Overview COVID may have cramped your style over the past two years, but this is the summer to travel. And Spain is calling. The capital city of Madrid is more than a gateway to Ibiza and Mallorca. This grande-dame destination is the place to be right now, and the city has the hottest hotel openings to prove it. This is your guide to where to stay in Madrid this summer. (Or fall. Or really all year round.) The Edition The…

DISCOVER MORE

New York City

Hawksmoor: A Steakhouse in NYC

Let’s hear it for NYC restaurants that have come back stronger than before. Same goes for the new restaurant scene, which is now hotter than ever. Take the Hawksmoor, for instance, which is bringing a modern steakhouse to NYC’s East 22nd Street. But how is the food — and just as importantly, how’s the scene? Here’s our take. The Atmosphere The Hawksmoor has all the components to make it a cool steakhouse. First, it’s in a prime location, right in…

DISCOVER MORE

Travel Buzz

Stanly Ranch in Napa

Napa Valley Some things come full circle. Twenty-plus years ago, Auberge was the only true knock-it-out-of-the-park luxury hotel to grace the sacred land of Napa. Now, with the Auberge Resorts Collection seeking world domination, it’s nice to see they’re back where they started. Here’s a first look at the Stanly Ranch in Napa. Stanly Ranch With Stanly Ranch, the Auberge Resorts Collection invites guests to experience a working ranch that’s been converted into a resort. The ranch fosters community and…

DISCOVER MORE

Founder's Note

The Roaring 20s Are Here

I’ve written this Roaring-20s-themed letter three times in the past two years, and I’ve had to scrap it each time. Clearly I was previously over-optimistic about the return to normal. But the fourth time’s a charm, and it really does look like the Roaring 20s have returned. After all, we’ve been through a pandemic, and on a just-as-serious note, we’re watching the war in Ukraine develop following the Russian invasion. If history repeats itself, after a global pandemic and war,…

DISCOVER MORE