Bric-a-Brac 66
A secret seaside city in Italy with elegant palazzi, caught-in-time shops & restaurants and lovely beaches nearby, a James Bond-ish lair in the Dolomites, and two designers’ long-haul packing tips.
Hello from the road—and it feels quite literally from the road when staying in so many different hotels for one night each that I have middle-of-the-night anxiety not only about where I am, but where the bathroom is, and how I’m going to find it without turning on the light or tripping. Several close friends have told me that while on business trips, they’d arrive at some hotel, drink a couple of martinis to fall asleep, then wake up in the night with some combo of drunk/jet-lag/grog, stumble around to find the bathroom door, only to have it close behind them standing in the hallway, naked. Terrifying! But back to the road–I’ve been doing all this back-to-back travel for several reasons, the obvious one being to build content for this newsletter. But I’m also working on the summer Spain issue of Yolo Journal, and on a book about France for Artisan (circa 2025). And then there’s the website we’re building, which means that rather than scrolling endlessly through one long newsletter, you’ll be able to click on exactly what you want to dive into. In preparation, we’re building out a lot of Guest Books so you’ll have more hotel reviews for your travels. So in today’s post, I’m sharing some of my most recent discoveries. (If you follow me on IG you know this is only about 1/10 of what I need to download—stay tuned for Vienna, Marrakech, Nice, Paris, and lots more in the coming weeks.)
Also, I’m excited to be collaborating this spring with The Thinking Traveller—who, if you aren’t already familiar with them, are a family-owned company that represents high-end house rentals in Italy, Greece and Corsica. I had heard about them during my Traveler days, but I finally got to experience one of their properties, Tre Contrade in Sicily, several years ago when we rented the 19th-century villa with the most epic pool and Etna views for my mother-in-law Carmie’s 80th birthday. Then on another trip to Sicily I visited friends who renovated the most beautiful property, Masseria Cardinale, outside of Noto—and they list it with the Thinking Traveller as well. Most recently, my dear friend Rula just finished her 16th-century Masseria Donnagnora in Puglia, and also listed it with them. I thought it was interesting that TTT kept coming up as the rental agency of choice amongst my friends—a big part of that being because the listings are exclusive (so the agency really knows the property and the area), and they liked the partnership that ensued. So when founders Rossella and Huw Beaugié approached me to see if I could help introduce them more widely in the States, I thought it would be fun to do aperitivo gatherings in New York and in Napa. If you’re in NYC on April 18, we’ll be with our friends at the Lingua Franca townhouse from 5-7, and if you’re in Northern California, join us at our friends’ at Hudson Ranch on April 20, from 4-6pm. When the dates get closer, I’ll share more here and/or on social.
The Thinking Traveller is offering 5% off the rental cost to YOLO subscribers for bookings made by June 30. Just mention YOLO when speaking to their villa specialists to receive it!
JUST BACK FROM…Genoa
I’ve had Genoa on my list for a very long time—a beautiful city on the Ligurian Sea that I knew had incredible palazzi and food (among many things, pesto and focaccia). I also always have a soft spot for places that most people don’t talk about. The first person who told me I had to get there was an old friend whose taste I trust implicitly. Then Matt met a couple in the Rome airport who live there (we ended up doing a story on their collection of vintage hotel stickers), and who told us about 3rd- and 4th-generation men’s shops and beautiful 19th-century chocolate boutiques that they just knew we’d love. A friend recently went to a weekend party there for Friends of Genoa, a nonprofit that helps promote and preserve the historic city. And the final nudge was reading the excellent story that my friend Maria Shollenbarger wrote for HTSI (you should read it for a proper deep dive–I’m just giving some highlights here!). No doubt part of the reason I’d never gone was that there wasn’t a good hotel to stay in, but when I read about the new Palazzo Durazzo Suites in Maria’s piece, I was sold. We flew from Rome (for the moment, Genoa isn’t really well connected—it would have taken us most of the day to train there), and landed in the late morning. We arrived at the Palazzo Durazzo and were overwhelmed with how beautifully restored it was—a 7-year labor of love carried out by Emanuela Brignone Cattaneo (the architect who oversaw the project and owns it with her husband, Giacomo Cattaneo Adorno) and Cesare Barro, the artistic director. It opened last summer, and stays open year-round. We dropped our bags in our room, the Doge Suite, which is one of the most beautiful rooms I’ve ever stayed in in my life.
We headed out to see an apartment that was for rent. Not that I had been planning on moving to Genoa, but as our landlord is selling her apartment in Rome and we were struggling to find interesting new options, we were willing to be convinced. We saw a 200-sqm. apartment with the most incredible terrazzo floors and details throughout—for just 1,600 euros a month! (While we didn’t take it, we’re definitely considering Genoa for the future, especially when the fast train from Milan launches in the next year or so.) From there, we found ourselves at the menswear store Finollo, where they’ve been making bespoke shirting and incredible silk ties for over a century for the likes of Gianni Agnelli and the Duke of Windsor. Next we stopped at Romanengo, the most elegant chocolate store, which opened in 1780. We snacked on farinata (a chickpea pancake) and then picked up some mind-blowing focaccia from Focaccia e Dintorni, before wandering through a 12th-century public arcade, the oldest in Italy, lined with one place to eat/drink after another. (It felt to me like San Sebastian in that there are so many great places to eat/snack, it’s so inexpensive, and has such great energy.)
Later that evening, we drove to the hills outside the city for dinner at Osteria Baccicin du Caru, which Giacomo said was a must. For true pesto, there’s only a very small area that grows the right basil, and this was the spot. He was absolutely correct—it was one of those best-meals-of-your-life moments. The pesto was served with a borage pasta…earthy, nutty deliciousness.
Saturday was a whirlwind of palazzi—all on Via Garibaldi, which is basically the 5th Avenue of the 16th century, with one palazzo after another, many of them now museums. I met with Tea Raggi De Marini, who runs Friends of Genoa, and she was kind enough to show us the epic Palazzo Spinola, and then sneak us into the garden of Palazzo Lomellino. We had a delicious lunch next door at Cambi (of the Cambi auction house—the founder who has retired from the business and left it to his kids actually waits on the tables!), and then stopped into Via Garibaldi 12, the most beautiful homeware store—a palazzo with room after room of frescoed ceilings and an incredible curation of objects by the very clever owner, Lorenzo Bagnara, from the best coffee-pod machine to Versace letter trinket dishes (who knew?!).
Lorenzo said that even if we were museum-ed out, we had to go to the Palazzo Rosso and start at the top, in the apartment designed by Franco Albini. Our last museum stop was at the Diocesan Museum to see the 16th-century Passion Canvases on denim—another head-scratching moment where we asked ourselves, How did we not know this existed? How are we the only people in this museum? We ended our day with a Negroni at the Marescotti di Cavo, a historic bar and pastry shop open since 1780, and finished the evening with an epic aperitivo spread (and a great martini) made by Oscar back at Palazzo Durazzo, recapping our adventures with our new friends Emanuela, Cesare, and Giacomo, who we’ll surely be back to visit very soon.
Note: I’d definitely recommend coming here in the winter—because what is a better season to visit museums? But if you’re looking for an Italian seaside getaway in summer, this could bookend a Ligurian trip. There are direct flights from London, Paris and Amsterdam, and once you’re here, it’s so easy to take a train to whatever town you’re headed to–Camogli, Santa Margherita Ligure, or Rapallo. There are also ferries and private boat charters from Genoa to Portofino or the San Fruttuoso Abbey. Many people asked me when they saw I was here if I was also going to Cinque Terre, almost as if Genoa wouldn’t have been a worthy destination in itself. I’ve said it many times and I’ll keep on saying it: just because you haven’t heard people talking about a place doesn’t mean it’s not good—it’s probably actually really great. See you here in June!
GUEST BOOK: Forestis Dolomites, Bressanone, Italy
By Yolanda Edwards
Best for… A James Bond-ish lair in the Dolomites, with such an incredible spa, bar, and restaurant you won’t want to leave.
The vibe… Forestis is located 30 minutes up Mount Plose from the town of Bressanone/Brixen (in the Sud Tirol, everything has both Italian and German names). In its first life in the early 20th century, the Austrian monarchy had designated it as a sanatorium, but those plans were interrupted by the war. In 2000 it was discovered by a local hotelier, Alois Hinteregger, who was enchanted by the location, fresh air and views, and opened it as a hotel a few years later. Then in 2020 it was reborn as Forestis, with Alois’ son Stefan and his partner Teresa at the helm. The design is brilliant—it’s minimal, sexy, and so tastefully done you don’t want to leave, and there is so much to do to keep you on the property. While we’d heard there was a must-visit restaurant in Bressanone (The Elephant—for the tableside steak tartare), we couldn’t imagine going anywhere except for a hike. Everything is about being in nature, and they intentionally designed everything to frame that.
The rooms… We were spoiled with a penthouse suite, which came with its own sauna and pool, and a kitchen and living room area with a fireplace. We toured an entry-level room and another one a step up from that, and both were lovely. The common thread for all rooms is that incredible view of the Dolomite peaks—and the room is the backdrop for taking it in. Bathrooms are minimalist and have their own product, which was so good I would have bought it if I hadn’t had so many stops afterwards. There are 40 Tower Suites, which all have outdoor beds—in summer, you can ask for them to be made up if you want to sleep under the stars.
Food + drink… Everything served is local and for the most part, seasonal—with the exception of the fruit at breakfast, which is laid out on a buffet unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Literally table after table with all kinds of surprises: from local smoked trout to the best muesli to homemade pastries. An entire counter just for all the types of breads and crackers. An alt-milk selection, which included bio hay milk, goat, lactose-free, almond, and oat, four different kinds of butter (from farm to goat!), and countless local cheeses, including some that are lactose free. I couldn’t stop eating the homemade raspberry jam, and the trout on toast with their horseradish. Lunch on the terrace is a must—our Roman friends had the pasta pomodoro and said it was perfection, and we had the club sandwich, which was one of the best we’ve had–loved the jammy quail eggs and the locally sourced turkey, and that it was just one layer (the 3rd piece of bread never makes sense to me). The bar program is very thoughtful, too. While we are devoted to our martinis, we got to talking with the bartenders, who are super attentive and inventive in the way they use local ingredients to make cocktails—from the locally distilled gin to their homemade sour cherries. Dinner is like theater—the theater-like seating definitely enhances this effect—and they do a coursed menu which is stellar, but by night two we wanted to order the a la carte menu, which is also great and less of a production.
The spa/gym… The spa is a highlight, with four different saunas—from a Finnish sauna at 85 degrees celsius to a textile sauna (meaning it’s okay to wear a swimsuit). And the indoor/outdoor pool is so lovely—there’s nothing like swimming in a warm pool in the cold air and looking at those epic Dolomites. There is a Silent Room, and also an outdoor forest sauna, with a wooden bath fed by a mountain spring for a cold plunge just outside it. The gym is great, with new Technogym equipment and literally everything we ever imagine needing (not everyone has a Bosu, bands, and balls!). We had it to ourselves every morning. There were daily morning yoga classes, which we didn’t do, but clocked how great the view was.
Be sure to… Take a hike every day. On our first day, we took the lift (a five-minute walk from the hotel) up the mountain, and then walked about an hour through a well-groomed path to the Rossalm, a rifugio which has incredible food and views onto the mountains. All their products are locally sourced–get the pork knuckle and the potato salad.
Extra tip goes to… Luca the sommelier was so knowledgeable and passionate, and thanks to him we fell in love with Alto Adige wines. Now we seek them out, especially anything from Alois Lageder.
Date of stay… Feb 4-7, 2024
HOW WE PACK… for a business trip to Hong Kong
By Dominique Burgoine and Sandra Shmith
What’s your go-to luggage for this kind of trip, and why?
DB: Generally we both travel with a combo of cabin and checked luggage. I have my favorite Gucci duffle and cabin trolley while Sandra takes a Goyard tote on board.
How do you approach the basics?
DB: A few weeks before we travel, we both do a first layout of our current wardrobe pieces. Whether we’re heading to cool or warmer temperatures, our demi ds shirts always work well, because cotton and silk are trans-seasonal and easy to layer. As our schedules are more set in stone, we then fine-tune the original selection and edit out or add some more depending on the occasion.
We both like to use packing cells, as they protect the clothing and keep everything in manageable groups according to occasion. We pack demi ds silks for evening (shirts and pants) in one, they are so light to pack and we can get at least 4 outfits in one cell. My go-to outfit is our demi ds camisole with a wide strap, a pull on pant and classic shirt that works as a jacket or over the shoulder drape. In another cell I’ll put 5 cotton button down shirts (for a 5-6 day work trip), an essential white shirt, plus a blue stripe and a solid neutral or blue. These shirts work hard but always look smart in the city. I also travel with my Gucci blazer for a statement piece en route—currently it’s an emerald green double-breasted wool with gold buttons. Underneath is usually a white cotton tank from Jac and Jack. We also each pack a few pull-on pants in denim or check poly (no creasing so no ironing is necessary). We have just added a light wool pinstripe pant which will be great for the cooler weather trips. Underwear and a silk nightgown from Love & Lustre go in another cell, plus a basic Speedo bathing suit to do morning laps in the pool.
SS: I tend to stick to a few colors that work together and add a pop of color in a silk shirt for night. A favorite is our balloon sleeve shirt in red crepe de chine, either worn with a dress pant or denim. I love wearing a silk shirt with jeans for a casual luxe look so it was wonderful to add a denim pant and shirt into our own collection. For basic tees I pack a few from Uniqlo in black and white. And for exercise gear I always pack a black Eres swimsuit, Nike leggings and On Cloud trainers and tops.
Are you a roller or a folder?
DB: We both fold our clothes in the packing cells—sometimes if we want extra protection or to prevent less creasing, we wrap in our tissue paper. It really does help with the creasing of silks.
What’s your shoe strategy?
DB: Shoe-wise I always pack stylish sneakers (Loewe or Asahi canvas from Japan) for the workroom, Birkenstocks or flat sandals if it's going to be hot, Gucci heels or dress flats for night that could also work with jeans.
How do you think about accessories?
DB: I like to accessorize with different statement rings and earrings to change up a look.
Silk scarves are underestimated for a burst of print and color. A small black or metallic pouch that can store your jewels and double as an evening bag is great to have so you don’t have to carry around a big bag when going out for an elegant dinner.
SS: I rarely travel with anything precious. I will mix chunky costume jewelry with my favorite pearls and wear them by day with one of our cotton shirts or in the evening with silk.
What’s always in your Dopp kit/toiletry bag?
DB: There’s always a temptation to overpack, but in most cities I find a good pharmacy and buy deodorant, toothpaste or sunscreen, then leave it behind.
On a plane, what essentials does your carry-on bag always contain?
SS: An Anya Hindmarch clear inflight case which holds my beauty products. In it I pack a roll-on migraine oil from Herbario (a small Italian natural pharmacy in Melbourne). It’s minty and makes you feel fresh and clean. Aesop facial hydrating spray, antibacterial wipes, moisturizer and a face mask (usually a small travel size sample that I pick up so it varies but often its from Aesop), Le Labo basil hand cream, Quies wax ear plugs I buy from French pharmacies, Peter Alexander silk eye mask and a Kindle. I never travel without a cashmere wrap regardless of the season, since cabin temperature is always unpredictable.
DB: In the cabin bag I put my computer and cables, any documents we need to work on, plus the in-flight essentials. Anya Hindmarch clear inflight case containing: Aspar rosemary and clove thermal balm for sinuses, Aesop ginger “flight therapy” roll-on, Mecca face and eye masks for hydration, aromatherapy oils (peppermint and lavender), Tonic eye pillow and a silk/cashmere eye mask for sleeping. Plus the Face Hero hydrating oil from Go-to which I regularly apply and the Lancome Génifique Light Pearl eye serum for tired eyes.
There’s always a diary to take notes as I find time in the air the best opportunity to write down thoughts and planning. Generally I get hot on planes, but I do throw in a cashmere wrap in case the air con is too much. And Hydralyte tablets - a great little Australian invention that you pop into your water for extra hydration and electrolytes. My MVP is a silk eye pillow for the plane and good nights sleeping while away.
Any wisdom on traveling with electronics?
DB: Basically only a mobile phone and laptop in our carry-on bags. I’m a big notebook person so I will favor those anytime over technology—we are both obsessed with Smythson for diaries and notes.
Do you have a travel uniform?
DB: Yes, our travel uniform is always one of our relaxed waist wide-leg pants. Sandra likes to pair her pants with an Everyday Boyfriend shirt, while I usually wear them with a silk camisole, as I overheat on planes. Both of us always wear a trench or jacket in transit as it finishes off the look and is an outfit “facelift.” Lately I’ve also been adding a silk scarf as a cute touch of color or print.
Dominique Burgoine and Sandra Shmith are the founders of demi ds, a Melbourne-based slow fashion label. Drawing from their combined experiences in the fashion industry—Sandra as an editor at Vogue Australia, and Dominique with a career in retail and buying—the duo set out to create limited-edition pieces, all hand-tailored at a small atelier in Hong Kong.
COPY THAT
I was recently on a media trip in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, and being something of a self-conscious photographer—especially when taking pictures of/around people—I watched enviously as a fellow writer, Grace Smith, took her photos and video by unobtrusively holding a narrow camera down near her hip. She told me that the Osmo is known on Tik-Tok as the “shy girl’s camera,” which sold me immediately. And you by no means have to be a professional content creator for it to be useful. I asked her to tell us about it! —Alex Postman
For permanent-feed-worthy photos and video footage of memorable trips without the hulking intrusion of equipment proclaiming your tourist status, consider the subtle observation skills of the DJI Osmo Pocket III, aka the “shy person’s camera.” This handheld gadget—which does fit in your pocket—captures both photo and video with a 3-axis gimbal for both horizontal and vertical stabilization, which allows you to make any image look professional. The camera turns on within a second for the perfect, non-invasive shot of your surroundings, and immediately upgrades your snapshot quality—without sacrificing your dignity. Plus features like Bluetooth connectivity for immediate phone synchronization, a plug-in backup battery and built-in tripod, and auto face- and object-tracking capability, make it handy for solo travelers and others hoping to memorialize their trips with minimal friction. I'm still learning my way around some of its fancier, more tech-forward abilities (like the cinematic spinshot setting), but it didn't take much effort to use straight out of the box, either. —Grace Smith
MOODBOARD
Noma is returning to the Ace Hotel Kyoto for a ten-week residency this fall. Set your alarms—tickets go live May 14th at 7am ET, and like last time are expected to sell out in minutes.
If anyone is looking for a screenplay idea, the story of Eugene Fodor hiring CIA spies to create some of the first Fodor’s guides sounds especially binge-able.
Superfans of Gjelina can help the restaurant raise capital to reopen their New York outpost (after a fire closed their doors last year) with pre-paid “house accounts” on the dining loyalty platform Blackbird.
The Tschuggen Grand Hotel is redefining the concept of an “adventurous eater” with a raw cheese tasting that guests access via a torchlit two-kilometer hike through knee-deep snow.
Our friends behind The Perfect shared their roundup of favorite ski lunches, because shedding a layer and sitting down for a sunny slopeside meal is, well, perfect.
Japan’s cherry blossoms are expected to bloom earlier than usual this year— sakura-seekers can track the progress of the bloom across the country through this forecast.
Just read this wonderful piece. Genoa is an absolute gem, so much to see, learn and reflect. A mind feast that keeps on giving long after departing!