Bric-a-brac 7
A Danish Riviera postcard, the founder of the stupendo Italy Segreta, and our new summer cocktail
JUST BACK FROM
I’ve been glued to my friend Jenny Walton’s IG this last week—she was in Denmark for Copenhagen Fashion Week—and it looked so fantastic, I convinced her to write down where she went: “My husband and I took the weekend after fashion week, rented a car and spent each night at a different hotel. Lynaes Surfcenter on Friday, Beach Hotel Marienlyst (amazing spa) Saturday, and finally the cherry on top Sunday night at the wonderful Helenekilde Badehotel. Originally built in 1896 as a private home, it still feels incredibly secluded. Amidst beautiful gardens at the most idyllic seaside retreat, we enjoyed aperitivo with rosehip plants blossoming all around us. Not to mention I’m vegetarian and they happily accommodated a full, four-course vegetarian meal for me. Most memorable part was laying on the beach watching the local Danish families jumping into the cold water!”
THE RECIPE
This summer we were in Menorca, at our friends’ home named La Maddalena. They were so into my husband Matt’s drinks that they asked him to create a house cocktail for them, and now it’s become one of our favorites.
La Maddalena
Ingredients
Ice, St-Germain, gin, tonic, grapefruit (or an orange)
Fill glass with ice
½ oz of St Germain
1 oz gin (we used the local Spanish gin, which was amazing—but use whatever you have on hand)
Top off with tonic
Garnish with a coin of grapefruit (or orange)
P.S. Matt is starting his own newsletter in September, called Wm Brown Weekly—sign up for updates!
THE NAVIGATOR
Marina Cacciapuoti, Founder, Italy Segreta
Tell us about your company. What do you do, and what do you specialize in?
Italy Segreta is a window on the piazza that is Italy and how it feels, a love letter to our country. We are building a digital online platform that showcases authentic Italy. We publish stories that narrate who we are and where we come from, without clichés—a place to find guides and inspiration to discover the country as a local, both virtually and IRL. Our goal is to preserve, discover, elevate and share all the best that Italy has to offer: a lifestyle based on the love and appreciation of small pleasures. We work as consultants on trips planned by a partner travel agency, which are tailored to each client.
Tell us about yourself and how you got into this line of work.
I’m a very passionate Italian. While working in New York as a visual editor at Condé Nast Traveler, I realized that I missed my country and its traditions way too much. I wanted to share my knowledge and experience of how Italy feels and find a way to support a local and authentic Italy by creating a community of like-minded people with the same goal.
An example of an experience you've created that best represents your travel philosophy?
A road trip through Puglia! Discovering what Puglia is really about. A region of farmers, of traditions, of passion, of simplicity.
What is your idea of a perfect day in Rome?
Wake up early and have the first coffee of the day at at Ciampini, near my home, then a walk to Galleria Sciarra across the Fori Imperiali by the Colosseum, up to the Paro del Colle Oppio to Regoli for breakfast with the best maritozzo in town and coffee with zabaione at Bar Panella next door. Walk down into the Monti neighborhood and then up to L'Altare della Patria to enjoy one of the best views of Rome; cross the Ponte Fabricio and the Isola Tiberina, then head to lunch at Le Mani In Pasta (always ask for a table by the kitchen) and order the calamari e carciofi, the carpaccio di spigola con tartufo and a seafood pasta. Full and happy, you now need a sweet and coffee fix: gelato at Otaleg, coffee at Roscioli caffe (with a glass of their orange water), followed by a private visit to Antica Farmacia di Santa Maria Della Scala, one of Europe’s oldest pharmacies—on the second floor you can visit the old apothecary run by the religious order of the Carmelitani Scalzi convent next door, which cultivated and sold spices and medicines (book ahead). You might be too full, but while you are by Forno Roscioli, I highly recommend grabbing a slice of pizza rossa al taglio. Then an evening walk to Galleria Borghese before watching the sunset from Trinita Di Monti. Following that, an aperitivo at Hotel Locarno and dinner at La Matricianella (order their amatriciana, carciofo alla giudea and buccie di patate).
What underrated region of Italy do you love and what do you recommend there?Marche, Clandestino Susci Bar.
A favorite hotel you go back to again and again?
Hotel Flora in Venice. Gioele and Heiby make you feel at home.
Most memorable meal?
Ai Due Platani in Coloreto, outside of Parma. Order tortelli di zucca (butternut squash tortelli), usually only available from September to February, their pigeon, gelato and sbrisolona. And book ahead.
Favorite Italian island?
Ahhh...such a tough question! Probably Giglio. It retains a real island life feel, even though it's very easy to reach.
A “why it’s all worth it” moment...
Every second of it, starting with when you land and have your first caffe at the airport bar.
What is something you wished we all knew or were better at? How do we become better travelers, clients, citizens of the world?
That it's OK to get lost, to take a detour, to not have every hour of your day planned out. Ending up in a random restaurant or grabbing a panino at the Autogrill might be the best thing that can happen to you. We need to let go of control and learn how to enjoy the journey and the place we are in, take in the small moments that are truly what Italy is all about. We need to be truly curious to learn about a region, city, or small town we travel to, to respect it. If you only experience Italy in a luxurious bubble, you will never really get to know it.
What is a place we should consider traveling to that could really use our dollars, and what is a place we should put on pause because, even though we love it, it sees too many tourists?
Let's give the Amalfi Coast and Venice a breather (not to say that they are not worth a visit, because they definitely are, but for you and their sake maybe see them off season).
Instead, we would recommend visiting the island of Elba off the Tuscan coast, the Abruzzo region, Sicilian towns like Catania, and the Adriatic coast from Chioggia (close to Venice) to Cattolica.