Here and There #1
Channeling 1970s airplane style, connecting with travel writer Monica Mendal, and insiders’ summer escapes on the US coasts
Now that we’ve got a rhythm going here at Club Yolo, we’ve worked out our schedule. Every other week we’ll do a free post that we’re calling Here and There—a mix of people, places and things that we’re excited about. We’ll alternate that with paid posts on deeper dives, like our Packing Diaries series, Dispatches (launches next week!), and YAFI (your questions answered). This week, I went down an airport-style rabbit hole, chatted with one of our favorite travel writers, and pulled up some last-minute summer inspiration. —Yolanda
CHANNELING…1970s AIRPLANE LOOKS
Wearing suits—even in white!—not just on vacation, but to start the trip, can look cool, polished, and even a little bit rebellious
I’ve always been a fan of airport style roundups—I love the fantastically dressed-up looks from a bygone era when people cared more about style than comfort and, yes, I also like to see People magazine-style celebs in the wild pics. I’ve had the above photos of Halston and Bianca Jagger in my saved album for ages—their looks are iconic, if seemingly impractical (no doubt the cigarettes enhance the effect). Suits on planes may sound crazy, and a white suit is maybe even blasphemous! My airplane uniform has always been about comfort and mobility, as if I were heading to a yoga class right after. Meanwhile, after wearing a linen or flannel suit (depending on the season) on a long train ride, I just feel put together and ready to go.
Below I pulled some of my favorite images from the ‘70s—the clothes look pretty much like what we would wear today, are great for summer (and beyond!), and are actually inspiring me to shake up my go-to uniform (cigarette not included!).
White Suits
As long as you wipe down your seat and bring that Tide pen, wearing a full-on white suit is about as chic as it gets. Bonus points if you get the whole family to do it.
Joseph linen stretch trousers (If you had your first job in the ‘90s, you probably know about Joseph pants. They were the OG kick flares. But they aren’t just a stretch pant—they’re a proper trouser!)
Ann Mashburn Ghost blazer and Hutton pant
J Crew white blazer in stretch linen
Alex Eagle Suit jacket + Alex Eagle suit pants
Banana Republic pant - A bit of a cheat—it has an elastic waist, but looks like it belongs to a suit!
These A.L.C. pants and jacket have some stretch and a ‘70s shape
Me + Em evening blazer and wide-legged pant in cream might be easier for some skin tones and more forgiving in travel!
Darker Suits
Okay, this is more in my wheelhouse! Comfortable wide-legged pants and a blazer. I guess I need to get that LV bag, too. Plus, wearing oversized sunglasses in the airport.
Ann Mashburn stretch canvas blazer
Hutton stretch canvas pant by Ann Mashburn
Banana Republic Italian Flannel pant (and it’s on sale!)
Collared Shirts
I’m a new fan of WNU out of London. They have a different cut that would suit all body types. Check them out.
Attersee Collared Shirt–obsessed.
The LV Keep-All
White Jeans
I really want to be this person who doesn’t worry about the Mr and Mrs T Bloody Mary mix spilling all over my lap on a flight. A few of our favorite white jeans:
Ralph Lauren Straight Leg Natural Jean
SPRWMN Sophia Slim Boyfriend Denim
Ralph Lauren Mid Rise Straight Jean
Madewell The Perfect Vintage Wide-Leg Crop Jean
Mother Weekender Bootcut Jeans
Alex Mill Relaxed Jeans in Ecru
La Ligne Wide leg cropped jean
YOU SHOULD MEET… Monica Mendal
A dear friend of mine, Fallon Nachmani, introduced me to Monica several years ago. They were in the Bordeaux region (she’s based in Paris) and had an open evening with no plans, so I invited them to come stay the night at our place in the Médoc. I knew even before I met Monica that I’d like her—a former fashion editor, everything she wrote (for pubs like Vogue and T) was always so spot-on in taste, but she also had a warmth, kindness and sensitivity that I picked up on. Now that Monica has started her own travel Substack, So There’s This Place, sharing some of her favorite finds around the world, I really wanted to introduce her to you—she is always everywhere before anyone else is. And couldn’t be a nicer human.
You have a seemingly enviable job of being a travel writer. Do you love it? Do you like being on the road all the time, or do you sometimes long to stay put?
I love it—I feel so lucky. I worked really hard to get to a place where I can do this and call it work. That said, it’s definitely as exhausting as it looks to be constantly on the move! It’s funny—my personality is always a bit at odds with itself. On one hand, I love travel, spontaneity, and the thrill of exploring new places. And when I’m traveling I’m always go, go, go! But I’m also such a homebody. When I’m home, I REALLY LOVE being home.
When did you switch from fashion to travel—and how did you come to be who you are today?!
I guess you can say I officially switched when I published my first travel story, which was a Malta guide for Vogue.com in 2017. I was working as a staff editor on the fashion side across various magazines for years. I always had an interest in travel, and just felt like no one was delivering the type of travel content that would have helped someone like me at the time. You know, like authentic, insidery budget travel for someone with taste. I wanted to read about travel through a very specific lens and travel content at the time didn’t feel personalized enough for me. It was very limiting. You can read the longer story in my first substack post :) but ultimately I used my network and relationships I had developed at Condé Nast to carve out a new path for myself in the travel space, ultimately deciding to go freelance, and I never looked back.
Being immersed in this travel world, do you have any cautionary advice–like how to be a good citizen and represent well?
Think of it like you’re a guest in someone’s home. With that in mind, how would you behave? And anytime you get lost in translation, ask for help with a smile. A smile will take you a long way.
Movie, book or trip that informed who you are and what you do today?
French new wave films definitely had an impact on me; I especially love Godard’s Pierrot le Fou. In terms of books, everything by Francesca Marciano, but mostly her book The Other Language, which explores themes centered around transformation through travel and language. Through a selection of short stories, she explores how stepping outside our native world can permanently shift how we see ourselves and others. It’s really this idea of “wherever you go, there you are,” an expression I feel captures a profound truth about travel: you can change your surroundings, but you can’t outrun yourself. In travel, there’s often the hope of escape or reinvention. But in reality, being in an unfamiliar place doesn’t erase who you are—it often strips away the distractions and routines that shield you from really seeing yourself. You’re taken out of context, which makes your inner world louder, clearer. And when you become the “other”—the outsider, the foreigner—you’re forced into a kind of mirror. You see how your habits, assumptions, even your identity shift when they’re not reflected back by the familiar. You become more conscious of who you are. This is ultimately the paradox of travel: by going far, you end up coming closer to yourself. Sorry, tangent! And then a trip to the Costa Brava that I booked using my first tax refund when I was working at GQ, plus a trip to Malta with an ex boyfriend are the trips that really set me on my current path and propelled me into travel journalism.
It’s a beautiful spring weekend in Paris. How do you spend it?
Picnic in a park or along the Seine with friends! We’ll probably find our way to the terrace of a wine bar by evening. Le Barav always has a nice vibe.
What are your summer plans—and strategy for traveling during peak season?
I actually have back-to-back weddings in June and I always like to make a trip out of destination weddings. One is in Florence, so I’ll be hitting the Tuscan coast near the central/northern part of Tuscany for a bit afterwards. Thinking maybe I’ll head to Elba and stay at Hotel Villa Ottone. Then I have another wedding in London, so I’m finally using that as my excuse to check out Heckfield Place, and then I’ll drive up to the Cotswolds and pop in to some other cute inns in the countryside, like Thyme, The Double Red Duke, The Bell Inn Langford, The Pig, The Swan— there are so many that have been on my list for a while! In July, I’m figuring out where I want to park it for a month. I usually like to pick one destination as home base and travel around and explore from there. Somewhere off-the-beaten path to avoid the premium prices and the crowds. That’s still TBD, so stay tuned! In August, there’s absolutely no place I’d rather be than home in New England. I grew up on the water on the north shore of Boston and there’s no place like it. There are so many worthy coastal destinations to visit around Massachusetts in the summertime, like forever favorites Nantucket, Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard. I also love Maine and Vermont. In Vermont, Stowe is a special place and Edson Hill is a great place to stay there. I’m sure I’m biased, but once you’ve experienced summer in New England, it’s hard to imagine anything better—not even a summer on the Med can compete! (Okay, fine… maybe I’m on my own with that one…but I stand by it!)
August in Paris: yes or no?!
I’ve done August in Paris many years before, but it’s not my favorite. I like a city with energy, so when it clears out completely it’s kind of sad! It’s also way too hot, so I usually get out and visit my family in New England in August. That said, I do like to ensure I’m back for the first week of September, known as “la rentrée”. It’s so exciting! There’s this optimistic and energizing feeling in the air that I love.
Finish the thought:
Not Milos but…? Folegandros
Not Amalfi Coast but…? Cilento Coast
Not St Tropez but…? Cassis or Île de Porquerolles
Not Mallorca but…? Costa Brava
An under-the-radar town and hotel in France you love so much we have to pry it from your lips?
I fell in love with Île d’Yeu last summer—a small island off the Vendée coast in western France. There are cute places to stay, like Les Hautes Mers and the newly opened La Mission, but it was the island itself that really got me. It reminded me of the kind of perfect, uncomplicated summer I knew as a kid growing up on the beach in New England.
Greek island you’re currently loving? And the one you'll never go back to?
I’m writing this from Hydra right now, which I’m realizing gets cooler every season. As for the Greek island I’ll never go back to… eek, I never say never—especially when it comes to Greece (I love Greece!!)—but my least favorite, which I acknowledge is an extremely unpopular opinion, is Paros. I just don’t feel much soul there the way I do on other islands; maybe it’s just a bit too built-up for my taste. Plus way better beaches elsewhere. I also don’t need to go back to Mykonos—and no, not even the “quiet part” of the island.
Hotel you could actually live at? And one you could never go back to?
I could live at Castello di Vicarello in Tuscany. Or at Tenuta Bertarello if the owner, Beatrice, would cook for me everyday :) Also note: both of these properties have dogs… big selling point for me!
I’d never go back to any of the hostels I stayed at in my college years. Unsurprisingly, I’m not a hostel girl, ha! What was I thinking!? There are plenty of affordable alternatives that aren’t hostels!
Summer dress/outfit/shoes you always pack?
I’m a uniform dresser. I don’t really have a separate closet for vacation wear. I’m boring! I love Attersee everything—the relaxed pants and oversized shirts (I think I actually have all colors and iterations). My Porto pouch, also in every color. Ciao Lucia and Chan Luu for cute beach looks. And my good old tropéziennes from St Tropez sandal maker Rondini. Also, water shoes! I never travel without water shoes in the summertime!
Tried and true cure for jet lag?
The US/EU jet lag is the one I experience most frequently and it’s gotten pretty easy to manage, I must say. Landing in the EU after an overnight flight, I usually take a power nap in the AM (no longer than 1hr!) then go for a long stroll or just ensure that I stay active until bedtime. Fresh air and moving your body is key! Usually I’m all adjusted after that.
Place you go back to again and again?
Roma! I make sure to go back multiple times per year.
Place(s) you can’t believe you’ve never been?
Germany and Japan.
ICYMI: American Summer Roundup
We’re at that point where summer planning goes from we’ve got plenty of time to oh shit, we’ve got nothing! If you’re a US reader (and missed the boat on buying flights to Europe, or are watching your 401Ks shrink and want to stick closer to home), here are a few ideas from our archives that will give you a leg up. These stories are mainly concentrated around the coasts, and highlight lots of small, charming, independently owned hotels and B&Bs that would meet our “Costa Meno” (costs less) criteria. (Some stories are gated for paid subscribers and some are open.) Also, keep an eye out on Saturday for our Delaware County List and our Hudson Valley by Train stories. (If you’re not signed up to our weekly newsletter that shares new travel stories, you can do it here.)
Our American Islands List - There’s something about island life that so fully channels the freedom of summer. We researched the best low-key, family owned properties around the country’s coastal islets.
The Block Island List - The barefoot island that still feels like a secret, with locals’ favorites
The Maine List - The best swimming coves, lobster shacks and antiquing in Southern Maine, Midcoast and Down East, from the authors of The Maine House
The Litchfield, CT List - Local go-tos in this charming postcard of a town
Just Back From Newport, RI - Matt Hranek’s round-up of local distractions, from grass-court tennis to vintage cars
Postcard from Nantucket, MA - Zach Weiss’s list of where to cocktail, sun and swim
Postcard from Pawleys Island, SC - A 1840s B&B with a devoted following: picture empty beaches, swaying hammocks, and lowcountry cooking
Postcard from Orcas Island, WA - Bald eagles and whale-spotting, blood-orange sunsets and piney mountain lakes makes this largest of the San Juan islands worth the distance.
And a couple of great US-focused Navigators:
Sam Highley, All Roads North - Designs epic US road trips, from the Mendocino Coast to Acadiana in Louisiana
Kevin Jackson, EXP Journeys - Immersive travel throughout the US, with an emphasis on National Parks
Would love an update on how subscribers to your old Substack list who migrated to your website can get access again. Or if we should cancel and resubscribe? Not sure what your recommendation is. Thanks as always!
Reminds me of the great book — Come Fly With Me: Flying in Style. A New Book by Jodi Peckman — such a treasure!!