Here & There #12
What’s pinned on my December moodboard, the openings and launches we’re most excited about, and where I’m dreaming of going right now
We’re officially in that last sprint of the year when our inboxes—and real mailboxes—are piling high, and there’s just a few more workdays before we can all exhale. We’ve got so much to look forward to in 2026—new hotels we can’t wait to visit (more on those below), big projects we’re undertaking at work and home, and lots of discoveries to share with you all. But before we ramp up for the coming year, we’re looking forward to a break to recharge. Maybe that’s why practically everything on my moodboard this month feels like an invitation to slow down, taking time to find inspiration on and offline. Speaking of inspiration, if you’re looking for something far-flung, last week we shared our Hong Kong Black Book, along with dispatches from Seoul and Penang, places I’ve been dreaming about for years, and in this Saturday’s edition of Yolo Journal is a giant Safari Travel Planner full of intel that’s so helpful whether it’s your first or fifth safari. We’ll be back in your inbox a few more times before the end of the year, but hope these comings and goings help spark ideas for your next adventure, or just remind you that you can take one without leaving your couch. —Yolanda
DECEMBER MOODBOARD
I saw this farmhouse retreat on a friend’s IG and did a deep dive on it—on my next trip to Marbella for a fast at Buchinger and/or Marbella Club, I’ll definitely be coming here too.
Our friend Kit Garis has a beautiful new book out on Sicily with photography by one of my favorite interiors photographers, Guido Taroni.
Influenced by their Madison Ave store window, I am excited to get to Rome in January where I’ll buy this coat at a fraction of what it costs in NYC, plus tax back!
When friends ask why they should read Notes on Substack, I tell them it’s one of the only platforms that has a sense of discovery for me, that doesn’t feel like I’m being sold to. This is how I found this guy Kenny Harris’ amazing moka paintings.
First it was my friend Cristina telling me I needed this donabe cookbook for the winter season, then it was a weekend at Quercus in Georgia, where I had an incredible donabe feast—now I’m buying the book and this pot for myself for Christmas.
“Your attention is actively shaping your life right now”...well yes it is! And this is precisely why I’m buying this book immediately: Prompts for Better Attention from our friend Leigh Patterson of Moon Lists.
Frigid temperatures call for warm destination dreaming, and I can’t stop thinking about a return to Cobbler’s Cove, Guana Island, or Jumby Bay.
And lastly, not going to go into the holidays with any guilt as I’m starting my January off with this liver cleansing drink.
ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES
Exciting hotel openings and reopenings, new flight routes, travel hacks and some trips we’re pining for…
The incredibly charming Chesa Marchetta in Sils Maria is opening next month after our friend Luis Laplace transformed the former private home into a 13-room hotel and restaurant—now under the ownership of the Artfarm team.
Holafly just launched the first-ever global subscription for eSIM data. For just $64/month, you can get unlimited data (and hotspot!) anywhere in the world. Considering the AT&T day pass is up to $12/day, this is a no-brainer for frequent travelers.
Château La Commaraine, a 37-room hotel on a wine estate dating back to 1112 is opening next month, and has us dreaming of a road trip through the sea of vineyards in Burgundy this summer.
For the first time ever, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (the elephant orphan rescue nonprofit!) is offering small group safaris that give you a behind the scenes look at their conservation work throughout Kenya, visiting their headquarters and staying in all three of their lodges in the greater Tsavo ecosystem.
Island hopping is getting a little bit easier. Tradewind Aviation has expanded their flights to Nantucket to serve the island year-round, and added a handful of new routes to and from The Bahamas and throughout the Caribbean.
Tulåh, a new clinical wellness sanctuary in the hills of Kerala opening in February on 30 acres of medicinal gardens and rewilded forests, is exactly what we’re dreaming of for a post-holiday detox.
ICYMI, you can now add your passport and license to Apple wallet for use at some TSA checkpoints, though it’s still highly encouraged to carry a physical ID as backup. But if you forget your wallet in your hotel room’s safe (been there), having this as backup might still get you on your plane!
JetBlue is continuing to expand their European routes this spring, launching service between Boston and Barcelona, and their first Italian route between Boston and Milan.
Speaking of Milan, Rocco Forte’s newest hotel, The Carlton, opened last week in a restored landmark building with a sleek new bar where we can’t wait to go for aperitivo.
The beloved Park Hyatt Tokyo reopened yesterday after a 19-month closure for renovations, and from what we’ve seen so far, the designers have apparently preserved so many of the spaces—that pool! The bar!—which made the hotel iconic.
If you want to live out your Agatha Christie Nile fantasy in 2026, the last remaining steam ship from the golden age of Nile travel, Steam Ship Sudan, just emerged from a renovation, though it still looks caught in the ‘20s-’30s in the best way, with original teak decks and vintage decor.
We were so saddened to hear about the passing of Martin Parr, who has inspired us for years. If you’re in Paris this spring, the Jeu de Paume is putting on a major exhibition with over 50 years of his works from Jan 30-May 24.
That donabe book is excellent — since getting it we use our donabe all the time. A beautiful way to cook.