I will assume that the next time we are all free to travel safely, our travels will be chosen more wisely, perhaps even purposely. I, for instance, have decided that my first travel will be within the Country, maybe somewhere in Napa to support the economy which is taking a big blow, to say the least. My second trip, however, will be of course to Europe. And it will be for the sole intention of indulging. The Spa at Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco looks like the perfect place to offer me that.
I know I just came back from Paris and I shouldn’t be thinking about traveling right now, but no one says you can’t dream. I’ve been wanting to rent a villa together with friends somewhere in Europe, in either France or Italy, for a while and when I come across a photo of this gorgeous villa in Sicily yesterday I couldn’t help but dream. Villa Valguarnera is according to Conde Nast traveler, the most romantic hideaway in Sicily. I totally agree and you probably will too once you see the images of this stunning villa.
Villa Valguarnera appears to have stopped in time with dilapidated walls that make the villa feel like a remnant of a very glamorous era. And in fact, it is, albeit part of it dark. In the 17th century, Sicily was the preferred summer retreat of Palermo nobility then after World War II, the area became a Mafia base. Today the villa belongs to Princess Vittoria Alliata di Villafranca, her many-times-over-great grandmother built the villa in the 18th century.
Beaverbrook Hotel in the Surrey Hills was recently designed by Susie Atkinson. She is the designer behind the fabulous interiors of the Soho House group, and she has really raised the bar for hotels all over the world. Beaverbrook hotel, named after a close friend of Winston Churchill, is located in a late-nineteenth-century mansion in the Surrey Hills. Lord Beaverbrook apparently threw many wild parties, and each room is now named after one of those guests. There is a Churchill suite as well. Susie’s goal was to design something essentially British and romantic. ‘I knew it had to be gentle, floral, and quirky with a touch of madness,’ H&G.
Proper Hotel in San Francisco is housed in a Historic 1909 flatiron landmark building that has been re-designed and updated by none other than Kelly Wearstler. You can see her signature style of Modernism mixed with Cubism all around the hotel. It may surprise you to find a few chintz wallpapers and bullion trim here and there, coming from a modernist as Wearstler. However, it makes perfect sense since those are design details that further enhance the retro look of the hotel. I particularly love the restaurant, Villon, a sophisticated restaurant and bar with blue paneling walls and a very sexy color combo. The overall style of the Proper hotel displays a great balance between feminine and masculine style.
We got back from the south last Friday, and you may think that while heading north temperatures would get more chill, but the opposite was true. Temperatures across the US are scorching hot, and although many still decide to not believe in Global Warming, it’s something to think about, to say the least. In the ideal world, the government would believe science, and we would all be in this fight together. On the other side of the world; however, there are still places that do everything with sustainability in mind and all without sacrificing style. Case in point Quinta Da Comporta: Wellness Boutique Resort is a sustainable signature project envisioned and designed by renowned Portuguese architect, Miguel Câncio Martins.
One of the villas with the characteristic thatched roof.
I miss the flexibility that living in Europe provides. The ease of traveling throughout the vicinity countries and getting to experience first-hand the beauty of its cities. The tiniest unknown of towns will impress you with its own beauty and authenticity. La Bastide de Gordes is located in its namesake town, in the Luberon region of the South of France. 
Gordes is one of Provence’s prettiest hilltop villages, one of those magical villages that can immediately take you back in time. Dominated by its magnificent medieval castle and the Saint-Firmin church, characterized by its peasant past as well as the splendors of sixteenth-century nobility, it’s easy to lose yourself in the cobbled alleyways that wind between the towering houses made from dry stone.