HELLO DEAR W-READERS. We always love putting together our occasional News You can Use section, a lively compendium of stories and places that spark our interest. This time we are blowing it up and making it the main character. Let us know what you think.

NEWS YOU CAN USE (SUMMER OF 26 EDITION)

MAGIC MENORCA Our friend the German designer Steffi Werner (of Studio Bonny in Dusseldorf) knows this island like the back of her hand. Her family owns a house on the Balearic island that her great-aunt bought in the 70s, which then her parents took over and which Steffi renovated. She knows a few special spots on Mallorca’s “little sister” (just a hour away by speedboat) and recommends the island if you are in search of some Balearic peace and quiet. Gallery: Etesian in Ciutadella. Restaurant: Ulisses. Café: Bar Imperi. Ice cream: Gelateria Deliri. Hotel: Son Blanc Farmhouse. Hike: Cova des Coloms. Beach: Cala En Turqueta. Excursion: Hauser Wirth on Illa del Rei (of course). With a shuttle boat from the port in Mahón (Moll de Llevant), 15 minutes. This is a little preview—the big Balearic Islands report is in the works for the shoulder season.

ART, SHAKERS & MAKERS As an impressive side hustle, the French art collector and cultural impresario Lionel Bensemoun has been creating experimental hospitality spaces that are more than a stylish place to sleep, they are also spaces to make art, exchange ideas and embrace the outdoors. One his first projects, which opened a little more than a decade ago, was the Villa Lena in Tuscany, which hosts artists and offers creative workshops amongst olive groves and organic gardens. His latest is CALIPO, a historic estate located in the rural Alentejo region of Portugal that he bought three years ago with a bunch of friends that include the gallerist Emmanuel Perrotin, the film director Lisa Azuelos and the musician Alexandre Grynszpan of the French pop band Polo & Pan. Gisela wrote about it recently for the T List. THAT’S NOT ALL FOLKS! Bensemoun also had a hand in the reinvention of a legendary Parisian nightclub into what must easily be the city’s hottest new hotel, designed in part by Studio KO: the Bus Palladium.

ART-FORWARD HOTELS The Ws love a hotel run by art-lovers. GISELA wrote a compendium for Travel + Leisure on her favorites which includes Ammos on the island of Crete, Hauser + With’s latest—the Chesa Marchetta in Switzerland—and Casa Newton in Tuscany. Meanwhile, Antje just visited Rome and checked out the 5-star Palazzo Talia where the lobby and public spaces were designed by the acclaimed Italian film director and interior designer Luca Guadagnino and his firm, studiolucaguadagnino. Have your Aperitivo at the Hotel’s Bar della Musa and see for yourself. Eyecandy.

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WE DID IT AGAIN. Our second retreat just happened — three nights and four days (which felt much longer-in a good way- to everyone) at the Terre Di Sacra Glamping Resort close to Capalbio in the Maremma. We arrived by train from Rome (it’s just an easy hour-long ride from Roma Termini). A group of 14 women—some knew each other, others didn’t—spent several unforgettable and inspiring days by the ocean. We had the privilege and pleasure of being the first to try out the resort’s brand-new yoga platform and the beautiful greenhouse (great for dinner parties!). Every day, we had somatic yoga sessions with the W’s go-to-guru Maria Schoenhofer, the founder of the Inhale Exhale club, whose classes are a truly unique, intuitive blend of Kundalini yoga, Pilates, and meditation. There’s something about movement on the beach and under the sky, especially in a group. It’s anti-inflammatory. It sparks joy. It builds bonds. We had lots of delicious salads and fresh antipasti and some pasta and homemade bread. (with gluten!) We loved the XL-Breakfasts by the (heated) Pool, visited Niki de Saint Phalle’s Tarot Garden followed by individual tarot sessions with the Munich-based jewelry designer Saskia Diez. Terre Di Sacra’s second-generation leader, Margherita Puri Negri, showed us her family’s estate and shared her favorite spots in the area (see below) and on our last night we had a wine-fueled dinner at the nearby Monteverro vineyard estate. Our mantra: Nothing is a must, everything is possible. Each person makes their own decisions, supported by the group. Maria’s ritual at the end of the retreat summed it up perfectly: we formed a circle, and a woman stepped into the center to let herself fall backward—with her eyes closed—and was caught by the group. Trust the process. Trust the community. At the beginning of the retreat, that wouldn’t have been possible. By the end, it was. Maria had prepared a small notebook for everyone. For this retreat, the title was “Tiramisù” which literally means “pick me up” or “lift me up”. Grazie Mille.

P.S. The w-report retreats aren’t just about yoga; they’re also about exploring a special region and a standout hotel that at least one of the ws have visited beforehand and found to be a good fit. There’s always art involved, good food—we love it yummy & healthy—and it’s always about curating a special group of like-minded people to share a unique experience together. The next retreat is already in the works! This fall—hint hint—we’ll be heading to an island in Greece. Meanwhile check out Maria’s next yoga retreat: “Begin Again”, July 9-12, San Sicario, Italy.

Antje’s recommendations for a night in Rome, for small, medium and large budgets:

THE HOXTON If you like a fresh boutique-hotel with a great lobby vibe. Ideal especially if you need to get some work done in the morning before heading out. They do serve good Matcha, too. Double starts from 350 Euro. It sits near the lush Villa Borghese park (Parioli hood), so great for a morning jog.

CASA MONTI It’s your place when you love some whimsical, maximalist design by Laura Gonzalez and prefer a prime location: it’s just a short walk from the Colosseum. I loved the tranquil rooftop bar with its great views and perfect G&Ts. The Casa Monti Ristorante celebrates al fresco dining which I do too. Try Battuto di gambero con crema di burrata, lampone e limone. A refined starter of hand-chopped raw prawn with burrata cream, raspberry, and lemon). Delizioso! Room rates start at 650 Euro.

HASSLER Sits right on the top of the Spanish Steps. I love the old school, grand hotel vibe, the beautiful tile work in the lobby and the breakfast room. And yes, Audrey Hepburn famously made the Hassler her home while filming Roman Holiday. Rooms starts from 950 Euro per night.

Wild countryside by the Tuscan sea

MAGIC MAREMMA TIPS FROM MARGHERITA PURI NEGRI

The MAREMMA is the vast, wild region that spans southwestern Tuscany and Northern Lazio along Italy’s Tyrrhenian coast. Even in the summer, it isn’t as crowded as the Versilia coastal region and celebrated for its ancient Etruscan roots, cowboy culture, and world-class wine production.

Margherita is one of the Terre di Sacra’s owners (Carlos and Giulia) five children. Raised between Milan and Capalbio, she now oversees the property’s communications, the sale of organic beef, and the estate’s slow-tourism initiatives — from glamping tents to new beach cabins along its 12-kilometer stretch of sand. Like her parents, did in the past, she lives with her young family in one of the restored farmhouses once inhabited by sharecroppers. The estate’s 25 rural homes are now villas or cottages for rent, each with a pool and private access to the sea. Her parents’ home, Villa dell’Orto (built in 1947), takes its name from the vegetable garden and rose beds beside the horse paddocks. “The true luxury here is space,” explains Margherita. “Capalbio is a very sexy destination for those very much in the know, yet it remains unique. Here there are no promenades, no boutiques, no evening gelato strolls. Just countryside and sea — and not even a marina.”

One of Margherita’s passion projects is the family’s herd of cattle, which is looked after by Moreno Predellini, the buttero (Maremma horseman) who has worked at Terre di Sacra for 43 years. She is an avid horseback rider and, together with the Riding Safari Club, also organizes horseback safaris though the Maremma.

MARGHERITA’S GO-TO-PLACES:

ICE CREAM Gusto Capalbio Gelateria (Via Umbria, 5b). It doesn’t look very pretty, but their gelato is so good. My daughters love it. My husband, too. And so do I.

PASTRIES Antica Pasticceria Ferrini in Orbetello (Via Giosue' Carducci 8). In my opinion, this is the best pastry shop in Tuscany. They make over ten varieties of cake, from Meringiata to Tiramisu, from Dolce della Nonna to Zuppa Inglese. Limited parking, and they close for lunch.

APERITIVO Il Frantoio. I love their marble counter. When I want to celebrate, I order tequila and prosciutto. That’s my guilty pleasure. Otherwise, the Hugo Spritz is especially good here. The bar and its restaurant are housed in an old oil mill that was renovated by the same design team behind Rome’s Gusto restaurant. The result is spot-on: casual, cool, and chic all at once. If you’d like to grab a bite to eat, be sure to take a seat in the garden under the olive trees. The homemade pasta with wild boar, the Fiorentina, and the Buttera steaks are excellent. The Roman crowd, who love to gather here, certainly appreciates all this—so be sure to make a reservation.

RISTORANTE Da Tullio (Via Nuova 27). Nestled in Capalbio, it offers a cozy atmosphere paired with sea and plains views. Order seasonal specialties like baked artichokes, grilled porcini or the house-made tagliolini with truffles. Open all year round.

When I feel like eating fish, we go to La Selva (Strada Selva Nera 9). Thanks to strong relationships with local fishermen, the restaurant always serves up ultra-fresh seafood salad, maltagliati pasta with clams and bottarga, and red shrimp with lemon sauce. The wine list is well curated.

PIZZA Heads up—this is a real hidden gem— the pizza at that charming café by the train station tastes amazing. It doesn’t look like much, but when it comes out of the oven, wow, it’s delicious. I love the atmosphere there anyway. Whatever you do grab a coffee at the bar when you arrive.

BEACH CLUB Right next to our Terre di Sacra resort is La Dogana Beach Club, where you can enjoy a great dinner by Enoteca La Torre in the evening, and which also offers a Japanese sushi bar with fresh poké bowls and lobster rolls during the day. It’s very popular. On the other side is the long-established Ultima Spiaggia (the last beach), which earned the nickname "the summer living room of the Italian left," acting as the favored seasonal retreat for prominent politicians, journalists, and intellectuals. It is situated along an 8-kilometer stretch of volcanic sand, adjacent to the wild WWF Oasis of Lake Burano. The espresso bar is especially cool—you have to wait in line for coffee and ice cream, pay first, then enjoy. That’s how it goes in Italy.

ART Not to be missed: The eighth season of Hypermaremma. The exhibition centers on Luca Bertolo’s site-specific work “OsservatorioM1,” a metaphysical hut by the sea that will be on view at three different locations in the Tuscan Maremma through August 31, 2026. The Tarot Garden by artist Niki de Saint Phalle is a must-see. It’s located near the village of Garavicchio, just a short drive from us. I’m amazed every single time. Goosebumps guaranteed. Construction took nearly two decades (1979–1996) and the artist financed her life’s work—considered her most majestic project—entirely on her own. Make a reservation, it’s VERY popular.

WINERY My father loves Monteverro wine, especially the red, even though—or perhaps precisely because—the winery is owned by a German couple, Julia und Georg Weber and run with great dedication. Each of our tents comes with a bottle of their red wine, and we highly recommend a guided tour and wine tasting; the views from the estate over the Maremma is truly unique. The winery is located right by the coast and is characterized by its unique hillside vineyards on stony, red clay soil. visit@monteverro.com

ALLA SALUTE!

WW

FOR TWENTY YEARS, I’VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO DINE at dozens of singular restaurants, from Copenhagen to Sydney. I have covered all the restaurant trends, from molecular cuisine to zero-waste vegan kitchens. I’ve road tripped with celebrity chef Jose Andres through the north of Spain and pilgrimaged to remote Buddhist temples in Korea with David Chang to taste vegetarian temple food so flavorful that he begged the nuns for their secret recipes.

Many of those meals were outstanding and memorable, but the restaurants that still stand out sharply in my mind are the ones without stars (the Michelin kind anyway), without tablecloths, in some cases even without walls or a conventional professional kitchen. Almost always, there is fire.

THERE’S SOMETHING VERY PRIMAL ABOUT GATHERING AROUND FLAMES. EATING AROUND IT, WITH THE RIGHT CHEF, CAN BE REVOLUTIONARY.

A few examples of those meals I won’t forget: a multi-course dinner cooked over various fires, which began with a ride on a vintage boat, which transported guests to the Lighthouse Island or Vuurtoreneiland restaurant, located on a tiny windswept island about a 40-minute boat ride from central Amsterdam in the middle of the Ijsselmeer. A few meals—one in the woods, another in the urban herb garden of Martin Rötzel in Berlin—cooked on a beautiful Feuerring (fire ring) by Mischa-Amadeus Olma, who then introduced me to the shaman/chef Stefan Wiesner in Switzerland where I then had another magical open air culinary experience. More recently, in Berlin, my favorite restaurants both cook with fire: Kramer and Stoke, which I just did a story about for Freunden von Freunden.

BUT THE GREATEST OF THEM ALL WAS A PILGRIMAGE I TOOK A FEW YEARS AGO TO LA ISLA, FRANCIS MALLMANN’S ISLAND IN PATAGONIA.

Twenty years ago, when the molecular culinary movement, innovated by the legendary Spanish chef Ferran Adria, was peaking, Mallmann stopped using tweezers, stepped away from the Michelin star path and came out with a book called Seven Fires.

More recently, Mallmann started to allow the occasional group to experience La Isla, his private island on Lago de Plata in remote Patagonia. He discovered the lake and the island with a friend in the late 80s and over the years built a charming log cabin in a small cove surrounded by crooked, weathered trees. About a decade ago he, along with his brother Carlos, a contractor, started building some additional cabins on the other side of the island. It’s now a stunning complex of three low-slung buildings designed with facades of black corrugated metal and large glass windows, from a distance, disappear seamlessly into the landscape, but up close, have a surprisingly modern aesthetic.

The journey here requires a flight to the hard-scrabble city of Comodoro, then a six hour drive along a lonely road through dramatic arid landscapes and big Patagonian skies that might involve fording a small river, and finally a 40-minute boat ride, which can be so bitterly cold, even in the summer, that you have to zip yourself into a puffy mono-suit and Swedish fisherman overalls.

“A lot of people won’t come because I didn’t build a helipad,” Mallmann told me. “I asked around and environmentalists told me that the birds and animals will absolutely hate the noise, so I made the decision to not allow it. One of the true luxuries of La Isla is the silence.” The arduous, long voyage I made to Mallmann’s refuge was rewarded almost immediately with an overwhelming sense of relief upon FINALLY arriving, but also by the haunting natural beauty of its setting: a forested island of slate grey coihue trees crooked and naked from the harsh wind, some branches draped with wisps of yellow green bearded lichen.

And then there is the food. Guests at La Isla have the luxury of Mallmann himself preparing several of their meals, teaching them about the techniques and poetry of cooking over fire. On the first day he often likes to sit around the fire for its entire life cycle with his guests, from first spark to dark red coals and ash. “It’s an age-old ritual and there’s something deeply meditative about staring into the flames,” he described. “It slows you down. Sitting around and cooking with fire has to do with a fascination with the collective human memory and the communal.”

The lunch I will never forget took six hours to prepare. Pineapples and cabbages were hooked on metal wires that dangled over the fire and then slowly cooked for hours, eventually becoming creamy soft and smoky; beets were baked in coals and then smashed on a massive griddle and drowned in olive oil and vinegar and eventually served in the most delicious salad with goat cheese and thin slivers of toasted almonds; and tomatoes and eggplants were sliced almost as thin as paper, stacked together, slowly cooked on the griddle, lashed with olive oil and sea salt and then served with a flurry of lemon zest as a refined, charcoaled ratatouille. If someone asked me what I’d like for my last meal, this is the one I would want to eat again.

OTHER CHEFS ON FIRE-mapping the best around the globe

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AS TRAVEL JOURNALISTS, we sometimes get to experience some very ooohh lala, fancy, pricy hotels. It’s a privilege, but honestly, some of them are not really all that. The Ws are not fooled by shiny facades or impressed by logos or someone shaving lots of truffles on everything. (See this hilarious piece about Basic Bitch Luxury by our friends over at Way to Go). We prefer authenticity and hotels where someone obsessed over every little detail. We appreciate generous hospitality where we don’t feel nickel and dimed. (Bye bye mini bars that charge crazy prices for everything). Here at the w-report we are proud that we only recommend hotels that we’ve tried ourselves and ones that we would personally return to because they offer great value for money.

Antje has just been to Venice to produce a best-of-booklet for SALON Magazine (dropping 5th of June) and is sharing one of her favorite hotels there (not new but cool!) and the just opened hot restaurant everyone is talking about. Take notes, as the Biennale (yes, it’s still happening, even though the entire jury has just stepped down), Homo Faber and the Film festival are on the horizon. Shortly afterwards she flew to Cape Town, where the “We Are Africa” Trade Show is taking place (over the next week) and is currently spending the weekend visiting old friends at their farm, Paardekloof, in the Little Karoo. Antje is absolutely thrilled with the place, but also with the hospitality of owners Robynne and Joe. They rent out their farmhouse—3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and possibly the most beautiful porch in the world (birdwatching deluxe)—and run a farm-to-table restaurant, The Barn, on weekends. They have no PR agency, no website, it’s completely word of mouth; it’s a hidden gem. Just the way the W’s like it. We wish them only the best of guests, so keep reading and take notes.

Meanwhile Gisela was in Milano for Salone (she went to a party at JJ Martin’s new HQ with its Gong Temple on the rooftop; the La DoubleJ designer herself gave her the skinny about her other temple, this one a chapel reimagined for the newly opened reinvented Villa San Michele, reported about by our friend Maria wrote about for FT’s HTSI) and then flew from Italy to Cairo, Egypt to meet up with her daughter Cosima who is there learning Arabic for her GAP year. From Cairo Gisela headed to a magical oasis to check out a new fabulous property. (The story is coming out soon!)

CAPE TOWN BOUND: ANTJE’S CURRENT HEARTBREAK HOTEL

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THE FIRST THING I do when I visit my little brother in Shanghai is go out for dumplings. And not just any dumplings, we always go for Xiaolongbao (蟹粉小笼包, xiè fěn xiǎo lóng bāo). Steamed dumplings filled with crab meat, freshly prepared, served with broth and a vinegar dip. They taste more intense and buttery than the ones with pork. My brother has most recently been living in Hamburg with his family; before that, he lived in Gothenburg, Sweden. But he’s not new to S-town—he got married here in 2013, and back then all the Wewers came, and I’ll never forget how my Chinese relatives were eating and slurping during my father’s wedding speech. Anyway, my brother Bernd now works for the German skincare company Eucerin as a marketing director, and his wife, Yang—who was born and raised in Shanghai—heads the Nivea laboratory. Aside from skincare, they know a lot about food, especially my sister-in-law, who always says that, basically, all Chinese people are natural-born foodies. The first rule I learned: Respect the dumpling. Meaning: No special requests—you eat the dumpling just as it is served, and you eat it quickly, because it has to be hot, not lukewarm, and definitely not cold. Once you found a dumpling place you like, you keep on coming back. They like the restaurant Lai Lai Xiao Long and now I like it too. No more questions ask. The skin of the dumplings is thin, the crabs are from their own farm and the vibe is fabulous. The dumplings are churned out like on an assembly line in the back of the restaurant, where bamboo baskets are stacked up to the ceiling and when the carb meat is out, well, then there are no more dumplings for the day (come before 8pm). If you like to read more about my recent trip to Shanghai, the feature just got published in MERIAN Magazine (2/2006).

MORE APPROVED RESTAURANTS BY THE WEWER-XU FAMILY:

Sheng Yong Xing: Peking Duck is the house specialty, carved at the table. An impressive wine selection and a magnificent view! 5F, Bund 5, 20 Guangdong Road, Email: info@shengyongxing.com

Hong Kong Longfenglou: Traditional Cantonese dishes. The menu features lobster soup with crispy rice, sweet-and-sour pork, roast pigeon, and, of course, a wide selection of dim sum, which is primarily served at lunchtime. Stylish ambiance; some waitstaff speak a little English.181 Taicang Road, Long No. 8 (near Xintiandi) and 889 Julu Road (Bldg 7–8)

Nu Xiang Mu Dou: An elegant take on Shanghai cuisine, housed in an old villa that resembles a temple and is part of the Xintiandi Mall. The concept: centuries-old culinary traditions are combined with modern culinary approaches. The restaurant is known for signature dishes such as crab roe noodles served in a bowl and topped with hot sauce. It has also made a name for itself through collaborations such as a pop-up menu for the fashion label Balenciaga. After the meal: take a stroll through the adjacent shopping mall. 338 Zizhong Road

Fe He Hui: The city’s most interesting and delicious vegetarian restaurant. What the kitchen does with lily blossoms and black truffles is simply sensational. Tip: opt for the tea pairing instead of wine. 1037 Yuyuan Road Instagram: @fuhehui

Yone Restaurant & Bar: Perched atop the 27th floor of the Shanghai Edition Hotel, run by Chef Fumio Yonezawa, formerly the esteemed Chef de Cuisine at Jean-Georges Tokyo. Just a short walk from the Bund. My sister in laws go to Japanese, if you fancy an experience. Premium ingredients, avant-garde techniques, and attentive service and on top of everything you get served THE Shanghai Skyline (the rooftop bar is on the 29th floor!).

SHOP & DINE HERE If you have done the French Concession Quarter, visit COLUMBIA CIRCLE. This neighborhood blends the glamour of the 1920s and 1930s with the vibrant energy of a creative city: a mansion designed by Hungarian-Slovak architect László Hudec, newer neighboring buildings, green courtyards, cafés, and concept stores. You can easily spend an entire afternoon here—for example, around a pool that is Shanghai’s last remaining historic outdoor swimming pool. It was once built as part of the Columbia Country Club; today, unfortunately, it serves only as a stylish backdrop where swimming is prohibited. Stroll around the area and enjoy, for example, specialties from Luneurs, a bakery known not for its pastries but for its creamy sea salt caramel ice cream. Thirsty? Then head to the Kaiji Teahouse or Seesaw Coffee. 1262 West Yan’an Rd (West Yan’an Road Metro Station, Lines 3/4)

Some practical intel, so you can actually PAY for your Dumplings: Be sure to install the Chinese mobile payment app Alipay before your trip, as it allows you to pay at restaurants, soup kitchens, and taxis using a QR code. Payments in China are largely cashless; credit cards are accepted almost exclusively in hotels. Also advisable: install a Virtual Private Network (VPN) on all devices before entering the country, as websites like WhatsApp, Instagram, or Google are otherwise blocked by the “Great Firewall,” and activate an eSIM for China (for older devices: purchase a SIM card upon arrival at the airport). Also useful: The WeChat app can be used for messaging, voice and video calls, and translation. Comes in handy, unless you have a little niece who speaks Mandarin and can translate for you. Xièxie ("shyeh-shyeh") Anna Yang!

BETTER BUTTER (& Oysters) in BRITTANY

It’s a secret I rarely admit: I don’t love France. I am the opposite of a Francophile. I blame my horrible French teacher in 5th grade and the smug environment of Paris in general; the fact that there is a rule for everything, especially what you eat and where you eat it. SO it’s no wonder that I love the regions of France that don’t want to be French. On a recent trip to Brittany with our photographer friend Gaelle le Boulicaut I fell in love: with its strongly rooted identity, its wild protected landscapes, historical sites and most importantly, its food culture.

Also I was there in summer and and while everyone in the South of France was complaining about the heat and crowds, I was enjoying a refreshing sea breeze. And the best part: I was one of only a few international tourists wherever I went. Brittany is still such an insider secret that the bulk of tourists here are French.

AN EXCERPT FROM MY TRAVEL + LUXURY ARTICLE: From the first moment I arrived at my stone cottage at the Ferme du Vent, a property of stand-alone buildings and a bathhouse on a historic farm estate overlooking the Bay of Cancale, I felt like Goldilocks finally finding her perfect bed. Looking around at the serene, white-washed interiors--- so thoughtfully and elegantly conceived with a large clay clad fireplace, mismatched artisanal chairs and cozy low ceilings—that I immediately wanted to know more about its owners. Were they artists? A family of poets? I soon discovered the answer: Ferme du Vent is one of several projects owned by the Roellinger family, a culinary dynasty that started with Olivier Roellinger. Olivier grew up nearby in an 18^th century shipowner’s mansion--Château Richeux --which he had eventually turned in the acclaimed Michelin three-star Bricourt restaurant. In 2014 he handed over the Maisons de Bricourt kitchens to his son Hugo, who had managed not only to win three Michelin stars for the Le Coquillage in the Château Richeux, but he also gained a green star for his sustainability efforts.

I eventually made my way to the Château, a bit reluctantly, because I was already deeply attached to the view from my cottage: beyond the rose bushes blooming just outside, ombre fields of wild grass sloped down to the bay and far in the distance, I could just see the legendary Mont Saint-Michel island.

It’s clear that the Roellingers have an incredibly cinematic eye, both for interiors and the landscape. I felt steeped in such joyful, creative scenes of rapturous and quirky originality that communicated both a respect for nature and history, down to the smallest details. That was true of the food as well. That evening, back in my cottage, I was sent the most decadent and deliciously fresh seafood platter –loaded with some of the country’s most prized oysters. (The Cancale oysters, farmed for several miles along the coast, are considered some of the best in Europe and are listed as part of France’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.)

The next morning, I was delivered a wooden box filled with the most beautifully curated Breton breakfast: salted butter, freshly baked bread, handmade jams and freshly picked cherries. This was my first experience with the local butter and I was immediately hooked. Breton butter, made with fresh milk from a grass fed, special breed of cows and flavored with salt from Guerande, is considered by some, the best in the world. I would completely agree.

Of course butter is also used for pastry making so needless to say once I tried some artisanal pastries from the region I was ruined forever. It was in the small charming city of Vanne that I found the queen of them all. The area is an important hub for decadent baked goods, notably the queen of all pastries, the Kouign-amann. (Kouihn is the Breton word for cake and amann for butter). Which is why when I arrived in the old town, I headed straight to Francois, a tiny bakery that specializes in traditional Breton pastries and ordered a fresh Kouign-amann topped with caramelized apple. It was so delicious, that it almost made my brain short circuit; I realized I hadn’t really had a real Kouign-amann before, just less rich and buttery facsimiles of one.

NOTES FROM THE ROAD: Gisela just landed in Milano to pre-explore the Salone Del Mobile ( April 21–26, 2026) which she hasn’t been since the mid-2000s to report a story about the rise of then star design duo Studio Job. On her agenda this year: La DoubleJ party; pasta with old friend David Prior of travel site Prior World; a book launch for Muller Van Severen hosted by Apartamento; an event celebrating the Flamingo Estate in LA; and meeting one half of the design duo behind Objects of Common Interest about whom Giseal wrote about for T Magazine. She’ll also meet up with her designing friend Tina Lutz who moved from Berlin to Milano with her family a while back. Gisela mentioned both Tina and David in a story she wrote about the city’s Renaissance for Harpers Bazaar.

Meanwhile Antje is heading to Venice for a photo shoot for SALON’S upcoming Venice Booklet (drops 5th of June). She’s meeting with a bunch of creatives who will hopefully share their tips and tricks, since the city is going to be VERY crowded this year. La Biennale de Venezia (9. May- 22. November), Home Faber (1–30 September), and the Film Festival (2-12 September) are on the horizon. On top of that, several luxury hotels are opening (Airelles on Giudecca, Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli, Rosewood Hotel Bauer). The motto seems to be: Less crowds, more curated luxury—and yes, hotel room rates are on the rise. The w-report solution: rent an apartment or choose a small, long-established hotel on the Lido. The list is coming soon. Until then, Bon Appétit.

EAT YOUR HEART OUT!

WW

GOING ZEN It came as a text sometime in the middle of January from our friend and subscriber Katherine: Hi hi. Fuck is my mind spinning with everything going on. Have a question for you and wondering if I can pick your brain, if you have time in next few days for a call?

When we spoke, Katherine explained that over the years she has regularly gone to some really prestigious retreats —Jack Kornfield retreat in Costa Rica at Blue Spirit for example—but now she really needed something truly transformational, something that pushed her even deeper. And this is coming from someone —an author and a producer—who knows A LOT about wellness. (She co-wrote Cindy Crawford’s 2015 memoir “Becoming”). This year has really kicked her ass though. “It was the most depressing winter on the East coast: horrible weather; horrible politics. I need something radical.”

I sent over a few ideas-a yoga and arts retreat in Portugal and an Ashram outpost in Mallorca— but then I had a hunch and sent her a link to a Hiking Zen retreat at Plum Village near Bordeaux in France, the first monastic community founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. It was somewhat of a risky suggestion because the accommodation and food situation there is pretty bare bones, but I knew that not only is Katherine a real W girl (a smart hi-low traveler always up for a meaningful adventure) but also that she was someone with a regular meditation practice. She called a great friend —Marte—who lives in Hamburg and the two of them clicked on the link and paid.

A few weeks later I got another text: Omg plum village is amazing and changing my life. It’s no joke and not for anyone who needs comfort or privacy but it’s incredible. So beautiful. Thank YOU!!!

Plus: P.S. I have a crush on a monk and we flirt.

I was dying to hear more so a week later we spoke on the phone.

KATHERINE: I did it kind of yin yang style by first flying into Paris and spending a night with friends, happily shopping and eating nonstop. As Marte and I drove to the monastery we drove by wineries and said to each other—”on a lazy day we’ll hike down to the vineyards and do some wine tasting!” When that lazy day rolled around we were like “Holy shit we are not leaving this place..we never want to leave.” It’s so typical for us multi taskers to think we have to do everything.

When we arrived I was a little nervous about the simple accommodation—my friend Marte and I shared a room. I am pretty used to going to boujie places. At first I thought it looked kind of sad and depressing but by the end of the week I was like “I LOVE THIS ROOM!” LOL. It’s so simple and beautiful. It was also great that Marte and I shared a room because we were still able to catch up and obey the silent time. It was a beautiful combination because going into it I knew I didn’t want to do all silence and didn’t want to be totally alone. There were definitely a couple of boujie people that had a single room and I don’t know how they managed. The hard core people were four in a room. Plum Village wants to accommodate all people so there are all different tiers. Cute dudes were camping in their VW camping vans. (By the way they had the best coffee! Note to self when I return next time: bring your own coffee equipment). It’s definitely something to be aware of when you book. Good to know : they are currently expanding and doing a huge build out.

Also good to know that it helps to have a bit of meditation practice before you go. There are 30 minute silent meditations in the morning and evening. The first day was SO hard. You eat in silence and it makes you realize how much food you shove into your mouth. They ask you to put your fork down and be in silence. We also hiked in silence. After 24 hours of being there I sat down to watch the sunset and just started sobbing. I am so good at going fast but going slow is so hard for me. I just cried for myself. It made me realize the insane pace we are often operating on. On my first dharam share I said I was ashamed to be an American and I am so distressed about my country and I have never felt this kind of despair before. There were six other Americans there and about 50 people from around the world, from Australia to China but mostly Europeans from all over Europe of a variety of ages. There was a hipster 40-something Dutch guy and definitely a lot of younger males which was interesting…all of whom seemed to be seekers. In the end you do have more time to talk with people than you think you will. At night there are bon fires where you can talk and even during the hiking zen you could have breaks and were allowed to chat with others.

I feel like I came here pummeled by the world and by the end I felt like I was leaving pummeled with love and nourishment and I got my legs back.

It’s the most life changing experience I have had. I have been able to hold onto it because they have this incredible app . There are bells that go off that remind you to stop what you are doing and pause. At first my kids were making fun of me but now everyone stops and pauses. And they have tons of other resources: morning mediations; the evening slow down; and the podcasts are incredible.

AFTERPARTY As we left Plum Village we took your recommendation and stayed at the Mondrian in Bordeaux and loved the pool/sauna and I really enjoyed taking off the wool sweater I’d been wearing and sleeping in all week. We found an amazing sardine bar with the coolest DJ and danced all night.

COME RETREAT WITH THE Ws in Tuscany by the ocean. Antje organized her second Yoga-Retreat with her friend Maria Schoenhofer ( M grew up in Bavaria, lived in Paris for many years, then spent some time in Berlin, and now lives in Piedmont, Italy). After their mountain retreat in South Tyrol they are now spending 3 nights, 4 days at the beach in Capalbio // 21 -24th of May // When Antje stayed at Terre di Sacra last summer, Maria was triggered right away by the pictures and was up for a retreat at this magical place. And now it’s happening. There is only ONE glamping tent left, best to share with a friend. One tent, two rooms with en suite bathrooms. Here are the hard facts and if you wanna know more or sign up, get in touch with mail@antjewewer.de We would love to RETREAT with you.

The package has a lot to offer: yoga and meditation twice a day with Maria; a special location right by the sea surrounded by nature; delicious food at La Dogana Beach Club; a visit to Niki de Saint Phalle’s Tarot Garden; and a private tarot reading with jewelry designer Saskia Diez. We’ll have lunch with Margherita from Terre di Sacra (her parents founded the resort) and visit the near by Monteverro Wine Estate.

COST: 998 Euro per person including 3 nights (in a shared glamping tent)
& all meals

TRAVEL: closest Airport is Rome! We’re taking the train from Roma Termini to Capalbio on Thursday, the 21st of May 10:28–12:16 . There’s also a transfer available from the Aiport (1 1/2hrs drive). The Last Yoga session will be held Sunday morning, we’ll do a last Lunch together and the departure in the afternoon is flexible.

NEWS YOU CAN USE

BERLIN IS BURNING There has been a lot of bitching about Berlin these days—some well earned, some of it just whining in our opinion. The main protagonist at the moment is the journalist Johanna Adorján (AW adores her debut novel an “An Exclusive Love”) who wrote an article for the Sueddeutsche Zeitung that essentially says that Berlin is done and Berliners no longer like their own city. Aside from cutting budgets to the bone, no one there seems to feel responsible for anything anymore. A resident’s lament.

GISELA SAYS Stop whining and fight for your city! If you don’t like something, try to fix it. Most of my friends are happy and grateful to be here, a city fully of artists and experimental projects. My friend Maryam Keyhani and I started a group that offered often free adventures, talks and support. We will get back to it soon—there are still such special projects interesting people growing here. That said, the city’s politicians are failing their constituents here, not working together as they should to allow Berlin to be a stage for all its creativity. Too many rules are slowly choking its special energy. An architect told me that more than half the office buildings in Berlin are barely used and could be converted to much needed apartments but unfortunately the city’s leaders are not making the necessary changes to regulations to allow this to happen. Let’s hope someone figures out a way to get around that and then inspire everyone else. Sometimes it only takes one person.

ANTJE SAYS Well, I hear her and there’s a reason why I spent the whole of March in Africa; it’s been an extraordinary tough Berlin Winter. Here’s the thing: You have to be street-smart-Berlin-style to keep this rough city livable. My recipe: A home you love (light! view! invest in your sofa & bed!), a gym that feels like a sanctuary (Hagius! Those showers!), a bar/restaurant—or in my case, a matcha café where they know you (Thanks, super friendly Team Matchasome—I would not survive without you), a movie theater you can’t get enough of (Kino International, it’s freshly renovated), and a SPA with a pool where you can escape when it all gets to be too much (Hyatt Hotel, Club Olympus, Potsdamer Platz—2 hours for 40 euros, swimming with a view, plus a sauna/ steam room).

TRAVEL FOR FASHION The legendary fashion and art photography duo Inez & Vinoodh’s retrospective spanning 40 years of their work at the Kunstmuseum Den Haag (until September 6). Antje wants to go, but is looking for a hotel. Any recs?

TEARS FOR T Gisela’s fearless leader at T Magazine, the editor in chief and novelist Hanya Yanagihara, announced via Instagram that she is stepping down. And then everyone sent her this recent article from New York Magazine gossiping about what’s next. Gisela says it’s an end of an era. Hanya (who GW has known for more than a decade, since she was her editor at Conde Nast Traveler and then later as her editor under Deborah Needleman at T), has always had the most exceptional, extraordinary (and non-commercial) taste. Gisela will miss working with her! Only Hanya would have said yes to Gisela’s somewhat radical pitches from Arno Brandlhuber’s Antivilla or an essay about artists that work like scientists.

ORACLE IN BERLIN Marina Abramović is coming to our city! Her first major solo show in Berlin since the 1990s will be opening on April 15 at the Gropius Bau: Balkan Erotic Epic. The Exhibition.

GALLERY WEEKEND Berlin really does burn May 1st (inspired by the pagan rituals of Walpurgisnacht, celebrated in Europe on the night of April 30 to May 1, when bonfires are lit to ward off evil spirits and witches) but it will also be on fire because of its annual Gallery Weekend. Check out the great talks at the Neue Nationalgalerie.

EVERYONE LOVES ARLES Gisela loves the city even more which is why she loved working on her latest Flocking To story for T Magazine with the help of amazing insiders, the visionary art patron Maja Hoffmann, the culinary activist Kamal Mouzawak, magic designer Porky Hefer and the superstar design photographer Francois Halard.

EVERYONE LOVES SPARGEL Voll verspargelt – the Asparagus Pop-Up, is designed as an all-day celebration of the asparagus season on the banks of the Spree, Berlin. The day begins with a vegan and gluten-free breakfast followed by an asparagus menu by Stephan Hentschel and Henrik Strempel. Date: Sunday, April 19, Location: Katerschmaus. Breakfast: 9:30 AM–12:00 PM / 25 EUR, Asparagus menu: 12:00 PM–1:00 AM / 25 EUR, Reservations: chefsofberlin.de

SHANGHAI SURPRISE Antje’s city feature got published in the new MERIAN MAGAZIN (2/26); she’s got special access as her brother lives there. Her w-report edit is coming soon. Stay tuned!

SECRET GARDEN Gisela writes about Christian Louboutin’s secret garden in Brittany France for the March issue of Travel + Leisure.

GARTEN MITTE Closing with some good news from Berlin, there’s a cute new Café we like in Mitte, offering specialty coffee, artisanal bread & pastries and a GARDEN! Mo-Fri: 8-5, Sat-Sun: 9-6.

STAY HUMBLE!

WW

MEMORIES OF MADRID (GW) In 2002 I moved from Brooklyn to Madrid with my then boyfriend (now husband) who was working for Fiat. I had been taking flamenco lessons in mid-town NYC for several years so I was pretty sure I was ready to take on Spain. I imagined wearing my flamenco skirts around Plaza del Sol and hanging out surrounded by musicians playing Spanish guitar. (These are the kind of earnest and naive thoughts one had pre-screens and social media). Needless to say upon arriving in Madrid and after slowly walking backwards out of a professional flamenco dance studio (I was like someone arriving from Europe to a version of the school in Manhattan’s LaGuardia performing school in the 1980s film Fame, wearing a cowboy hat and chaps). I quickly realized my mistake. Meanwhile, our cool loft-style apartment off of Gran Via was located on a street auspiciously named Calle Desengaño (“Disappointment Street” in Spanish), a lane where middle aged prostitutes went to semi-retire.

I arrived in Madrid with a lot of NYC attitude and ambition and learned very quickly to pack it away. At that time no one really used email or spoke English and for sure, no one worked between the hours of 1-4pm because that was time for lunch and siesta. This was still the era of old-school Madrid when it was important to know a friend of a friend of one of the King’s cousins in order to get anything done. But at the same time, things in Spain were starting to get interesting: the Guggenheim Bilbao had opened in 1997 and was proving that by building something of great architectural value in a city, it could completely change and reinvent a place. The chef Ferran Adria and his El Bulli restaurant was making headlines as the first modern destination restaurant and making the point that chefs could be artists. Although initially I had wished we lived in Barcelona because it seemed more international, I grew to love Madrid and all its secret places that you had to really work to uncover. I met Virginia Irurita the co-founder of Made for Spain, who helped me to connect to the movers and shakers in the country, and my artist friend from college, Nicholas Woods, introduced me to inspiring creative friends like the Esteva family in Mallorca. I met fellow expat journalist Andrew Ferren who coincidentally just wrote the latest New York Times YOUR GUIDE to Madrid for the NY Times Travel section. (He gave the w-report an extra tip: if you had to go into the Prado to see two artworks in his opinion it should be Rogier van der Weyden’s “Descent from the Cross” —”check out the plants in the work- botanists say they can recognize each one yet it really moves you —some people cry in front of this painting” —and Diego Velázquez’s “Apollo in the Forge of Vulcan”— “ the incredibly restrained palette, which is so typical of Spanish painting, those somber and sober colors-it’s a damn sexy painting!”)

Because we didn’t have iphones then, I have almost no images from my three years of adventure in Spain. Just memories, endless inspiration and stories. More than 20 years later Madrid is a very different place. So many South Americans (and Americans) have moved there in the last few years that someone I spoke to recently called it the “Miami of Europe.” For better or worse, gone are the days of three hour lunches, bank tellers smoking cigarettes behind the counter and no one being able to speak English.

Although in the last few years I have been back to Spain to report a few stories—mostly in Mallorca and Menorca—I haven’t been to Madrid since we left in 2004. I am feeling the urge to return to Calle Desengaño soon but in the meantime, we spoke to a few of our favorite Spain-based creatives to get the latest intel. This one is a big one dear readers! So many incredible diamonds. We share some with all of you but if you want to discover the rest of them, please subscribe.

MAKING A MOVE: Patricia Rezai in BARCELONA AND MENORCA

“Anytime I go to a city I look for a candle store, the best cake shop and the best bookstore.”

AFTER STUDYING IN London and living more than a decade in Madrid, the creative entrepreneur and consultant Patricia Rezai, who founded the company CYRA APHRODISIACS, headed to Barcelona two years ago to move in with her now fiancee Omar Sosa, the visionary creative director and co-founder of Apartamento Magazine. She is still adjusting to her new urban home, but shares with us her three favorite places…and as a bonus she also talks to the w-report about her beloved spots on the island of Menorca, a place where she and Omar have shared a house together for almost five years now.

BARCELONA

I am obsessed with CERERIA SUBIRA. Inside it’s beautiful and it’s also one of the oldest shops of its kind in Barcelona, dating back to 1761. It specializes in wax making; they provide candles to the Sagrada Família. The family that now owns it has conserved its historic Baroque interior and entering this place is like being in a fairy tale. It’s my wet dream because I am obsessed with burning things—candles, incense. I go here every few weeks to stock up.

I am obsessed with various things in life. I have a voyeuristic side to me -I love to observe people —and my second obsession is sweets. I love cakes and desserts so putting all these things together at PASTELERIAS MAURI is a dream. l also live for nostalgic places that inspire visions of how I would live back in the 30s or 40s. I am a bit of a romantic, and here I am always fantastizing about how I am sitting in the sun in Barecleona eating a slice of Sacher cake and drinking chamomile tea and looking at all these beautiful women in pearl necklaces and fur coats having their daily gossip. Literally nothing has changed here since it opened in 1929.

LLIBRERIA FINESTRES is a very big beautiful bookstore in the center of Barcelona and it has such a great selection of books from around the world: English; French; Catalan. It’s a very pleasant store to spend time in—there are sofas everywhere and a really nice cafe in the back. When I first moved to Barcelona I would go to Finestres and sit there for a couple of hours reading a book and sit at the cafe and I would end up mingling and speaking to people. It made me feel not so alone. It’s my emotional soft spot in the city.

MENORCA

Omar and I love to drive up to GRANJA LLURIACH just before sunset. We follow a winding road through fields in the middle of nowhere and the light is just beautiful and cows are grazing. It’s like driving in a story book and suddenly you rock up this littel gravel driveway and reach this beautiful noble style Menorcan-style house and there is always a subtle wind and you hear the sound of roosters. The really beautiful thing about going there is not knowing what to expect. You enter this house which has remained impregmaable since maybe the 1940s and you buy cheese in the living room. It’s a place where they cultivate cheese and do their own marmaledaes and dairy products. Everything is so delicious and Nina who works there is such a sweetheart. The real secret is the bathroom. Ask if you can use it. That is all I am going to say.

What is so interesting about SALINAS DE LA CONCEPCION is that the family of a friend of mine bought this estate when I first started going to Menorca and so I have been observing its transformation over the years, as they impeccably restored the salt flats. It’s in the port of Fornells and the light and sunsets there are incredible. They created a salt brand Sal de Menorca which is essentially the “Tell me you have been to Menorca without telling me you’ve been to Menorca” when you rock up to someone’s houses and they have it in their kitchen. It’s the IT salt of the island and THE souvenir. What I really love about visiting is that in the middle of such brutal nature and seeing it unravel its power and secrets— producing all this salt and the colors of the flats—the pinks and the browns and the beiges-it is really magical. And the house itself which they refurbished and conserved with the Virgin of La Concepción on the roof feels like a sacred sanctuary. Anytime we go there for the day we come out of there feeling so reenergized.

ES MOLI DE FOC is a restaurant in an old cereal mill with super classic Menorcan interiors that we love going to. It’s in the really small town of Sant Climent. In our opinion they have the best rice on the island. Whenever Omar and I are in Menorca we always try to go to only the really legit Menorcan places just because we don’t want the island to lose its essence. Moli is very dear to us and we also order paellas and take them home and they are super nice. For a good and authentic dining experience we 100% always recommend this place.

THE ROSA OF MALLORCA

Both of us Ws have girls crushes on Rosa Esteva who is without a doubt the most chicest Mallorquin we know. Thankfully she helps us ALL become more stylish with her cultish fashion brand Cortana —best experienced at its destination worthy flagship in Palma complete with a new cafe and an art space. (Guess where Patrizia is getting her wedding dress made? Cortana of course).

No one knows what’s going on the island—in terms of really special cultural projects— more than Rosa, whose family owns two of the most extraordinary resorts on Mallorca (I would go as far as to say in all of Spain) both located on the east side of the island near the village of Artà: Finca Son Gener and Es Racó d'Artà. (I wrote about the latter project and the Esteva family for T Magazine a few years ago). For more…please subscribe! Those that do, read on. x

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FIRST, A NOTE FROM THE Ws: Just a month ago it was the killing of notorious Mexican cartel leader El Mencho and the retaliatory violence in Jalisco that initiated cancelled flights and travel warnings in Mexico; now it’s of course the Middle East and Trump’s rash and reckless attack on Iran that’s wreaking havoc for travelers in Dubai and Doha. With travel warnings coming in every few days, we say it’s best to do your research and keep up to date. Despite the fact that quite a few travelers have cancelled their trips to Egypt, at the moment it is quite safe, which means if you go in the next few weeks you’ll have many of the sites to yourself. There are also plenty of sources reporting that traveling to Mexico City is safe. An extra reason to go: Jacaranda season! The city is filled with the trees’ vibrant purple blossoms.

A WALK IN THE PARK WITH GALLERIST ANA PAULA DE HARO

Mexico City’s vast Bosque de Chapultepec (Chapultepec means Forest) has historically been a sacred site for the Aztecs, in part due to its fresh springs; it served as a royal summer retreat for Moctezuma who also established botanical gardens there. Chapultepec continues to be an important landmark in the city thanks to the many museums that are planted throughout it and on its edges. In the spring, when the jacaranda trees bloom with their violet blossoms, the landscape is so wildly beautiful that its almost a work of art on its own. Chapultepec is huge, almost an entire neighborhood in itself; at 1,700 acres, it’s one of the largest urban parks in Latin America. (It’s even larger than New York City’s Central Park). What makes the park so compelling now, says the art curator Ana Paula de Haro, partner and director at the city’s most significant contemporary gallery- OMR - is that in the last few years there has been so much going on there in terms of of art and culinary-related activation and projects. Of course one of the most interesting of all of those projects has been the transformation of a 1960s modernist, Brutalist-style building originally designed by Alfonso Ramírez Ponce and Leónides Guadarrama into one of the city’s most dynamic cultural institutions: LagoAlgo, which opened in 2022.

“Chapultepec park is part of my daily life and not just because of my work for LagoAlgo,” de Haro told us. “I take my dog on walks there, I spend time there on the weekends with my kids and I go there to exercise. I could spend an entire day there.” She is not kidding. To prove it, de Haro shares with us (and paid subscribers) her plan for almost 12 hours in Chapultepec.

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THERE ARE actually still places where the world appears to be in order. Usually perfection does not interest the Ws because they tend to agree with the Korean artist Nam June Paik who is famous for saying: “When too perfect, lieber Gott böse.”

For the latest issue of SALON Antje visited her old buddy Johann Haehling von Lanzenauer at his hometown in Baden-Baden. Until then, she had ZERO interest in this picture-perfect spa town where German billionaires like to retire. After 25 years of living in Berlin, the former co-owner of Circle Culture Gallery moved back to the Black Forest and threw himself into renovating an old farmhouse in Kauffenheim, Alsace and transforming a former fire station into an artists studio.

Johann grew up in a house just a stone’s throw away from the historic Friedrichsbad in Baden Baden so he showed Antje a few of his favorite spots in the UNESCO-worthy spa town (more below) and hosted-together with his wife Gianna- a lunch in their countryside escape complete with Alsatian specialties. Antje was accompanied by Stefan Armbruster, a photographer who moved to New York City as a model in the 1990s, stayed a while, and then moved back to his hometown of Offenburg via Vienna. Both say that the Black Forest has an appeal that is often underestimated (apparently the plateau near St. Georgen is reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands).

WHAT ELSE? The ITB travel fair just took place in Berlin as it does every year in March and, as always, the W’s didn’t go to the main fair building, but attended some of the more inspiring events surrounding it. Antje moderated the Flospitality’s first travel talk “The Art of Hosting” at the Lotta Bar (Berliners take note! This is a great daytime café for working away on your laptop and enjoy really nice salads & soups) at the Wilmina Hotel. The panel guests: Thies Sponholz, director of the Fontenay Hotel in Hamburg, who has just been named Hotelier of the Year 2026; Adrian Vogel from South Tyrol (Sandgold Alpine Glamping); and interior designer Fabian Freytag, who designed the Stüvretta Moritz Restaurant within the Grace Hotel in St. Moritz. It’s always interesting to hear where hoteliers themselves like to stay - Adrian has recently been on the road in South Africa with Rovos Rail - and discovered some new destinations. After meeting the young enthusiastic hotelier Marie Gröller, who has just joined her sister in their family’s hotel Post am See (which boasts three generations and 70 years of experience as hosts) Antje has added Lake Traunkirchen in Austria to her summer travel agenda. The new Spa with a lake view sounds like just her kind of chill place (Double room with breakfast starting from 299 Euro, and it’s just a one and a half hour car ride from Salzburg Airport).

The best party at ITB is the one hosted by Design Hotels, which often takes place at Brasserie Torbar in Mitte, a restaurant owned by Gisela’s longtime elderly gentleman crush: the artist, singer and all around dapper Renaissance man Dieter Meier. First dinner, then dancing. Gisela was seated next to John Voigtmann, with whom she shares several illustrious acquaintances and who runs the legendary La Bandita Townhouse in Pienza, Tuscany; most recently it served as the accommodation for George Clooney and Adam Sandler when they filmed the movie Jay Kelly in Tuscany. Meanwhile Antje was seated next to the dedicated environmentalist David Leventhal, founder of the regenerative eco-resort Playa Viva in Mexico and someone, like the Ws, who greatly admires the pioneering Fogo Island innkeeper Zita Cobb. David is also the co-founder of Regenerative Travel —an initiative that brings together hospitality projects that want to do more than just sustain the environment, they want to leave it better off than when they arrived. (Check out their member hotels and you’ll find at least a dozen of the Ws favorite properties including Sterrekopje in South Africa and Dwarika’s in Nepal). Berliners take note again: there’s a new place in the Brandenburg area. Greenview Tornow on the Ruppiner Seenplatte opens its doors in April. The six new wooden chalets are located in the forest and have two bedrooms and a kitchen. The idea came from two brothers, one a civil engineer and the other a hotelier. The Berlin-based we studio - founded in Berlin in 2021 by Barbara Elwardt and Piotr Wisniewski - was involved in the design, having already completed the hotels The Commodo in Bad Gastein and Mamula Island. We are sure it’s a new weekend getaway destination to check out soon. We’ll report back.

Last but not least, we got to meet Vasily Grogol, the twenty-something owner of Bursa, a member of Design Hotels and a 33-room hotel in Kiev, Ukraine, which includes a non-commercial art gallery, a cafe, and a rooftop bar. It is still up and running (hosting mostly NGO employees); the Ws hope that one fine day in the near future will we be able to travel to again. In the meantime, in these more troubled days, we give you some tips for Baden-Baden.

10 BADEN-BADEN HACKS BY JOHANN ALEXIS

• The iconic Brenners Park Hotel & Spa Hotel just got renovated. I would always go for a room with park view and I’m always game for a drink at OLEANDER BAR, which is named after the legendary German thoroughbred stallion Oleander. And do believe the Hype regarding Dr. Harry König. He’s a renowned expert in regenerative medicine and detoxification and my attending physician since forever. Find him at Villa Stephanie.

• Best SUSHI in town you’ll find at Moriki Restaurant at Roomers Hotel. No wonder: the creative culinary chef is Berlin’s The Duc Ngo.

• If you only have time to visit one SPA, make sure it’s the FRIEDRICHSBAD, an Ancient Irish-Roman steam bath, right next to the Caracalla Baths. It’s worth the 38 Euro entrance fee; you can stay as long as you want. Do book the soap brush massage for 19 Euro ahead of time. Reservations can only be made on site from 10 am on the day of the treatment.

• The best place for a glamorous evening: THE GRILL. Located in the glamorous Casino, Baden-Baden don’t forget your ID and that men must wear a jacket. Order steak and champagne; you can’t go wrong. Great for people watching.

• Best view over Baden-Baden and the BILLIONÄRE MILE: climb up the Hungerberg and stop off at the Waldschänke.

• We love having w-report guests and rent out our fully equipped holiday apartment on our property in KAUFFENHEIM, Alsace. Email studio@johannalexis.com for pics & infos. Peace and quiet guaranteed: 200 inhabitants, 25 km north of Strasbourg.

• Must-see: JAMES TURRELL’S work Accretion Disk, located in the basement of the Frieder Burda Museum on Lichtentaler Allee which is a great building designed by Richard Meier. And don’t miss Isa Genzken’s XL Rose in the park.

• MUST-EAT: Auberge à L’Agneau in Roppenheim. The dishes to order: Côte de Boeuf, frog legs, and fish platter. Come early! Dinner starts already from 4pm onwards. No reservations. Délicieux!

• Europäischer Hof. Another Grandhotel has been renovated and just reopened. I haven’t tried their beds yet, but their CAFÈ DE L’EUROPE is a nice lunch spot.

• If you wanna know more about the farmhouse and why I settled in Alsace and not in Baden-Baden, listen to the OUR HOUSE Podcast that Antje (I still call her Wewerchen, as we know each other from back in our Berlin student days) taped during her visit. I also host my own Podcast (who doesn’t) and it’s called Tomorrow Thinking.

OUR FRIEND, THE ARTIST ALEXANDER ISKIN is currently exhibiting his new works at the SEXAUER gallery in Berlin under the title “What if” ... forever, which were created during a stay of several months in Mexico —both in Mexico City’s Santa Maria la Ribera district and in Mazunte, a small coastal town on the Pacific. In addition to his artistic work, he volunteered at the Centro Mexicano de la Tortuga turtle center. We will publish his insider guide along with a perfect day in Mexico City as shared with Gisela by the art gallery director Ana Paula de Haro in the next week’s w-report. Viva Mexico, despite everything.

STAY TUNED!

WW

I ASSUME that I am not the only American these days dreaming of escaping with my family and friends to a farflung place of beauty and light and peace. (Even though I live in Berlin—which just means closer to Putin). Several times a day I find myself planning a fantasy art farm surrounded by orchards of avocado and mango trees and then I pull myself away and push myself back into the work of attempting to spark even the tiniest charge of positive change. Last week when I was in Morocco with some amazing ladies celebrating the birthday of our friend Courtney, I organized for the group to visit Project Soar, an incredibly ambitious and scrappy NGO for young girls and women founded by the wonderful Maryam Montague, a long time human rights activist and consultant. She informed us that it is not just US AID that been shut down, but many affiliated NGO projects are now without funding, especially those that are related to women. We spent the morning with the inspiring young women of Project Soar, many of us tearing up more than once from their passionate words and stories. We left carrying a flame of hope, for them, and for all the other girls who deserve to soar.

THAT WAS A GOOD DAY. But today, as cold rain drizzles on a grey Berlin in February, and I read the latest news that Trump is trying to force Netflix to oust Susan Rice from its board for speaking out, I dream again of escaping. And I find that when I do, it’s often of the Azores, one of the most pristine and magical places I have been in the last few years. I have written about the islands for several magazines, most recently about the island of Terceira for Travel + Leisure and about the archipelago for the Australian magazine Travel + Luxury and a few years ago for T Magazine. (For that last piece I was lucky to work with the talented Portuguese photogrpaher Francisco Nogueira). I have condensed and excerpted some text from Travel + Luxury, as well as from Travel + Leisure and added some additional details and news.

ARRIVING IN THE AZORES, nine remote islands in the middle of the Atlantic, 800 miles west of Portugal and about 2300 miles east of Boston, is like entering a prehistoric lost world. Sperm and blue whales and dolphins are frequently spotted just off the coast, surf crashes over hot spring pools carved within lava stone and thanks to the frequent light rain, there are almost daily rainbows. Over the centuries so many seeds have been imported to the Azores that the islands are covered with familiar plants gone rogue: on São Miguel many of the roads are lined with giant blue hydrangea bushes; the forests have been taken over by Japanese red cedar trees; and ginger lilies that grow higher than humans. The Azores are Europe’s answer to Hawaii, but FAR less developed.

EACH ISLAND seems to have its own secret: In the know surfers head to the island of São Jorge between October and March to the legendary Fajã de Santo Cristo, an historic village overlooking a lagoon which dramatically abuts the Atlantic, a place where one can typically only arrive on foot. Until recently there were only backpacker lodges here but three years ago a Portuguese entrepreneur from Angola, Nuno Ferreira, opened Kuanza Faja do Belo, a resort of twelve traditional stone houses that was originally a historic village in ruins. Wine lovers on the other hand, will be happiest on the island of Pico, where for centuries, viniculture has been so crucial that over the centuries, farmers constructed hundreds of miles of basalt stone walls—now protected by UNESCO World Heritage -- that lined small fields along the coast to protect the vines.

It’s the island of Terceira—renowned for its natural swimming pools and the historic city Angra do Heroismo (another UNESCO World Heritage site) -that has the biggest news: last fall the Portuguese luxury hospitality company Torel opened a five-star hotel designed by the up-and-coming Portuguese architect, Joana Astolfi, with 44 rooms and a spa.

Still, it’s São Miguel where the capital of Ponta Delgada is, and where the most people (population around 140,000) live. It’s also home to an exciting emerging and very organic art scene. In the last decade, a former factory has been transformed into an extraordinarily striking contemporary art museum; several innovative and exciting independent galleries have opened; and some exceptional cultural festivals have been taking off.

THE DETAILS

FOR THE FIRST TIMER & CULTURE LOVER: SãO MIGUEL

STAY

Santa Barbara Eco-Beach Resort & White

Joao Reis, co-founder with his wife Catarina of Singular Resorts, a collection of unique properties on the Azores, started out his career in the finance world, only going into hospitality later in life with the luxury of being able to think of their hospitality company as a passion project. “I love to create small hotel concepts,” he said. “I don’t do it for the money, I do it for the art of it, for the thrill.” Reis is committed to building small sustainable hotels on the island which adds value to the local community and acts as bridge for travelers to the natural landscape of the Azores. Reis opened their first property, the Santa Barbara Eco-Beach Resort, in 2015, near a beach cove on the north of the island. They expanded it a few years with 30 villas and studios surrounded by landscaped indigenous plants and grasses, which overlook the sea. They launched White, a contemporary house with nine suites and a standalone villa perched atop a black basalt cliff and overlooking the sea, in 2017, but they continue to evolve it; two years ago the property was completely redesigned with minimalist aesthetic by Quiet Studios. Rates at Santa Barbara start at around 150 euros; rates at White start at 160 euros.

Moinho da Areia

This two-year-old property is, in the words of the owners, Inês and João Goncalves, “all about the art of living; where design, atmosphere, and intention come together in everyday life.” Five eclectic suites, designed with custom-designed furniture, and bespoke art pieces that are the result of thoughtful collaborations, are scattered within an historic watermill just steps away from the surf-friendly Monte Verde beach. The guests here, note the Goncalves, tend to be looking to experience a slower pace or surf. “They check the swell from their room, surf the Atlantic (warmer here than on the mainland), then come back for breakfast on our terrace,” said João. Rates including breakfast start at 25 euros.

Pico do Refugio

Also on the north coast of the island, a ten-minute drive from the small city of Ribeira Grande, is the bohemian-styled Pico do Refugio, a complex of eight contemporary-styled lofts or smaller apartments in out buildings that were formerly part of a tea factory and then later appropriated as art studios for the current owner’s mother, a renowned Portuguese sculptress. The spaces are filled with contemporary art, from photographs by António Julio Duarte to a sculpture by Miguel Palma. Most recently Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth recorded some songs here. Breakfast is delivered picnic style, with fresh local cheeses and homemade jams. Rates range from 150 to 250 euros.

The Pink House

Located on private grounds that were formerly part of an expansive historic citrus estate just north of Ponte Delgada, much of the houses hidden behind and divided by towering lavastone walls, the Pink House was designed by the Milan-based architect Joana Oliveira. More than intimate with the property’s history--- she is the daughter of the owners and grew up in the house as a teenager— last year Oliveira transformed an old agricultural building into a striking two-story holiday rental property. The house is divided into two spaces: a suite with a small kitchen, big enough for a couple; and a two-story, 1500-square-foot apartment with a spacious eat-in kitchen and living room and three bedrooms, ideal for a group of friends. Pink Studio starts at 115 a night, minimum three nights; the House is 300 a night, minimum three nights.

Terra Nostra Garden Hotel

In the late 18th century, a New Englander by the name of Thomas Hickling landed on Sao Miguel–he helped to pioneer the citrus trade on the island--and eventually built a stately country home in the thermal rich Furnas Valley on the west side of the island. What started as his garden is now the impressive Terra Nosta Garden. The Terra Nosta hotel was built at least a century and a half later in an elegant Art Deco style, and all the public spaces and 86 rooms were smartly refurbished about a decade ago. What makes this property so unique is that it has private access to the 30-acre botanical garden—thick with tree ferns, bamboo, huge ginkgo trees and one of the world’s largest collection of camellias---and the mustard-yellow waters of the thermal pool (also originally built by Hickling) which means guests can probably even sneak on the grounds past closing hours. Rates start at 175 euros.

EAT

The acknowledged restauranteurs to watch on the island are the chef-owners José Pereira and his wife Anna who are behind the Nikkei-style Otaka-- South American and Japanese dishes made with Azorean ingredients--- and the more bistro-style Restaurant Aji, both in Ponta Delgada.

Bar Caloura is a favorite for lunch by the sea — no bookings, just swim and wait your turn for fresh fish, grilled limpets (a shellfish delicacy of the island), and island-grown pineapple cake. The friendly staff will also grill up your choice of the fresh local fish on display---perhaps tuna, stingray, or barracuda. It also has a well-stocked salad bar, a rarity on the island.

Tuká Tulá at Santa Bárbara beach offers a sophisticated take on local ingredients, paired with a relaxed oceanfront atmosphere and gorgeous views.

Many restaurants claim to be farm-to-table; Quinta dos Sabores is the real thing. Here at this intimate, rustic restaurant hidden behind a giant blue wooden door installed in an old stone farmhouse on the north coast of the island, owner Paulo Decq is chef, server and farmer, although his wife Ines often gives him a hand. Decq is self-taught so in terms of the food he keeps things simple, serving six-course menus for a very affordable 60 euros.

EXPLORE

Arquipélago Centre for Contemporary Arts

Architects Menos e Mais and Joao Mendes Ribeiro won several awards for the transformation of this former tobacco and alcohol factory complex built of dark volcanic stone into a visually arresting cultural hub located in the small city of Ribeira Grande on the north coast of the island. There are multiple connected buildings which house an expansive three-room exhibition space, a cutting edge experimental theatre, a classroom, art library and several art studios to be used by visiting artists.

Vaga

A leading contemporary art space in the Azores, Vaga offers experimental, collective, and inclusive programming focused on insular ecologies, autonomous practices, and community building. A platform for creation, reflection, and exchange rooted in São Miguel that is run by the founders of the very cool Walk + Talk festival, happening next in 2027.

Magma

A hybrid tattoo studio and art gallery in Ponta Delgada, Magma blurs the lines between body art and visual culture. Its exhibitions reflect alternative aesthetics and countercultural voices, bringing together illustration, design, street art, and tattoo artistry.

Galeria Fonseca Macedo 

One of the oldest and most established galleries in the Azores, Fonseca Macedo has played a key role in promoting Portuguese contemporary art. Its elegant space in Ponta Delgada hosts solo and group shows by emerging and renowned artists. (The gallery is part of Casa da Galeria Hotel)

Centro Cultural da Caloura 

Set against dramatic coastal cliffs, this space hosts seasonal exhibitions and concerts with a focus on regional heritage and contemporary art. Its oceanfront amphitheater and intimate gallery make it a unique venue blending nature, art, and community.

Museu Carlos Machado 

Founded in 1876, this is the island’s main historical museum. With collections spread across three buildings, it features natural history, ethnography, sacred art, and temporary exhibitions, offering a rich view of Azorean identity and history.

Termas da Ferraria

Those brave enough to swim in the Termas da Ferraria, dramatic natural hot springs that are carved into a platform of lava, jump in and then hold onto a network of ropes for a bracing soak in the middle of crashing waves. Those less courageous can float in a nearby manmade pool which pipes in the same volcanic thermal water, full of minerals, said to contain therapeutic properties.

FOR THE WINE LOVER: PICO

STAY

Pico Vineyards

Now, thanks to several passionate small producers, the wine scene on Pico is being revived, and there is no other better place to experience the island’s rare varietals than at the Pico Vineyards, a winery and an inn with six rooms and five suites with views of the sea. Designed by FCC Arquitectura, the building is as striking and Brutalist as the island itself, a modern cloister with a façade of black volcanic stone. Rates range between 100-150 euros.

FOR THE SURFER: SãO JORGE

STAY

Faja do Belo Kuanza

It takes twenty minutes to hike into the remote Faja do Belo Kuanza, a resort of twelve traditional stone houses that was transformed from an abandoned village by Nuno Ferreira; luggage is transported by ATVs. It’s worth the effort: the views of the sea and the serene, slow-paced days here are transformative. It’s a twenty-minute walk from here to the village of Fajã de Santo Cristo which overlooks a dramatically beautiful crater lake right next to the Atlantic. Rates start at 90 euros.

EAT

It’s worth a trip to Calheta for the local black pork dish and clams from the Caldeira, at Sabores Sopranos. A bonus is its stunning views over the island.

FOR THE ADVENTURE/NATURE LOVER: TERCEIRA

STAY

Torel Terra Brava

A 44- room property located in a three-story historic building in the charming UNESCO World Heritage capital city of Angra do Heroísmo, the island (and the archipelago) finally has a world class five-star hotel. With its chic public spaces, designed with a mix of rattan lanterns, locally made ceramics, antique blue-and-white porcelain plates, potted plants and a color palette of green and terracotta tones, it offers an elegant place to relax, and dine, in between island adventures. (The hotel serves an elaborate breakfast that includes the best products found on the island, from local honey and cheese to pastries). Torel, an award-winning hospitality brand that already has seven hotels in Portugal, decided to expand to the Azores because according to co-owner Ingrid Koeck, “opening a property in the Azores, with its fascinating history and otherworldly landscapes, has been a longtime dream.” Rates start at 200 euros.

Caparica Ecolodge

This is the most charming ecolodge complex I’ve come across in a while: the Caparica is made up of several houses built of lavastone tucked into a jungle garden with hidden hammocks and a checking in and cafe space. If I could replicate a compound for myself and my family and friends, this might be it. Rates start at around 80 euros.

EAT

Beyond Torel Terra Brava’s excellent small restaurant, Bistro Tres, which serves elevated European dishes made with Azorean ingredients and traditional dishes, there a several great places to dine throughout the island. Everyone agrees that the best seafood restaurant on the island is O Pescador a modern, simple space where guests can chose from the catch of the day and an excellent wine list. Make sure to try the cataplana, a traditional seafood stew. The talk of Terceira is about the newly opened Sintonia Experience located within a historic building with a courtyard and overseen by the young ambitious chef Carlos Nuno. He serves elegantly prepared and elevated plated Portuguese dishes inspired by the island’s maritime history and dreams up recipes influenced by the country’s former spice colonies and the island’s fresh produce which might be a curry served with lobster, red pepper and saffron.

EXPLORE

Torel Terra Brava is extremely helpful at immersing their guests into the local culture and natural landscapes. They recommend Azores On Route for historic tours of Angra do Heroísmo, the capital of Terceira, which for centuries was one of the most important maritime hubs in the Western world. (It was even the capital of Portugal in the 19th century). Reach out to Ocean Emotion for whale and dolphin expeditions and Pro Island Travel for adventure tours of the island that often include a traditional meal cooked by the company’s owner. Worth a visit is Coffee Cabana, the lush coffee and fruit farm cultivated by Jose Bernardo for the last ten years. One of the most otherworldly swimming experience you might have in your life is to float in the public pools in the village of Biscoitos, natural, lava shaped pools on the edge of the sea.

HELP OTHERS SOAR!

WW

MANIFESTION IS REAL. When I visited the Terre di Sacra Resort last summer with my friend Sarah and our kids, we stayed in one of its luxurious glamping tents. Think stylish safari, not campsite. From our terrace you could see the ocean through the cypress trees and, the best of all, you could hear the waves when you lay on the sofa and let yourself be lulled to sleep. I mean, the dream! I posted some pictures and Maria reached out immediately: Wouldn’t that place be ideal for a bespoke yoga retreat? Yes, it would! And now it’s ON! After our “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough Retreat” in South Tyrol at the Goldene Rose, we have now created the SPRING BEACH CURE which is happening May 21-24 in Capalbio, Tuscany. Far away from the urban hustle and bustle at the wild and beautiful Terre di Sacra Resort. We’ll be staying in thelux glamping tents
nestled amidst dunes and cypress trees, close to the beach, and we‘ll practicing Yoga twice a day with Maria Schoenhofer.

Maria has her own unique, very intuitive, way of teaching; she always adapts to her group of students. Her practice is shaped by her own journey—from growing up on a Bavarian farm, to studying literature and aesthetics, to working in fashion in Paris, and training across Hatha, Vinyasa, Kundalini, chanting, and nervous system–based practices, she teaches from lived experience rather than a fixed style. If you want to know more, check out her website The Inhale Exhale Club. At the retreat, we’ll have an energetic session in the morning and a more grounding one in the evening.

And it wouldn’t be a w-report retreat if there wasn’t also a bespoke program around the yoga sessions. Our host is Margherita, the daughter of the Terre di Sacra founders, Carlo and Giulia Puri Negri, who have been restoring and caring for the houses on the property for the last 30 years, transforming them into elegant villas and cottages. Terre di Sacra is also an organic farm that produces high-quality organic meat from its Maremmana cow breeding, as well as organic olive oil and honey (which can be appreciated at breakfast). The newest additions to the estate are the glamping set-up, the heated XL-pool and a Yoga deck. There will be an excursion to Niki de Saint Phalle’s close by Tarot Garden and a workshop with our friend, the jewellery designer Saskia Diez, who is fascinated by the art of Tarot Card reading and has created her own kind of deck.

Last but not least there will be a wine tasting and meal at the nearby vineyard Monteverro. We’re friendly with the owners and will get a special tour. As always, nothing is mandatory, everything is possible.

Whenever the W’s discover particularly beautiful places, we want to share them with others. Come along!

SOFT FACTS

WHAT: A 4-day glamping retreat with Maria Schoenhofer
3 nights, 4 days / There are 8 spots available
WHEN: May 21-24
WHERE: Terre di Sacra, Capalbio, Tuscany

COST: 998 Euro per person including 3 nights
& all meals, breakfast, lunch & dinner at La Dogana Beachclub. You’ll be sharing a cosy tent with two separate bedrooms, each has a private bathroom . There will be twice a day yoga sessions with Maria.

Also included: the visit to Niki de Saint Phalle’s Tarot garden, a bespoke Tarot workshop with Saskia Diez and the Saturday night wine tasting at Monteverro Vineyard Estate.

HARD FACTS

HOW TO ARRIVE: The closest airport is ROMA airport (flights & transfer to
Terre di Sacre are not included, but we will facilitate and organize it).

Optional: Arrival a day earlier on May 20th in Rome to spend a night at one of our fav hotels (TBA) and a kick off Yoga Session with Maria
On Thursday morning we’ll take the train together from Roma Termini to Capalbio (1 1/2hrs, 15 Euro).

For more info and to sign up mail@antjewewer.de

FATTI SOTTO!

WW

WITHOUT the draw of Tilda’s one of a kind exhibition, I probably wouldn’t have thought of traveling to Amsterdam in January. (Meanwhile the other W was traveling in Thailand which makes more sense weather-wise). But actually Amsterdam in winter is a pretty good idea. No crowds! The city, with its canals and the iconic, narrow, 17th-century buildings, was a vision —at least when I was there—covered with a light shimmery blanket of snow. And how I love the manageable, walkable (and bike-able) size of it.

My friend Maria Schoenhofer knows Tilda Swinton through her work with Chanel (one of the sponsors of the show) so when Maria invited me to be her plus one at Tilda’s exhibition “Ongoing” at the Eye Filmmuseum, I did not hesitate to say yes. I have long admired Tilda for her unique combination of extravagance meets down-to-earthness. We also got to hear two great talks. The first was with one of her closest friends, British director Joanna Hogg (The Souvenir I & Part II), who she met at boarding school when they were 10 years old. It was a deep dive into finding one’s voice and becoming an artist. Swinton, born into an aristocratic Scottish family, believes strongly in artistic collaboration. Together they created Flat 19, a multimedia reconstruction of her 1980s London apartment for the exhibition (reminded me a bit of artist Erwin Wurm’s Narrow House). The next evening there was a very entertaining conversation with director Wes Anderson; Tilda has been in five of his films. (My favorite of which is The Grand Budapest Hotel from 2014, which was filmed in eastern Germany, partly in Görlitz). Funny, irrelevant Wes observation: under his corduroy pants, he wore long underwear. The exhibition, curated by Swinton, is open until March 15, and some of her favorite colleagues, like Pedro Almodovar and Luca Guadagnino, have created new works for it. There’s also a film from the archives of Derek Jarman, the late queer underground filmmaker, who inspired Tilda’s strong belief in artistic collaboration. She is always celebrating the collective vibe and consistently foraging deep connections with the filmmakers, photographers and fashion designers she respects and holds dear. I thought this was a profound message, especially in such individualistic times as ours. Also: the Eye Museum is a magnificent, futuristic building by Delugan Meissl Architect that anyone who loves film (or architecture) should visit. And DO exit through the gift shop; the Tilda Swinton merch is fabulous. And by the way, you can take the ferry (line F3) directly from Central Station. Free of charge.

Somehow Amsterdam always works for me. Maybe it’s because of my name, which has Dutch roots?

In case you decide to visit, here are my 3 x 3 recs

HOTELS

SPLURGE The Rosewood Amsterdam finally opened last summer after a 10-year-long transformation of the former Palace of Justice (once an orphanage), one of Amsterdam’s grandest heritage buildings which sits right on Prinsengracht. I got a tour through the XL building and my fav piece was the vending machine next to the main staircase. It’s filled with art from visual artist Casper Braat, who created various smile cracking Dutch motifs such as a cone of chips, a Stroopwafel or a ship made of marble. Watch out! There’s Art in every nook and they serve tasty Indian food at the Advocatuur bar. Their main restaurant Eeuwen was closed when I visited. The Asaya Spa looked very cozy and is a good asset for winter visits. Rooms with Canal views from +/-1300 Euro.

MODERATE I’ve been a Hoxton fan for a while. I like (and stayed in) their hotels in London, LA, Rome, and Berlin, and now I’ve also been to the new Hoxton Lloyd (there’s another one in the in the heart of the city), which is located in the cool Eastern Docklands (only three stops from Central Station). It’s an amazing building: formerly the Lloyd Hotel and once the HQ of the Royal Holland Lloyd Shipping Company, with lots of space and a really good Brasserie. (Breakfast is only okay; there’s definitely room for improvement). Room 210 is perfect, especially when traveling with a friend. (Maria had her own bed in a little nook). And I love that they have decaf coffee and real milk in the complimentary bar. Bikes are freely available! It’s the little things. Rooms starting from 130 Euro (without breakfast).

HIPSTER When our friends from Berlin restaurant Otto, Sören and Vadim, cooked at Binnenvisser in Amsterdam, they stayed at the Carmen guesthouse, which is located right next to Carmen’s small concept store and café. They loved it. Only two rooms in a top location: Keizersgracht 600. Rooms from 250 Euro.

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THIS STORY has been brought to you thanks to a chance encounter in Baden Baden. Normally, the Ws meet their esteemed colleague Jean Michel de Alberti (contributor to Le Figaro, Le Point, Les Echos) at the Pure conference in Marrakech. Antje and JM got to know each other during a visit to Lopud 1483 (back then they were drinking a lot of wine together). Gisela met him on the same day she first connected to Antje: on a walk through the dusty red Atlas Mountains to a remote village to meet some of the young women benefiting from the NGO Education for All.

Antje was in the spa town to visit the newly renovated Brenners Park Hotel and to visit her old Berlin buddy Johann Haehling from Lanzenauer in his new home, an old farmhouse in Alsace, for SALON magazine. The story about his transformation from gallery owner to artist Johann Alexis will appear in the upcoming issue of SALON, available at newsstands at the end of February. Back to the detox. While Antje was running around town, Jean Michel was at Villa Stephanie to test the medical Spa for Le Point. There was a big surprise hello in the garden, followed by breakfast together, during which Jean Michel reported on his latest detox adventures. And boy, he had been around. And is looking good! After all, dry January is before the spring detox, so we thought we share his spa expertise and learnings with you.

THE FIRST CUT IS THE DEEPEST Sha Wellness El Albir, Alicante, Spain

Having passed the age of 50, I decided it was time to take care of myself, think about my diet and, above all, the effects of aging. Sha Wellness was my first choice, having hesitated between it and Buchinger, but fasting seemed too difficult for a first experience in a wellness clinic. The first steps were immediately exciting, with a battery of tests allowing me to have an almost complete check-up of my health. The atmosphere was that of a chic private club, with clients returning year after year. A doctor lectured me on my lack of muscle tone and strength, comparing me to an old car and giving me advice on how to become a Lamborghini. My cognitive ability tests were a disaster because they were conducted in English, but once we switched to French, I regained my mental agility. I really disliked the sports classes. The toxic masculine atmosphere created by two of the three coaches, who preferred to focus on a Swedish model in the room who was a fan of yoga and probiotics, reminded me of the crude and stupid machismo of high school. Apart from this minor unpleasant episode, anything seems possible at Sha, even restoring the vision in my left eye, which can hardly see anything! One of the doctors saw this as a challenge and suggested I come back for a longer stay to try to do something about my eyesight. While waiting to regain sight in my left eye, the immediate results were weight loss (up to 20 pounds in the weeks following my discharge from the clinic) and a radical change in diet. I completely stopped with coffee, white bread, red meat, cold cuts, pastries, fried foods, pasta, and pizza, as well as certain fish such as tuna, and greatly reduced my alcohol consumption.

JM VALUE FOR MONEY RATING 8/10

Program cost (without room): A 7 day Detox & Optimal Weight package is usually about $3,900–$4,900 USD per person for the program alone (medical consultations, treatments, meals and wellness plan)

FAST & FURIOUS FASTING Buchinger Wilhelmi Marbella, Spain

A few months later, I was ready for Buchinger and 10 days of fasting. The Buchinger clinic in Marbella is magnificent. I was lucky enough to stay in the most expensive wing, with large rooms reminiscent of the Marbella Club hotel (both have the same interior designer). Once again, a battery of tests was on the agenda. After one last meal, the fast could begin. I immediately loved this phase of rest in every sense of the word. Strangely, my hunger quickly disappeared.The broths will forever remind me of a bad memory. Having to sit down at the table twice a day to eat nothing was painful. My mind wandered for a long time, my memory played tricks on me, memories of meals in countries all over the world: a tagine in Marrakech, a quiche in New York... everything came back to me in detail. I could have written a book: what I have eaten in my life, emotional memories. I have never read so much, never been so intellectually demanding: I watched a series of five episodes on the political career of a Chinese leader in one go. The press is generously distributed, and it’s a pleasure to read several daily newspapers in their paper versions. I was weighed every day and lost weight every day. One of the highlights was discovering acupuncture; a specialist doctor read certain past traumas in my body. I was amazed. I didn’t like the suggestions to go outside; being in a closed environment is pleasant, but facing the outside world is much less so. Buchinger was an experience for my mind. Freed from heavy meals, I have never been so creative and quick in my work. Downside: Returning to eating was difficult, with severe stomach pains for a few days.

JM VALUE FOR MONEY RATING 9/10

Therapeutic fasting starts at 10 nights or longer; the 7-night Diet option is ideal if you want a gentle health retreat without fasting. This is their entry-level package where you don’t do therapeutic fasting but instead receive a nutritious bio-gourmet diet, medical support and all clinic amenities included. $3,000–$5,000 USD, depending on the room category.

EAT LITTLE, EXERCISE A LOT Chenot Palace Weggis Lucerne, Switzerland

The long-term effects of the two previous stays are lasting, but certain bad habits can eventually take over again. A croissant here, an evening spent drinking fine wines; after all I’m a French Man living in Paris. It was therefore time to discover the famous Chenot method. The atmosphere in Switzerland is completely different. The week of treatments takes place in a former palace with an ultra-modern clinic. Very, very chic! In the restaurant, you have to get used to your new life. The spectacular dining room suggests that a parade of gourmet dishes is in the works. Make no mistake, it’s delicious, but served in very small quantities with more than perfect service. After Sha and Buchinger, I was used to the lack of food. The beauty of Lake Lucerne is breathtaking. Twice a day, I would walk past a very large bakery! I was almost tempted... but I managed to resist, not wanting to ruin everything because of a strudel. Chenot has technically the best health facilities, but in the end it’s the people that make the place. I asked to change therapists and ended up with the most unpleasant massage therapist in the world. Every day, guests take therapeutic baths and seaweed wraps followed by a massage. The stay is enhanced by other treatments that can be very expensive and are not included in the basic package. I really enjoyed the sports exercises, the work on balance and flexibility —my new challenges after successfully adopting a better diet.

JM VALUE FOR MONEY RATING 8/10

A 7-day Advanced Detox program at Chenot Palace Weggis generally costs between USD 9,000 and USD 10,000 + for the program alone, plus room rates starting from 440 Euro

PERSONAL DEEP DIVE Brenners Park-Hotel & SPA, Baden-Baden, Germany

I only spent a few days at Villa Stephanie trying out the clinic of the famous Dr. Harry König at the Brenners hotel. The stay was short, but I quickly understood why the whole world (including the Beckhams) wants an appointment with Dr. König. I arrived with persistent back pain, and within my stay it had disappeared. The program included a fantastic series of personalized sports sessions, punctuated by a consultation with a fascinating psychologist. We talked about grief and family ties. Dr. König gave me lots of personalized advice, and I was able to try a vitamin and mineral injection that helped me get through the following autumn without any problems. The Brenners, to which Villa Stephanie belongs, is an enchanting hotel and was recently completely renovated. When in Baden-Baden you must try try the famous baths of Baden-Baden, one historic, the other more modern, both complementing each other in the experience.

JM VALUE FOR MONEY RATING 10/10

The 7-day Detox Starter program at Villa Stéphanie in Baden-Baden generally starts around €700 per day, included are room, full board personalized vitality cuisine, Medical Consultation: Initial and final consultations, body analysis, and lab tests, Personalized medical training, yoga, guided hikes, and access to spa facilities.

MEDITATION AND REFLECTION RXV Wellness Village Sampran, Thailand

Reinvigorated by Baden-Baden, I traveled an hour from Bangkok to try out the RXV wellness clinic. The hotel complex attached to the clinic is located in a former establishment once popular with Bangkok residents for its peaceful setting, river views, and weekend organic market. The hotel itself is delightfully old-fashioned, while the clinic is ultra-modern. What more could I learn about myself after all my recent experiences? The stay follows a ritual of baths, some hotter, some cooler, some more oxygenated than others. It’s a place for meditation and reflection. The best moments were the sports sessions, which were conducted with kindness and gentleness. Now that I have regained a healthy diet, the big challenge for my coming years is to focus on my flexibility, muscle gain, endurance. All of the clinics I visited gave me the same advice you hear everywhere about healthy eating, good sleep, and exercise. The benefit of all of them was being surrounded by great professionals and receiving highly personalized advice that will be useful for future motivation. I haven’t regained the nine kilos I lost, I sleep better, I wake up feeling energized, and my back pain hasn’t returned (yet). The hardest part is managing these new habits with a life of reporting and traveling, not letting myself be tempted by all the good things the world has to offer, like Italy and its pizzas (I’ve only eaten one pizza in four years).

JM VALUE FOR MONEY RATING 7/10

There are 3/5/7 Day Packages, 3 nights all inclusive with room & board, air port transfer and alle medical treatments and all wellness treatments & expriences cot 2,296 USD.

NEWS YOU CAN USE (Happy Health Edition)

GISELA’S GO TO DETOX My favorite ever retreat experience was a week-long raw food detox run by the British naturopath Lisa Jeans in a beautiful villa in Andalusia with a very chic London crowd which I reported for Vogue in 2002. I was so impressed and felt so good afterwards—and the whites of my eyes were so shiny and bright—that I continued to report about raw food trends for a few years including this piece from 2006 for the NY Times. Lisa Jeans has since disappeared from the scene (has anyone bumped into her recently?) but a few years later I went to The Farm at San Benito in the Philippines and loved it too. That is the place I would go now if I had the time and budget, but I am also trying to get to The Sanctuary in Thailand sometime soon.

ANTJE’S GO TO DETOX For those who want to avoid flying from Germany to India but still want to experience an authentic Ayurvedic detox, I recommend Park am See Nattika. It’s only an hour by train from Berlin, and the real highlight is the staff. The chef and all the doctors nd massage therapists are from India. The hotel complex has a rich history and isn’t for everyone, but I love it, especially in the summer (swimming in the lake!). If you’d like to know more, here’s my Our House podcast with the founder. The detox I’m dreaming about since forever is to channel my inner Kate Moss at the supermodel’s go-to detox in Turkey: The LifeCo Bodrum. This staple cleanse is the World Spa Awards-winning Master Detox. A liquid-only program of five, seven or 10 days, the program starts at €1,150 for five days in a shared room. No Supermodel prices, I kind of have to go. Also on the list, the 8-Day Basic Body Detox at Tannerhof, it’s a mountain hideaway in Bavaria (one hour from Munich) and loved by many of my friends. But as I’m not a snow person, I’ll wait for summer.

HEALTH QUICKIE The W’s really enjoyed 24 Simple Secrets to a Healthier Life

RED LIGHT SPECIAL Our friends (with great skin-hello Alex!) swear by the Omnilux infrared light therapy mask and say it’s worth the price. Do any of you agree? We are tempted to invest but are still on the fence.

RETREAT TO PORTUGAL Casa Palmela, an ancient monastery turned intimate stylish resort in Portugal’s gorgeous region of Arrabida, is hosting a Veda Wellness retreat (founded and led by Therese Skovgaard Poulsen with a focus on yoga and art making retreat from March 15-19.

INHALE EXHALE CLUB Our friend Maria Schoenhofer, who is a double agent working in fashion and as a yoga & meditation teacher (save the date for our w-report retreat in Italy 20-24 May) offers now a monthly programme, you can join through her website. If you wanna know more about meditation, listen to her just dropped conversation with artist Paul Hance.

LIGHT IS THE ANSWER The ladies we know with the best skin have invested in laser treatments. The way to do it right— if you can splurge— is to reserve a few nights at the gorgeous Sommerro House, an elegant art nouveau hotel in Oslo and book a treatment with its in-house laser expert Dr. Kingsley Mariadasan. “Here in Norway you are required to have a doctor in the clinic to use lasers but in the UK even a carpenter can buy a laser and start a clinic,” he told Gisela when she was reporting a story about the hotel. Mariadasan confided in her that he is involved in research focused on the use of lasers to instigate hair growth in those that suffer from alopecia. After all, said Mariadasan, “in the end lasers are light, and we are just beginning to understand the power of nature.”

THE PLUM LIFE A fabulous reader of ours is heading off to a Zen hiking and meditation retreat at the Plum Village—a monastic community founded by Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh— in France that is taking place in mid March. We will beg her to give us a report when she returns.

THE WAY Ayurvedic spas and retreats seem to be popping up everywhere these days and of course some of the OG best are in southern India and Sri Lanka. Someone Gisela knows whispered to her that one of the best ayurvedic retreats in Europe is called Datu and several of them will be taking place this spring on the Amalfi Coast including one with guest Tibetan Buddhist master Tulku Lobsang.

KEEP IT EASY Antje taped a new OUR HOUSE podcast episode with the german cookbook author Laura Koerver, her latest is called book focuses on easy, healthy recipes and Antje is obsessing about her beetroot salad. Laura lives in a townhouse in cologne and you can find her newsletter Laura’s List also on Substack.

MAGIC IS REAL Especially when it’s coming from our friend in Zurich, the one and only Alexandra Kruse, who knows about Astrology, Horoscopes and hocus-pocus.

STAY HUMBLE!

WW

NOTE FROM THE Ws: We can’t really drop a newsletter at this moment without acknowledging the horrific news coming out of Minnesota and the US. We are so incredibly humbled by and grateful for those thousands and thousands of brave citizens protesting throughout Minneapolis in the freezing cold, risking abuse and even death as they fight for their neighbors, for the rights of immigrants and for democracy. (If you get a chance please read our friend Luisa Weiss’s recent essay in her Letter from Berlin newsletter).

The way we can ALL take part, in a small way, in this fight against global tyranny, is for all of us to keep reading. (And to encourage our children to read). One of the Instagram accounts we have discovered lately is Dustin Pace’s @non_toxic_masculinity_ whose tagline is: Read books. Lift weights. Fight fascists. And in the book “On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century” its author Timothy Snyder stresses how to be good citizens we NEED TO READ BOOKS.

Okay back to our normal programming…

AS A STUDENT STUDYING in Bali in the early 90s, I knew about (and admired) Janet deNeefe —chef, author and restaurateur—before I finally met her a few years later. She opened up Casa Luna, one of the first international-style restaurants in Ubud in 1992 (crazy to imagine now with the main street now lined with them) and I would often head there for the pirate movie screenings. In 2004, in response to the Bali bombings, she initiated a small gathering of writers and readers with the goal to rebuild community, create a platform for voices and stories from Indonesia, and to foster dialogue among diverse cultures. Since then, the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival has grown into one of the most important cultural events in Bali —and beyond. Over the years, more than a thousand writers have participated, from Amitav Ghosh to Hanya Yanagihara and Eka Kurniawan (who wrote the mesmerizing book Beauty is a Wound-so good) and Jenny Erpenbeck. Attending the festival is really one of the best ways for curious international visitors to dive deep into Indonesian culture.

Janet also takes writers and readers to far flung regions of the archipelago, most regularly hosting boat adventures through the Spice Islands. Not only to talk about books but to eat! (There are few people more knowledgeable about Indonesian food than Janet—she also founded the Ubud Food festival in 2015). Signing up for one of her trips is an incredible (and affordable, compared to other boat excursions) opportunity to experience and learn about Indonesia, from it’s literature scene to its rich and diverse culinary heritage. “On the boat I cook a long table feast of Indonesian food for lunch every day which is also a cooking class. I just love the Spice Islands so much, especially Banda Neira, where time stands still, and I love sharing the journey and history with people. I always send guests a list of books to read which include Nathaniel’s Nutmeg and Amitav Ghosh’s The Nutmeg’s Curse.”

Janet texted me last week to let me know that she is hosting a writing retreat March 21-24 on the island of Sumba with one of my favorite writers, Geraldine Brooks (how I loved People of the Book and Caleb's Crossing) and that there are still three spots left! “I read Geraldine’s most recent book Horses and thought of her for this location which is renowned for its nature and wild horses. She is over the moon to be there. I also can’t wait to go visit weaving communities on Sumba as well.”

BASIC INFO: The retreat costs $7900 (5% off for w-report subscribers) and it takes place at the stylish Cap Karoso, a stylish and remote Robinson Crusoe-style farm and resort with 40 modern rooms and 20 villas that are designed using elements of traditional Sumbanese craftsmanship. Contact: ticketing@ubudwritersfestival.com

Q + A WITH JANET DE NEEFE

What have been some of the standout memories of the festival?

In our second year - 2005 - Amitav Ghosh and Michael Ondaatje joined us. I was over the moon. I couldn’t believe we had -so soon-taken this massive leap to attract such outstanding writers. And then just before the festival - the second Bali bombings happened. Amitav was already in Bali and Michael was already on his way. Only a few authors cancelled - and the enormous support and sense of camaraderie was so incredibly moving. Everyone bonded like one big family - and it reinforced our festival mantra that the pen is mightier than the sword.

In 2012 Nick Cave attended. I was SO nervous to meet him, such an iconic cool Ozzie. Underneath it all though he has a heart of gold. He was so kind and generous and willing to participate in anything.

When did you start organizing trips?

I started organizing trips a couple of years ago because I Indonesia is such a magical archipelago with so many breathtakingly beautiful places. Why not showcase it and what we have and organize literary tourism— something completely different. We have taken a few people around the Komodo Islands like Amitav Ghosh to the Komodo Islands. We were doing a bit of that before covid and now starting to do it again with the aim to do a few trips every year. Last year we organized a journey to the magnificent Borobudur temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Java, with esteemed historians and authors William Dalrymple, Herald Van Der Linde, and David Van Reybrouck. We spent three days absorbing the magical landscapes and the incredible knowledge that these guys have. Also feasting on the amazing food of central Java.

What are you reading now?

Audition by Katie Kitamura. And just before that: Mother Mary by Arundhati Roy - gobsmacking!

OTHER FESTIVALS WORTH TRAVELING FOR

Sharmaine Lovegrove, our favorite bookstore owner (Chapters in Berlin) and literary agent, never misses the Calabash International Literary Festival in Jamaica but sadly, due to the severe damage caused by Hurricane Melissa last October, the festival has been cancelled and pushed to 2027. In the meantime, if you are able, Sharmaine recommends donating to the American Friends of Jamaica. This year she’ll be headed this May (13-25) to the Charleston Festival in the village of Firle in East Sussex, England. Gisela recently mentioned Chapters in the T List in a story about bookstores as community hubs

Our friend, the cultural critic and former NPR radio producer Bilal Qureshi, loves and goes annually (as guest and moderator) to another Charleston Literary Festival—this one in South Carolina which takes place this year November 6-15. Bilal says, “It’s a wonderfully walkable, intimate festival in one of the most beautiful and complex American southern cities. Designed to be a chamber of conversations, I’ve had the privilege to see Booker Prize nominees and leading global intellectuals in the city’s elegant historic Dock Street Theater. And the volume of events is perfectly designed for walking, and indulging in Low Country cuisine.”

A BOOKSTORE WORTH TRAVELING FOR Antje has visited recently LIVARIA LELLO in Porto - thanks to the product designer Christian Haas, who bought and renovated a townhouse here ten years ago; he showed her his favorite spots for the Portugal edition of SALON. Livraria Lello is not only considered the most beautiful bookstore in the world, but it is also said that J.K. Rowling drew inspiration for her Harry Potter universe here. The style is a mixture of neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau; famous features include the curved red staircase, ceiling skylights, elaborately carved interiors, and secret doors hidden in the shelves. “Livraria Lello probably also has the best-organized queue in the universe,” says Christian, who recommends reserving a ticket voucher online (from €8). This entitles you to entry and is later deducted from the purchase price of a book. In the basement, you can discover Amy Winehouse’s book collection and Bob Dylan’s love letters. Christian’s tip: “The store’s own edition of classic works, with modern covers designed by friend and Art Director extraordinaire Eduardo Aires, make great souvenirs.”

NEWS YOU CAN USE (BOOKWORM EDITION)

NYC IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF A GIANT The Goethe Institut in NYC (30 Irving Place) has commissioned a 90-minute self-guided audio walk of "Hannah Arendt’s New York City" You can also pick up a print map with additional stops at the Institut (30 Irving Place).

ANOTHER ADVENTURE IN THE SPICE ISLANDS Gisela had the journey of a lifetime this fall through Indonesia’s “Forgotten” and Spice Islands on the Kudanil Explorer expedition ship which she wrote about for Travel + Leisure; the story is in the February issue. In it she referred to the naturalist Alfred Wallace who while exploring the same area, independently developed the theory of evolution at the same time as Darwin and wrote The Malay Archipelago. It’s interesting to note that the the meaning of “ survival of the fittest” has been so dangerously misconstrued in Western culture. Those scientists did not mean fit as in strong, they meant adaptable to one’s local environment.

WRITING RETREAT Author Susanne Kaloff has written a column for the German Grazia magazine for 10 years. Now she publishes her weekly musings, which are as emotional as they are funny, on Substack. Her newsletter is called “Suse in Your Pocket” (SIYP). This summer, the experienced column writer is hosting a Writing and Yoga Summer Camp (June 8-12) at Villa Psili in Crete. Five-day writing workshop, daily Kundalini yoga. In German.

STABI REVISTED When Antje studied journalism in Berlin, she frequented the Staatsbibliothek (Stabi) on Potsdamerplatz. Back then, visitors were still given plastic bags, but now she has discovered the Stabi library (Unter den Linden 8) when she needs peace and quiet to write. (Great tip @JulietKothe) An ID card is quickly issued, and anyone living in Berlin is allowed in. The building was originally constructed between 1903 and 1914. Following extensive renovation, the entire complex, including the new general reading room, was officially reopened on January 25, 2021. It’s a blend of historical ambience and modern functionality. It is bright and the distinctive orange carpeting is a mood booster.

A HOTEL FOR BOOKLOVERS We love the Fife Arms in Braemar for many reasons. It belongs to the Hauser & Wirth gallery & hotel empire, there is a Picasso hanging in the breakfast room, and locals and collectors meet in the bar. Beyond its collection of over 15,000 books, its “whisky library” is also something of a centerpiece: 400 different bottles are arranged on the shelves according to flavor, each one illuminated by its own lamp. For the full experience stay in a Scottish Culture Room, all inspired by Scotland's leading figures from fields such as literature, astronomy and exploration. Not for minimalists; there is a lot going on in the rooms. Save the Date: The Fife Arms even organizes a literary festival—the Braemar Literary Festival—which this year (its fourth) will take place from 25th to 27th September.

CURRENTLY READING (AW) Heart the Lover by Lily King (page turner!), just started Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden and on my coffee table: Sixty by photographer Albrecht Fuchs, who portrayed over four decades personalties like Taryn Simons, Ed Ruscha, Julius Shulman. Eye candy for anyone who loves creatives. PS: I shop at the Uslar & Rai bookstore on Schönhauser Allee. Why? Because Katharina von Uslar gives me great advice there. I appreciate her taste in books and, more importantly, she knows what I (and now also various members of my family) like to read. The focus is on German literature, but there is also a small, very fine selection of English-language books.

CURRENTLY READING (GW) I finally read Perfectionism by Vincenzo Latronico. It takes place in Berlin and while I am glad it was a short read (there were times when I felt it was like a long, well written travel article rather than a novel) I think it was pretty successful in capturing the surreal reality of millennials in the world, especially when it comes to comparing their analog life with their virtual -social media—one. I am now reading Zadie Smith’s Dead and Alive essays, which are as whip smart as she is, but if I was to recommend a book I have read recently it would be The Magician, a fictional biography of German Nobel laureate Thomas Mann by Colm Tóibín. It feels very timely to read about the struggles he and his family had in Nazi-era Germany and about his life in exile from the early 40s to 1952 in Los Angeles where he wrote—also a timely read- Doctor Faustus.

OBSESSING (AW) I am still thinking about Marty Supreme. I had the chance to already watch it over the holidays and it’s my new I-believe-in-Miracles-Movie. Timothée Chalamat is nailing it with his acne skin and small(er) than in real life eyes and big personality. Dropping in German on the 26th of February. Run to to the movie theatre. Until then read this New Yorker Review.

OBSESSING (GW) One of my favorite nonfiction books of all time, Underland by Robert Macfarlane, the book I give to all my thinking friends, has been adapted to film by director Rob Petit! One of the producers is Darren Aronofsky and it’s narrated by actress Sandra Hüller. Launching at the end of March. I can not wait!

KEEP ON READING!

WW

IT’S THAT TIME of year when the W’s are at home in Berlin, reflecting back on their adventures and making new travel plans. Also: distilling their hotel visits of the last year down to the most shiny special diamonds. Some trips are bigger than others, and some still need to be processed. And some hotel experiences stand out over all of the rest. Here we share our favorites with you in order to inspire future travels.

In 2025, Antje was in Bhutan and Kenya for SALON, but also rediscovered Germany and visited old friends and new hotels in Baden Baden and the Harz Mountains. And last but not least, over Christmas, in her hometown of Wolfsburg, she holed up at the Ritz-Carlton, grateful for the freedom to obsess about (and swim in) the pool.

Gisela is still thinking about and giving thanks for a series of adventures she had this fall which included time in Arles, France with the pioneering designer India Mahdavi, an expedition to the Spice Islands with her friend Jason Friedman and the designer Bill Bensley and a pilgrimage to the oasis of Siwa in Egypt near the border to Libya to attend the opening of the Peter Beard museum which was attended by the most incredible mix of thinkers including the artist’s wife and daughter.

We still love working on the w-report and we hope you love reading it! Please write to us and let us know what you would like to read more about, what travel tips you would like to see in upcoming newsletters, and for all of you who are paying subscribers, (thank you!) you are always welcome to ask us questions. We are happy to make recommendations and connect you with others. And even if we haven’t been there ourselves, we always know the best reliable sources to tap into.

GISELAS’S TOP 10

STERREKOPJE, SOUTH AFRICA This list is not ordered in a hierarchical way but it just so happens that Sterrekopje, a destination retreat on a fifty hectare regenerative farm in the Cape Winelands, is definitely the property (besides Bambu Indah in Bali which I mention all the time) that belongs on my top ten all time favorites. I finally managed to visit this past spring. Created and run by the very focused and uncompromising couple Nicole Boekhoorn and Fleur Huijskens, the property is not only impeccably designed —it’s a historic farmhouse estate which has been added onto and the interiors are exceptional, both welcoming and tasteful—but ever detail has been thought out and executed with incredible care. Meals are served in various rooms—a greenhouse, by the fire in the open kitchen—and are made from much of the produce grown on the farm and prepared with a focus on flavor and healthful ingrediants. Everyone on the staff is part of the magic energy here and are chosen both for kindness and skill. The idea of what a wellness retreat means and should be is without a standard formula here but has been finely tuned. Essentially it begins with slowing down and reconnecting to nature and oneself on land that has been intentionally nurtured with seeds of love, beauty and creativity. Only after a few days of that can you turn to healing your body and mind by choosing from a series of rituals that starts with a hammam and an incredible intuitive massage, and then might dive into serious breathwork.

Oh and did I mention the gardens? They have been designed by the award winning landscape architect Leon Kluge and are literally out of this world. Just wandering through them makes you feel well. Peak wellness and care does come at a price; the average rate is about 950 euros a night, but it is all inclusive.

LA MAISON BLEUE, EGYPT I am a huge fan of the Egypt-based architect Olivier Sednaoui, a talented prodigy of Hassan Fathy’s that has designed some of the most appealing hotels and properties in the country. This year I finally got to visit the hotel he designed in El Gouna, a resort community built up over time by the Egyptian millionaire entrepreneur Samih Sawiris. Honestly, much of the development around the Red Sea is not to my taste, but this property, which was originally built as a private holiday home, is a real gem. Not just because the elegant architecture and wildly eclectic interiors—designed by the eccentric antiques collector Amr Khalil—but because the GM, the stylish young Frenchwoman Jeanne Drotter, is for me an example of a new and more modern type of hotel director that really practices a very intentional way of taking care of her guests. As there are only 13 suites the guest experience here is truly bespoke and Drotter in her discreet but charming way, is everywhere all at once and makes everyone’s wishes come true. Rate starts at 400 euros a night.

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I love giving gifts but I hate searching for one last minute (it always ends up being an overpriced scented candle) so I am incredibly satisfied when I find special things on my travels that are both one of a kind and made by good humans. (Typically these are things I am so taken by that I buy them for myself too). One of the places I was this past year that I wish I could return to in order to fill my gift box is Uzbekistan. I was there to report on the Bukhara Biennial, but I managed to pick up a few special things—a pashmina-like shawl and a quilted ikat-inspired reversible jacket that I now wish I had bought ten of. (GOALS: One day the Ws will organize a craft-focused cultural and shopping tour of the country for a group of subscribers).

FOR YOUR FRIEND WHO LOVES THE 80s

One of my all time favorite discoveries is the brand Elli Lyraraki, an eponymous label from the artist and maker based in Chania, Crete. She paints wild 80’s-style abstract paintings and then creates jewelry and shoes inspired by some of the colors and forms. I am obsessed with her sandals, the most comfortable, yet sturdy, summer footwear I have ever worn. Her leather necklaces and earrings also add some crazy good magic to any outfit—I have never received more compliments than when I am wearing her jewelry. The best part: she can take bespoke orders, which means you can choose a pattern you love and then order the size you need. (Did I say “you” I meant of course for your loved ones—these are gifts remember?) Prices are right: Sandals cost around 150-180 euros and earrings are 30-130 euros.

CERAMICS THAT SPARK JOY AND DREAMS OF ADVENTURE

“I will kill you if you bring back another ceramic mug,” my husband warns me before I am about to fly to Morocco or Egypt. Luckily he doesn’t mean it because I continue to bring back rustic clayware painted with peacocks and palm trees. The W’s trick to surviving Berlin’s dark winters is to drink your tea or coffee out of mugs that transport you to places where palm trees meet the desert.

But you don’t have to travel all the way to the oasis of Fayoum in Egypt, or the lovely shop Madu in Cairo to start collecting (and gifting) joyful tableware. You can order directly from our favorite Egypt-based companies and have them delivered to your doorstep. We love Malaika Linens, which produces everything from ceramics to embroidered bedsheets. (I could live all winter in their brushed cotton robes). I also recently reported a story about the launch of Anut for T Magazine; they also make beautiful objects inspired by the craft heritage of Egypt.

Of course you can never go wrong with LRNCE, the Marrakech based lifestyle brand which collaborates with artisans to create ceramics, pillowcases and textile art that add a major Matisse-vibe to any interior.

UP NEXT: OUR GIFT TO YOU— the W’S TOP HOTEL EXPERIENCES IN 2025

TIS THE SEASON!

I HAD FORGOTTEN how excited I can get about Bangkok until a recent triggering conversation with my friend Tom. I was chilling in my pajamas in his kitchen (when I’m in Munich, I love staying with The Isings, they have a a spacious flat above Paulaner Beer garden) and discovered the handwritten note from the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, noticeably displayed on a dresser. “What’s this about? Since when do you celebrate a luxury chain hotel?”

He explained that after his son Johnny spend a gap year in Australia, he had arranged to meet him in Bangkok and they splurged on 2 nights at the legendary Mandarin Oriental. It was the best decision ever, worth every penny. I always take his word for it because not only does Tom have good taste in books (I’m always reading what he just finished reading) and design (he runs the award winning design agency Herburg Weiland), he is also an experienced traveler. Plus he knows good food and is always willing to go the extra mile and pay the extra dollar for a special experience. That’s my kind of person.

Tom Ising’s TOP THREE BANGKOK MEALS

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IN MY EARLY THIRTIES, I lived in Munich for several years, working for the iconic and now defunct magazine NEON (2018 🖤) and getting my start at the Süddeutsche Zeitung, interviewing celebrities from Sade to Bradley Cooper. This was a period that had a profound impact on me as a journalist. Plus, I made friends for life during that time, most importantly the designer and illustrator Sarah Illenberger, then a graphic designer at NEON (now godmother to my son Bruno) who took me under her wings. Sarah is born and raised in Munich and her Mom aka Donna Renate is a well known jewelry designer. (You’ll find Schrems & Co right next to the Hotel Bayerischer Hof, a brand I highly recommend if you want to spend some serious euros on Bling-the real deal). I also befriended the Art Directors Tom and Stephanie Ising of Herburg Weiland, who, by the way, created our w-report logo. When Berlin becomes too gray, too big, too unfriendly, I always long for Munich. Give me a reason to go and I’ll try to stay as long as possible. People like to accuse Munich of not being very innovative, but I have to disagree. On my last visit, I went to the new (to me) Bar Davide, where jewelry designer Saskia Diez regularly hosts her Dinner events: “Saskia Diez cooks / Bar Davide pours”. It was both wildly fun & delicious. And guess what? The evening was over by 10pm because the Glockenbachviertel-in which the vent is located- is a residential hood and people here want their peace & quiet. The early to bed Bavarian curfew is still in place and I actually appreciate it. You can have fun but not get exhausted here. I have followed Saskia’s career over the years (and I own several of her minimal jewelry pieces) and am thrilled to see how she continues to develop and come up with one cool idea after the other. She recently opened her Atelier & flagship store, also in the Glockenbachviertel, at Reichenbachstr. 35.

The mother of three also models on the side, is currently working on a cookbook that will be published next year, and next week will be laying out tarot cards (which she illustrated herself) at my friend Maria Schönhofer’s yoga retreat at the Parkhotel Mondschein Bolzano. She is always up for anything creative and collaborative — sometimes I think there must be several Saskias because I have no idea how she manages to juggle her busy schedule on her own.

You can catch her cooking at Bar Davide November 25 and December 16. Doors open 18:30, Dinner starts 19:00. Menu cost is 63,- and optional wine pairing 35,- Drop an email to ciao@bardavide.com or call +49 171 8316805‬.

I asked Saskia about her favorite places in Munich, most of which I didn’t know about, and have been many new reasons to head back to Munich. I booked her hotel recommendation right away; her jewelry boutique and the recently opened Ticaret Bistro are on my to-see-list.

AND NOW I’M CLEARING THE STAGE FOR SASKIA’S HOT TIPS . . .

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IN THE 90s I went to school on the island of Bali, part of a semester abroad program run by School for International Training. That experience changed me forever, allowing me to experience a culture other than my own, one that is a profound fusion of ancestor worship, animism and Hinduism. I went back again in 1995 to live with the Balinese family I knew and to paint and make jewelry. I somehow managed to live for more than a year on about $5000. Since then I have returned as often as I can, but unfortunately with each visit the island has become increasingly more developed and crowded with privileged expats and influencers.

A few weeks ago, a longtime dream trip fell into my lap: an expedition to the Moluccas in remote Indonesia with my friend and favorite source, Jason Friedman (keep a lookout for a future story in the February issue of Travel + Leisure) and I was able to tack on five days in Bali.

The truth is, however insane the traffic gets in Ubud and how annoying the new age yoga expats are in Canggu, there are still many corners of the island where the beauty and magic of Bali lives on. Don’t travel to Bali for the beaches. In my opinion travelers should only be allowed to come for three reasons: to engage with the island’s extraordinary culture; to trek lightly through its ricefields; and search out its many skilled artisans. Everyone else should stay home or go to Tulum.

FUN FACT: I went to high school in Litchfield, Connecticut with the writer Liz Gilbert who wrote the global bestseller Eat Pray Love (2006) and while many people, including the Balinese, blame her book for attracting the new age “seekers”, many of whom are taking advantage of the Balinese and appropriating their culture, I would say that she could have never predicted the popularity of her book or the negative impact it had on Bali.

I can’t wait to share the stories I am writing inspired by this trip but in the meantime here I reveal several secrets to discovering the best of the Islands of the Gods.

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