The contemporary African art fair 1-54 made its African debut in Marrakech, Morocco, in the Grand Salon of the ritzy La Mamounia, one of Winston Churchill’s favorite hotels. Held over the weekend, 1-54 welcomed 17 international galleries, which exhibited more than 60 contemporary artists from across Africa and its diaspora. Sales were strong but, with the…
(photo courtesy of Getty Images)
The Amalfi Coast is a UNESCO World Heritage sight for many reasons…mountains shooting up out of the deep, blue sea; pastel villages on the two-lane road that hugs the mountains along the water; long, languorous, al fresco lunches of fish just-plucked from the sea; lemon groves; medieval villages rich in history; colorful ceramics galore; water gazing and big, bright views. Let’s go!
BOOK NOW: “By March, the best hotels start to sell out.” (I can personally vouch for this great advice from Andrew Harper)
Il San Pietro di Positano: Definitely go for a drink on one of the world’s more beautiful terraces!
Il San Pietro di Positano
Le Sirenuse
Le Sirenuse’ beautiful dining room overlooking the water
Villa Treville
Villa Cimbrone
Villa Cimbrone
Monastero Santa Rosa – a former monastery – reminds me of those monasteries sitting atop cliffs in Tibet – but with waaaay more services
Pretty hard to beat this view from Monastero Santa Rosa’s pool!
Oh, waiter! I’d like a Limoncello mojito, por favore. (photo courtesy of Monastero Santa Rosa)
Let’s order lemon risotto for lunch! (photo courtesy of Casa Angelina)
Casa Angelina’s jr. suite terrace
Take an elevator down through the cliffs (so cool!) to sit on Casa Angelina’s beach.
Il Refettorio — This has to be the most fun Michelin-starred restaurant in the world. Nothing stuffy here!
Il Pirata
In an excellent article in Food & Wine, Mario Batali recommends:
(photo courtesy of Le Sirenuse
da Adolfo, “a hippie spot” on Laurito Beach where Carla Sersale, who runs Emporio, the boutique at her family’s hotel (the fab Le Sirenuse), spends some of her time off, according to an interview in Veranda Magazine. Click here for details. This place looks like so much fun! The Financial Times‘ excellent “How to Spend It” magazine also recommended it, as do goop.com and Vogue magazine.
Drive the Drive: The drive from Vietri to Positano along the Amalfi Coast is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. That’s how spectacular it is!!! While nerve-wracking at times, you MUST do the drive as it is gorgeous. We had to back up on this narrow, two-lane road with STEEP drop-off to make room for a truck; take your time!).
Village Hop along the Way: For a great article by Elle Decor on which towns to visit along the Amalfi Coast, click here
(photo courtesy of Casa Angelina)
Boat the Coast: For a different perspective, see the Amalfi Coast by boat! Take the Travelmar ferry to points along the coast
Hike for Views: An alternative way to take in the stunning sea views is suggested by the NYT: “For better views and less congestion, head to Bomerano, a mountaintop hamlet, to hike Il Sentiero degli Dei, or the Path of the Gods. As the name suggests, the up-in-the-clouds views are spectacular along this well-marked trail. Though not recommended for anyone prone to vertigo, it’s a relatively easy three-hour hike to the town of Nocelle, where hundreds of steps then lead down to the beach at Arienzo and a well-deserved dip in the sea.”
(photo courtesy of Le Sirenuse)
See Amalfi’s Duomo’s façade of mosaics and striped arches and Chiostro del Paradiso, a 13th-century cloister
(photo courtesy of Le Sirenuse)
BTW, have I mentioned that Positano and Amalfi are crowded?! The NYTimes (“36 Hours on the Amalfi Coast” ), Vogue and/or Elle Décor (recommend seeking out these following charming smaller towns:
Ravello Music Festival (photo courtesy of Le Sirenuse)
(photo courtesy of Le Sirenuse)
Day trips
Lucio Liguori, Via San Vito 49, Raito, 84019 Vietri sul Mare. Tel +39 339 310 7071. Studio visits on request.
(photo courtesy of Le Sirenuse)
in Positano
(photo courtesy of Emporio Le Sirenuse)
(photo courtesy of Emporio Le Sirenuse)
For more shopping opp’s, see goop.com
You will see lots of beautiful tiles like this for sale in boutiques along the Amalfi Coast. (photo courtesy of Villa Treville)
Elle Décor recommends May-June and Sept-Oct, when the weather is slightly cooler.
My husband and I spent part of our honeymoon on the Amalfi Coast 20 years ago, so I thought it would be the perfect location for a Valentine’s Day post.
“Hong Kong makes New York City look sleepy,” said my globe-trotting father. I could not imagine any place more energized than NYC…until I got to HK. Let’s hop on a plane right now and go! Here’s what we will see…
Here we are, being driven to the Peninsula Hotel in one of its famous Rolls Royces! Click here for more on the Rolls Royces.
Naturally, we will stay at the Peninsula Hotel. In addition to its consistently best-in-HK rank, the Peninsula has great views of the sparkling Victoria Harbour and an interesting history. When the Japanese occupied Hong Kong, they took over the best rooms at the Peninsula, until an American bomber pilot smoked them out! Click on the image at the bottom of this post to watch a beautiful video that will give you a feel for Hong Kong and the Peninsula.
This is the Peninsula’s rooftop pool. One wall opens up to the outside, with its spectacular view of Hong Kong Island. My husband and I swam here, sipped cocktails here, and had this heaven all to ourselves.
Walk the streets of Kowloon near the Peninsula to get a feel for the city. Look up and you will see factories on second, third and fourth stories of skyscrapers with laundry hanging from the windows. On the street level, you will see tiny storefronts offering everything under the sun, including reflexology. Such an exciting city!
Get oriented (no pun intended): Hire a car and driver for a day-long tour of Hong Kong to see the major sights. Hong Kong consists of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, which are separated by Victoria Bay.
Situated between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula, Victoria Bay is the third largest in the world.
The Peak — The Peak is the highest place on Hong Kong Island and a good place to get your bearings. Click here for more info.
Mong Kok Bird Market — One of the most memorable sights we saw, birds are sold at this charming market and Chinese congregate with their pet birds. Chinese people believe that caged birds need fresh air and the company of other birds to stay healthy. Click here to learn more about this market, from the vantage point of the senior security agent of the Peninsula Hotel, who grew up in HK
Ride the Star Ferry “For less than 50 cents, grab a Star Ferry from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon, a service that’s been in operation since the 19th century. It’s essential to get out on the water (you’ll see myriad fisherman motoring home with their daily catch), as there’s nothing quite like the view of Victoria Harbour…you can almost imagine what it would have been like back in the tea trading days,” according to Gwyneth Paltrow on her goop.com. We rode this ferry night and day and loved it.
Take the Aqua Luna harbor tour Gwyneth recommends it, despite its cheesy-ness, and my father still remembers it fondly, 20 years later.
Hollywood Road, Cat Street & Man Mo Temple — “Hollywood Road was the second road to be built when the Hong Kong colony was established by the British. Today, it is an intriguing collection of shops, from high-end Chinese antiques shops to sculpture and rug galleries to Maoist memorabilia shops.” (per the Peninsula’s website)
Man Mo Temple, the oldest Taoist temple on HK & dedicated to the gods of literature and war…curious combination! (photo courtesy of stripped pixel.com)
Click here to learn more about Cat Street and Man Mo Temple from the Peninsula’s general manager, who grew up in HK.
Man Mo Temple’s interior: The gold cones hanging from the ceiling are incense sticks that have been molded into this upwardly spiraling shape. When lit, the incense sends your prayers–in the form of scented smoke–up, up, up to the gods in heaven. (photo courtesy of stripped pixel.com)
Ginseng and Bird’s Nest Street, Dried Seafood Street, and Herbal Medicine Street — the tourist names for Wing Lok Street, Des Voeux Road West, and Ko Shing Streets — make up a neighborhood of small streets selling delicacies and remedies. “Traditional Chinese medicine is still very popular with the local population, and this is where they come to shop.” (per FathomAway.com) Most memorable was a shop with large, clear, glass jars filled with several birds’ nests, each jar from a different kind of bird. This shop sold skin remedies. When I told them I would like softer skin, they mashed up parts of several different nests, added some secret ingredients, and presented this tailor-made new skin potion to me.
Tour Western District — “Hong Kong is losing much of its past. However, there are still places to savor this vanishing world. Go on a walking tour through Western District, one of the most atmospheric parts of the city. There the streets are dedicated to sellers of specific products: Queen’s Road West has herbal remedies and temple goods; Bonham Road is dried seafood; and Man Wa Lane sells beautifully carved “chops” in a variety of material,” per trusted travel expert, Andrew Harper. Chops make good souvenirs! We had one made for my father, who uses it to this day on letters and his email signature.
Hong Kong Park
See the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware — “Hong Kong Park contains a fascinating small museum. The Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware is dedicated to the history of tea ware…Steps away, the newer K.S. Lo Gallery wing houses an extraordinary collection of Chinese name seals, or “chops,” per Andrew Harper.
PMQ — The initials stand for Police Married Quarters. Formerly living accommodations for police officers and having stood vacant for years, PMQ has been refurbished and transformed into studios, offices and shops for the creative industries, including those involved in fashion, furniture design, jewelry and food, including restaurants and cafes, per Andrew Harper.
(photo courtesy of PMQ)
Asia Society Hong Kong Center — “a three-and-a-half-acre site has been converted to house the Hong Kong branch of the Asia Society, with spaces for performances, exhibitions and screenings. The visually striking AMMO restaurant was once a 19th-century ammunition storage depot for the British army. (You can still follow the rail tracks used for transporting munitions.)” per Andrew Harper.
Tour the Hong Kong Museum of History — “From prehistoric times to the modern era, the Hong Kong Museum of History squeezes 400 million years of the city’s history under one roof, ” according to USNews.Travel.com. While I haven’t been here, it sounds promising.
Happy Valley Racecourse — “Every Wednesday from September to July, thousands of Hong Kong residents flood the stands of the Happy Valley Racecourse…Even if you’re not into betting, you should visit this local institution simply for the electric atmosphere, not to mention the surrounding city skyline, which sparkles once the sun goes down.” (usnews.travel.com) We went to the track in Bangkok and it was a blast!
Happy Valley Racecourse (photo courtesy of scmp.com)
World’s Longest Outdoor Escalator — “The Central-Mid-Levels Escalator — an 800-meter-long chain of moving stairs and walkways…it’s a series of 18 reversible escalators and three travelators, all covered to protect against sudden downpours…Snaking through narrow streets in the busiest neighborhood in town, it’s actually a great way to tour Hong Kong’s dramatic cityscape — from dai pai dong food stalls in small alleys to the trendiest bars in Mid-Levels, from colorful old walk-ups to sleek modern skyscrapers,” per CNNtravel. I loved this! So memorable to ride up, up, up, passing different neighborhoods.
To read the NY Times “36 Hours in Hong Kong,” click here.
For cocktails, I recommend the Lobby Lounge at the InterContinental Hotel for its floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the spectacular Victoria Harbour.
Lobby Lounge at The InterContinental (photo courtesy of nextstophongkong.com): My mother stayed up most of one night watching the non-stop harbor activity & twinkling lights beyond from their IC hotel room. That’s how beautiful it is!
Gwyneth Paltrow loves Sevva. It’s website looks beautiful! Elle Decor raved about its outdoor wrap-around terrace with big, gorgeous views of HK’s harbor.
Sevva’s transporting terrace
In addition to its lovely, imaginative decor, Sevva has great music, too!
For recommendations by Andrew Harper of authentic restaurants and those with spectacular views of the harbor, click here.
The Financial Times’ excellent “How to Spend It” magazine (2017) recommends:
China Tang — (Departures magazine, 2014)
beautiful dining room at China Tang Harbour City
Travel + Leisure (2015) recommended:
Hotel Indigo (138 rooms) has a bright, locally inspired décor—goldfish pillows, Chinese lanterns–along with a glass-bottom, rooftop pool cantilevered over the bustling sidewalks 29 floors below.” (NY Times 2016)
The Pottinger — “is a boutique hotel with a beautiful and subtle Chinese aesthetic” (Travel+Leisure 2015)
The Upper House — “a beautiful world-class hotel with a fabulous restaurant,” per Vogue magazine (2015); Andrew Harper likes it, too (“occupying floors 38 through 49 of the stylish Pacific Place complex, which is home to one of the city’s most luxurious shopping malls.”) The Upper House’s Cafe Gray Bar on the 49th floor has great views of Hong Kong and Kowloon. Gwyneth Paltrow likes the UH but I think it’s website looks cold.
Gwyneth Paltrow has a good guide to HK shopping on her site, goop.com. Click here to see her recommendations. Lala Curio looks especially good.
Have a suit or dress or whatever tailor-made!
Click here for Vogue magazine’s most recent article on shopping in HK.
Tai Ping Shan Street..”is lined with independent shops and studios” (recommended by Lane Crawford’s chief brand officer in Travel+Leisure, 2015)
“Tai O village is about as far as you can get from central Hong Kong — both literally and figuratively. On a remote bay on lush, mountainous Lantau Island, Tai O is one of the last surviving fishing villages in Hong Kong — a relaxing relic of a bygone era, with simple homes on stilts fringing the water and narrow, car-free lanes lined with stalls selling shrimp paste (one of the village’s best known industries) and all manner of dried seafood. After strolling through town, sit down for seafood fried rice with local shrimp paste ( 98 Hong Kong dollars) at the Tai O Heritage Hotel, a renovated former police station built by the British in 1902 to safeguard Hong Kong’s border with China. It’s here, perched above the waters of the South China Sea, that one can appreciate what Hong Kong was like before its transformation to global commercial center — a sleepy outpost, deeply traditional and dependent on catches from the sea.” (NY Times 2016)
“Hong Kong is home to more than 260 outlying islands — each with its own personality. A few of the easiest to reach are Lantau Island, home to water buffalo and amazing hiking trails; Lamma, known for its laid-back village life and alfresco seafood restaurants; and Cheung Chau, which is perfect for a bike ride or hike through the mountains. Many of the islands can be reached from the Central Ferry Pier, with rides ranging from about 30 minutes to 1 hour.” (Forbes Travel Guide 2017)
Don’t Bother Going to nearby Macau: It’s not that interesting, unless you like to gamble.
Best Time to Visit: October-March is warm and dry; May-September is rainy, hot and humid.
Literary & DVD Traveling Companions:
Watch this Evocative Video from The Peninsula Hotel to get you in that HK frame of mind…