A recent trip to Punta Mita, Mexico, for a friend's birthday bash provided me with ample sunshine, quality time with the hubby, and more margaritas than I care to count. It also granted an opportunity to trial run spring clothing I recently purchased like this , these , and this . And it made evident what other 80-degree-ready pieces I still need, such as this sunset cocktail-perfect, back-baring , this , this , and these . In between birthdaying, there was surfing, fish taco eating, and siesta-ing. Here, some of the highlights.
Late afternoon strolls along the beach were constants on our agenda as were frequent dips in the perfectly temperate ocean. My Joie cover-up, above, was my third and final cover-up outfit change of the day! This multiple-caftans-per-day practice of mine justifies my excessive caftan buying. Here are more I like from , , , , , and .
Everyday I went running along deserted paths that winded through lush, jungle-like fauna. Though it was stunningly beautiful, I must admit I was little afraid that I'd come across a scorpion, or even worse, a jaguar. Such a city girl I am!
Our daily seaside lunch menu presented us with the trip's only hardship: having to decide what to eat! Everything was muy delicioso, especially the just-caught shrimp tacos, which I doused with pico de gallo and habanero sauce. Oh, and the margaritas were (nicely) stiff, too!
Patiently waiting (well, sort of) for said shrimp tacos in a Natalie Martin dress. See its brethren .
Faced with another hard decision at the coconut stand... I went with the natural as I was still feeling the lunchtime margarita buzz. I'd say a smart decision on my part.
Ready to party in my strapless Missoni! You can find a similar one .
Mother Nature beautifully choreographed the backdrop for my friend's birthday fete. It was one of the most epic (electric!) sunsets I've ever witnessed--and it's why I'll be back in Punta Mita one day soon! Hasta luego!
I made a whirlwind trip to Bali last week. The occasion: an extended family wedding, along with an opportunity to indulge in some incredibly rare R&R with my mother and twin sister. Bali, as you may recall, is where my Indonesian mother and Dutch photographer father first met. At the time he was shooting images which were later exhibited in the Smithsonian and in Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum. I've been to Bali numerous times, the first when I was six years old, but it's been over ten years since my last trip. My, how it has changed! It's now teeming with tourists and traffic but, thankfully, the island's inherent magic remains. We crammed in sightseeing, seaside frolicking and shopping in between the wedding festivities, venturing south to Uluwatu (pictured above and below) and inland to Ubud to check out the rice fields. Herewith, my adventures!
Over the holidays, my family and I headed back to the powdery slopes of Aspen and Vail. This trip to the Rockies definitely amped up my newbie confidence and aptitude, which is to say I can almost keep up with my sons, though my 4-year-old did manage to beat me in an official slalom race (truth be told, I performed so terribly I missed a gate and got disqualified!). Those heart-thumping, white-knuckled jaunts through steeper terrain were padded by numerous hot chocolate breaks, yummy lunches at lodges perched high atop the mountains, and an apres-ski glass of red wine at the bottom. Herewith, more of my Rocky Mountain-high moments.
Earlier this month, my husband and I were lucky enough to sneak away from reality (and the kiddos!) for a long weekend trip to Costa Careyes, Mexico. Unlike most resort towns, there are no hotels, stores, or even ATM's. Located on the Pacific Coast, a few hours south of Puerto Vallarta, Costa Careyes (literally “turtle coast”) is home to a sea turtle sanctuary, and 70% of the land is a nature preserve, surrounded by miles and miles of deserted beaches and lush jungle. Founded in the late 1960's by the eccentric Italian-born financier and artist Gian Franco Brignone, Careyes has an artsy, bohemian vibe, reflected in the Crayola-hued villas that are perched on steep craggy cliffs. We, along with some friends, stayed in the thatched-roof open-air villa, pictured above, and indulged in infinity pool swimming, hammock swinging and guacamole-and-chips eating. Read on for more highlights!
I was in Greece over the 4th of July weekend to attend the birthday celebration of a close friend. The awesomely decadent affair in Mykonos was bookended by time in Santorini and Athens. I made the trip with my good friend Stephanie, and to say we lived it up would be an understatement, given the amount of Domaine Ott consumed, plus the feta cheese-laden Greek Salad, Greek (full-fat) yogurt, spanakopita, and fried calamari we pretty much ate around the clock. Here, the highlights...
School's out and we traveled to Hawaii last week to celebrate a milestone wedding anniversary for my in-laws and do some serious relaxing. We also surfed, snorkeled, hiked, swam, kayaked, and played endless rounds of Go Fish, on top of some long, uninterrupted nights of sleep. Below are a few pics and highlights. All in all, it was a wonderful family gathering and a slice of thank-my-lucky-stars-heaven!
My husband and I kicked off the getaway season with a (return) trip to , where we were hosted by great friends and joined by a handful of others, including my NYC-based pal Stephanie Johnson*, pictured with me, above. Our brief 36 hours there were filled mostly with eating, drinking, eating, drinking and eating and drinking! We did manage though to squeeze in some tennis, yoga, biking, and riding in the back of the vintage pick-up. It all went off without a hitch, except that Stephanie and I arrived with the same hostess gift: a backgammon set. Thankfully, they were different; Mine was this travel-friendly gorgeous leather , Stephanie sourced her equally striking one from . This coincidence prompted me to hunt down other cool and original hostess gifts, in prep for upcoming trips! Plus, I thought it might be helpful to you, too. My favorite finds thus far include this super soft pom pom-trimmed that can double as a beach blanket, these monogrammed linen stitch , this sleek (dinner table-suitable) ice cream , and this chic leather for keys or jewelry (I like it monogrammed).Check out my trip's highlights in the snaps below. Next time I go away I will try to take more pics, so I can share more (This time I guess I was just too busy having fun)!*My friend Stephanie, as you may recall, designs super stylish, travel-friendly that also make for great hostess gifts! She even has a cute little named after me.
You may recall that I am new to skiing, and thus whenever I travel to the mountains I feel a bit like a foreign exchange student visiting a faraway land. Everything is so new and different: the (dry, frigid!) air, the snow-blanketed terrain, and of course the frost-defying fashion. As you might expect, in addition to learning the art of getting down the mountain alive, I spend some time studying my surroundings, surveying the customs, and scouting for women with ski fashion mastered. From the proper way to carry your skis to what to drink apres ski to how to work a Michellin-man-like-jacket, there is much to learn. Last week I was in Vail, where on some mornings it was 20 degrees below zero. I was freezing, parched and, to be honest, a bit style challenged. Fortunately, I was at least in the game since while packing for my trip, I happen to find a Vogue story on Aerin Lauder, shot in Aspen (outtake above). It inspired me to bring some key items, including a fur trapper hat, like , along with a bevy of cute print sweaters, similar to and . Being in Vail with my friend Annie, a French Canadian who grew up skiing in sub-zero temperatures, also advanced my cause. She ended up loaning me a warm puffy jacket, like , that stood up to the cold (and the chicest girls on the chairlift lines), and her uber chic and summit-worthy prompted me to hunt down some lookalikes like and . She also gave me this to keep my lips from getting crazy chapped. I am getting there, but am still a work in progress, so if you have any insidery styling tips for the ski-life, please let me know!
Although I am looking forward to hanging close to home this weekend, we did manage a quick trip to visit some friends in Napa--St. Helena to be exact--earlier this month. I just downloaded the pictures, and thought I'd share. I have always enjoyed my far-too-infrequent trips to this part of California, given the amazing natural beauty, food, wine, and friendly people. But this time was particularly special, since our friends have put down roots there. With them as our gracious guides, we were able to imagine ourselves as locals, for a brief moment, living amidst the vines. Of course, part of what made that possible was that we were literally living in a vineyard (yes, those are grapevines surrounding the pool!), tractors full of grapes passing through our backyard periodically as the harvest was in full swing. We also traveled everywhere by bike, often through the vineyards themselves, which had the effect of making us more connected to the earth, and covered with it, in a good way.
I just had the pleasure of attending my father's book launch party in Amsterdam, where he is from. The book, called , is a retrospective of his work as a photographer, and it includes his most iconic pictures, from the snow monkeys of Japan to his Marlboro-man advertisements to Bali in the late 1960's (above), where he met my mom. It was a quick 36 hours in the city, during which my sister and I enjoyed some long walks along the canals, and it was preceded by a few days in London, where I spent a good portion of my time shopping (surprise, surprise!). Years ago I would fly to London just to shop at the High Street stores, because the offerings are so on the mark (i.e., runway-inspired but affordable) and relatively unidentifiable (i.e., rarely seen in America). Today, as LE CATCH readers know, you can get virtually all of it online, often via the miracle(!) of free shipping and returns, but I still thoroughly enjoy scouring in person the brick-and-mortar versions of the stores you so often see on LE CATCH. I bought a bunch of great stuff including some recent "le catches", such as this , these (almost sold out) and this (already sold-out) plus some new finds, including this (which I plan on tailoring into a top). Below are some snaps from my trip.
Uluwatu is near the southern tip of Bali, and its towering waves along with its sharp and shallow coral reef make a leisurely dip in the ocean pretty much impossible. But perhaps you wouldn't want to swim there anyway: legend has it the Indian Ocean sea goddess Nyai Roro Kiduyou ruthlessly rules the violent waves here, and since she favors green, wearing a green bathing suit is forbidden--lest you want to drown. Believe it or not, both my mother and my surfer husband, who is the least superstitious person I know, abide by this rule.
When it was time to hit the beach, we headed around the peninsula's corner to Finn's Beach Club and its calmer waters and white sandy shores--perfect for chilling out. To get down to this beach club, you have to take the equivalent of a small open-air funicular that slowly scales the steep cliff. The vibe is very Ibiza minus the thumping dance music and foam.
In case you get too hot after your stair climb up, you can always take a dip in this cliffside infinity pool. (It's wider than it appears.)
Next up, a day trip to Ubud, Bali's cultural center, where one goes to eat, pray and love. I did all of the above, along with check out the abundantly gorgeous rice fields. (My dress is by For Love & Lemons.)
Some of Bali's rice fields are thousands of years old. This one is situated in the backyard of Ubud's Chedi Club, a sprawling and serene estate, where the wedding rehearsal dinner was being staged. The grounds are breathtaking (see below).
All dressed for the party in this gleaming, feather-light Asos top and skirt, double-fisted to boot! (I'm holding my sister's wine glass while she snapped away.) Find my Givenchy sandals here.
In between all the festivities, I took some time out to shop in Sanur... (my bag is from Iomoi)
Drink from a coconut in Uluwatu.
Dine out in a bikini (and in a dress I am wearing backwards and tucked into a pair of shorts, no less!) at Cafe Batujimbar. (Truth be told, I ate lunch here three times during my visit. It's that good!)
And parade around in pom pom-trimmed shorts (made in Bali) around the pool. This is vacation, after all! (My top is by Peter Som x Kohl's.)
My twin sister Coliena and I also bonded over early morning runs on the beach, late night chats and rummaging through each other's suitcases for more clothes to wear/borrow/steal. She's wearing an Asos sequin dress, featured here, and I'm sporting a cut-out Self Portrait frock, also highlighted here.
This was the last sunset of my trip--an awe-inspiring, forever memorable sight. I'll be back one day again, Bali!
We were blessed with mostly good weather throughout our trip--cobalt blue skies, lots of sunshine and temps in the low 30s with an occasional night of snow as well. All of which made the snowy scenery even more sublime.
The runs in Aspen were so beautiful I had to stop mid-action to take pictures, which drove my speed demon ski mates (i.e., my kiddos!) a little crazy.
We celebrated New Years Eve in Aspen with friends and children by watching fireworks, drinking champagne, indulging in mounds of caviar, and sporting some cool new eyewear. Fun!
On New Years Day we arrived in Vail, where a snowstorm had just dumped several inches of powder. The excellent conditions emboldened my first foray to the back bowls, which had an other worldly feeling to it.
Venturing into new steeper territory meant higher chair lifts, some of which afforded the most amazing views. A part of me, namely my quadriceps, wanted to tour Vail via chair lift rather than my own two skis.
In Vail, we lunched every day at a friend's club, above, which, in order to get to, required skiing some steep runs or hiking up to with your skis (one could take a snow cat, but my adrenalin-seeking co-skiers would not even consider it an option!). Once there, you are greeted with a cup of hot mulled wine and slippers to change into. That mulled wine was like my carrot on a stick--the idea of it lubricated my engine and courage!
At 8,150 feet above sea level, I pretty much forsook most of LE CATCH's style tenets to stave off hypothermia. In Aspen, I borrowed a friend's US Ski Team puffy jacket, which, sadly, did not have the effect of making me look more like an expert, as my skills screamed intermediate skier! In Vail, I borrowed another friend's light blue puffer, which made me look less US Ski Team, more Apollo Mission.
However, off the slopes and even with ski pants on, I tried my best to make a style statement. A classic black cashmere turtleneck and lush fur trapper hat like this helped a bit!
Here I am, ready for action Day 1.
The colorful walls and floating staircase of Dos Estrellas (our villa) capture Careyes' creative spirit.
Meet our infinity pool, where we convened after breakfast, post-workout, pre-sunset and so on.
This might just be the best late afternoon snack I've ever had: homemade guac, chips, pico de gallo salsa and a frozen margarita. Served up poolside, of course.
We hit the beach at Playa Rosa, located in the bay below our house. It served as our launching pad for boating, paddle boarding, and Pacific Ocean bobbing. (P.S. the bath tub-like water temperature was utterly perfect.)
Here I am lounging (and most likely debating another nap) at Playa Rosa.
The trip's signature drink: a fresh lime juice margarita with a smidge of salt. Yum!
Our nights out centered around dinners al fresco and dancing till midnight. In the picture, above, I am partaking in some cocktail lounging. Ah, yes!
One day we took a boat ride up the Jalisco coast in search of secluded coves. It didn't take us long as they were everywhere. Once we decided on the perfect calm spot, we anchored and jumped into the ocean. You can see our orange villa in the distance, above.
I can't really recall why I chose the expression above, since there were plenty of handsome men and guacamole on board.
We lingered over big and hearty breakfasts at this table every morning--huevos rancheros, frijoles con queso, fruit, chocolate cake, and yes, more guacamole.
The villa had more cool hang out spots than I had time for! I did not do this terrace justice, sadly, but knowing it was there felt just as good!
Here I am getting my festive on in a recently purchased beaded dress by Virgos Lounge (with a slit up to there!).
Our bedroom balcony afforded this mesmerizing view of the ocean. The sound of the waves crashing on shore lulled me into the best sleep I've had in ages.
On the last day of our vacation, we stayed in the pool till the very last minute. Careyes was hard to leave--but I am sure I will return some day!
Steph and I did a whirlwind tour of Santorini, and our hotel, Aigialos, a former nunnery built in the 18th century and one of the oldest hotels in Europe, was a great place to start. We had views of the Aegean caldera and some might argue the best sunset in the world. That's the hotel's entrance (it had me at its red door!), above.
Located in the town of Fira, perched high atop the island (approximately 1,000 feet above the sea!), the hotel's rooms are connected by steep but picturesque stairways. I marvelled at the room service guy who climbs these steps all day long bearing heavy trays. Many of Mykonos' narrow cobbled "streets" wind up and down the island, and walking them can amount to a legit workout.
Another epic high altitude sea view.
Ascending and descending Santorini's harrowing cliffs can be facilitated by these vibrantly-accessorized donkeys!
I opted for walking over donkeying, as I had to compensate for all the fried octopus and bread baskets. Plus, one cannot shop while sitting on a donkey. I scored a few quintessentially Greek embroidered tunics, leather sandals, a crazy sexy one-piece bathing suit and volcanic rocks for my boys. (In this snap, I'm wearing a little solar heat-proof floral dress I recently picked up for $39 in New York. You can find it here.)
On arrival in Mykonos, we had the first b-day event seaside. The tables were practically in the water (so cool!) and yet somehow the crashing waves did not splash you. Greece has been around along time, so I guess they have had plenty of time to master such things.
My Mykonos itinerary was filled with swimming, boating and paddle boarding in the salty Aegean Sea, which, by the way, is the perfect temperature. Here, I am about to depart from our hotel's dock to have lunch on a friend's sailboat. (My cover-up is an old Zara, but here's a pretty option from Free People.)
Greek salad number...? It's hard to explain how good it tasted.
It's all about mirrored sunglasses in Greece. They're everywhere you look. I picked these up from a Greek street vendor, but you can find great options from Ray Ban and Topshop. (My embroidered vintage blouse is an oldie but goodie. Here are a few similar ones from Mango, Velvet and Anthropologie.)
Stephanie may just be the most well-traveled person I know. Of course, she parlayed her travel bug into an amazing eponymous cosmetics/travel bag line Stephanie Johnson. (You can also hear about some of her journeys here.) Over the years vacationing together, she has taught me how to pack a week's worth of clothes into a carry-on roller. However, between the two of us, we managed to use every hanger in the hotel room closet!
Celebrating, Mykonos style: hard-core dancing after a late afternoon, several-course, rose wine-steeped lunch. Based on her party-animal body language above, it would be logical for you to assume that Stephanie (far right) is headed off on a complete bender, but in fact she is a serious teetotaler and just high on life. Later, after dancing on a few tables, she made her way to the DJ booth to help spin tunes.
After completing our island adventure, we spent some time in Athens, scaling the Acropolis and seeing the Parthenon. It was truly breath-taking. And a suitably monumental way to wrap up our amazing journey!
Here are our kids and their cousins racing/chasing their grandparents (in the distance) to their favorite swimming spot on the North Shore of Oahu. Every afternoon several huge green sea turtles would beach themselves here for their late day nap, while others swam around us in the surf. The beaches on this stretch of coastline also have some of the biggest and most famous (and scary) waves in the world during the winter, but in the summer they are a placid swimmer's paradise.
The mountain landscapes on the rainy side of the island are Amazonian in their lushness. But Hawaii is so "new" and remote, the jungle is almost totally devoid of many of the animals and insects you typically find in the tropics. I am not a fan of snakes or biting insects, so I like this.
Here I am at Sharks Cove, where we snorkeled and saw schools of crazy beautiful and sometimes rather large fish. Thankfully, no sharks! Oh, and yes, I am wearing my Victoria's Secret bikini bottom! Postscript: Everyone is asking about my top, above, and kaftan, below. I bought them both a ways back, so they are no longer available, but here's one similar to the top, above, and a few others I love here, here, and here.
This Clare Vivier canvas tote summed up my mood over vacation and happily accommodated all our gear, from sunscreen to sarongs to a growing shell and rock collection carefully curated by my kids.
We reigned over the deserted beach in our backyard from dawn to dusk.
We also hiked up to Waimea Falls for a dip in its pool. If it looks like the set of Lost (to which I was addicted), it's because it is--the show was shot here. Fortunately, we had more food than the Survivors, but we also struggled in vain to crack and eat/drink a coconut until our friendly neighbor, a local, taught us how.
Speaking of food, the best meal of the trip took place at Cafe Hale'iwa, where this painted fish welcomed us. The kale salad is off the charts, and though they don't sell wine, you can buy yours in the adjoining Bonzer Front, the only wine store I have ever been too that also sells surfboards. And the wine is good. And they sell clothes. I was both thrilled (as the retail establishment that can please both me and my husband is a rare find) and puzzled, until my husband explained that behind the Bonzer Front, is the Campbell family whose various entrepreneurial achievements include the invention 40 years ago of the Bonzer (surfboard), viewed by surf aficionados as one of the greatest design breakthroughs in the history of the sport.
We spent one night in Waikiki (above), so my kids and I could surf the beginner-friendly seemingly endless waves. It was barrels of fun, since I actually do enjoy surfing, just not shopping for surfboards, in case there was any confusion.
Me in my vacation uniform. In this case, it's a Turkish-inspired kaftan that I gave to my best friend and decided to take back. She was OK with it...
The table setting for an al fresco dinner.
Lunch is served (Euro style at 3PM!).
Here's the view from my bike! Beyond beautiful (even at 102 degrees)!
We did take one car ride during the weekend over to Calistoga, since it was quite a ways from where we were staying. Once there though, we dutifully rented some bikes to get ourselves from town proper out to the Solage Hotel for this yummy lunch, above.
We also managed to burn off some of our indulgences by layering a couple of sets of tennis on top of our perpetual biking. Here I am in my tennis whites on our way home from Meadowood where we enjoyed a delicious locally produced rosé from Azur after the game. (Wine connoisseurs will tell you that there are no good California rosés, but this one they approve of.) Our mixed doubles match ended in a 1-1 tie; tiebreaker set to be played at a future date.
We had an amazing, wine-steeped (birthday!) dinner at Press in St. Helena. Fortunately, we also rode bikes to and from here, primarily through the vineyards, which was in theory safer and more legal than operating a motor vehicle.
It was a memorable trip. Have a great weekend, and if you are looking to mix it up, perhaps try getting on a bike!
Coco and I ambled along the canals and poked around The Leidseplein, a hip and bustling boutique and cafe-studded neighborhood (somewhat akin to NYC's Greenwich Village). Earlier in the day we went running in Vondelpark, where the leaves were just starting to turn. It was amazingly beautiful--one of those endorphin-flowing runs that makes you count your blessings.
Here we are (me on the right) leafing through my Dad's book in the lobby of our hotel, The Conservatorium, a former 19th-century bank-turned-music school that was recently renovated by Milanese architect Piero Lissoni. It's a spectacular sight to see, as it features original neo-Gothic architecture along with a fantastically modern multistory glass atrium. And it's conveniently located next to the Van Gogh and Stedelijk museums.
