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London's Notting Hill is full of charm but short on places to stay, but there’s a very cool new address, right on Portobello Road. Meet Permit Room Lodgings, a two-bedroom suite owned by cult favorite Indian chain Dishoom, which is located above the group’s just-opened eatery. The suite exudes 70s style and local personality, brought in through a book collection from the nearby Books for Cooks and magazines curated by the owner of Chiltern Street’s Shreeji Newsagents. The ultra-cool pad is further enhanced by South Asian art from LA gallery Rajiv Menon Contemporary, a record player and top-notch vinyl collection, and the fact that room service comes straight from the restaurant below, where guests of the suite always have a standing table.
We just returned from a trip exploring Bordeaux, the world-famous wine region in southwestern France. While the historic area is most well-known for vineyards, 18th-century architecture, and grand estates, it is also a thriving, lively hub full of cool coffee spots, boutique design gems, and a blossoming culinary scene. Our home base was Maison Fernand, a beautiful guesthouse that has been thoughtfully designed down to every last detail, with an intentional effort to highlight the city’s history, local artisans, and neighborhood producers. Standout coffee spots were the funky-industrial Moko and local favorite Piha—both of which offer some of the best espresso we’ve had—and our favorite meals include the bright, colorful flavors on the lunch menu at Panaille, classic, authentic French home cooking at its best at Au Bistrot, and incredibly creative plates (inspired by the market each day) and natural wine at Soif. Our take: Bordeaux goes far beyond its wine reputation: it is a vibrant, charming city that delivers the best of the French countryside, coast (it’s less than two hours by car from Cap Ferret), and city.
The hills are alive… with new, mountain-chic hotels. The Alps, to be precise, have been a hot spot for hoteliers over recent years, resulting in design-forward openings, from Forestis in the Dolomites and Eriro in Austria to The Brecon in Switzerland and Experimental Chalet in Val d'Isère. Now open is perhaps the most bucket-list worthy of the bunch: the ultra-luxe Aman Rosa Alpina, set in San Cassiano, a picturesque town in the heart of the Italian Dolomites. Another new and slightly more affordable option in the Dolomites is Casa Cook Madonna, the first hotel outside of Greece for the boutique hotel group. Also on the horizon: two sure-to-be fabulous hotels from the Chapitre Six group (who run AmiGo favorites Hotel Hana, Cap d’Antibes Beach Hotel, & more). One in Megève, opening this winter, and another in Courcheval, coming soon after. Stay tuned for more…
We would probably serve you better if we told you where to find A/C in Paris in August, but right now we’re focusing on restaurants. The French flee the city during the last month of summer, meaning many of the city’s best restaurants are partially or totally closed. Fear not, if you’re visiting next month, these favorites of ours are open:
One of our all-time favorite restaurants in Paris, Mokonuts, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary by giving us a gift: a cookbook with over 100 of its best recipes, including several recipes for its signature cookies (try the tahini black sesame or the rye, cranberry, and dark chocolate varieties first). Also tucked amongst the pages: the story behind the cozy restaurant (it’s owned by a husband-and-wife duo, who hail from Lebanon and Tokyo, respectively) and plenty of savory recipes—think labneh toast and shrimp with romesco and corn relish. Pre-order now for October delivery.
There’s no shortage of amazing follows on AmiGo, but this month we’re excited about three users in particular:
- Rimon Balamuth: Berlin-based fashion buyer with recs in LA, Paros, Berlin, & more. FOLLOW RIMON
- Matheus Martins: Berlin-based writer and branding consultant with recs in Copenhagen, Paris, India, & more. FOLLOW MAT
- Bria Jones: Copenhagen-based growth manager at Tekla with recs in Barcelona, LA, Florence & more. FOLLOW BRIA
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