In La Rioja, wine is more than a drink—it’s the rhythm of life. We wandered storied cellars, tasted vintages beside the Ebro River, and lingered over lunches with views of Frank Gehry’s titanium masterpiece. From Calle Laurel’s pintxo magic to watching white horses gallop through a village square, our days were filled with the flavors, landscapes, and quiet wonders that make Rioja unforgettable.
From seaside oysters and sunlit strolls to wood-fired fish and French-Basque macarons, this chapter of Anywhere Is Good journeys through San Sebastián and the French Basque Country—where slow travel tastes better, stories linger longer, and every stop reveals another kind of magic.
I first visited Bilbao in the 1980s—pre-Guggenheim, pre-Bourdain. While my then-beau rehearsed with the Bilbao Opera, I wandered the city solo. It was gritty, authentic, and entirely unconcerned with charm. When I asked a local where to eat, he shrugged and said simply, “Anywhere.” Not a recommendation, not a list. Just a quiet kind of assurance that wherever I ended up, it would be good.
In June 2024, I was invited for an exclusive pre-opening stay at the fairytale Rosewood Schloss Fuschl, nestled on the shores of Lake Fuschl in Austria’s Salzkammergut region. From hot air ballooning at sunrise to chillout boating at sunset, spa serenity to private Mozart recitals, this three-night preview was pure storybook magic. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at what makes this soon-to-open Rosewood gem a dream for luxury travelers.
Folegandros touched my soul.
Perhaps because I had just come from the relative circus of Santorini, where the selfie-stick wielding tourist hordes were all mad af.
I first set foot on Folegandros in 2015, after a sailboat chartered by a group of friends sought safe harbor from strong meltemi winds. We rented two cars at the small port town and set off to explore the Cycladic island.
NYC’s East Village still retains its charm, much of it thanks to its devotion to independent retailers.
Even so, it was a surprise and pleasure to stumble into TAMAM, which means OK in Turkish. An understatement, to say the least.
Owned by designers Clare Louise Frost, Elizabeth Hewitt, and Huseyin Kaplan, this shop of curiosities stands out in the neighborhood. And in true East Village fashion, the shop hours are: Open by Chance & Appointment.
My three grown sons and my husband and I met up in Bali last December. It was our first time on the Island of the Gods. We stayed in a beautiful villa among the rice fields of Ubud. And because I am my mother’s child, I had everyone up in the early mornings for a plethora of activities. We visited markets and had a Balinese cooking class. We learned how to make batik. We participated in local temple rituals. We climbed Mount Batur.
