a visual collective outlet of inspiration 
a week of nothing to do but lay around sipping on cold drinks and watching the sunset, well set. i watched the fishermen pull their catch out and hand selected what i wanted for dinner… the way it should be. it was great but glad, in a sadistic way, to be back. by dd
hotels
ROOM #506 FOR VELVET MAGAZINE-italy
just saw this on the web, it was shot with eileen hydron in nice-france and i actually like it… especially the opening scene! i thought i had seen ’em all but apparently not! photos by karen collins. by dd
heaven – james turrell museum in argentina
fly to buenos aires, then take a 2 hour flight to salta, then drive for 5 hours through rough terrain to get yourself to colomé. check in to the 5star winery resort (which also houses the first james turrell museum, sponsored by long-time turrell collector donald hess)… , and relax while watching the sun set through james turrell’s unseen blue. i think this would be my ultimate escape. geographical and cerebral. does anyone want to join me? by kl
The connaught hotel in London
Waris: “when i visit london i want to live like royalty!” that simply seems like the only right thing to do. the connaught in mayfair was originally built in 1897 but was renovated and reopened in 2007 mixing up-to-date technology with restored period pieces. true luxury is living like a king from the 1800’s, but with the comfort and convenience of today. by kv
l’africain: tangier-morocco
i remember this guy who told me once, that it was too easy to have style when you wear black and that i should be ballsy and use colors. this was in paris, and the guy was ramdane touhami. he had a store next to where i lived, called RT, it was pretty much of a non-store (the window was hidden behind some wood panel, no sign, etc). he was known as the cool dude, a little bit ahead of everyone (i think he even had something to do with colette…). well now i know, that he is indeed really ahead of me, as he just opened his new place in tangier (morocco) where i’m dreaming to move one day! It’s called “l’africain“ and i’m going to have dinner there, the moment i set foot back there. by pp’
the imperial hotel in new dehli
the imperial in new dehli, india, was built by S.B.S. ranjit singh as an ode to india’s independence from the british. due to its close relationship to art, the hotel has hosted many artisit, from william hodges and john zollony to james ferguson. with six restaurants and two bars, the hotel can easily become your sanctuary tucked far away from busy streets of new dehli. by kv
Misery at the business hotel
london. cheap dunhills. by dd
AMan resort in tahiti
over-the-water bungalow
the smoke you see is created in the early afternoon, just before dinner, to deter the nonos
bike ride into the green – that was amazing!
the underworld of bora bora, i wanted to stay there forever
walking at the bottom of the sea in bora boraa wonderful place to stay in tahiti. hotel bora bora, as the name suggests, is on the southern edge of the bora bora island and although it is not as stunning and perfect as some of the other amans i have seen it did the job. the hotel was taken over by the aman resorts in the last decade and right now is being revamped to near perfection. a private boat with cold towels and cucumber water will pick you up at the airport and docks you right into your over-the-water bungalow with a wood & glass table that peers right into the water and its colorful fish as you ink your many letters. the scuba diving is not as great as in rangiroa, where we went, an island that is only a “few NY blocks away” but generally the water in tahiti is so clear that almost anywhere is above average. one seemingly ridiculous but rather out-of-this-world experience was walking at the bottom of the sea. i felt like tintin strolling the sea along with captain haddok, except with a captain that was much lovelier! just be careful of the ‘nonos’ the little tiny mosquitoes that seem to never leave tahiti. experience rating: 8 out-of 10 but we are tough. by dd
paris: l’hotel… “I am dying beyond my means”
this is precisely where pp and dd had drinks in february of 2009
it’s no coincidence that this hotel in paris is named “l’hotel” as if there is no other. the truth is that there is no other! and it’s no coincidence that mister serge gainsbourg used to sleep there from time-to-time even though his house was 5 minutes away, or that oscar wilde died there, or that marlon brando was a usual guest and so on… and maybe it is no coincidence that harpers bazaar says it’s the best hotel in the world. but what is a lucky accident is that it feels like it’s your little secret place that you share with the guys we named before… it is still as quiet and as intimate as it should have been in the old days… a must for those who know by pp’
bali: four seasons in ubud
by far one of my most memorable vacations i’ve had, this particular four seasons in ubud is a must for any hotel buff. the room was so incredible i wanted to stay there forever. the antique statues placed on the carved shelves with in the walls, 2 story room with a guest bath, living room, and a balcony on top plus the bedroom with soft 1200 thread sheets, master bath, private balcony and a small plunge pool made it a dream apt. if only i could move that experience to NYC. the service was as expected, not only for four seasons but even for bali, where you get great service regardless, was still considered above usual and rather immaculate. perhaps above or at least equal to the amankila. highly recommended! by dd
Mexico: las mañanitas hotel
created in 1955 in the city of “eternal spring”, cuernavaca. the hotel which is an hour away from mexico city is yet another great find. a must for a quiet get away and amazing food. be sure to try the exotic ant eggs, a delicacy comparative to the caviar of the east. i had to try it and it was amazing. the manicured grounds and the exotic african cranes are the key attractions of the hotel. open swimming pool, spacious rooms and great service. be sure to ask for a table, which can be set up for you anywhere on the grounds, for an afternoon drink. Its like having/being at you private home without the headache of managing the staff. truely remarkable. by dd
New york: latest hotel/inn
finally an old world feel of a charming inn in the city that is rather sick of modern (i mean cheap) pads. eric goode the man behind clubs like the old b-bar, and his partner sean macpherson the creator of maritime and the disneyland of a hotel called “the bowery hotel” have opened a 15-room inn by the name of lafayette house. the hotel/inn is charming but unfortunately lacking the extra details one would want for this price. expect little service, i.e. forget room service, concierge, and the like, after all its an inn not a hotel, but the basics are there; complimentary internet, plush towels, 500 count linens, large rooms, and ofcourse what every new york pad needs, a fireplace in every room. located in NoHo, between lafayette and bowery on 38 east 4th street, the rooms boost no great views but they contain a nice mix of old (including nicely done bathrooms, lovely antiques and even stationery printed to look aged around the edges! that’s a bit lame ok!) as well as new amenities (flatscreen, iPod-ready clock radio and condoms — 3 for $15). the five-story row-house has no elevator (not even a super dwarf sized one like those in paris), but a porter will be available to carry luggage if you happen to arrive during his work hours 8-8. rates for a standard room start at $375 a night which is rather steep given the lack of service but a nice deviation from the usual balazs’ plastic shoe box. a classic new york find: partially perfect / slightly over priced. by dd
