Summer of luxury

Hi, Justin here, with reader tips from a summer of living luxuriously [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( Hey there, it’s [Justin Ocean](, one of the deputy editors here at Pursuits. Next week I’ll be transferring to our Hong Kong bureau to work on the Asia investing and real estate team through the end of the year—[and eat my weight in dim sum](. As I clean off my desk and [pack my suitcase]( full of [stretchy pants](, I’ve been thinking a lot about how lucky I am to have this opportunity to shake up my life for a season (thanks Bloomberg!). Flexibility is a major luxury. No kids, no pets, no mortgage, just a few plants some friends will (hopefully) water, and I’m off! Which had me wondering: What do you all consider luxury these days? We put a call out on our Instagram account [@bloombergpursuits]( to ask what the most luxurious thing you did this summer was, and you all are really living your best lives. My best life involved this Männkitchen Pepper Cannon. Seriously. Photographer: Kerri Brewer for Bloomberg Businessweek One sentiment really encapsulates the core Summer of 2023 Luxury Spirit for a lot of you: “Did not buy material things but spent a lot on experiences and travel,” said one follower, Atri (@atrichaturvedi). Jeremy Anderson (@yesimpreppytx) gave a shout out to his stay at [Villa Saint-Ange]( in the center of Aix-en-Provence. The five-star 18th-century estate looks resplendent in ochre, with 34 rooms and suites flaunting Far East flair, a jewel-box of a restaurant, and a pool deck where I certainly wouldn’t mind sunning and swimming and smelling lavender on the breeze. You can still book a two-night weekend stay mid-September for €1,740 ($1,877). As Jeremy said: “Just fantastic!” Coming soon: A private island retreat—in Provence—just 1,000 feet away from the town of Bandol. Source: Zannier Hotels Joseph M. Azam (@joseph_m_azam) also spent some days in the south of France in Lourmarin (without the kids, a luxury indeed), about 40 minutes north of Aix. He called it “stellar.” The village is surrounded by vineyards and groves of almond and olive and has a 12th-century fortress; Albert Camus, the author, political philosopher and Nobel Prize winner, is buried in the local cemetery. Farther down on the Côte d’Azur, [@fabrice.eth]( recommended [Monte Carlo]( as “always the best.” And he’s happy to give recommendations if you’re headed that way (he’s a local). Forget selfies: at Hotel Métropole in Monte Carlo, an artist will paint your portrait. Courtesy David Djiango Patrick Galvin (@patrickowen34), senior director of major gifts at the Metropolitan Opera, said seeing tenor Vittorio Grigolo in La bohème at the [Teatro San Carlo]( in Naples was his summer luxury. That, plus staying at the five-star [Bontania Relais & Spa]( in Ischia, Italy, which has a Michelin Green Star for its Il Mirto restaurant. Oh, and also taking in the [Negombo thermal spa](, a bath complex set amid lush, art-dotted gardens right on the coast. He gives another hot Ischia tip: [Giardino Eden](. “We had Met Board members take a speed boat from Capri for lunch at Giardino,” said Galvin, “and they were like ‘woah, this is so much better than Capri!’” Post-pranzo swimming and day bed time on a beautiful planked walkway after? Bellisimmo! Hotel La Palma. Photographer: Umberto d'Aniello Elsewhere in Europe, @cityaftercity [went sailing]( with his family in Sardinia. And Johnny Cada-veed (@theroamingtraveler) took a trip to Spain and Portugal and used the train system to get around and between both of them. [Sleeper trains are making a comeback]( on the continent due to tighter aviation regulations. They also mean you can skip [post-pandemic airport hell]( and live [greener](. Our own [Helen Chandler-Wilde]( took a multiday trip from London to Paris, Milan and Venice and wrote a [cheat sheet for night train service]( to Budapest; Cinque Terre, Italy; Nice, France; Edinburg; and Vienna. If you’ve yet to take a long-haul train, [do it](. As somebody who finds it hard to relax (a professional hazard from a previous life as a travel writer), overnight trains are a perfect mode of no-FOMO travel for our social media-warped era. The longest I’ve ever done was 37 hours Kunming to Beijing. You’ve got nothing to do but sit back, eat some snacks, read a book, strike up a chat and take in the scenery. [Here are some train tips.]( A rendering of a suite cabin on the Orient Express La Dolce Vita Train service, which starts choo-choo-ing next year. Source: Dimore Studio/Arsenale Spa Here in the US, travel was a major theme, too. Your luxurious highlights included a weekend in Milwaukee (“And no, I’m not kidding,” said Brad Olson, @revbjo, CEO of Sollis Health); [chateaubriand and roasted oysters with wagyu]( at the River House at Montage Palmetto Bluff (@mjcroley); and a manic one-night-only in Los Angeles to see Taylor Swift in concert (@mollyglennon_). Given Swift is the [No.1 pop star in the world]( and was [raking in $13 million a night]( toward the $1 billion milestone with her Eras tour. For a lot of folks, that concert was a luxury indeed. If you missed out IRL, Swift announced an “Eras Tour” concert film in theaters Oct. 13—and sent AMC stock soaring. Photographer: Kevin Winter/Getty Images North America But my favorite Instagram response may have came from Colleen Clark (@collenclark), a content designer for Google in Los Angeles. “In line with this year’s theme of [quiet luxury](, the best thing I did this summer was start splurging on daily luxuries. My favorite? Expensive French butter.” When I asked her what brand, she name-checked [Échieré]( and beurre de baratte (churned butter with sea salt) from [Rodolphe Le Meunier](. “Someone bought me a [bottle of wine]( and [fancy butter]( as a [hostess gift](,” she explained, “and I was like, wait, this is the most divine daily luxury. I would [luxuriate over toast]( every morning thanks to the butter. So now I’m like, treat yo’self girl!” Words after my own heart—[and my mouth]( (search: “good boy”). Connect with Justin on [Instagram]( or [X]( Summer sensations Whether you call it pre-nostalgia or web traffic monitoring (much less romantic!), I’ve been taking stock of our stories in prepping to go. Beyond always popular rankings news—[world’s top vineyards](, [most expensive expat cities](, [worst airports](, [best airlines](—we had some big hits. If you missed them the first time around, or merely want your own moment of sunny day repass, here are the top 10 stories that generated the most clicks/controversy on Pursuits over the last three months. Sorry not sorry, St. Louis! We’ll get you in our next round-up. Source: Professor Pizza - [The Pizza That’s Taking Over the US]( - [NYC’s Most Exciting New Fine Dining Restaurant Is in a Subway Station]( - [Rolex, Patek Prices to Keep Falling as Supplies Remain High, Morgan Stanley Says]( - [How to Work the ‘Quiet Luxury’ Trend Into Your Office Attire]( - [Five-Star Hotel Guest Leaves Without Paying After 603-Night Stay]( - [The 12 Wildest Things I Learned as a Nightlife Concierge in Ibiza]( - [Rolls-Royce Debuts Droptail Roadster, Priced at Over $30 Million]( - [The Most Romantic City in France Is Not Paris, and Other Travel Advice]( - [PGA Tour Bows to Saudi Rival in Shock Combination With LIV Golf]( - [Richard Branson Just Opened His Mallorca Estate to the Public. Here's a Look Inside]( Stamping that passport As for me? My biggest luxury this summer was spontaneity. Some might see hoarding your paid time off so you can go on your first multiweek adventure in over a decade as a glass-half-empty situation. But in New York City, where every weekend is mostly accounted for by Memorial Day, not having anything to do on a Friday night was absolutely refreshing. It meant I was around for impromptu visits to the [New York Transit Museum]( and [Empire State Building Observatories](, two NYC bucket list items—come on, [be a tourist in your hometown!](—and I finally got to see [Six]( on Broadway and [Titanique]( off-. Powerful and hilarious, both of ’em. ([Here Lies Love will have to wait]( ’til I get back.) Sibling time from the “secret” 103rd floor of the Empire State Building. Photographer: Justin Ocean/Bloomberg For every lunch I could say yes to, random bike ride or walk in the park I took, it reminded me yet again about how we spend our time is the greatest luxury of all. (Not that I stayed home all summer. If five days in the woods for a queer techno festival sounds like your brand of fun, check out [Honcho Campout]( next August. I can’t recommend it enough.) Have any hot tips for Hong Kong? Must do’s for Asia? I plan to take plenty advantage of living in Cathy Pacific’s hometown. [E-mail me, please](mailto:askpursuits@bloomberg.net?subject=Travel tip for Justin). As trade, I’ll leave you with the expert, eye-opening and sometimes downright wild advice from the inveterate execs and entrepreneurs in our [Distinguished Travel Hackers series](. [How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep on Any Airplane]( [You Don’t Need Your Own Jet to Feel Like You’re Flying Private]( [NatGeo TV Host Jeff Jenkins Shares His Best Plus-Size Travel Hacks]( [How to Make the Most of Flying Economy, From London’s Premier Fixer]( [Tennis Star Casper Ruud Knows How to Overcome Jet Lag]( [Travel Advice From a Foreign Correspondent Who Covers Conflict Zones]( VIP access If you’re a fan of whiskey, wine, beer and spirits, Bloomberg Pursuits has a club just for you. We’re sharing exclusive spirits news, building a tasting community and offering access to special cocktail events and bottle releases. Subscribe to the [Top Shelf newsletter](, for free, [here](. And if you love luxury timepieces, [Watch Club]( and its free [monthly newsletter]( might be for you, too. And if you read just one thing … Source: Paul, Beckham, Beckham Jr., Hamilton, tape: Getty Images. Brady: AP Photo. Rolex, IWC, JOBH necklace, Nike sneakers: Courtesy Companie How Pro Athletes Became the Most Valuable Players in Men’s Fashion. Guys are looking to sports stars for style inspiration, [whether for a simple suit or full-on sartorial swagger](. By Max Berlinger New for subscribers: Free article gifting. Bloomberg.com subscribers can now gift up to five free articles a month to anyone you want. Just look for the "Gift this article" button on stories. (Not a subscriber? Unlock limited access and [sign up here](.) Follow Us Like getting this newsletter? [Subscribe to Bloomberg.com]( for unlimited access to trusted, data-driven journalism and subscriber-only insights. Want to sponsor this newsletter? [Get in touch here](. You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Bloomberg Pursuits newsletter. If a friend forwarded you this message, [sign up here]( to get it in your inbox. 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