Five Frivolities: July 30
Hotels in the cool-of-the-cool Cap Ferret, the case for curiosity, hotel spottings, a few of my favorite things, and the best sales of the best sites this week.
1. New hotel opening of the week
Cap Ferret has been on my list for a long time. Considered the coolest-of-the-cool, on the Atlantic, west coast of France (not to be confused for Cap Ferrat, in the South of France). Until now, there had only been two Happy Hoteling approved hotel options, La Maison du Bassin (really more of a restaurant with some rooms) and Hôtel Côté Sable. Now, Hotel des Dunes, gives us a new laidback option that I’m pretty into.
2. The case for curiosity
Most think of curiosity as a good thing – an honorable thing, even – but also a novel thing. For me, it’s a must, not a maybe. Growing up, I was taught that curiosity is the key to contentment. Especially when you travel.
I often hear people on the clock app talking about how there’s “not much to do” somewhere, or that a historically significant place like Rome or Florence or Paris is “overhyped.” And look, I’m not here to discard anyone’s personal experiences. But, I’d like to pose the question of curiosity. Have people forgotten to be curious?
Because truly, I find it hard to be bored anywhere, but especially somewhere far away. How can one be bored if you ask the why, the what, the where, and the when and especially, the how?
How did this place come to be? What is it like living here? How has this restaurant been open for a hundred years? Where is everyone in front of me from? When and why was this beautiful building built?
When you’re constantly curious, even when you’re doing “nothing,” like sitting on a park bench or strolling to nowhere, simply observing and existing feels significant. It’s special to be far from home yet truly content experiencing life as you typically don’t know it. Wherever I am, I’m constantly wondering. “People live here!? Who are these other people visiting, like me? Where are they staying? What are their lives like? Do they like it here? Are they happy?”
These simple questions ignite of the bright side of humanity. But, it’s missed when cool hunting wins over wandering and wondering. When you switch to the latter, I find there’s a lot less disappointment, too. For me, it’s a lot harder to get annoyed at the loud people from x country when you’re curious about their culture, and what it took to be here today. After all, we’re all first time visitors to this big place called Earth.
It would be making a lot of jumps to say that curiosity is the key to life, but, by definition, it enables you to experience a lot more of life. My motto: curiosity breeds contentment. Contentment is the key. Travel curiously.
3. Hotel spottings
Melissa Wood-Tepperberg at Casa Maca in Ibiza. Tasha Oakley stayed and got married at Caesar Augustus in Capri. Tezza Barton at Quisisana in Capri. Valeria Lipovetsky at The Georgian in Santa Monica. Audrey Peters at Le Yaca in Saint Tropez.
Feel free to DM me on Instagram @mklurstein to submit your own spottings. Or, comment below if you just absolutely could not care less about which hotels famous and famous-adjacent people can be found.
4. A few of my favorite things
Book: The Secret History, period.
Movies: Father of the Bride Part II, period.
Foods: Olives, artichokes, Spaghetti ‘alla Nerano, steak frites, house ravioli from La Ginestra in my hometown of Mill Valley, CA
Songs: “Bless the Telephone” by Labi Siffre, “Something About You (Remix)” by Sizzla, “What a Job” by Devin the Dude, “Crazy Love” by Van Morrison, “La Canzona del Sole” by Lucio Battisti
Hotels: Ritz Paris, Il Pellicano, Punta Tragara, Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, La Minervetta
Photographers: Slim Aarons, Helmut Newton, Joel Myerowitz, Tina Barney, Guy Bourdin, Tim Walker, Frank Horvat, Jeanloup Sieff, Malick Sibide
5. Good deals on good sites
I like nice things, but barely ever pay full price. Call me the queen of a sample, archival, warehouse, whatever sale. Here’s some good ones this week:
Hay, use code EXTRA20 for an extra 20% off sale
Frankie Shop, use code LAST10 for an extra 10% off sale
Fivestory New York, use code EXTRA25 at checkout for an extra 25% off sale
La Vinn Holiday Sale
Ulla Johnson Sample Sale
Matches, code 20SUMMER for 20% off new Summer arrivals
Richer Poorer Summer Sale, extra 30% off sale
J. Crew, code SHOPNOW for 30% off new arrivals
Pixie Market, use code Extra25 for an extra 25% off sale
Nicobar Weekend Flash Sale
Ok, internet friends - talk to me. Do you like this? What do you like best? Least? Tell me what you want, I’ll consider, and hopefully deliver. Regardless, thank you for being here and kudos to you for making it to the end. I am many things, but brief is not one of them.
x Your penpal, Marissa
Hi Marisa! I am a longtime friend of Barbara and Richard - stretching so far back that Barbara and I were once married to two brothers! I knew both your parents “back in the day” please say hello. I think your blog is marvelous and so it is so inspiring to see how you have created such a beautiful life for yourself. Thank you for sharing it with the world. Janice Rosen