Five Frivolities: September 10

The coolest new hotel in the Cotswolds, a Piemonte castle hotel, an Air France sale, my The Real Real saves, and my favorite coffee table books

Sep 11, 2023

1. My Oxfordshire, UK hotel obsession

This is one of those places that when I first discovered it about a few months ago, before it even opened - it was love at first sight. I contemplated planning a whole trip around it. While that didn’t happen, I remain wholeheartedly obsessed with Estelle Manor in the Cotswolds.

2. My favorite coffee table books

I have a looot of coffee table books. I was talking about this with the guy I’ve been dating yesterday, and I figured why not share my favorites? I sometimes see people on the clock app asking where to find coffee table books, and it’s made me realize I’m lucky to have had a family home filled with books, and a career that fosters my aesthetic interests. Time to share!

The obvious, first – Slim Aarons La Dolce Vita

Moschino X Anni di Kaos! - I collect vintage Moschino, so this is very up my alley. I bought it used at the Strand bookstore in NYC, and apparently now it is very pricey

A sexy icon: Pirelli Calendar Classics

Resort Fashion - a seemingly random book, but it has such a fabulous curation of fashion imagery. A favorite to flip through in the dead of winter.

Area - an iconic ‘80s New York City nightclub in which there was a new theme every month, inaugurated by a blow out bash. It chronicles it all.

Marisa Berenson: A Life in Pictures – a book about the woman my parents named me after, who is (in my opinion!) one of the most stylish humans of all time.

3. Air France is having a sale on miles

If you want to fly business class to Europe and with not an obscene amount of miles, Air France is always a good option. Good food. Good service (usually). Good movie choices. Until September 27th, when you buy miles, you can get up to 100% bonus miles. Perfect for people who are thiiiiis close to having enough miles, but need a bit more to secure the tickets.

4. What I keep saved on The Real Real

I’m big on designer pieces without the designer price tag. I raaarely buy anything full price. And yes, The Real Real has its many flaws, but when you have certain designers in mind, and especially pieces you’re on the lookout for, it’s extremely fun to hunt and even more gratifying to find a gem. Here’s what I keep constant tabs on:

Rosie Assoulin - my favorite designer, period

Pucci - my favorite classic designer and the only non-striped prints I love

Christopher Esber - sexy, simple, cool

Area - over the top, don’t like 90% of their pieces but the 10% are a big fat YES

Loewe Paula’s Ibiza - my favorite yearly collaboration

Aya Muse - a cool girl brand

Anna October - another cool girl brand with fantastic pieces that are just the right amount of different

5. A grand Italian castle hotel to know

If it were not in Piemonte, aka Piedmont, which is largely under-touristed by Americans, this would be a hot-spot hotel. It’s a great option if you’re going to Piemonte, or driving from the Italian Riviera to Milan, or to the Aosta valley.

Meet Castello di Guarene.