The Curation: Volume 53
The Namibia Hotel List, a peek at my upcoming travels and hotel stays, and 25 of my favorite places in San Francisco.
First off, I’m so sorry for my human error (oversight) – The Travel Agent Database was intended to be free, and I thought it was, but the default setting was paid and I f-ed up! It is now paywall-free.
But also, this is my last post from San Francisco. Surreal, but it feels really right.
I’m typing amidst trying to make final cuts for my tight “bringing” list.
I’ve found it so interesting what has been easy to let go of. Overwhelmingly, there is a commonality – they are pieces from brands that either were or are “it brands.” I don’t want it. I don’t love it anymore, and I don’t need to schlep it anymore. Unsurprisingly, I care far more about something old than something new. More surprisingly, as someone who has typically had a very stocked beauty selection and who has worked on many a beauty brand – I got rid (easily) of so much that I’m left with core products that all fit in my normal travel toiletry bag. To be fair, I had recently run out of a lot of products I thought were holy grails but see no difference without so don’t feel the need to repurchase right now.
What made it from the skincare aisle: my La Roche-Posay Toleriane moisturizer which I will need to replenish immediately upon arrival, Biossance Squalane & Marine Algae eye cream, this pure rose hip oil from Amazon, OSEA Undaria Body Oil (the only thing I’m bringing two of), Merit The Minimalist stick, Saie Glowy Super Gel, Makeup by Mario SoftSculpt bronzer, Westman Atelier blush, the Saie bronzer brush, the Kosas Skin Illuminating Enhancer, INNBEAUTY mineral tinted sunscreen, Queen Musia mascara (code MARISSA10 for 10% off), Urban Decay Space Cowboy eyeshadow, the Prequel Gleanser, urea body lotion, and Skin Utility Balm. And a bunch of random tinted chapsticks.
My two Oura rings? Given away. Knowing more data about my body didn’t help me mentally. Loftie Lamp? Going to one of my best friends to have at the hospital when she gives birth. Dusen Dusen tissue box? Went to her sister.
But, only four books I bid adieu to. They all stay, and they always will, despite being the heaviest and least convenient to keep. Same with the art – that gets the most special treatment.
My dad’s high school framed photo is coming with me. So are my collection of Capri photos from Foto Flash, Foto Rosso (RIP) and Foto Azzurro (RIP). So are my fridge magnets and matchbook collection and hotel stationery and pens.
I did make this little apartment a home, despite it never really feeling like it. I loved it well, it served me well, but I’m not heartbroken to say goodbye.
Update from me a few days after starting to write this: I’ve gotten rid of 60% of my wardrobe yet I have 2 trunks, 1 medium suitcase, and 1 carry-on I’m bringing to Italy. What’s a girl to do?
Every move, I wonder, how the hell did all of this shit fit in this tiny apartment?
One of the main reasons I chose Florence is one of the main reasons many do not choose Florence. I wanted to be somewhere that English is widely spoken. But, not for the reason you’re probably thinking.
To me, my sense of humor is core to who I am. Humor, in general, is core to how I seek to live life. It is really, really hard to translate your humor entirely when you are new to a country and culture, even if you know the language really well.
But, I know well beyond enough Italian to be able to use a balanced mix of English and Italian to be able to communicate in a way that reflects my sense of humor. Florence, as a city that is not just a tourism hub but also a college town, is a place where it works to speak Anglitiano.
Even then, I’m going to be going to Italian school. First for three weeks, then for a few months, in the Summer. The goal is to be damn near fluent by my birthday. I’m excited to be a student again. A learner of a language, which I was from kindergarten through high school and haven’t since in a formal setting.
Also, my school is in the same palazzo as…Palazzo Guadagni. The hotel, that I love so much and which has such a magical rooftop bar. But that’s also the name of the building of my school, it’s just two floors down. This is thrilling to me.
And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to have a reason to wear a good outfit every morning, for the first time since 2018, when I last worked full-time in an office.
Another reason I chose Florence is that, besides in the summer, when it is sweltering hot, the weather is quite similar to San Francisco, I find. Many times throughout the past six months that I’ve been contemplating and then planning for this move I’ve looked at the weather app and it’s exactly the same temperature in both places. I like that, for whatever reason.
Reflecting back on these four years in San Francisco, I sacrificed a lot. I missed so much. Mostly, because of health stuff. Often, for family stuff. But perhaps most of all, for this. It takes a lot to give this my all but it’s so very rewarding. This (below) is so cool. This is why I did it and continue pinching myself that this is my job. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
TODAY’S AGENDA
Part one is long in the making, nearly 100 hours of research – The Namibia Hotel List. Another one I’m really proud of.
Part two is a glimpse into my upcoming travels, through June. I list all the hotels, so even if I change my mind (I often do), you know where I intended to stay.
25 of my favorite places in San Francisco (the closest I’ll ever get to a city guide).
Happy Hoteling!
The Namibia Hotel List
This list has been in the making since day one on Substack. As you’re probably aware, I have a strange fascination with Namibia, and I have since childhood.
It’s a large, sparsely populated country that has been through a lot. It was colonized by Germany and later by South Africa, before finally gaining independence in 1990.
Home to both the Namib and Kalahari deserts, with equal to offer on the safari front as the dune-hunting one making it a year-round destination, which is always something that’s nice to keep in the back of your mind.
It’s considered a safe country, but its rugged and extremely remote terrain make it highly advisable to have a driver. I would, and I love to rent a car. I do not want to perish in the desert.
This is a list that represents what I set out to do with Happy Hoteling – a true, wide, curated window into a place, in this instance, Namibia.
There are many Must Stays on this list. There are 40 names, hotels, lodges, camps, etc. Desert and safari and a combination of both. Nothing in the capital of Windhoek made the cut, sadly.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith has 3 hotels in Namibia, and Tablet 5. Happy Hoteling has 40 hotels, across seven regions of Namibia. I hope you consider the country if you haven’t already, and keep this as the resource for hotels whenever you do plan the trip.
Explanations and a photo (more for some) for each name. They are all plotted on a Google Map available to Founding Members here.