NYT: Culture,Travel

Hot Spot | The Scotch

By JULIE EARLE-LEVINE

| May 10, 2012, 1:00 pm

Located in St. James, London’s newest and coolest night spot, the Scotch has already hosted the likes of Kate Moss, Jay Jopling, Stella McCartney and Scarlett Johansson. Not surprisingly, the club has a tough door policy. I was given a password on my recent visit: “punchy,” which I mistakenly morphed into “jumpy.” The doorman was not amused.

The intimate space has impressive rock ‘n’ roll roots (Jimi Hendrix played his first impromptu gig at the original Scotch upon his arrival in London in 1966, and the Rolling Stones, Beatles and Kinks were all regulars), so it’s no wonder the cocktails have names like “Maggie May” (vodka, Lillet Blanc, Vermouth, Drambuie and lavender bitters) and “Mother’s Little Helper” (Hendricks, fresh lemon, ginger and lemongrass cordial, mint and soda).


Downstairs, D.J.’s (including the fashion designer Pam Hogg) spin in front of a neon sign that says, “This DJ sucks,” a special commission by the artist Chris Bracey. Works by Julian Opie, Shepard Fairey and Judith Supine are scattered around the club. Rebecca James, of Interior Desire, chose “tartan on acid” as the starting point for the décor and punctuated it with a huge gilded-crown chandelier, oak-paneled walls and Deco pillars.

On any given night, the music can be a mix of ’70s rock and ’80s alternative, everything from the Stones to Depeche Mode. Jack White and Boy George have both given impromptu performances. Expect to be “hair whipped” by enthusiastic dancers on the crowded dance floor, while an über-gorgeous crowd reclines on sexy velvet banquettes and takes smoke breaks outside on the cobblestones.

When the city’s bars are winding down at 1 a.m., the Scotch is just firing up, thanks to antiquated laws that allow it to serve booze until 5 a.m. The crowd spills into Mason’s Yard at 7 a.m., which must be very convenient for Jopling, as it’s right behind his White Cube gallery. As Diana Vreeland, the legendary editor of Vogue, said in 1965: “London is the most swinging city in the world at the moment.” It’s comforting to know that some things never change.

NYT: A New Day (Spa) in Burma

New York Times: Vain Glorious
A New Day (Spa) in Burma

By Julie Earle-Levine

Who: Inya Day Spa, Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar.
What: Thai massage, reflexology, body scrubs, facials, manicures and pedicures.
Where: 16/2 Inya Road, Kamayut Township; (95-1) 537-907; inyaspa.com.
Why Bother: In Myanmar, where tourists are just starting to venture as the country moves toward democracy after decades of military rule, Western hotel chains are scarce and spas really don’t exist — until now, that is. Yangon’s first day spa is attracting Burmese women (and even some men) as well as expats and tourists.
Let’s face it, in a country where women still wear thanaka (a white paste on their faces made from ground bark, to protect and condition their skin from the sun), it’s difficult to get Western products. That doesn’t mean people don’t want them: a used (that’s right — someone else’s!) Chanel lipstick is a precious find.
At Inya Day Spa, the facialists use French products (Thalgo), and the treatments are Thai influenced. Damian Lau, who is from Seattle, and his Burmese wife, Michelle, saw a need for a “nicer,” more Western-style spa. Inya is named after the bustling road where it is located and has simple décor with four private rooms, Thai massage beds and a nail salon. (The spa just started doing gel nails and uses OPI American polishes.) Inya’s signature spa product is a natural body scrub, in green tea, jasmine rice, papaya or tamarind. The papaya smells heavenly.
Inya is not luxe, but it is a sanctuary amid the streaming traffic — and a temperamental taxi with no air-conditioning and a flat tire! I arrived drenched in sweat to a cool, welcome retreat. You enter reception, then walk across a pond filled with hundreds of koi and surrounded by lush green palms. First stop is the new Boost Bar for fresh smoothies and juices. Try the Boba Berry, a thick smoothie made from blueberry, apple and banana. Guests change into plum-colored knee-length Thai sador pants, tied high above the waist. (You keep on your own shirt.)
I went twice: once for massage, once for reflexology. The basic massage was deep, hitting all my acupressure points, and I dozed off, my calves (made weary from temple-step climbing) melting into a relaxed state. The staff is Burmese, but Thailand-trained, since getting visas for Burmese to leave the country is still tough. The election Sunday of the longtime pro-democracy dissident Aung San Suu Kyi may change things, of course.
In the nail salon, Japanese men were sighing as their calves were pummeled. A British banker was tip-tapping away on his laptop. The spa has free Wi-Fi, which is a big plus since Internet service in Myanmar is sketchy at best.
Bookings can be hard to snag on the day. Lau plans to open a second location on the fourth floor of the Junction Square Shopping Mall, about a 10-minute drive from the current location.

How Much: Thai massage, about $20 for 90 minutes;Thai foot massage, about $10 for 75 minutes.

NYT Style: Ruschmeyer's in Montauk

Now Booking: Ruschmeyer's in Montauk
By Julie Earle-Levine
June 21, 2011

The newly opened Ruschmeyer’s in Montauk, N.Y., is a 20-room hotel, restaurant and bar that feels like a cross between an old-school camp (it was one in the 1950s) and a hippie-chic commune with tepees on the lawn.

Formerly the Second House Tavern, Ruschmeyer’s now has white paper “moons” hanging from the trees in the Magic Garden, a quiet spot that sits right on Fort Pond, a short walk but a world away from the heaving Surf Lodge. (Rob McKinley, one of the owners of Surf Lodge, designed both properties and owns Ruschmeyer’s with Ben Pundole and Ed Sheetz.)

Inside the restaurant at Ruschmeyer’s.

The food alone is worth the fuss. It’s by the guys behind the Fat Radish on Orchard Street. Order the delicious Montauk white clam pizza with chili or the flavorful green monkfish curry.

The Nook, a coffee/juice bar at the hotel.

The maître d’hôtel Spanky Van Dyke oversees an army of attractive staff — the men are in J. Crew shirts and Tom’s boat shoes, while the ladies wear Madewell striped shirts and shorts. They deliver cocktails like the Gin Dandy, with cucumber and ginger. There’s also a buzzy late night bar, the Electric Eel.

Patrons include locals, surfers, musicians and families, who can play table tennis or even try stand-up paddle-boarding. If it’s blustery out, watching the ducks get blown across Fort Pond is another pastime.

Rooms start at $475 on weekends. Call (631) 668-2877 or go to visitruschmeyers.com.

Travel: New York Times, Sydney's Potts Point

Surfacing, New York Times

A Sharper Point in Sydney

Sydney's Potts Point district is drawing a younger crowd with its handsome buildings and new shops and cafes.

By JULIE EARLE-LEVINE

December 20, 2009

FOR decades, Potts Point has enjoyed a reputation as Sydney’s bohemian center. Over the last few years, a new wave of openings has re-established the neighborhood as a destination for the young and beautiful, despite — or maybe because of — its proximity to Kings Cross, an area best known for its prostitutes, strip clubs and tattoo parlors. On Macleay Street, the main artery of Potts Point, gorgeous Art Deco apartment buildings and Victorian terrace houses sit amid new restaurants and cafes where hipsters and celebrities mingle.Sign in to Recommend

“When I first came to Potts Point 15 years ago, there wasn’t anywhere to even have lunch or breakfast,” said Christopher Becker, an owner of Becker Minty, a furnishings and clothing store with two outlets in Potts Point.

Toby’s (Shop 6, 81 Macleay Street; 61-2-8356-9264; www.tobysestate.com.au) is the cafe outpost of a brand that also includes a coffee bean retailer and a barista school. Mothers sip espresso while their toddlers enjoy “babyccinos” (steamed milk without the coffee).

Another brand that has a strong presence in the neighborhood is Fratelli, which offers a retail store, Fratelli Fresh (No. 81; 61-2-9368-6655; www.fratellifresh.com.au), and Café Sopra, a casual restaurant. Diners choose from a daily blackboard menu, with offerings like linguine with lemon, chili and pangrattato (16 Australian dollars, or $14.50 at 1.10 Australian dollars to the U. S. dollar). Later, you can shop for everything from fresh passion fruit to two dozen types of house-made pasta.

The latest addition to the local dining scene is No. 9 (Shop 2, 9 Ward Avenue; 61-2-9331-1399), a popular breakfast and lunch spot that Walter Herman, an interior designer, opened in July. The cafe has the feel of a classical French library, with an electric fireplace and original artwork lining the walls. The menu includes items like the Full Monty breakfast, with organic eggs, bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms and baked beans (16.50 Australian dollars).

For upscale shopping, try Becker Minty (No. 81; 61-2-8356-9999; www.beckerminty.com) and its new branch (corner of Macleay and Greenknowe Avenues; 61-2-8356-9908), with luxury women’s clothing and accessories. On a midsummer visit to the flagship store, some of the more unusual items included five stuffed peacocks (5,650 dollars a peacock) and throws made of Patagonian fox (6,950 dollars).

The neighborhood’s gentrification has brought safer streets, so there’s no need to stay in at night. The Champagne bar Velluto (No. 50; 61-2-935-71100; www.velluto.com.au), where Jason Minty of Becker Minty is a partner, attracts the fashion set in the evening. Order a flute of vintage Krug (70 Australian dollars) alongside a plate of tasty French and Australian cheeses (17 dollars).

All of this has attracted a combination of empty nesters, students and young executives to the neighborhood. “Ten years ago there were no apartments in the 5-to-20-million-dollar range,” said Tony Dowling, a local real estate agent. “Now there are some fantastic new buildings, and still a handful being constructed.” Of course, the polished Potts Point doesn’t come cheap: some studio apartments now command a healthy price of 700,000 Australian dollars.

New York Times: Travel Nicaragua

Check In, Check Out

By JULIE EARLE-LEVINE

Published: May 10, 2009

THE BASICS Once a home belonging to Hope Somoza, the widow of the former Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza Debayle, this Pacific beachfront Victorian has been carefully restored into a comfortable, 21-room hotel, which opened a year ago. A suite has been named after Mark Twain, who arrived in San Juan del Sur by sea in 1886, and wrote that “bright green hills never looked so welcome, so enchanting, so altogether lovely.”

THE LOCATION San Juan del Sur, a perfect horseshoe-shaped beach and surfers’ haven nestled into the side of a lush mountain, has long been a refuge for wealthy Nicaraguans. The hotel’s sweeping verandas provide glimpses of these palatial beach retreats, including an eye-catching pink house owned by Eduardo Montealegre, a politician who ran for the presidency of Nicaragua in 2006. The hotel overlooks the beach, where couples in rainbow-hued T-shirts, arms linked at the hips, cuddle at night in the shadows of swaying palm trees. Also a port, the town is about a two-and-a-half hour drive from Managua airport. (A shuttle costs about $45 each way.)

THE ROOMS In spite of the Pottery Barn-like palette — cream-colored drapes with silk tassels, white walls and dark wood furniture — the Victoriano still feels Nicaraguan. The bedspread is a vibrant, orange and green hibiscus print, and the double bed is hand-carved teak, as is a large freestanding mirror and desk. Six rooms have French doors that open out onto balconies overlooking a small pool, with deck chairs and umbrellas, and the beach. Other rooms face a pretty courtyard.

THE BATHROOMS Tiny — the door will hit the sink if you don’t open it carefully — but have large shower stalls (no bathtub) with medium water pressure. The hotel provides a refreshing oatmeal-peppermint body bar, plenty of towels and a robe.

THE LOBBY Airy and spacious, guests can sink into a chocolate leather sofa or check e-mail (free Wi-Fi), with views of the beach and men on scooters selling milk, rice and beans. Paintings by Nicaraguan artists adorn the walls, and the polished wooden floors are covered with antique rugs.

ROOM SERVICE Available from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. It is best to speak some Spanish when in Nicaragua. One order over the phone, for coffee, was interpreted as tea, then finally a man arrived at the door to ask in person. Once it was understood what I was ordering, service was prompt, just 10 minutes ($1.50). And it was delicious Nicaraguan coffee. The food is excellent and fresh, a simple sandwich of ham and cheese ($4) was delivered in 20 minutes, but breakfast, which is included in the rate, is best en plein air on the veranda.

AMENITIES There is no gym, but San Juan del Sur is perfect for exploring on foot. Its streets are lined with cafes, bars, surf shops and a bookstore.

THE BOTTOM LINE With rates for double rooms starting at $100, this hotel is on the high end of the local spectrum (surfer-style accommodations can be found for as little as $20 a night), but no one could call it overpriced, given its idyllic location. While service is sometimes a bit slow — my checkout took 15 minutes, and involved much official stamping of a wad of receipts — the staff was friendly and helpful.

Victoriano Hotel; Paseo de la Mar, Costado Norte Enitel, San Juan del Sur; (505-2) 568-2006; www.hotelvictoriano.com.ni.

Travel: Departures 'Way Down Under'

Departures, September 2008

South Australia's Kangaroo Island - home to some of the continent's most intriguing wildlife - has long been popular with day-tripping and camping crowds. It never had any luxury accommodation until this spring, however, when James and Haylie Baillie, owners of the chic Capella Lodge on Oz's Lord Howe Island, opened their new property, Southern Ocean Lodge.

Set between two national parks on the island's isolated southwest coast and just a a 25-minute flight from Adelaide, the property is nestled in the bush and has expansive views of the turquoise sea below. Of the lodge's 21 minimalist rooms, the best is the Osprey pavilion, with its hand-sculpted, egg-shaped Japanese bathtub and private-terrace. From its alfresco daybeds and plnge spa, guests have a prime view of passing kangaroos and whales out at sea.

But those who come to K.I almost always want to get much closer to wildlife. And so the Baillies partnerned with local outfitter Exceptional Kangaroo Island to take visitors out into the area's singular landscape. The animal spotting is so good and so easy hear that it's really a shame the lodge doesn't allow children younger than six. Our stellar and slightly whacky guide, Anthony, aka Ants, who has lived on the island for 18 years, led our small group on a half-day journey, pointing out plump koalas perched on impossibly thin branches, kangaroo mothers hopping about with their in-pouch babes and even the elusive glossy black cockatoo - or at least evidence thereof, in the form of some nibbled seeds. On a separate hike, a trip to see Australian fur seals preceded a light lunch served rather glamorously under a white shade tent and accompanied by a local Chardonnay.

Later a stylish New Yorker who has just arrived at the lodge from Sydney was wondering aloud when she might see a kangaroo. She didn't have to wait long, though. During a twilight tour with lodge staff, glass of Champagne in hand, she was suddenly surrounded by dozens of curious 'roos and wallabies. "I didn't really expect to see wildlife like this," she said, laughing. But at Southern Ocean Lodge that's just the kind of Champagne wishes and kangaroo dreams experience guests are in for.

southernoceanlodge.com.au

Travel: Martha's Vineyard

The Five-Point Weekend Escape Plan
New York magazine

See Modern Martha’s Vineyard

With a spate of revamped hotels and upgraded kitchens, a robust local art scene, and those ever-gorgeous beaches, the summer perennial has rarely looked better.

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• By Julie Earle-Levine

1. Where to Stay

Lambert's Cove Inn & Restaurant (Photo: Courtesy of Inn Shots)

You won’t find four-poster beds, floral wallpaper, or a doily on the toilet at the just-made-over Harbor View Hotel & Resort (from $350) in Edgartown. Though still wrapped in a white picket fence, the largest hotel on the island has officially gone modern: Its 900-square-foot suites are dressed up with black walnut floors, red cedar outdoor showers, and private gardens. Book suite 61 in the Captain Rowley cottage—it has a spacious stone patio—and lie out with some trashy beach reading.

The family-packed Winnetu Oceanside Resort (from $230) near Edgartown is a 250-yard stroll from South Beach, one of the loveliest strips of sand on the island. The resort’s rooms are freshly renovated and unfussy and loaded with domestic accoutrements like toasters, coffee-makers, and microwaves.

Partners Scott Jones and Kell Hicklin bought Lambert’s Cove Inn & Restaurant (from $220) in West Tisbury in January 2005 and immediately did away with the mounted geese and powder-blue décor. Now there are pale gold walls, ivory damask bedding, and plush dressing gowns, along with a heated, saltwater swimming pool and complimentary chairs, umbrellas, and towels for private Lambert’s beach.

Where to Eat

The Outermost Inn (Photo: Courtesy of Outermost Inn)

Brasserie–style Détente , in Edgartown, serves locally raised organic chicken and island-grown veggies in a golden-hued dining room dotted with black-and-white photos of European wineries. If you can’t snag a reservation (this has been one of the island’s most popular restaurants since opening in 2005), go before 7:30 and grab a spot at the seven-seat bar.

Owned by James Taylor’s brother Hugh and his wife Jeanne, the Outermost Inn unsurprisingly attracts a celebrity crowd: Bill Clinton, Carly Simon, Dan Aykroyd, and of course, brother James. But despite the high-profile clientele, the vibe remains low-key and casual, thanks to the meadowy surroundings, the views of the sound, and cooking that makes use of locally grown squash blossoms and arugula, herbs from the Taylors’ own garden, and just-caught striped bass.

Book at least a month ahead in the summer to secure a table at the perennially packed Beach Plum in the fishing village of Menemsha. Though the décor's a bit Pottery Barn, the ocean views and lenient BYOB policy are hard to knock. Bring a bottle of Chenin Blanc and pair it with the pan-seared halibut, served in a shallow bowl with tomato confit and basmati rice.

Island newcomer Mark Goldberg, formerly of Boston’s Mistral restaurant, mans the kitchen at Lure, the Winnetu resort’s nautically themed restaurant, which dishes out sublime Katama Bay oysters and butter-poached local lobster. Parents should request space in the family dining room, where there’s a kid-height buffet, beanbag chairs, and movies in the corner.

What to Do

Aquinnah Beach (Photo: Courtesy of Peter Simon/www.petersimon.com)

Pastel sailing paintings and wicker baskets are still being hawked like crazy in the Vineyard, but there’s been a big push to modernize the art and shopping scenes in recent years, especially in Oak Bluffs, where plans are under way to restore a church to house new galleries and live-work artists’ lofts. In the so-called SoHa (for South of the Harbor) district, the new Red Mannequin boutique (93 Dukes County Ave.; 508-693-2858) is stocked with French designer duds for kids and bright bead necklaces. Next door at Pik-Nik (99 Dukes County Ave.; 508-693-1366), you can browse vintage jewelry and art, and just a few doors down, the Dragonfly Gallery features works by locals like Renee Balter, known for her striking monoprint illustrations of island landmarks. The Alison Shaw Gallery is a great spot to pick through coffee-table books and fine-art prints, while the new hastings in the alley displays Vineyard stalwarts like Ron Hall, who shoots hauntingly vibrant landscape photos, and Rick Hoffman, who creates thickly layered abstract paintings.

Of course, it’s never all about shopping, not when there are such stunning beaches around. Head to the public strand at Aquinnah, off Moshup Trail, before the afternoon crowds arrive. After a few hours playing in Aquinnah’s clean, calm surf, dust the sand off with a hike along the mile-long base of Gay Head Cliffs, the island’s much-photographed, brilliantly colored formations, which lead directly up to picturesque Aquinnah Lighthouse. Skip the daytime tour and return on weekend nights, when the lighthouse stays open late for viewings of seriously beautiful sunsets.

Insider's Tip

Lobster-roll Fridays at Grace Episcopal Church. (Photo: From left, courtesy of Susan Safford and Danielle Zerbonne/Martha's Vineyard Times)

Martha’s Vineyard is admittedly packed with tourists in the summer, but there are at least two places where you won’t see any of them. Che's Lounge (38 Main St.; 508-693-8555), hidden in an alley off Main Street in Vineyard Haven, is a locals-only spot, though that doesn’t mean visitors can’t stop in for nighttime poetry slams and salsa-dancing sessions. And on Friday evenings from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., Vineyarders gather at Grace Episcopal Church (Woodlawn Ave. at William St.; 508-693-0332) in Vineyard Haven, to chow down on delicious lobster rolls, listen to live bands, and swap fishing stories. A roll, chips, and drink, served in the church’s parish hall, will set you back $13.

5. An Oddball Day

Mansion House Inn & Spa (Photo: Courtesy of Julia Cumes)

The island has dozens of trails to explore, but the local favorite is Great Rock Bight, off North Road, where hikers scamper up into heavily wooded hills for stunning views of the Aquinnah Lighthouse and the Elizabeth Islands. Go in the late afternoon and pack a bottle of wine and snacks. There are few signs or markings, but it’s popular enough that you’re guaranteed to bump into an islander who can steer you toward the stairs that lead down to a remote, sandy cove. After your hike, slip into a lightweight cotton robe at the Mansion House Inn & Spa at Vineyard Haven. The Moshup Mud Wrap uses chunks of the Aquinnah cliffs mined through a “hunting-and-gathering” permit from the local Wampanoag Indian tribe. Wind down with some of the spa’s licorice root and peppermint tea, or indulge at the inn’s Zephrus restaurant with the “chocoholics platter” of chocolate strawberries and cake.

Related Links

The Martha’s Vineyard Times is filled with news about boating slips, fishing trips, and tales of overboard yachtsmen.

Martha’s Vineyard Online offers up good tips for visitors and virtual tours of places to stay.

Listen to the sounds of the island, as captured by MVYRadio.