May 2020 - Safara

Five reasons to visit the Lower East Side, NYC (by a journalist and director)

Written by Safara on May 28, 2020.

Journalist and video director Sophia Li gives us five great reasons to visit NYC’s Lower East Side when the city reopens its doors after Covid-19. Read on for her favorite spots to eat, drink, stay, and shop.

We started Safara because we love to travel. We love that it opens our minds to new people, cultures, and ideas. It builds human connection. Travel sparks creativity, and fuels the global economy. We live and breathe this ethos – we’re a global, remote team with a unified goal: to make travel easier, more efficient, and barrier-free.

During this crazy time, that human connection we mentioned is a little compromised, right? While we all stay put, we want to be your window to the world, bringing you stories and inspiration from our global community of travel lovers. Our Insiders, who are also stuck at home and pining for their usual local haunts, have been thrilled to share reasons to add their neighborhood to your post-Covid travel plans. We’re going for the gold re: global coverage, and hope that you’ll find some new locals to try ASAP, wherever you are.

Next up in our ‘Five Reasons’ series is Sophia Li. This formidable Chinese-American calls herself a ‘citizen of the earth’, growing up between two countries and four states, but now calls the Lower East Side home. The names on her resume are v impressive: she’s former Entertainment Media Editor at Vogue.com and has directed conscious campaign videos for brands such as Adidas, Maybelline, and Theory. She’s also a long-time Safara Insider (read more about her here).

Like Sophia, we’re armchair traveling a lot these days, and planning for the future. We’re taking this time to build out our bucket lists, not just because it’s fun, but because it helps the industry we all love. By following and engaging with unique and local hotels, small businesses, and restaurants, we can collectively give them much-needed hope and encouragement during this strange and abnormally difficult time.

Read on to travel (virtually) with Julie to the best spots in Park Slope, NYC…

Name: Sophia Li

Where you live: Formally East Village, Now Brooklyn.

Where you’re from: I’m a citizen of the earth!

What you do: Tell stories, interview people, direct documentaries, live for the ultimate survival of Mother Nature.

Follow Sophia on Instagram here.

Five reasons to visit the Lower East Side

The Food: Is a city a city without its corner, independently-owned neighborhood restaurants? Nah. If you also cried over Gabrielle Hamilton’s first-person NYTimes narrative on her restaurant Prune during the age of Covid and whether or not it will survive, then you are a true east villager. Then, head down the block for the most authentic Indian takeaway at Punjabi Deli. Go around the block again for vegan Divya’s Kitchen and vegan pizza at Double Zero.

There’s a reason we all wait outside for brunch at Cafe Mogador on the weekends followed by dinner and noodles at Madame Vo or Hanoi House. Oh and date nights at Wildair and Davelle during the sweaty summer months… love this hood. I might get sad at times but the belly stays happy here.

The hotel: Sister City NYC and the Ludlow Hotel. Dirty French is the bar attached to the Ludlow – great for fries and wine during a brisk evening, as is the fireplace in their lobby.

The store: Kallmeyer for your hot pink power dressing suit moments and Chop Suey Club for the most unique and creative designers hailing from China. ‘Made in China’ will never mean the same to you again.

The thing to do: Hot yoga hip hop flow at Y7 Studio followed by a sunset kundalini meditation at Ra Ma Institute to let out all the stagnant energy.

The culture: Because, now more than ever, we need to be supporting the Asian community amidst Covid-19, visit the Museum of Chinese in America. Also, The New Museum for a ponder, the International Center of Photography for nostalgia and wanderlust.

Donate just $25 to the WHO with us here, and we’ll give you a FREE Safara Travel membership (worth $195!).

Five reasons to visit Park Slope, New York City (from a hotel marketing guru)

Written by Safara on May 14, 2020.

Vice President of Marketing at Ian Schrager Company Julie Wells gives us five great reasons to visit her neighborhood of Park Slope, Brooklyn after Covid-19. Read on for her favorite spots to eat, drink, stay, and shop.

Next up in our ‘Five Reasons’ series is Julie Wells. She’s an Aussie, but now calls Park Slope, Brooklyn home. She runs marketing and brand experience for Ian Schrager Company, which includes the likes of the indomitable PUBLIC Hotel. Prior to working at ISC, Julie ran marketing for hospitality brands like Soho House, Spring Place, NeueHouse, and more. We always trust her tips, girl’s got taste in spades!

Like Julie, we’re armchair traveling a lot these days, and planning for the future. We’re taking this time to build out our bucket lists, not just because it’s fun, but because it helps the industry we all love. By following and engaging with unique and local hotels, small businesses, and restaurants, we can collectively give them much-needed hope and encouragement during this strange and abnormally difficult time.

Read on to travel (virtually) with Julie to the best spots in Park Slope, NYC…

Name: Julie Wells

Where you live: Park Slope, New York City

Where you’re from: Melbourne, Australia

What you do: Marketing & Brand Experience at Ian Schrager Company

Follow Julie on Instagram here.

Five reasons to visit Park Slope

The Food: Mariella – this place has so much heart and soul. Every pasta dish is sensational. My go-to is the Bolognese with gluten-free pasta, a glass of red wine, and the tiramisu. Far from regular, Café Regular is the greatest morning experience – you’ll feel like you’re in France with a cup of tea (or coffee) and a croissant.

The bar: The Monro is a low-key British bar. I go there for the sausage roll when I’m feeling homesick. It’s also where I can find my husband when he’s not home.

The store: A beloved Park Slope bodega owner renamed his store The Bad Wife – but he insists that his spouse is anything but! Everything you need can be found here – shop local! Sounds has a neighborly atmosphere and meticulously curated goods. The in-house cafe and backyard is a great place for sunshine and conversation.

The thing to do: I’d recommend Prospect Park farmer’s market and Brooklyn Botanical Garden.

The culture: Go to Public Records for music, Littlefield for comedy shows, the Greenwood Cemetery for the Sophie Calle Installation and concerts in the catacombs, and the Brooklyn Museum.

Wait, what about a hotel? There are no hotels I’d recommend in Prospect Park itself, so check in to The New York EDITION, The Times Square EDITION, or PUBLIC of course!

Five reasons to visit Oud-West, Amsterdam (from a content creator and entrepreneur)

Written by Safara on May 6, 2020.

Content creator and entrepreneur Rachel Laurey gives us five great reasons to visit Oud-West, Amsterdam after Covid-19. Read on for her favorite spots to eat, drink, stay, and shop.

We started Safara because we love to travel. We love that it opens our minds to new people, cultures, and ideas. It builds human connection. It sparks creativity and it fuels the global economy. We live and breathe this – we’re a global, remote team with a unified goal: to make travel easier, more efficient, and barrier-free.

During this crazy time, that human connection we mentioned is a little compromised, right? While we all stay put, we want to be your window to the world, bringing you stories and inspiration from our global community of tastemakers. Our Insiders, who are also stuck at home and pining for their usual local haunts, have been thrilled to share reasons to add their neighborhood to your post-Covid travel plans. We’re going for the gold re: global coverage, and hope that you’ll find some new locals to try ASAP post-lockdown, too.

Next up in our ‘Five Reasons’ series is Rebecca Laurey. Based between New York City and Amsterdam, she shares beautiful snippets of her life, style, and new motherhood with her 185k+ followers on Instagram. She’s an awesome content creator in her own right, but has also collaborated with brands such as Hermes and Armani as a social media and brand consultant, digital influencer, guest designer, and ambassador. It’s fair to say she stays busy!

Like Rebecca, we’re armchair traveling a lot these days, and planning for the future. We’re taking this time to build out our bucket lists, not just because it’s fun, but because it helps the industry we all love. By following and engaging with unique and local hotels, small businesses, and restaurants, we can collectively give them much-needed hope and encouragement during this strange and abnormally difficult time.

Read on to travel (virtually) with Rebecca to the best spots in Oud-West, Amsterdam…

Name: Rebecca Laurey

Where you live: Oud-West, Amsterdam

Where you’re from: Leiden, it’s like a miniature Amsterdam, 30 minutes away.

What you do: I am a content creator and entrepreneur working on an exciting start-up (more to share soon!)

Follow Rachel on Instagram here and learn more about her here.

Five reasons to visit Oud-West, Amsterdam

The Food: Levain et le Vin has the best cinnamon buns in town. Fijnkost is on my street, it’s so underrated– it’s the cutest neighborhood restaurant with the yummiest food.

The hotel: The Pillows Hotel is so cozy and chic!

The store: I love the Gekaapt concept store, I usually pop in once a week or so to see what’s new. Their kid’s store is pretty fun too!

The thing to do: The Vondelpark has an entrance at the end of my street. It’s the greatest luxury – especially when you don’t have an outside area of your own. It feels like my really big backyard… that I happen to share with other people! I go there every day and plan to do a lot of picnics there when this is all over.

The culture: The Kahmann Gallery is not actually in my neighborhood, but so good. Also, visit the Stedelijk Museum – my favorite museum in Amsterdam.

Five reasons to visit Hackney, East London (from a fashion talent director)

Written by Safara on May 5, 2020.

Jo Gilmour gives us five great reasons to add Hackney in East London to travel wishlists after Covid-19. Read on for her favorite spots to eat, drink, stay, and shop.

During this crazy time, that human connection we mentioned is a little compromised, right? In the meantime, we want to be your window to the world, bringing you stories and inspiration from our global community of tastemakers. Our Insiders, who are also stuck at home and pining for their usual local haunts, have been thrilled to share reasons to add their neighborhood to your post-Covid travel plans. We’re going for the gold re: global coverage, and hope that you’ll find some new locals to try ASAP post-lockdown, too.

Next up in our ‘Five Reasons’ series is Jo Gilmour. She lives in Dalston, an achingly hip part of Hackney in East London. Jo is from Lancashire in Northern England, but she loves this part of London, and when she’s not at work as a fashion talent director – basically getting people their dream jobs – she’s hitting up her neighborhood’s coolest cafes and stores.

Like Jo, we’re armchair traveling a lot these days, and planning for the future. We’re taking this time to build out our bucket lists, not just because it’s fun, but because it helps the industry we all love. By following and engaging with unique and local hotels, small businesses, and restaurants, we can collectively give them much-needed hope and encouragement during this strange and abnormally difficult time.

Read on to travel (virtually) with Jo to the best spots in Hackney…

Name: Jo Gilmour

Where you live: Hackney, London

Where you’re from: Lancashire, Up North

What you do: Talent Director, placing the world’s best talent from fashion, lifestyle, and DTC into dreamy jobs!

Follow Jo on Instagram here and learn more about Talent Atelier here.

Five reasons to visit Hackney

The Food: First, Casa Fofō, it’s right on my street and has an awesome and very accessible tasting menu with a killer wine list. I also spend a lot of time in Del74 who do the best tacos in town along with amazing pitchers of margaritas. Also, Pophams Bakery – their marmite, cheese, and spring onion pastry is one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten, they also flip into a pasta restaurant at night time.

The hotel: The Ace Hotel, I take clients for breakfast at Hoi Polloi and can take my dog 🙂 They also have an amazing flower shop and a club in the basement if you want to dance.

The store: Blue Mountain School, it’s beyond a store, it’s an exhibition space, you can buy mind-blowing fragrances, get bespoke furniture and buy one-off pieces.

The thing to do: Barbers Gym, it’s the ultimate combination of specialist and accessible. If you want to learn how to lift weights, here’s your gym.

The culture: Victoria Miro Gallery – it’s in a former furniture factory!

Five reasons to visit Singapore (from a comms director)

Written by Safara on May 1, 2020.

Communications director and Safara Insider Andrea Seifert gives us five reasons to visit Singapore after Covid-19, from hotels to stores to places to eat and drink.

Next up in our ‘Five Reasons’ series is Andrea Seifert. Despite being from Sweden, she’s never lived there and instead was brought up between South America, Asia, and Europe by her nomadic parents. She’s a communications director at a travel and lifestyle agency and now calls Singapore home.

Like Andrea, we’re armchair traveling a lot these days, and planning for the future. We’re taking this time to build out our bucket lists, not just because it’s fun, but because it helps the industry we all love. By following and engaging with unique and local hotels, small businesses, and restaurants, we can collectively give them much-needed hope and encouragement during this strange and abnormally difficult time.

Read on to travel (virtually) with Andrea to the best spots in Singapore…

Name: Andrea Seifert

Where you live: Sunny Singapore! I live in an area between Little India and Orchard Road, and work in Chinatown.

Where you’re from: Sweden, although I’ve never lived there, I was born to nomadic parents and grew up in South America, Asia, and Europe.

What you do: Associate Director for Singapore at The Mango Agency a boutique luxury travel and lifestyle communications agency and Singapore Resident Editor for The LUXE City Guides.

Follow Andrea on Instagram here and here.

Five reasons to visit Singapore

The Food: Chinatown is just packed with amazing places to eat, drink and be merry. Nouri is the place for special evenings diving into Chef Ivan’s creative fare using produce from his farm in Malaysia, whilst Maggie Joans is my go-to for indulgent, languorous lunches with the girls. The entrance is tucked away in a back alley and I love bringing newbies there – it feels like a cozy Parisian or London bistro.

The hotel: Six Senses Singapore. With two petite locations in heritage buildings around the corner from one another, the brand’s first foray into urban settings (they’re usually in far-flung destinations) has been a welcome addition to the neighborhood. The brand stands for wellness and sustainability, and they definitely walk the walk.

Upon arrival, step into the oversized Tibetan singing bowl at the entrance to get some healing vibes before your consultation with the resident Traditional Chinese Physician to ensure your chi is flowing nicely. You’ll find the sustainability manager tending to the little ‘bee hotel’ on the rooftop garden next to the pool, pruning plants and herbs, or teaching guests how to make DIY hydrosol sprays from citrus remnants upcycled from the bar.

At the Duxton location, the Yellow Pot restaurant is where I take visitors for elevated yet healthy Chinese food (no MSG!). Rooms here employ a distinctly moody, dark Chinoiserie look, pulled together by the inimitable Anouska Hempel. Over at Six Senses Maxwell, designed by Jacques Garcia, the aesthetic is equally opulent with rich jewel-toned palettes and velvet upholstery. Indulge in a tipple or two at the champagne bar.

The store: The Social Space is on Kreta Ayer and is a gorgeous little cafe-come-social enterprise, featuring local and ethical brands to shop and lovely teas to sip and savor. Hidden in the back is The Nail Social, a peaceful mani-pedi spot using eco-friendly polish and providing training and employment to marginalized women. A divine respite on a quiet side street for some me-time or to catch up with a friend over a warm cuppa.

The things to do: Barre Lab is my go-to workout on Duxton Road to plie away my sins. The little studio has small classes and great instructors who correct your form and keep you motivated – while reducing your thighs to a quivering mess! I also love the Nithya Priyan School of Yoga for its structured curriculum of learning yoga asana, and alignment-based teachings by skilled yogis.

The culture: Telok Ayer Street is one of my absolute favorite streets in Singapore. A vibrant stretch of old-meets-new, you’ll find hipster coffee shops, packed bars, Michelin star restaurants, antique hole-in-the-wall shopfronts as well as places of worship and cultural heritage sites. The Thian Hock Keng Temple is the oldest Chinese temple in Singapore, constructed in 1839. Sometimes you’ll see the priest in his robes wandering along the road, which always feels a bit special.

Month: May 2020