After more than a decade of raising school-aged kids in NYC, it still feels surreal to this Nebraskan that we get two full weeks off together mid-year. Pre-Covid, I had fantasies of pulling the boys out around middle school for an endless-summer year abroad, Janet MacPherson style. That never materialized, but Sean and I have used these spring break windows to travel the world with them. The lessons are priceless. Every long flight is worth it tenfold.
Warning: this newsletter will be too long to read in your inbox and reminder to scroll past the travel stuff for quick hits!
This trip was perhaps our most ambitious yet. When our original route through Dubai fell apart at the last minute, we pivoted into a marathon: NYC to Frankfurt to Singapore to Indonesia in one go. Not for the faint of heart. But Sumba Island delivered, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since.
The island is still largely untouched by the Western world. The landscape is dramatic, the culture deeply rooted, and the people some of the most open and joyful I’ve ever encountered. There are monolithic tombs in front yards, villages from another era (the first TV arrived in 2001), and a pace of life that forces you to recalibrate. But we didn’t really know any of that going in. We went for the private surf break at Chris Burch’s “Edge of Wildness” Nihi Resort, which surprisingly few guests seemed to know about. Sean insists I don’t call Nihi a “resort,” and he has a point. The miles of beachfront, the thoughtful treehouse we stayed in, the free-running horses along the beach, and the spa safari included with your stay suggest White Lotus energy, but it’s actually something else entirely. It runs itself in a more retro way. More 1970s groovy than uptown Baccarat. Think Talitha Getty. At the midweek “white party,” the staff literally climbed onto the tables to dance and waved us up to join. Sean called it “post-luxury.” Everything is taken care of (the minibar is complimentary, you never sign a bill, etc.), but nothing feels bougie or forced.
There are only a handful of places that capture this “post-luxury luxury” feeling, and I’m wondering if I should do a Substack on them. Would you want to read it? Let me know in the comments. Nihi isn’t easy to get to, but I’ve never believed in gatekeeping. Go if you can!
My sons and husband surfed all day, every day, while I hiked, swam, worked, and read (see below what!). And on the last day, this 43-year-old pushed herself to surf for only the third time in her life and LOVED it. You can see video proof in the last slide of this post. I was sad I waited so long, but also so happy I did it. My sons said I looked like a 5-year old learning ha. I honestly don’t care, there’s no bigger rush than trying something new as an adult.
From Sumba, we moved on to Ubud, Bali, where we stayed at the Amandari. We happened to be there during the full moon celebrations, one of the most sacred times of the season, which meant every temple was in full swing. We got outside the main city (which, unfortunately, was as overrun as Tulum), toured a traditional Balinese home straight out of Eat Pray Love, spent time with John Hardy at his incredible Bambu Indah hotel, and had my favorite meal of the trip at Begawan Biji- a farm-to-table restaurant set in the middle of a regenerative farm, where something so wild happened I had to Slack my team about it:
Lastly, we spent 36 hours in Singapore, staying at the Marina Bay Sands mainly for a chance to hang in the famous pool. We walked, shopped, and ate our way through the city, and of course ended up throwing peanuts on the floor at the Raffles Long Bar. What a place! I watched Crazy Rich Asians on the flight home, obviously.
This trip will stay with me. It reminded me how small and, at times, provincial my world can be, and how important it is to step outside of it whenever you can. I feel like my aperture grew.
My husband and I both read Lucien by J.R Thorton in one day. It was a perfect beach read.
I finished Theo of Golden - an IG feel good favorite.
I LOVED LOVED LOVED The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai, and can see why the NYT picked it as one of it’s 10 best books of 2025.
I finished What we can Know by Ian McEwan and
I have officially started Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke which has already gotten optioned to be a film by Anne Hathaway. I’m pretty much fascinated by the Tradwife culture online and really excited to dig into this one.
What are you reading? LMK in comments:
I loved wearing so many pieces from our newly launched Spring collection.
“The Minimalist ’90s Midi Is the Only Dress to Invest in This Summer” according to Vogue. Lucky for you, we have two very CBK coded dresses ready for you:
Make tonight a movie night. The title is long and slightly odd, but this is one of the most inventive films I’ve seen recently. I couldn’t stop laughing.
Check out our latest collaborations, which we launched the second I got home: Kenneth Cole and Kris and Dave. Both tap into what makes me most proud of Lingua Franca, working with people I’m lucky enough to call friends and raising money for causes I deeply believe in.
Are our youth really apathetic toward Trump, or did the writer just forget to actually interview them? I love the comments section of pieces like this more than the piece itself.
Related: these texts I get from Puck’s Sarah Shapiro always make my day. Which one is your fav?
I absolutely love what Indre Rockefeller is doing over at Still Got it Media.
Fendi brought back its iconic Needle Point Stitch Kit Baguette and it’s one of “the most intriguing drops in recent luxury fashion memory.”
If it weren’t for a dear friend’s wedding in London, I’d be on the first flight to Nerano for the opening party of this place in early May. UGH I’m so sad to miss!!!
Tribeca is certainly buzzing. Call it the “Love Story” effect? We went two nights in a row, first for the opening of Athena Calderone’s magnum opus, where I caught up with Laila Gohar of Gohar World (have you seen the incredible carousel she just debuted in Milan?), and then for Valentina of Galerie Sardine’s new space, followed by a chic dinner party. Don’t miss the current show featuring the magnificent works of Joline Kwakkenbos.
Inside Athena’s world, me with the fab Valentina Akerman at the opening of her Tribeca gallery. I’m in the quilt knot cardigan which I’ve been wearing like crazy and which is now on sale.
Yes I was taken with Artemis II like so many of you I bet, too. I keep referring to our team as the “Our Crew” and this is truly a favorite collection of mine featuring the lowest priced item we’ve ever made coming in at a mere $35. Chic!
I am a MAJOR fan of Lotusland in Montecito, so this Town & Country article just made my week, especially since two pals worked on it. Written by Lesley Blume and shot by Lisa Eisner. Wow wow wow. Make sure you add Lotusland to your list of must visits!
“She broke every rule,” Lisa Eisner says. “There was nothing like her, and there’s nothing like this garden.” (on Ganna Walska).
My husband Sean also happened to write about Lotusland for the paper of record way back in 2002. Titled “Enemy of the Average.”
Last Sunday, we were proud to co-host, alongside David Kuhn, Wendy Goodman, and Susan Minot, a meet-and-greet for Jack Schlossberg, who is running for the House seat in Manhattan’s 12th district. Hosted at Chez Nous in front of that Cecily Brown mural I somehow notice new details in every time, which now makes sense since I recently learned she surreptitiously adds bits and bobs to it as she pleases! The evening felt both intimate and energizing.
I continue to be impressed by Jack and his campaign, full of young, engaged people who genuinely want to see change. “Believe in something again” is his tagline, and I do. Take a moment to watch him discuss his social media strategy with Katie Couric, and consider getting involved. He’s the only candidate in the race refusing PAC money, so every bit of support truly matters.
I haven’t been to Coachella in 15 years, but man I would have loved to see Madonna with Sabrina AND Billie with Justin.
Did you catch the one and only Bette Midler in her new LF? I’m her biggest fan. Always.
Did you know that if you go to an event at the New York Public Library, you’ll be served on some of the chicest antique napkins? I kept wondering how they possibly source hundreds of the same vintage pieces for a room like that. They don’t. Each table has its own distinct mix of patterns! I love the library so much. This lunch, moderated by David Remnick is my favorite every year. Thank you, Laura Bickford! Here’s what I wore.
I haven’t read Lena Dunham’s new memoir yet but you people are convincing me it’s worth it.
T Magazine’s annual “How to be Cultured” issue is out and I had to set aside my whole morning on educating myself. These issues stress me out!!! HA!
Finally, on Friday night we had dinner with our friends Stephen and Robin Alesch, the masterminds behind the design firm Roman and Williams, at their latest masterpiece inside the iconic Met Breuer building, now home to Sotheby’s. Marcel, the new restaurant, is already getting rave reviews, and it’s easy to see why. Every detail, down to the exquisite cocktail glasses, is incredibly thoughtful. And, all for sale!
Go for the warm bread served directly on the table and the best turbot I’ve had in a long time. Stay for the art, which is peppered throughout the room and all for sale, and pastries, baked fresh on site and ready to take out. Lucky for us, we even got a private tour of the Jean and Terry de Gunzburg collection with Sotheby’s CEO Charles Stewart, ahead of its sale on April 22.
The room at Marcel feels fresh and unmistakably New York. I think The Grill officially has a new competitor:
That’s it for now. I’m gonna try to do these more frequently so they don’t get so long. THANK YOU for reading all the way to the bottom. We’re starting talks about our Montauk store stock - if you have cool brands for us to stock out in our little store at the Crow’s Nest hit me up! Here’s your reminder that there are still kind, talented, interesting people out there doing cool things. Go find them—and dig it the most.
xo Rachelle
p.s. Go Knicks!
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