I just returned from three glorious weeks in Greece. The first was spent on a fairly ambitious tour through the Peloponnese region (complete with the world’s greatest Greek scholar Laura, and her eight patient adult and teenage pupils), followed by two weeks in my happy place: the island of Patmos. This was our sixth summer returning to the tiny island where St. John wrote the Book of Revelation in a cave high on a hilltop.
Over the course of three weeks, we traveled through centuries, from the Bronze Age to Homer’s Odyssey, trying our best to reconcile fact from myth. (“Hasn’t this all been debunked?” - my 14 year old on day two). We didn’t exactly plan our trip around Christopher Nolan’s upcoming Odyssey movie, but I have to say, I now feel more than sufficiently prepped to watch this epic film.
If ancient history or travel log entries aren’t your thing, feel free to skip to the bottom to the Quick Hits, where I’ll share everything from the best things I read to random bits and bobs that deserved a little ink. (This is a long one so you may have to click out of your inbox at the bottom).
Before we begin, though...
Since I was last here with you, this little Substack that I started last summer has somehow crossed to over 300,000 subscribers. And, I honestly don’t even know what to say.
Last night I was telling my Montauk neighbor Adam Lindemann, best known for his art dealings but, more importantly to me, for his banjo playing and love of writing, that he should start a Substack. It’s like Tumblr, Mailchimp, and Instagram had a baby. I would love to read his tales from decades in the art world.
Substack, like Tumblr 20 years ago, has become my happy place online. It feels like the opposite of almost everywhere else on the internet, where it’s getting harder to distinguish AI slop from real people and everyone seems either furious or desperately in need of a sense of humor. So thank you for following along. Happy to have you here!
THE BRIEFING
We began our adventure on the island of Poros, where, over our first dinner, my husband Sean and official travel planner tried to explain what we were about to embark on. In short, we would be joined daily by a Greek scholar to teach us about the history and mythology and help remind us all that Greece is more than merely a collection of islands to luxuriate on. We were traveling with our best friends, Zev and Hannah, and their two daughters and our two sons, ages ranging from 11 to 14. Old enough to survive long, hot days exploring archaeological sites and, hopefully, retain at least some of what they learned. More importantly, still young enough to find it exciting...and not complain too much.
I admittedly didn’t pay much attention to Sean’s briefing. My job these days is simply to show up enthusiastically and let the adventure unfold as a surprise. That said, he absolutely nailed this trip. If you’re thinking about doing something similar with your family, send me a DM and I’ll happily share the scholar we used, she was fabulous.
EPIDAURUS- The Ancient Wellness Retreat
Our first stop was Epidaurus, home to the best-preserved ancient Greek theater in the world and the Sanctuary of Asclepius, once the most important healing center in ancient Greece. It was a pretty spectacular way to kick off what quickly became an intensive crash course in Greek history, archeology and mythology. That night we stayed in Ermioni before waking up in what became one of my favorite stops...
NAFPLIO- The Town I'd Happily Spend More Time in.
Nafplio was the first capital of modern Greece, but history aside, it’s just incredibly charming. Picture Venetian architecture, (from their days in charge, natch), winding marble streets, colorful neoclassical houses, cafés spilling into little squares, and tiny boutiques that honestly wouldn’t feel out of place in Venice, California (complete with tees embroidered with phrases like “petrify the patriarchy” - LFG!).
One of my favorite meals of the trip was at a little restaurant on the water in the port called Bounos Psarosavouras, where, like so many Greek tavernas, you pick your fish straight from stainless steel ice-filled drawers before they cook it for you. It’s such a fun little ritual. This is the kind of detail people are talking about when they say re-entry into life back in the U.S. is hard. Anyway their IG is really charming and gives you a good look at Nafplio’s charms.
MYCENAE - Where Myth Becomes History.
The next day we drove an hour from the port to what was really the main event: Mycenae. This UNESCO World Heritage site is home to the famous Lion Gate, the Cyclopean walls, and the extraordinary Treasury of Atreus, a massive beehive-shaped royal tomb long believed to be the burial place of King Agamemnon.
The Mycenaeans were the first organized Greek civilization, flourishing around 1600 B.C., and many consider them the true ancestors of Western civilization. This is one of the birthplaces that inspired Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey and the earliest examples of written Greek were found.
There was a lot to take in, but something that stayed with me the most were the massive walls that are somehow still standing. The stones weigh more than 20 tons, and historians still don't really know how they were moved into place. The ancient Greeks explanation? Perseus, the son of Zeus, summoned the Cyclopes, one-eyed giants, to build walls no ordinary human could possibly lift. Standing there...it didn’t seem like such a crazy theory.
History and mythology collide everywhere you look in Mycenae.
MONEMVASIA - The Biggest Surprise
The next morning found us in Monemvasia, the “Gibraltar of Greece,” a medieval fortress town perched on an enormous rock off the southeastern coast of the Peloponnese. Our Greek guide Laura, insisted we stop here. We had never even heard of it.
Good thing we listened.
A young George Clooney type could quietly move into Monemvasia and accidentally make the next place everyone wants to be ala Lake Como. The beautifully preserved Byzantine town with crumbling ruins, secret swimming spots, little cafés serving the world’s best fresh lemonade overlooking the sea is the kind of place you hope no one writes about...except whoops, here I am.
Heaven.
SPETSES - Where I Met Bouboulina
Our next stop was the island of Spetses, once the stomping grounds of Maria Callas and Ari Onassis, where we were greeted by horse-drawn carriages, charming boutiques, grand seaside mansions built by wealthy shipping families, and the magnificent Poseidonion Hotel.
It was also where I met one of my new historical heroes: Laskarina Bouboulina, the first women in history to earn the rank of admiral. Her life deserves its own movie. What. A. Woman.
AEGINA- Come for the Temple, Stay for the Pistachios
Our final stop before Patmos was the island of Aegina, home to the Temple of Aphaia, one of the best-preserved ancient temples in Greece. Built around 500 B.C., it forms what’s known as the “Sacred Triangle” with the Parthenon and the Temple of Poseidon. It’s a spectacular place to end a week spent wandering through ancient Greece.
Equally worth the trip - the Pistachios that the island has become known for. If you’re a pistachio lover, Aegina should be treated like a pilgrimage. Did you know pistachio butter exists? Neither did I. It’s mind-blowingly good, rivaling the first time I discovered Biscoff spread.
It was the sweetest little harbor town to spend our last night in the Peloponnese.
PATMOS- The Homecoming
My family first came to Patmos in 2019 after hearing lore of the tiny island where St. John wrote the Book of Revelation in a cave. This summer marked our sixth season here, and Patmos has officially become part of our family's history. Every year we rent the same wonderfully simple property on the sea, with just enough room for a revolving cast of old friends and new ones. Along the way, we've collected little rituals, favorite hikes and beaches, and beloved local characters, from our vintage wooden boat captain George, to our favorite maître d', George, to the best fish preparer on the island...also George. Sharing these traditions has become just as much fun as discovering them in the first place.
This year our dear friends, artist Hope Atherton and art world legend Gavin Brown, joined us with their lovely daughter, along with our pals Michael and Valerie Macaulay (of La Ligne) from London, who were celebrating their first holiday without their three kids.
Two weeks of long lazy lunches, dinners followed by endless rounds of Werewolf, Rummikub, late-night escapes into Chora for “just one more drink,” sunset hikes to Psili Ammos, and revisiting favorites like Lampi and Kampos beach somehow flew by.
That’s Patmos. It was fun to revisit the collection this place inspired.
Patmos is a place people really let their guards down. It’s refreshingly pure with its simple port town shops and slower pace of life. There’s no airport, and takes a deliberate effort to get to (it’s much closer to Turkey than Athens). All of this has thankfully helped keep it from becoming the next Santorini.
At night, the ancient Chora town overlooking the island comes alive. Teenage Greek shipping heirs mingle with socialites, midlife Italian designers, octogenarian German billionaire art collectors, wandering priests, and barefoot children weaving through the whitewashed alleyways long after dark. You can disappear for a quiet evening, or wander into Vagellis, squeeze into a table, and spend hours talking to people from every generation and every corner of the world - though you’re on a remote tiny island, you feel like you’re in the center of the world, the only place to be….
A few memorable moments from Patmos, Season Six...
• The Daily Quirky Swim: Over the years, our group has developed what can only be described as a ritualistic morning swim (which usually happens around noon). It includes several mandatory pit stops and a handful of rules that make absolutely no sense and would deem us kooks to the outside world.
Every year I’m convinced the new people in the group will think it’s ridiculous. Every year they fall in line and are more fulfilled humans afterwards. My friend Zev insists this is my Catholic upbringing showing itself through these silly vacation rituals. Possibly. I highly recommend stealing this idea for your next group trip. Shared rituals, no matter how silly, have an amazing way of making people feel comfortable with one another and establishing a shared history to look back on.
• The Best Host Gift. Hope and Gavin reminded me that the very best gift you can bring someone isn’t something you bought. It’s something you make. Bonus points if said gift is made during your holiday together.
Over the first few days they secretly worked with all of our kids creating beautiful sun prints using found objects collected around the island. At the end of the trip they surprised us with the complete series. It was an incredible surprise and I can’t wait to install the pieces in our Montauk home - a reminder of our special time in Patmos. Steal this idea!
• Vacation Fitness. Besides swimming in the Aegean and taking what always seem to become two-hour vertical hikes to ancient churches, my travel workout of choice remains Pvolve. I love how easy it is to pack.
• I finally got a chance to show off the “Lampi” print to the owner of our favorite beach restaurant it was inspired by. Lampi is like the Bar Pitti of Patmos and I was thrilled that he loved the print.
Besides all of the little local shops with the best eclectic jewelry, here were some things that stood out to me this trip:
• Greek amber worry beads were everywhere in the Peloponnese and Patmos too, and this year I really fell for them. I brought a couple home for friends because they feel like the perfect little gift for anyone waiting on news, applying to schools, navigating a stressful season, or simply trying to spend a little less time on their phone. These handmade amber ones with insects in them are incredibly special, but here’s a slightly more wallet-friendly version.
• I’ve followed Eugenie Niarchos’ Venyx line of jewelry on IG, so it was fun to bump into her in real life and see her latest collaboration with Margherita Maccapani Missoni (a favorite substack follow fyi) in the flesh.
• I fell in love with Flora and her amazing Caftans. I’m trying my best to get her to Montauk next summer!
• Once in Athens, I made sure to check out Mouki Mou Athens, after meeting the owner at a cocktail party in Patmos. It was unbelievably chic and had the best selection of Greek jewelry I’ve ever seen. I had to hold myself back! A must visit.
• Finally, on the plane home, our pal Alexander Werz was just arriving on the island. His IG does a good job of clocking the vibes.
Books I read:
• Sean and I were both reading Christopher Bollen’s The Destroyers this trip, which is set on Patmos and somehow made the island feel even more cinematic. Whenever we travel, we try to find a book that matches the destination. It always helps me get into the spirit. (The Book of Revelation, however, felt a little too heavy for a summer beach read.)
• I read Kazuo Ishiguro’s wonderful Never Let Me Go with my pal Odessa on this trip. So, it was crazy disturbing to read the news on the trip that Bryan Johnson claimed he has “cloned” himself as a newborn to harvest new organs. We are officially living in science fiction times.
• Andrew Sean Greer’s Villa Coco was a fun, easy beach read.
• Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck was recommended by my friend Zev, I’m halfway through.
• At the recommendation of my friend Valerie I read Beatriz Serrano’s Discontent which honestly left me depressed, but aptly captures post covid work dread. I am now in R.F. Kuang’s Yellowface which I’m RACING through and really enjoying.
• On the flight home, I watched a movie that's completely unlike my usual taste and was utterly captivated. It's called Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die. I'll spare you the details because half the fun is going in blind. Here's the Rotten Tomatoes link. You're welcome.
What are you reading and watching? Let me know in the comments section below!
MORE BITS AND BOBS:
Our niece Rachel had her first baby, a girl named Cece, and I was reminded that some of the most fun gifts are the unpractical ones. Here’s what we sent her. This was my second choice.
Our Montauk neighbor Max Levai may very well be taking a page from Gavin Brown's playbook. And, as the person who has to look at Matt Johnson's “Meditating Figure” every day (the 60-foot-tall sculpture made from old shipping containers that's causing D-R-A-M-A)? Well, people need to lighten up. I think he’s cute.
I spotted these quirky and adorable shoes on Laurel Pantin latest Substack and if I’m still thinking about them by next Wednesday, they’re mine. Related, I purchased these mules from the Utilitaria store in Montauk and I’m pretty much never taking them off.
Quantum physics was my favorite class in college (I was a pre-med dork, what can I say?), so it should come as no surprise that an article about Michael Levin titled "What's It Like to Be a Cucumber?" immediately hooked me. I was enthralled. I love that people like this exist.
Marcel, the new restaurant at the Met Breuer from our friends Robin and Stephen of Roman and Williams, is a brilliant feat, the result of decades spent refining their singular point of view. So why has seemingly every restaurant critic in New York lined up to pan it? I wonder if Marcel has become less a target because of what’s on the plate and more because of what it represents. The distractors seem to feel it embodies an elitism that many New Yorkers perhaps feel excluded from, and maybe even resent. Yes the Dover sole for two is almost $200. Running an operation where brutalist glass martini glasses, handcrafted by Naoya Arakawa, wholesale for $150 a pop (you can shop them here) isn’t exactly a low-overhead business. For the record, I happen to love Marcel and will happily keep escaping reality there whenever I get the chance.
I discovered the Berlin based artist and designer Maryam Keyhani from this post of her dancing underneath her absurdly large hat chandelier. Since then I’ve already purchased her wicker cake bag (obviously) and I am debating this opera cape.
Wait, this girl is fresh and chic and I sorta wanna shoot her in an LF campaign…
How cool would it be to live inside this shell house? I’d decorate the inside with every single thing in this post.
An idyllic look inside classic summer camps.
On our trip, you may be surprised to hear that the topic of D&D (that's Dungeons & Dragons, for all my fellow non-gamers) came up more than once. Apparently it's having a moment, and not just among middle school nerds. If you've been as confused as I have about what everyone is talking about, here's the most helpful breakdown.
I really love this idea that brands should be doing weird unexpected concepts frequently. It makes me think of what we should be doing at LF. Any ideas? Drop them in the comment section!
Speaking of cool things a brand did - check out this paper doll shoot series. I love it!
Happy August - we still have a lot of summer left, people! 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. (I’m taking this from my Substack OG Habitually Chic because she knows all. In Heather’s words: “One thing you can do to support Substack writers, especially as free subscribers, you can share this post and others with your friends and family. You can also follow me for more daily posts on Instagram and ShopMy. Thank you again for all your support and encouragement in this new endeavor!”)
No posts
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.