My favorite beach-y hotels

This week, I’m hanging out in Los Angeles for work, planning some events for a new client that my agency, Untitled Secret, recently signed.

I love any chance I can get to visit LA. I always check in on some of my favorite restaurants—like Kismet, Found Oyster, and Bestia—and check out new spots that have opened since my last return. This week, I’m excited about Damian, LA’s first entry from Mexico’s acclaimed chef Enrique Olvera, Horses, a new revamp of a storied, old-school watering hole, and Sesame, a postage stamp-sized market selling Vietnamese lunches and packaged goods made by AAPI founders. I’m also bullish on the downtown Proper Hotel, the newest location of the Kelly Wearstler-designed hospitality brand. The on-premise restaurants, Caldo Verde and Cara Cara, are helmed by local culinary legend and James Beard Award-winning chef Suzanne Goin. While it’s the meals that always get me the most excited, I also brought my bicycle to LA so I could fit in a few warm-weather rides in the Hollywood Hills. It’s the perfect way to experience a little more of the city than I usually do—and work off all those extra calories I’m taking in.

Favorite links this week

THE TIKTOK TOLL

Social media brings both joy and—let’s face it—darkness. This duality has always given me mixed feelings, but it’s never been more frightening than it is in this story about Ava Majury, a young TikToker, whose life was literally endangered by one of her fans.

AGING FRIENDSHIPS

Ruminating on friendships is something we all do, but the topic is rarely addressed in a more public forum. That’s why I appreciated this piece in The Atlantic about adult friendships and how they shift shapes as we continue to grow older.

NEW VIBES

We’re familiar with the ways nebulous cultural trends seemingly cohere into ubiquitous lifestyles (think Brooklyn hipster or Millennial pink)…and then make way for the next new thing. A Vibe Shift, as codified in a recent article in The Cut, is happening yet again. The question is what, exactly, it will bring.

WARM WEATHER DESTINATIONS

Soaking up the Los Angeles sunshine has me dreaming of even warmer vacations. From Turks & Caicos to Riviera Maya, there are so many tropical getaways I’m dying to visit. Though it was tough to narrow down the list, these are the top contenders for my next warm-weather getaway.

Casona Sforza

I fell in love with this Oaxacan oasis during my stay last year and desperately want to return. Architect Alberto Kalach built the Puerto Escondido property with cascading, cream-colored brick arches that pair perfectly with minimalist decor by Mexico City design studio MOB.

Hacienda AltaGracia

Auberge Resorts Collection recently debuted this wellness sanctuary nestled into the tropical rainforest foothills of Costa Rica’s Talamanca Mountains. The tranquil 50-casita resort features a coffee farm, horse stables, organic gardens, and a wellbeing center.

Maroma

This dreamy, newly-renovated Belmond Hotel in Riviera Maya promises an indoor-outdoor spa inspired by ancient healing rituals, four dining destinations that celebrate Mexico's regional cuisines, and access to the largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere.

Paradero

Baja’s Todos Santos is home to this 35-suite, experience-inclusive property for adults only that offers activities like hiking, mountain biking, surfing, and gardening. It’s “less of a hotel than a high-design landscaping project” ideal for nature-seeking travelers.

Pine Cay

I’m drawn to the secluded, private island setup at Pine Cay in Turks & Caicos. Just a short boat ride from Providenciales, the 12 beachfront rooms and suites are on the edge of the world’s third-largest barrier reef and feel quintessentially Caribbean.

Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort

If I’m getting on plane, I might as well head all the way to Colombia, where this 187-room beachfront resort is outfitted with a natural color palette, organic materials, panoramic windows, and open spaces. With three restaurants and seven bars, I’ll never get bored.

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