Monocle Weekend
Edition: Sunday

For this week’s sunny dispatch, we sail to the Cycladic island of Mykonos and the Bodrum peninsula, where a beach club is bringing a sense of rustic elegance to the Turkish riviera. Plus: we raise a toast to the viticulture of the Languedoc region and take in the architectural gems along the Amalfi coastline. Kicking things off is Tyler Brûlé with a few spots that you should seek out this summer.

It’s Friday afternoon at Villa Arnica in Lana, Südtirol, and guests are slowly rolling in for a weekend that has been almost five months in the planning. Two years ago we booked out this fine little establishment for a mixed gathering of friends (they came from points far and wide and many had never met before) and now we’re repeating the exercise with a few fresh additions. Mats has looked after all the logistics for the group and long before we head up to the Monocle outpost in Merano (a 10-minute drive away) for our summer party, we will have already gone for a long yet gentle hike, had lunch at Vigilius and taken multiple dips in the pool. According to my diary, this weekend and the following seven days mark the high point of my summer social calendar as it’s back into the full swing of work from 16 July. Then there is the Olympics. And, all going to plan, August will mostly be spent in Zürich, with side trips to Gstaad, Vals, St Moritz and maybe a bit of Italy. And you? What are you planning? If you’re looking at your calendar and are still at a bit of a loss on the transport and accommodation front, here are a couple of travel related Qs (from friends and Monocle readers) that I have provided As for over the past month or so.

Q: We’re taking the family to Japan at the end of July…
A: Stop right there! Why are you going to Japan in July? Unless you’re thinking of a gentle drive around the outer reaches of Hokkaido in a vintage Land Cruiser or totally pimped-out Alphard, I cannot endorse this. Please come back to me when you want to go in November or early March.

Q: Where do you stay in Tokyo now that the Park Hyatt is closed for renovations?
A: I just tried the Palace Hotel for the second time this year (see my column from a few weeks ago) and like the balconies, the proximity to Ginza and also the very good bar. For pure convenience and proximity to Monocle’s office, I’m also a fan of Trunk Hotel at Yoyogi Park.

Q: If you could pick one country to cover by rail, where would you recommend?
A: I assume you’re talking about Europe? Are you? If so, then I’d say Switzerland for short distances but also the mix of rolling stock and the abundance of dining cars on offer. For longer jaunts and impressive infrastructure, you need to try Spain. A couple of weeks ago I sampled Trenitalia’s new Iryo brand on Spanish tracks (Barcelona to Madrid) and was mightily impressed by the First Class carriage, the perky staff and the catering. I was still missing the dining car but the Italians rolling at the highest speeds on Spain’s rails is a good thing as it will force state operator Renfe to up its game.

Q: I recall you went to St Barth’s recently. Would you go back? And where would you stay?
A: I would go back in a flash, in the right season obviously. I was at the Rosewood Le Guanahani. Super bungalow, great team and well located.

Q: Do you have any thoughts on a place that’s a bit secluded but not too secluded, good for sport but not too sporty and also has plenty of shopping nearby?
A: This is an easy one. Again, I’ll assume you’re talking about Europe. Jennica Shamoon Arazi keeps upping the ante at the Marbella Club (pictured, top right), so get a bungalow and set yourself up on the beach (pictured, bottom left). For pure convenience, it’s hard to beat. You’ve got plenty of flights into Málaga, an amazing promenade for morning walks and jogging, a superb kids’ club, a new-generation branch of Zara Home in Puerto Banús, the Plaza de los Naranjos (pictured, bottom right) for catching the late-afternoon sun in the old town and El Fuerte de Marbella to relax by the pool (pictured, top left).

For more travel tips from the Monocle team, we’re launching a new travel-and-shopping newsletter from this Friday. Watch for it in your inbox.

Soho House-owned beach club Scorpios has sailed across the Aegean to create a Turkish version of its offering on the Bodrum peninsula (writes Sela Musa). Guests can delight in eastern Mediterranean cuisine with Scorpios classics such as lemon zucchini linguine and avocado tzatziki, as well as local favourites including cig kofte (meatballs) and ariani (a yoghurty drink). Near the shore, Scorpios Bodrum offers 12 stone bungalows for extended stays. With their cubic architecture, terracotta interiors and floor-to-ceiling windows, they are a modern riff on the region’s traditional residences.

There’s a private jet service in operation between Mykonos and Bodrum – a partnership with concierge service Kennedy’s Group – which is the area’s first direct connection. The terrace hosts an eclectic mix of musicians, DJs and emerging artists. “This unique blend makes for unexpected connections,” CEO Thomas Heyne tells the Monocle Minute. “We want our guests to feel inspired.”
scorpios.com

Emil Pacha Valencia is the editor in chief of independent French-language culture quarterly Tempura (writes Gabrielle Grangié). Based between Tokyo and Paris, Pacha Valencia is also a photographer, focusing on contemporary Japan. This weekend he tells us about shopping for cooking supplies in Tokyo, the sound of his cafetière and the key to creating a fresh yuzu salad dressing.

Where will we find you this weekend?
In Tokyo, shopping for high-quality cooking supplies in Kappabashi, between the Ueno and Asakusa districts.

Your ideal start to a Sunday? Gentle or a jolt?
Gentle, listening to the sound of preparing pour-over coffee. It’s very calming.

What’s for breakfast?
Coffee first, always. Then, if I’m hungry, some Greek yoghurt and fruit.

Lunch in or out?
In Tokyo, I usually go out because there is so much choice. I love La Tripletta, a restaurant in the west of the city, where the chefs make amazing Neapolitan-style pizzas using a wood-fired oven. In Paris, I eat in. Brunch is overrated there.

Walk the dog or downward dog?
I spend half the year outside Paris, so I’m not a reliable pet person. I’m often found on a climbing wall.

A Sunday soundtrack?
I have recently been listening to the pianist Duval Timothy. I find his music very relaxing.

A Sunday culture must?
Catching up on my reading. Currently it’s The Years by Annie Ernaux, which is a beautifully written book about social change in France from the perspective of a woman born in the 1940s.

News or no news?
Mostly slow media or monthly magazines. I leave the news for weekdays.

What’s on the menu?
Mizuna salad with pomelo, tomato, some herbs and a citrussy dressing, served with fresh bread and cheese.

Where will you be spending your summer holidays?
The south of France, the French Alps and Lozère, near the Cévennes National Park. It’s one of the country’s least-populated areas. Because I live in two very dense cities, spending time away from crowds is important.

Your Sunday-evening routine?
Reading. Or watching a film at home. Or dinner out. Or work. So no routine, really.

Will you lay out an outfit for Monday?
I improvise in the morning, depending on the weather and my mood. I also check with my partner to make sure that I don’t make a faux pas.

From our out now July/August issue Monocle’s Japanese chef whips up an imaginative take on the Wiener schnitzel, giving this traditional recipe a lighter feel without losing its Austrian connection.

Serves 2

Ingredients
For the salad
½ cucumber, thinly sliced
70g sour cream
5g dill, finely chopped
¼ tsp sea salt

For the breadcrumbs
230g pork fillets, sliced
20g parmesan cheese, cut into small chunks
50g panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsps plain flour
2 medium eggs, beaten
100ml sunflower oil
100ml clarified butter
2 large white bread rolls
Olive oil, to brush
2 lemon wedges, to squeeze

Method

1
Mix all of the salad ingredients together.

2
Place the pork fillets between sheets of baking parchment and pound with a meat tenderiser until 5mm thick. Season with salt and pepper.

3
Blend the cheese and the breadcrumbs in a food processor to form a fine crumb.

4
Prepare four baking trays. Fill one with flour, one with the beaten eggs, one with the breadcrumb mix and leave one empty. Gradually heat the oil and clarified butter to 170C in a frying pan.

5
Dust the pork loins with flour, dip them into the beaten eggs and coat with the breadcrumb mix. Then lay them on the fourth tray.

6
When the oil is hot, add the schnitzel and fry for two to four minutes on each side or until it reaches a pale golden colour. Once cooked, remove and place on a wire rack.

7
Slice the rolls horizontally, toast and brush with olive oil. Add the schnitzel, a squeeze of lemon juice and the cucumber salad.

For more summer sandwich suggestions, pick up a copy of Monocle’sJuly/August bumper issue, which is available on all good newsstands now.

Deos is the new opening from luxury hotel group The Myconian Collection (writes Alexandra Aldea). A 10-minute stroll from Mykonos Town, it’s a 42-key hotel on a hill overlooking the old harbour. “All of our hotels are spread across four prime locations on this island,” says Vangelis Daktylides, a second-generation member of the family that runs the group. “This allows us to cater to a variety of preferences.”

Designed by Galal Mahmoud of Beirut-based GM Architects, the hotel blends indoor and outdoor spaces using contemporary Cycladic design and natural elements such as rocks and native plants. The whitewashed buildings sit among gardens with silver olive trees and large terracotta amphorae. “My favourite spot at Deos is the terrace by the swimming pool,” says Daktylides. “It offers views of Mykonos Town on one side and the Aegean on the other.”
deosmykonos.gr

For more rustic retreats, Mediterranean stopovers and sunny sojourns, pick up a copy of our dedicated summer newspaper,‘Monocle Mediterraneo’, on newsstands now.

UK wine company Fat Crush’s name is a nod to the process of pressing grapes after harvesting (writes Claudia Jacob). But it also captures founder Hannah Cheston’s love affair with the fruit of France’s Languedoc-Roussillon region, an extensive stretch of coastline along the western Mediterranean basin. A former brand manager at hotel group Ennismore, Cheston launched her playful company last year with a fruity white containing green-skinned chardonnay and viognier grapes with notes of peach and pear.

In May, Fat Crush released its fuller-bodied, highly quaffable younger sibling, incorporating the jammy flavours of plum and blackberry in a blend of merlot and syrah grapes.
fatcrush.co.uk

Italy’s allure is hard to resist and few places in the Bel Paese attract more attention than the Amalfi Coast (writes Ivan Carvalho). If you want to live vicariously through those who own property there, then pick up a new title published by Rizzoli, Amalfi Houses: Architectural Gems on the Italian Coast. Paris-based author Ana Cardinale spent 10 years gaining access to these wondrous residences, photographed here by Matthieu Salvaing.

Readers can peek into the living rooms, terraces and gardens of summer villas in places from Sorrento to Positano and admire their vintage design, including ceramic floors by artisans from Vietri. Cardinale also gives us the backstories of these remarkable homes, which have served as a refuge for guests such as Greta Garbo and Gore Vidal. From Ravello’s gothic Villa Cimbrone to the early-20th-century Villa Porta Donica, there’s a wealth of styles to appreciate.
rizzoliusa.com

For more of the finest food-and-drink recommendations, pick up the latest issue of Monocle. Even better, subscribetoday so that you never miss an issue. Have a super Sunday.