Monocle Weekend
Edition: Sunday

This week we head to a seaside restaurant in Ibiza that is dishing up Iberian fare with a creative twist. Next, we stop off at a Danish winery that uses foraged fruit from organic orchards near Copenhagen. Plus: a weekend getaway in an elegant hotel in Hyères and the swimming trunks that sport the “Made in Naples” label with pride. But first, Tyler Brûlé on village life.

Another weekend, another mountaintop. Today, I’m 1,000 metres higher than I was last Saturday, the lake of St Moritz is shimmering and twinkling below, the village is full of locals and visitors enjoying the very fine weather (sadly, it will have changed by the time you read this) and my colleagues from Monocle Radio are keeping the town square lively with a bit of music and interviews for St Moritz’s inaugural Makers & Shakers weekend. Tomorrow, I’ll be anchoring Monocle on Sunday from the same perch, so if you find yourself in the region, or fancy an early drive up to the Engadine, then do swing by for a coffee and a quick hello.

While we haven’t fully nailed down the line-up for tomorrow’s programme, I’ve been thinking about the forces that make village life work and why we’re so attracted to urban life rendered extra small. Before offering up my “top 10”, I will add a caveat to all of this by stating that my version of the perfect village has been informed by two decades of being a resident of St Moritz. This means stable rail and road connections to a couple of big cities (Zürich and Milan), an airport for moments when you might need to charter or hitch a ride on a friend’s plane, solid infrastructure and, of course, stunning scenery no matter where you turn. Here’s what makes a village.

1. Recognition. There’s nothing that quite sets the tone for a perfect day (or weekend) than walking through the village and being able to nod to the bank teller on a cigarette break, the man from the wine shop, the GM from the grand hotel and the lady who runs the kiosk. I’m not in St Moritz every week but I like that I feel a constant sense of connection after nearly 25 years on the scene – and that so many people are still part of it.

2. Trust. With recognition comes a social contract: “You don’t need to pay me today, I’ll just send you an invoice later”; “Why not take it home, try it and if you don’t like it, bring it back.” The degree of trust in many of Europe’s Alpine valleys is something to be cherished and preserved. I sometimes feel that it deserves some kind of Unesco recognition as an intangible, essential asset for cordial human conduct.

3. A square. A village needs a focal point and a well thought-out square is key for meeting, greeting, markets and much more. The square should have ample seating, shade, a couple of good cafés and bars, and shouldn’t be too overlit come sundown.

4. Families of shopkeepers. Over the years, St Moritz has said goodbye to a number of essential shops that helped to define the village. About five years ago, we bid farewell to what had to have been one of the world’s best hardware and homeware stores. Every day when I’m up in the village, I still miss Eichholzer. It was one of those establishments that could sort out almost every household need – marriage trauma included. Likewise, the independent grocery store Bornatico was one of those small-scale shops that had a secret bunker stocked with pretty much everything that one might find in a superstore. Thankfully, St Moritz still maintains a few family retail enterprises; Ebneter & Biel for linens, for example. But there could be more and they should find a way to create a climate for further experimentation.

5. Hidden hangouts. When your town relies on tourism, locals require their own watering holes that don’t appear in guidebooks and will never pass the lips of the concierge.

6. A colourful mayor. Ours can sing, tell a witty tale and dresses like he’s teaching at a boarding school in the Scottish Highlands.

7. Dandies and grandes dames. What’s a walk around town without seeing a few people who’ve made an extreme effort or have a signature style strutting around? Every town needs a few characters, some eccentrics, some freaks to turn heads and create a bit of chatter. We have quite a few of these up in our little village – and they definitely help to make the place.

8. Curious cars. You need odd wheels to go with odd outfits. Up here there’s a specific tribe of drivers of 1980s Pandas.

9. Accommodating cops. Community is about give and take, so the cops know that they need to be a little more relaxed: the person they’re about to issue a parking fine to might also have a cousin who’s currently installing their new bathroom. It would be a shame if the project ran into delays or a pipe burst.

10. Exotic city creatures. You need the city mice to keep the country mice entertained. And vice versa. Big-city visitors can occasionally inspire locals. And the life-long residents can teach the hardened urbanists how to take it down a notch.

Restaurant Sonrojo overlooks the crystal waters of Cala Llonga Bay, 13km from Ibiza’s Old Town on the bohemian east side of Ibiza (writes Graeme Green). Away from the well-trodden tourist path, Cala Llonga has a serene, laid-back vibe. “It’s the perfect escape from the island’s hustle and bustle,” says Ramón Salto, Sonrojo’s culinary director.

Here, creative takes on traditional Iberian dishes include the Donostiarra-style black-rice paella with cuttlefish and prawns, and ribeye paella with bone marrow. Sangria on the rocks is an obligatory part of the menu, alongside cooling cocktails such as the saffron Oaxaca old fashioned. “Cala Llonga channels the spirit of Ibiza but it has its own heartbeat,” adds Salto.
20 Calle Atalaya, Cala Llonga

Giulia Capaccioli is at the helm of Vino Vero, a natural-wine bar in Lisbon (writes Gabrielle Grangié). After living in Florence, Beijing and Venice, Capaccioli wanted to combine her passions for contemporary art and natural wines. Here, she raises a toast to her favourite Sicilian wine and sings the praises of the Portuguese capital’s beaches.

Where will we find you this weekend?
I like discovering little wine producers. I’m always out and about looking for new flavours and experiences that I can share with the staff.

Ideal start to a Sunday? Gentle or a jolt?
Sundays are giorni lenti, as we say in Italian. Slow days when you can enjoy time alone and have nice lunches in a park or by the sea.

What’s for breakfast?
As a good Italian, it’s multiple coffees and a savoury breakfast, such as a frittata.

Where are you spending your summer holidays?
This year I decided to spare myself any plan-making stress, so I will have a last-minute summer: small weekends travelling around warm places in Europe, a bit of family time in Italy and a trip to the mountains to get some fresh air.

Beach or urban waterfront?
Living in Lisbon, I would definitely say beach. There are beautiful sandy shores where you can enjoy spectacular sunsets with no urban interference.

A Sunday soundtrack?
I love the band Radio Tarifa: they combine flamenco, Arab-Andalusian music and other Mediterranean influences. If I’m going out, I’ll listen to their album Fiebre. At home, I’m usually cooking with Italian singer Mina in the background.

What’s on the menu?
Anything goes with a good glass of nerocapitano from Lamoresca: it’s a fresh and delicious frappato from Sicily.

Sunday evening routine?
Eating pizza diavola, reading a good book – I’m currently reading Circe by Madeleine Miller – and some poems by Dino Campana. I’ll end the night with a film by Hayao Miyazaki (one of the founders of Studio Ghibli).

The summer-cocktails series in Monocle’s Mediterraneo newspaper offers twists on much-loved summer classics. This one is deliciously refreshing and packs a punch. “I have a Brazilian wedding coming up later this year and this one is a guaranteed people pleaser,” says chef and recipe writer Ralph Schelling. Despite the name, this mix in fact calls for limes – and the more the merrier.

Aperitif for 4 people

Ingredients
2 organic limes
2 handfuls of ice cubes
5 tbsps sweetened condensed milk
700ml mineral water

Method

1
Wash the limes and cut into quarters.

2
Blend the limes, a handful of ice cubes, condensed milk and mineral water until creamy.

Poor Chance Winery makes the best of the berries that Denmark has to offer. What started as winemaker Casper Sahl Poulsen’s passion project has grown into a fully fledged urban winery based northwest of Copenhagen. The winery aims to nurture the declining fruit production of the native terroir and specialises in lightly sparkling fruit wines.

The fermentation shed is Sahl Poulsen’s playground, where he macerates the fruit and ferments it in steel tanks. The food-science graduate has always loved picking wild apples and elderflowers from organic orchards just outside Copenhagen, and raspberries from Rokkedysse berry farm, surprising the palette of Denmark’s wine drinkers with unusual flavours. From the juice to the pulp, Poor Chance Winery celebrates the fruit in all its glory.
poorchancewinery.com

Lilou hotel in Hyères is an homage to the glory days of the French seaside hideaway (writes Tim Anscombe-Bell). Formerly the Hôtel du Parc, this Haussmann-style gem from the 1890s opened its doors in April after a three-year transformation by hoteliers Lisa and David Pirone. Despite its grand setting, there is warmth and conviviality here. “Lilou is just like its name: easygoing and global,” says David. “We wanted to create a place where people love to gather.”

The lounge has seagrass wallpaper and white trellises, comfy rattan sofas upholstered in textured fabrics and a long palatial bar covered in burr poplar veneer. There’s no reception desk per se; guests are instead greeted by a charming front-of-house team and encouraged to make themselves at home. The restaurant and kitchen lead out to a terrace adorned with Palladian columns and trailing vines. The 37 guest rooms feature works by 14 artists from the region, curated by Jean-Pierre Blanc, director of nearby Villa Noailles. There is also a charming private tasting room, reserved for 12 guests, where you can sample Emmanuel Perrodin’s Mediterranean cuisine. We can’t think of anywhere better to enjoy Hyères’s gentle pace of life than at this lovely new establishment.
lilouhotel.fr

If you’re the type who sees the beach as a sandy runway, look no further. Italian label Ripa Ripa supplies swimming trunks that come in the vibrant aesthetic of a 1960s Mediterranean summer with a contemporary focus on quality.

With hems sewn by Neapolitan hands, a nautical rope for a tying cord and quick-dry brushed fabric, Ripa Ripa’s designs make for enviable beach wear. There’s a spectrum of colours to choose from. We’ve opted for the sailor’s two-toned blue and white, alongside a sunny clementine orange.
riparipa.com

For more summer sentiments and beachside boltholes, pick up a copy of our bumperJuly/Augustissue, which is on newsstands now. Orsubscribeso that you never miss an issue. Have a super Sunday.