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This week we’re settling in for a long lunch at a new restaurant complex in the heart of Sydney. Then we sit down with an interior designer in Segovia before heading off to the Aegean where a new swimming club on the Athenian Riviera is calling. Plus: the wine brand that’s popping the cork on vineyards in undiscovered corners. Diving in first is Tyler Brûlé.
The Faster Lane / Tyler Brûlé
Where were you this week? Did you spend your days trotting around the showrooms of Paris looking at all the fine menswear and accessories that will be hitting shops in August? Or were you up in Davos daintily avoiding ice patches in a pair of hastily purchased pony-skin Kandahar boots? Or perhaps you were occupied elsewhere while reflecting on the official installation of a new-ish US president and what the change in DC will mean for global affairs? For my part, I spent the week in various corners of Europe meeting business leaders and owners to listen, ask questions and analyse the general climate as we near the close of the first month of 2025.
Lisbon
Monday afternoon and I’m visiting a modernist house outside the city. I’m thinking it would make a lovely compound for a future Monocle retreat and I’m talking to the estate agent about the mood of the market. Americans are buying up a storm and there seems to be no let up in their interest in putting down roots in Portugal. You will recall that many Americans said they would flee the country under the first Trump presidency but as the inauguration was getting under way on the other side of the Atlantic an alternative story was taking shape. “Many Americans have been leaving the US because their cities aren’t working, they’re worried about security and they don’t like what is being taught in their schools,” I was told. “I wonder whether the change of government and stricter policies will mean that more Americans will feel safer and less keen to move?” Much has been made of a liberal exodus because of Trump but perhaps it’s worth reassessing the numbers to see if the real flight to safer pastures was under Biden’s watch. One for the analysts.
Paris
Tuesday lunchtime and I’m in a private dining room peering out across the rooftops towards Place Vendôme. The gentleman opposite runs a luxury business of serious scale and he’s feeling cautiously optimistic about the year ahead. Conditions are tough in some parts of Asia but Japan is performing well and for him it’s clear that the US will be the outright leader in his sector. “We now need to see how Europe reacts, what companies and governments do and how they will seize this optimism,” he says. “This is a time to get back to centre, to avoid the radical cultural shifts we saw over the past few years and not be swayed by political agendas. We are running businesses and we need to deliver.”
On the streets below, the fashion crowds are coming and going and darting to shows and appointments. At the traffic lights I stand beside a group of young men from the US in blouson jackets, billowing denim trousers and all have tiny handbags over their shoulders. It’s a look that’s worked in the contained world of K-pop and has been pushed in the West but it suddenly looks rather dated.
Zürich
Friday afternoon on the 15.38 train to Chur and I bump into a Norwegian friend in the dining car. He’s seated with a colleague from Oslo and they ask me to join them. My friend has been at The World Economic Forum and he’s in a sunny mood. The first thing he tells me is that by Christmas I will be among the first of a fortunate few to receive the new mobile phone he’s been developing for the millions around the world who’ve been craving a physical keyboard. “It’s coming and there is so much excitement around it,” he says. The conversation then shifts to discussions around Europe and specifically Norway. “Our country is a good example of the poor direction the continent is heading in. A climate has been created where it’s impossible to do business and thrive and no one is on the side of the people actually creating jobs,” adds the colleague. “We need to snap out of it but I wonder if it’s too late.” As we roll along to Landquart, we hit upon a theme. There is plenty of capital out there for new ideas but legislation makes execution complex and all the capital in the world won’t make a business flourish if you can’t employ people who have passion and know-how.
Silvaplana
Friday evening in a restaurant known for fondue to join a post-Davos gathering for dinner. It’s a relaxed group from various pockets of business and government. Former US secretary of state John Kerry is in one corner, the founder of a major cruise line is holding court in the middle of the room and I’m chatting to a Turkish gentleman about the positives of rejection. “You could say that Turkey being kicked out of the F-35 fighter programme was a positive for the aerospace industry as it jolted so many companies into action to create new solutions,” he says. “If you’d asked me three years ago about my view on my country it was dim but now I feel that we have a chance – in part because of resilience, perseverance and Turkish people’s hard work. We’re well positioned compared to much of Europe when it comes to manufacturing but also offering services.” He’s right. Turkey has much to fix but if Europe doesn’t get back into the groove of putting in hours and celebrating the positives of the workplace we will see a collapse of all the freedoms that we currently cherish.
St Moritz
Saturday morning at my new favourite hangout (Belmont) and I’m having a coffee and catching up with a friend who runs a sizeable financial-services group. We had a Davos debrief the night before and today we’re talking about the general swing to the right and the coming shift in priorities. He relays the story of a family member in education in Germany who has seen their school move the boys’ bathroom to the basement in order to create a transgender bathroom on the main floor of a school that has no transgender students. “Given all that’s happening in Germany and going wrong you would think that they would have more important priorities, no? And we wonder why people are frustrated and vote for the far right when the basics such as personal security are not in focus,” he added.
After a decade of initiatives and policies that have been implemented at the expense of social harmony, prosperity and growth, my friend is advocating for people to speak up and call out the measures that make zero sense for industry, stifle society, create ghettos and remove any sense of personal responsibility.
House news / The Chiefs 2025
After the success of our conference in Hong Kong (pictured), Monocle’s global leadership conference is heading to Jakarta for this year’s iteration of The Chiefs. Join Tyler Brûlé, Andrew Tuck and Monocle’s senior editors for our fourth gathering of global business figures. From valuable industry forecasts to practical advice on how to steer your business, this one-day conference promises inspiration and opportunities. Hear from 10 industry leaders and connect with an engaged community of more than 100 international business heads and entrepreneurs. In partnership with ASRI, the event will provide an outlook for Southeast Asia and beyond. Find out more about the event and secure your ticket here.
The Chiefs 2025
Wednesday 23 to Thursday 24 April
25hours Hotel The Oddbird
Jakarta, Indonesia
New Opening / The International, Sydney
New establishment The International finds itself rubbing shoulders with Australia’s biggest banks and law firms in Martin Place, the sandstone heart of Sydney’s central business district (writes Divya Venkataraman). It’s a location with great potential, says Joel Bickford, the venue’s culinary director. “We’d have been stupid to pass it up.”
Australians have mastered the art of the long lunch and at no time is that more evident than on Fridays from noon, when parched and famished Sydneysiders begin to filter through the doors of The International. The multi-level space is the latest opening from restaurant conglomerate The Point Group, best known for its glamorous Shell House on nearby Margaret Street. It comprises three venues: The Grill is a fine-dining steakhouse that’s sandwiched between The Wine Bar below and a more casual Japanese diner and rooftop bar above.
Moving away from the tight one-pager that has come to define a particular style of inner-city restaurant, The Grill’s extensive menu features a Margra Lamb Barnsley Chop and an entire pork saddle. But there is lightness too: Sydney rock oysters served with a native lime mignonette, and Port Lincoln abalone served kilpatrick-style. The venue reflects Bickford’s faith in high-quality ingredients. “When you have produce this fresh, it’s best to step back and let it be.”
internationalsydney.com
Eating out / Nexpect Coffee, Tokyo
Barista-turned-businessman Kenji Kojima wanted to get back to doing what he loves best: making coffee (writes Fiona Wilson). After helping Oslo-based Fuglen to set up in Tokyo, he recently opened Nexpect Coffee in a former newspaper shop on a quiet street in the Kodenmacho neighbourhood of Nihonbashi.
Customers order and pay on a screen by the counter, freeing baristas to focus on making great coffee. Nexpect Coffee even has its own robot mascot, Neku Yukun. “It’s good to be in a new place,” says Kojima, who finds the neighbourhood a refreshing change from Shibuya.
The area is warming up with new shops and restaurants, and many coffee pilgrims are making their way to see what Kojima, a renowned figure in the Tokyo bean scene, is up to. A roasting machine is on order and, if all goes well, this will be the first of several buzzing Nexpect Coffee shops.
nexpect.theshop.jp
Pick up a copy of our annual travel special,‘The Escapist’, for more on our selection of smart urban addresses and tips to help you plan your next getaway. Available from all good newsstands now.
Sunday roast / Iñigo Aragón
One half of the duo behind Madrid-based design studio Casa Josephine, Iñigo Aragón pivoted to interiors from a career in fashion design after restoring a country residence in La Rioja with his partner, Pablo López Navarro. Here, Aragón tells us about finding calm in Segovia, movie marathons and his well-curated Sunday playlist.
Where do we find you this weekend?
Taking a break in La Losa in Segovia. It’s a one-hour drive from Madrid, making it the ideal getaway. Pablo ‘my partner in studio and life’ and I have a B&B here. When no guests are staying we come for the weekend. As a contrast to Madrid, it’s idyllic.
Ideal start to a Sunday? Gentle start or a jolt?
Whether it’s a Sunday or not, I take it one step at a time, no rush.
What’s for breakfast?
A cup of coffee with milk and a few magdalenas (Spanish muffins) that we buy in La Losa. We stock up on cakes, honey and custard every time we’re here.
Lunch in or out?
Definitely out and even outdoors if the weather allows it. El Fogón de Valentina’s simple and hearty fare is always a good choice. Or Taberna Tomasa in a nearby village.
Walk the dog or downward dog?
A bit of stretching is always a good idea but I avoid serious exercise on Sundays and there’s no dog to walk.
A Sunday soundtrack?
I have a playlist on Spotify called “pasteles” (meaning “sweets”) that includes everything from Charles Aznavour to Franco Battiato, Rocío Dúrcal to Alison Moyet and Angelo Branduardi to Ismaël Lô.
Sunday culture must?
A film or two, or three. We’ve gone through the works of Federico Fellini, Pier Paolo Pasolini and Luis García Berlanga.
What’s on the menu?
Easy and unstructured with few ingredients and never processed food or a takeaway. Even with time on our hands, we stick to salad and a steak with lots of bread and an insane amount of olive oil.
Do you lay out an outfit for Monday?
I postpone the agony of choosing what to wear for Monday morning.
Recipe / Aya Nishimura
Monocle’s Japanese recipe writer has a noodle-and-aubergine dish that is healthy, flavoursome and aromatic. What is more, it’s as easy to make as it is warming to eat.
Serves 2-3
Ingredients
2 tbsps vegetable oil
An aubergine, cut in half, then sliced into half-moons, soaked in water
2 garlic cloves, minced
10g ginger, minced
3 spring onions, finely chopped (save ⅓ for garnish)
1 tsp tobanjan (Chinese bean-and-chilli paste)
250g minced pork
1½ tbsps miso paste
1 tbsp light-brown sugar
1 tbsp saké
2 tbsps light soy sauce
380ml water
1 small nest (50g) of dried glass noodles
Rice, to serve (optional)
Method
1
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan and fry the aubergine until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2
In the same pan, heat the remaining oil and sauté the garlic, ginger and chopped spring onions until aromatic.
3
Add the tobanjan and cook for 2 minutes.
4
Add the minced pork and cook until browned.
5
In a small bowl, mix the miso paste, sugar, saké, soy sauce and water. Pour this mixture into the pan with the pork.
6
Add the aubergines and glass noodles. Simmer and stir until the noodles soften and absorb the sauce.
7
Garnish with the reserved spring onions and plate up. Serve with rice for a hearty portion.
Weekend plans? / Ace Hotel & Swim Club, Athens
Ace Hotel has marked its return to Europe with Ace Hotel & Swim Club on the Athens Riviera (writes Alexandra Aldea). “This city is a perfect location [for the property], with its juxtaposition of ancient and contemporary influences,” says the company’s CEO, Brad Wilson. The 1970s building was reimagined by French firm Ciguë, with the support of Athens-based Georges Batzios Architects, to capture the breezy spirit of a modernist seaside resort. The pool area features green loungers and butter-and-cream-coloured umbrellas.
The interiors are kitted out with earth-toned furnishings and natural materials chosen by the owners of vintage furniture shop Back to the Future, with pieces from design icons such as Carlo Scarpa and Harvey Guzzini.
For food, head to the hotel’s in-house restaurant, Sebastian, which serves modern Mediterranean fare. To kick-start your weekend, try the Kástra Elión vodka, which is distilled from olives, before heading to The Lobby bar for other options.
acehotel.com
Discover more sun-soaked spots in the Greek capital in our newest title ‘Greece: The Monocle Handbook.’ What are you waiting for?
Bottoms up / Other World Wines
Friends Jack Blumsom and Gleb Petrenko started Other World Wines after a trip to Georgia, where they visited vineyards and sampled the bounty of excellent wines on offer (writes Sophie Monaghan-Coombs). “‘Other world’ is a loosely defined term for a region that is unexplored or, in some cases, forgotten about,” Blumsom tells The Monocle Weekend Edition. “Many of the countries that we work with, including Georgia, Turkey and Moldova, are some of the oldest winemaking regions in the world.”
One of the duo’s most successful bottles, a chardonnay-riesling blend called Jumi-Juma, is made in southern Moldova. So where’s next? “Slovenia makes exceptional orange wine, so we want to go there,” adds Blumsom. “Uruguay is also producing exciting wines at the moment, including some delicious péts-nats.”
otherworldwines.co.uk
Looking to discover more unique stories? Pick up a copy of ‘Monocle: The Forecast’ for pithy predictions about the year ahead. Have a super Sunday.
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