Monocle Weekend
Edition: Saturday

Shall we do some house news? Firstly, I’d like us to talk Jakarta (not a euphemism). On Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 April we are hosting The Chiefs, our engaging conference series that looks at leadership. I would love to tell you about my favourite places to visit while there but, actually, I can’t. Why? I have never been. Now, just like my Sunday companion on these Weekend Editions, Mr Brûlé, you might have wandered its streets many times before. Though his wandering might also involve a driver (here’s hoping because I am tagging along with him). But me? Never.

One of the most extraordinary privileges of being a journalist, especially one from Monocle, is that wherever you arrive in the world there’s a network of entrepreneurs, designers, civic leaders and cultural trailblazers who you have reported on before or who – via our correspondents and bureaux chiefs – are delighted to show you around, reveal how a place works and let you in on a few secrets. That’s why I’m excited to have a ticket for the Jakarta bus and why you should come too. Together we can discover what this vibrant city has to offer – and all alongside an incredible line-up of talent from across Asia.

Over two days, we’ll show you how to tap into the region’s talents and creativity, create food and beauty brands, and up our game when it comes to being a good leader. And if you want a cheeky weekend in Bali to top it off, the island is only a hop away. Friendships will be made, contacts found; perhaps contracts too. It’s going to be tropical fun – and not in The White Lotus way. You can find information about tickets and speakers here or just email our head of events, Hannah Grundy, at hg@monocle.com and she will be able to tell you all (she has everything covered, as always).

Another thing that I wanted to mention to any readers who are in the world of property, architecture and city-making is that team Monocle is heading to Cannes on Monday for Mipim. Every year we attend the world’s biggest gathering for property folk because you get a snapshot of where’s growing, which cities are leading the charge in sustainability and how civic leaders are navigating a multitude of issues from housing needs to hospitality. But this year we are upping the game and will have a radio studio in the Palais des Festivals, the main venue. I will be there along with Monocle Radio’s Carlota and Dave, as well as Luke and Rebecca from our commercial team. Come say hello. Who knows? You might end up on air.

Cannes will also be a great place to talk about our March issue, which is on sale now and looks at the world of property among many other things. One of these other stories is an Expo that our editor, Josh Fehnert, commissioned about late-night restaurant tables. Those places you go to after the event, where you suddenly decide that a martini would be a good idea, and whatever the food order, a side of fries will be essential. Restaurants where the staff hustle and bustle, the conversation soars, promises are made. Just looking at the pages will have you trying to reserve a table at The Dover in London or Rosy e Gabriele in Milan. And in Jakarta? Don’t worry, that’s all booked.

Going by the autumn/winter 2025 collections sashaying down the runway this fashion month, you’d be forgiven for thinking that there’s an international shortage of cufflinks (writes Grace Charlton). At shows such as Prada in Milan, Toga in London and Christian Dior in Paris, austere silhouettes are being offset with dress-shirt sleeves billowing out from under tailored coats and jackets.

Executed properly, loose cuffs bring an end-of-the-night, loosened-bow-tie air of nonchalance to an outfit. Perhaps even a dash of New Romantic flair. But beware of taking it too far. The addition of lace or other sartorial frills risk veering towards costume territory – and tends to land somewhere between wizard and Meat Loaf.

The recent sartorial consensus begs the question: why does the fashion industry seem to agree that it’s time to let down its cuffs rather than roll up its sleeves? It might be a small act of rebellion following years of self-imposed minimalism. Loose, oversized cuffs can certainly bring drama to an otherwise restrained look and it’s not too risqué that it only works on the runway either. The best part? It’s easy to recreate at home. Just ditch the cufflinks. They were probably a bad gift anyway.

Spain’s largest contemporary art fair, Arco Madrid, is in full swing this weekend. To mark the occasion, here are three other Iberian cultural events that are on our radar.

Film: ‘Tardes de Soledad’ (‘Afternoons of Solitude’)
This new documentary from Catalan director Albert Serra is a portrait of Peruvian bullfighter Andrés Roca Rey, one of the world’s most successful toreros. By doing away with commentary or interviews, the film lays bare the life of a modern bullfighter and its unflinching eye makes for a riveting and, at times, difficult watch.
‘Tardes de Soledad’ is out now in cinemas.

Festival: Ciutat de Clàssica
This festival pairs world-class classical music with some of Barcelona’s iconic venues. Some 45 concerts will take place in spaces such as Casa Batlló, the Museu Picasso and Refugi 307, a wartime air-raid shelter. The almost month-long festival offers an alternative way to explore the city and its architecture, with the backing of a particularly mellifluous soundtrack.
Ciutat de Clàssica takes place in Barcelona from 19 March to 11 April.

Exhibition: ‘Sigmar Polke. Affinities Revealed’, Museo del Prado
German painter and photographer Sigmar Polke is the focus of a rare solo exhibition at Madrid’s best museum, Museo del Prado. These are the final weeks to see the collection of more than 40 plus works, brought together with Francisco de Goya’s “The Old Women / Time”. It’s a neat curatorial move that highlights the influence of the Spanish master on his work.
‘Sigmar Polke. Affinities Revealed’ is open until 16 March.

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There’s nothing like a soaking in a 40C floating hot tub to cure the late-winter blues (writes Gregory Scruggs). The start of boating season is still months away but on a nippy March morning I found myself tootling around Seattle’s Lake Union in spa-quality comfort. While floating saunas are all the rage these days, it took a few enterprising maritime craftsmen in a city surrounded by water to change the game with rental hot-tub boats. They are exactly as the name would suggest: a watercraft consisting of a capacious jacuzzi.

Though the idea might suggest a crass party boat, the vessel in question is a sleek number made by a local shipwright: low-slung with a fiberglass hull, the boat also features a teak deck and an electric engine. Another purveyor relies on a Dutch design and wood-fired heat. Entering a dimly lit boathouse, I found a half-dozen such vessels moored as attendants scrubbed and refilled the tubs. Rose petals still strewn on the dock hinted at a busy Valentine’s weekend.

Piloting the craft is foolproof. Toying with a joystick throttles your mobile tub forth at 8km/h. As my party of four motored out, a cold and sweaty rowing team side-eyed us on their return to the slipway after early-morning training. Come June the water will be busy with paddleboards, sailboats, kayaks and seaplanes but late winter is crowd-free and calm (especially from the vantage point of a jacuzzi). Best of all, you pass stack after stack of pleasure craft in dry dock, their owners still waiting for spring to get its act together while you sink another inch deeper into the tub with a satisfied smile.

Paris’s hallowed Merci emporium has opened a sister location at 19 Rue de Richelieu in the 2nd arrondissement (writes Claudia Jacob). The Gerbi family took over the quirky three-storey plot in 2013, bringing industry know-how and well-established relationships with key designers. Now, Merci is the default address for savvy shoppers on the hunt for anything from a Sabre butter knife and a Universal Works linen overshirt to eyewear from French label Izipizi and fragrances by Bon Parfumeur. There are also chairs by Frama, colourful tablecloths by Merci itself and Japanese teapots from Potoru.

The new outpost is the establishment’s second bricks-and-mortar shop and is – creatively – named Merci 2. Set within a former post office in the French capital’s Haut-Marais district, the coveted neighbourhood of Dover Street Market, this retail haven is a reminder that a well-thought-out one-stop-shop is difficult to leave empty handed.
merci-merci.com

The Monocle Concierge is our purveyor of top tips and delectable recommendations for your next trip. If you’re planning to go somewhere nice and would like some advice, click here. We will publish one answer each week.

Dear Monocle Concierge,

Following a safari at the end of May, I will be spending 36 hours in Cape Town with my husband and two children (aged 18 and 16). Which restaurants and shops would you recommend? We’re staying at One&Only.

Thanks,
Liana Yung,
Hong Kong

Dear Liana,

Fortunately, your hotel is right in the thick of it – just a hop from many of Cape Town’s best spots. In fact, the Thomas Heatherwick-designed Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa and the Southern Guild contemporary art gallery are both on your doorstep.

For shopping, stop by The Strangers Club for woven baskets, hats, linen shirts, swimming attire, ceramics and beautifully crafted wooden sculptures. It’s the perfect one-stop shop should you have lost a bag to a troop of Chacma baboons on safari. Around the corner, local design stores Anatomy Design and Pedersen + Lennard are worth a visit. Then, venture on to Bree Street – one of the city’s main drags. You can pick up beautiful flat-weave towels at Mungo, while Chandler House stocks intricate ceramics, artworks and collectibles. If you’ve worked up an appetite, grab a late breakfast or a bright salad (with a side of sweet mosbolletjie bread) at art-filled restaurant Hemelhuijs.

After pounding the pavements of downtown, head to AKJP, a showroom stocking dresses by Sindiso Khumalo and bags by Cape Cobra. Stay for an afternoon glass of chenin blanc on the patio or head to Arthur’s Mini Super in Sea Point, where locals sip coffee in the morning and spritzes in the evening. Here, you might catch a glimpse of the sea but if not, you’ll surely feel its breeze. For dinner, we’d recommend heading to Ouzeri, a Cypriot restaurant run by a young Greek chef. You didn’t come to Cape Town to eat dolmades but it’s everything that you could want from a laid-back local: good food, crisp wines and tables crowded with Capetonians.

Giorgio Armani has joined forces with Milan-based retailer 10 Corso Como for a sleek flats capsule (writes Maria Papakleanthous). Unveiled during Milan Fashion Week, the collection is centred on Armani footwear staples – think ballerinas, mules, loafers and slides. The focus is firmly on materials: supple leather, satin and breathable mesh, while rhinestone-studded styles offer options for the more daring.

Available at 10 Corso Como’s dedicated pop-up until the end of March, as well as select Giorgio Armani flagship boutiques in Europe, Japan and China, the collection marks the duo’s third collaboration – and one that reaffirms their shared appreciation for timeless design. Ballet flats aren’t going out of style any time soon; will it be the square-toed black faux-fur shoes that catch your eye or a trusty leather pair?

For more fashionable insights and retail news, pick up a copy of Monocle’s Marchissue. Or, better yet,subscribeso that you never miss a beat. Have a super Saturday.