The directory
Where to sleep, eat and shop this month.
Barcelona
Stay: Hotel Brummel
This recent Poble-sec opening has a leafy courtyard plus pool.
hotelbrummell.com
Buy: Bel y Cia
The Passeig de Gràcia shop has sold fine men and women’s clothing since 1842. The cashmere jumpers are of particular note.
belycia.com
Service: El Ciclo
Well-priced bike rentals in the Barri Gòtic of Barcelona’s Old Town. Head south towards the beachfront to find kilometres of smooth bike lanes.
elciclobcn.com
Breakfast: Espai Joliu
Pastries and La Marzocco-machine coffee in a former industrial space filled with houseplants and a fine selection of print media.
+34 93 023 2492
Lunch: Bar Jai-Ca
A Barceloneta staple: try the pulpo a la gallega – grilled octopus with roasted potatoes – with a glass of house white.
barjaica.com
Coffee: Federal Café
Aussie-style café serving flat whites and hearty breakfasts such as poached eggs on sourdough with spinach and hollandaise. The two outposts are in Sant Antoni and Barri Gòtic.
federalcafe.es
Drinks: Can Cisa/Bar Brutal
Ramshackle wine bar with a splendid cellar of organic tipples from Italy, courtesy of Venetian twins Max and Stefano Colombo.
cancisa.cat
Swimming: Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc
This open-air pool has wondrous views of the city.
31 Avinguda Miramar, 08038
Culture: Fundació Joan Miró
A cloud-like building, designed by Josep Lluís Sert, housing the works of artist and sculptor Joan Miró.
fmirobcn.org
Beirut
Stay: Villa Clara
This seven-room guesthouse is run by a husband-and-wife duo and staffed by an attentive team – testament to the warmth of Lebanese hospitality.
villaclara.fr
Buy Plan Bey
Founded by artistic director and graphic designer Karma Tohmé and editorial director Tony Sfeir, Plan Bey stocks a range of publications, posters and zines.
plan-bey.com
Breakfast: Kissproof
Enjoy homemade granola and organic eggs on the leafy terrace of this café in the Badaro neighbourhood.
kissproofbeirut.com
Drinks: Coop d’Etat
The climb up to this rooftop bar may be tough but it’s worth it to admire the sunset over the port with a lemon margarita.
saifigardens.com/en/rooftop
Lunch: Tawlet
The lunch menu changes daily according to the latest cook’s hometown, including Syrian, Armenian and Palestinian fare.
soukeltayeb.com/tawlet
Buy: House of Zejd
An olive-oil mecca and part of a family business that dates back to the 19th century. The oils it sells are infused with everything from chillis to white truffles.
zejd.net
Coffee: Kalei
Beirut’s original micro-roastery has a lush garden, a traditional house setting and the best beans from around the world.
kaleicoffee.com
Mexico city
Stay: Casa Dovela
The 1930s California-style townhouse in Colonia Condesa features three apartments with tasteful all-Mexican decor such as rugs from Oaxaca courtesy of local atelier Taller Lu’um.
casadovela.com
Buy: Kris Goyri
Mexico City-born Goyri designs floor-length dresses, skirts and chic jackets in vivid colours and geometric patterns.
krisgoyri.com
Service: Barbería Capital
This barbería was the first in a wave of traditional men’s barbershops in the city. Head to the regal-looking Palacio de Hierro outpost for a wet shave.
barberiacapital.mx
Breakfast: Café Milou
A laudably simple and delectable French café serving gruyère quiche, flaky pain au chocolat and crunchy granola.
cafemilou.com
Lunch: Tetetlán
Traditional Mexican cuisine served atop volcanic rock tableware in the former stables of architect Luis Barragán’s Casa Pedregal – which was recently opened to the public.
tetetlan.com
Coffee: Buna
The Roma Norte-based café boasts an amiably austere concrete space and roasts its beans nearby.
buna.mx
Drinks: Bósforo
The best mezcalería in the city serves tipples from unmarked bottles by producers you’ll never find elsewhere. Sip, don’t shot, and chase with spiced orange.
31 Luís Moya
Fitness: Hiking
Climb the Nevado de Toluca volcano southwest of the capital. Bring a jacket – it can get nippy at 4,680 metres up.
Culture: Squash 73:
Former squash courts turned into a cultural venue hosting pop-up exhibitions, a furniture showroom and top-notch café.
squash73.mx
Minneapolis
Atay: Alma
The best beds in the Twin Cities are above famous fine-dining restaurant Alma. With their white oak furnishings and views of the Mississippi, these seven rooms fill up quick. Book in advance.
almampls.com
Buy: Wilson and Willy’s
In the bustling district of the North Loop this shop offers men and women’s clothing as well as home goods to suit a well-heeled cabin in the woods.
wilsonandwillys.com
Dinner: Martina
An Argentinian gem in the Midwest from chef Daniel del Prado. Cooked over a wood-fire grill, swordfish steaks and pork chops are the highlights.
martinarestaurant.com
Drinks: Tattersall Distilling
Inside the historic Thorp building in Northeast Minneapolis, Tattersall distils its own liquors. There are 22 varieties to choose from.
tattersalldistilling.com
Breakfast: Wise Acre
Most of the produce used in the kitchen comes straight from Wise Acre’s 40-hectare farm.
wiseacreeatery.com
Buy: St Paul Corner Drug
A real Americana throwback. Other than stocking up on Tums and Advil, come here to gorge at the soda counter.
stpaulcornerdrug.com
Coffee: Penny’s
Across its two locations in Minny, Penny’s pulls shots of La Colombe roasted beans and serves some rather tasty ham and gruyère crêpes.
pennyscoffee.com
Wellington
Stay: QT Museum Wellington
Make your way through the gallery-like lobby and head upstairs to the Hippopotamus bar for a cocktail and harbour views.
qthotelsandresorts.com
Buy: Precinct 35
Much of the homeware on the shelves is inspired by Japan but many of the ceramicists whose work is sold here hail from the region.
precinct35.co.nz
Service: Wellington Cable Car
The city’s only funicular railway leads all the way up to the entrance to the fragrant Wellington Botanic Gardens.
Breakfast: Maranui Cafe
This café in Lyall Bay sits atop the local Surf Life Saving Club. Grab a window seat and a smoked salmon bagel, and watch the surfers below.
maranuicafe.co.nz
Drinks: The Library
This cocktail bar owes its name to its well-stocked shelves.
thelibrary.co.nz
Lunch: Five Boroughs
This casual Cuba Street spot serves up classic diner-style pleasures.
+64 4384 9300
Coffee: Customs by Coffee Supreme
Grab an espresso at the counter or choose from single origin Brazilian, Guatemalan and Costa Rican beans to take home.
coffeesupreme.com
Culture: The Embassy Theatre
This 1924 cinema has held on to much of its original interiors. Marble and brass fittings abound.
eventcinemas.co.nz
