Sandra‘s Closet

I spent quite some time in Boston, Massachusetts during the past two years as my daughter studies here and I love to visit her. The city has grown on me so much and I have become an absolute fan. If you haven’t been here, I truly recommend coming to explore the town. Boston is one of the most historic cities in the United States. Known as the «Cradle of Modern America,» the American Revolution started right here at the Boston Tea Party and it can still be felt at every cobblestone corner. It is also the only state capital in the contiguous United States with an oceanic coastline.

Where to stay when you come to visit? I absolutely love The Newbury Boston which is one of my favorite hotels worldwide. This historic landmark in Boston, originally opened in 1927 as The Ritz-Carlton Hotel at that time. The property anchors fashionable Newbury Street and the picturesque Boston Public Garden, located in the heart of the Back Bay. High end luxury shopping is in front of the door, with iconic houses, such as CHANEL, Hermès and Bulgari being just across the hotel. After a complete refurbishment under the creative vision of renowned designers Ken Fulk, Jeffrey Beers, and Alexandra Champalimaud and being renamed The Newbury Boston, it opened its doors again in May 2021.

The slogan is «a well-crafted life, a century in the making.» Being part of the «Leading Hotels of the World», the hotel embodies the very essence of Boston. Designed for both business and leisure travel, the concept is about approachable, everyday glamour, where modern comfort meets layered luxury in the heart of the vibrant city.

The rooms are stunning. I stayed in different categories and liked them all. Some suites even come with a cozy wood burning fireplace. However, I enjoy my Grand Suite accommodation the most with its spacious footprint and stunning views over the park. It features a separate living room with a large bay window, a seating area and large sofa plus extra chairs. At the entrance, there is a separate work area with a desk overlooking the prestigious tree-lined residential Commonwealth Avenue. The suite also has a mini kitchen with coffee maker, sink and fridge.

Next to the bedroom, there is a separate closet area with great mirrors on the way to the bathroom, which is huge with an elegant pale granite. You can enjoy a walk-in shower and a large bathtub in the middle. The whole concept of the suite feels like an actual apartment which I absolutely adore. Sitting in front of the large window at the table, working and indulging in the change of the season is absolutely stunning.

Personally speaking, the olfactory experience in luxury hotels is just as important as the interior design. Therefore, The Newbury Boston has partnered with Byredo to create a custom scent for the bath amenities. Inspired by The Boston Public Garden, Willow incorporates notes of the local flora – namely Bergamot, Aldehydes, Musk and Amber. It is such a beautiful scent to indulge in that also fills the rooms and corridors. Being evocative of the city and available only within the hotel walls, you can also buy it to transport you back to your memorable stay, even when you are at home.

The culinary concept at The Newbury Boston is extremely refined and offers great options. It is home to Contessa, Boston’s most sought after dining experience and definitely the most trending hot spot, located on the 17th floor of the hotel with stunning views overlooking the city. The staff is extremely attentive. Contessa restaurant is a MUST when you are in town— a true see-and-be-seen spot! Don’t miss the famous squash carpaccio.

With Carlos Bueno – Managing Director – The Newbury Boston – at the Street Bar

If you prefer a quick bite, I recommend a cobb salad or the spicy pink lobster chowder at the Street Bar, which is another favorite of mine. Located next to the hotel entrance, this bar bridges past and present. Here you can enjoy the cozy interior while looking outside the window seeing the stylish Bostonian crowd passing by. It is also a great spot for having drinks at night.

If you are a tea time lover, you won’t be disappointed at The Newbury Hotel. Perched upon the second story, overlooking treetops and luxury boutiques on Newbury Street, The Newbury Salon is the setting for the signature Afternoon Tea, a ritual reclamation perfect for the ultimate every day and occasioned party.

After all these culinary experiences, you might want to hit the gym which is located on the 3rd floor. Being yery spacious, it is overlooking Commonwealth Avenue. Here, you can maintain your fitness routine at this state-of-the-art Fitness Center. Designed by Jay Wright, who is behind several high-end fitness centers in luxury residential projects, the space is equipped with Life Fitness and Freemotion equipment, Peloton bikes, TRX suspension trainers, yoga mats and blocks, free weights, resistance bands, and more.

The Newbury Boston is such a wonderful place to stay with a homey feel in a great part of the city that I can absolutely recommend. I am writing this post in front of the large window… and honestly never want to leave.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht 
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Prada is to open Prada Caffè at Harrods in London, a space designed to add a new dimension to the brand and offer customers a unique and engaging experience. The environment revisits Prada’s visual hallmarks, with every choice – from the decor and menu to the tableware and atmosphere – reflecting the brand’s language, approach and distinctive way of viewing the world.

Inside, the walls, ceilings and velvet-upholstered sofas and armchairs are delicately coloured with the brand’s iconic green. The floors reproduce the black-and-white chequered floor of the historic Prada boutique on Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, while the floral bas-reliefs on the walls evoke some of Prada’s flagship stores across the world.

The tableware is original and exclusive, selected by Prada to match the surroundings and ranging from pale-blue Japanese porcelain with a contrasting double black line, inspired by ancient Celadon pottery – tea and coffee cups with lids, teapots, plates and trays – to blown-glass crystal glassware, including the Triangle series with its quintessentially Prada triangular pattern.

The range of food and drink on offer covers the entire day, from breakfast to evening cocktails, and provides a subtle, modern take on Italian tradition, with sandwiches and risotto sitting alongside buffalo mozzarella and salmon and crab dishes and spritz – and negroni-based aperitifs complementing the list of signature cocktails. The wine list spans the whole of Italy, with bottles from Sicily to Piedmont.

Pastries play a central role, displayed both on the spectacular central counter and the wall behind: the selection of fine patisserie products pairs expert craftsmanship with modern techniques and classic ingredients with more contemporary flavours and aromas.

Prada Caffè will be open from 31 March 2023 to 7 January 2024, from 9 AM to 9 PM Monday to Saturday and from 12 PM to 6 PM on Sunday, with an entrance on Hans Road. It will soon be joined by an outdoor stall, which will offer Londoners a delicious range of ice creams.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Prada
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The MOSCHINO after show dinner took place at Osteria La Risacca 6, an amazing restaurant specializing in seafood in Milan. Each dish on the menu was extremely good, prepared exclusively with fresh seasonal ingredients. The atmosphere was vibrant, great music played and we danced at the table.

With lovely Sara Bongiorni from MOSCHINO.

If you love fish dishes and you are in Milan, you must visit this restaurant.

After the dinner, we ended the night at Just Cavalli Club. As the name implies, the nightclub was designed by the designer Roberto Cavalli. Especially during fashion week, the club attracts fashionable club-lovers from across the world owing to its bespoke interiors and the overall clubbing ambiance.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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Fashion designer Paul Smith and my favorite place to stay in London, the Brown’s Hotel, a Rocco Forte Hotel in Mayfair, joined forces and unveiled the Sir Paul Smith Suite.
Designed by Paul himself in collaboration with Olga Polizzi, Director of Design at Rocco Forte Hotels, the new suite features a range of custom and vintage furniture, hand-picked artworks, brand collaborations and soft furnishings from the debut Paul Smith home collection.

Drawing on Brown’s Hotel’s history as a favoured residence for literary greats, the suite is designed as a space not only for rest and relaxation, but to spark inspiration and creativity through art and interesting objects, with every detail of the room, from the rugs to the individual art works carefully considered.

The suite features furniture and art that resonates with the designer and his eclectic taste. Several pieces can be found in Paul’s office at his Covent Garden HQ, such as Christopher Simon Sykes’ impressive photograph of Chatsworth House library and, notably, his 1970s leather desk chair by Mario Bellini. As another personal touch, Paul has also selected a small library of art and design books for the room.

Paul Smith says: «Being asked to design a space for such an iconic Mayfair institution is a great privilege – and I’ve had a great deal of fun in the process! Just like Browns does with its rooms, we design every Paul Smith shop differently to celebrate the area’s individuality, which is just one of the reasons the project appealed to me. On a more personal level, I’m so pleased we’ve been able to include objects that inspire me personally and I hope, in turn, they’ll inspire the suite’s guests.»

Several of Paul Smith’s notable collaborations feature heavily in the room, including sofas, tables and leather goods from his recent ‘Everyday Life’ collection with Italian luxury furniture company DePadova; Type 75 lamps from the longstanding partnership with British lighting brand Anglepoise; and checked wool blankets designed by Paul for design company Maharam.

The partnership came about naturally, through Rocco Forte Hotels’ Director of Design Olga Polizzi, who is responsible for the design of each of the individual rooms at Brown’s Hotel and is a long-time visitor to Paul Smith’s Albemarle Street shop.

Further references to the Albemarle Street flagship shop, which is located just metres away from the hotel, are dotted about the room. They include custom Paul Smith + The Rug Company rugs and a Maharam headboard, both of which feature a geometric pattern inspired by the building’s iconic iron façade.

Uniquely quirky details, such as the banana door handles, the fire ‘dogs’ (which have been custom made to resemble Homer, Paul’s first canine shopkeeper), a robot figurine made from a vintage camera, and the striped fireplace tiles, are abundant in the room, a reflection of Paul’s ‘classic with a twist’ philosophy and his trademark whimsical sense of humour.

The Paul Smith Suite starts at £5,500, to book, please click here for more information.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Brown’s Hotel
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Sledding into the weekend… something I can only recommend when being in Gstaad. Take this refreshing break! Even the ride up to the Eggli with the modern gondola lift designed by Porsche is an unforgettable experience. It effortlessly covers the 500 meters in altitude in just 5 minutes and offers breathtaking views of Gstaad and the mountain panorama surrounding the village. You can rent the sleds when you buy your ticket for the gondola ride and take it with you up the mountain. Just make sure that you are dressed with several layers as it can be very cold.

However before sledding down the Eggli Run back to Gstaad, enjoy a fondue on the terrace of the Bergrestaurant Eggli that offers delicious food and drinks for all tastes. There is also a very instagrammable spot with the #Gstaad.

Opening hours: December 16, 2022 until March 12, (daily 9:00 am – 4:30 pm)
Reservations at +41 33 748 95 59 or rest.eggli@bergbahnen-gstaad.ch.

Another great experience is the «Fondue Night on Eggli». When the sun goes down and the lights go on in the valley, peace has returned to the Eggli. On this special occasion, you have the unique opportunity to enjoy this unique atmosphere on the mountain. After enjoying a fondue à discretion (meaning as much as you like), you can sled down the Eggli Run back to Gstaad.

Dates: Every Thursday in February, 02/09/16 and 23, 2023. Reservations are required.
For more information, visit the website please.
If you like my outfit, click here for more information.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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For the fourth time, Hublot celebrates its special relationship with Zermatt, the iconic Swiss Alpine resort town nestled at the base of the Matterhorn. Two original new creations are being released to mark this special occasion.

At first glance, they have nothing in common. On one side is the steep, jagged and rugged shape of the Matterhorn, carved out in rock over hundreds of millions of years. On the other, the mastery of perfect, modern lines by a contemporary manufacture. Yet, once again, Hublot has fused the elements and brought to life a creation that glorifies the silhouette of Switzerland’s most famous mountain within its legendary Big Bang.

However, this is not just any representation of the Matterhorn. It is depicted as it appears from Zermatt, because the Matterhorn has been the main witness to the union between Hublot and the iconic Alpine resort. For the last five years, the two entities have joined forces to celebrate their «Swissness». For example, Hublot has set up the most traditional of its boutiques at the heart of the resort, made entirely from wood in the purest respect for local architectural traditions. The Hublot boutique has since become an integral part of the charm and the magic of the area.

Hublot Boutique in Zermatt

Of course, Hublot, as an advocate for emotions and meaningful connections, was always going to take it to the next level! To reach the summit of the Zermatt ski resort, visitors now take the Hublot-Express (Gant-Blauherd), one of the resort’s most modern cable cars, built in 2016, and reaching an altitude of 2600 metres. The goal? To carve through fresh snow, or powder for more accomplished skiers, and arrive at Chez Vrony, the century-old family restaurant for whom Hublot is also the «Official Timekeeper». Click here for my first time in Zermatt in 2015 or click here to see me wearing the previous model, the Big Bang All Black Zermatt.

The new Big Bang Zermatt is part of this local dynamic, combining the best of Swiss tradition with modern watchmaking. The latest pieces in a collection created in 2017, the two new Big Bangs explore the two faces of watchmaking, like a climber scaling the two iconic faces of the Matterhorn.

Each version is available in a steel case – a return to the basics that has not been used by Hublot in a Zermatt special edition since 2018. The material, which features alternating polished and satin-finished surfaces, echoes the unique reflection of schist, the typical Swiss stone similar to slate which forms a large part of the Matterhorn. The sunray finished dial will illuminate this with an ever-changing light, like the faces of the Matterhorn under the continuously shifting sun.

These two editions both boast the special Big Bang Zermatt feature of which collectors are so fond: the Matterhorn at 9 o’clock on the men’ model, and at 3 o’clock on the ladies’ model. The latter boasts a bezel set with 36 diamonds which also punctuate the hour indices. Each bezel is equipped with screws made from titanium, a material inspired by the needs of mountaineers, whose equipment must be both light and strong. Once again, Hublot has mastered the fusion of substance and shape, colour and material, Alpine and watchmaking symbols.

Both versions are powered by a self-winding chronograph and complimented by two nubuck straps: the first in slate grey, the second in snow white, in a dual tribute to the iconic colours of Zermatt.

The BIG BANG STEEL ZERMATT is available for CHF 14’300.00 and the BIG BANG STEEL DIAMONDS ZERMATT is available for CHF 18’100.00.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hublot
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Gucci Paradiso reopens for the Winter Season 2022/2023 at the Paradiso Mountain Club in St. Moritz. Mountain Club members have exclusive access to the Gucci Paradiso lounge.

With a look that invites guests to feel welcome and relaxed, members are swept away with spectacular mountain views. The interior design remains discreet in keeping with the elegant and contemporary eclecticism that characterizes the leading luxury fashion brand. Sumptuous velvet chairs and sofas from the House’s Décor collection provide with a place to dine, drink and relax while the tartan carpet adds to the space’s cozy atmosphere.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Gucci by Pamela Bargnesi – #GucciParadiso #GucciParadisoStMoritz
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Hotel de Russie, a Rocco Forte Hotel, located in the heart of the Eternal City, is collaborating with Prada this festive season for a jointly designed Christmas tree that stands radiantly in Hotel de Russie’s Valadier square.

A grid of white LED triangles on an octagonal base of luminous logos makes up the nearly 5-metre-high tree, culminating in a shining Prada triangle. The avant-garde polygonal structure inspired by the iconic geometry of Prada gives a contemporary feel to the spectacular staircase that leads into the historic monumental garden. The collaboration between Hotel de Russie and Prada is a symbol of style and modernity that represents a tribute to the excellence of «Made in Italy».

To complete the Hotel de Russie’s Christmas decor, the hotel’s time-honored tradition of festive decorations welcomes guests as they step into the lobby. Co-founder and creative director of Sebastian Flowers Italy, Frank uit het Broek, has created a setting which features an interplay of red, gold and green along with lights, sparkling details and symbolic ornaments that include carousels, sweets, red ribbons and Father Christmas.

The Hotel de Russie Festive Season:
Christmas Eve Dinner (Saturday 24th December)
Christmas Brunch (Sunday 25th December)
New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner ( Saturday 31st December)

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hotel de Russie
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Named «The Diamond», Claridge’s Christmas Tree 2022 is designed by long-time friend of the hotel, Sandra Choi for Jimmy Choo, and realised by set designer Simon Costin.

This magnificent sculptural creation is crafted from reflective mirrors and accented with light which pulses and undulates. The diamond has long been a special icon in the world of Jimmy Choo with Sandra often dreaming of what it would be like to step inside one – therefore the tree is created for guests to actually enter and stand inside to take in a magical and shining, diamond-refracted space. The tree is finished with a giant, glittering bow topper – a nod to one of the key design themes of the brand’s winter collection.

«Claridge’s is a London icon. The perfect blend of glamour and decadence – great things happen at Claridge’s. There’s a magic energy as you enter the doors that’s contagious, from the warmth of the staff to the discreet buzz of guests in the lobby. And at night the hotel invites you to party. Claridge’s is a London jewel, it’s multifaceted, like the diamond that inspired our tree, like Jimmy Choo.» – Sandra Choi

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Claridge’s ©/ Darren-Gerrish
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If you are not into real books and were not impressed by yesterday’s reading list, I have another book you might enjoy from my holidays, the Maldives embroidered appliquéd canvas clutch.

Handcrafted in an intricate process that can take up to 300 hours, Olympia Le-Tan‘s signature book-shaped clutches are a must-have among fashionistas. This one inspired by the Maldives is patterned with lush palm trees, turquoise waters and floating beach huts that dot the island coastline. It’s structured with a sturdy gold-tone frame and unlocks to reveal Liberty florals. Gift it to a loved one to commemorate a honeymoon or special birthday trip. It could also be the perfect packaging to surprise someone with a travel experience. Needless to say there are many destinations featured as a book clutch.

YOU CAN FIND A LARGE SELECTION OF TRAVEL BOOK CLUTCHES HERE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and © Olympia Le-Tan
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