family travel

A STYLISH STAY IN MONTAUK, NEW YORK

by Michel Van Devender September 14, 2021

We didn’t want summer to get completely away from us without writing about our Montauk, New York visit. After all, it was one of the highlights of our trip. Our New York adventure was divided into two legs – one part beach and one part city. You can read more about our NYC stay at the Ace Hotel in our separate blog post linked here.

Back in June, we flew from Charlotte to NYC, rented a car and drove directly to Montauk. This was my second visit, but the first for everyone else in our family. It was a long travel day as I’m sure all New Yorkers would agree, driving from Manhattan to the end of Long Island is a haul, especially with the grueling traffic. Add in a couple of tired, grumpy kids in a car for four hours after a flight, and I’m sure you get the general idea.

Once we reached Montauk, referred to as the end of the world, the pace completely slowed and the stress of the travel quickly melted away. Ahh… vacation mode on! Arriving around 5 PM at MARRAM, we were immediately struck by the quite, tucked away location and close proximity to town (We were able to walk for coffee, lunches and some dinners.). We had heard Montauk can be a bit of a party scene in the summer and were looking for something a little more family friendly and low-key. I mean, we can barely stay up past 10 PM, even on vacation!

Checking in was a breeze. We were greeted by friendly, helpful staff at the front desk. Along with our room key, we were given written information about the hotel along with a list of Montauk restaurants and activity recommendations. As we embarked on the short walk to our first floor room, we were quickly lost in the natural, tranquil setting and lush, green landscaping. Exactly what we were looking for when we searched for lodging.

With a recent renovation, you forget the hotel was once an old-school motel, formerly the Atlantic Terrace Resort. With it’s own webcam and web-based surf report, this specific break has been a surfing mecca for decades. There are two long, two-story main buildings facing each other with a large center walkway, set back and running perpendicular to the beach. On the back side, there are additional buildings with a pool, restaurant and large indoor and outdoor common areas. There are areas for work and play, including a collection of outdoor loungy areas with fire pits where the nightly s’mores parties convene.

The overall vibe of the hotel is understated luxe, described by MARRAM as barefoot luxury. The design of the hotel and rooms is minimal, with texture taking center stage. The warm wood details, concrete floors, soft white walls and simple furnishings create a calm, serene setting, minimizing visual noise and maximizing unplugged relaxation. By the way, there are NO televisions in the rooms! We did not tell our kids this until we arrived. The layered neutral tones mimic the color palette of the Montauk surroundings, reflecting nature in all of the decor details. The Le Labo Santel 33 bath products are the perfect pairing for capturing the mood of the hotel in a singular, intoxicating scent.

From beginning to end, we had a fantastic stay at MARRAM. The accommodations and level of service are top-notch. The hotel was a quiet, serene escape from the chaos and hustle of the real world. Montauk beaches are clean and stunningly gorgeous, creating the perfect backdrop for this stylish hotel. We will definitely be back MARRAM! Thank you for such a magical experience!

TRAVEL

A STYLISH STAY IN NEW YORK CITY: ACE HOTEL

by Michel Van Devender August 17, 2021

Well, I think we’ve found our new favorite New York City Hotel… and a stylish one at that! Ace Hotel, we love you! But before we get into that, I can I just say, we have sooooo missed traveling!

THANKFUL TO TRAVEL, AGAIN

We are thankful to have the opportunity to travel, again, especially to New York. As a creative person, travel is such a powerful source of inspiration for my life, my creativity and my work. Being in different places, spaces and cities, feeds me in a way I’m not sure anything else does. It’s all about the people, the interactions and conversations, the fashion, the art, the food, the design, the architecture, the smells, all the nature and where we stay. It’s every bit of this and so much more. The sights, sounds, scents, tastes – the full sensory experience can give way to endless inspiration I bring back home. The experiences all become a part of me, woven and integrated into who I am, how I live, how I approach life, how I interact with people, and especially in how and what I create.

FAMILY TRAVEL – WHERE TO GO

A little on the backstory – back in May, we unfortunately had to cancel our Mexico beach vacation because of escalating COVID numbers in that country. Since one of our sons has moderate to severe asthma, we opted to play it safe. This was the first out-of-state vacation we had planned in over 18 months so needless to say we were all a little disappointed. Our kids were especially bummed by the cancellation as Finest Playa Mujeres had become their favorite chill vacation spot.

We were still eager to get out of our house and out of North Carolina so we regrouped and redirected our focus, in search of other travel destinations. We decided we’d only consider domestic travel and became interested in the northeast. If you’d like to read more about where we started and a new stylish lodging discovery, check out my blog post linked here, STAY IN STYLE: BLOCK ISLAND BEACH HOUSE.

NEW YORK HERE WE COME

After coming up empty-handed with several interesting destinations, New York seemed like a good choice for our June trip. Really, isn’t New York always a good choice? It’s a state with varied opportunities and options for the entire family because let’s face it, it’s hard to please everyone! Or at least that’s the case in our family. Inevitably, some part of our crew wants a beach vacation while the other half wants more of a city adventure. New York City is also a place my 15-year-old son had recently become obsessed with visiting. Since he graduates from high school in three years, it’s an experience we wanted to share with him while we have the chance.

A lot of our trip booking was last minute, not how we typically plan our vacations. We were a little nervous about accommodations and availability. I have to say, we were pleasantly surprised we were so successful in pulling together what turned out to be a fantastic trip, stylish lodging included. I actually think we just got lucky with our timing as New York had just reopened after recently lifting COVID restrictions. Considering New York is typically crowded, especially the city and popular Long Island summer beach spots, we were fortunate we experienced less than normal crowds and lines.

Our trip ended up being a combination of city and beach, spending some part of our week in Montauk and the other half in New York City. It was actually the best of both worlds – a little beach rest coupled with some busy city stimulation. I plan to do a separate post on our Montauk stay. Here, I want to write about our personal experience at the Ace Hotel.

OUR STYLISH STAY – ACE HOTEL NYC

I’ve been a big fan of the Ace Hotel brand for some time now and have been looking for an opportunity to stay in one of their stylish creations. I already knew Ace is the place (oh my, the rhyme!) for the design enthusiast, but I wasn’t super familiar with the Ace NYC location. It had been a while since I’d visited NYC. The hotel is in Midtown, a couple of blocks from the Flat Iron Building, and in the up-and-coming neighborhood, NoMad (north of Madison Square Park). The centrally location was the perfect home base for hitting both Uptown and Downtown Manhattan attractions. It’s also super accessible to local coffee shops, restaurants, cafes and neighborhood delis as well as the subway.

In terms of the hotel itself, from the popular bustling lobby to the quiet, well-equipped rooms, we couldn’t have had a better stay. I liken the hotel to sleeping with a hip, handsome man who’s not your husband! I think my guy is cool with that too. The design vibe is moody and soulful with masculine elements carried throughout. Think plaids, flannels and deep hues. I’m obsessed with the most perfect shade of dark green paint used throughout the hotel lobby. Ace Hotel – What is this color? Please do share. There’s also a vintage twist and a well-played nod to the past of the renovated historic turn-of-the-century building.

OUR ROOM, WITH MUSIC + A VIEW

We stayed in a double bed room equipped with a turntable and guitar. Imagine the delight of my musician husband and teenage son to have gotten so lucky. While the not so musical wife and mom got to experience the endless strumming and jamming in such close quarters. A major score we could all agree on was our spectacular window view of the Empire State Building. We seriously couldn’t believe our luck. Well, there was also a historic building across the street from the hotel with a modern rooftop addition. This designer quickly commenced some pretty intense stalking from our 10th floor room. You can read more about this modern masterpiece in the linked blog post – TRAVEL FINDS: NEW YORK CITY PENTHOUSE.

Back to our room though, which had a surprising amount of extra space to spread out. When you’re a family traveling with two growing boys, this is always a plus (We have a third older son who has sadly aged out of joining us.). There was a larger than what I usually experience entry area. On one side, there was generous space for our luggage, and on the opposite side, were shelves with snack options and a full-sized SMEG refrigerator stocked with beverages for purchase. The bathroom was long and narrow, but not your typical cramped hotel bathroom. Think vintage-inspired black and white subway wall tiles, dark green ceramic floor tiles, cast iron bathtubs and brass fixtures.

HOTEL OFFERINGS

Unfortunately, we didn’t end up spending much time in the hotel lobby bar area as we got our fill of stimulation from our full days roaming around the city. Perhaps next time. It was a pretty hip and happening hang out with amble seating for working and lounging. The lobby bar also serves food, more of a small bites menu. We did take full advantage of popping downstairs to the Stumptown Coffee Roasters to grab our daily morning cup of joe. And when I say we, I mean my husband gets dressed and does this for us… he’s a good man! There was also a Milk Bar (dessert bakery) entrance accessible from the hotel lobby. My sons thought that was a win. The hotel also has a small shop close to the front desk check-in stocked with cool, Ace Hotel vibe-inspired goods.

WE’LL BE BACK

The Ace Hotel NYC did not disappoint, and this hip and handsomely designed hotel will definitely be our go-to spot when visiting NYC. We’re also looking forward to exploring one of their other ten locations, many found in larger, popular cities across the United States. The Palm Springs, Portland and Los Angeles locations look especially interesting. Until next time, thank you Ace Hotel for a stylish and inspiring stay!

*Please note this is not a sponsored or paid post! We are not affiliated in any way with the Ace Hotel.

HOTEL ENTRANCE + LOBBY

OUR ROOM

ABOVE IMAGES FROM OUR STAY: BLACK HOUSE BLUE SKY

A FURTHER LOOK

ADDITIONAL IMAGES VIA ACEHOTEL/NEWYORK.COM

TRAVEL

TRAVEL FINDS: A STUNNING NEW YORK CITY MODERN PENTHOUSE

by Michel Van Devender June 23, 2021

Oh, hey there New York City neighbor! Well, not exactly… we don’t live in NYC, but this was our across 29th Street neighbor we had the best view of from our 10th floor room of the Ace Hotel. By the way, I would highly recommend this Midtown NoMad district hotel and will be sharing more about our stay soon.

When we checked into room 1012, we couldn’t miss our stunning view of the Empire State Building. It immediately brought back such sweet, fond memories of when my now 22 year old son was four and he called it the “Entire” State Building! Having this view was such a lovely surprise. Once I enjoyed a memory and my eyes moved beyond the iconic landmark, an across the street building, clearly an older, historic property, caught my eye. The ornate style, partially hidden by repair scaffolding, was juxtaposed with the coolest, modern penthouse addition, including a green rooftop terrace space. I’m completely smitten and my design curiosity goes into overdrive, wanting to learn more about this place.

Once we were out and about roaming the streets, I made it a point to look for the name of the building. The unassuming, lackluster building awning read – Gilsey House. A quick google search of the name revealed the story of this exact property I’d been studiously stalking from our room window since our arrival. By this point, my husband thinks I’m a bit hyper focused. Obsessed I am my dear! Dwell Magazine featured the Manhattan dream home back in March 2017, with all of the details on the renovation/addition, including interior and exterior photos. And, oh the delight of getting my very own little home tour from across the way!

The historic building with its cast-iron facade of the Second Empire style was constructed in 1869 and has storied evolution from its glory days operating as a posh hotel to at one point being in disrepair and falling victim to dilapidation and then being resurrected with new energy and life. The architect and penthouse owner, Jay Valgora, principal of STUDIO V Architecture, purchased the loft over 25 years ago. The reimagined space for his growing family showcases the successful, harmonious blending between the old and new, juxtaposing the zinc and glass rooftop addition with the white, historic building. For me, it is nothing short of NYC living perfection with an enormous wow factor!

And by the way, this home stalker departed the city without incident, although I’m often tempted to embarrass myself and my family in the name of my love for design! For the full story on this NYC reno/addition, check out the linked Dwell article.

All images via Dwell unless otherwise noted.

TRAVEL

WHERE TO STAY: AUTOCAMP YOSEMITE

by Michel Van Devender October 31, 2019

Travel + Lodging – A Space

Oh, travel and lodging… I could write an entire blog post about how where we stay plays a big role in our travel experience. Honestly, it can make or break a trip for me. In the early days of our marriage, it was a point of contention for my husband and me. We would arrive somewhere and need to switch rooms or even hotels. And, by the way, it was not him! I so clearly remember when my husband and I were dating, and we travelled to Atlanta, GA, to see David Gray in concert (and wow, what a concert it was!). I was in charge of the concert tickets and my husband’s task was to secure the hotel. Easy, right? Well, what an experience it ended up being, in the process learning so much about the other! The room reeked of stale cigarette smoke, and there were soiled and stained textiles in most areas of the room… bedding, carpet, drapes, even the walls. Yuck…it was a stomach-churning kind of disgusting! This is a rather drastic example as we’ve also switched hotel rooms for lesser offenses. My husband could probably rattle off the list, recounting each instance with vivid detail. Spouses are always good like that, right?!

Interior Environments

Over time though, I’ve come to recognize that I am a person who is deeply affected by the spaces where I live and spend time. It’s indeed a real thing. There is a rather large body of research out there that has been conducted by behavioral scientists on how our interior spaces have a significant affect on how humans think, feel and behave. We are impacted, even if we aren’t consciously aware, by our surroundings. There’s also a continuum so some people are more sensitive to their environments than others. Where would you fall on the spectrum? I would fall in the “keenly aware” category. For me, it’s everything about a space – lighting (both natural and artificial), spatial layout, furnishings, textiles, colors, even the smell of the space. I have an awareness around this and try to plan as much as I can, especially when traveling. Out of necessity and the thoughtful, kind regard for those around me, I’ve also learned to be flexible when my surroundings are not working for me (and spend as much time outside of the space as possible!).

Our Yosemite Stay

Securing lodging in and near national parks can sometimes be tricky. Accommodations inside the parks are usually more limited and get booked pretty far in advance. Since our AutoCamp, Santa Barbara, visit several years back I had been following their social media accounts. Once they announced their plans to build a sister property outside of Yosemite, I hoped a visit was on our travel horizon. The property is located about thirty-five minutes outside of Yosemite in the historic town of Mariposa. I followed the progress and crossed my fingers that they’d be ready for visitors well before our summer visit. They officially opened in the spring and in plenty of time to work through any grand opening kinks before our July arrival. And indeed, we enjoyed a stylish, comfortable and relaxing stay! Thank you AutoCamp Yosemite! Now, if we can figure how to get to your other two properties, AutoCamp Russian Creek and AutoCamp Cape Cod! (recently announced as the first East Coast location and opening in the fall of 2020).

Lodging Style

We initially thought we’d stay in a beloved AirStream (as I’m obsessed with these metal bullet campers); however, with our middle and youngest sons being older and bigger, we decided we might be a little more comfortable in one of the modern cabins. That was definitely a good call… still small and cozy with a little extra room to move around.

Our Little Black Cabin

The Club House

Okay, in few words, I could live here! With its clean, modern, warm and dreamy interiors and exterior, I felt right at home hanging here. The clubhouse is comprised of a beverage bar, event spaces, a camp store and indoor/outdoor gathering spaces, including a pool.

A Look Around the AutoCamp

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