SpaceX IPO, diamond smuggling and the inconvenient truth about Mars
Guess where I am. Go on. Guess! Guess! Okay, I’m going to give you a hint. I’m in a pod, far away from home and I’m staring down at a reddish surface. Beside me…
- 4 min read
Today we’re going to play a little word game to set the tone for this fine Sunday (at least here on the Athenian Riviera) and guide us through the days, weeks and months ahead. Ready, readers? Here we go!
Lojel
This Hong Kong-based luggage brand might not (yet) have the fame of a bigger German label in the wheels business but just you wait. With a more competitive price point and a growing distribution network, the company is becoming recognised as a leader and innovator in the top-opening space. In simple terms, it means that you don’t have to look for a flat expanse to crack open your clamshell wheely. Instead, you can just zip it open from the top and avoid the explosion of socks, tees and undies while still saving on space – particularly in rooms that don’t have the dimensions or common sense to offer proper space for hard-side luggage.
Kikiya
If you find yourself in Tokyo now or over the coming months then make your way to the newish Takanawa Gateway City development and secure a perch at Kikiya. This 60-seat counter set-up reinvents the classic beef bowl with a selection of premium cuts and an array of accompanying dishes. They also pour a crisp, dry koshu white from Yamanashi. Go late when it’s a bit quieter and more relaxed.
Timsum
If you want a perfect table for eight outside in Nihonbashi that pairs great wines with dim sum and excellent service, then ring up and reserve. For now the crowd is local, so avoid over-sharing this little tip.
Margot
This is a woman who deserves the Monocle Service Award for Diplomacy, Enforcement and Charm. On my Etihad flight from Tokyo to Abu Dhabi on Wednesday evening, Margot (a Filipina flight attendant of the old school) was taking no prisoners when it came to inconsiderate passengers watching their HBO shows without headphones or chatting to colleagues as if they were working from home. Thanks to Starlink and ever-faster connectivity on board, digital indecency is likely to become a bigger in-flight flashpoint than drunken British hen parties to Portugal.
6-0
On Friday, an Emirati gentleman of senior rank came up to me to offer a word of thanks. “Thank you my Canadian brother for thumping Qatar.” It even came with a fist bump.
Lisbon
By now you will have seen that the Portuguese capital will play host to the 10th edition of our Quality of Life Conference and the stunning Gulbenkian will be the backdrop. The conference is timed to work with North American Labo(u)r Day and we’ll be opening up the best of the city as we bring the sharpest minds to the stage for discussion of what makes for the best possible life in urban centres, whether massive or mid-size. All your favourite editors will be onstage and possibly in swimwear for a side trip down to Comporta.
Astir Beach
Need a jolt to get into your summer groove? I can recommend a set of loungers at the Astir Beach Club in Vouliagmeni, south of Athens. The staff are polite and fast, the guests mostly local and the sea superb. You can even stay at The Ilisian (check our wares and those from our brother company Trunk at The Store at The Ilisian) and pop down for the day for some sunshine and assyrtiko.
And on the topic of retail, three letters for you: ZRH. We’re back for the summer season at Zürich Airport – right outside the main Swiss business class lounge.
Enjoying life in ‘The Faster Lane’? Click here to browse all of Tyler’s past columns.
Guess where I am. Go on. Guess! Guess! Okay, I’m going to give you a hint. I’m in a pod, far away from home and I’m staring down at a reddish surface. Beside me…
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