Week No. 266
A quietly stunning new stay on Sifnos, not your grocery store rotisserie chicken, and distraction-free writing
Stay of the Week
A Quietly Stunning New Stay on Sifnos
Sifnos is one of the quieter Cycladic islands, but one that shouldn’t be missed for a regenerative travel experience. It’s about 15 miles long and 7.5 miles wide. There are no stoplights, just nine taxis, fourteen ceramic workshops, and more churches than you can count. Part of the draw to the island is that it’s still largely under the radar, seeing minimal change in the last 20 years (even as tourism has had a huge impact on nearby islands). Stamna is the island’s newest opening, subtly camouflaged into the hillside with its earthy palette of clay, green, and soft blue. It has just 20 guestrooms, each with a private outdoor space that far surpasses the indoor square footage. Start your day with yoga or Pilates in the outdoor gym, and spend the afternoon hiking the island’s countless trails (many of which lead through wild herbs and olive groves to hidden beaches and snorkeling coves). Come sunset, we’ve been advised to not sleep on Pilos, the hotel’s on-site restaurant from renowned chef Gikas Xenakis. Think: traditional Greek cuisine made with garden-grown vegetables, aromatic herbs, locally sourced meat, and fresh fish. Overall, Stamna stands out as a simple, no-fuss property that gives you the feeling of being exactly where you’re supposed to be. Filed under: a vacation that actually feels like a vacation.
Restaurant of the Week
Not Your Grocery Store Rotisserie Chicken
The duo behind Frog Wine Bar and Sunrise/Sunset just opened Badaboom: a rotisserie chicken spot slash French-inspired bistro in Bed-Stuy. On the menu, expect dishes like crisp-skinned chicken and steak frites served alongside a glass of chilled French wine. Behind the project are Henry Glucroft (Henry’s Wine and Spirits + Sunrise/Sunset) and Charles Gerbier (Frog), as well as a chef alum of Place des Fêtes and Oxomoco. The exterior refresh features a bright blue facade and tiled nameplate, turning what was once a shuttered deli into a welcoming corner bistro that makes you look twice when walking by. It’s the kind of place you’ll crave after a long day, and likely your new go-to if you live nearby. Bring a friend, order what sounds good, and don’t skip the wine.
Brand of the Week
Distraction-Free Writing
If you’ve ever wished you lived in the era of typewriters (or maybe you did, and miss them dearly), this might be the next best thing. Freewrite is a “smart typewriter”—essentially a mechanical keyboard paired with a simple e-ink screen (think Kindle) that shows only your text. We’ll admit we found it through an Instagram ad and haven’t tried it ourselves, but the concept is compelling, especially for anyone who struggles to stay focused (don’t we all these days?). There are a few different models, but all are designed with the goal of distraction-free writing. A physical lever connects to Wi-Fi, but only to sync your documents to Dropbox or Google Drive. At $699, it’s definitely a splurge, but maybe you’ve just been hired to write a Substack (a hot topic), maybe you’re a very distracted journalist, or maybe you’re just really into a daily journal but can no longer read your own handwriting. We’re not saying you neeeed a seven hundred dollar keyboard, but we can say we appreciate the idea and have officially added it to our list of things to buy once we’re rich.