I spent the first week of August on Zakynthos, dipping my toes into the Ionian Sea that was like a moving YSL blue swatch permeated by Maldivian turquoise. It was a special vacation for me as it was gifted by very dear friends. Had it not been a gift, I would have stayed enslaved to my work. Sometimes social obligation blesses.
I came home with new evidence on why I need to migrate to a nature-based lifestyle, a notebook that filled itself, and a list I’ve been asked for five times already. So here it is — the week, the tables, the packing, the soundtrack — and a poem that emerged once I let everything else quiet down.
I love a fresh page and a pen in hand. It asks of others; let me go inward. My body is here but my consciousness is filtering through layers of sediment, finding a way. It gives chance for deeper consideration. It’s a luxury in this fast-paced world.
I sit in the middle — from the notebook
Sandwiched between young love
and retired acceptance
A small beach barely existing
in an enclave of these coastal cliffs.
Sweltering August heat and
smooth white pebbles underfoot.
I sneak glances at the dark-haired beauty -
a 7/10 once she hits her 30’s but now,
with her doe-eyed acceptance of her lover,
She’s a 10/10. It’s not about wrinkles
It’s about naivety - and how beautifully it glows
fresh as newly fallen frangipani.
Her head rests on his recently filled-in chest
Puffed up with an unearned manliness
He is educating her on something. She nods.
A Master of the Universe in the making.
With full trust, she melts into him.
I close my eyes and pick up the rumble of lazy unimportant words.
A few meters out into the turquoise blue, a couple is lounging.
Part wading, part sitting, a slow roast in the afternoon sun.
I wonder how it is to be post-menopausal,
Post career pivots, post diets, post change.
For the one expectation of me to be, well,
Acting in ways that are expected.
Marital comfort derived from familiarity -
A predictable coasting to the finish line.
The time for questioning the founding values
Long past.
Some relationships are houses
Their role is to shelter those inside from the storm
Empty nests expose the beams and space
But even the greatest spirits can be contained
By the need of knowing where is one’s place
I sit in the middle.
Fearful of both new love and resigned maturity.
How to Island Right
Zakynthos must be seen both from the land and the water. Wait until the right elements align: the right mix of friends you’d love to be stuck on a yacht with, an excellent chef, and a cellar packed with Zakynthian rosé. Then simply let the coastline blow you away. There are countless beaches only accessible by boat – one where people leave totems of stacked white stones; one with a famous shipwreck that was all but a rusty skeleton, all opening and closing with the tides.
We had a couple days on land before jetting off for a week. If you’re a rustic nature lover like me; I suggest finding a villa up in the north for these nights on land. Book in advance via AirBnB. Our mountain-top villa gave us sweeping views, with a little garden next to the kitchen that I could pluck fresh tomatoes and rosemary from. It is incredibly lush on this island for such a dry climate, and the morning coastal hikes are also so worth it.
Each outing down for groceries or dinner required stopping for various creatures to cross the road – sheep, ducks, kittens. There was wildness that I missed, seen in the unruly rows of ancient olive trees planted long before machine harvesting required straight lines and mono cropping. Peacocks that somehow landed here rested with brunette horses in the shade. However, if you prefer a posh over rustic…
The floating dock at Lesante Blu
— Then I suggest Lesante Blu. Family-owned and quaint but still with a sexy three-tiered infinity pool, this spot is probably already being eyed by a larger luxury group. I loved the little boutique near the beach restaurant, run by a lady who is passionate about independent Greek designers. My newest earrings are from her.
Where to Eat
Nobelus — book the beach daybeds and surrender the whole day. I loved it so much, I went back twice. This is Greek island seafood with an Italian accent, and the fresh catch on display is the menu. The uni pasta was divine. The grilled octopus, the branzino off the coals, and the grilled sardines were exceptional. I loved the unique (for me) pairing of roasted feta and tomato on top of prawns. Stick with the local wines – they’re great. There’s a homemade gelato booth for afterwards, and the service is the best I found on the island.
Porto Roulis — the counterweight to Nobelus: a humble fisherman’s taverna run by three generations of one family. When we walked in, the grandfather was singing already – guitar on his lap. It’s a pick-your-fish kind of place. Checkered paper tablecloths, and baskets full of fried fresh anchovies – this is a cute place that hangs shells off the ceiling. We were served by two friendly sisters and chose wine from the Grampas vineyard we had dined at a few days before. When I went to pay (in the middle of a very cramped kitchen), I got to see the inner workings of the family, with the grandmother having her station by a large earthen forno, prepping the grill.
The galley — the best table on the trip wasn’t on the island at all. We sailed with a Sicilian chef on board who spoiled us daily: perfect pastas, red shrimp crudo, fresh-caught fish straight to the grill, and tarts and tiramisu baked at sea. If you charter, ask about the chef before you ask about the boat — it’s hard to go wrong with a chef from Italy’s south.
What to Pack
People think fashion designers stress about their own outfits, but usually we just wear what’s easy and minimal. Often I’m wearing old or new samples, so it comes down to what’s available. We spend so much time dressing and styling others; that I guess like chefs, we get exhausted when it comes to dressing ourselves. On that note - I packed my whole week into one carry-on luggage and one Porter tote. Here was the essentials:
On the body
– One pair of ancient Greek sandals. Metallic flats are best – can dress up or down. My friend brought a few ZARA heeled-sandals: big mistake. They injured her feet from just one walk around the harbour. Stick with real high quality leather - they aren’t vegan, but will be appreciated in a vintage stack, or at worst, biodegrade.
– A mono-color shirt set: My silk cotton set in cacao — shirt and pants, breezy and light but real coverage from wind and sun. Worn open over swimwear by day, buttoned with nothing underneath by night. I was also pairing the bottoms with just swim tops, and the wearing the top as a shirt dress. I’ve been obsessed with rich browns for resort wear - neutral but particular. Minimalist but warm.
– Functional Swimsuits: one string bikini for easy sunbathing, one monokini for secure-fit free diving, and a cropped swim set for when my chest and neck start going dark and freckly. Shoulders, chest, and arms always tan deeper than the rest of the body — so I designed swimwear that reverse-tans, covering exactly those areas instead: swim t-shirts, neck-covered crop-top sets, even full-sleeve suits I use for longer free dives. They double as crop tops - so a good swim investment.
– Sheer Cropped Pants: handspun cotton resort pants in natural leaf —Slightly cropped for the boat. These are made from organic cotton in East Java, Indonesia that is handspun using a slowly dying traditional technique. The artisanal love that goes into a piece like this is both seen and felt. It was like wearing the softest sheer gauze that still held its weight. The material was naturally dyed in Bali by the same family-owned company. I feel grateful every time I smooth my hand against these fibers.
– My usual chunky ring stacks and a few statement earrings. I love bold jewelry with very minimal makeup. Especially when you’re tanned with freckles. Natural beauty.
In the kit
– Sun Zapper SPF sticks — the revelation of the trip. I swapped cover-up for these zinc sticks: 50+ SPF, foundation in light and dark (bring both as you’ll need range as you tan). Zero clogging, total coverage. I’m literally still using these on the daily….
– Anessa SPF 50 for moisturizing and protecting the face overall. Zero clogging again, and absorbs to a matte finish.
– Momori brow gel — the extra-large wand swipes unruly brows and baby hairs into submission. A must, for the constant wind on-board. Also, smells lovely.
– Kérastase Curl Manifesto leave-in — blow-drying on a boat is futile given I’ll be jumping into the water multiple times a day, so I air-dried into a wavy, messy bob. Wet hair, Add this, do not touch until it’s crispy dry, then tousle!
– Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera Gel — The slick look created by totally natural, easy to wash and comb out aloe. I had my usual industrial size bottle of aloe vera on hand, for an easy slick-back bun. Only use this brand if you want a really great hold.
– Lip liner stain + simple balm — the lowest-maintenance glow-up trick. Draw on your liner, and your lips loo defined all day. Natural lip texture shines.
For the Mind
– I finished Pool House by Mary H.K. Choi. — Great read for a non-intellectual, leisurely cruise. The ending was a tough pill to swallow. Moms….
– I got mid-way in Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer — This is the sort of writer that brings me back to the things that matter the most in this life: How we live in relationship with earth and other living beings. Still immersed.
What to Listen To
One song owned this trip: “Hot Blooded” (slow reverb version) — New Constellations, on repeat drawing me into day-dreamworld. Around it, the week sounded like this:
– “Golden Light” — STRFKR (arrival)
– “Weak in Your Light” — Nation of Language (open water)
– “Saltworks” — BEA1991 (the swim)
– “Bond Girl” — John Glacier (4pm heat)
– “Priestess” (Shura Remix) — Pumarosa (golden hour)
– “Blood Type” — Turtle (dinner on deck)
– “Black Willow” — Loma (the night crossing)
That’s the island. Next month I’ll be writing to you from a retreat in Yorkshire at Broughton Sanctuary – named by National Geographic Traveller as one of the 30 most exciting places in the world to visit.
Crossing thoughts in hyper space,
LVT