ultratravelYOUR GUIDE TO HEAVEN ON EARTH

®

U.S. EDITION

ISLANDESCAPES

WITHERIC

RIPERT

PARIS VERMONT PUGLIA CAPE TOWN PERU

SUMMER 2014

The Perfect Time to VisitBlackberry Farm

Pack your bags and dive into the season!SUMMER TRAVEL

AN EXCLUSIVEINTERVIEW WITHTOMS FOUNDER

BLAKEMYCOSKIE

CONTRIBUTORS

Kate George-WeaverFitness, food and fashion have led Kate

George-Weaver away from her Welsh

hometown to spots all over the world,

from Aspen to South Africa. Her most

recent trip to Cape Town is captured in

her feature, “Cape Town Rising,” her first

contribution to Ultratravel. Previously,

George-Weaver worked for Armani in the

U.K. and contributes to fashion and travel

magazines, including Tatler Hong Kong.

Alyssa ShelaskyAlyssa Shelasky is a contributing writer for New York magazine, Bon Appétit, The Guardian

and fathom.com. Shelasky is the author of “Apron Anxiety: My Messy Affairs In and Out of

the Kitchen.” Although based in Brooklyn, Shelasky spends much of her time abroad

working on her next book, “Still or Sparkling,” and covering stories on food and travel.

Carlos MotaBased in New York, Venezuela-born Carlos Mota is a celebrated stylist and

Architectural Digest’s International Style Editor. His unique style is marked by

creative compositions that mix bold colors and textures. Mota is also known

as a consummate host, throwing lavish dinner parties in his Chelsea

apartment. He’s also the author of “Flowers Chic and Cheap,” and was

formerly Editor-at-Large at Elle Decor.

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AlexanderLobrano

Alexander Lobrano is a Paris-

based food and travel writer

who is the author of “Hungry

for Paris” and “Hungry for

France.” Originally from

Connecticut, he’s lived in Paris

for 20 years and was previously

the European Editor for

Departures and Gourmet. The

James Beard Award-winner is

also a contributing editor at

Saveur Magazine and writes

regularly for The New York

Times, The Wall Street Journal,

the Guardian, Condé Nast

Traveler and many other

publications. He’s currently

working on a gastronomic

autobiography.

Henley VazquezHenley Vazquez is the co-founder of Feather+Flip, a new website for

globetrotting families. As a travel journalist and editor, she’s written for

National Geographic Traveler, Travel + Leisure and Indagare, among

others. Based in New York, she spends summers in Spain and misses the

jamon year-round.

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PUGLIAOut of

This WorldAlyssa Shelasky escapes to Puglia and

embraces the Mediterranean lifestyle.

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Cala Masciola inside Borgo Egnazia is

the hotel’s connection to the sea,

with cabanas, a water sports center

and a restaurant on the beach.

For a taste of Puglia, contact your travel agent.

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Ihave an inappropriate habit of asking beautiful

women about their beauty secrets. Good genes.

La Prairie. Aloe vera. Some lady even saved Dr.

Andrew Jacono in my iPhone (he’s now on speed

dial). One answer that struck me, which I heard

more than once, was this: the Mediterranean diet,

and by extension, the Mediterranean life.

We know about the Mediterranean diet: fish, nuts,

fruits, organic produce, occasional pasta, endless olive

oil. I eat that way naturally and believe it in like a

religion. But the Mediterranean life—sunny days, no

stress, big hammocks, happy hearts—that’s the dream.

This sweet existence is known to be at its finest in

Puglia, Italy, the heel of the boot. But the region always

sounded so off-the-grid. Poo-li-where? When Justin

Timberlake got married at the unbelievable-looking

Borgo Egnazia last year, in Fasano, I gazed at photos of

the ancient palazzos, pale tufa stonework, plush poppies

and infinite olive groves, all set on the Adriatic

coastline, and promised myself I’d get there soon.

A year later, I arrived at Borgo Egnazia with

butterflies in my stomach. As I arrived at the imposing

estate (40 acres!), my jaw dropped. Castles entwined

with grapevines, entangled in lemon trees, flowers,

fields and fortresses—and everything bathed in yellow-

pink sunlight. I almost couldn’t breathe. Borgo Egnazia

is an overwhelmingly exquisite sensory experience.

There is a proper five-star hotel, impeccably

designed by Pino Brescia, but I chose a private house

in the Borgo (village). Mine, considered “modest,” had

two stories, a private garden, a large terrace, a romantic

rooftop, my own fig tree and, of course, a cutting-edge

espresso machine.

I took my nightly Negroni (and accompanying

nibbles) on the outdoor terrace of the main hotel. In

Puglia the almonds and olives served alongside these

late-day beverages are directly from the land. Needless

to say, every bite of food from that point on was

exceptionally fresh and simple, prepared only with sea

salt and Italian soul. Later on, the chef served

homemade orecchiette, a Puglian specialty and my

personal favorite pasta. Pinch me, per favore!

But first: a pop-up Puglian dance party! I kicked

off my shoes and joined the unexpected fun (Borgo

loves this sort of surprise). Why not? This was The

Mediterranean life I had lusted for! Besides, the

Puglians’ wholesome, innocent energy is incredibly

contagious.

During the day, you have to visit Borgo Egnazia’s

beach clubs, but the glistening on-site swimming pools,

straight out of a Dolce and Gabbana photo shoot, are

hard to leave. And the spa! After the Borgo Egnazia

olive oil massages and Roman baths and the hyper-

rejuvenating thalassotherapy at the Thalasso Spa (inside

Borgo’s even more pristine sister property, San

Domenico), I could have gotten Justin Timberlake to

marry me.

A week of the freshest fish, purest olive oil,

irresistible orecchiette and luscious red wine—plus all

the dancing, laughing and relaxing—left me looking

and feeling like a woman I would admire. Borgo

Egnazia handed me the Mediterranean diet and life on

a silver platter; it was everything I imagined and more.

I arrived at BorgoEgnazia and my jawdropped: Castles

entwined withgrapevines, lemon

trees, fortresses...allbathed in yellow-pink

sunlight.

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Clockwise from above: Borgo

Egnazia has five restaurants on

the property, including La Frasca;

the hotel’s main entrance; the

Owner’s Villa is the most

exclusive of the property’s 29

villas; the pool at La Corte, which

is the property’s main building.

IMA

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Borgo Egnazia is an overwhelmingly exquisite sensory experience.