COLUMNISTS You know it’s going to be a good week when you sail through Heathrow security, you board an almost empty aircraft up to Stockholm, the champagne is surprisingly chilled and the first officer tells you that air traffic control has permitted you to fly a straight line up to Arlanda and you’re going to touch down early. It only gets better when, somewhere just beyond Copenhagen, the clouds part and all the way from Malmö to Stockholm there are shimmering lakes, forests beginning their transformation from lush green to hot orange and tidy farms painted a uniform red.
If you’ve never been to Stockholm on a warm, sunny day in early autumn – go! Hit the city centre some time around 5.30pm as locals are jumping on their bikes and heading for drinks after work and the scene is a mix of fashion show, perfectly choreographed pop video and urban fairy tale. I often warn people who’ve never experienced this particular tableau to invest in a neck-brace for the following morning because they’ll be doing so much head-turning to catch glimpses of cuties on Kronan bicycles that they’re bound to strain a neck muscle. My travel companion Robyn was almost rushed to casualty after an hour on the streets. “Could the residents be any more gorgeous if they tried?” she asked. “The slightly fading tans, the perfect little outfits, the great accessories and they’re all on bikes. It’s almost too perfect.”
As we were at the start of a five-city trip that was going to take us from the top of the continent to almost the bottom, I hoped Stockholm would not turn out to be the high point. With a tricky mix of a flight connection through Vienna, fashion week in Milan, a weekend on Lake Garda and a full schedule in Munich, there was a feeling of menace about the road ahead. Fortunately, it turned out wonderfully and these are the ten high points:
1. Biff Rydberg at Teatergrillen, Stockholm
The Teatergrillen version of this Swedish classic is a definite competitor as one of the top five dishes in the world. While there are no doubt many different takes on this dish, the chef has developed a perfect blend of diced, fried potatoes, onions and perfectly cooked sirloin that is then combined with raw egg and fresh horseradish. It’s a remarkably simple dish but Teatergrillen has taken it somewhere far more satisfying and tasty.
2. Ludwig eiter desert boots, Vienna
If Italy Inc’s shoe industry is up in arms over shoe dumping from China and Vietnam, imagine how the Austrians feel? This is why I’m doing my best to support Made in Europe and have made Ludwig Reiter’s handmade desert boots my shoe of the season.
3. L’espresso magazine, Italy
For in-flight reading (or picture gazing), editor Daniela Hamaui’s Italian news weekly L’espresso just keeps getting better. Recent reportage from Napoli has been outstanding.
4. Montedoro’s navy corduroy blazer
A stylish cut, cuff buttonholes that open, hard-wearing fabric and a collar that stands up to keep autumn breezes at bay is a lot to ask for in an off-the-rack blazer but Montedoro has succeeded this season.
5. Balenciaga’s wool, plunging neckline evening dress
No, it wasn’t for me silly, it was for my colleague Anna. She rounded off the purchase with a pair of towering navy patent Balenciaga heels. Her comment from the dressing room at A. Gi. Emme in Como: “Ideal for all debuts, launches and awards ceremonies.”
6. Il Foglio
From the outside, Italy’s most upmarket daily newspaper looks a bit uptight but it could well be the way of the future. With an average of just eight pages a day, it is filled with thoughtful essays, opinions, reportage and comment. It hints at the direction other dailies might have to take to respond to dotcom pressures.
7. Aspesi on via Montanapoleone, Milan
For the past two years, this column has been championing the Alberto Aspesi brand and frustrating international readers because it’s difficult to find outside posh towns in Lombardy. Now, with a bit of fresh backing, the company has opened one of the biggest stores on Milan’s lane of luxury goods. It’s as generous to the girls as it is to the boys.
8. Dinner at Noona’s
It’s not a place that takes reservations but could easily become the best salon for drinking and dining in Milan. Last Thursday, my friend Noona served up an outstanding Sri Lankan curry, Laurent Perrier on ice (she claims it curbs hangovers) and perfect company. Lawrence Steele, Doug Lloyd and Hidetoshi Nakata were all equally entertaining.
9. The Villa Feltrinelli, Lake Garda
This is a case of one of those properties that improves with age rather than feels dated after a few seasons. General manager Markus Odermatt is still running a tight ship and sunshine mixed with a temperature of 21°C in the lake was a nice way to welcome the autumn.
10. Air Dolomiti
I’m no fan of teal or lurid aqua tones but the rest of this Italian, German-managed airline offers something other-short haul carriers should follow. The Pucci-esque scarves on the crew and the house prosecco are also smart touches.
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