Latest news with #culturaladventure
Vogue
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Maria Grazia Chiuri's First Project Post-Dior? The Restoration and Revival of a Roman Theater
Instead of channeling your resources into, say, a château in Bourgogne or a Parisian hôtel particulier, you chose to invest in something far less conventional—and far more generous: a cultural adventure. What sparked this vision? Where did the idea for the theater come from? It originated from the fascination for a story—the story of Mimì Pecci Blunt. And also quite by chance. We came across these documents and sketches by Tomaso Buzzi, the eclectic architect who gave the theater its look. At the time, it was still part of the property owned by writer Gaia de Beaumont, Mimi Pecci Blunt's granddaughter. Buzzi's drawings were instantly captivating—not only for their beauty, but because they sparked Rachele's and my curiosity, drawing us into the remarkable world of this extraordinary woman. We discovered how she had moved through all the major artistic movements of the 20th century, maintaining personal relationships with a wide range of artists, whom she would invite to her homes in Paris, Villa Marlia, Rome, and New York. At a certain point in her life, she decided that she needed to have a dedicated space—a private theater. At the beginning we had no intention of buying it, let alone managing it. But we definitely continued to be interested in her, because her life touched on so many themes we were passionate about, and involved many artists we admired. She had an incredibly strong network of international artistic connections, which even intersected with the research we were doing in Paris for Dior's fashion shows. So it was a personal interest of ours in the first place—almost like an archaeological dig into 20th-century culture and modernism, which, to be honest, I had never formally studied, but had always found fascinating. Later on, the opportunity arose to acquire the theater building itself, because the owners had decided to sell it. At the time, the theater was still active, with a regular drama program—in fact, my husband and I were subscribers. More than anything, we didn't want it to be repurposed for something else, for some sort of cheap retail space, and our original idea was actually to keep the existing managers in place. But then COVID happened, and the management decided not to renew the lease. Negotiating with the family that owned the property was quite complicated—also because it wasn't just my decision. My husband, my son, and my daughter were involved too. We finally said: why don't we renovate it? Especially after we discovered Tomaso Buzzi's original beautiful sketches. We had fallen in love with them. That's when the adventure began. We spent five years on research and renovation. We were lucky that there was an architect, Fabio Tudisco, who was already working in the theater and was passionate about its history—we worked with him on the restoration. So it was a series of very particular events and coincidences—and above all, the idea of giving this place back to the city of Rome.
Condé Nast Traveler
20-05-2025
- Condé Nast Traveler
How We Used Points to Cover a Kid-Friendly Family Vacation in Eastern Europe
Rachel Lipson has explored Europe plenty of times—both as a musician when she was younger, and with her family over the years. But her recent spring break trip was about something entirely different: Introducing her two kids to places that were new to everyone. After years of revisiting familiar spots with her husband, Kamali, and their sons, Max (11) and Henry (9), Rachel craved an adventure where they could all experience discovery together. The solution? A two-week journey exploring the historic cities of Budapest, Vienna, and Prague—also known as Europe's golden triangle. From their home in Park Slope, Brooklyn, Rachel—who runs the popular substack Brooklyn Family Travelers—meticulously planned an itinerary that combined smart budgeting with luxurious touches, primarily through savvy use of credit card points and miles. The family aimed to dive deep into Eastern Europe's rich history and vibrant culture, and Rachel's strategy ensured they traveled comfortably without blowing their budget. "Eastern Europe was high on my list," Rachel explains. "I loved the idea of hopping between these iconic cities by train, making the most of each place without feeling rushed." Here, Rachel shares exactly how she made this memorable trip happen, leveraging points and miles to maximize their travel budget—and how other families can follow her lead. The family dove deep into World War II history at landmarks like the Flak Towers—former anti-aircraft artillery stations. Rache Lisnor The Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel, which dates back to 1897, has become a symbol of the Eastern European city itself. Getty Images Finding the right pace and place For Rachel, picking this particular itinerary started with the school calendar. 'The moment the dates came out, I began mapping out possibilities,' she explains. While Rachel had spent time across Western Europe, cities like Budapest, Vienna, and Prague felt like uncharted territory, offering a compelling mix of old-world charm, history and family-friendly activities. She intentionally structured the trip to give each city its due. Budapest earned four nights, Vienna five, and Prague three—just enough time to explore at a comfortable pace without overwhelming the kids. "With young boys, we wanted to balance sightseeing and downtime," Rachel says. "Having multiple nights in each city lets us settle in, experience local life, and not feel pressured to rush through all the sights." Convenience played a role, too. "We loved that the train rides between cities weren't too long," Rachel says. "They became a fun part of the adventure instead of just transit days." This thoughtful pacing—paired with Rachel's careful points planning—meant every family member could enjoy the journey as much as the destinations themselves. The Parisi Udvar Hotel in Budapest is set within a 19th-century shopping arcade—and cost the family just 20,000 points per night. Párisi Udvar Hotel Budapest Their best points redemptions Rachel's careful planning paid off with several standout redemptions that elevated their family trip from comfortable to extraordinary. Initially, she booked economy flights to Budapest via Air France with points transferred from a credit card. But a last-minute search uncovered something much better: "Just days before departure, I found business class flights on Austrian Airlines," she says. "It was only 252,000 points total for all four of us, and those tickets would've cost around $27,000 in cash." They happily paid a $70 per-person cancellation fee to redeposit their original points, and upgraded their travel experience dramatically.
