Caesar Augustus made his painful way toward the island of Capri, comforted by the sea air and the familiar shape of this coastline he knew and loved so well. Capri was where he hoped to die, but he did not make it.
This region is ancient, timeless. The world moves on, traveling populations heave and spread themselves like an amoeba across the globe and yet, like some capacious being, this coast seems to absorb them all. Who can change the sinuous shape of the coastline, the sober aspect of the rock rising from the sea, the brawny fisherman’s physique, the warm smile out of dark lashed eyes?
It is wonderful being here: familiar, comforting, yet exhilarating. I, too, like Augustus, can see my last days on earth plying these mediterranean waters towards the mountain in the sea that is Capri.
In spite of aborted travels to get here, I arrived late on a Friday night to a fading sunset and the twinkle of lights along the coast. Ravello, the charming town that it is, welcomed me into an architectural beauty that dates back centuries: frescoed ceilings, mosaicked floors, crumbling walls, arabic inspired arches, majolica tiled cupolas. The music season is in full swing, Hotel Caruso offers glorious suites with the greatest view on earth and, yet, a daily local life proceeds uninhibited.
The square wakes up for a morning coffee.
The facts:
Best 5 star Hotels: Hotel Caruso and Palazzo Sasso
Best 4 star hotel: Villa Fraulo
Best Nearby Restaurants: Palazzo Sasso’s Rossellinis and Amalfi’s La Caravella
Best Lunch: La Conca del Sogno
Best Buys: Majolica ceramics
Best (and nicest) Contact: Lorenzo Soleri, Hotel Caruso
And dominating it all, in spirit and in size, is Vesuvius.
John Derian is a treasure. It's not that there aren't many with talent and vision because there are, the world over. But Derian has other attributes that make him so beloved. His eye is unerring, his sense of scale is perfect, he layers cultures and eras seamlessly in a room. And he is accessible in brick and mortar. His two shops on East Second Street have been haunts for years. One carries the decoupage he designs and constructs locally (and that make the best gifts ever) along with the coveted ceramics of Astier de Villatte. The second Dry Goods store next door showcases quirky antiques, an assortment of vintage furniture, stacks of heavy french linen, Moroccan rugs and soft cotton Indian clothing. Both are small, but intriguing and interesting enough to seduce you on a journey of the senses.
And now, Derian has opened on Christopher Street in a double-windowed storefront of a two-story 18th century house. It's like walking in to another world. Traditional Astier, and the later Derian/Astier collaborative pieces, line the walls from roof to floor of the front room. The back room, wallpapered in his new cabbage rose design and lit by beautiful Balthus-designed standing lamps with parchment shades, offers a living room in which to settle in, thumb through books and albums, and rest the soul.
So, go to shop, or simply go to travel in spirit to another place and time.
https://www.johnderian.com/pages/our-locations"
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