Tag: museums

What to Do in Mexico City: Where the Chic Set Go

Posted on by Mary Holland

Mexico City–based Carla Fernández has been fascinated by traditional dress since she was a child. Travelling throughout southern Mexico with her father, she witnessed early on the textile traditions of the Indigenous peoples. Years later, with her business partner Cristina Rangel, Fernández founded her eponymous brand, which spotlights historic techniques practised by artisans across the country.

Carla Fernandez
At home in Mexico City’s Coyoacán neighbourhood. Photograph by Ben Lamberty.

“The superpower of Mexicans is creativity,” she says. The designer has become known for her bold, boxy shapes using traditional weaving, embroidery, and pleating, and also for her commitment to empowering artisans through training programs. Here, she shares more of her favourite spots in the capital.  

Shop

Onora
Decorative objects at Onora. Photograph by Fabián Martinez.

Artisan-Led Boutiques: In Mexico City, there are many artisan-led brands and shops she adores, such as Lago (with three locations in the metropolis) and Onora (in the Polanco neighbourhood). “They work together with artisans to create new designs. I love their selection of pieces from all over Mexico,” Fernández says.

Coyoacán Market: “If you want Mexican street food, I truly recommend going. They have these tostadas that have shrimp and chicken, which I love. You can find everything there—grasshoppers and cheese from Oaxaca. I also love to shop for flowers. On Sundays, they have tlacoyos, these tortillas with beans, fava, or cheese inside.”  

See

Mexico University Central Library
The mural facade at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Photograph by Bede Sheppard / Wirestock / Adobe Stock.

National Autonomous University of Mexico: “They have beautiful grounds.” Make sure to stop at the Central Library, which is covered with the world’s largest mural: an extraordinary four-sided tiled mosaic by Juan O’Gorman.

Museo Anahuacalli: “An amazing museum, which now has a contemporary art program that is held by a brilliant curator, Karla Niño de Rivera Torres. It’s really progressive. They have a lot of workshops and music festivals, so it’s definitely worth seeing what’s going on.” 

Savor

A fusion of global flavours at Masala y Maíz. Photograph by Ana Lorenzana.

Masala y Maíz: “They just received their first Michelin star. I saw them [grow] from the very beginning; we used to be neighbours, but [now] they’ve moved downtown. Their food is just stunning. I love the shrimp, and they have this fried tortilla that has birria [stewed meat] inside—it’s so delicious.” [Read more about Mexico City’s food scene here.]

The Lamb: “I don’t eat a lot of British food, but I love this tiny little restaurant in Roma. They have really good oysters, as well as fish and chips and a delicious pea salad. I also usually order a glass of natural wine or cider.” 

Ticuchi
The moody interiors at Ticuchi. Photograph by Robert Morley.

Ticuchi: “I don’t go to Polanco much, but I really like going to Ticuchi—they have the best vegan tacos and amazing mezcal. There’s also a sculpture by my husband (Pedro Reyes) in the entrance.”

La Mano: “Everything is about Mexico [here]! It’s super relaxed with a beautiful garden. I like to go and have a hot chocolate and sweet bread, but they [also] cook the tortillas by hand and have really good tacos. There’s a beautiful store where you can buy good mezcal.” 

Sip

Salón Palomilla: “It’s a really great bar. I’ll get the delicious organic orange wine, which they get from winemakers in Valle de Guadalupe. They have good music from DJs—it’s live, so you have to check the calendar. It’s a great option for Sunday nights.” 

Stay

The courtyard at Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City.

Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City: “I like to go for hot chocolate or tea and pain au chocolat and sit in the garden for breakfast. During the Day of the Dead, don’t miss the Pan de Muerto [sweet brioche-style bread]. The hotel is where Fashion Week [events] happen, so I [also] go there to see the shows! The staff are so sweet and gentle.” 

Four Seasons Hotel Madrid is centrally located in Plaza de Canalejas, where you can spot some other notable landmarks also seen in “Money Heist.”

Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City

An urban oasis in the heart of the city

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The Culture Cut: Art in Unlikely Places

Posted on by The Editors

Art isn’t restricted to that which is painted, contained within a frame, and hung on the walls of a grand museum like the MET in New York City or the Louvre in Paris. Art can be an exquisitely designed dress, for instance, and it can be found anywhere—in the desert, on a beach, in an eyeglass shop, even. Here are four new exhibitions of beyond-the-frame art that are on our radar.

Florence, Italy

A thoroughly modern interpretation. Photograph by Ela Bialkowska.

Known for his bold, pop-inflected sculptures, the artist KAWS crafted his massive new installation, “The Message,” in warmly burnished wood. The artwork—featuring two nearly 20-foot-tall figures, each of which holds a wooden smartphone—is a modern interpretation of a famous 15th-century fresco, “The Annunciation”, by Fra Angelico. Works by the Italian Renaissance painter, along with KAWS’s sculpture, are on view through January 25, 2026, at Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, Italy, which is home to Four Seasons Hotel Firenze.

Paris, France

A Christian Dior evening gown from the Fall/Winter 1951 haute couture line.

When he was a young man, in 1956, Azzedine Alaïa spent just four days as an intern at the legendary House of Dior—a fleeting experience that would leave a lasting impression. In time, he would establish his own maison, becoming known as a master of sculptural tailoring. Behind the scenes, Alaïa (who died in 2017) was also a devoted collector of vintage Dior, amassing some 600 pieces. Now his extraordinary personal collection takes center stage in not one but two exhibitions in Paris: a show, at La Galerie Dior spotlighting more than 100 of these rare pieces, and one at the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation, where Dior and Alaïa designs are shown in concert, tracing threads of influence, admiration, and creative kinship. (The former exhibition runs through May 3, 2026; the latter, through May 24, 2026.) For those who won’t be in Paris, Rizzoli and Damiani are publishing catalogues of the exhibits.—Degen Pener

Seoul, South Korea

Giant sculptures inside the Gentle Monster store.

Rising above Seoul’s Seongsu-dong neighbourhood, Haus Nowhere has quickly become a cultural pilgrimage site for shoppers seeking the next chapter in retail. Opened in September in a 14-story brutalist building, the store is the fourth experimental retail project from IICombined, the parent company of the luxury eyewear brand Gentle Monster. Yes, it sells products, including sunglasses; caps and beanies from Gentle Monster sister brand Atiissu; fragrances by Tamburins; and tableware from Nuflaat. More than anything, though, it’s an unforgettable sensory experience, complete with a colour-saturated teahouse and a rotating roster of art installations, like two painted humanoid giants sitting in meditation (above) and a gargantuan dachshund napping on the floor. It’s a concept store gone supersized.—Julie Pham

Naples, Florida

Artist James Perkins at work. Photograph by Leila Brewster.

“I’m blurring the line between what is man-made and what is made by nature,” says James Perkins (pictured above). The New York–based artist’s practice involves burying silk-covered wood frames and letting the pieces absorb the effects of sun, surf, rain, and earth. Last year year, he buried some of his latest works in Naples, Florida, home of the new Naples Beach Club, A Four Seasons Resort. Perkins is also the subject of his first museum show, Burying Painting, which runs through February 15, 2026, at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.

Eat Your Heart Out: A Foodie’s Guide to Houston

Posted on by Degen Pener

“We do better together than we do separate,” says Chris Shepherd of his altruistic modus operandi. At his former restaurant Underbelly—where his cooking won him a James Beard Award in 2014—Shepherd made a habit of recommending other local spots for diners to try. In 2015, with his wife, Lindsey Brown, he co-founded the Southern Smoke Foundation (SSF), a nonprofit that supports food and beverage workers across the United States who are affected by disasters; to date, the SSF has disbursed nearly $15 million in direct aid and made possible more than 8,000 mental-health visits. Here, Shepherd shares his favourite restaurants (and more) in the city that he loves for its boundless multiculturalism. “Houstonians are just welcoming. The diversity is there, which makes the food scene so amazing.”

Shepherd hosts the Houston-area TV show Eat Like a Local and owns the sausage and hot dog company Full Tilt Foods. Photograph by Tiffany Hofeldt.

Eat

Cali Sandwich & Pho: “The Vietnamese spot we just really love. It’s banh mi, it’s the Vietnamese egg rolls, spring rolls, a bowl of pho. It’s just what we crave.” 

Bludorn’s blackened cobia. Photograph by Jenn Duncan.

Bludorn: “You can have a fantastic experience with a group of friends while ordering a Seafood Tower, all the pastas and big entrées. It can also be that place where just you and your significant other eat perfect oysters and a burger at the bar with a beautiful glass of wine.” 

The retro-chic interior of Nonno’s. Photograph courtesy of Gin Design Group.

Nonno’s Family Pizza Tavern: “They’re from Chicago. They do a tavern-style Chicago pizza, and chicken wings, and Italian wedding risotto.” 

London Sizzler: “A curry house—British Indian cuisine. Absolutely fantastic.” 

Tex-Mex deliciousness at Candente. Photograph by Duc Hoang.

Candente: “It’s a restaurant right down the street from where we live. It’s live-fire Tex-Mex. They do really good beef cooked over mesquite, the same with the chicken. It’s very Texas and very delicious.” 

Drink

A bourbon steward in the spirit lockers at Bayou & Bottle, Four Seasons Hotel Houston.

Four Seasons Hotel Houston: “Bandista [the hotel’s speakeasy] is one of the most amazing bars in the country. They do a damn good martini, man. And then Bayou & Bottle [lobby bar]—the service there is so kind and nice, and the bourbon selection is sick.” (Shepherd keeps some of his favourite bourbons in one of the bar’s spirit lockers, including a bottle of Michter’s and his new single-barrel release with Rare Character.) 

See

Rauschenberg’s Mirage (Jammer) 1975 at the Menil Collection. Photograph courtesy of Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

The Menil Collection: “It’s the largest public art collection in the country that’s privately owned, and it’s free to the public.” (Shepherd and his wife are such fans that they painted their townhouse in Houston in a shade known as Menil Gray. This fall, the museum opens an exhibit of Robert Rauschenberg’s fabric sculptures.)  

Houston Ballet: “I like going to the ballet with my wife. I can’t believe I just said that. But she will also go to the Houston Texans games with me. Having all of the sports—the Rockets, the Astros, the Texans—and then having all of the arts and the museums, it’s a city like no other.”  

Stroll

Montrose Neighbourhood: “Kind of the heartbeat of everything, and the most walkable neighbourhood in Houston. All of the restaurants I had were in the middle of Montrose.”

Hfs 1001 970x540
Experience Texas hospitality just a stone’s throw from Houston’s major sporting and cultural venues.

Four Seasons Hotel Houston

Sophistication and comfort in the heart of downtown.

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What to Do in Madrid: A Fashion Insider on Where to Eat, Shop, and Be Inspired

Posted on by Laurie Brookins

Alejandra Alonso Rojas weaves a global heartbeat into all of her designs. Born in Madrid, she trained at some of the world’s most prestigious design schools, including London’s Central Saint Martins and New York’s Parsons School of Design, before opening her eponymous studio in Manhattan. “The landscapes, culture, and energy of Spain breathe life into my work. Artists like Dalí and Picasso inspire the vibrant colours and emotional depth in my creations,” says Alonso Rojas, who also celebrates the women in her family for instilling in her an appreciation for handcraft, from leather and knitwear to fine Camariñas lace. 

Here, she discusses essential things to do in Madrid, which will always remain a favourite destination.  

Alejandra Alonso Rojas
“Travel is integral to my design work. It expands my perspectives,” says Alonso Rojas, wearing one of her designs. Photograph by Anastasiia Duvallié.

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Boutique Browsing: “I recommend the Malasaña and Chueca districts for unique boutiques and artisanal shops. The Barrio de Salamanca offers luxury shopping [that] feels more personal compared to typical tourist spots. El Rastro is a very special place where you can find true antique gems.”   

Recharge

El Retiro Park
Palacio de Cristal conservatory in El Retiro Park. Photograph by Sanguer / Adobe Stock.

El Retiro Park: “Its lush greenery and tranquil atmosphere offer a peaceful retreat from the city bustle, inspiring a sense of calm and reflection. The beauty of nature boosts my creative energy.”  

Museo Nacional, Thyssen Bornemisza
Photograph courtesy of Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza.

Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza: “[It] features an impressive collection of paintings from the Renaissance to the modern era, showcased in a stylish former palace. Some favourites [of mine] include Self-Portrait Wearing a Hat and Two Chains, one of Rembrandt’s finest self-portraits, and The Annunciation Diptych by Jan van Eyck.” 

Eat and Drink

Dani Brasserie
The beguiling interiors of Dani Brasserie.

Dani Brasserie: “At Four Seasons Hotel Madrid, I find Dani Brasserie particularly enchanting. Chef Dani García’s culinary creativity is impressive, providing a unique dining experience that perfectly aligns with the hotel’s luxury. But don’t just stop at Dani Brasserie: I highly recommend saving some time to check out his other restaurant, Leña, which focuses on smoke-infused steaks.”  

Café de Oriente: “The view of the Royal Palace enhances a serene morning coffee. It’s an ideal spot for contemplation and inspiration. Other good [casual] spots around the city are La Cueva de 1900, Toma Café, and Pan de Lujo.” 

Bodega Ardosa
Bodega de la Ardosa is a classic tapas bar.

Bodega de la Ardosa: “For really good tap vermouth—very typical in Madrid.” 

Chocolatería San Ginés: “Amazing hot chocolate with churros.”  

Exterior of flatiron-syle building in Madrid
Four Seasons Hotel Madrid is centrally located in Plaza de Canalejas, where you can spot some other notable landmarks also seen in “Money Heist.”

Four Seasons Hotel Madrid

A historic landmark with modern energy.

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The Culture Cut: A Museum Opening, the Return of Gold, and Other Spottings from Around the World

Posted on by The Editors

Heads up: there’s a new gold rush coming; the Middle East is the hot place to be for art lovers; and Hawaii has two just-opened, must-try sushi restaurants. Here’s what’s on our radar from the world of art, culture, style, and fine dining.

See

Richard Serra in Qatar
Serra’s East-West/West-East sculpture.  Photograph by Iwan Baan, courtesy of Qatar Museums.

Art in the Desert: Extraordinary public art pops up all over Qatar’s capital city of Doha—home to both Four Seasons Hotel Doha and Four Seasons Resort and Residences at the Pearl-Qatar. But two unexpected monumental sculptures are worth seeking out in the country’s remote desert. Richard Serra’s steel monoliths loom over the sands of the Brouq Nature Reserve, while Olafur Eliasson’s Shadows Travelling on the Sea of the Day in Al Zubarah uses mirrors and metal rings to create a disorienting yet dazzling experience. —Nicola Chilton  

Cascading Roses at the Frick
Porcelain roses at the Frick. Photograph by Joseph Coscia Jr./The Frick Collection.

The Frick Collection: The storied New York City museum has emerged from a glorious renovation of its Beaux-Arts building and gardens, welcoming visitors to the second floor for the first time and featuring an exhibit of porcelain flower works by sculptor Vladimir Kanevsky. Located on East 70th Street between Madison and Fifth avenues, the esteemed museum is just blocks away from Four Seasons Hotel New York City. 

Grand Egyptian Museum
The Grand Egyptian Museum

Grand Egyptian Museum: After a partial debut last fall, the GEM celebrates its highly anticipated full opening this November. Housing more than 100,000 artifacts, including a colossal statue of Ramses II, and affording panoramic views of the Pyramids of Giza, the archaelogical institution located outside Cairo will finally unveil the Tutankhamun Galleries, featuring thousands of items laid to rest with the boy king (he was nine years old when he assumed the throne) and displaying them together under one roof for the first time. —NC 

Eat

Komo at Four Seasons Resort Maui
Komo at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea

Island Fresh: Two sublime sushi spots recently debuted in Hawaii. Graced with the Hawaiian name for a subspecies of the black noddy seabird, the Big Island-based Noio is an intimate space perched above Four Seasons Resort Hualālai’s ‘Ulu restaurant. Chef Nuri Piccio’s delectable creations range from Japanese Wagyu tempura and sake-steamed chicken to the crown jewel, a seven-course omakase experience. For the new restaurant Komo—inside Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea—the Tokyo-born chef Kiyokuni Ikeda flies in a selection of fresh seafood each week from Japan’s Misaki Megumi Suisan. Komo’s signature Mystery Box is a choice way to experience Ikeda’s masterful, precise method with nigiri while enjoying the element of discovery. 

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Rolex Oyster Perpetual 1908
Rolex’s Perpetual 1908

Gold Watches: After years of stainless steel being the metal of choice for luxury watches (think steely examples of the Rolex Daytona, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, and Patek Philippe Nautilus), the tide is shifting to designs crafted in precious metals, especially gold. At this year’s Oscars, Timothée Chalamet, Sebastian Stan, Kieran Culkin, and Robert Downey Jr. brandished gold timepieces on the red carpet, and sale prices of pre-owned gold watches are on the rise. In Switzerland at the recent Watches and Wonders fair, standout watches gleamed in timeless gold, among them Rolex’s stunning new Perpetual 1908 dress watch and Chopard’s latest L.U.C model featuring a sublime astronomical moon-phase display. —Degen Pener 

Versace La Vacanza
Sneakers from Versace’s new summer collection

Versace’s La Vacanza Collection: Seaside chic enjoys a maximalist interpretation in the Italian label’s new summer fashions. Dario Vitale, the brand’s chief creative officer, has rendered iconic Versace motifs in sea and sand hues to create must-haves, like the Mercury M_VS_01 Sneakers (shown), that epitomize casual glamour. Versace supports the reef restoration efforts of the Coral Gardeners nonprofit in French Polynesia. —Laurie Brookins 

Saint-Louis Twist Collection
Saint-Louis’s Twist collection

Elegant Stemware: Saint-Louis—crystal glassmaker since 1586 in France’s Moselle département—has released a collaboration with Nicolas Julhès, co-founder of Distilllerie de Paris, which crafts gin, vodka, and rum in the French capital. The new Twist 1586 collection includes a decanter and long-stemmed glasses with Venetian ribs that guide the liquid to the mouth. —LB  

Spa

Four Seasons Bali at Sayan
A sacred nap at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan

Bali Bliss: The Indonesian island known for yoga retreats and spa escapes is more attuned to well-being than ever before, thanks to a new six-night immersion across two distinctive Four Seasons resorts. The escape draws inspiration from the fundamental Balinese concepts of sekala, the tangible or visible, and niskala, the intangible or invisible. “I see it as an awakening journey,” says regional director of spa Luisa Anderson in reference to The Seen to the Unseen, which takes guests from the oceanfront Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay to Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, located in a river valley near Ubud. The physical body is the primary focus at Jimbaran Bay, where classes and treatments at the Healing Village Spa include AntiGravity yoga, Pilates, massage, volcanic mud masks, ice baths, and infrared therapy. After a transfer to Sayan, guests have their spirits soothed at the Sacred River Spa with chakra ceremonies and mystical therapies, among them the gentle Restu Bumi ritual featuring Balinese instruments such as the gong and the sacred genta bell. Says Anderson, “It feels like Mother Bali cradling me in her arms.” —Kathryn Romeyn