If you’ve ever come face to painted face with that ginormous mural “Deco-Dance” at the Lexington New York City hotel — snaking up the stairs from the ground floor to the mezzanine — then you’re already familiar with Ruben Toledo, even if you don’t know him by name.
The acclaimed all-around artist and his likewise creative and Cuban-American fashion designer wife Isabel — you may remember her from such famous dresses as Michelle Obama’s 2009 inaugural getup — have literally and figuratively left their mark here in America.
But the right-brained power couple isn’t content to hole up in these four walls. Here’s where they like to R&R (and which toothpaste they pack when they do it).
In Tokyo, we always stay at the Hotel Okura. The lobby maintains the original furniture, decor and color scheme of burnt oranges, warm cherries and ebony wood. The beds are made with the most deliciously piled-on cotton bed sheets, wrapped up and folded. The tiny, secret gardens tucked away throughout the grounds of the hotel can make you forget you are inside Tokyo. Down the road from Okura is one of our favorite shops in the city called Tokyo Hands. It’s a combination art-supply and hardware store.
We love our Louis Vuitton Steamer bag. No matter how much we stuff in it, because it’s so soft, it always squeezes into the overhead space on any plane — even on JetBlue!
Havana’s Malecón is an unforgettable sight. It’s an oceanfront boulevard which runs all through the old town. Waves of salty mist come crashing across it, blessing the crowds that always congregate there. The architectural gems that line the street — however deteriorated from the salty sea spray as they are — create a dreamy, poetic landscape. The Hotel Santa Isabel, in the Plaza de Armas, is a restored beauty from the 18th century.
The country roads of Pennsylvania’s Lancaster County are a soothing step back in time. Mennonite and Amish families traveled them by horse and buggy while we biked up and down the farmlands.
We’ve always wanted to explore the entire Pacific Coast. We typically stay at the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, which is a paradise for the senses. From the condors which fly overhead — close enough to hear their wings flap! — to the aroma of the rosemary and eucalyptus trees to the sounds of the seals who dwell in the rocks below, the place is a primer on the West Coast’s beauty, mystery and majesty.
In Milan, we enjoy another secret address: Bagutta. The restaurant prides itself in having stayed under the radar since its inception in 1926. Its walls are lined with graffiti, mural, artwork, photos and notes from locals, even famous Milanese, throughout the years. Filled with impeccably dressed guests, the backyard garden feels like a scene from a 1960s Antonioni film.
Tom’s of Maine toothpaste is our favorite. Its gentle formula and ingredients clean your teeth super well, but it doesn’t blast your taste buds into oblivion and it won’t interfere with the flavor of your food.