The June edit
How to get a free trip to Sweden, an alpine chalet hotel in Costa Rica, and my three-borough art crawl
Welcome back to the monthly Mindholiday edit, the corner of the internet where I share my newest finds, current favorites, places I’m dying to visit, travel stories, and local adventures. This newsletter is free for all subscribers, so feel free to share it!
Hi readers,
It’s officially my favorite time of the year: the stretch between Memorial Day and Labor Day, where I feel the most myself, enveloped with humidity and the promise of warm, steady, endless days. I always try to take a majority of the summer off to give myself time to rest and exhale (adults deserve summer vacation too!) so recent days have been spent ticking items off of my to-do list, wrapping up trip planning for clients, and spending fleeting free moments picnicking in the park, reading, eating way too many farmers market strawberries, and soaking in the sun.
I’m also happy to announce that several travel guides and itineraries will hit your inbox this month as I focus more on writing (Paris, Asheville, and more), but for now, here’s the June edit—everything I’m loving this month and everything that occupied my brain space last month.
xx,
Bella
Note: This month’s edit is a long post and might get cut off in your email, so head here to read it in its entirety.
A curated list of the things I loved last month, from thrifted finds to discoveries that made my life better and brighter.
The Volvo overseas delivery program, which is perhaps the coolest thing I’ve ever heard of. If you custom order a new Volvo and put down a $6,000 deposit, Volvo will fly you and a guest to Gothenburg, Sweden to pick it up. Once you’re there, they’ll cover a few nights in a hotel for you, and you’ll get a VIP factory tour, and they’ll cover a few fancy Swedish meals. Then, you can drive your new car throughout Europe as you please before Volvo ships it home to you, at no additional cost.
Wearing bandanas as a hair accessory. My dermatologist told me that I always need to cover the top of my head from the sun, and sometimes I don’t want to wear a hat if it’s a low UV day. Bandanas are my fun solution for scalp protection, and I love that they also work to conceal day four hair in an effortless manner.
After taking a hiatus, I am back on the Nuuly grind. I’ve really felt the desire to buy new summer clothes lately, and renting them instead has kept me from going on a major shopping spree. My favorite pieces I chose last month were this prairie dress, this white sailor mini dress, and a pair of ruffle bloomers to wear under both. I’ve received a concerning amount of compliments on each dress, so I’m thinking I might have to keep them. It’s nice to try before you buy! You can get $30 off your first month through this link.
A rainy day date where Mark and I walked from Williamsburg to The Met. I love walking through three boroughs in one day, especially when it involves art, delicious food, and walking over one of the city’s major bridges.
Our stops in order, in case you want to recreate:
Breakfast pastries at Birdee in Williamsburg
Matcha from Kettl in Greenpoint
MoMA PS1 for the Greater New York exhibit
A stroll across the Queensboro Bridge
Lévy Gorvy Dayan on the Upper East Side for The Adventure of Domenico Gnoli exhibition (sadly gone, but it was absolutely breathtaking)
The Met for the Costume Art and Raphael exhibitions
Hoexter’s for the cheeseburger
Butterfield Market for a browse and shop
I always have a pair of Asics sneakers in rotation, as they’re truly the only shoes I can wear for 10+ miles of walking in a day. I just got this brown/lilac colorway for my upcoming trip to Peru, and I think they’re so fun!
Under-the-radar, considered stays that go beyond the hotel: the boutique bed and breakfasts, family-run farms, and hidden hideaways worth traveling off of the beaten path for.
Hotel Belmar, Monteverde, Costa Rica
You wouldn’t expect to see an Austrian chalet in the middle of Costa Rica, but Hotel Belmar is alive and well. It was started in the 1980s by Vera Zeledón and her husband, Pedro Belmar. They were inspired by the warmth of alpine guesthouses in Tirol, but wanted to infuse the aesthetic with tropical woods and a sense of vibrancy. Today, the hotel is run by her children, who are dedicated to protecting the space’s relationship with nature. Even entry level rooms have outdoor space, so you can fully immerse yourself in the birdsong between hikes and horseback riding.
*Starting at $380/night.
GET IN THE MOOD
MIRA Earth Studios, Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico
Valle de Guadalupe in Baja California has been on my radar for a while—it’s considered to be Mexico’s premier wine region, and definitely the place to visit if you’re interested in tasting some of the country’s best while snacking on tacos and tostadas and looking at sweeping desert views. MIRA Earth Studios is a very charming eco boutique hotel in the heart of it all, tucked high in the hills. It’s a very special stay—every room is a fully loaded studio, complete with its own private jacuzzi, in-room infrared sauna, and private terrace with a fire pit, all overlooking vineyard views. The best part? It’s less than a two-hour drive from San Diego, so it would make the perfect long-weekend wellness and wine getaway for anyone living in Southern California.
*Starting around $400/night.
GET IN THE MOOD
A monthly roundup of what I’ve been reading, watching, and listening to—the books, shows, podcasts, albums, and essays worth downloading to binge before your next flight.
Reading
I just took a weekend reading girls trip and all of us devoured Pretty Things by Janelle Brown. A true thriller with so many twists and turns!
Tore through Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. I absolutely couldn’t put it down, and found it to be nightmarishly unpredictable in a way that kept me up at night.
Watching
Rafa on Netflix. I am a huge tennis fan, and a huge Rafa fan—I had a massive crush on him when I was in high school, and I’d watch every single match alone in my room because I convinced myself that watching with anyone else would be bad luck! I thought it was a really well done and introspective docuseries, and I learned a lot.
Listening
A monthly sneak peek at where I’ve booked clients and where I’m traveling myself—the destinations, hotels, and curated experiences that are on my radar right now.
Nine Dots, Azores: A boutique hotel on the island of São Miguel, smack dab in the middle of the town of Ponta Delgada. I booked this for a friend going on a solo trip, and I’m so excited to hear what she gets up to! Visiting Sete Cidades has been on my bucket list for years, especially during summer… hydrangea season!
La Valencia Hotel, La Jolla: I have a client spending two weeks outside of San Diego in August, and she was looking for a home base in a walkable, beautiful area. She’ll be minutes away from Coast Walk Trail and Shell Beach, so I’m extremely jealous!
Wickwood Inn, Saugatuck, MI: I was graciously invited on a press trip to Wickwood Inn in a few weeks, and I’m truly so excited to experience it. I’ve heard the beaches of Lake Michigan are stunning and underrated, and the property itself was just redesigned from top to bottom.
Every month, I donate 20% of my Substack subscription revenue to an organization that I care about, or that readers have recommended I donate to.
This month, I’ll be donating to Big City Mountaineers. They’ve been doing something I believe in deeply—getting teens from disinvested communities into the wild to experience nature. Every program is fully equipped and led by professional guides, and they take kids on hiking, backpacking, and camping excursions. Their idea is based on the belief that time outdoors can shift how you feel about yourself and how you relate to the planet we all share!
Thanks so much for reading and sharing Mindholiday—it means the entire world to me. And a small reminder: even while I’m stepping back from full trip design, I’m still offering complimentary hotel bookings with VIP perks through Mindholiday’s Fora/Virtuoso affiliation. It costs you nothing, and you get more—upgrades, early check-in, late check-out, and property credits that you wouldn’t get booking on your own. If you have a trip coming up and know where you want to stay, drop me a line at bella@mind.holiday. 💛🌀🫧
*This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase (at no cost to you).
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Thanks for sharing Bella. Love this one. 💝🦋
I think I'm obsessed with the alpine chalet hotel in Costa Rica! Love the unexpected contrast. These types of unique cross-pollinations are exactly what wellness-minded travelers are craving.