Sycamore Street Press

22/05/2026

I’m drawn to places that still feel like themselves.

A café lined floor-to-ceiling with old books in different languages. A flea market stand filled with funny little objects collected over decades. An artist’s studio with paint and tools scattered everywhere.

I love beautiful spaces, but what hits me hardest is usually something harder to find: atmosphere, personality, human presence.

But this isn’t about romanticizing the old for the sake of it.

Some of my favorite spots are contemporary: new shops, modern hotels, spaces with a strong point of view.

What I’m drawn to isn’t necessarily age. It’s specificity. Places connected to actual people, ideas, communities, and ways of living — rather than spaces that feel interchangeable.

I think beautiful travel sometimes gets mistaken for slick luxury or perfectly curated Instagram moments. But usually the moments I remember most are quieter: a conversation with a café owner, kids playing football in a historic courtyard, afternoon light through windows, the hush that falls over a small chatty group who gets into the flow while working on a creative project…

That’s the kind of Europe I’m always searching for.

I wrote about some favorite places in Ghent that embody this idea — in this week’s Ghent by Design guide on Substack.

11/05/2026

Eternally grateful I get to be mother to these two marvelous human beings ✨

03/05/2026

I told everyone, “you’ll love it… but just wait.”

Because it’s one of those things that’s pretty much impossible to explain.

You can look at Isabelle de Borchgrave’s work online and think you understand it. I did too, the first time. But being there, in her space, surrounded by it — it’s on a completely different level. Like 10x.

The colors, the scale, the way she lived with her work… it just kind of hits you all at once.

And then we sat down and spent the afternoon in her studio, guided by one of her longtime assistants. No pressure, no expectations. Just creating.

We had a mix of people — not everyone is an artist or designer — and it didn’t matter. Everyone got into that quiet, focused, almost meditative state where time just disappears.

We were there for hours and it felt like nothing.

Afterwards everyone was like, “okay… now I totally get what you meant.”

It was one of those afternoons I know we’ll remember for a very long time.

And honestly, this is exactly the kind of experience I’m always searching for when I design these trips.

There’s actually one spot still open for next spring’s Belgium by Design.

If you’ve been thinking about it, this might be your moment. Just send me a DM or apply through the link — happy to talk it through ♥️🇧🇪

27/04/2026

The first 48 hours set the tone ✨

A beautiful hotel, a walk through a castle garden, a visit to an artist’s studio, and fun conversations with the other travelers.

We visit places I’ve spent years finding, local creatives I’m always excited to introduce, spaces that feel a little bit under the radar.

This is what the first 48 hours of a By Design trip actually feel like.

If this kind of travel has been on your mind, I have a few spots left for next spring.

I share more of these kinds of places (and full guides) on Substack.

21/04/2026

11/04/2026

I have just a couple of days in Paris on my way to Belgium to host this spring’s trips, and—if I’m honest—I had a list. 🤓

There were places I wanted to check on, a few new ones to see, others I love returning to again and again. It’s part of how I work when I’m here.

But even then, it doesn’t feel like so much like visiting anymore. More like slipping back into a rhythm of a city I already know.

A few more of the places in these photos, if you’re curious:

Musée Marmottan Monet
Marché Couvert de Passy
Musée Palais Galliera (the garden)

More places like this—and how I think about them—on my Substack.

02/04/2026

One of the things I hear again and again after these trips — in Paris, Provence, and beyond — is that it’s not just the beauty of the places people remember 🥹♥️

It’s the feeling of the experience overall: the people, the access to places you wouldn’t otherwise be able to visit, the rhythm of the days, and how nice it is to have everything thoughtfully taken care of.

I know one of the biggest questions for a lot of people is whether group travel will feel comfortable, especially if they’re coming on their own. So it means a lot to see how that hesitation quickly turns into connection, fun, and camaraderie.

If you’ve been thinking about traveling with us, Provence by Design next spring is already coming together in a really lovely way. ✨

Details and application are at the link in bio.

28/03/2026

Jean-Claude Brialy’s home in the South of France… and one of those places I can’t stop thinking about.

It’s tucked away in Eygalières, and feels exactly how I want Provence to feel — layered, a little unexpected, personal. Nothing overly styled. Just a life, expressed through objects, rooms, light.

He was known as an actor, but obviously had an incredible eye.

This is one of ten things I’m loving lately — all centered around the South of France — in my latest Substack post.

If you’re drawn to places like this… homes with a point of view, a sense of history, a lived-in beauty… I think you’ll really like the full list.

→ You can read it via the link in my bio.

And if you’ve ever wanted to experience Provence in this way — through private spaces, creative lives, and a more insider lens — that’s very much what I build my trips around.

—

Which room in his house do you like best? ☺️✨

Photos: for

10/03/2026

Belgium has one of the most quietly incredible creative cultures in Europe.

I first fell in love with it when I lived there years ago, and over the past couple of years I’ve returned to spend more time in its studios, historic printing houses, canal cities, and creative circles.

Those relationships are what make this trip possible.

Next spring I’ll be taking a small group of travelers inside that world — the ateliers, workshops, house museums, and flea markets that most visitors never see.

Belgium by Design — Spring 2027

We’ll wander beautiful canal cities, spend time with artists and makers, learn historic letterpress printing, visit a flower farm, and more.

It’s the same philosophy behind all my trips: design-led travel inside Europe’s creative communities.

Applications are now open via the link in my bio.