Say ~bonjour~ to a posh and picturesque atmosphere with a surprisingly casual vibe in St. Barts.
As it would turn out, heaven really is a place on Earth. After our recent sojourn to the beautiful remote island of St. Barthélemy (aka St. Barts), we can assure you it’s bucket list-worthy.
Truly awe-inspiring—what with its ~11-mile oasis flaunting a bevy of beaches and rolling hills dotted with buildings and clear blue waters as far as the eye can see—the island at once exudes luxury while giving a casual vibe. So, clearly things too good to be true no longer are.
Jet-setters’ll wanna book November through July (see “So Temperate”) and journey by air to St. Martin via airport hubs in big cities like Atlanta or New York, then hop onto a puddlejumper plane to bring you straight down (literally) to the getaway of your dreams.
Here, 10 insider tips for a trip to the land where vibes are so high, “Toi Là! Je t’aime!” (“Hey, there! I love you!”) is the MO—from graffiti to signs to travel mugs. Wheels up!
Courtesy of Hotel Barriere Le Carl Gusta
Pack Your Bags• No shirt or shoes? Yes, service! With St. Barts’ smattering of star sightings, luxury accommodations and breathtaking surrounds, you might assume you need to pack cocktailwear—or at minimum, your Sunday best. Think again. Rather, the vibes here are quite cool and casual, meaning you can go fancy or throw those jorts and your fave beachwear into your carry-on.
Plane Luck • After zipping into St. Martin, you have the choice to hop on a ferry or puddlejumper to reach your final destination. For the non-height-averse and those adventurous at heart, a plane is the way to go. But, take caution as the boarding process is basically the Wild West—think absolute mayhem with no care taken to your ticket time or travel companions. Once on board, make sure to stick to a front-row seat (best views on the left!) and hang tight for a ~15-minutelong ride culminating in a nosedive onto the landing strip.
Lodging in Luxury• You’ll be hard-pressed to find a resort lower than four stars in St. Barts, with an array of luxe lodgings on offer. Our pick: The five-star Hotel Barriere Le Carl Gustaf, nestled in cap city Gustavia, and touting private villas with a personal pool out on the deck—NTM some of the most comfortable supersize beds you’ll ever find. During your stay, be sure to belly up to Beefbar, an internationally renowned restaurant dishing up exclusive beef and crustaceans (aka the best way to eat surf and turf), as you overlook the bay.
C’est la Vie• You’ll feel like you’re in the south of France without actually being in France via the French-speaking people living and working on the island—not to mention the coastal Mediterranean vibes similar to what you might see at the French Riviera. Expect tons of cheek pecks from locals and a glimmer of Française culture in the form of luxury food, lodging and environs.
Star Gazing• Stars… they’re just like us?! Considering the high-class caliber of the island, it’s not atypical to bump into a celeb or two (think Jeff Bezos, Jennifer Aniston, musical industry folks and the like)—especially during peak season.
Size Matters• Here, small is très bien. Since the island spans ~11-miles from end to end, a car is simply an unnecessary accessory. Live out your White Lotus wanderlust and hop on a Vespa to explore the entire island and its bundles of beaches in under six hours. And while you take in the airy, dry atmosphere from two wheels, be sure to take a pit stop to see the off-the-beaten-path bay of sea turtles. Pro tip: They take helmets very seriously (we got pulled over).
Drop It Like It’s Yacht• If sailing’s your thing or you wanna spend the afternoon imagining you live the Below Deck yacht life, you’re gonna wanna book your travels for March for the annual St. Barths Bucket Regatta (March 13–16). Sailing and socializing? Say less.
Shop (and Eat) Till Ya Drop• Channel your inner Carrie Bradshaw as you explore the lineup of luxe designer retailers akin to Fifth Avenue or Beverly Hills. Pop into La Petite Plage for refined yet refreshing libations, fresh Mediterranean fare and a tricked-out gorgeous sand floor; get your sports bar and snacktime in at the circa-1949 local hangout Le Select; or dig into more classic bar food ops at Bar de L’Oubli—all within a stone’s throw from each other.
*Wink, Wink*• When it comes to, ahem, substances, we’ll just say this: You can have whatever you like.
So Temperate• We’ll shoot you straight. The weather can be pretty fickle—because tropics—albeit temps consistently range between the 70s and 90s. Be wary of traveling in conjunction with hurricane season though—and, to wit, Hotel Barriere Le Carl Gustaf shutters from mid-August until early November. Depending on your preference (and price range), a more cost-effective trip awaits between April and June; the end of the year marks a popular time to escape the NC chill; and the rainy season is in full swing between September and November. Laissez les bon temps rouler! hotelsbarriere.com
Five Points java hot spot extended its hours—and added a ~dope~ lineup to its offerings
Prepare to perk up. Local fave Five Points java + foodie joint The Third Place lengthened its hours by popular demand Fri.–Sun until 2pm (!). And extending the grind, the nearly 30-year-old spot (nee 1994) recently debuted a WINK line of Delta-8-infused baked goodies.
“After our 4/20 celebration [last year], our customers started asking for our recipes to include Delta-8,” says the shop’s operations manager JJ Johnston. “We are thrilled to offer our traditional in-house baked goods right next to the new, ‘special’ (*wink, wink*) baked goods and beverages our customers have loved for the last thirty years. Come hang out with us until 2pm!”
Beyond the buzz, keep your eyes peeled for WINK-infused bevs in the works. … Ready to get your munch(ie) on? thirdplaceraleigh.com
Now tuning and brewing on Maywood Avenue, Chapel of Bones is presenting a new-to-the-area twist on caffeination, cocktails and concerts—all in one space.
By day, venture into the moody environs for creative cuppas (hey, Shot in the Dark and New Americano Gospel!) brewed with beans from Greensboro-based Fortuna Coffee. Or hit up the bar post-7pm Fridays and Saturdays for spirited libations and good vibrations via live music on select days.
“The atmosphere stays mellow during the day to facilitate the coffee-shop vibe,” notes GM Dylan Jackson. “[The founders] are all metalheads, but we want it to be an inclusive space—and the neighborhood has really embraced us.”
Inspired by the architecture of the circa-16th century Capela dos Ossos (aka a chapel of human skeletons created by monks) and now-shuttered Pittsburgh heavy metal coffee shop Black Forge, the lounge-meets-music venue operates as an ode to the heavy metal music scene—as well as The Maywood and Volume 11 Tavern that operated in the warehouse space before it.
When it comes to tunes, Chapel of Bones primarily showcases a mix of local and regional acts, with international names sprinkled in. “The concept is so unique that we’ve had large acts reach out and want to be involved,” says Jackson. See: well-known death metal bands Incantation and Exhumed recently rocking out—and keep your cal open for a stacked lineup of shows sure to go hard this summer. So rock ’n’ roll up—and get ready to scream for caffeine. … That is so metal! chapelofbones.com
News flash: Moving your body doesn’t have to be high maintenance.
It’s no secret that hitting the gym can be a real drag. After a long day in the office or wrangling the kids, sometimes the last thing you want to do is voluntarily opt for a laborious sweat sesh on the treadmill or the strain of lifting heavy weights. Enter the low-impact workout craze.
With oodles of boutique sweat studios popping up around the city, there’s no question supply is rising to meet demand for a different fitness regimen—from Pilates to hot yoga to rowing to Barre classes. Case in point: Raleigh Iron Works’ newly debuted duo of yoga- and Barre-, and reformer-based outposts, YoBa Studio and [solidcore] (respectively), and the ever-thriving and expanding Dose Yoga (hey, new North Hills Innovation District location!)—never mind the bevy of other buzzy outposts leaning into low impact with killer results to boot.
“Pilates is a buzzword right now because a lot of high-profile people do it,” notes Allison Bowers of DTR’s Heights Pilates. “But the reason it’s still around and there are so many ‘spinoff’ versions is because it works.”
Beyond results, with gym membership comes accountability and community. Which also begs the Q: Are gymgoers also paying for camaraderie as they condition? Either way, whether you’ve been on the low-impact train from the jump or are just now burning out on HIITs, here’s what your slimnastics pref says about you.
HOT TAKE: 9/10 chance you’ve got a six-pack and a slew of side hustles
CELEB DOPPELGANGER: Cameron Diaz
Glen Powell, Simone Biles and Cameron Diaz DFree/shutterstock.com; Julianne Hough Kathy Hutchins/shutterstock.com; Kristen Bell Tinseltown/shutterstock.com; Matthew McConaughey Denis Makarenko/shutterstock.com; Jennifer Aniston Featureflash Photo Agency/shutterstock.com
Let’s be frank: Raleigh has earned its rep as a top-tier hot dog hub (see: our area’s No. 1 ranking last year for per-capita consumption of hot dogs in the nation). And with the arrival of summer comes hot dog’s time to shine—especially with the City of Oaks’ smattering of storied wiener oases. So, wherever you opt to grub on a glizzy, it’s sure to be a hot (dog) summer indeed.
Cloos’ Coney Island: Detroit hot dog stand 🤝 Raleigh. Bringing Midwest vibes down South, Cloos’ touts delish dogs and some of the best french fries in the Triangle. @cloosconeyisland
The Cardinal: You got (grilled) buns, hun! Play your cards right when you pick your toppings for a beer-soaked dog prepped on the flattop grill right before your eyes. And further ~relish~ the experience with a pepperoncini shot to pair. @thecardinalbar
Snoopy’s: Ready to chili out?! Serving up delish made-to-order dogs since 1978, this OG Raleigh sup spot was the first in the city to flaunt after-midnight hours, with its four locales bringing in wiener lovers in droves. @snoopyshotdogsandmore
The Roast Grill: Calling all hot dog purists: Go back to the basics (ahem, no ketchup) when bellying up to the Downtown-based dog dive attracting in-the-know locals since 1940. Hot diggity dog! @theroastgrillhotweiners
Char-Grill: Slip your order down the slide and get your glizzy Carolina-style with a Carolina Packers red dog across a smattering of outposts around town. Pro tip: Always wash down your dog with a shake.@char_grill1960
