6 October 2025
This week I’m writing The Petite Weekly in the tropical outside patio that belongs to my room at Domes Zeen Chania, on the Greek island of Crete. I’m here on assignment for the hotel to create a special guide that guests will probably find in their rooms next year, so this week I’ll share mostly Greek news. I also booked a vacation for the new year that I’ll tell you more about, and I’m sharing some cool new spots in Barcelona, Milan, and Mexico City.
Crete is big – the biggest Greek island, and the 12th largest island in Europe (and that list also counts the UK, Iceland and Ireland) – so you don’t discover it quickly. Getting around takes quite a bit of travel time. Crete had been on my list for a while because so many great spots have opened recently, something I didn’t expect from a touristic island like this. I’ll soon share my favorite discoveries on the site, but here are a few that really excited me:
Red Jane Bakery in Chania is a bakery where you can get the best breads and pastries. It’s easy to walk right past it, but the beautiful burgundy doors and windows and the marble interior make it stand out.
Maiami is the restaurant and ceramic showroom of Alexandra Manousakis, who was born in Crete, lived in Washington DC for a few years, but has been back on the island for some time now. She also runs Manousakis Winery, also highly recommended, and at Maiami you can enjoy delicious food alongside their organic wines. The sunset comes as a bonus.
Kross Coffee Roasters is the place for specialty coffee in Chania, and they’ve opened a new location within walking distance of the old town – a spacious café with a lovely, somewhat hidden courtyard.
And Domes Zeen Chania is truly a recommendation for anyone who wants a completely carefree stay. It’s close to Chania if you want to explore the city, but you can also fully relax here. There’s a wonderful Kids Club where your children can enjoy workshops like ‘Paint like Jackson Pollock’ or ‘Bake your own cookies’.
On the site this week, I shared the following addresses:
The well-known specialty coffee brand Nomad has opened an Italian café inside the Pulitzer Hotel in Barcelona.
Bar Sensa opened last week in Milan and is inspired by Venice.
At Abrasamar in Mexico City, you can enjoy seafood from the Gulf of Mexico.
My boyfriend and I booked our 2026 vacation and it’s going to be Scotland. He loves nature and hiking, and I’m happiest with road trips and design holiday homes, so we’re combining it all. We’ll start in Edinburgh, then drive to Kabn, then Iorram near the Isle of Skye, and finally stay at Inverenzie Cottage. I’m already looking forward to it! (Pictured is Lannan Bakery in Edinburgh)
The MoMA Design Store in Soho, New York, has reopened – a perfect excuse for a new visit.
AWE Antwerp is a new design brand. Their first coffee table has just been launched in collaboration with Contekst, the architects behind Pilar in Antwerp and Calin in France.
Maru Coffee from Los Angeles now has a location in New York — yet another reason to go there.
Chez Carrie, by chef Carrie Solomon, is now open in Paris.
I’ll be taking you to Santorini – I’ve never been, and I’m curious to see whether the island is more than just for honeymooners. This weekend, Collectors RDAM takes place in Rotterdam, an event for lovers of vintage design. At M Leuven, the Alicja Kwade exhibition opens on Friday, October 10. And at MoMu in Antwerp, the exhibition ‘Girls, on boredom, rebellion, and being in-between’ have opened this weekend.
All images by Petite Passport, except Petit Nomad (by Enric Badrinas), Bar Sensa (by Eugenio Intini), Abrasamar (by Maria Jaber) and Lannan Bakery (by ZAC and ZAC)
A monthly note with new addresses and places worth traveling to
