Issue link: https://www.balharbourdigital.com/i/1480737
Most memorable travel assignment? This winter, I had the opportunity to attend a pre-opening event at the fabulous Maybourne Riviera in the hills above Monte Carlo, in France, followed by a trip to Istanbul to experience the new Mandarin Oriental Bosphorus. And then there are those from my past, as the editor in chief of magazines at Travel + Leisure, such as checking out the Six Senses Yao Noi, when it had just been taken over by this fabulous luxury travel brand, and heading to the Mandarin in Hong Kong for their anniversary celebration. At House & Garden, it was flying to Rome to attend the 30th anniversary celebration for Valentino, with endless parties and events and pageantry. Who has had the greatest impact on your career? During my first job out of college, at The New Yorker, I worked with a legendary fiction editor, Rachel MacKenzie, who taught me how to edit. This has obviously come in very handy in my career, even now in creating itineraries for the small group trips I do, as well as communicating with my private clients. City you find most visually inspiring? I can't possibly limit myself to one choice. There's New York, Rome, Paris, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Mexico City and Vancouver, but I know I will kick myself over the ones I am forgetting. An indulgence you would never forgo? Business Class. An airport secret you wish you knew sooner? There are companies—such as Best of Europe and Royal Airport Concierge— that provide VIP meet-and-greet services at a premium, which can really help, especially in these frantically busy times. They will greet you at the door of the plane, or lead you there on departure. Last great book you read? The bound galleys of my friend Dani Shapiro's new novel, Signal Fires. I adored it. Before this, Love Marriage by Monica Ali—I am a fan of books about distinctive cultures and worlds. The first thing you do when you check-in to a hotel? I check out the lighting and the bathroom. —Tali Jaffe Minor Clockwise from top: Mandarin Oriental Bosphorus, Istanbul; Six Senses Yao Noi, Thailand; the Azur Suite at Maybourne Riviera, Roquebrune- Cap-Martin, France; Novogrod at the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. BAL HARBOUR 135