1. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? Where are you from and what do you do?
Ciao Escape! I am Alex Merrell, Canadian-born and currently based primarily between Los Angeles and Italy. My life feels most in balance when my time is shared between helping others create and my own creative process. Speaking to the former, I’m a creative director and strategist, often working at convergence points between different artistic industries. Finding opportunities for cross-pollination across fashion, hospitality, music, art, and design has allowed me to collaborate with brilliant creative minds and innovative brands, which feels tremendously engaging and expansive. I’m also a sculptor, and am in the process of building a body of work exploring the intersection where classical and contemporary wisdom and aesthetics meet to demonstrate timeless truths.
2. What is your most unforgettable escape?
I’m deeply in love with Italy and spend as much time there as possible. Exploring new regions over the years has been a privilege and hugely inspiring for my work. My first trip to Puglia will forever remain golden in my memory. The region combines the Italian predisposition towards elevated aesthetics and flavors with a wildness that is completely unique and utterly delicious.
3. What was the purpose of your travel?
My dear friend Ali O’Neill, designer of the exquisitely crafted womenswear line Markarian, called me last minute to propose a jaunt to the heel of the boot. She had heard about a beautiful hotel in the South, and I trust her taste in everything, so I was easy to convince.
4. With how many people did you travel?
Ali and I were joined by her wonderful friend Steph from Geneva. We’re all very easy going travelers and speak a bit of Italian, so it was a perfect crew.
5. Where did you stay?
We had an incredible stay at the 19th-century Palazzo Daniele. The nine-suite guesthouse features vaulted ceilings, original frescoes, and mosaic floors offset by monastic-fantastic interiors and an excellent collection of contemporary art. I was pleasantly surprised to find Roman painter Gianni Politi’s work on the wall, as I’d just photographed and interviewed him earlier that summer.
6. What did you like most about the trip?
Daily swims in beautiful settings, red drinks under sun umbrellas, spaghetti ai ricci di mare (sea urchin pasta), and blasting Robyn’s “Ever Again” while driving through the landscape.
7. Can you share an unforgettable memory from the journey?
We took a boat to see where the Ionian and Adriatic Seas meet. While we swam out to a beautiful grotto, our skipper, Valentino, foraged sea urchins and had them waiting for us with Prosecco when we returned, with Pink Floyd blasting.
8. Your most surprising find during the trip?
An open-air discoteca called Blubay, recommended by locals and seemingly in the middle of nowhere, where we danced until the wee hours.
9. Favorite restaurants or food discovered?
Set in a picturesque piazza in the lovely town of Tricasse, Locande del Levante was a favorite for dinner. Around the corner, the town’s former pharmacy has been reimagined as Farmacia Balboa, a stylish cocktail bar owned by Helen Mirren and her husband.
10. What are the must tries in this destination?
Bagno Marino Archi and Lo Scalo are both stunning “beach” clubs (though both set on rock cliffs), ideal locations to post up in a sunbed and enjoy a swim after a seafood lunch.
11. Any hidden gems you could whisper to us?
The view from Ponte Ciolo is outstanding.
12. Would you go back, and why?
In a heartbeat. The region has so much more to be discovered, from historical sites to handwoven textiles, and I’d love to venture further North next time.
13. Could you list a few of the favorite finds you came back with?
That particular summer, I managed to be on the road for ten weeks in a carry-on, so I sadly didn’t do any shopping. On my next visit, I’d love to check out the ceramics district in Grottaglie.
14. Any tips that might be useful to know before going there?
The roads are extremely narrow, even the one-ways, so rent the smallest car possible. We got stuck a few times, and I may have climbed out of the sunroof to help navigate.
15. Next stop you would like to visit?
This summer, I’ll be traveling through Peru on Belmond’s Andean Explorer train, and am also hoping to finally visit the Balearic Islands, where I‘m being tempted by some dear friends. My major dream trip is Japan, but I’m waiting for the right occasion.
16. What does traveling and escape mean to you?
I love travel for its capacity to deepen our perspective and connection with ourselves, other cultures, and the human experience in general. There’s a quote I love about this from T.S. Eliot. “We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”
17. What’s your summer travel soundtrack?
My research into French sculptors inspired a playlist I’ve been listening to in the studio. Here’s the link to inspire your creativity this summer!
18. What about your latest read?
I’m currently reading Sculpture of the Twentieth Century, an out-of-print survey published in the early 1950s by The Museum of Modern Art, detailing the directions modern sculpture took after the impact of Rodin. In general, I love diving into the Greek myths in the summer, and Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles merits a re-read as soon as I find myself seaside.
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