I am a chronic overpacker. My desire to lug a bevy of clashing, not particularly versatile pieces on trip after trip is not a weakness that I expect I’ll move past any time soon. There’s both comfort and pleasure to be taken from having options, in knowing that I won’t have to sweat 30,000-step days in the same Oxford that I need for a nice dinner reservation that evening. A recent trip that took me from Vienna to Munich to Berlin was no exception, and the capacious Peugeot Voyages trunk that I was charged with testing while away ensured that little editing would occur in my packing process.
Below, find the pieces that I was especially glad to have brought on this Germanic tour. The climate varied wildly over this 10-day stretch of late April, by the way, cold and rainy in Vienna and Munich but pushing 80 degrees in Berlin (I actually got a sunburn!), so expect umbrellas and sweaters as well as t-shirts and shorts.
New Balance 9060 sneaker
I’ve extolled the virtues of the New Balance sneaker as a travel shoe in long form, but allow me to distill my position as follows: they are fresh but a little funny looking—your wardrobe should imply that you have a sense of humor, especially if you don’t actually have one otherwise—their chunk allows for ample cushioning that is simply heaven on walking days, and they can double as your gym shoe if your hotel offers such an amenity (my rare utilitarian impulse). That I am on the receiving end of boundless compliments when I wear them—not only on this trip but also on my block in Brooklyn or when I’m visiting my parents in Connecticut—is merely icing atop the cake of their functionality.
Our Legacy Drape Tech swim shorts
Until sourcing the link for this article, I completely forgot that these shorts are actually a swimsuit. While I have no doubt that they are functional for this purpose, I’ve only been wearing them as casual shorts for several years now and cannot recommend them enough. You can work out in them, of course, but they are also a sleek option for days when sweat is on the menu as it was during my days in Berlin. Our Legacy has long been a favorite of mine for its boxy button-downs, but these are the best and most-worn purchase I’ve made yet from the brand.
Doctor Martens Adrian Smooth leather tassel loafer
I’m a bit old-fashioned in the sense that I don’t believe sneakers have any place at a sit-down dinner—not in Vienna’s fabulous old-school cafés, nor in a Michelin Guide Munich restaurant such as Pfistermuehle. Without the trademark yellow thread in the sole, you would never know these were Doc Martens, but they break in just as well and as such also make for an excellent walking shoe if your tourism skews formal. I actually also wore these to Berghain in Berlin and danced for several hours, across several stories and dance floors, without issue.
J. Crew Classic Relaxed-fit pleated chino pant
It would be unhelpful to say all of my pants today were purchased years ago from my beloved Lazy Oaf and are no longer available for sale on its website (right now, they are focused on cargo pants in a way that does me personally no favors) and leave it at that. So I will say that the exception in my suitcase was this pair of newly-purchased pleated chinos from J.Crew, which is back and better than ever after a few years of spotty production and sartorial choices.
Casio Collection A168WG Watch
It is heaven on Earth to no longer have to check my phone for the time. My first attempt at watch-owning—a vintage Seiko picked up off of Etsy—ended on its first wear, when I shattered its face on the side of a brownstone while walking through the West Village and gesticulating wildly. This Casio, still eminently stylish, is durable in a way that I needed. Plus, the digital display is just plain easy to read. Checking it with a flourish is now one of my life’s small pleasures.
Calvin Klein 3-pack black t-shirt set
It’s a popular talking point amongst the insecure and the exoticist that it is difficult to get into Berlin’s top clubs, namely Berghain. It isn’t! Don’t overcomplicate things: dress simply, take a chill pill (figuratively or otherwise), and you’ll get in with little to-do. In addition to my loafers and an old pair of black jeans, I was wearing one of these bad boys when I was admitted to Berghain. Beyond this, I do not need to sing the praises of a plain black cotton t-shirt—when in doubt, be sure to throw a couple into your suitcase. You’ll wear them and be grateful!
Shedrain Vortex V2 Vented compact umbrella
As I mentioned above, it was raining quite a bit during my time in Vienna and Munich. I spent a good amount of time beneath this umbrella—I’ll admit my brother packed it as an extra, as I lack foresight—and it’s excellent for lugging around. Compact and demure, it also never prolapses in the wind.
Talfoto soft cover Botanical notebook
I picked this beauty up at a Brooklyn Museum First Saturday and have nearly filled it up—it accompanied me everywhere on this trip. My journaling is most fastidious when I travel, as I try to write down everything that I do everyday. Of course, that’s the job, but it’s just as important for my personal files. Whenever you find yourself reaching idly for your phone, pull out a notebook instead and take stock of the day. Such a practice improves many things—your thoughtfulness, your memory, your wit. A worthwhile purchase!
Where I stayed:
Le Méridien Vienna
Le Méridien Vienna feels palatial because, surprise, it is! This design hotel comprises four former palaces just off the Ringstraße in Vienna’s city center, and accordingly feels vast in scale. These storied, beautiful bones serve as a sophisticated canvas for some mod design, especially in the lobby and the onsite Restaurant You. This place has the dim, sexy lighting of a hotel cocktail bar, plush velvet chairs of a deep green (with even deeper seats), and a killer schnitzel to tide over picky eaters should your reservations be a little more adventurous. The gym facilities are also incredible, with a huge subterranean pool and a sauna perfect for a post-flight schvitz.
Courtesy Platzl Hotel
Platzl Hotel
Location, location, location. This old-school Munich hotel sits on a narrow, cobblestone street in the city’s center. Platzl feels like a ‘70s fairytale—its arched entryway, dripping with ivy, gives way to a lobby clad with dark wood and dotted with ample low seating. The rooms are also warm and comfortable, with built-in closets and cabinetry. Highlights also include the culinary offerings—Michelin Guide Pfistermuhle and the more casual Wirtshaus Ayinger am Platzl deliver elevated and classic takes on Bavarian dining, respectively, and the breakfast buffet is killer. Don’t forget to take out a bike from the hotel’s bank—this is a prime base from which to explore the city.
Courtesy Hotel am Steinplatz
Hotel am Steinplatz
While our hotels in Vienna and Munich were located right in the heart of things, Berlin’s Hotel am Steinplatz drew us to the slightly-out-of-the-way, wonderfully beautiful Charlottenburg. The moneyed neighborhood sits on the far West side of the Tiergarten—it’s where Lydia Tár keeps a bolthole for writing, among other things—but Berlin’s pristine public transit makes it easy enough to maneuver into the touristier areas via the U2, S3, S7, or S9. Staying here not only ensured that we walked the Tiergarten each of our three beautiful Berlin days on our way to and from the museums, but also that we saw a more lived-in and peaceful side of the city. The facilities themselves don’t hurt—think modern Art Deco, black and white with pops of red, utter delight.
