Fun and Learny

I hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July weekend. It is a weekened I generally look to avoid, not because I am unpatriotic, but rather because the traffic and obligations in the Hamptons are excessive. So my family uses this as an opportunity to travel. This year, we were making our final pre-college solo child trip with our youngest. We met him after he had traveled with his friends. The vibe of the segment needed to be relaxing (Antibes), fun (St.Tropez), and educational (Normandy). Normandy was the "learny" part of the trip, and it was an amazing and meaningful place to spend the holiday weekend.

We stayed in Deauville, about 2.5 hours Northwest of Paris on the coast. Deauville is a seaside resort on the Côte Fleurie of France’s Normandy region. It's a Parisian version of the Hamptons, an upscale holiday destination since the 1800s; it's known for its grand casino, golf courses, horse races, and American Film Festival. Its wide, sandy beach is backed by Les Planches, a 1920s boardwalk with bathing cabins. The town has chic boutiques, elegant belle epoque villas, and half-timbered buildings. On the way there, we stopped in Giverny to see Monet's Garden, the inspiration for many of his most iconic works. The following day, we toured the beaches where Allied Forces began the invasion of Europe on D-Day. Touring the beaches and visiting the American graveyard was inspirational and an apt replacement for July 4th celebrations at home.

The truth is that family trips should be fun and educational simultaneously. How much value or memories are created from laying out on a nice beach or pool, eating well, and drinking rose by the magnum? This Loupe is dedicated to mixing it up for your own good.

Band of Brothers
Limited Series Television

Originally broadcast on HBO, this series tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Based on interviews with survivors of Easy Company and soldiers' journals and letters, this 10-part series chronicles the experiences of these young men who knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear. It is based on the book written by Stephen Ambrose, which is even better if you can get your young one to read.

This show is considered by many to be one of the top 10 shows ever. Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks produced it after their successful collaboration on Saving Private Ryan (also a must-see) and was the launching pad for various great actors (Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston, and Neal McDonough, to name a few). Stepping onto the hallowed grounds of Normandy with my family, the echoes of history resonated more profoundly than I ever imagined. The Series Band of Brothers, which we watched after our visit (try to watch it before), painted vivid pictures that brought these historical sites to life in an extraordinary way. The courage, camaraderie, and sacrifices depicted in the series were palpable as we walked the beaches and fields where these real-life heroes once stood. I recommend watching Band of Brothers before visiting Normandy to fully appreciate the depth of the experiences and sacrifices made; it transforms a historical trip into an emotionally immersive journey.

Dupe.com
Shopping

The 4th of July is a strange time for shopping, but many large retailers create outrageous promotional discounts. It is generally a time when people don't normally shop. However, I have two kids moving into new (college) apartments. They need some things, not a lot. My wife and I love good design but recognize that it's inappropriate for college-aged kids. Therefore, I go to Dupe.com to look for furniture similar to and cheaper than the original designs I would buy for myself. I am not promoting the violation of design copyright but using Dupe's artificial intelligence to find similar and appropriate things. Find what you are looking for and paste that URL into Dupe.com. It generally will find you a variety of alternatives. There is something very American about using technology to find better value. Happy shopping!

Bungu
Stationary Website

While traveling, I enjoy disconnecting from my phone and immersing myself in the present moment. Whether it's savoring a cigar (and taking tasting notes), solving a crossword puzzle (pen and paper), or simply taking in the sights (and writing my observations). I find joy in these simple pleasures, and recently, I discovered Bungu, an online Japanese stationery store that offers high-quality stationary products from various regions of Japan. These distinctive items are not commonly found on major e-commerce platforms and are crafted with meticulous attention to detail. I've purchased several pens and notebooks from Bungu for jotting down travel and cigar-related notes, and I absolutely treasure them. Trust me, once you experience the quality of these products, you'll be hesitant to lend your pen to anyone and will keep a close eye on it until it's back in your possession!

Blacklane
Transportation

Uber may be the single greatest use of location technology of our time. It has transformed how people move around, reducing (eliminating?) the need to have a car in most cities, reducing stress on parents about their children getting home, and opening up opportunities to get impaired when going out. Uber offers many services, but sometimes, after a long day/night of travel, you need to book a driver who meets you inside the airport, helps you with your bags, and gets you where you need to go in luxury. That is where Blacklane comes in. They are excellent for an airport pickup when you need them certainly. Returning home from Europe on the 4th of July weekend, when enplanements reached historic highs, was one of those weekends. The airport was a mess, the Uber pickup area required taking the tram, taxi lines were long, and it was boiling out. Therefore, I was pretty excited to learn that my wife had booked a Blacklane car. You need to do it 24 hours in advance; they are especially good in Europe, and it was a true luxury after a long day of travel.

Happy 4th of July, I hope your travels were fun and learny, and consider Deauville, Band of Brothers, Dupe.com, Bungu, and Blacklane Found!