Fun News:

On December 10th, Juban will offer a festive Japanese whiskey flight from Suntory. An expert will be on hand for some tableside education showcasing the differences between Toki, Harmony and Yamasaki 12 for any table that buys the flight.

If sake is more your thing, Juban recently launched its new Happy Hour - half priced bottles of sake until 6pm!

Happenings and trends:

Ocama’s Island Indulgence offer - 30% off the best available rate for a weeklong stay, including complimentary round-trip airport transfers, a private candlelit dinner curated by the chef (served wherever guests prefer - in-villa, at the Kai Pavilion, or right on the beach), and a 60-minute couples’ massage delivered in-villa or seaside under the palms. (Bookable November 22-December 2, 2025 directly through Ocama’s website or reservations team and valid for stays April 15-June 30, 2026 and September 1–November 15, 2026. Holiday periods and blackout dates apply. A non-refundable deposit equal to one night is required at booking.)
Tenuta di Murlo - 30% off a stay in Villa Molinella. The former eighth century mill is now a beautiful two-bedroom villa with a pool, sauna, and subterranean jacuzzi accessed through a hidden door in the living room. Only bookable from November 28-December 1, 2025 for stays January 2-April 30, 2026 and October 15-December 1st, 2026.

While the Samaná Peninsula might still be under-the-radar (and blissfully immune to overtourism), it’s a hot spot for North Atlantic Humpback Whales. From January to March, the whales arrive in Samaná Bay on the island’s northeast coast by the thousands. The Samaná Marine Mammal Sanctuary is the primary mating and birthing ground for North Atlantic Humpback Whales, garnering the largest gathering of the species at around 5,000-7,000 whales annually. Onlookers can catch a glimpse of male competition with breaching and tail slapping, and the unparalleled opportunity of seeing newborn calves with their mothers. The newly opened Ocama on the Samaná peninsula overlooks Rincón Bay can arrange private whale watching tours, plus add-on visits to beautiful, remote beaches.

Gift Guide:

Everyone can nab an “I Love New York” t-shirt. For those in the know, an insider restaurant tee is a much more thoughtful, original souvenir. Juban’s new shirt has the restaurant’s name colorfully emblazoned with a few cameos around the lettering by mascot Koji, the owner’s Shiba Inu.
For someone with a lot of important dates to remember (your mother? grandmother?), Heritage Jewelry New York’s Book Pendant is the chicest way to keep those dates close to her heart. (Or a favorite poem or inside joke or little love note.) The 14k gold “book” has three pages that can be custom laser engraved. (If you order now, you can get it by Christmas!) $6,000
If you’re looking to broaden your horizons from Amazon and support smaller, local shops, Four Corner Supply Co. is a gem - based in Massachusetts and providing sustainable goods that are earth, plant and people safe, affordable, and designed to reduce packaging and waste. The owner recommends the Vitri glasses or the harder-to-find-in-the-US German Bürstenhaus Redecker brushes.

Klima Edit - November

KLIMA