Temple of Wes

Dear Hipster:

What would be the ultimate hipster vacation destination for this summer?

— Deb, Golden Hill

Well, until recently that might have stumped me enough to cop something lamely ironic, and overzealously punctuated, like, “Portland! Amiright? Lolz!”

Now, I can just say, “Milan.” At least for the time being.

But it’s not the food, weather, culture, architecture, music, art, shopping, or sightseeing that would bring a hipster to Milan. It’s the fact that there’s a Wes Anderson–themed bar — named Bar Luce, and owned by Prada, of all things — that was actually designed by Wes Anderson himself. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that Anderson actually phoned in some general design schemes, then let a bunch of hard-working Italian hipsters sweat the details. That’s how the famous do, after all, but this isn’t about killing buzzes. This is about a Milanese bar being decorated in hushed pastels, lit softly, and wallpapered in richly textural themes.

In short, the entire place looks like somebody passed over it with an Instagram filter. I’d call that a hipster visual paradise, and, until I say I’m over it, it provides sufficient reason for any hipster to visit Milan.