Welcome back to Notes from the Bath. In case you missed the memo last week, this is our new weekly dispatch from the world of 39BC: cultural cues, considered pleasures, and updates to nourish your body and mind.
This week, we’re firmly in hibernation mode — but let’s be clear, it’s a very chic hibernation. Think candlelit journaling, museum visits to keep the mind sharp, and long, hot baths every. single. night. And is it just us, or has wintermaxxing quietly become a thing? Everywhere we look, people are slowing down, opting out, and embracing the season instead of fighting it. Sensible. And frankly, overdue.
If you’re craving warmth right now (who isn’t in January?), Denarii is the answer. With frankincense, patchouli, and sandalwood, it’s made for dark evenings and unhurried rituals. Just the vibe for this time of year. It’s also become something of a favourite for men looking to introduce a little intention into their routines — proof that ritual doesn’t have to be complicated to make an impact. If you somehow missed it, be sure to check our video imagining: What if Mark Antony lived in 1989 AD instead of 39 BC? (We think he’d approve.)
The ancient Romans understood the bath as a tool for navigating life’s more demanding seasons—literal or otherwise. Bathing was never just about hygiene; it was strategy. The baths were arenas for training, gossip, networking, and soft power, all unfolding within monumental marble architecture. From the Baths of Caracalla to the Baths of Diocletian, the choreography was always the same… Strip, steam, plunge, oil...and scheme.
Head to the Journal to discover the multi-step ancient equivalent of today’s “everything shower.”
A NOTE FROM SHAR
Greetings from freezing—but predictably fabulous—NYC, where I’ve been busy laying the foundations for 39BC’s US expansion. It’s the opposite of hibernation mode, but entirely worth it. Exciting things are taking shape.
There’s nothing quite like this city: relentless, energising, and somehow buzzing even in sub-zero temperatures. We’ve been showcasing 39BC from the penthouse at The Manner Hotel—a decadent duplex inspired by Halston’s iconic monochromatic offices in the Olympic Tower (pictured above). At The Manner, they've recreated the floor-to-floor crimson carpeting with lacquered coffee tables to match. It could not feel more 39BC if it tried.
The days have been back-to-back, but some things remain non-negotiable. Bathing, for one. I made time to visit the newly opened Lore Bathing Club, with its Finnish sauna, infrared sauna, hammam-style heated benches, and icy plunge pool. The perfect counterbalance to long days zig-zagging across the city.
I also headed uptown to the Met—one of my all-time favourites—to catch the final days of Divine Egypt: a stunning collection of 250 works examining the imagery of ancient Egypt’s most important deities. It was, quite literally, divine (and oh so on-brand).
How beautiful is this knotted jasper amulet from the show? For the ancient Egyptians, tying a knot was a magically charged act linked to creation and life, and by the New Kingdom the tit knot—sacred to Isis—was fashioned in red stone and placed at the throat of the deceased, as prescribed in the Book of the Dead. Be sure to catch the exhibition if you can.
Yes, we know—we’re wintermaxxing. But a little mental sunshine never hurt anyone. This week, we’re daydreaming about Coqui Coqui in Mérida, Mexico. This one-bedroom boutique hotel sits above the brand’s famed perfumery in Mérida’s sun-drenched Old Town. Every detail is thoughtful, but the real showstopper is the bathroom, where two freestanding tubs sit side by side. And just when you think it can’t get better: there’s a third bath outdoors, plus a rooftop pool. We recommend staying fully submerged for the duration. Head here for more on some of the world’s most jaw-dropping bathtubs.
