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When I go to Stuart for the day with my husband or my sister, I enjoy shopping, lunch, and then a walk along the river walk. The river walk runs along the edge of town that lies on the banks of the St. Lucie River. The views are beautiful. I see boats, fish, birds, the river, and the amazing structure of the new Roosevelt Bridge. If you are in Stuart for dinner or a show at the Lyric Theater, don’t miss the chance to see the Roosevelt Bridge at night. It is lit up and if you walk the river walk you can walk right up to this structure and view the underside that just glows in the dark. It is quite a beautiful sight. If you enjoy taking pictures while traveling, don’t forget the camera.

Located next to Emporio village, Perissa Beach and Kamari are divided by Messavouno Mountain. Perissa’s black sand is attributed to several volcanic eruptions, giving it an unusual appearance compared to other beaches in Greece.

There is nowhere else in Bangkok quite like the Siam Hotel. For starters, it’s owned and run by a Thai rock star, Kamala Sukusol, and her son Krissada. The boutique property includes mid-century timber buildings built by the legendary silk baron Jim Thompson, as well as open and modern structures, with a focus on harmony and comfort, designed by one of Asia’s best-known architects, Bill Bensley. But beyond the glamorous background, it’s the design of the Siam that makes it stand out the most. There’s a 1920s jazz theme mixed in with some Asian colonial flair; the result—with lots of open spaces, natural light, antiques, potted plants, and a black-and-white palette—is simply beguiling. The views of the river here lack temples or interesting landmarks, but it’s a lazy spot to watch boats go by, which adds to the relaxing atmosphere. Service is personalized and extremely professional, as you’d expect from a property of this caliber. In all, this is the closest thing one can find to a resort in Bangkok, and it is one of the most stylish accommodation choices to boot.

Jamaica’s primary public art museum, the largest of its kind in the Caribbean, is a key part of the island’s history. Established in 1979, it houses more than 2,000 pieces ranging from pre-Columbian works to those of contemporary Jamaican artists and also mounts temporary exhibitions on various aspects of Jamaica’s history and culture. The collection continues to expand and now includes videos, graphic designs, and street art. Guided tours are available, and there’s an on-site coffee shop and gift store.

Tower Cafe, which sits next to the landmark Tower Theater and original Tower Records, is a favorite among locals. The outdoor garden seating makes you want to stay for a long, relaxing meal; the bubbling fountains (with birds stopping for quick baths), canopies of Japanese maples, baskets of hanging flowers, and benches welcoming you along the surrounding path form an oasis that can be enjoyed much of the year. Tower serves globally-inspired food with a menu that changes frequently to highlight seasonal ingredients and the chef’s new creations. The restaurant is best known for its breakfast, and its most famous dish is the seasonal French toast (a baguette stuffed with custard, baked and served with cinnamon butter and a compote of seasonal fruits such as raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries). Their beautiful desserts are worth at least a look--go inside the eclectically decorated interior and peek in the dessert case. The Yin/Yang cheesecake (dark and white chocolate) is one of my favorite choices. Tower also has a great selection of California beers and wines. Tower Cafe is open every day from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. or later on weekends. Breakfast is served until 11:00 a.m. on weekdays and until 3:00 p.m. on weekends; however, be warned because weekends here are packed!

This five-year pop-up, housed in black-painted metal and glass containers, opened in 2012 with seven boutiques. Among the best is Edition Populaire, which stocks limited edition collections of household and drink items, like a gin and tonic set of Gents tonic made with gentian root from the Swiss Appenzell region and gin from the small Black Forest distillery Monkey 47. Photo © Fabian Fretz/Frau Gerolds Garten.

Peggy Dulany, a New York philanthropist and daughter of David Rockefeller, bought J Bar L to protect the 620-square-mile Centennial Valley, a former Native American hunting ground settled by a few cattle-ranching families in the late 19th century—and which still has no towns, let alone paved roads, gas stations, shops, or subdivisions. To conserve the rangeland way of life, she hired locals to run a holistic grass-fed cattle business on the principles of rotational grazing and natural stockmanship. To share the landscape with nature-loving travelers and to keep the valley looking as it was, Dulany restored several abandoned 19th- and early 20th-century homesteads. These self-contained vacation rental homes range from a Sears Roebuck family house, now solar-powered, to isolated cabins on a bend of the Red Rock River. All come with fully-equipped kitchens and are tastefully filled with Western-themed furnishings and antiques; some have outdoor hot tubs.

J Bar L no longer offers working weeks for would-be cowboys but will match guests with geologists as well as with hiking, bird-watching, and fly-fishing guides. Horse lovers can hire ranch mounts for guided daily rides on rangeland that is home to pronghorn, elk, and Black Angus cattle, or up the slopes of the 10,000-foot Gravelly Mountains where wolves, grizzly bears, and bald eagles roam.

You know summer is here when people are renting Stand Up Paddleboards to float down Stillwater. About 3 miles up Independence Pass there is an area were the river meanders through the North Star Preserve in fairly tame waters. There are many methods to get you down the river, Kayaks, Canoes, Inner tube, but a new favorite is the Stand Up Paddleboard. You can rent them from a few local shops, like Up Snowboard Rentals and when they ask you if you need booties I recommend that your answer is yes. Although in theory you are floating above the water there are times when your feet dip into the very cold, fresh snowmelt water and you can get very chilly. Shuttle the cars and leave one at the take out point then drive up to the drop in near Wildwood. Bring a few beverages for the nice and relaxing float while the river snakes around corners. Near the end there is “the Beach”. This is accessible other ways and you don’t have to float the river but it is always fun to stop and hang out with other river floaters. Play Frisbee or beach badminton and pretend you are on a beach somewhere tropical.

You’ll likely do your sunbathing and swimming on the white-sand beaches of the Grenadines, but St. Vincent’s black-sand beaches are also quite stunning. In Biabou, for example, along the windward coast south of Georgetown, you can stare for hours at frothy ocean waves crashing onto the volcanic black sand. With luck, you’ll also catch a rainbow.

The Tuamotu archipelago – 78 coral reef atolls spread north and east of Tahiti – are just remote enough they’ve not been spoiled by excessive tourism. There are a few high-end hotels, but just a few. Instead of tourism, the local economy is still focused on businesses that go back centuries: Fishing. Coconuts. And black pearls. Lots of black pearls.

Goat water is basically a thin soup. Swimming in its brown depths you’ll find lumps of practically any part of a goat (usually bones and all), there’s clove, thyme, plus some other assorted herbs and spices, and depending on what island you find yourself sampling goat water, don’t be surprised to find some additional items in there like small dumplings, yams, and potatoes.


You can find goat water on many islands in the Caribbean from Antigua, Grenada, St. Kitts, Nevis, and many more. It’s even the national dish of Antigua’s neighbor: Montserrat!


On islands like Jamaica, expect a cousin of goat water to be served at weddings… Especially to the grooms. Why? Well, that version also goes by the name “mannish water” so can imagine what the expected results of slurping up a bowl!

A favorite live music venue among locals and tourists in Negril, MXIII attracts a variety of big and smaller names onto its outdoor stage throughout the year. It also hosts the well-known annual Bob Marley Birthday Bash festival in February. Located on the cliffside of Negril, the venue is run by active, longtime resident entrepreneurs who are passionate about keeping the West End’s authenticity and entertainment vibe alive. Look for posters around town or billboards outside the venue for upcoming performances.

You’ll more than likely gasp when you first glimpse this 180-foot-deep, jade- and sapphire-colored body of water surrounded by verdant rain forest. Though you can spot it from the road as you drive along Port Antonio’s east coast, the Blue Lagoon is best appreciated while gliding across it on a bamboo raft. The entire scene looks straight out of the movies, which is why locals would probably tell you that it was a location for the eponymous 1980 movie starring Brooke Shields (which, in fact, was filmed in Fiji). Even if you don’t hop on a raft for a float, at least get out of the car to take in the stunning view. (An on-site restaurant and deck were closed for renovation some years back and still haven’t reopened.)

A who-knows-how-happily-married Diego Rivera commissioned this three-residence compound from Mexican artist and architect Juan O’Gorman in 1931. Jarringly Bauhausian for its time (especially in comparison to the surrounding San Ángel neighborhood’s mission revival gentility), it included separate buildings for Diego and his wife, Frida Kahlo, connected by a slender bridge (as well as a third dwelling for O’Gorman). Visits lead to interiors, showcasing Rivera’s studio and its fascinating collection of artworks, creative infrastructure, and amazing windows. Take time to wander the garden and pause to appreciate the property’s tableaux; then re-tox from all the aesthetic purity across the road at the San Ángel Inn, a gloriously indulgent hacienda bar and restaurant that takes you straight back to the country club—flawless margaritas and all.

A black, awe-inspiring lava landscape is the welcome mat to our trek into Oregon’s iconic volcano reserve. The Three Sisters: Faith/North, Hope/Middle, and Charity/South are ringed by a trail network that includes a stretch on the infamous Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). The wilderness circumnavigation of these dramatic, dormant peaks challenges hikers to keep their eyes on the trail at every bend. The big diversion on our journey is the climb to the saddle between Middle and South sisters. The area holds a short necklace of glacial lakes and challenging access through snow and ice. Great accommodations when you need to chill that cocktail at 7,500 feet. Trails up to the saddle are well defined but not maintained or officially marked, making getting lost or disoriented par for the course. The weather in August quickly goes from blazing in the lava beds to long sleeves at altitude. One night I had every bit of clothing on inside my sleeping bag to stay warm. Lower elevations produce brilliant meadows of lupine and paintbrush this time of year. Water sources are limited, but two “springs” provide gourmet liquid bubbling out of volcanic rock. This is a moderately strenuous 48-mile walk without the difficult detour to the saddle. The east-side Green Lakes trail has a restricted burn area and is less populated, while the west side PCT portion tends to be busy. Don’t let the 5,000-foot elevation gain/loss scare you off. Every step is like walking through geologic time.