Search results for

Birds Boutique Cafe is a mildly quirky and unpretentious place to have a cappuccino. With their family-style seating around large wooden tables, you’ll be tempted to strike up a conversation with a stranger next to you. Speaking of family, it’s a family-owned business. Their daughter, Frauke Stegmann, is an internationally acclaimed graphic designer who makes everything from the teacups to the creative light fixtures for the cafe. It will soon become one of your favourite places to grab a bite to eat for breakfast or lunch (try the chicken pie). It’s a good example of the type of unpretentious, casual cafes you’ll come across in the Mother City.

Eat Your Heart Out is a cool corner deli with a Jewish inspired menu, located in the bustling Maboneng Precinct. This particular morning I’d met up with a friend and his family for a quick breakfast before heading onto the Market on Main, located just down the street. I’d chosen the “Israeli Breakfast” which is an omelette lightly spiced with a mix of Arabic herbs, served with toasted pita, diced salad, pickled lettuce, chilis, olives, chunky feta and organic humus.

On this rainy afternoon that I visited, Kitchener’s had the DJ on the decks mixing up a storm inside the venue, with patrons being able to browse the goods with their drinks in hand all the while being able to do a little boogie! Whether it’s on the weekend or during the week, Kitchener’s does get very full, but is always good fun! On the weekend’s the bar transforms into a bustling, bar/market with jewellery, vintage books, clothes and more on sale. A cool fact about Kitchener’s: It has the honour of being the second oldest bar in Johannesburg. Check out their full list of events on their Facebook page

An integral part of Korean culture, jimjilbangs, or bathhouses, offer much more than just a trip to the spa. Most are open 24 hours, functioning as a place for people to unwind and socialize. Expect unisex areas equipped with pools, showers, and massage services, all to be enjoyed in the buff. Those who find being nude in front of strangers intimidating can spend time in the coed saunas and relaxation rooms or at the in-house caf&eacute. For a quintessential experience, head to Dragon Hill Spa, located outside of Yongsan Garrison. A Western-style jimjilbang, it’s akin to an entertainment complex, with amenities like arcades, karaoke, and movie theaters.

The largest ice caves in the world lie just 30 miles south of Salzburg in the Eisriesenwelt at Werfen. Only a portion of the more than 20 miles of caves are open to the public on a 75-minute guided tour, but what’s available to visit is impressive. Magnificent ice formations, frozen waterfalls, and a smooth, rinklike ice palace can be found in this underground world. Visitors will also see Hymir’s Castle, an enormous ice sculpture named for the ice giant of the Edda (the oldest Germanic-mythology saga), and witness layers of time, much like rings on a tree, encased in the glacier (which is actually not a glacier but a massive chunk of accumulated ice).

Everyone who visits Santa Fe walks along the famed Canyon Road. Originating as an old footpath that once accessed water, it now primarily showcases an expansive range of shops and galleries with Native American art and landscape paintings. A stroll is not complete without a stop at one of the award-winning restaurants, a la Geronimo and the Compound.

You’ll want to block off at least three hours of your day for a meal at n/naka, Los Angeles’s temple to the elaborate, multi-course traditional Japanese feast known as kaiseki. Chef-owner Niki Nakayama—one of the world’s few female kaiseki masters and a James Beard semifinalist—has created an intimate, authentically Japanese space for up to 26 guests to savor one of two 13-course tasting menus. In a serene setting of minimalist, hand-built furniture, the Japanese American chef serves up a parade of vibrantly colored, elaborately plated dishes, each made with hyper-local ingredients. A typical menu begins with a modern take on sashimi and then proceeds through a series of innovative vegetarian, fish, meat, and dessert courses. One stop-you-in-your-tracks favorite: the Shiizakana (which translates to “not bound by tradition, chef’s choice”), in which spaghettini is twirled with abalone, pickled cod roe, and Burgundy truffles. At the end of the meal, chef Nakayama and sous chef Carole Iida-Nakayama emerge from the kitchen to greet each diner. Pro tip: Plan ahead. A two- to three-month waiting list means you need to be flexible with early or late dinner times.

Jimmy’s Corner is long and narrow, as if some great prophet looked at a hallway and said, I see a dimly lit saloon here, complete with an extended bar and walls plastered with photos of boxers. Opened in 1971 by erstwhile pugilist James Lee Glenn, Jimmy’s sits midblock on West 44th Street, between Sixth Avenue and Broadway, in Midtown Manhattan. Which is what makes this no-frills bar unique. It’s a classic American dive, and the only one around, a relic from when the Times Square area was more depravity than Disney. Bartenders, who can spot a near-empty glass with the eyes of a hawk, are friendly but gruff. Case in point: As a 50-something woman with spiky bleached blonde hair mixed me another whiskey soda, I nodded to the boxer-bedecked wall behind the bar and said to my friend, “They don’t really like boxing much here, do they?” The bartender looked down the bar, pointed her finger at me, and bellowed with a thick Russian accent, “He make feeble attempt at joke!” She might have been right. If you go to this watering hole, make sure you’re thirsty (drinks are cheap) and your jokes are not so feeble. This appeared in the August/September 2013 issue. Image courtesy of Shanna Ravindra

You might have caught wind of some recent buzz about this contemporary patisserie with its unveiling of the haute dog, Craftsman and Wolves Chef William Werner’s upscale version of the classic American food (think better meat and a flaky, buttery croissant instead of a bun). Or perhaps you’ve heard people talking about a Mission bakery that served a savory muffin with a soft-cooked egg inside of it (it’s call the Rebel Within). Whatever the reason, head to Craftsman and Wolves for a changing menu of classic and innovative breakfast pastries, cakes, confections, confitures, desserts, lunch, and savory fare, with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, beer, and wine to wash it down. Craftsman and Wolves is open Mondays through Thursdays from 7 am to 7 pm, Fridays from 7 am to 8 pm, Saturdays from 8 am to 8 pm, and Sundays from 8 am to 7 pm. Can’t make it to Mission? Stop by the Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market on Saturdays from 8 am to 2 pm or order through their online shop.

The Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt is a true palace. Built by an English Argentine railway executive, this Tudor Revival mansion dates to the late 1800s. The Duhau family, which bought the property in the 1920s, added an additional neoclassical building modeled after Le Château du Marais outside Paris. The property sat empty for a few decades at the end of the 20th century until a local developer partnered with Hyatt to turn it into a hotel. After a $74 million renovation, they helped preserve much of the original artwork and red marble flooring, invigorating the once faded Belle Epoque elegance. A larger, sleek tower with modern guest facilities was also added.

The property today is a testament to the grandeur of the most European city in the Americas. There are crystal chandeliers, intricate ironwork, and travertine marble bathrooms. There’s a bar where one can indulge in cigars and brandy, after, of course, dining at one of several high-profile restaurants with wine cellars designed to impress even the most hard-core oenophile.

As its name suggests, the Bespoke Inn is one of the more eccentric accommodations in downtown Scottsdale. This compact bed-and-breakfast, opened in 2013, has just 10 rooms. Each is decorated with homey, eclectic details that reflect the creativity of the hotel’s previous owners, who designed and built most of the inn’s furnishings themselves. The current owners, Jeremy Ferris and Robert Marchetti, brought in elements of Marchetti’s Italian heritage, which are evident in the updated courtyard and six new rooms. The result is a surprising blend of style and comfort, reinforced by the hotel’s ability to make guests feel they have all become friends. There are other surprises, too. In 2013 Esquire magazine called the café—which has its own odd appellation, Virtù Honest Craft—one of the 20 best new restaurants in America. And the hotel provides Pashley bicycles for guests to use during their stays.

While San Francisco’s Contemporary Jewish Museum dates back to 1994, it moved into its current location in 2008. The heart of the museum’s new home is a 1907 Pacific Gas & Electric power substation, with additions designed by one of architecture’s leading figures, Daniel Libeskind. The museum tends to take a thematic and often surprising approach to its subject with, for example, exhibitions of artists inspired by the biblical book of Genesis and others focused on the notable personalities of the Jewish life of California, America and beyond. If you are looking for some unexpected gifts, the museum’s store carries updated menorahs, humorous T-shirts and a large selection of books on Jewish culture and history.

Why we love it: Local history and culture abound at this Atlanta newcomer

The Highlights:
-15 bunk rooms for fun and practical lodging
-Proximity to Atlanta’s vibrant Poncey-Highland neighborhood
-Welcome beers upon arrival

The Review:
Originally operating as a motor hotel in the 1920s, this Poncey-Highland property reopened in 2018 under the ownership of Oliver Hospitality, the same team behind hip locales like The Fairlane (Nashville) and Station House Inn (Lake Tahoe). New York-based studio Reunion Goods & Services spearheaded the design, imbuing the space with modern-day details while reviving its retro vibes with bespoke murals, custom wallpaper, and vintage-inspired artwork. Walls get a particularly feminine makeover within each of the 95 guest rooms, thanks to Atlanta artist Sharon Shapiro’s colorful depictions of women in everyday life. While the hotel caters to solo travelers and couples aplenty, it’s fun to bring a group: 15 bunk rooms welcome the cool kids here, and each of them sleeps up to four. Bring that crew downstairs for dinner at Tiny Lou’s, where executive chef Jeb Aldrich puts forth French-American fare like Tennessee rabbit cassoulet and black cocoa foie gras.

When this wine country–style restaurant opened in the Laguna Hills in 2016, it was instantly embraced by locals. Maybe it’s the hillside location—no bikinis in sight—that allows diners to breathe easy and indulge. Maybe it’s the warm wood-clad dining room with its lively open kitchen. Or maybe it’s the craft cocktails and 25-plus international wines poured by the glass. Regardless, Ironwood is not the place to come while on a diet. The biggest reason: the house-made giant meatball, served with fresh, made-from-scratch herb pappardelle, spicy pomodoro sauce, and ricotta salata. Limited numbers are made each night, so it’s worth going early (the dinner-only restaurant opens each evening at 5 p.m.). The menu also features American Wagyu burgers, mac and cheese skillets, and pork shanks with fried green tomatoes and fresh burrata—plus colorful, palate-cleansing salads incorporating handpicked local ingredients. When the weather’s good, a retractable roof is pulled back from the heated patio to reveal views of the picturesque Saddleback Mountains. Must-order: the warm fromage blanc brownie with Nutella ice cream.

You’d never know that this pueblo-luxe hotel was once the town penitentiary. It’s a credit to Rosewood Hotels & Resorts that the hotel group chose to renovate the existing structure rather than level it and start from scratch. And, if the rooms are on the smaller side, no one seems to mind, especially after the just-completed renovation by Jim Rimelspach, who originally designed the property when it opened nearly 25 years ago. Named after the lost tribe of the Anasazi, ancestors of the Pueblo, the hotel tastefully pays tribute to the Southwest. Adobe walls, kiva-style fireplaces, handwoven carpets, and throw pillows made from Pendleton blankets pair seamlessly with Italian linens by Rivolta Carmignani and toiletries by New York’s C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries. There’s also plenty of Native American art, including Arlo Namingha’s bronze sculpture Hano Mana and Ken Rosenthal’s silver gelatin print Seen and Not Seen, throughout the three-story hotel. The result: A vibe that is modern and sophisticated while still maintaining a sense of place.