Search results for

If you think a store that revolves around lovely wall hooks is made for a larger city, you’d be wrong. Hook is full of precisely the sweet, homey ephemera that gives Telluride its small-town charm. Much of the merchandise here will fit in your carry-on, from a bottle opener shaped like a growling bear, to sea-salt-and-sage candles and, of course, hooks in every shape and size—the ones decorated with vintage-looking ski signs make for particularly great souvenirs.

Adjacent to the restaurant is a cheery boutique filled with gourmet products from all over Tuscany. Thanks to the restaurant’s long-standing relationships with many of the region’s top purveyors, you’ll find high-quality olive oil (tastings can also be arranged), cheeses, cured meat, preserves, breads, and more. Not all of it will make it through customs, but you can savor any perishables on a picnic to the Tuscan countryside.

You’ll want to arrive early at Sitka & Spruce to allow time for browsing the other shops inside Melrose Market: Calf and Kid’s artisanal cheeses, Rain Shadow Meats’ sausages and steaks, Glasswing’s home decor, and Marigold & Mint’s fresh flowers. At Sitka & Spruce, chef Matthew Dillon features a rotating menu of hyper-local Northwest cuisine in shareable small plates and mains. The artfully arranged charcuterie platter is a must-try, and don’t skip the bread — the Columbia City sourdough loaf with whipped butter is a local favorite. Just want a snack? Try Bar Ferd’nand next door, also co-owned by Dillon, for a glass of wine and simple bar snacks, or take home a bottle.

Forget Google Maps: You’ll quickly locate this venerable tapas bar in El Poble-Sec by the line out the door. With standing-room-only space for just 20 people, this sliver of a spot fills up fast—and stays that way until closing time. In a room lined floor-to-ceiling with bottles of wine, liquor, and pricey vinegar, you can sample a dizzying variety of tapas and montaditos (small bites served atop slices of bread). Many of the ingredients—namely the mussels, sardines, and tuna—come from cans, which sounds suspect, but Spanish conservas (tinned food) is actually of the highest quality. The cheeses—all fresh—are also top-notch.

The area of gently rolling hills just to the northeast of Lucca is famous not only for its impressive villas, but also for olive oil and wine. A perfect gastronomic stop-off between visits to the magnificent Villa Mansi and Villa Torrigiani, the 30-hectare farm estate Colle di Bordocheo produces both, and offers tastings and tours for visitors. Estate wines such as the complex, spicy Picchio Rosso (a blend of sangiovese, merlot, and cabernet grapes) and the white Bianco dell’Oca (chardonnay, vermentino, sauvignon) marry well with the house extra virgin and platters of local cheeses and foccaccie. Book ahead and you can add lasagne and cold cuts to the basic €15 per head package, making a fine, rustic lunch. There are also apartments for rent on the estate, which lies in a strategic position for visits to the coast, the lush, mountainous Garfagnana region, Florence, and, of course, Lucca.

With its two bubble-topped towers and picturesque roof, the building that houses the Museum of Antiquities is as interesting as the curiosities inside. Constructed using 17th-century techniques and materials, the museum boasts 23 separate galleries, filled with everything from fine jewelry and porcelain to antique rugs, wood carvings, oil paintings, and bronze items. Directly outside in the Rococo Plaza, you’ll find a charming flea market. It’s only held one Sunday per month, though, so ask a local for exact dates and times.

The perfect place to shop for anything and everything from all the islands is the 155-year-old public market called Le Marché. Located two blocks from the waterfront in the heart of Papeete, the market covers two stories. The lower level is filled with hundreds of stands offering Tahitian-made crafts, oils, vanilla, fruits, and flowers. Upstairs is reserved for artisans selling pareos, carvings, Tifaifai wall hangings and quilts, embroidered cushion covers, and other handicrafts. You’ll also find a few good shops for purchasing unique black pearl jewelry at fair prices. An on-site cafeteria serves local dishes. Le Marché is not just a tourist attraction, however—it’s a proper market where locals come to shop for meat, fish, fresh flowers, and produce and to chat with friends over coffee at one of the patisseries.

It is all about farm-to-table cuisine at Primo, where two-time James Beard Award–winning chef Melissa Kelly hangs both her toque and her garden shears. Behind the restaurant, in a Victorian house on the Rockland–Owls Head town line, are acres of pastures and organic gardens. Be sure to allow time to visit with the chicken and pigs, buzz by the beehives, ogle the greenhouses, and admire the produce, edible-flower, and tea gardens. Make reservations for the intimate and elegant Parlor dining rooms, or head to the upstairs Counter Room and Bar, where the menu highlights pizza, cheeses, and charcuterie, and tapas-size portions. The flavors are Mediterranean with a Maine accent. Don’t miss the house-made breads or desserts, either.

Let me put the good news front and center: This is not your father’s Ritz-Carlton (nor your mother’s). For example take the infinity pool, which practically drops you in the Atlantic. Then, there’s the art deco décor, which comes alive with the Latin beat infused throughout the property. Finally, consider the location: the completely restored landmark hotel is literally steps from Lincoln Road, the epicenter of South Beach life – at least the part of life that’s off the beach. I, for one, could not have been happier reading in a poolside chaise or taking a soak in the Jacuzzi, unless it was when I headed up to the state-of-the-art spa, and then down to the beach, where attendants are standing by to cater to your (nearly) every whim. Sunrises are breathtaking — instead of taking photos to post online, I suggest you do what I did: Stand there and let the new day bathe you in its rays. But there is one important way that this Ritz-Carlton is like every Ritz-Carlton: The top-flight service. I barraged handsome Patrick, the day concierge, with a series of questions: “Where can I have dinner that is quiet and outside?” “Can you find me a yoga studio with ‘flow’ classes?” And so on. Let me say this: He knows his stuff and so does the rest of the staff. I was genuinely sad to leave, wanting more time at the pool, at Bistro One LR. Basically, more of everything, which is the ultimate compliment for any hotel. (A $28 resort fee is charged per night, per room)

The establishment bears two names for a reason. Lenox is the front room, a restaurant chasing after that holy grail of U.S.-style diner food that’s just refined enough to appeal to the beautiful people (remember Max’s Kansas City?). Tables are tight and eavesdropping may be impossible to avoid, so watch what you say. Behind Lenox lies Parker, a larger (if just as crowded) space, home to live music, sexy lounge areas, and a long, shimmering bar whose staff is thoroughly up-to-date on the latest craft cocktails. What might first seem like a cliquey crowd opens up after a drink or two.

For some truly luxurious pampering, look no further than The Spa at the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara. The 12,000-square-foot space sits between the rose garden and the Jungle Pool with 11 treatment rooms and uninterrupted views of the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands. The Grape de Vine is one of the spa’s four signature 80-minute treatments, and it begins with a exfoliation using a grape-seed body scrub, followed by a full body massage with rose and lavender essential oils. Spend the day using the sauna, steam room, or pool, or zone out the upper level relaxaton room. Special treatments for teens are also available.

D&Department, a youthful shop housed in a 13th-century Bukkoji temple, focuses on designer housewares, kitchen goods, and foods. Conceived by Kenmei Nagaoka, a professor at Kyoto University of Art and Design, and his students, the store sells products such as sturdy tea mugs and glass tokkuri (Japanese sake sets), and highlights specialty, small-batch food producers whom they’ve met in person. The result is a special range of sesame seed oils, additive-free pickles, and heirloom misos and soys. D&Department will occasionally include imported products that adhere to the founders’ ethos, such as durable Freitag bags from Switzerland, which are made from recycled truck tarps.

In the old town, near the waterfront, you’ll find Zadar’s green, meat and fish markets. They face each other and are open in the mornings from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fishermen supply fresh catches every day, and you’ll also find herbs, fruits, olive oil and cheese in the outdoor stalls, not to mention an indoor meat market and, off to one side, a spot to buy clothes, flip-flops and other cheap items. The markets settled in this large open space after buildings in the area were destroyed in World War II; today, the only fighting going on is among the bargain hunters.

Take home the essence of Argentina with a fragrance inspired by pampas grasses, the northern desert, or Patagonian lupine blossoms. Fueguia 1833, a perfume lab on ultra-chic Avenida Alvear in Recoleta, creates scents from all-natural ingredients. Only the best-quality plants and spices available at production time make the cut, meaning aromas vary from batch to batch. Each bottle bears an engraved lot number, and large flagons come in handsome handmade boxes. Even better: A Fueguia scent does more than make you irresistible—a portion of all proceeds goes to the NGO Help Argentina, a fund-raising organization that supports environmental, human-rights, and public education charities.

Le Bernardin, on 51st Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues, is one of the handful of New York restaurants that is regularly awarded four stars by the New York Times (it is also one of five restaurants in the city with three Michelin stars). Chef Eric Ripert’s specialty is fish, and the menu is divided into three categories: “almost raw,” “barely touched,” and “lightly cooked.” If you like your tuna cooked medium, this isn’t the right place for you. Ripert often finds his inspiration in Japanese cooking, with his sashimi and light broths, and adds some Latin American influences, in his ceviches and some other dishes. The fish is always allowed to take center stage, and typically any sauce is merely intended to accent its flavors. The dining room has an understated, contemporary style with light-wood walls and high ceilings. Unlike some celebrated chefs, Ripert has chosen not to build a restaurant empire, increasing the odds that on any visit he will be at Le Bernardin, presiding over its kitchen and dining room.