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Hotel Crayon Rouge, the little sister of Hotel Crayon just around the corner, drives the homey atmosphere with a number of clever features: an honesty bar and cheerful open-plan kitchen with a readily stocked fridge accessible for late-night cravings, an intimate lounge in the entry, used books on bedside tables, and reading lights in bathrooms. Colorful guestrooms are like fantasy bedrooms, with retro-chic style, graphic illustrated wallpaper, antique furnishings, and vintage decorative touches. Though rooms are compact, smart use of mirrors make them feel more spacious. The design of the property was masterminded by artist Julie Gauthron and is framed subtly around wine, the owners’ passion. You’ll find playful wine-themed wallpaper in the lounge, lamps in cork oak above the reception desk, and wine and whiskey carafes above the Rouge Bar dining table.

Storico is truly a hidden gem in New York City - a one-of-a-kind, beautiful eatery in a historic museum on the Upper West Side, just steps from Central Park. The newly-renovated New-York Historical Society is located on Central Park West and 76th Street (next to the Museum of Natural History). Chef Matthew Oetting and restaurateur Stephen Starr (Morimoto, Buddakan) deliver beautifully-plated, seasonal antipasti, cicchetti (small plates), handmade pastas, panini and hearty entrees. A recent menu included panzanella salad, pappardelle with duck ragu, frutti di mare bucatini, and roasted organic chicken with oyster mushrooms. Soaring 15-foot high ceilings, shelves lined with white antique dishes, abundant sunlight and bright yellow seating make this one of the cheeriest cafes I’ve seen. The decor and the flavorful food makes for a memorable meal. Eating at Storico does not require admission to the museum, but I highly recommend a few hours educating yourself on the remarkable history of New York City. The museum is a manageable size and not very crowded, which makes for an enjoyable, leisurely visit.

New Hope is a small and scenic village nestled along the banks of the Delaware River in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, about an hour’s drive from Philadelphia. It offers scenic countryside, casual restaurants, quaint B&Bs, and great shopping and nightlife. For families who visit, New Hope is home to the Bucks County Children’s Museum. From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, there is a weekly fireworks display over the Delaware River (every Friday night at 9:30). In September the town hosts a juried arts and crafts festival. Some of the shops have reduced hours in the winter. My favorite time to go is in the autumn for the gorgeous scenery, and while it’s still warm enough to enjoy the outdoor dining. Cross the bridge to the New Jersey side and visit the equally quaint Lambertville, voted one of the prettiest towns in the US by Forbes Magazine. Lambertville’s tree-lined streets are full of lovely Victorian houses, antique shops and art galleries, and the walking/biking trail on the riverfront provides endless scenic views.

America’s second-largest desert is an unlikely place to find some of the world’s freshest seafood. But anything is possible in Las Vegas, and when chef Paul Bartolotta opened Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare in the Wynn hotel in 2005, he was committed to offering only the best. Bartolotta serves sea bass, snapper, and lobsters 48 to 60 hours after they’re pulled from the waters that surround Italy. On any given night, the menu features nearly 50 species of rare seafood. “I’ve never heard of another restaurant having live slipper lobster or blue lobster in their tanks,” says Bartolotta. The chef speaks daily with his fishermen and tracks shipments using thermal microchips. An in-house marine biologist monitors the live seafood from when it arrives until it is prepped to order. 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S., (702) 770-3463. This appeared in the October 2012 issue.

A Buffalo mainstay, Chef’s has been serving heaping plates of spaghetti since 1923. Situated on the outskirts of Downtown, the Italian spot offers homestyle fare that works for everything from family gatherings to romantic date nights. Favorites include the stuffed shells, veal scaloppini with spaghetti, and chicken broccoli Alfredo with fettuccine, but the dish that made Chef’s famous is the spaghetti Parmesan—a mess of noodles smothered in cheese and broiled to perfection. Due to its popularity with locals and expat Buffalonians, the restaurant can get pretty packed, so it’s best to make a reservation in advance (especially on the weekends).

The cute pun of the name (“chouchou” means “favorite” in French) will give you an idea on the appealing collection within this Rue Sherbrooke shoe store. They carry some standard brands, like Stuart Weitzman, but also a bunch of unusual ones that it’s nearly impossible to find in Montreal, such as Ash, Neosens and Barbara Milano. They specialize in Italian designers, and feature a wide range of shoe, from the most vertiginous stilettos to totally wearable – yet chic – walking shoes. The prices are reasonable to boot, which is always a nice surprise in this neighborhood.

In a city where hoagies are everywhere, how can a visitor know which is the best? Ask a local where they buy their hoagies, and chances are their answer will be Primo. The Primo Italian hoagie, for anyone new to these signature Philadelphia foods, is a classic. Winner of multiple awards, Primo Hoagies has locations all around Philly, and boasts an extensive menu featuring sandwiches of many sizes. The offerings include creative meatless options such as the Veggie Diablo (eggplant, sharp provolone, broccoli rabe, and long hot peppers); make sure to try a side of olive salad. Buon appetito!

Hilton’s reentry into the heart of Paris is nothing short of majestic. After a $50 million design overhaul, the 125-year-old hotel, made for the 1889 World’s Fair, has been revived to its 19th-century splendor with a contemporary twist. Formerly the Grand Hotel Terminus and the Concorde Opéra Paris, the property’s landmark status—with its Haussmannian facade and elegant public spaces—demanded it be painstakingly preserved. Among the restored, original elements, the most awe-inspiring are the Corinthian columns, chandeliers, balustrades, hand-painted frescoes, and marble and mosaic tiling. Fortunately, the bar takes pride of place among them, making it the ideal spot to start your stay with a cocktail or glass of wine.

The style in each of the rooms breaks with the traditional stark-white modern codes of most business hotels. Here it incorporates warm accent colors and textiles. With few heritage elements left to preserve, the sense of place is woven in with custom etchings of iconic Paris scenes hung behind each bed. But you won’t be spending much time here, as the action happens in the grand salon.

The surprises at this excellent Italian restaurant in Disney Springs start right when you arrive and gaze upon the airy dining room. Complete with 50-foot-high ceilings, a grand staircase, and sweeping views over Lake Buena Vista, it’s themed after an abandoned airline terminal, with lots of fun travel touches that include a vintage-style glove dangling like a giant chandelier overhead. Chef Theo Schoenegger is a native of Italy, and his menu spotlights specialties from Rome and Sicily. Delicious Italian cheeses and cured meats are perfect starters for sharing. And signature dishes include Sicilian arancini di carne (rice balls with meat) and a spiral pasta dish topped with crab called busiate con granchio. Italian red, white, and Prosecco wines star on the well-informed wine list. And don’t miss a plate of cannoli to share for a sweet finish.

Just North of Moab, UT Arches National Park is a gem with over 2000 natural stone arches. The most popular hike is the three mile trail to Delicate Arch. It’s a fairly straight forward hike and it is uphill most of the way to the arch, but otherwise it’s an easy hike. The arch is amazing especially around sunset when the rock seems to glow a bright orange. There are also great views of the surrounding area from the Delicate Arch. There is a $10 entry fee for vehicles driving in, or $5 per person for walk-ins, bikes, etc. Both are good for 7 days. Campgrounds can book up during busy periods so plan in advance. Moab has plenty of shops to gear up, buy food and supplies, or join a guided trip mountain biking, rafting, climbing, off-roading, and a variety of other activities. Moab is also close enough, and has plenty of places to stay in case camping is not your cup of tea.

As Phoenix heats up, many locals are desperate to escape the desert’s barren landscape and head north to Sedona. Only a two-hour drive from the city, on average, Sedona sees about 60% local valley traffic over the weekends. Route 89A, leading up to Flagstaff, provides many opportunities to veer off course and wander the many trailheads in Sedona. One particular trail is the West Fork Oak Creek Trail. Temperatures are at least 20 degrees cooler here and provides relief from the consistent 101-115 temps. You’ll find water holes and rivers and shade under the evergreens to keep cool and refreshed. Pack a picnic and spend a few hours exploring this trail as it weaves and winds through the forest and up against cliffs and the water’s edge. Hop from rock to rock crossing the stream at five different points along the trail. You won’t sweat too much here as it’s a fairly easy 3 mile stroll. You’ll know when you get to the end of the marked trail - it ventures on but I have yet to figure out how to follow it further to its 14-mile stretch. $9 entrance fee for the day. Word of advice: Get there EARLY to find parking during the weekend and summer months.

The [incredibly luxurious] Terrace Hotel might seem almost like a black sheep, located as it is in the downtown heart of the steel-and-glass CBD of Perth in Western Australia. Don’t be fooled! The hotel is more like a spotless, white sheep, my experience so wonderful and luxurious that for almost the first time ever in my years as a traveler -- I forgot to take photos. [Image above courtesy Terrace Hotel FB page.] I was blessed to spend my 32nd birthdday at The Terrace and everything, from the food to the bed linens to the champagne and petit fours which were waiting in my room after check in, to the impecable way in which I was treated by staff -- was beyond reproach. Since the hotel is fairly new, you may find growing pains during your stay. Bear with them. I truly believe this hotel is destined for lasting greatness on the Perth hotel scene which is so desperately in need of great boutiques such as The Terrace. You’ll find it ideally suited for walking to most major attractions, in particular the river front -- with ferry to Rottnesst Island or Fremantle -- and even Kings Park. Don’t skip eating a meal at the restaurant, the food is as excellent as the night’s sleep you will have in their beds. And come prepared to share your Apple login if you want to access the complimentary Apple TV in your room.

Part of the ‘Leading Hotels of the World’ group, Gleneagles is a destination in and of itself for visitors to Scotland. From their website, “Set within the gentle beauty of 850 acres of Perthshire countryside, this five star [resort] is home to three championship golf courses, a sparkling, award-winning spa and an exhilarating array of outdoor activities.” Fancy learning Falconry? You can. Anxious to become an accomplished equestrian? You can do that too. Want to golf in the footsteps of greats like Jack Nicklaus or Adam Scott? Of course, you can do that as well. Fancy a full day being pampered in a spa? ESPA can sort you out. Don’t know how to make traditional Scottish ‘tablet’ or Christmas Pudding? One of the accomplished chefs can teach you with a cooking demonstration in the grand kitchen. Even those who love to shop, and can’t fathom a trip without a few luxury brands, will find the arcade inside Gleneagles well-stocked to please. Built in the decade where Art Deco was all the rage, today’s Gleneagles still exhibits much of its original architectural detail as well as furniture and lighting. Yet modernity and old world details mix reasonably across guest suites as well as common areas to give the hotel a balanced, elegant feel that’s both welcoming and jaw-dropping at the same time. Be sure to leave time for a meal at the Andrew Fairlie-helmed restaurant on site which is one of only eleven restaurants in the UK to have two Michelin stars.

You really can’t ask for fresher beer than they serve at the Pike. This huge pub is actually built around the equipment that is brewing the next batch as you drink. It’s the brainchild of Charles Finkel, whose passion is evident in this glorious shrine to beer, with his collections of bottles, ads and vintage merch covering every square inch of the place. When we visited, he was actually putting up some beer-themed stamp collections on one of the few remaining patches of uncovered wall; we got chatting, and in his enthusiasm he insisted on taking us down to the basement for a tour of the workfloor. Charles just adores what he does and you can taste it in the microbrews, a selection of lovingly crafted beers that you’ll struggle to find outside the Pacific Northwest. I loved “Naughty Nellie,” a golden ale that slips down rather too easily, but there’s more than a dozen types to choose from not to mention seasonal varieties (we visited at Halloween, when a special Pumpkin ale was on tap). A good way is to buy the tasting menu, which includes around eight of their flavours (although beware, some of them are fairly strong and might go to your head). The Pike’s easiest to find if you approach it from 1st Avenue, through Pike Place Market, although we stumbled onto it in Post Alley, where you can get an elevator up to the pub. We stumbled upon it when we were just gasping for a drink—but we got so much more.

It’s worth a peek inside Zaini, Milan‘s historic chocolate maker, which began creating delicious chocolate confectionaries in the 1910s. Celebrating a 100-year anniversary, Zaini opened the via Carlo de Cristoforis location in honor of a century passed and has included the cocktail magic of Mag’s Flavio Angiollilo.