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People who haven’t heard of macarons by now probably live under a rock. Not just yet another French dessert to travel across the pond, macarons are a delightful bite-size sandwich-like treat, with a thin, crusty envelope and a flush, jam-like center. Nothing can boast rivaling with macarons, who knows no equal but perhaps the delicious guilty pleasure they offer. At Le Point G (literally, the G spot, I swear I am not making this up—although the owner, Julien, affirms that the G stands for glutton and nothing else), 22 heaven-sent flavors ranging from the classic pistachio, to the regional maple syrup and the surprising apricot-black tea never cease to amaze visitors, regulars included. A great little spot for a macaron tasting session to take away and eat in one of the nearby parks. Good to know: all macarons are gluten-free.

Outerlands is an Outer Sunset institution. The small restaurant near Ocean Beach serves local, organic cuisine in a rustic-chic setting. Covered floor-to-ceiling in warm, rough-hewn wood, the interior invites lingering over an artisan cocktail or a ginger-lemon apple cider. Lunch and dinner feature such refined but hearty options as cast-iron grilled cheese brushed with garlic oil and slow-cooked lamb shank with nasturtium leaf pesto. The weekend brunch draws a crowd and is worth the often lengthy wait. Standouts include the Dutch pancakes and the house-roasted turkey. You can always make the most of waiting for a table and head to the beach for a quick jaunt before you indulge.

“Mixed-use space” doesn’t come close to describing this hip destination on the banks of the Garonne River. Covering nearly five acres, the Darwin Ecosystème is first and foremost an incubator for sustainable development. Here, in renovated warehouses on the former Niel military barracks, several businesses have set up shop to help propel the green economy. Also on-site is everything from a bike-polo field, skate park, music venue, and free-expression space for graffiti artists to an urban farm, gourmet grocer, and Bordeaux’s largest organic restaurant. When you visit, be sure to stop by Les Chantiers de la Garonne, a “beach bar” on the riverbank where you can relax on a lounge chair with some oysters and Darwin beer (brewed on the premises), then dance the night away to electro beats.

A Good Year, starring Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard, was shot in Cucuron, just 35 miles north of Aix-en-Provence. While the medieval town hasn’t had many celebrity sightings since, it stills draws visitors with its exquisite Michelin-starred restaurant Le Petit Maison. Here, the weekly set menus—each available with wine pairings—come courtesy of chef Eric Sapet, who worked for 11 years in renowned Paris restaurants like the three-Michelin-starred Tour d’Argent. Ranging from wild shrimp bouillabaisse with chanterelle mushrooms to roast duck breast with peaches, his dishes are something to be savored, especially when enjoyed in La Petite Maison’s elegant dining room, which charms with old-fashioned woodwork, Renaissance tapestries, and period tiles.

Among the city’s coolest art spaces, Fonderie Darling is a giant – and I mean GIANT – industrial space-turned-contemporary art gallery. It’s a shining example of the type of architecture that existed in the area before the rapid gentrification. Divided into two halves, the space generally hosts one monumental work or series of works in the cavernous main area, and a smaller, more human-scaled exhibition in the second half. Fonderie Darling is also home to a dozen or so artist studios for artists-in-residence from around the world, which one can occasionally visit. Make an evening of it and reserve a table at the Fonderie’s restaurant, Le serpent, one of the hottest addresses in town.

At Boschendal, guests can slow down and savor “Le Pique Nique,” a pre-packed picnic basket that you can order in advance of your visit to the vineyard. When you arrive, collect your wicker basket filled with sweet and savory treats, pick up a bottle of wine to pair with your snacks, and find a spot under the pine trees to sit for the afternoon, relaxing and enjoying the sunshine.

Boschendal is right on the edge of Stellenbosch, about an hour’s drive from Cape Town through the beautiful hills and valleys of the winelands. The owners transformed several farm laborers’ cottages into luxury accommodations, should you wish to spend the night after a day of vineyard tours, winetastings, and dining at the estate’s several restaurants.

Glasgow is a city that lives and breathes football. The two biggest clubs -- Celtic and Rangers -- are by far and away Scotland’s most supported footballing institutions and have dominated the country’s domestic league for decades. Financial tribulations have seen Rangers fall from grace in recent years, but the club looks to be headed back to the top tier to resume its rivalry with Celtic. For a more sedate experience, catch a game involving Partick Thistle -- Glasgow’s third biggest club -- who also play in Scotland’s top league.

The Japanese-inspired Nobu Ryokan Malibu, located on the ocean just north of Los Angeles, sets the tone with its smooth teak exterior. An entrance gate leads to a garden where water flows over honey-colored rocks into a pond, and palm trees shade stone paths lined with black Japanese grass. In the 16 guest rooms, there are no exposed nails or screws, just smooth surfaces of teak and Jerusalem limestone and linen. The art on the walls is original—a watercolor of sparrows in muted tones, a panel of delicately carved black lacquer depicting waves and leaves. The furniture is oak, all right angles and brass fittings, and the bedside lamps look like lanterns. The bathrooms feature skylights, rain showers, and deep teak soaking tubs.

Hotel guests get first dibs on reservations at Nobu restaurant, just two doors down. If that seems too far away, you can get Nobu food delivered to your room: think scallop tiradito, salmon sashimi, and smoked duck with cherry and hibiscus. Another highlight of a stay here are the well being experiences, including yoga with partner studio ALO and an affiliation with Malibu Fit Concierge that offers private fitness classes and guided hikes.

Nobu has partnered with Surf Air to transport guests from various cities in California and Texas. Surf Air flies small planes out of regional airports (if you’re coming from the Bay Area, for example, it’s a 90-minute ride). A car in L.A. takes you on the 40 minute ride north on the scenic Pacific Coast Highway.

Remede Spa, located in the St. Regis Hotel, will pamper you from head to toe. The spa features a waterfall shower and a steam bath as pre-treatments that lead to a combination of Thai massage techniques. The spa also offers a “Sanctuary Package,” which comprises four decadent hours with a combination of a scrub, a body wrap, an oil back, and a facial. As a post-treatment, enjoy a healthy and delicious meal followed by dried fruits and chocolates.

Named after the reef it overlooks, the Alexandra Resort, located about halfway down Provo’s famed beauty, Grace Bay Beach, is a great spot for families or couples. Rooms are in groups of four-story buildings circling a lagoon-style swimming pool. There is also 600 feet of pink-sand beach in front of the hotel leading directly into the emerald waters of the South Atlantic. Beyond its mid-range accommodations and excellent location, the Alexandra recently debuted a new restaurant, Asu, which has a fantastic location right on the beach and does a barefoot al fresco dinner -- book for sunset and then after the sky blackens lantern baskets provide a romantic glow.

Leading the charge for independent bookstores since it opened in 1970, Book People is legendary for creativity and a strong calendar of events. The store holds frequent author signings—and we’re talking big authors—and book club meetings for all manner of book genres. Those who can’t get to Austin can sign up for a subscription service called Trust Fall in which a new book, handpicked by the staff, arrives in the mail a few times a year. Kids are a special focus here: The store publishes a blog written by its own “teen press corps” and collaborates with librarians around the state to hold the annual Texas Teen Book Festival. Book lovers should not miss visiting this stalwart home of literature, and handily, it’s open a lot: 9 a.m.–11 p.m. every day but Thanksgiving.

Blue Waters is luxury and elegance made manifest and placed with love amid 17 acres of lush Caribbean gardens in the northwestern corner of Antigua. What could you hope for from a resort like Blue Waters? Spacious, well-appointed bedrooms? Of course. Romantic cliffside dining that supplies stunning views of Caribbean sunsets? A soothing, bougainvillea-wrapped spa stocked with Elemis products—the leading British luxury skincare brand? How about not one, not two, but three secluded beaches at your disposal? Or maybe you’d prefer an immaculate infinity pool that juts practically right out into the Caribbean Sea? If you’ve dreamed it, Blue Waters likely has it... Or better.

In 2009, Caleb Pedersen made a backpack. He wore it around town while riding his bicycle to and from work, hanging out with friends, etc. Little did he know, his bag’s exposure would lead to other people asking, “Where’d you get that bag?” So, he started making bags, which led to the launch of his brand: Chapel. All bags are handmade in the Chapel workshop at the Woodstock Exchange. In fact, you might just bump into Caleb when you visit the shop. Everything they use to craft their bags is sourced from South Africa. Bag designs are functional and universally stylish, so you’ll look good in Cape Town and everywhere else your travels may take you.

Less than an hour’s drive north of Boston, you can find the building that graces more canvases and paper than probably any other in the world. Located on Bearskin Neck wharf, it’s a central location for exploring the cultural center of this small quintessential New England town. An easy walk will take you thru galleries, shops and restaurants, as well as leading to the harbor that provides coastal vistas the area is known for.

Another hot spot in Pigalle located in yet another former brothel. Dirty Dick, despite the name, isn’t a place of perdition but the city’s second tiki bar, where Polynesian folklore and the American fifties come to life in the details: lounge music that teeters between surf-rock and exotica, barmen in Hawaiian tops, bamboo stools, Maori sculptures, and a jungle-inspired smoking room. The cocktails, of course, are tropical and range from classic (mai tai) to homemade drinks like the Amazombie served for four people in a smoking crater. Should the bar be jammed, which is likely in the late hours of the night, head directly across the street to Glass, the other leading cocktail bar on the street.