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Up in the Andersonville neighborhood, home of many an antique store, Brownstone Antiques holds a primo spot on Clark Street just down the street from the Swedish diner, Svea. It’s more of a junk store than an antique store with a crowded jumble of antique furniture, piles of vintage jewelry, stacks of paintings and odds and ends on every surface. It’s a little dusty and a lot interesting.

Sucré opened a couple of years after Katrina swept through a bustling stretch of Magazine Street not far from the Garden District. It quickly established itself as the city’s premier destination for chocolates, macarons, gelato, and, well… basically anything with sugar. The original shop is bright and modern rather than cluttered and fussy, and the intricately decorated confections are neatly housed in chilled cases, like jewels in a vitrine. But there’s nothing precious about the tastes here—it’s all big, bold flavors. If you’re here around Mardi Gras season, ask about the seasonal king cake, all lustrous and gilded. Sucré also recently opened a French Quarter outpost with an upstairs tearoom.

Crosby Street Hotel founders Tim and Kit Kemp are behind this Midtown property, which opened its doors in February 2017. Each of the 86 guest rooms exudes a personality of its own, complete with playful pieces of artwork and color-forward design by Kit. High ceilings, long foyers, and walk-in closets help guests feel more at home than on the road, as does a stop at the Drawing Room before lights out. It’s here that floral curtains, oversize armchairs, and book-lined walls greet guests who want a nightcap from the honor bar, which is always stocked with top-shelf liquors, wines, and pre-batched cocktails. Pick your poison and enjoy it in your deep-soaking tub, where a TV and lineup of bespoke bath products await. Come morning, head to the light-drenched Orangery for well-executed breakfast favorites like avocado toast, acai bowls, and brioche French toast.

The meal, drinks, and bar car are only part of the experience. Getting to stand out on the viewing deck while perched over the rushing Arkansas River, then passing under the Royal Gorge Bridge, all while enjoying a pint of Fat Tire or Colorado wine ... well, it’s a pretty unique experience and the worth the money (from $39 coach adult tickets). Look for special events like murder mysteries, Santa Express, and, pictured above, the four-course dinner train with its extensive wine list, and the train’s own micro-brew, Royal Gorge Rogue. Season begins in early March.

If there’s such a thing as a single “Seattle style” for women, it’s probably epitomized by the charmingly craftsy, slightly bohemian, shabby-chic goods for sale at Burnt Sugar. From knitted hat to knee-high Frye boot, with all kinds of semi-precious stone jewelry and frilly scarves and graphic Orla Kiely bags in between, this boutique overflows with interesting and pretty things to admire. The striking Jonathan Adler salt-and-pepper shakers would make a great housewarming gift, while the cosmetics, scented soaps, and candles are sure to please any hostess. Check out their sale table for cute, good-quality leather shoes under $100.

The Friterie Pitta de la Chapelle is located just outside the church and near the Chapelle train station, which is a short distance from the Sablon. This friterie is like most friteries but they did add “Pitta” to the name. If you’re alive today and living anywhere in the world, you will know what a pitta is. The pitta, the fries/frites and everything else sold here is pretty tasty and greasy, as its meant to be. Friteries are the Belgian answer to McDonalds and fast food. They’re not that fast though (but neither is a McDonalds in Belgium).

As a lover of architecture, visiting Edificio Copan in the center of São Paulo was high on my list during my last visit to this lively city. However, what really struck me while standing outside Copan was this fun street art behind us. It seems to be a new version of the Brazilian icon Carmen Miranda.


São Paulo’s streets come alive with street art. From murals and graffiti to whole facades of buildings painted with beautiful scenes, the creativity and color exhibited in the city’s outdoor work reflect the vibrancy of the Brazilian people. According to street art experts, the city is one of the world’s best for the development of this form of art. To see some of the city’s best examples, head to the Vila Madalena area (which is fun to visit anyway). The best examples are found in Beco do Batman (Batman’s Alley), off Rua Harmonia just before Rua Luis Murat.

Dominating the intriguing Jewish quarter on the Pest side of the city, the Great Synagogue is a must-see for lovers of culture in general and Europe’s Jewish history in particular. This is Europe’s largest operating synagogue (the largest, in fact, outside New York City) on Dohány Street, which was once the boundary for the Budapest Jewish Ghetto. Inside are stunning Romantic and Moorish architectural elements like rose windows and a monumental organ. Other parts of the complex include a Jewish cemetery, a small prayer area called the Heroes’ Temple, and the Hungarian Jewish Museum and Archives, built on the site of the home in which Theodor Herzl, the originator of modern Zionism, was born.

Willis Tower—originally known as the Sears Tower—was the world’s tallest building for 23 years until it was unseated in 1996 by the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur. The 110-story skyscraper is still mighty impressive. Its “bundled tube” design by architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill was originally inspired by a handful of cigarettes and the innovative bundling changed the construction of supertall, wind-resistant buildings thereafter. The tower’s height is even more thrilling when measured from the 103rd-floor windows of the Skydeck observatory and the Ledge, a glass-enclosed box which juts more than four feet out from the side of the building so that visitors can (gingerly) walk out and stand 1,353 feet above the street.

Washington Square Park is only a fraction of the size of Central Park, but it is as almost as much of an icon of New York as its much larger counterpart uptown. It’s likely because it sits in the heart of Greenwich Village, and has thus served as a backdrop for many events in the city’s history. In the late 19th century, it was one of New York’s most fashionable addresses (that period was captured by Henry James in his 1880 novella Washington Square, later the basis for The Heiress, a play that was also adapted into a movie). The arch along its northern side dates to 1892 and was designed by Stanford White to replace an earlier one, in wood and plaster, erected in 1889 to mark the centennial of George Washington’s inauguration. When Greenwich Village became the haunt of artists and writers, the park was a green space for the city’s counterculture; folk singers and street performers are still a common sight, and the park is also frequently used for political protests and rallies. On sunny days, especially during the academic year, the park is filled with NYU students, neighborhood residents, and tourists taking in the scene.

North Adams has many galleries, shops selling vintage items and plenty of restaurants. The street art popping up around every corner reminds you that many artists are at work in the warehouses that make up much of the city. The efforts to preserve this former mill town are evident on the brick walls of buildings where an international collection of artists have taken their brushes to the streets.

When you walk around the Isola neighborhood, make sure to look out for street art. The colorful neighborhood is a tableau vivant for urban artists.

The Franciscan Garden is delightful public space just off the busy Wenceslas Square on the site of a former Franciscan monastery and dates back to the medieval period. Head through the Světozor passage from Vodičkova street or the Alfa passage from Wenceslas Square. Find a seat on one of the benches — a great spot for people watching —and admire the climbing roses in bloom or the Church of Our Lady of the Snows. If you have children let them enjoy the playground and an ice cream while you sit back and take a breather under the trees.

Vendors first set up shop at the Italian Market in the mid-to-late 1880s, and today, the spread of stalls, stores, and eateries runs all along South 9th Street in Philadelphia’s residential Bella Vista neighborhood. A trip here involves all the senses: sights, sounds, vibrant colors, and, most intoxicating of all, the combined aromas of spices, coffee, and just-baked bread. Along this stretch, shoppers can find fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, fish, seafood, meats, cheeses, pastries, homemade pasta, ice cream, chocolates, and tea. The 10-block market area also includes a great variety of restaurants. Overwhelmed by the choices? Stop at the Visitor Center for suggestions. The market operates all year round, and in all types of weather.

Frenchmen Street is, more or less, the local-music version of Bourbon Street. It also has its share of tourists trundling about with go-cups in hand, but they’re drawn more by the music than the drink. Plan to spend an evening (things start to pick up around 8 p.m., earlier on weekends) along a three-block stretch of small, informal clubs where there’s often no cover (give generously and give often when the bucket comes around), or at most $5 or $10. Notable clubs include the Spotted Cat, the Maison, Blue Nile, D.B.A., the Apple Barrel, and Snug Harbor. Earlier in the evenings, there’s often an impromptu brass band at the corner of Chartres and Frenchmen. Between sets, take a moment to browse the night art markets, the largest of which is next to the Spotted Cat.