Search results for

Hobart’s most famous cobblestoned square was once known for whalers and sailors. Today, it’s inhabited by artists and food purveyors, who mix and mingle every Saturday at the Salamanca Market—the largest outdoor market in Australia, which boasts some 300 food and craft vendors. Sample locally produced cheeses, chocolates, and jams; browse jewelry, ceramics, photography, wool scarves, and bowls hand-hewn from local Huon pine; or do your organic grocery shopping for the trip. Also on this blessed square is the Salamanca Arts Centre, a collection of 1830s Georgian sandstone warehouses converted into more than a dozen galleries and performance spaces. Look for timeless tunics and capes by designer Leonie Struthers at The Maker, and some of Australia’s best cheeses at the Bruny Island Cheese Co.

Even though Thailand is thousands of miles from Telluride, Siam has perfected an edible ode to the country. In fact, the food here is so good that 5280 magazine named Siam one of the best Thai restaurants in the entire state of Colorado. At this downtown spot, Thailand-born and -raised chefs cook the dishes of their home country, using as much local and organic meat as possible. The king crab and lobster tempura, pineapple-and-red-curry mussels, and peanut-dusted pra ram stir fry will have you so besotted with Thai cuisine, you’ll be digging for your passport to take the next flight to Bangkok.

Just a 10-minute walk to the village from the Samedan train station will bring you to one of the best soaks in Switzerland: the Mineralbad & Spa Samedan, a day spa designed in 2010 by husband-and-wife architects Miller & Maranta, who built this compact yet incredibly spacious spa into the village’s tiny 12th-century plaza. Inside, a maze of watery caverns and tiled tunnels flicker with light while two relaxation rooms paneled with a fragrant, endemic pine tree prized for its calming properties, allow guests to take a snooze between soaks. The open-air rooftop bath is discreetly nestled under the 400-year-old Reformed Church clock tower—so close that the glockenspiel bells cause ripples in the water when they chime. The steamy 100-degree pool is an ideal place from which to watch glints of gold flash on the spines of the Rhaetian Alps when the sun sets.

A grand hotel in the Old World tradition, the Peninsula Beverly Hills exudes luxury with its gilded chandeliers and wood-paneled walls. From the moment a white-gloved valet opens the oversize front doors, every guest is treated like royalty. The elegant marble bathrooms—larger than some apartments—feature both soaking tub and shower, plus the softest bathrobes imaginable. Guests can enjoy a leisurely alfresco breakfast on the rooftop alongside wheeling and dealing studio types before moving over to a poolside cabana for a few hours of basking and celebrity-spotting.


Don’t forget to squeeze in a spa treatment—the Peninsula Spa is the beauty and relaxation regimen of more than a few big names. Afternoon tea in the Living Room can’t be missed, thanks to the spread of scones and finger sandwiches, accompanied by live harp music. Even though the hotel is in the heart of Beverly Hills, with trendy shops and restaurants only blocks away, the hotel’s complimentary Rolls-Royce service can drop guests anywhere they need to go in the area.

Designed by Thai architect Khun Lek Bunnag—who has garnered a reputation for building luxury resorts that highlight the natural beauty of southeast Asia (Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai; Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve)—the centerpiece of this peaceful boutique property is a 330-foot swimming pool that’s anchored by four massive gold-leaf columns and meanders through a forest-backed eight-acre garden. Vast domed and wood-covered rooms are controlled with iPads and express a fusion of modern Thai and Indian aesthetics—think sleek marble surfaces, whimsical panelled walls, and silk throw pillows. Guests are mostly couples and child-free travelers unfazed by the freestanding bathtubs that sit next to king-size beds and showers separated from sleeping areas by glass sliding doors. The many unfenced walkways over the swimming pool and other water features make the hotel unsuitable for very young children, though older kids might appreciate outdoor movie screenings.

Belize’s liveliest time of the year comes in September, when the entire country celebrates independence for three entire weeks leading up to Sept. 21. The major towns and cities host various events, and a countrywide calendar is published on Sept. 1, allowing you to follow along with the fun wherever you might find yourself in Belize. The most popular events are a steel pan concert called Pan Yaad, held in Belize City, and two full-blown carnival parades. Belize City Carnival, with soca and Caribbean music blaring, is held in mid-September, while Orange Walk Carnival takes place on Independence Day and celebrates Mestizo heritage. Take advantage of low-season fares to get a unique culture-filled experience in Belize in September.

Around 1.6 kilometers wide, this hanging glacier has a dramatic 76-meter-high face. Big and beautiful, the river of frozen water flows 1.8 to 2.4 meters daily and very actively sheds icebergs. Those fragments contain compacted snow that fell 75 to 200 years ago, before half the states had even joined America. Presiding over the bay’s extreme northwestern end—perpendicular to the Grand Pacific Glacier—Margerie Glacier serves as the turning point for many cruise ships.

Design junkies will find plenty to love at The Cape on Monuments Beach. Designed by Mexican architect Javier Sánchez, the hotel eschews resort staples like wicker and rattan for a sleeker look that marries mid-century standards with locally sourced furnishings and art. In the 161 spacious guest rooms, leather headboards and copper-leafed tubs complement private tiled balconies with ocean views. The style extends to the public spaces, which include Manta (acclaimed Mexican chef Enrique Olvera’s globally inspired seafood restaurant), a saltwater pool, and a spa that’s cleverly tucked into a natural rock formation.

A cooking school by day (Wednesdays and Sundays, to be specific), Black Sesame Kitchen hosts a 10-course family-style meal on Tuesday and Friday nights that allows visitors to sample Chinese dishes from a variety of regional cuisines. Most who arrive at Black Sesame Kitchen are strangers before the meal—but it isn’t uncommon to make friends over good food and generous pours of wine. ¥300 per person; advance bookings only.

The front section of this small spot was crowded with locals having a quick drink and a plate of cicchetti. We had reserved one of the six tables in the back. The menu, written on a blackboard, was all almost all unknown to me. Thankfully my Milanese traveling partners were there to translate. We ordered plates of baccala manecato and polenta, a Venetian style fish lasagna, and a seafood pasta. All washed down with jugs of a cold local white.

From the dingy exterior, you might expect Little Village Noodle House to be a hole-in-the-wall, but it’s surprisingly cute and nicely decorated inside, with fountains, decorative woodwork, and nice tables and chairs. The chef’s special fried rice is justifiably a signature dish: piled high with pork, shrimp, duck, egg, and other goodies. The orange chicken was intensely citrusy with lots of orange flavor — but not that gross, sickly-sweet syrupy coating that usually makes the dish a soggy mess. Lunch items are around $10-12, and portions are decent, though not huge. Considering the unexpectedly fancy decor and fast, friendly service, this is a great choice for a meal in Honolulu‘s Chinatown.

The conservatory portion of the Como Park Zoo is worth a stop for its various gardens and exotic plants, especially on a cold winter day when you’re craving a pop of green. Start in the Sunken Garden, which hosts seasonal displays of everything from azaleas and tulips to roses and chrysanthemums, then explore the Tropical Encounters exhibition, which is home to an authentic South American rain forest filled with plants and animals. Also on-site is a palm dome, water lily pond, Japanese garden, orchid house, bonsai display, and Enchanted Garden, which attracts hundreds of butterflies every summer with its fragrant selection of plants, trees, and shrubs.

There’s an old tale they tell the children in Iceland about these little elf-like creatures called the Jule Lads who live in the volcanic lands outside of Reykjavik. Traditionally, around Christmas time, they come down and cause all sorts of havoc, especially if you were a naughty child. However, in modern times, the legend has been altered a little to make them a bit friendlier and more endearing to the children, not unlike Santa’s elves.

Built in 1857, this historic, wood-beamed pavilion enjoys a park-like setting right on the beach. Folding French doors create the feel of open-air dining, and the simple but satisfying menu (salmon, filet mignon, duck breast, and burgers) gives you the impression that you’re dining at your own private club. One of the west shore’s most photographed locations, the outdoor bar at Chambers is also one of the area’s biggest party spots on summer weekends. Arrive by boat or car, but if you’re the designated driver, steer clear of the infamous Chambers Punch, a lethal concoction of rum, orange juice, and pineapple juice. Note: The restaurant is open May to September only.

A clue to the appeal of the bar Tropic City is in its name: Here, sultry influences from Polynesia, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America fuse in a most refreshing way. The tropical theme informs everything from the decor—a tasteful mash-up of flower motifs and Portuguese tiles—to the sociable atmosphere on the outdoor terrace, which is packed nearly every night. It is most evident, though, in the carefully curated cocktail list, which dabbles in gin and mezcal while putting a heavy emphasis on rum-based drinks. Cocktails pack a punch, but light infusions such as vanilla, pineapple, and aromatic spices make it easy to put away a few—which perhaps explains why the venue has become a go-to for the city’s party set.