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Cattle Track is one of Scottsdale’s best-kept secrets. This clutch of 1930s adobe structures may be located in a typical residential neighborhood, but Cattle Track’s story as an artist colony is extraordinary. Fritz Scholder, an influential Native American painter, lived and worked here. So did sculptor Louise Nevelson. Philip C. Curtis, Cattle Track’s most famous artist-in-residence, went on to found the Phoenix Art Museum and was regarded as the dean of arts in Arizona. Today, artists of all types—painters, dancers, photographers, and even blacksmiths—set up working studios that can be toured for free Monday through Saturday.

The recently restored church of Our Lady of Laeken is located near the Royal Residence. This ornate cathedral was built by King Leopold I, in memory of his wife, Queen Louise-Marie to honor her wish to be buried in Laeken. The Church was designed by Joseph Poelaert who was also the architect of the (in)famous Law Courts in Brussels. The church’s crypt is the final resting place of many members of the Belgian Royal family and contains the tombs of all of the country’s former kings.

Hotelier powerhouse Ian Schrager is behind this Lower East Side concept, which is located near some of downtown Manhattan’s coolest shops, restaurants, and nightlife. The hotel itself is also home to some dining and drinking gems, however, including all-day café and market Louis, restaurant Public Kitchen, and The Roof, where the cocktails are as elevated as the surroundings. Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron is responsible for the property’s clean, utilitarian design across 367 rooms, each of which comes with all of the high-tech creature comforts of home (electronic blackout shades, 50-inch Samsung flat-screen smart TVs, intelligent in-room systems for lighting and temperature control, and Bose wireless Bluetooth speakers). After dinner at Public Kitchen (and at least one order of chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s popcorn-cheddar frico), guests can set a wake-up call for rooftop yoga the next morning—a series of sun salutations overlooking Manhattan.

Imagine a scene from Scott F. Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby where a live jazz band serenades guests as they subliminally move to the rhythm of the music, with hors d’oeuvres in one hand and a vodka martini in the other. Expect a mirrored image of the same vibrant energy and posh ambience of Gatsby’s soirees aboard the Orient Express. Orient Express, the most expensive restaurant in Delhi and voted one the world’s best restaurants, offers a world-class dining experience alongside live jazz bands and fresh food flown in daily from France. The luxurious culinary journey begins in private booths on faux carriages that beautifully mimic the legendary train. The crisp menu offers cuisines of all countries through which the Orient Express traversed, with the classic French fare remaining triumphant. Revel in the seven-course meal, with an appetizer to whet your appetite and the signature dessert to perfect the extravaganza, and of course, succulent sorbet bites in between dishes to neutralize your overwhelmed, yet gratified palate. The individual carriages of the Orient Express are illuminated by gleaming brass fittings, polished wood paneling, and steel facades which not only mesmerize, but promise to fiercely invigorate your senses.

Bar Hidalgo 56 is probably one of my top three pintxo bars in the entire city. With a bar stacked full of equally delicious pintxos, a menu of hot pintxos that is incredibly varied and delicious, and an attention to product that you simply don’t find in other bars, Hidalgo 56 is worth a visit. Try the volcano of morcilla.

I dare you to visit Planet Modular and not leave with a stack of new notebooks, Japanese masking tape, or sparkly envelopes. It’s unequivocally a supplies haven for artists and crafty DIYers, and while I don’t fall into either of those categories, I’m a sucker for colored gel pens and stationery. One loop around this shop, and you’ll understand why Berlin ranks high in creative design.

Wandering around Rabat, trying to get to the waterfront, we stumbled upon this cemetery which turned out to be enormous and mysterious, with tombstones literally stacked upon one another and tumbling all the way down to the sea. Tens of thousands of beautifully engraved tombstones. I’d never seen anything like it before.

Why we love it: A design-forward stay in Kansas City’s sophisticated Country Club Plaza

The Highlights:
- A playful design inspired by Spain
- The creative American cuisine at the rooftop restaurant
- A rooftop swimming pool and fire pit

The Review:
The Fontaine fits right in with its surroundings in Country Club Plaza—an area styled after the plazas of Seville, Spain. In the hotel lobby, the marble floors are inlaid with tile mosaics, the walls are hung with large-scale Renaissance artworks, and the ceiling is crowned by a brilliant blue, hand-blown Murano chandelier. The 132 rooms and suites, on the other hand, have an almost coastal feel, complete with a palette of blues, charcoals, and whites. Beds are super comfy, with tapestry headboards and Egyptian cotton linens, while the Carrera marble bathrooms further pamper guests with oversize showers and rainfall showerheads.

There are loads of restaurants in Country Club Plaza, but like the shops, many are chains. This makes The Fontaine’s dining options all the more appealing. Start with a pre-dinner cocktail at The Bar, which hosts a weekday happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m., then head to dinner at Parker, the hotel’s rooftop restaurant. Even with such top-notch F&B, the Fontaine’s finest amenity remains its small rooftop pool, which is bordered by a fire pit and backed by panoramic views.

Tucked away on the second floor of a courtyard building in the residential Recoleta neighborhood, the shoe store Comme Il Faut is a magnet for tango dancers. Customers provide their shoe sizes to cheerful saleswomen, and stacks of shoeboxes—in every color and heel height—emerge from the back.

For most of its history, the Whitney Museum, originally founded by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney in 1931, was located on New York’s Upper East Side, in the building that now houses the Met Breuer. In 2015, it reopened in a new, larger space designed by Renzo Piano in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. The institution’s permanent collection is especially strong in works by leading artists from the first half of the 20th century, and as you might expect from its official name, American artists are particularly well represented—Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder, Stuart Davis, Edward Hopper, and many others. Visiting exhibitions tend to focus on living artists who are still producing new pieces; the museum’s Whitney Biennial (now taking place in odd-numbered years) is arguably the preeminent showcase in the United States for young contemporary artists. In addition to the galleries, the building has a number of outdoor terraces dotted with sculptures and offering views of Lower Manhattan and the Hudson River.

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.

The Museum aan de Stroom showcases the art and history of the city. The ultramodern exterior features glass and red sandstone bricks stacked like Tetris tiles near the Scheldt River. The exhibit “Happy Birthday Dear Academie” honors the 350-year legacy of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts with works by alumni artists, including Peter Paul Rubens. Hanzestedenplaats 1, 32/(0) 3-338-4434. This appeared in the October 2013 issue.

This is a place where kids can be kids and burn off lots of energy while feeding their imaginations. Fairytale Town is a cute non-profit park across the street from the Sacramento Zoo. Kids love this place (mine included!). Nursery rhymes and fairy tales come alive here: there’s a giant shoe slide, a knights’ castle with roundtable, farm animals, a “crooked mile” that twists and turns through a tiny forest, an Owl’s tree house, Cinderella’s carriage, and much more. Admission is $4 on weekdays and $5 on weekends. Free parking is available on the streets or parking lots behind the park.

In a haven for healthy eating like Laguna, The Stand stands out for its vegan menu full of plant-based, cruelty-free dishes. Established in 1975, the Thalia Street mainstay has switched hands from one local to another over the years, but has always maintained its focus on good-for-you fare. Come here for everything from freshly squeezed juices and nut-milk shakes to sandwiches, salads, and burritos made with steamed whole-wheat tortillas. If you’re feeling adventurous, opt for the special tamale and guacamole plate, which features a homemade vegetable tamale with organic pinto beans, guacamole, salsa, cabbage salad, and The Stand’s original sweet-and-sour dressing. Just be sure to save room for the fresh fruit soft serve, which you can top with vegan chocolate chips, raw almonds, big flakes of coconut, and more.

Located just footsteps from the hustle of Columbus Circle, Mandarin Oriental New York serves as the ultimate urban escape. More than 240 rooms and suites showcase stunning views of Central Park, the Hudson River, and the Manhattan skyline, while carrying their own perks within (Diptyque amenities, cherry wood furnishings, walk-in showers). The 14,500-square-foot spa feels like a true getaway in the heart of the city, with a tea lounge and a number of treatments ranging from Jet Lag Cure to Thai Foot Therapy.

The MO Lounge offers dramatic park views and an all-day menu with American cuisine centered on sustainable local ingredients. Come evening, MO Lounge’s hand-crafted cocktails paired with Central Park vistas are perfect for impressing out-of-towners.