Search results for

The Goldberg brothers gave Nashville acclaimed restaurants and bars such as the Catbird Seat and Patterson House, plus a kitschy honky-tonk on Lower Broad. In 2013, they did it again with Pinewood Social, a coffee shop, restaurant, bar, karaoke space, and, yes, bowling alley. There’s even an outdoor pool and bar for when the weather is nice. Amid all the fun, however, don’t forget about the food and drinks served morning, noon, and night, from pot roast and fried chicken to house-made tagliatelle with mushrooms, asparagus, and egg.

As you walk through Stellenbosch’s town center, you’ll probably smell the bread baking at Boschendal at Oude Bank before you even arrive at the café’s main entrance. Owned by Boschendal Farm Estate since early 2017, the local favorite is a bakery, bistro, and farm shop in one, serving seasonal dishes made from locally sourced, farm-fresh ingredients. The warm interior features cozy dining nooks, but you should really sit outside, where you can sip your matcha latte while people-watching on Bird Street. Go for breakfast and order the brioche French toast, or stop by for lunch and pair the trout salad with a glass of chenin blanc from the farm.

Almost any time of day, the Sea Point Promenade is filled with walkers and joggers, many of them residents from the apartments nearby. Though named after Sea Point, the best known of the areas the walkway fronts, the three-mile promenade begins in Granger Bay, closer to the city, then goes past the red-and-white-striped lighthouse of Mouille Point and continues to Sea Point itself (don’t miss the Art Deco Pavilion, site of many international fashion shoots), before curving around to dramatic, Riviera-like Bantry Bay. A path high above the cliffside apartments of Clifton extends for several more miles to Camps Bay. All along the promenade’s way (except along the fairly long Clifton stretch), there are restaurants and coffee shops.

Often called the Spanish Steps, Rome‘s famous scalinata (monumental staircase) is the centerpiece of Piazza di Spagna. Built in the early 1700s, the steps connect the piazza (now a busy shopping area) with the Trinità dei Monti church on the hill above. The area became a hangout for models and artists and one of Rome‘s most photographed sites. Head to the top to see the sunset, or make like Hepburn and Peck in the film Roman Holiday and stroll around the piazza.

In warm-weather months, the Penn’s Landing waterfront area along the Delaware River is always busy with activity. On the Great Plaza there are ongoing free festivals, summer concerts, a movie series, and Fourth of July fireworks. Other attractions here include the RiverLink Ferry to New Jersey, the Independence Seaport Museum, and kayaks and swan boats available for rental. In winter, Penn’s Landing is host to one of Philadelphia‘s most spectacular outdoor ice rinks, the Blue Cross RiverRink. Historic ships, including the Moshulu, a beautiful 1904 four-masted steel sailing vessel, are moored at the waterfront. The Moshulu now features a popular restaurant on its deck, and the tall ship is dramatically illuminated at night.

Let the wind blow through your hair as you take a 30-minute vaporetto ride to Burano, an island in the lagoons of Venice. Known for its brightly-colored fishermen’s homes, the island is largely free of the tourist crush of the rest of Venice. Spend the afternoon shopping for exquisite handmade lace and sampling gelato, then do as the locals do - gather in the town square at sunset to enjoy drinks and people-watching in one of the many cafes.

We settled in at Trattoria Da Primo, where the bartender recommended a typical Venetian drink, the “Spritz” (Prosecco, Aperol or Campari liqueur, and soda). Then get ready to feast at Trattoria da Romano, regular host to locals, tourists, and visiting artists. The restaurant is famous for Venetian specialities such as creamy Goh fish risotto and fresh seafood. Burano is definitely the place to go for a quiet, small-town feeling night out in Italy.

The terraced organic garden that steps down the hillside in front of the Stanford Inn (above Mendocino Bay) provides some of the vegetables and herbs for the innovative cuisine in the hotel’s Ravens’ Restaurant. A stroll through the farm, with a visit to the donkeys and horses and llamas, helps work up an appetite for the vegetable-based whole-food meals that raise the bar on all-vegan fine dining. Innkeeper Jeff Stanford puts his ethics on the plate: Vegan for both health and philosophical reasons, Stanford collaborates with certified nutrition consultant Sid Hillman and the Ravens’ chefs to create dazzling meals, including one of the most innovative and tempting brunch menus I’ve ever encountered. The Inn, a large boutique hotel with panoramic ocean views, an organic farm, luxury amenities, and a bookstore and wine shop, gains additional points for being dog-friendly--even in a special dining area.

You might encounter this evolving collection of apparel, accessories, and furniture “popping up” here and there. Owner Linda Hamilton, interior designer, fashion stylist, and entrepreneur, has spent years traveling the world on a quest for exciting and authentic apparel and accessories. You can find her Nomad Chic collection at boutique hotels and other locations and events across the United States and Mexico. Perhaps in a fabulous hotel lobby, poolside, or in her Moroccan tent filled to the brim with extraordinary apparel, jewelry, and accessories. She has created a unique mobile shopping experience. Nomad Chic’s carefully curated merchandise is a combination of unique and limited-edition creations by a host of international designers (which you will not find in other stores) along with Linda’s own apparel, jewelry, and accessories collection. Nomad Chic has been known to appear at the white building, Juarez (@ Hidalgo), Todos Santos, B.C.S., Mexico.

Around since the 18th century, the Avila Beach Hotel is Curaçao’s longest operating hotel. The property’s signature Pen restaurant got its name from the English and Dutch governors who once used the hotel as a country residence, while its classic Schooner Bar has been a beach fixture since the 1950s. A variety of room types all have bright, modern décor and private balconies or patios. Some even have kitchenettes or fully outfitted apartments, which are perfect for families. For a distinctly Caribbean experience, book one of the Ocean Front Blues rooms, housed in an all-wood building on the pier with unbeatable water views.

The resort features two beaches (one of which is exclusive to guests staying in suites), an infinity pool, and a fitness center with a sauna, steam room, and outdoor Jacuzzi. About a 20-minute walk from Willemstad’s UNESCO World Heritage buildings, it also offers a shuttle to town—a very welcome amenity on hot days. Check the resort schedule for weekly happy hours, live music, classical concerts, and arts events, and be sure to look for the vintage Rolls Royce inside the gift shop.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a better view of Hamilton Harbour than the one at Newstead Belmont Hills, where the 60 one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites satisfy the Airbnb set with in-room kitchens, Jacuzzi tubs, and sleeper sofas. Though there’s no on-site beach, the resort’s shuttle can transport you to the nearest shoreline (about 10 minutes away), and a private water taxi is on hand to ferry guests to the restaurants and shops of Hamilton. Care to stay put? One visitor per room is gifted a complimentary round of golf on the property’s championship 18-hole course with your stay, the harbor-front infinity pool and club becomes one of Bermuda’s top happy-hour scenes come sunset, and Beau Rivage, the island’s only French restaurant, is renowned for its Gallic specialties such as Provençal shrimp risotto and foie gras–stuffed beef Wellington.

Inside this 1876 market, you can see the footprint of 18th century Barcelona and read about what life was like before the city’s siege during the War of Spanish Succession. The airy iron and glass market, modeled on Parisian architecture is the largest covered square in Europe and marked the beginning of Modernisme in Catalan architecture. Check out seasonal exhibits or get up close and personal with the ruins on a tour (prior reservation necessary).

One of the newest - and most popular - attractions to hit these shores, “Xoximilco Cancun,” is a floating fiesta, offering entertainment, colorful anecdotes, history, good food and drink - and three hours of sheer delight. Thanks to the entrepreneurial genius of the Xperiencias Xcaret visitors can experience an improved recreation of Mexico City‘s renowned Xochimilco. Both are replicas of the canals in the ancient Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán and the lake it was founded on. A series of floating gardens (chinampas) separated by canals became the marketplace for flowers and agriculture, which were transported in flat boats known as trajineras. The party in Cancun begins at 7: 30 p.m., when you’ll be given the name of the boat you need to board. When the marine bell rings, you head off on your dinner “cruise,” featuring delectable Mexican cuisine and local refreshments, including Tequila. As you glide along the canals, an assortment of musical ensembles glide by, treating you to traditional live music, including: mariachi, bolero trio, jarocho quartet and marimba medleys. A small gift shop offers plenty of souvenir options Recommended for children 10 and older.

You’ll want to arrive early at Sitka & Spruce to allow time for browsing the other shops inside Melrose Market: Calf and Kid’s artisanal cheeses, Rain Shadow Meats’ sausages and steaks, Glasswing’s home decor, and Marigold & Mint’s fresh flowers. At Sitka & Spruce, chef Matthew Dillon features a rotating menu of hyper-local Northwest cuisine in shareable small plates and mains. The artfully arranged charcuterie platter is a must-try, and don’t skip the bread — the Columbia City sourdough loaf with whipped butter is a local favorite. Just want a snack? Try Bar Ferd’nand next door, also co-owned by Dillon, for a glass of wine and simple bar snacks, or take home a bottle.

Guadalajara visitors craving an escape from the city should know that the ocean breeze isn’t far away. The bohemian beach town of Sayulita is about a four-hour drive, and even closer by plane. Popular in the 1960s among American and Canadian surfers, the sleepy fishing village has more recently become known for its laid-back vibe and impressive food scene. If you’re looking to get even farther off the grid, the surrounding area is filled with beautiful bays that are less trafficked by tourists than the main town.

One of the best strolls through Venice begins in the neighborhood of Arsenale and finishes on the Island of Sant’Elena. Walk along the main drag of Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, a street full of shops and colourful local life until it dead ends. Make a right on to Viale Giuseppe Garibaldi where a monument to the streets namesake stands. From here the streets become very quiet. Follow Viale Giuseppe Garibaldi to the end and turn left onto the Fondamenta San Giuseppe. This is a mostly residential area where you see laundry hanging from pastel painted houses and hear small fishing boats tapping against the sides of the canal. Make the first right off the Fondamenta and get lost in the twist of back streets here until you come upon the Via XXIV Maggio. From here, look for signs pointing to the Church of Sant’Elena, a beautiful 12th-century monastery on the island.