Search results for

So you didn’t have time on this trip to visit Salta, Jujuy, or other breathtakingly gorgeous destinations in Argentina’s north - put it on your list for next time. At least you can go home with some beautiful handcrafted objects produced in the region’s indigenous communities - and Fundación Silataj, a non-profit fair-trade organization, is the best place to do some responsible shopping. Items at Silataj are divided into four categories: accessories, art, home and textile. Browse through the online catalogue for an overview, or just poke around the store in person. There’s an affiliated shop downtown that’s more convenient for some travelers - Arte de Pueblos (www.artedepueblos.org.ar).

If the movies are to be believed, interesting things happen in hotel bars: transient strangers hatch elaborate schemes, secret lovers hold trysts, international spies exchange intelligence, that kind of stuff. Of course, one could also just go for a well-made drink and some bar nuts. Bar 555 at the Westin Hotel in Mt. Laurel won’t disappoint with its numerous whiskeys and smartly curated wine list. Open until 2 a.m. on weekends.

Facing the Arabian Sea and the Gateway of India monument, the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel blends Moorish, Florentine, and Indian architecture. The historic palace wing reopened in 2010 with 243 new rooms and 42 suites, including one that houses the sitar on which legendary Indian musician Ravi Shankar composed his Concerto No. 1. George Harrison checked into the Taj in 1966 to take lessons from the maestro.

Art-lovers should not miss the Museum of Fine Arts (Museum voor Schone Kunsten) or MSK, in Ghent, Belgium. This bite-sized museum offers a great overview of of European art, particularly Belgian, from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century. Currently, the MSK is undertaking the restoration of Ghent’s most famous artwork, the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, by the Van Eyck brothers. Visitors can watch the entire process as it takes place behind glass. The architecture of the building is as lovely as the art contained inside, as seen in the photo above. The Mub’art Brasserie has a lovely terrace and is a great place for a bite to eat when you tire of admiring the art.

I suppose the Algonquin is an obvious pilgrimage for anyone with a fascination for the 1920s, but it certainly didn’t disappoint. The ambience conjured everything I imagined of a legendary literary bolthole and more importantly my White Russian was delicious, accompanied by superb bar snacks and delivered to me by a most solicitous and engaging pair of waiters. The place managed to make me feel like it was me who was the famous guest - the kind of sensation that will have me going back for more.

Perched picturesquely on a rocky hilltop overlooking the city, Heidelberg Castle is enigmatic, romantic, and one of the few castles in Germany that hasn’t been fully restored. Dating back to the 1300s, it served as the seat of the Palantine electors for several centuries. While it expanded substantially during the 16th and 17th centuries, it was plundered and destroyed on many occasions and now consists of mainly Renaissance and Baroque ruins. It’s free to roam the gardens and exterior, but guests must pay an admission fee to visit the interior. Take a guided tour for a historic overview and access to highlights such as the English Wing (built in 1612 by Elector Friedrich V), the graceful Renaissance courtyard, and impressive rooms like the Knight’s Hall and the Imperial Hall. The Grosses Fask (Great Cask) in the cellar is also worth seeing—the world’s largest functioning wine barrel, it’s made from 130 oak trees and can hold some 58,117 gallons of wine.

The tree limbs were heavy with freshly fallen snow, providing a peaceful backdrop to this entirely eerie place. I had made my way outside Berlin, to the little community of Beelitz on this snowy Easter weekend, to photograph Beelitz Heilstätten, a sanatorium for tuberculosis treatment methods in the early 20th century. I took the photo tour to the women’s section of the sanatorium, and we were able to walk around the snowy grounds and inside three main buildings and photograph to our heart’s content. I love these tours, since they are a great setting to practice with lighting and composition. The tour information was provided only in German, but there were enough people there to translate for me. And honestly, I was there to do photography, so I didn’t need much guidance. The leader simply gives an overview of the history, buildings, and things to be careful of, or special things to see; he hands you a blueprint layout of the buildings; and then you are own your own for 4-5 hours to explore! The ultimate photography tour, if you ask me! More information: http://www.ottsworld.com/blogs/berlin-photo-tours/

The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles occupies the top four floors of a 26-story, LEED-certified tower in downtown L.A. Here, every room, restaurant, fitness machine, and rooftop poolside lounger has unparalleled panoramic views of the Los Angeles basin. That alone would be enough to rest on, but this is the Ritz-Carlton, so the hotel is also home to two Wolfgang Puck restaurants, one seriously decadent spa, and sleek, modern guest rooms with everything you’d expect from the classic luxury brand.

The other impressive thing about the hotel is its location at the heart of the entertainment-residential complex L.A. Live. This puts the best of downtown’s entertainment quite literally at guests’ feet, with the Staples Center, Microsoft Theater (formerly Nokia Theatre), Grammy Museum, and loads of restaurants and shops all right there. Outdoor movies and concerts, red-carpet events, and sports events happen right here all the time; if you don’t have tickets, just ask the concierge.

Though Barcelona is hardly the epicenter of paella (that would be to the south, in Valencia), this hands-on culinary workshop/dining experience offers a fine introduction to what’s arguably Spain’s most famous dish. Set in an appealingly hip Raval-area space featuring soaring ceilings, exposed brick walls, and industrial lighting, the class starts with a welcome glass of cava along with a brief overview of paella from founder Alex Betolaz and chef Alex Villar. Don an apron at your cooking station, but don’t expect anything too labor-intensive; ingredients are, for the most part, already prepared, though you will do a bit of chopping, pouring, and stirring. (You can book your paella preferences ahead of time, and vegetarian options are available.) Then you’ll gather around a long wood table and sample various Catalan specialties along with your paella (and there’s usually plenty of sharing going on). Choose from three different paella-making experiences, starting at €50/per person for two courses and going up to €85 for multiple courses plus unlimited wine.

Two blocks from Union Square, Hotel Adagio is a stylish retreat from the frenetic energy of downtown San Francisco. Built in 1927, the Spanish colonial revival building has a stunning cream facade with intricately carved arches that surround the entrance and windows. The interior also retains many of its original features, including rope crown molding and the top floor’s hand-painted ceilings. Conference-goers and event attendees will be impressed with the hotel venues’ city views, elaborate woodwork, and high ceilings.

Hotel Adagio is part of the Marriott’s Autograph Collection, and the recently renovated rooms are appropriately named Audition, Act One, Encore, Applause, and Actor’s Studio. The decor uses a contemporary palette that mixes warm burgundy and chocolate hues with lime green and white. Get ready for a night out as you jam to your own music, thanks to each room’s iHome docking station. Then, head down to the hotel bar, the Mortimer, to start the evening with a craft cocktail.

Intramuros plays an important part to our country’s history and it is one of the popular destinations for a visitor to our hometown. It is the oldest district and is called the Walled City. Historically, it is the seat of the Spanish government when they colonized the Philippines. You will still see the original wall structure and gates. If you wondered why our local language and other local dialects include words that sound like Spanish, you will understand it after getting a short overview of our history. Visit the Walled City, and find the popular old churches, Manila Cathedral and San Agustin. The other area in Intramuros to visit is Fort Santiago where you will find the old fort and Rizal Shrine, a small museum which features the life and works of Jose Rizal, our national hero. Along the way, you’ll find a lot more smaller attractions like museums, plazas, and old buildings. In fact, walking along the streets of Intramuros, you’ll feel like you are back in time, as you find yourself in the midst of old historical structures which are still in place.

When Domingo Ghirardelli immigrated to the United States in 1849, he planned to strike it rich in the California Gold Rush. Unsuccessful, he opened a store in Stockton selling supplies and some confections to other hopeful miners. Flash forward a few years (and failed businesses), and Ghirardelli opened another confectionary company called Ghirardely & Girard, which would lay the foundation for today’s Ghirardelli Chocolate Company.

Chocolate was made on San Francisco‘s northern waterfront for many years but eventually moved out of the city. Luckily the buildings still stand, including the historic power plant with clock tower. Two floors were added to a warehouse in 1923, and atop those the famous 15-foot-high letters spelling out “Ghirardelli.” Though the company continues to make chocolate, it is no longer owned by the Ghirardelli family.

Still, there are plenty of reasons to visit the brick buildings that have been transformed into a thriving marketplace with restaurants—including our favorite, an upscale dim sum restaurant, Palette Tea House—, art galleries, shops, a winetasting room, and of course, a place to taste and buy Ghirardelli chocolate, a true San Francisco original. The square also hosts some popular San Francisco events, including an annual Christmas tree lighting and a chocolate festival held each September.

Dutch restaurants are not renowned for their customer service. But at Yumi Sushi off Max Euweplein, you control when and what you’re served because you fetch your own selections from a rotating conveyor belt. Plates are color-coded according to price and the bill is calculated by counting plates. At €2.25‒6/plate, you can rack up quite a bill if you’re not careful. But the food is fresh and delicious (nothing stays on the belt for more than two hours), and you can be in and out quickly if time is an issue. The concept is not new, but it’s especially nice in Amsterdam, where hospitality personnel are paid more than servers in America, thus typically don’t exert themselves for tips. Here, you’re on your own at the bar, where fresh offerings come around immediately after they’re prepared by Dutch and Asian sushi chefs as you watch. The interactive component adds to the fun. The sleek, contemporary restaurant is adjacent to Leidseplein, so you have an overview of the people parade through big windows that keep the place bright. It’s not the most gezellig dining option in this bustling area, but it’s a great spot for a fast, no-frills (if somewhat pricey) meal. At tables, €12–40 menus come with miso soup, rice, dumplings, 12–40 pieces of sushi, and fried bananas with ice cream—a better deal than the rotating sushi if you don’t mind the chef’s selections. Hot dishes like chicken yakitori, breaded shrimp, gyoza dumplings and grilled asparagus also can be ordered at the bar.

Spread out over several acres in the heart of Jaipur’s old town, the rose-hued City Palace complex reflects the influence of several rulers, starting with the 18th-century Maharajah Jai Singh II, who planned and built the outer walls, and ending with additions made as late as the early 20th-century. As a result, the complex—which includes former palace residences and ceremonial areas, armories, gardens, and decorated courtyards—features a mix of architectural styles, from Mughal and Rajput to classical European. Today, this is one of the first stops of any visit to the Pink City as it provides a good overview of the regal history and culture, as well as a look at lots of priceless artifacts. Start in the Mubarak Mahal (Welcome Palace), where you’ll pass under arches and colonnades to check out the collection of royal clothing and textiles, then continue on to the former Maharani’s Palace, now housing a vast collection of armor and weaponry, including intricately adorned ceremonial swords. Other collection highlights include a series of miniatures of sacred Hindu texts (found in the Diwan-i-Am Gallery) and the famous pair of silver vessels In the Diwan-i-Khas courtyard—which, at about 62 inches tall each, are thought to be the largest pieces of pure silver in the world. If the sun’s not too strong, stroll through courtyards like the Pitam Niwas Chowk, where each of the four decorated gates represents a different season.

The architecturally striking Jewish Museum is the best place in Berlin to get an overview of German-Jewish relations and to understand the nature of the integration of the two cultures before the Holocaust’s horrors. Designed by Daniel Libeskind, the building is clad in polished silver metal and features severe angles and thin window slits that create a deliberately jarring impression. The interior is equally intriguing, especially the three long, intersecting corridors that lead to installations addressing aspects of the Holocaust: a garden of pillars meant to disorient; a windowless Holocaust Tower; and a space filled with thousands of grimacing iron masks that grind together as you walk on them. Across the street, the Jewish Academy (open to the public) has a related research center, library, and educational institution.