Search results for

Much of the buzz around Brooklyn in recent years has focused on Williamsburg and, to a lesser degree, the nearby Bushwick and Greenpoint districts. Downtown Brooklyn and its neighbor, Fort Greene, have been enjoying a renaissance too, however. One welcome addition to the scene in that part of the borough is the Dekalb Market Hall, which opened in the summer of 2017. It’s sort of a small, and year-round, version of the popular Smorgasburg, offering an opportunity to sample dishes from some 40 different vendors. In the basement of the City Point shopping center on Fulton Street, many of New York’s venerable and upcoming restaurants are represented. Katz’s Deli, the Arepa Lady, and Dekalb Taco will satisfy your longing for something savory, while Ample Hills ice cream and Steve’s Key Lime Pies cater to your sweet tooth. New York’s first Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is also here if you want to have a cocktail and see a movie before or after your meal.

A tiny former ferry—the m/v Fremont Avenue—takes 50-minute spins around Lake Union, a glacial-gouged body of fresh water the size of Monaco. A cruise reveals gorgeous views of the Space Needle and Seattle‘s skyline, as well as the rusted splendor of the world’s last remaining synthetic-gas plant, now a postindustrial play space for picnics and kite-flying. Quirky narration highlights more hidden sights, like the studio of world-renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly and its birdhouses shaped like vintage RVs. Bring cash or checks for the $12 ticket and $2–$4 treats. Well-behaved, leashed pets are welcome, too!

It’s diminutive, to be sure, but “Little Grape Island” has a big claim to historical fame: Christopher Columbus landed here in 1502, anchoring his ships for repairs. Since then, a lot has happened (and been rumored to have happened) on this now-uninhabited island. It even once served as a quarantine site during a leprosy outbreak. Today, it’s an easy and interesting day trip for beach lounging, surfing and hiking. Take a boat over to the quiet spot and play modern-day explorer, keeping an eye out for colorful bird and fish species.

Terraced like the surrounding rice paddies, Soori Bali occupies an undeveloped stretch of fertile coastline roughly 25 minutes from Tabanan, a town northwest of Denpasar known for traditional farming and artisan crafts. The resort’s modern design plays on the shapes, colors, and landscapes of the surrounding area and incorporates local stone. (At the recommendation of the surrounding village’s elder, the property also constructed 10 stone temples onsite within the property.) Outdoor spaces feature bright green trees and grasses along with infinity pools, while high ceilings, cool colors, and marble floors inside create a tranquil escape from the heat. The property’s spacious rooms and wood-slat shades give off an art-gallery vibe, and the reading-room lounge displays the works of the hotel’s artists in residence. Food is another big focus here, both at the resort’s three restaurants and in tours that explore rice cultivation, exotic ingredients found at the Kerambitan market, and the spices, cacao, and coffee from nearby Jatiluwih.

A permit and a guide are required to hike in the Edmund Forest Reserve, in the interior of the island. A permit can easily be obtained through your guesthouse or hotel, and a forest guide can be hired at the reserve. The 18,000-acre park offers various hiking trails: The Edmund Rainforest Trail is a four-hour, seven-mile strenuous hike concluding with a view of Mount Gimie. A less intense hike is the Des Cartier Rainforest Trail, on relatively flat terrain, with plenty of flora along the way. Bird-watchers will love the Millet Bird Sanctuary Trail, a two-mile loop through the habitat of over 30 species, including the St. Lucian parrot and hummingbirds.

The perfect place to shop for anything and everything from all the islands is the 155-year-old public market called Le Marché. Located two blocks from the waterfront in the heart of Papeete, the market covers two stories. The lower level is filled with hundreds of stands offering Tahitian-made crafts, oils, vanilla, fruits, and flowers. Upstairs is reserved for artisans selling pareos, carvings, Tifaifai wall hangings and quilts, embroidered cushion covers, and other handicrafts. You’ll also find a few good shops for purchasing unique black pearl jewelry at fair prices. An on-site cafeteria serves local dishes. Le Marché is not just a tourist attraction, however—it’s a proper market where locals come to shop for meat, fish, fresh flowers, and produce and to chat with friends over coffee at one of the patisseries.

Start your dive into Maputo’s interesting historic downtown area, the Baixa, at the Maputo Central Market—a covered market built in 1901 inside a Portuguese colonial building. It can get hot and crowded inside, but it’s well worth a little bit of sweat to witness the near-constant buzz of activity from early morning to afternoon as vendors hawk everything from tropical fruits and vegetables to seafood, nuts (don’t miss the cashews), handmade batiks, wood carvings and other souvenirs. Afterward, it’s a five-minute walk from the market to Baixa’s popular Café Continental for a tasty pastel de nata pastry and a cup of strong coffee.

Built in 1891, St. Lucia’s most colorful and largest open-air market sits in the heart of its capital. It’s a one-stop-shopping favorite for fruits, vegetables, spices, handmade arts and crafts, and even handwoven beachwear. The produce is definitely the highlight. The stall tables are beautifully set and decorated, while the fragrance of herbs and condiments fills the air, turning it into a multisensory island experience. The market is open daily, 7 a.m.–1 p.m., but the most active morning is Saturday. After shopping, grab a seat at the adjacent annex to sample some local foods—a breakfast bowl of cow-foot soup (the perfect hangover cure) or a Creole fish lunch.

Barbuda is a birders paradise, home to some 170 avian species, including one of the largest frigate bird colonies on the plant. Located in the vast Codrington Lagoon, which also hosts dozens of other species, off the island’s northwest coast, is the Frigate Bird Sanctuary, which is home to more than 5,000 of these black-feathered birds that like to roost amid the scrubby mangroves found here. Visit the sanctuary during mating season (September to April) if possible. The birds have a fascinating ritual. While the female birds circle above, the male frigates line up in the bushes with their heads arched and chests puffed, and try to attract he attention of a potential mate. When a female frigate sees a male that she fancies she lands at his feet and begins the mating ritual. The lagoon can only be accessed by licensed sea taxi from the jetty in Codrington – boat drivers act as tour guides. Arrangements can be made through your hotel. The taxi tour costs about $70 for up to four people, and admission to the park is just $2 per person.

Spoken of in almost reverential terms by people that have traveled there, Sa Pa is often seen as a holy grail of destinations in Vietnam. Part of that is because of the environment—a cool mountain town that has lured visitors with its salubrious air and alpine scenery since the early 20th century, when the French constructed facilities for sick officers to recover—as well as its remoteness, located close to the Chinese border in the country’s extreme north. Most visitors come to Sa Pa for the hiking in the nearby valley peppered with minority-ethnic-group villages, or to climb Mount Fansipan, the country’s tallest peak, which is located just southwest of the town. Conquering the summit once required a two-to-three-day hike, but now can more easily be reached with the help of a cable car (opened in 2016) that gets you most of the way.

The largest luxury hotel in the city, the Charleston Place takes up a full city block with entrances on King and Meeting streets; the latter leads to the grand lobby, with its imperial open-arm staircase, 12-foot crystal chandelier, and Italian marble floors. Its 433 large guest rooms have old-fashioned Southern details like mahogany and damask furnishings. The hotel’s lower level houses fine-dining restaurant Charleston Grill, an attractive hotel bar, a large indoor saltwater pool with a retractable glass roof, and a shopping arcade with designer stores. The hotel recently began a $150 million renovation but will remain open as the property is upgraded from stem to stern.

Inside the Mercado 20 de Noviembre you’ll find many food stalls to choose from. The Comedor Maria Teresa (Local #38) is a good bet. They have excellent mole, which you can enjoy with chicken and rice, or in enchiladas, as pictured above. A full Oaxacan breakfast starts with a chocolate de leche and pan de yema. The chocolate is served in a bowl to make it more convenient for dunking your bread. Later in the day choose a tlayuda or caldo de pollo. You really can’t go wrong!

The Laxminarayan Temple (also called the Birla Mandir) is an elaborate Hindu temple of red and white columns, artificial mountains, and waterfalls. The temple was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi with the condition that the site would be open to all castes and faiths. “Laxmi Narayan” refers to the Hindu God Vishnu, the Preserver, with his consort Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity. There are also three side-temples dedicated to Buddha, Shiva, and Krishna. The temple is illuminated during two important holidays: Diwali, the Festival of Lights, and Janmashtami, Krishna’s Birthday.

Madrid’s multi-level Mercado San Anton is a sight to be seen. Rows of gorgeous produce, local specialties, Italian deli favorites, briny seafood and locally-farmed meats line the perimeter of each floor, each stall more enticing than the one before it. Even better, its high tables and counters make it well-suited for a quick bite and glass of wine. For a relaxed sit-down meal, head up to the restaurant on the rooftop terrace and finish off the evening with a drink in the lounge.

Take a stroll down one of the cobbled streets of Valladolid and you might come across a cart peddling “volcanos.” The busy vender sells one item: a thick masa bun stuffed with chili marinated pulled pork and topped with red onion. For an extra kick, pour on a spoonful of homemade habenero sauce, but be careful! These small pockets pack heat.