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It’s a single street after Amsterdam‘s Negen Straats (Nine Streets), but Hazenstraat, the Tiende Straatje (Tenth Street), rates a ten in serious shoppers’ books. Lined with boutiques, cafés and galleries, this cobbled strip in the Bohemian-chic Jordaan begins starts at Lauriergracht, where French urban artist Invader installed one of 26 mini-mosaics inspired by Space Invaders characters. Highlights include: The English Bookshop, as much a literary gathering spot as a place to buy books and DVDs made from them; Petsalon, a hat shop that’s been a Jordaan fixture for 25+ years; Brown Clothes, featuring Kings Road-inspired couture; Joep Buijs’ art studio, with paintings of colorful women, children and dogs; Olivaria, Holland’s oldest olive specialty shop; Coffeeshop Biba, a back-to-the-60s-style smoke shop that’s grown up with the flower children; Chocolátl, a chocoholic’s Nirvana; Cats ‘n Things, for all things feline; Saarein. a bar for all “queer minded people"; La Festa Pizzeria/Bed & Breakfast; ‘t Stuivertje, serving continental cuisine; and Flamework, Daniela Malaica’s glass jewelry shop proffering vibrant necklaces and other contemporary accessories inspired by her African-Italian roots.

Opened in 2010, the Design Museum Holon is the first museum in Israel dedicated to design. The iconic building, which quickly became a city landmark, was designed by acclaimed architect Ron Arad. By mounting exhibits on historical and contemporary design from Israel and around the world, the museum aims to inspire and challenge the design community, as well as the general public’s perception of design and the way it impacts their lives. For professionals in creative industries, students, and design enthusiasts, the museum is a vital and dynamic resource. The building includes galleries for temporary exhibitions, an archive, the Design Lab, and Collection Windows.

An undulating steel and glass canopy wows visitors who enter the Kogod Courtyard. Inside you’ll find diners from the museum’s café, tourists soaking their weary feet in the shallow fountain running across the space, and students taking advantage of free Wi-Fi in the light and airy setting. The modern roof seals the center of the old Patent Office Building, currently shared by the National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum. Architect Norman Foster designed the roof to have minimal impact on the building by creating a support system that prevents direct contact and weight placement on it. Unlike most of the other Smithsonian Museums located on the Mall, this gem is found in the busy Penn Quarter of downtown D.C. It is my favorite place to bring visitors, not only for the impressive courtyard space, but also for the preserved architecture of the patent offices on the top floor. Check the Smithsonian’s website for special courtyard workshops, concerts, or events. The museum is right near the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro on the green, yellow, and red lines.

Located in the Muslim Quarter in Xi’an, China is the Great Mosque, the country’s oldest and most renowned mosque. The mosque dates back to 742 AD. From all outward appearances, it looks like a Chinese temple and not a mosque; pagodas have replaced minarets. Look closely though and you will see the Arabic lettering that tells you that this is an Islamic mosque through and through. If you happen to be visiting in the afternoon, you might even catch the call to prayer. The start of the Muslim Quarter begins at Beiyuanmen Islamic Street, which is located just around the corner from Xi’an’s Drum Tower. The mosque itself is tucked inside a neighborhood street and while there are signs that point you in the right direction, the signs can be hard to spot so you will likely have to ask for help. If you decide to visit the mosque, remember to dress appropriately before you go and if you’re a woman, make sure you bring along a scarf to cover your head. Only about 2% of China’s population is Muslim so it is rare to see a mosque. The Hui people are the predominant race of Muslims in China and their lifestyle is very different from that of the dominant Han race. If you have never had a taste of Chinese Islamic life, spend some time visiting the mosque and walking Beiyuanmen Islam Street. Try sampling some of the Chinese Islamic food specialties.

This urban luxury resort in Shanghai has a polished, cool contemporary feel, mixing Eastern and Western sensibilities. Interiors lean toward dark tones and clean lines, with clever landscaping providing a sense of escape. Organic materials include liberal use of wood, stone, and marble. Large windows bring in natural light, and decor mixes contemporary with touches of traditional Chinese. Environmentally sensitive practices take multiple guises: Solar panels gather energy for hotel operation. The heatproof facade limits the need for air-conditioning. And sunshades in each room open and close automatically to let in or keep out the sun’s light and heat. Rooms also have dragon-scaled screens and cast bronze basins. Club rooms come with the perks of 24-hour check-in/check-out and butlers.

This Lebanese restaurant delivers a welcome break from Chinese food. The smell draws you in, too: warm bread and roasted cumin. Get Lebanese bread dipped in creamy hummus and follow it with a kebob. This is one of the only places to offer Halal food in Ningbo.

The 40-room John D. Rockefeller estate is sometimes described as being modest compared to other Gilded Age mansions on the Hudson. While it is true that it doesn’t have the same over-the-top quality of the Vanderbilt mansion, it does have one thing that distinguishes it from the other estates nearby, its gardens. Laid out at the beginning of the 20th century with Frederick Law Olmsted (of Central Park fame) leading the project briefly before being replaced by William Welles Bosworth, the gardens are one of the best examples of Beaux Arts garden design in America. Bosworth’s design consists of a number of different gardens spread over terraces descending from the house, many with views of the Hudson and the Palisades on the other side. (The Rockefellers helped protect the land on the opposite side of the river, assuring their views would never be ruined.) Japanese, French, and other styles are contained in separate garden rooms, while the grounds are also home to a number of contemporary sculptures, fitting given the Rockefellers’ legacy as patrons of the arts. It is only possible to visit Kykuit on guided tours offered from the beginning of May to the end of September. (Members of the Rockefeller family continue to use other buildings on the estate and they are apparently not interested in having visitors wander away from Kykuit and drop by unannounced). Choose the “Landmarks Tour” if you are interested in spending more time in the gardens than the house itself.

You’d be hard pressed to find a more stylish stay downtown than The Joule. The independently owned hotel is spread out over three interconnected buildings—a classic revival-style from 1913, a former Salvation Army built in 1911, and a neo-Gothic onetime bank—which have been integrated under the direction of renowned interior designer Adam D. Tihany. His touch can also be seen in the 161 rooms and suites, each decorated with serene jewel or earth tones, contemporary furniture, hand-picked art and photography, and plenty of natural light from oversized windows. Frette bedding, glass-enclosed showers and soaking tubs, and 47-inch flat-screens equipped with Apple TV round out the comfortable digs. You’ll spy pieces from the hotel’s extensive art collection in the public spaces, as well as the outdoor sculpture garden across the street. The block-deep lobby buzzes with an outpost of Weekend Coffee (using Victrola beans flown in weekly from Seattle), a library curated by TASCHEN, and chic boutiques like TenOverSix and Traffic LA, while the popular CBD Provisions draws a local crowd with its modern Texas fare and regional drinks list. The 8,000-square-foot subterranean spa features a vitality pool, crystal steam room, and glass-walled sauna to enjoy before or after treatments, and there’s also a fitness center with a cycling studio and group classes. Two things not to miss: the original historic bank vault in the lobby, and the much-Instagrammed rooftop pool, which cantilevers eight feet off the side of the building.

The qi pao dress, also known as a cheong sam, is a long, form-fitting Chinese gown that became popular in 1920s Shanghai. New Age Designer on Mott Street in Chinatown sells off-the-rack dresses as well as custom dresses for weddings and parties. Founded in 1976 by Susan Ding, New Age Designer uses a team of Shanghai tailors to create the famous silk dresses with the dramatic high-cut openings. The store also sells ladies shirts and jackets, clothing for men and children, and items for the home (pillowcases, fabrics, curtains). Browse through racks of Chinese silk and brocade in a vibrant array of colors and beading to create a dress that is guaranteed to fit you perfectly. I should know - I changed into a custom red cheong sam at my wedding. Custom dresses take six weeks for delivery and start at $350. Hand-beaded dresses start at $600. 38 Mott Street, New York, NY

One of Pudong’s marquee buildings, the Cesar Pelli–designed Shanghai IFC, is the setting for this 285-room property. Occupying the top 18 floors of the South Tower, the Ritz-Carlton opened in June 2010 during the World Expo and was meant to usher in Shanghai’s status as a global powerhouse. Its design skews modern with hints of 1930s Shanghai, while views take in panoramas of the Bund. Guest accommodations start at a roomy 540 square feet, have Art Deco themes, and include Asprey amenities.

Of the many galleries in San Jose del Cabo, Galeria Corsica is one of the finest, having been established for over a decade and with outposts in Puerto Vallarta and Mexico City. The gallery specializes in the work of contemporary Mexican artists, including renowned sculptor Jorge Marin and surrealist painter Leonora Carrington, an expat who made Mexico her home for most of her adult life. A wide variety of other artists and genres are represented as well. Seasoned collectors and beginning collectors alike will find plenty of compelling pieces.

You don’t know you need a paperweight shaped like a dumpling until you see it. Hidden behind sliding doors on an unassuming street corner in Shanghai‘s Jing’an District, Spin is the best place in the city to buy modern Chinese ceramics. The shop works with artists in Jingdezhen, China’s porcelain capital, to make original, limited-edition works of art at competitive prices, from a small porcelain and wood display table to delicate celadon-green teacups and dainty chopstick rests shaped like chili peppers. Spin ships worldwide at a reasonable cost, so you don’t have to worry about lugging a vase the size of a small child through Asia.

The Museum of Glass is in Tacoma, about a half-hour away from Seattle, and it’s well worth the trip for art glass enthusiasts. The permanent collection includes some Chihuly pieces, work by 20th and 21st-century artists, and a charming collection of sculptural pieces interpreting children’s drawings. The temporary exhibits often feature a Northwest theme, and a theater features a rotation of short films about glass art. The real highlight of the museum, though, is the Hot Shop, where resident glassmakers and their assistants blow glass all day long for the entertainment of visitors. Often, their work is being filmed, and a narrator is on hand to explain what you’re seeing. You can walk all around the Hot Shop via overhead walkways, and photography is allowed throughout the museum, so it’s a great opportunity for photographers as well. The museum isn’t huge and takes only a couple of hours to go through, so it’s an ideal destination for a rainy afternoon. But don’t miss the striking outdoor art, like the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, outside the museum (free).

Falls Church is home to arguably the best Chinese in the Washington, D.C. area. Since 1978, generations of the Tsui Family have operated this upscale northern Chinese cuisine establishment, and their clientele have included members of the U.S. Congress, cabinet secretaries, Pentagon bigwigs, Hollywood celebrities, visiting dignitaries, and the Bush presidential families (their favorite restaurant) as seen in the framed photographs that adorn the red-and-gold dining rooms. The crispy Peking Duck wrapped in house-made pancakes with hoisin sauce and locally-sourced spring onions is the house speciality. Along with the duck, order the Four Season String Beans, Szechuan Beef Proper, Juo-Yen Shrimp, and Lamb Chops Peking Style which make up the famous five-course “Bush Special.”

Pass through the iconic arched doorway at College Green and enter the elegant quads, handsome architecture and verdant lawns of Trinity College, one of Ireland‘s most prestigious universities. Among its many attributes is the atmospheric 18th-century Old Library, whose most precious tome is the 1,200-year-old Book of Kells, a priceless illuminated manuscript. Also worth a visit are the college’s Douglas Hyde Gallery, devoted to contemporary art, and the thought-provoking Science Gallery.