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Nationally known for the annual Tournament of Roses Parade and Rose Bowl Game, Pasadena is more locally known for another Rose, the monthly Rose Bowl Flea Market. A short drive or Gold Line train ride from LA, Pasadena is a town worth exploring. Start the day in nature with either a hike or a visit to the Botanical Gardens. Then, wander the quaint Old Town Historic District spotted with coffee shops, specialty stores, art museums, comfort food cafes, and fine dining restaurants.

Set on the northern shore of Lake Union—a body of water the size of Monaco—this rustic-chic, nautical-themed restaurant offers dazzling views of the Space Needle and downtown skyline. Its menu blends Mediterranean flavors with local bounty: Expect highlights like grilled octopus with taramasalata, charred carrots with cocoa, and a salmon gravlax tartine with za’atar, green apple, and cauliflower labneh. Finish with a rhubarb-pistachio cheesecake or a cheese from Vashon Island’s Kurtwood Farms. For extra Northwest credit, arrive in a kayak or on a stand-up paddleboard, or rent a ride from the Center for Wooden Boats (cwb.org)—then moor near the waterside fire pit!

Not far from Kelowna driving along Lakeshore Drive and passing aging vines of lush with grapes for harvesting, sits the goats of the Camelis Alpine Goat Cheese Artisan. Exiting the vehicle you hear the playful singing of goats in the distance sensing the arrival of someone new. On a fall day the blue Okanagan Lake and the autumn colours create a visually robust cornucopia and you can’t do anything but drink it in. The gift shop is similar to an old fashioned western candy store as the entire building is a converted farmhouse. To my right is a display of local olive oils and vinegars. To my left is an enticing display of house made goat cheese gelato and before me is an array of goat cheeses that I didn’t know existed. From goat cheese with delicious ribbons of mouldy blue, a goat cheese that mimics a camembert and a yogurt cheese ideal for spreading there is a cheese to match all tastes. Open from May 1st - October 31st.

While Brussels Sablon Square is most famous for shopping (especially if you are in the market for Belgian chocolate) it’s well worth visiting the pretty church at the top of the triangle. The Église Notre Dame du Sablon (Church of Our Lady of Sablon) is a late Gothic church with a royal connection. The church is the starting point for the annual Ommegang procession, commemorating the arrival of Charles V in Brussels. Notre Dame de Sablon was built for the Grand Serment Royal et de Saint-Georges des Arbalétriers de Bruxelles, the crossbow guild of Brussels. Inside the church you can see hints of this connection in the stained glass windows, featuring crossbowmen. The crossbow guild’s other connection to Notre Dame de Sablon is seen during their shooting competitions. The most difficult event consists of shooting 36 meters straight up into the air, to hit a tiny metal bird target. The distance is taken from the ground to the top of the steeple of the church, where the target used to be placed.

Whether it’s for breakfast, brunch, or a late eat after a night of revelry on King Street, owner Carrie Morey whips her mother’s recipe of the freshly baked, handmade Southern staples inside this counter-serve bake shop. Consisting of flour, butter, cream cheese, and buttermilk, biscuits come in sweet and savory flavors such as cheese and chive, country ham, blackberry, and black pepper bacon. For a more substantial meal, specials like fried chicken and pickle, and pimento cheese sandwiches are available. You’ll definitely stand in line at this sunny little counter-only shop, but here’s an insider tip: You can order ahead on the Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit app.

La Pignasecca is renowned for its abundance of cheese, pastry, and fresh fish stalls. As you shop, don’t miss snacking on the biscuits (tarrale) from Panificio Vincenzo Coppola. Open daily, Via Pignasecca.

H&M’s first stand-alone brand debuted in Europe in 2007, selling minimalist, architectural basics that evoke the aesthetic of luxury house Céline—albeit with a few zeroes knocked off the price tag. There are plans to bring the chain to the United States, but until then, Paris, with five shops sprinkled throughout town, is one of the best places to sample the goods. This appeared in the October 2013 issue.

Dar Roumana is widely celebrated as having the best restaurant in Fes, and with good reason. Its charming courtyard dining room—decorated with cream-colored upholstery and tropical plants that complement the building’s original hand-cut zellij tiles, carved plaster, and painted-wood ceilings—is also rave-worthy. Arrive early enough to sip its signature pomegranate fizz from the crow’s nest, then settle in to indulge in a menu that fuses the flavors of Morocco with the finesse of classical French cuisine. Perennial favorites are the roast pumpkin salad with goat cheese, chilies, and coriander; braised local rabbit in mustard; and an elegant, bitter chocolate tart that could cause even the bistros of Paris to bristle with envy. Top tip: For a romantic winter meal, reserve the table by the fireplace.

Nashville may be known as Music City, but its reputation for inventive cuisine is catching up at a galloping pace that a rockabilly drummer would recognize. Southern staples like biscuits, fried chicken, and macaroni and cheese have been revisited by Nashville’s chefs and transformed into something divine.

The French are well known for their delicate baguettes, the ricH butter croissants, and sweet and colorful macaroons. Macaroons or in French ‘le macaron,’ are small round meringue like cookies, made of sugar and eggs, stuffed with light cream or crushed almond cream. There are endless bakeries in Paris, and so many patisseries that sell and serve macaroons but my favorite one was Ladurée, which became a prestigious brand name for macaroons. My most visited Ladurée was the one on 21 Rue Boneparte, a cute cornered patisserie with a colorful magical and tempting gift shop next door.

“She’s an original yet timeless Québec fashion designer—a rare combination. Marie Saint Pierre is known for using unusual fabrics with soft colors as well as black and white. Her designs feel really classic. I stop in when I need something chic and comfortable,” says Nathalie Bondil, head curator at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

Switzerland’s largest city mixes urban pleasures with lots of natures, most notably Lake Zurich. The Swissôtel’s location near the train station is convenient for business travelers, while 25 Hours Hotel Zurich West offers a business lounge alongside playful local touches such as a kiosk selling Freitag bags. For 5-star service, book the Baur au Lac, set along the lakeshore and close to Zurich’s famous shopping street Bahnhofstrasse. Escape to the fairytale-like Dolder Grand for a true splurge.

It’s not very often that we get to witness the making of a nation. With Qatar, we are invited to do just that. To watch in awe as a tiny pearl-diving seaside village transforms itself into one of the most vibrant cities in the Middle East. And it’s not just glitzy shopping malls, fine cuisine, five-star hotels, and futurist architecture, with 350 miles of sandy coastline Qatar has a lot to offer by way of sun and sand. It rarely rains and the sky is always blue. Which means, there is lots to do.

Life in San Miguel moves at an easy pace, from poolside breakfast to a hike to an afternoon spa treatment to a leisurely dinner on a terrace. Here’s our list of the best ways to enjoy the lovely, long days in this charming town.

You can cover a lot of ground if you have two weeks in Kenya—not only enjoying a few of Nairobi’s best restaurants and shops, but also two or three of the spectacular national parks, a visit to the coast, and even, if you’re energetic, a trip to the hippo-filled Lake Naivasha for its epic views of the Rift Valley. Here’s just a handful of the options available to you if you have two weeks in Kenya.