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For a romantic getaway or a business trip, Casulo will take care of you. It is conveniently located near downtown Austin and the airport, so you will never be too far from where you need to be. Have a drink at the spacious bar, take a bath in the French-modern airbath or the Japanese bath in the Jacuzzi Suite and curl up in bed after a busy day of sight seeing. The hotel staff is extremely friendly and always ready to cater to your needs. Jacuzzi Suite: French Bath: The ultimate in comfort, this six foot hydro-thermal massage for two will even light up your world. Japanese Bath: At nearly three feet deep with room for two, this full jacuzzi is the consummate de-stresser. ~387 sq ft

Vic’s Ice Cream is a fixture in Sacramento. Opened in 1947, the neighborhood diner has maintained its original look from the black-and-white floor tiles to small booths and black bar stools. The employees have looked the same since I started coming here in junior high school—the all-male staff still wear jeans and a tucked-in black polo. They greet customers with that same laid-back smile. Vic’s makes its ice cream and serves about 29 original flavors plus seasonal varieties such as lemon chiffon and pumpkin pie. The menu is simple, old-fashioned diner sandwiches (kids love the hotdog sandwiches!). All sandwiches come with chips, and locals know to ask for red sauce for dipping the chips. Add a lime rickey to drink and a malt for dessert, and you will leave feeling like you just visited the 1950s. Vic’s can get crowded, especially on hot days when neighborhood kids stop in for a snack after school or families grab ice cream cones after a walk in nearby Land Park. Free street parking is available, and Vic’s is on bus line number two.

Tucked away in tiny Parc D’Egmont, just minutes from busy Avenue Louise, is L’Orangerie. Through the week, this restaurant is popular with the ‘ladies who lunch’ and the office tower executives. However, on Sunday the atmosphere changes, when it becomes one of Brussels best brunch spots. The champagne brunch at L’Orangerie definitely wouldn’t qualify as a ‘cheap eat,’ in Brussels. At close to 30 Euros a head, it’s a splurge, but well worth it for a rare treat. The buffet-style offerings include pastries and breads, cheeses, cured meats, smoked salmon and mackerel, a wide variety of salads and grilled vegetables, hot pasta, and an omelette and crepe bar. Juices are also included in the price but hot drinks are not. In the summer, you can sit in the shade of the park’s huge, leafy trees. It’s a great way to spend a decadent, sunny, Sunday afternoon in the heart of the city, and yet still feel like you are away from it all. More Information at: http://cheeseweb.eu/2011/10/sunday-brunch-lorangerie-du-parc-degmont-brussels/

What a wonderful location to stay in Lisbon—in the middle of an elegant neighborhood like Chiado and so close to the trendy Bairro Alto. A five-star boutique hotel, this place is full of charm and luxurious rooms spread across five floors, with views over Largo do Camões and the river. A building from the 18th century, this hotel, with décor by Portuguese designers, features dark wood furniture, mixing classic and contemporary. Visit the bar on the rooftop; it is one of the best spots for a drink with a view.

Come here and you’ll find a solar-powered bookstore, a Guatemalan restaurant, pubs, galleries, cafés, and this brick wall tribute to Gregory Colbert’s “Boy Reading to Elephant.” (The words that come to mind when I pass this street art are “tell me a good story and I’ll never forget.”) Just a few blocks north of downtown, and a few blocks west of the University of Arizona, Tucson’s Fourth Avenue district is a pedestrian eat-work-drink-play neighborhood with a new streetcar/trolley system. Construction is done, shops and restaurants are open, and you’ll find hardly a chain along the eclectic streetscape. From college kids and downtown workers, to artists, professors, and out-of-towners, Fourth Avenue is where the Old Pueblo welcomes techies and yuppies along with the ex-hippies... And, every winter and spring, for decades now, the neighborhood hosts a Street Fair—hundreds of thousands of people come for the arts, crafts, food, and music.

The Busselton Jetty is the longest timber-piled jetty in the Southern Hemisphere and it reaches out over the protected waters of Geographe Bay to the tune of 1.8 kilometres. Heritage-listed and well loved by residents and visitors alike, it’s more than a jetty. The structure itself also houses a train, interpretive center, shops and the underwater observatory which is a stunning feat of engineering that allows visitors to get closer to the ocean’s inhabitants than I’ve ever seen anywhere else without actually being in a submersible or diving. On a gloriously sunny day, the ocean around Busselton Jetty seems clearer than drinking water and schools of fish can be seen in an around all the timber pilons weaving in and out of the grasses which grow on parts of the sandy bottom. Whether swimming from shore or from any one of the access staircases that line the jetty, it’s difficult to actually avoid getting one’s feet or whole body wet. Busselton is a lovely seaside town but the jetty is a surprising draw. On first glance, it’s like any in the world but take a closer look and you’ll quickly understand why area residents are so proud of it!

With their Paris supper club Hidden Kitchen, Americans Laura Adrian and Braden Perkins regaled guests with a sensational 10-course meal with wine pairings around a communal table in their apartment. The food was nothing short of transcendental; inventive in taste and elegant in form. With such staggering success in relatively short order, it’s no wonder the desire emerged to share their talents with a wider audience.

Their first brick and mortar restaurant and wine bar in Paris opened its doors to immediate praise and the crowds haven’t slowed. Braden and his team apply the same technique, heart and originality to each dish that made Hidden Kitchen a resounding favorite. And even if the prix-fixe dinner in the upstairs dining room exceeds your budget, the ample selection of wines and mini plates in the bar will keep you drinking and nibbling all evening (particular attention goes to the buttermilk fried chicken and celeriac dumplings). And in a recent development, the culinary duo has begun serving American-inspired sandwiches like the Bakesale Betty and Midnight Cuban in the wine bar at lunchtime, Tuesday-Friday. Not to be missed.

Guests of sports bar Taco Mac in Sandy Springs might not know that there’s a secret beer heaven at their feet. Formerly known as The Fred Bar, named for beverage manager Fred Crudder, it is only available to members of Taco Mac’s Brewniversity and their guests. It’s now called the Georgia Chapter Room. Signing up for the program is free, but you must be at the “pledge” level, meaning you’ve sampled at least seven of their beers. To enter, go down to the loading dock area where the door on the left has a red button. Press the button, and an employee will let you in after verifying your credentials. The decor is swankier than upstairs, with leather chairs and curtains. The entire menu is available on an iPad placed on your table. The secret locale is also a step above when it comes to both food and drinks. The beer selection includes aged, rare, and lesser-known brews curated by the knowledgable staff. This is the place to splurge, as the staff can recommend something you will enjoy.

One of Dallas’s earliest neighborhoods, this formerly industrial area just east of downtown has a long history as an entertainment hub, from its days as a hotbed of blues and jazz clubs in the 1920s, to the 1980s, when local bands like the New Bohemians, Butthole Surfers, and Old 97’s were launched from its clubs. Today, the area is not quite as counterculture as in the past, but it’s still got an indie steak, with vibrant street murals and public art providing the backdrop for a host of independent galleries, shops, bars, breweries, cafés, tattoo studios, and over 60 restaurants and 30 live music venues. Among the most iconic music spots are Club Dada and Trees, both of which have been revamped in recent years, as well as The Door, the Prophet Bar, jazz/blues favorite the Free Man, and the century-old Sons of Hermann Hall. As it has grown, the area has also become more family friendly, particularly during events like the annual Deep Ellum Arts Festival, which features stalls from around 200 juried visual artists, and five stages hosting 100 musical acts.

OK, there may be better cafes. You may have alternative preferences. But I absolutely adored the Dad Cafe in Miera Street. I came across it at just the right moment - a long morning of walking had left me desperate for an even longer sit, and this place is the kind where no one will mind if you nurse a hot drink for a couple of hours. Not only does it feel like an old-fashioned tearoom, but they actually serve Earl Grey tea, for which I could have kissed them. They also make a home made quiche so delicious that I ordered a second piece as soon as I had finished my first. Chintzy furniture, artfully distressed, lots of lovely women sitting around chatting intellectually (they looked intellectual anyway, I suppose they could have been talking about Jersey Shore). I started a conversation with a drama student who was writing an essay on site-specific performance and we ended up having the most fascinating chat about how theatre is currently the most popular art form among the young in Latvia. Couldn’t have asked for more.

One of my favorite dive sites on the west coast of Puerto Rico is Crashboat in Aguadilla. This shore dive is easily accessible for all levels of diving, and you’re guaranteed to see something amazing on this artificial structure. Crashboat is named for this once Air Force based marina, where the “crashboats” would deploy to retrieve the crashed planes from training sessions of Air Force pilots. It was later abandoned and turned into a recreational area for locals and dive enthusiasts. Scout the pilings for seahorses, frogfish, octopi, and lionfish. At maximum depth of 30 feet, find a sunken base where bigger fish like to hide. Bring your flashlight to scope out the interior. Not a diver? No problem. Enjoy the sandy beaches, reggaeton music, and aromas of delicious Puerto Rican food all day long. One entire side of this recreational park is lined with street vendors selling food, handicrafts, and drinks. Want that true Puerto Rican vibe? Want to see how the locals relax on a weekend? Crashboat is your place. But if you’re not interested in the crowds, come here in the morning on a weekday. I dive here regularly, and I avoid crowds by diving early. Enjoy!

Breakfasts are little godsends after a big night out, and Post at 70 Juta Street in Braamfontein is just the place to revitalise after a big night out and before working on your weekend party habits again. The Big Bomber is a drink combination of condensed milk and Espresso topped with cream and will definitely jumpstart your hungover ass back to reality, while the devine French toast with bacon topped with Fig preserve will fuel your tank for another round of weekend madness. The cozy corner spot has a well rounded menu which prides itself on using all locally produced, organic ingredients. Order something delicious and watch the world go by from the window counter seat or enjoy the cool breeze in the courtyard outside You’d be doing yourself a disfavour by not trying out something from this little spot! post is open all week from 8:30am, except Sunday when they are closed.

What started as one man’s simple hobby has turned into a Houston landmark that attracts visitors from across the country: The Beer Can House. Back in 1968, owner John Milkovisch, a retired upholsterer for Southern Pacific Railroad, realized he really enjoyed drinking beer but was tired of throwing his cans away. Instead, he decided to recycle them as decorations for his house, from aluminum beer-can siding to beer can garland that hangs from the roof’s edge. Now, 50,000 cans later, it’s a stunning work of art that stands as a testament to, well, beer. Admission is $5; children 12 and under are free. From June through August, the Beer Can House is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 12-5pm. From September through May, it’s open Saturdays and Sundays from 2-6pm. The Beer Can House is closed on most major holidays.

Frenchmen Street is, more or less, the local-music version of Bourbon Street. It also has its share of tourists trundling about with go-cups in hand, but they’re drawn more by the music than the drink. Plan to spend an evening (things start to pick up around 8 p.m., earlier on weekends) along a three-block stretch of small, informal clubs where there’s often no cover (give generously and give often when the bucket comes around), or at most $5 or $10. Notable clubs include the Spotted Cat, the Maison, Blue Nile, D.B.A., the Apple Barrel, and Snug Harbor. Earlier in the evenings, there’s often an impromptu brass band at the corner of Chartres and Frenchmen. Between sets, take a moment to browse the night art markets, the largest of which is next to the Spotted Cat.

Every afternoon about 5:30 PM, islanders and connoisseurs of sunsets arrange themselves at their favorite beach side vantage point on the west and south shores of Oahu for a chance to see the legendary “green flash”. In all of my years of living in Hawaii, I have only seen it twice, but sometimes I think it was a result of a very strong Mai Tai and staring at the sun too long. If you’d like to try for a glimpse of this phenomenon, you might as well be sitting in a comfortable spot with a great drink in hand. SWIM is a poolside bar with views over the statue of Duke Kahanamoku out to Waikiki beach. On an upper deck of The Hyatt Regency Waikiki, you are above street level so nice treetop and beach views are yours. I recommend the Lychee Martini ( pictured). The pupus are really good here too and if you plan it right, might serve as dinner. If not, hop over to SHOR American Seafood Grill. Visible across the pool with indoor or outdoor seating, start with amazing Baby Kona Abalone with garlic herbed butter, the tremendous seafood tower or the catch of the day you pair with a sauce you select from the list like Pineapple Shiso Relish, Hamakua Mushroom, Soy Radish etc. Insider Tip : Valet your car gratis with purchase – so get your ticket stamped and tip your valet.