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Over the past 15 years, Wendy Whiteley (known as the “goddess muse” and wife of one of Australia‘s most famous artists, Brett Whiteley) has lovingly restored a once derelict piece of land, owned by the NSW Rail Corporation. It’s a magical place to reflect, talk or read and to simply get away from the city’s noise. The views are spectacular. About 5-10 mins stroll from Luna Park. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_Whiteley#Wendy.27s_Secret_Garden This site was visited during AFAR Experiences, May 6-9, 2013: http://www.afarexperiences.com/

Just down the street from fashionable Omotesando is the Nezu Museum, with an exquisite Japanese garden. Architect Kengo Kuma’s touches include a warm welcome with a bamboo wall at the entrance and rooms with picturesque views of the garden. The museum’s renowned permanent collection comprises a vast selection of Japanese and Asian pieces, including lacquerware, calligraphy, sculptures, and paintings. The Nezu Café has three walls of windows to enjoy the garden over a light meal, coffee and cake, or matcha and traditional wagashi sweets.

A blue horse on a balcony? Why not...”Seattle Blue” is the name of this mosaic-covered-statue by artist Paul Pearman, located on a quirky corner in Augusta, GA, a riverside city of underrated architectural history... This brick building was built at the end of the 19th century as a butcher shop, with the family residence upstairs; located on the SE corner of 6th and Ellis St., just a few blocks from the Riverwalk. (For more information about the artist: www.mosaicbuckles.com)

As a rule, Bermuda’s sense of sophistication includes a certain level of old-school formality. With the opening of this namesake eatery from the internationally renowned and somewhat hipster chef Marcus Samuelsson, the island’s approach to haute cuisine has taken a chic turn. Housed in the Hamilton Princess hotel with its landmark pink facade, the restaurant boasts a vibe that’s contemporary and airy with an emphasis on the turquoise sea. All tables have excellent views of Hamilton’s harbor, and the menu is—as might be expected—seafood-heavy, with dishes like Oysters with Black Rum Mignonette and grilled salmon. The local catch of the day and island-grown onions, along with other dishes, are prepared on a wood-fired grill that’s visible from the dining space.

If there’s one thing synonymous with Korean cuisine, it’s barbecue, known as bulgogi. In Seoul, dining at a barbecue restaurant is a communal affair. Friends gather around a table and order generous portions of marinated beef or pork, which servers then grill right in front of them. For an elevated experience, visit one of Maple Tree House’s four locations. Each outpost boasts a sleek, contemporary atmosphere and uses only quality cuts of meat. The barbecue-averse can enjoy traditional dishes like noodles, stews, and bibimbap, while first-timers will be relieved to find a friendly bilingual staff who can walk them through the process.

This local history museum is particularly impressive for its location—a state-of-the-art, custom-built wing in the 18th-century Lews Castle—but it’s also known for housing six of the famous Lewis Chessmen, carved around 1150 and left on the Isle of Lewis by visiting Vikings. Here, you’ll also find a wraparound audiovisual presentation about the Outer Hebrides, with effects so dramatic they’re known to induce vertigo, as well as exhibitions of Neolithic, Bronze, and Iron Age artifacts, including several quartz arrowheads.

Opened in 1980, Willi’s, with its bright blue facade, is a fixture in the 1st arrondissement. This French wine bar, which is actually owned by an Englishman, is perhaps most famous for its wine-themed posters, which are commissioned each year and created by contemporary artists. A selection of them hang throughout the two-room space, which includes a long wood bar area with stools and an adjacent, larger dining room. The wine list specializes in the best Rhone vintages, but also includes a nice selection of White Burgundies. Affordable a la carte dishes and prix-fixe menus of French classics, as well as Spanish charcuterie, are also a draw.

If you’ve been to Fès, chances are you’ll be familiar with the original Clock. This is the second in owner Mike Richardson’s growing empire, this time housed in a converted schoolhouse in the Kasbah. Like all of his projects, a keen eye for line, color, and detail has turned the space from utilitarian into eye-popping as Richardson invites local street artists to bring life and color to the walls; junkyard finds and vintage Berber cushions provide the decor. It’s a popular hangout for both young Moroccans and those traveling through, with regular cultural events, including its famous storytelling nights that spotlight the best raconteurs from the Djemaa el Fna, translated by youngsters learning the craft, to traditional cooking schools to Gnawa musicians giving it their all in tribal trance for Sunday sunsets. But, of course, no visit would be complete without sampling Cafe Clock’s signature, legendary camel burger.

After achieving tremendous success in Paris, London, New York, and Ibiza with the Experimental Cocktail Club and a handful of other nightlife hangouts, the three bons vivants behind the Experimental Group have expanded the concept into hospitality. Their first hotel is located in Paris’s most coveted neighborhood, South Pigalle, overlooking the Villa Frochot (Toulouse-Lautrec’s former abode). Unsurprisingly, these pioneers of the Paris cocktail movement have integrated their savoir-faire in top-shelf drinks. In fact, they go so far as to bill it a “bed and beverage” boutique hotel, which translates to custom cocktails offered in the ground-floor lounge, delivered straight to rooms, and available in guestroom minibars. To further drive their vision, the trio enlisted the talents of Dorothée Meilichzon, the city’s most in-demand interior designer, who has already directed the look and feel of each of the group’s establishments. Here, she applies her flair for mixing unique patterns and design styles to the cocktail lounge and rooms, kitted out with sumptuous velour sofas, black leather armchairs, and brass light fixtures. The result is a style that feels like understated Hollywood regency meets 1920s Parisian glam. While rooms afford less quiet and privacy than most design hotels, the (tolerable) din feels like a necessary component to the stay-up-late Pigalle experience.

One of Cancun’s newest restaurants, Julia Mia (My Julia) serves Mexican nouvelle cuisine, with traditional favorites at affordable prices. This downtown restaurant is definitely worth a trip from the Hotel Zone. Julia Mia reflects the belief of sisters Lupita and Irma Chavez that: “A woman is not afraid of anything or anyone. She enjoys life and her traditional Mexican drink, tequila, as well as the best selection of recipes from Mexico that integrate tastes and smells, always respecting and honoring each ingredient.” The menu features favorites with a twist, such as sea bass tacos, blue crab taquitos, roast corn soup, and salmon and garlic octopus fettuccine. For dessert, try the chocolate volcano or the chocolate truffles with mole and churros. On Fridays, Julia Mia features live Mariachi music, and in September, a special menu and events celebrate Mexican Independence.

Panamanians love Chinese brunch. The Chinese community here, one of the largest and most prosperous in the Western Hemisphere, is the result of a wave of immigration that began 160 years ago for railroad construction. One happy result of this long relationship between Panama and the Chinese? Dim sum options abound in the capital city. Many tout Lung Fung (on Avenida de los Periodistas in the Los Ángeles quarter), considered the oldest of such restaurants; the Golden Unicorn (in the San Francisco quarter behind the Atlapa Convention Center) has been gaining adherents due to its more contemporary vibe and decor. Palacio Dorado (at Plaza Mirage on Avenida Ricardo J. Alfaro) is another highly attractive setup, well-decorated and spacious. Finally there’s Sunly (Los Tucanes shopping center in El Dorado), where Cantonese delights are the specialty.

A trendy restaurant that draws both local and international diners, i Latina offers funky décor, inventive cocktails, and eclectic cuisine with Mexican, Asian, and Mediterranean flavors. Opened in 1999, the restaurant was a pioneer of contemporary cuisine in Guadalajara. Snag a table on the terrace for a great view of the city.

The historic Flemings Mayfair Hotel, Suites and Apartments is a boutique property that provides a home-away-from-home feel within one of London’s exclusive neighborhoods. Opened in 1851, it was converted from 13 Georgian townhouses dating back to 1731 and is today one of London’s oldest established hotels. Set on a quiet street in walking distance to Green Park, Buckingham Palace, and Bond Street, Flemings Mayfair has been privately owned by the same family for more than 40 years.

Enhancing the historic property with contemporary touches, Fleming Mayfair completed a £14 million renovation in 2016 which included a new dining experience with Executive Chef, Michelin-starred Shaun Rankin.

A décor featuring shades of bronze and soft greys mixing with teal, indigo, and mustard, creates a sleek but soothing retreat reminiscent of the 1930s within the Flemings Mayfair’s 129 guest rooms, suites and apartments. The one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, as well as a seven-bedroom Townhouse private residence, are individually decorated and boast fully-equipped kitchens and separate living and dining rooms.

This sprawling 19th-century former gasworks complex west of the Canal Ring was a polluted site for decades after its closing in the mid-1960s. It was cleaned up and reopened in 2003 as a park, and its architecturally significant red-brick buildings were turned into cultural venues, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and shops. The Gashouder, a massive circular structure measuring more than 27,000 square feet, hosts mainly techno parties, while the nearby North Sea Jazz Club is an intimate space for live jazz performances. You’ll also find TonTon Club, a restaurant and arcade with video games, air hockey, and table tennis; Pacific Parc, a café with live rock music and DJs; and a three-screen art-house cinema.

Even though you may have never been here before, Montréal’s Place St-Louis, in the Plateau neighborhood off of rue St-Denis, will probably look familiar thanks to the many tourism posters and guidebook covers that display its image. The graystone Victorian row houses, with details in pink, purple, and other eye-popping hues, embody a certain Montréal attitude—grounded in history yet with a playful, contemporary edge. The square was laid out in 1876 and has been described as one of Montréal’s most beautiful, with a European elegance thanks to its tree-lined paths and fountain. Students of poetry may want to pay homage to Émile Nelligan. A monument to the beloved Québecois writer sits in the southeast corner of the square near the house on avenue Laval where he once lived.