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Opened in 2012, Hattie B’s is the new kid on the block for hot chicken, Nashville’s most iconic dish. Still, what the restaurant lacks in history it makes up in flavor, proven by the long queues that don’t seem to diminish until the kitchen closes at midnight. The hot chicken, made in the traditional style with a hot cayenne paste, comes in a variety of forms, from wings to dark meat; order the half bird if you want to try a little of everything. Then decide how much you want to crank up the heat, which ranges from mild to “Shut the Cluck Up: Burn Notice.” Half the fun is choosing the sides, which include pimento mac and cheese, Southern greens, baked beans, and extra pickles.

Many of New York’s original haberdasheries have vanished over the years, victims of high rents and changing customer tastes. But classic hats have been making a comeback among New Yorkers lately, and Goorin Bros. is one of the popular places to buy a quality hat. Styles here vary by season, but whatever the time of year and whatever the type of style you buy, there will always be feathers, hat pins, and other adornments you can purchase as add-ons to make your hat one-of-a-kind.

Tokyu Hands is a quintessential Japanese lifestyle shop designed to make your life more refined, or at least more fun. There are now branches throughout the country, as well as international ones in Taiwan and Singapore, but the Shibuya branch is the largest, with more than 20 floors of merchandise if you include the mezzanine levels. It is a treasure chest of items, practical and not, for home, travel, and garden. The select collection of luggage and bags, many made by Japanese craftsmen, is especially worth perusing. Each floor is themed, organized around subjects such as the kitchen, travel, health and beauty, DIY, and stationery. It’s easy to get lost, as there is so much to see, whether shopping for yourself or for gifts for friends.

This hotel is on our list of The 11 Best Hotels in Chicago.

Chicago invented the skyscraper, and some of the world’s most elegant examples define the city’s skyline. You can stay in the coolest one of them all, designed by German American architect Mies van der Rohe and run by Langham Hotels. To access the Langham Chicago’s minimalist-yet-opulent 268 guest rooms (including 48 suites), you must first check in at the second-floor lobby; its ceiling is hung with silver pebbles, its sofas populated by stylish guests, and its David Rockwell–designed Travelle restaurant alive with music and bites by executive chef Damion Henry during coveted afternoon teas.

The former IBM building with a black exoskeleton also houses a Chuan Spa, which specializes in such Eastern therapies as acupuncture, cupping, and gua sha. A 67-foot-long indoor pool and full-service fitness center are available to all guests.

Anyone spending the night in the rooms, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows framing Chicago views, has access to one of the city’s best concierges, who can organize a River North food tour, a Frank Lloyd Wright walking excursion, or a mixology class at Travelle. Don’t leave without taking a photo beside Jaume Plensa’s “Anna” sculpture in the Wacker Street lobby—then walk over to Millennium Park to see his larger works on display.

Mexico is the birthplace of one of the world’s most delectable indulgences, chocolate, and it abounds in San Miguel. For unbeatable souvenirs, consider the gourmet sweets from JOHFREJ C&V chocolate shop: like the hand-hammered metal-plate boxes of pralines (in walnut, almond, or hazelnut), truffles (don’t miss the chili-tinged ones), or enjambres (chocolate and nut clusters; the pine nut variety is obscenely good). If it’s hot chocolate you’re after, though, line up for the churros and hot chocolate at Café San Agustín.

Beachy espadrilles, cloth bags printed with cheeky Italian phrases, and colorful Cruciani bracelets are just some of the fun inventory found in this small, stylish shop. There’s a little bit of everything here: bikinis and summery dresses, art books, and local crafts like an arty ceramic interpretation of il ciucciariello, the little donkey that is the local symbol for good luck. The shop also stocks useful maps of the many paths and beaches along the Amalfi Coast.

Latin America’s largest jewelry market, this four-level spot in the heart of Guadalajara features more than 700 jewelry stores, labs, and repair shops. Precious and semiprecious stones sparkle alongside gold, silver, costume jewelry, and watches, making it nearly impossible to leave with just one thing.

Adjacent to Doongalik Studios—the best contemporary-art gallery on the island—this bright cottage carries eclectic jewelry, scarves, bath products, hand-painted glassware and all manner of decorative items (mirrors, picture frames, napkin rings) adorned with shells and coral. Everything in the shop is made by local artisans.

Vietnam is not the most obvious surfing destination in the world, but the swell near Danang is actually excellent -- especially during the monsoon season. The centre of the surf scene is Tam’s Pub in Danang, which is a good spot to rent a board and get advice on conditions and choice surf spots.

If it is a nice orderly shopping experience you are after, Voltaire and Rousseau is not the place to go. However, this veritable Aladdin’s Cave of curiosities is an endlessly fun place for committed browsers. It is difficult to find exactly what you are looking for, but chances are you will happen upon something equally interesting in the process.

Also called Matías de Gálvez, Santo Tomás de Castilla has been functioning as a leisure cruise port since 2004. Whatever you call the coastal town, it was once under Belgian rule. The European influence is most notable in the streets—literally. The main promenade was constructed using Belgian stones, and it is lined with local shops and homes. The Belgian cemetery houses 19th-century pioneers.

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.

Try on these warm, pancake-shaped hats, known as txapelas in Basque, in traditional blue or another color of your choosing. Open since 1857, this elegant family shop specializes in artisan-made and custom berets as well as reproductions of historic hats.

Why we love it: A stylish but mellow alternative to the glitz of Los Cabos

The Highlights:
- Chic rooms, some with soaking tubs, outdoor lounges, or ocean views
- On-site restaurant Benno and its creative Mexican-Mediterranean fare
- Proximity to Todos Santos and the chance to connect with the local community

The Review:
Liz Lambert has made a name for herself converting quirky motels into cool-kid haunts in Texas and beyond. With Hotel San Cristóbal, she brings her magic to a transcendent Pueblo Mágico in the Baja Peninsula. Now she’s bringing her magic to a transcendent Pueblo Mágico in the Baja Peninsula. Just outside of Todos Santos proper, on the small fishing beach of Punta Lobos, the whitewashed, cubist property houses 32 serenely chic rooms, complete with crisp Sferra linens and serape-inspired duvets, vibrant ceramic-tiled bathrooms, and windows that overlook sunny Pacific waves (keep your eyes peeled for migrating gray and humpback whales).

Resist the urge to confine yourself to your Coco-Mat mattress, however. Adventure awaits in the form of surfing off nearby Playa Cerritos, learning to make pottery in an off-site class, or accompanying chef Edgar Palau on a trip to source fresh fish from local anglers. There’s also a beautiful central pool and lounge, a library, a seaside mirador, and a small retail shop on property. When hunger strikes, head to Benno, where biodynamic meals that fuse Mexican and Mediterranean flavors pair perfectly with small-batch mezcals and sustainably harvested regional wines.

As the first boutique hotel in Koreatown, the Line might have been able to get away with cutting a few corners while still attracting a cool clientele. It probably didn’t need to get the hottest young Korean-American chef in L.A. on board (to run one of the most comprehensive and exciting restaurant and bar networks yet seen, by the way), nor did the Sydell Group—the arbiters of cool behind the Nomad Hotel in New York—have to put their stamp on it. The hotel would have been nice enough had the concrete midcentury building not been entirely reimagined by designer Sean Knibb, known for designing half the cool spots in L.A. and more than a few celebrities’ homes. There didn’t need to be a desert greenhouse–inspired pool deck that’s become a hangout for beautiful people at all hours, nor did the famously trendy Houston Brothers (of no Vacancy and Harvard & Stone) have to throw in a midcentury-inspired cocktail bar. Nor did the typical hotel gift shop have to be reimagined as a design and lifestyle store curated by Poketo. The rooms and suites would have been just fine had they not been turned into artsy, industrial-style lofts, outfitted with original commissioned artwork, a minibar of Korean and Western snacks, and Baxter of California toiletries. Of course, all of this did happen, and now Koreatown is home to one of the hottest hotels in L.A.