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Located in Jardines del Pedregal, an elegant suburb on the outskirts of the city, Tetetlán is worth the trip. Originally the horse stables of a home designed by Mexico’s most influential architect, Luis Barragán, the space was recently restored by an art collector who lives next door. It is many things: a café serving shade-grown local coffee, a showcase for local designers, a restaurant serving creative Mesoamerican dishes, a yoga studio, a hotel for visiting artists who are asked to donate a book to Tetetlán’s extensive collection, and a listening library. But it’s the space’s design that’s truly breathtaking: glass floors look down on the area’s local purple-black volcanic rock, and the sun pouring in from skylights is warmed by rafters painted in Barragán’s signature pink.

The 40 year old hotel has just undergone a $85 million renovation and is in tip-top shape. But aside from that, what makes this place so unique are the cool people that work there. It’s a place that values humans, and their ideas, including some of the more silly ones... For example, there’s Yappy hour (one of my favorites!), where you’re invited to bring Fido to the golf course for sun–downers. Drinks for the two-legged patrons, and a specially designed menu of snacks for the furry, four-legged ones, courtesy of Executive Chef Daven Wardynski!. Human food all over the resort was out-of-this-world amazing, too. I say that somewhat regrettably, as I put on 5 lbs in 48 hours. Here’s a chef, sort of a renaissance man, that makes some seriously good food, creates the Sprouting Project, and, if that’s not enough, engineers smokers for all sorts of things that never imagined they’d end up in one. Iceberg lettuce? Yep. Oh, and the really cool presentation pieces for deviled eggs? Chef made them, because he couldn’t find the right plate. Omni Amelia Isalnd is a great place to relax, eat, play tennis, play golf, eat, go paddle boarding, kajaking, eat, get a spa treatment, oh yes, and you guessed it: eat! __________________________ A warm thank you: My Amelia Island experience was courtesy of Omni Resorts Amelia Island Plantation #MeetMeAtAmelia

For much of its history, the western edges of Manhattan neighborhoods like the West Village and Chelsea consisted of small manufacturing buildings and warehouses that served the piers on the Hudson River. Over time, those factories were replaced with residential developments, and shipping largely moved out to Brooklyn and New Jersey. What remained, however, was an abandoned light-rail line, located above street level. After 10 years of lobbying the city, state, and federal governments, the first section of the High Line park opened in 2009. It now extends for 1.45 miles, from Gansevoort Street in the south to 34th Street at its other end. An innovative design by James Corner Field Operations uses native species to preserve some of the feeling the old rail line had when it was overgrown with weeds. It has quickly become one of New York’s most popular attractions, both with residents and visitors who stroll the length of it, as well as a model for other cities attempting to find new uses for old infrastructure.

If you only see one temple in Bangkok, make it Wat Pho: home of the largest reclining Buddha in Thailand. The 141-foot-long statue is an artistic masterpiece plated in gold leaf and inlaid with mother of pearl. You could easily spend all day wandering the grounds, looking at reliquaries, visiting the massage school, and admiring the 400 statues of Buddha in the outer cloister—each posed and sculpted slightly differently. Before you leave, drop some money in one of the 108 begging bowls (one bowl for each of the characters of Buddha). The money goes to maintaining the Wat and the gift will bring you good luck. That seems like a fair trade.

Located in the charming neighborhood of Colonia Lafayette, Hotel Demetria is among Guadalajara’s trendiest boutique hotels. In addition to stylish rooms, a rooftop pool, and a popular restaurant, the hotel features a contemporary art gallery and bookstore on its mezzanine level. Even more impressive, however, is the fact that the steel-and-glass structure is sandwiched between two pieces of architectural history—Casa Franco and Casa Quiñones, designed by Mexican modernist masters Luis Barragán and Pedro Castellanos, respectively.

It makes sense that the California cool of James Perse’s clothing and accessories for men and women has made its way to Cabo, where its sold at one of several shops that opened on the property of Flora Farms in late 2015. Whether you forgot to pack for the coastal climate of Baja or you just want to expand your wardrobe, attentive staff can help you add a few items to your style repertoire.

Light and color are two words that best describe Casa de Las Bugambilias, or House of the Bougainvillea, a bed-and-breakfast inn in Oaxaca’s Centro neighborhood. Every bit of the house, inside and out, is vibrant, thanks to vividly-hued textiles, locally-made artwork and crafts, and, of course, bougainvillea. Guests are treated to a two-course breakfast each morning, with most fruits and vegetables coming from local producers who farm organically and value the fair-trade model. Service is exceptional, as is the location, convenient to some of Oaxaca’s most iconic sights, including the Santo Domingo Church.

This restaurant’s name hints at one of its principal attributes: its view. “Mirador” means “scenic overlook,” and the vista here—of Lake Suchitlán-- earns the name. In fact, many of the guests stop by the restaurant on their way to or from a day trip to the lake itself. Cormorants and other large birds swoop gracefully across the sky as diners indulge in churrasco steaks and other Salvadoran specialties.

When it opened in December 1999, the Burj al Arab—a sail-shaped, all-suite skyscraper hotel built on an artificial island—put Dubai on the map as an over-the-top travel destination and became a landmark. Even today, the Burj al Arab sets the standard for outsized luxury with Rolls-Royce airport pickups, a helipad, gold-plated iPads, and butler-serviced duplex suites equipped with beds with mirrored ceilings, double Jacuzzi bathtubs, and full-size Hermès toiletries. The cool architectural exterior conceals a vivid interior with acres of gold leaf, dancing fountains, and room decor so distractingly jazzy that it may make guests feel as though they’ve drunk the world’s largest cup of Arabic coffee. (This is not the place for admirers of subtlety or minimalism.) The Terrace, an ambitious project even by Dubai standards, added nearly 2.5 acres of cabana, beach, pool, and restaurant space to the resort in 2016. Come sunset, though, the place to be is the 27th-floor Skyview bar.

The Pacific Ocean is a force that calls to some to jump in and join the dolphins that frequent its waters. Temperatures are warmest in August and September, but wet suits are available to rent year-round. Go surfing or take a stand-up paddleboard lesson to more fully appreciate the SoCal spirit and connection to the waves. For a more passive yet still exhilarating way to enjoy the coast, you can parasail above the waves or join a sailing charter from Marina Del Rey.

Discover a history that can be felt and a little local flavor with one of the many tours available or explore it all on your own. The beauty of this cemetery is a reflection of it’s location. Worn and unkempt, its air of mysterious romanticism can only be felt and explained with a visit. Although, it is rumored that the above-ground tombs are due to the water levels, it is in fact, mainly Spanish influence that dictated the above-ground practice. Here, you’ll find the reputed resting place of Marie Laveau and a little farther into the city of the dead, her daughter. Both are easily recognized by the offerings left. Here’s a little bit of lagniappe: Many years ago, the groundskeeper started a myth that is still perpetuated by many today. Although the offerings left at the base of the tomb are mainly authentic, the ritual of the 3 x’s are not. Recounted by the misguided groundskeeper to rich white folks after Marie Laveau’s death, the groundskeeper hoped that they would leave money as an offering for the sorely needed repairs of the grounds. It is said that the more gullible the tourists appeared, the sillier the ritual became. It is speculated that the origins of the 3 x’s in fact come from the tomb maker’s signature who mostly poor men of color, could neither read nor write. Be sure you spread the word if you go for a visit and be warned that if perpetuated, you risk a hefty fine.

The imposing, white-domed wedding cake now known as Palacio de Bellas Artes was originally planned as a national theater, and construction was begun in 1904. The Mexican Revolution, among other things, postponed its completion until 1934, which explains the stark contrast between its creamy art nouveau exterior (note amazing iron- and stonework with local motifs like serpents) and its art-deco-inspired interior, finished in black and red marbles, and with walls that feature dazzling murals by Rivera, Siqueiros, and other postrevolutionary masters. Today the beloved edifice is home to a concert hall, exhibition areas given over to blockbuster shows, and Mexico’s National Architecture Museum; take an auditorium tour—or better yet, see a performance—to lay eyes on the theater’s magnificent Tiffany glass “curtain,” a mosaic formed (they say) by more than 1 million separate glass components.

Galeries Lafayette Haussmann is worth a visit if only to stand under its magnificent glass dome. The family business has survived as a one-stop-shopping hub for five generations, thanks to steady innovation and an emphasis on high fashion and design. Shoppers appreciate its easy VAT refund policy. There are also multiple restaurants, a rooftop terrace with stunning city views and a cultural space for rotating art exhibitions.

Iconic chef Roy Yamaguchi helped popularize Hawaiian-fusion food a generation ago, but at Eating House 1849 he takes a delicious detour with dishes inspired by Portuguese, Spanish, and Filipino flavors. This “plantation cuisine” evokes the immigrant dishes served in the mid-1800s, when the state’s first restaurant—a Honolulu establishment called Eating House—opened (according to legend). Yamaguchi brings some serious chops to the table: He trained at the Culinary Institute of America before serving as executive chef in Los Angeles‘s La Serene and winning a James Beard Award. The menu shifts seasonally, according to what farmers, foragers, ranchers, and fishermen produce. Expect delicacies like a beef-and-wild-boar burger and pork lumpia with green papaya. Cap it all off with cinnamon-dusted malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts) with Koloa Rum sauce!

This might be the most photographed store in Florence—the charming but cluttered scene includes strings of dried garlic and chilies, baskets of fresh fruit, colorful ceramics, wooden serving utensils, wild-boar salami, Tuscan olive oil, and handmade copper pots—with displays inside the shop and spilling out onto the sidewalk. This historic establishment, on the ground floor of the old tower of Borgo Santi Apostoli, is so friendly that the owner will pour you wine and offer a few bites of pecorino cheese while you decide how much room is left in your suitcase.