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Perched on a not-so-lonely nude beach on the northern end of Sauvie Island is an enigma. Well above waterline lies a 30-foot orb that piques the imagination and challenges explanation. The “spaceship” origin is not interstellar but certainly presents itself as other-worldly. The craft is actually a ferro cement experimental boat built around 1970 just upriver. It was designed as a self-righting sailboat and carried a local family on adventures for a couple decades before it got away. Now covered in moss and graffiti, it sits as a testament to Oregon innovation and exploration. To do some of your own exploring of this mysterious craft, take Reeder Rd out to where the pavement ends at a spot called Collins Beach, aka the nude beach. (Yes, if you venture out in summer, you will see naked people.) There’s a parking area (permit required) and trails down to the beach. Sitting up in the trees, just above the sand, sits the stripped-out hulk of a dream. The tri-hulled beast looks more like a lifeboat than a spaceship, but alien nonetheless. Be careful climbing around if you decide to explore inside. The rusting steel framework is losing its cement skin in places and can be dangerous. Cycling to the site is a great way to spend an afternoon on the island and get a great workout in the process.

You have to be a little bit loco to want to visit Central de Abasto, much less actually go there, but it is the ultimate market experience. Central de Abasto is the market that supplies all of the other fruit and vegetable markets in the city and many others throughout the country. More than 30,000 tons of fresh produce enter and leave the market daily, or the equivalent of 80% of the fruits and vegetables consumed in the capital. It’s not for the faint of heart, though; this market is all business and hustle is the name of the game. Browsing and taking photos of towers of colorful vegetables are not recommended because aisles are crowded and fleet-on-their-feet workers moving hand trucks of goods don’t tolerate dawdling slowpokes.

Brussels’ parks are all beautiful in the autumn (when it’s not raining, that is), but I have a particular affinity for Park Royale or Brussels Park (also called Parc de Bruxelles in French and Warandepark in Dutch). Nothing signals autumn in Brussels like crunching through the leaves and kicking fallen chestnuts in Brussels Park. This small park sits between the Royal Palace and the Belgian Parliament buildings and is a favourite of office workers at lunchtime. Joggers circle the park’s perimeter and dog-walkers stroll the shady pathways. The park was built in the late 1700s, where the gardens of the former Palace of Coudenberg once stood. Dotted around the park are various statues and fountains and a beautiful cast iron bandstand. Park Royale is also home to concerts and art installations throughout the year.

Evidently Lord Stow’s Bakery is a Macau-based chain with a handful of locations in Asia, but we weren’t aware of that as we found it while strolling through Seoul on a frigid February morning. We simply saw the cute-as-a-button, closet-sized space with tarts in the window and went in, seeking heat and a bite to eat. The one worker (I don’t think there’s room for more) had just pulled these eggy little delights out of the oven. It was the perfect time to eat them. Warming, subtly sweet, and served with a friendly welcome, they—and the young woman who made them—were a simple yet memorable part of our super-quick visit to Seoul. The address: Kim’s Pass Co Dae Hyun 60-8 Dong Suo Dae Mung, Seoul

Stop by Gravel & Gold in the Mission and you’ll find not only vintage goods from around the world, but also handmade and sustainably produced homeware, specialty food products, books, clothing, and jewelry made in and around San Francisco. Be sure to check out the shop’s made-and-designed-in-house line of clothing and bags, Gravel & Gold Goods; their “Boob Top” is a particular bestseller. Check their website for in-store events like homebrewing workshops, and stop by every Wednesday to pick up a share for nearby Eatwell Farm’s CSA. Gravel & Gold is open Monday to Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Oaxacan artist Francisco Toledo spearheaded the project of converting an abandoned textile mill into an arts center, which was inaugurated in 2006. The Centro de las Artes San Agustin (CASA) hosts exhibits of a variety of media, as well as courses and workshops. It is an ecological arts center and encourages artistic creation using environmentally friendly processes, and community involvement. CASA is located in San Agustin Etla, about a twenty minute drive from Oaxaca city. It is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm, and if you go on Sundays, there is an organic market on the grounds (Mercado Los Eucaliptos).

Palácio Ramalhete has the soul of a historic property—Manuel II, Portugal’s last king, and Britain’s Duke of Windsor were once guests—without any of the attendant stuffiness. Set in an 18th-century palace on the handsome Rua das Janelas Verdes, each of the 16 accommodations has its own unique character. The Oak Suite, for instance, features wood wall paneling with an ornate carved-stucco ceiling, while the spacious Dove Room, which occupies the palace’s former chapel, is lined with original hand-painted blue-and-white azulejos (ceramic tiles).


There are three tiered internal courtyards; the highest has a small heated outdoor pool with a massive palm tree for shade and River Tagus views in the distance. Art lovers, take note: Opposite the hotel is the National Museum of Ancient Art, filled with important Portuguese works that include 15th-century painter Nuno Gonçalves’s famous Panels of St. Vincent.

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.

This is the place to visit if you are looking for a multicultural neighborhood that is getting better and safer every day that passes. Near Mouraria, once a degraded neighborhood, you will find Martim Moniz’s Square—full of life, with many kiosks with esplanades, serving food and drinks from all over the world. Weekends feature the Fusion Market, with DJs, concerts, workshops, and debates. Even the city’s mayor changed his office to this area, to show that is a good neighborhood. From the square, you can see São Jorge’s Castle, up there on the hill, protecting us from evildoers.

While strolling along Stellenbosch’s oak-lined avenues, you’ll come across several boutiques selling everything from jams and baked goods to artisanal crafts. For the best souvenirs, stop into Local Works on Drostdy Street, where you’ll find handsome wooden giraffes. Though cumbersome to carry home, they make for great gifts. You’ll no doubt see someone on your return flight with one wrapped in newspaper.

Kimpton Hotels are known for their playful energy—think nightly social hours, colorful design schemes, and pet-friendly amenities. Located within easy reach of downtown’s museums and theaters, as well as restaurants and shopping in LoDo and Larimer Square, the Hotel Monaco Denver fits the mold. Renovated guest rooms blend cool neutrals and bright accent hues with rich leather headboards, designer wallpaper, and yoga mats with a dedicated channel for guided workouts; spa rooms have separate soaking tubs, and suites have their own sitting areas and sleeper sofas. A $10 per night fee covers speedy internet, loaner bicycles, discounts on drinks at Denver’s Family Jones distillery, and free coffee and evening wine. If you prefer imaginative cocktails, head to Panzano, a northern Italian restaurant with a surprising number of gluten-free items. But if a moment of bliss is all you need to revive you for another day of distillery hopping, the Aveda spa has a sauna and Vichy shower and provides five-minute chair massages during the evening social hour.

Having recently opened its doors to the public, the Factory on Grant Avenue in Norwood aims to be a destination for promoting the arts, crafts, design and a bit of individuality as it hopes to inject some renewed interest in the old neighborhood. The Factory features an artisanal bakery, a glass blowing studio, a screen printing workshop, an art gallery, boutique clothing stores and even a flower shop. Over the years, the popular Grant Avenue in Norwood has declined somewhat, with a proliferation of massage parlors and mini supermarkets. With the new Factory having opened early in 2014, Norwood seems to have a new buzz about it which, hopefully, will lead to other new ventures and establishments popping up too.

Cooks and foodies shouldn’t miss the International Home of Cooking in Brussels. Here you can find every gadget and gizmo you’ve ever wanted for your kitchen (and some you didn’t even know you wanted). You can find everything from high-quality chef’s knives to small appliances, baking supplies, and a vast array of cookbooks (although many are in French or Dutch). There are goodies for foodies too (cupcake workshop anyone?). Choose from two locations - one on the prestigious Avenue Louise and the other just steps from the Galeries Royale, near Grand Place. The shops often have live demos of appliances and cooking techniques, so you can pick up some handy tips and tricks while you shop.

Located in a historic trolley barn, the original Big River Grille and Brewing Works is conveniently located within walking distance of the Tennessee Aquarium and other popular attractions. Inside you can see the brewery behind a glass wall, where beer is made right before it comes to you. Big River’s beers have won countless awards and none more so than the Iron Horse Stout. The Southern Flyer Light Lager and Big River Vienna Lager are also favorites. The extensive menu of pizzas, sandwiches, burgers and entrees pairs well with the beers.

An undulating steel and glass canopy wows visitors who enter the Kogod Courtyard. Inside you’ll find diners from the museum’s café, tourists soaking their weary feet in the shallow fountain running across the space, and students taking advantage of free Wi-Fi in the light and airy setting. The modern roof seals the center of the old Patent Office Building, currently shared by the National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum. Architect Norman Foster designed the roof to have minimal impact on the building by creating a support system that prevents direct contact and weight placement on it. Unlike most of the other Smithsonian Museums located on the Mall, this gem is found in the busy Penn Quarter of downtown D.C. It is my favorite place to bring visitors, not only for the impressive courtyard space, but also for the preserved architecture of the patent offices on the top floor. Check the Smithsonian’s website for special courtyard workshops, concerts, or events. The museum is right near the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro on the green, yellow, and red lines.