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Denmark is the home of Lego and if you’re traveling with kids in Copenhagen, it shouldn’t be missed. It’s located along the Stroget – the pedestrian shopping district in the city center of Copenhagen. You can either split up with one adult takes the kids to Lego and the other can browse the other interesting shops or you can do it all together (we held the Lego store out as a carrot to keep the kids engaged and in check). Flagship Lego stores have exclusive Lego sets that you can’t find elsewhere. There are also building stations and a fascinating video monitor that will bring a set to 3-D life if you hold the box in front of the camera. They also have a huge pick-a-brick wall where you can pick up missing pieces or just get creative.

This is an exquisite international takeout shop. Order salmon and foie gras for a party or get a sandwich and a pastry and go down the block to eat it in the Luxembourg Gardens. On a cold day, we like to sit on a bench near the orangerie, and in the summer, the lawn is gorgeous.

Truxton Park is Annapolis’ main city park and it spans over 80 acres of green space with hiking trails, a skate park, sections for picnics, and two playgrounds for kids alongside 12 tennis courts, three baseball fields, five basketball courts, and a public boat ramp. Also located in the park is the Roger W. Pip Moyer Recreation Center with an array of recreational and family activities such as indoor rock climbing, indoor Ballocity™ playground for kids, three playing courts, and four lane walking/jogging track.

The torrent of Anglo eateries that have popped up across Paris in recent years can largely be attributed to the searing success of Rose Bakery. I had my doubts years ago when I first heard about the internationally-staffed organic canteen - how good could English food be, really? Expensive though it may be, it’s one of my favorite places to go for warm cheese scones, fresh vegetable and a variety of cakes suitable for breakfast or afternoon tea. Rose began in London, hopped over to Paris on rue des Martyrs, expanded to the Marais, settled into a 3rd location within La Maison Rouge foundation in the 12th and most recently took over a 2nd floor corner of the chic department store Le Bon Marché. And that’s saying nothing of their international locations. Its appeal was virtually immediate and RB quickly established itself as the spot among hipsters, artists, celebrities (the likes of Natalie Portman and Julie Delpy, who I spotted last year) and tourists for organic, English fare. They open early, excel at pancakes and healthy veggie options and sell a number of British products to-go. Other establishments may have come onto the scene but Rose is a breakfast mainstay.

After glowing stints at Fauchon and Le Bon Marché, pastry chef and author Sébastien Gaudard opened his own pâtisserie on rue des Martyrs, just south of Pigalle, 9 months ago; the speed of his ascent into the annals of traditional pastry-making left him and his team of 14 stunned. But it’s no surprise he achieved such wild success so quickly - he doesn’t just revisit pastry classics, he brings them back to life giving new vigor to everything from the Paris-Brest and Mont Blanc to Tarte au Citron, macarons and divine chocolates. His shop feels like an old school candy store with jars full of French bonbons and cases full of indulgent desserts. It’s a stunning pastry shop with stellar sweets well worth the detour for those staying (or living, like myself) on the other side of the city. In the summer, try a carton of their homemade ice cream. click on the link below for more photos!

Finding fine French bakery goods beyond the borders of France would seem unlikely in this NW corner of the United States. St. Honoré has transformed a little shop in NW Portland into a cultural escapade you’d normally have to get on a plane to experience. This bakery has been a mainstay for the French community in PDX for years and now has a fanatic following that has forged two other locations. The original is a cozy cafe with French influences that make it impossible to drive by when the fresh bread aromas drift out onto Thurman Street. The space is open and inviting with a staff that loves to share their expertise about the whole St Honoré process. This was one of the only places open early for live Tour de France coverage accompanied with fine coffee and pastries. Rolling up in the dark on my bike back in the days of Lance (c’est dommage) to find the place already packed was Franco-fantastic. The restaurant is designed to get patrons to be part of the scene. With the baking close and the big banquet vibe, you instantly feel part of the Honoré table. The menu goes beyond pastries and desserts. Lunch or dinner at Honoré is a trip to Paris or Provence for under $20. Try the panini or manager’s special to light things up. Hang around for sweets with a tart or gateau, and wash it down with a cafe au lait. Don’t forget something for the home front—a baguette at the very least. C’est somptueux!

Opinionated, obsessive designer Didier Ludot has one of the city’s best collections of vintage couture and accessories. If you’re looking for that perfect Courrèges dress or a mint-condition Hermès Plume bag (one of Ludot’s personal favorites), head to his eponymous boutique in the Jardin du Palais Royal. On offer is haute couture, classic handbags, as well as impeccably restored vintage furs.

Beside the fact that Rue Saint Honore is one of my favorite streets in Paris (not only for window shopping but also for people spotting) and I can spend hours and days going from one store to another, one of the most popular and trendiest concept stores located there is Colette. The store has 3 floors: The ground floor has books, music, accessories, and a men’s T-shirt collection; the second floor keeps the women’s clothing, shoes, make up, and more; the lower level is Colette’s cafe, which serves delicious menu (a bit overpriced I think, but it’s a great alternative for a lunch break or just a coffee in the midst of shopping). The store also has an exhibition space, which changes frequently. It is a great place to get inspiration, to learn about the next trends, and to spot the fashionable crowds—local and tourists alike.

The folks behind this bistro à vins and wine shop are part of the sincere network of people in our neighborhood who share the same values I have—they take risks, they’re curious, they care about the environment. This is where my husband and I buy our wine, and the food is delicious, too. —Matali Crasset 67 rue de Lancry, arr. 11, 33/(0) 1-48-03-17-34. This appeared in the August/September 2013 issue. Image: Mari Bastashevski. Read more about Matali Crasset’s Belleville neighborhood.

Mustique’s tiny village center is home to a handful of shops but it’s the pair of pastel, gingerbread-trimmed houses that will certainly catch your eye. Pink House specializes in elegant, hand-painted silk kaftans and sarongs from local designer Lotty B, along with beach and resort wear for women, men, and kids; jewelry and accessories; and tableware. Next door, Purple House offers less expensive kaftans, beachwear, kid toys, souvenirs, and jewelry.

Why we love it: A wellness-centric resort with a luxury spa for the adults and multiple pools for the kids

The Highlights:
- An authentic Ayurveda Center for balancing spa treatments
- Three outdoor pools, two indoor pools, and a Jacuzzi
- Six on-site dining and drinking destinations to please the whole family

The Review:
Surrounded by more than seven acres of greenery on the small island of Gozo, this wellness-focused resort offers the ultimate escape from larger, busier Malta. The five-star hotel has 140 rooms and suites, multiple indoor and outdoor pools, and six restaurants and bars, though the highlight is most definitely the spa, which comprises one of the largest Ayurvedic centers in the Mediterranean. Here, guests can indulge in a variety of Eastern and Western treatments, take complimentary yoga classes multiple times a week, or simply make use of the facilities, which include two indoor heated pools, a Jacuzzi, relaxation areas, and a steam chamber.

Standard and deluxe rooms offer ample space to spread out with seating areas, balconies, and marble bathrooms, while suites take things to the next level with sweeping views of the hillside or pools. If you’re traveling with a group, spring for the two-bedroom family suite, which even includes a kitchenette and dining area. Across all the guestrooms, design is traditional with modern accents, making for a stylish stay.

The drive from Launceston through the Tamar River Valley meanders for 37 miles past orchards, lavender farms, and more than 30 vineyards. For good vibes alongside your cool-climate wines, head to Goaty Hill, which occupies a beautiful perch in Kayena. The chalet-style Jansz cellar door, or tasting room, pours premium sparkling wines, and Holm Oak Vineyards is loved for its pinot noir, chardonnay, and cider. The mascot there is a well-fed pig named Pinot, and kids are encouraged to toss apples to him over the fence. End the day at Narawntapu National Park for a picnic and bubbles overlooking Badger Head and the Bass Strait.

If you’re looking for accommodations that are more geared toward longer-term or family stays, check out Pan Pacific Mountainside. All 121 rooms include fully equipped kitchens—perfect for longer visits when you’ll need to cook the occasional meal for yourself. Suite sizes range from studios to two bedrooms, meaning there’s plenty of space to bring along the kids or travel in groups.

In a city with a taco shop on nearly every corner, Salud stands out for its Chicano-inspired food and decor: According to owner Ernie Becerra, the tacos served here are not traditionally Mexican. The signature Barrio is served on a tortilla made of flour instead of corn, and its filling (stewed beef topped with nopal, beans, and sour cream) is a take on a popular dish in Southern California’s Mexican community. In the dining room, a tattoo mural and a car hood mounted on the wall nod to the lowrider lifestyle Chicano kids grow up idealizing.

This Upper East Side legend opened its doors in 1930 and, since then, has offered big-city accommodations to a legion of luminaries, from John F. Kennedy and Ingrid Bergman to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The hotel’s famed restaurant Café Carlyle is where much of the action—and longstanding history—exists, having consistently hosted top talent like Woody Allen, Alan Cumming, and Rita Wilson since opening in 1955.