Search results for

A clifftop eco-hotel surrounded by 50 barely touched acres on the bucolic North Kohala coast, Hawaii Island Retreat feels as far away as it gets. There are no TVs in the guest rooms, no air-con, and Wi-Fi only in certain spots. Solar and wind power provide all the electricity, while much of the fruit and vegetables are grown right on the property. Resident goats and bees supply the cheese and honey. The inn has 20 simply-furnished bedrooms in the main house, overlooking groves of cedar and pine trees, plus seven yurts a stone’s throw away, so it’s possible—likely even—that a guest might spend days here and rarely see another soul. The owners, a local spa therapist and natural healer and her physician husband, opened the property in 2009 with the express purpose of creating a wellness-focused retreat, which is why guests can sign up for classes in yoga, tai chi, and meditation, as well as facials and massages. Outdoor massage tables, placed under a tent, overlook a deep green valley. There’s also a mediation rock. So health-minded is this little retreat that it’s become a popular spot for guests recovering from serious illness or simply in search of a detox. Various packages have a wellness or spiritual theme.

Opened in 2011 in a historic brownstone, Vedge is widely considered one of the best vegan restaurants in America. Even such veganism-averse food critics as Alan Richman have sung its praises, and chef Rich Landau and his wife, Kate Jacoby, the pastry chef at Vedge, have both been nominated for James Beard awards. Landau works with ingredients that traditionally send carnivores running (tofu, seitan), but inventive dishes—such as salt-roasted beets layered with avocado, smoked tofu, and pickle mustard, a play on pastrami on rye—upend their hippie-dippie reputation. Save room for dessert: Jacoby’s creations, such as caramel-and-pecan-topped NOLA mud pie, have their own cult following.

Sacsayhuaman is an impressive Inca fortress on a steep hill that overlooks all of Cusco. The ruins are humongous, but archeologists believe that the original site was as much as four times larger. What remains today are the impressive outer walls constructed in a zigzag formation across three levels. As with many Inca sites, the walls are made from massive, irregularly-shaped boulders that stick together like a jigsaw puzzle without any additional support. The stones are laid together so tightly that a sheet of paper will not fit into many of the cracks. As the night comes down, this is a perfect location to appreciate the stars.

Moorings Village has a setting out of an island fantasy, stretched along one of the largest private beaches in the Keys, with more than 1,000 coconut palms shading its 18 guest villas. After a direct hit from Hurricane Irma, the resort reopened in January 2018 with 100 newly planted coconut trees, a new picturesque dock, and a refurbished swimming pool—while still maintaining its eclectic design and luxurious feel. The individually styled villas—each with a wraparound veranda—have kitchens, living and dining spaces, and a selection of artwork collected during resort owner Hubert Baudoin’s travels. Ocean activities rule the day here (unless you’re lolling in a hammock) and the property offers complimentary kayaks, paddleboards, and bikes, in addition to coordinating excursions like scuba diving, kitesurfing, sailing, and fishing. And because the resort takes up both sides of the Key of Islamorada, guests can catch the sunrise and then witness sunset while dining at either Pierre’s (an upscale spot with French fusion cuisine) or the Beach Café (a casual bistro serving Caribbean-American food). Pro tip: Book your visit to coincide with the full moon to attend the Mooring’s monthly beach party for live music, fireworks, and bonfires on the beach.

Visitors take their best Chicago photographs in front of the iconic Millennium Park sculpture called Cloud Gate (known colloquially as the Bean, for its shape). Conceived by British artist Anish Kapoor and constructed from 168 stainless steel plates with no visible seams, the polished surfaces of this 33-foot-tall sculpture reflect infinite variations of the Chicago skyline. The work’s design was chosen from among more than 30 others commissioned by the city, and it was inspired by liquid mercury.

The JP Morgan Library’s grand, old-world elegance immediately transports you to turn-of-the-century New York. And at that time, there was almost no one more powerful than financier JP Morgan. He launched U.S. Steel and even served as the unofficial central bank of the U.S. for a time. Though some considered him a national hero, his tight control of banks, corporations and railroads led others to label him one of the original “robber barons.” Morgan was an avid collector of art and books with holdings so vast they were housed at multiple locations in New York and England. Eventually, he decided to consolidate his holdings in a huge library next to his mansion in NYC. Designed by renowned architect Charles McKim and completed in 1906, the Italian Renaissance palazzo-style library holds a staggering collection of illuminated books, historical manuscripts, and old master drawings. The library is rightfully considered McKim’s masterpiece—a majestic, soaring space which is both intimate and warm. It features 30-foot ceilings, three tiers of bronze and walnut bookcases, stained glass, a huge marble fireplace and grand tapestries. Also visit Mr. Morgan’s study, with its red silk damask walls and antique wooden ceiling brought over from Florence. The library is off the typical tourist’s radar. Imagine yourself as Morgan in your private quarters, reveling in the power and wealth at your command.

The Habsburgs were, generally speaking, lovers of art and many of the works of the Kunsthistorisches Museum come from their collections. While the grandiose interior alone may be reason enough to visit, the collections here are outstanding. The Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection, Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities and Coin Library are just a few of the collections to get lost inside. The Picture Gallery includes works by Albrecht Dürer, Jan van Eyck, Pieter Brueghel the Elder and Peter Paul Rubens.

In the shadow of El Yunque, The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort is situated on 486 acres of former coconut plantation and native maritime forest. There are still plenty of palms here, but now the flora also includes all manner of tropical flowers and trees, positioned around numerous trails for walking, running, and biking. Families love the resort for its many amenities, from four tennis courts and a Robert Trent Jones Jr.-branded golf course to a luxurious spa and state-of-the-art fitness center. A new partnership with Aquavento Water Sports provides equipment for everything from kayaking and paddle-boarding to fishing and sailing on nearby lakes, while the Soul of Bahia program gives guests the opportunity to volunteer with a rescue organization for local cats and dogs or help maintain a turtle sanctuary during hatching season. Still, the most popular activity might just be lounging at the pool or on the two-mile-long golden beach.

Part of a $60 million renovation following Hurricane Maria, the hotel now features a design by celebrated Puerto Rican designer Nono Maldonado and San Francisco-based firm Hirsch Bedner Associates. The plantation-style dark woods and warm browns have been swapped out for more modern, sea-inspired colors, and the 139 rooms have a chic, residential feel, with sprawling bathrooms, private terraces, and glass bar cabinets that can be stocked to your personal tastes by a 24-hour butler. Occupying a two-story building overlooking the ocean, the Casa Grande lobby is the place to go to experience the hotel’s daily Champagne sabering ritual, enjoy live music from a Steinway piano, admire the mural over the St. Regis Bar, or enjoy Greek-inspired fare at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Paros. The poolside restaurant and beach shack have also been redone to ensure uninterrupted views over the water.

It’s a crime not to order a cocktail (boozy or virgin) at Spago’s terrace bar, situated next to the famous infinity pool on Marina Bay Sands’ breezy veranda. The drink menu is just as beautifully curated as the decor, featuring more than a dozen original cocktails, over 600 bottles of wine, and an extensive champagne list. Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck put together the selection of bar bites, including Spago L.A. originals like the bigeye tuna tartare cones. For a full dinner menu in an even more refined setting, book a table in Spago’s glassed-in formal dining room to enjoy dishes like chirashi sushi from the legendary Tsukiji Market and pan-roasted snapper laksa.

The close-in neighborhood called Colonia Roma was first developed at the dawn of the 20th century as a high-end suburb laid out along tree-lined boulevards and plazas. Prominent families erected elaborate residences in architectural styles ranging from neoclassical to art nouveau and even neo-Moorish. A century later—despite some ups and downs—the district is at a peak as one of Mexico City’s most fashionable areas, and old mansions now serve as retail spaces or smart dining rooms that open out onto the street, day and night, in that marvelous dolce vita way. Stroll the quarter’s main drag, Álvaro Obregón, afternoons and evenings, for a complete sampling of its urban pleasures; shopaholics with an eye for edgy design won’t want to miss the whimsical boutiques that line adjacent Cerrada Colima. Deeper dives into side streets and nearby plazas turn up even more surprises when you’re ready for a walkabout.

With the June 2017 opening of Bisate Lodge, Wilderness Safaris will bring its brand of conservation-minded luxury to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, one of the only places in the world to see mountain gorillas in the wild. Set on 67 acres of private land, six forest villas and 12 rooms will feature Rwandan-style spherical thatched structures and handmade patterned fabrics. They’re set in an eroded volcanic cone, a natural amphitheater surrounded by a rich hagenia forest and massive stands of bamboo. Bisate is Wilderness’s biggest conservation project to date: The lodge is partnering with more than 100 area farm owners to rehabilitate gorilla habitats.

Originally built to serve the area’s fish canneries, the Historic Requa Inn, at the base of the Klamath River, is one of the few small hotels right near Redwood National and State Parks. You can come for dinner even if you’re not staying at the inn, which is run by a local family. They offer a prix fixe menu Wednesdays through Sundays from April 1 to October 31. The only seating is at 7 p.m., and what you get is a communal, family-style meal: A small group of people sits around a table and shares a selection of seasonal Californian dishes, which are all crafted using ingredients sourced from a nearby organic farm. (Think of it as having dinner with your family, just tastier.) Make a reservation ahead of time, since spots are limited. Visitors can also pick up a picnic lunch here if they order one 24 hours in advance. Although an old establishment, it’s well-kept; guests will find there is no TV or phone in their room, which provides the perfect excuse to sit outside and enjoy the water going by.

All those Willamette Valley pinot noirs you’ve heard about? This is the wine shop in Portland where you’ll find many of them. Fresh off a move in 2016 to a former brasserie, Park Avenue Wines now covers 8,500 square feet of space and includes a wine bar called Bardot, storage for your wine (wine lockers!), and plenty of room for evening tasting events. Northwest wine aficionados will want to join one of the wine clubs, one of which focuses solely on wines from the region. As a place to start an education about the wines from the Willamette Valley and environs, it’s hard to beat.

The tiny Flaming Buoy Filet Co. is located down a residential street (walk or come by cab—you won’t find parking), so it feels removed from the crowds along Duval Street. From the simple menu, popular items include the appetizer trio plate (small servings of lobster macaroni and cheese, grilled shrimp with spicy lime chutney, and a caprese salad) and any of the fish specials. A lot of regulars choose the lobster macaroni and cheese as an entrée, too. Dine outside on a porch strung with twinkling lights, or opt for inside the mellow and air-conditioned dining room or at the bar. Reservations are strongly recommended, even in the off-season.

In the 14th district of Paris are the Catacombs, also known as the underground ossuary (or l’Ossuaire Municipal) where 6 million skeletons are stacked in an orderly fashion and date back several centuries ago. This was done because Paris cemeteries were running out of space while the city itself was expanding, thus it was agreed to move each cemetery’s collection of skeletons underground.


It is an eerie place to visit and I wouldn’t recommend it is for the faint of heart. Still, not a sight to miss. People like Charles 10, François the 1st (Emperor of Austria), Napoleon III and his son all took a stroll through the long and ominous halls of the Catacombs to pay a visit. It really is a sight like no other, and is great to visit if you’ve already seen all the main tourist sites, or even a rainy afternoon to escape dreary weather.


It was interesting to discover the cause of death by looking at some of these skulls. In this particular picture I captured a skull which did not die of a natural cause. It had a perfect circle in the left cheek, indicating a gunshot wound. It was a scary discovery, but I felt compelled to photograph it.

Tickets are either 8 Euros full price, 4 Euros for youth tickets (age 14-26), and free 13 and under.



Learn more about the history of the Paris Catacombs in this article.