Search results for

This gem right off Bourbon Street is close to the action but far enough (and insulated enough) to make you feel like you can get away from the frenetic pace of the city’s most famous avenue at a moment’s notice. Guest rooms are well-appointed and comfy, with plantation-shuttered windows, plush beds and sleek bathrooms. Plus, every guest gets a voucher for a welcome drink in the hotel’s smoke-free bar, the Bourbon O. Be sure to catch live music there on Friday nights, as well as bartender Cheryl Charming, whom a local magazine named Mixologist of the Year in 2014. Back at the hotel, the Roux on Orleans restaurant can satisfy breakfast, lunch and dinner desires, and a heated saltwater pool makes lazing about in a lounge chair all day very, very easy. But if you want to be the ultimage envy of Bourbon Street revelers, make sure to reserve a balcony suite; it features a porch overlooking all the boozy revelry below and lets you party above the action.

With a bakery on every other corner in even the tiniest villages in Belgium, what makes one stand out more than another? The answer is threefold: hand selected organic ingredients; skills built on tradition, passed from generation to generation and, most of all, the passion to create the perfect loaf of bread. All three of these are present at the Boulangerie Legrand in Namur. Baker, Dominique Legrand, has been baking bread since he was 18, but the history of the Legrand Bakery runs much deeper. Six generations ago, in 1831, Dominique’s ancestors founded Boulangerie Legrand and little has changed since those days. Dominique and his wife, Angela, had a mission when they took over the Boulangerie Legrand and moved it to its current location in Namur. Their goal was simply to create the finest breads from the best ingredients they could find. This is the reason people drive all the way from Brussels and even as far as Northern France, just to buy their breads. Some of the grains come from as far away as Egypt and their natural fermentations take anywhere from 18 to 24 hours. These are live breads and we could taste the difference, as the flavours danced on our tongues. From deceptively simple baguettes to sweet brioches to rich loaves made of chestnut spelt, it was impossible to choose a favourite. More Information: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/08/boulangerie-legrand-namur-belgiums-bakery/

The magnificent avenue of oak trees that greets visitors at Boone Hall Plantation is, on its own, a Charleston must-see. After taking it in, guests can walk through the plantation mansion or take a driving tour of the grounds, which cover 738 acres. If the car feels too restrictive, opt instead for a garden tour, which highlights a collection of antique roses and a striking butterfly pavilion. Depending on the season, you can visit the U-Pick Fields to harvest your own strawberries or stock up on tomatoes and peaches at an adjacent farm stand. At Boone Hall’s Gullah Theater, historic reenactors recount the dark days of slavery and celebrate the African American culture that marked plantation life in centuries past. .

The Grand Place in Brussels is the magnificent main square in Brussels. The square is the main tourist attraction in Brussels and is surrounded by numerous cafes and shops. Most of the buildings were constructed in the late 17th century, although market activity in the square dates back to the 12th Century. It’s a great place to hang out, grab a coffee or a liege waffle, and people watch.

There’s a reason this is one of the most iconic spots along the Grand Canyon. Located on the Havasupai Indian Reservation and hidden deep within a 20-mile round-trip hike, Havasu Falls’ sparkling turquoise waters are a popular destination for seasoned hikers who come for the amazing views, rock climbing, and swimming. The hike to the falls and back is best enjoyed with a preplanned route and plenty of stops for rest, food, and water. Because tribe members of the Havasupai, which means “people of the blue-green waters,” maintain the trails and work to keep their land as unspoiled and pristine as possible, reservations for campsites are limited and day hikes and drones are not allowed.

Many who have not visited Arizona think that its saguaros grow in a Sahara-like setting...but the mountainous desert around Tucson hides many lush spots, like this riparian canyon on the NE edge of the city. Late fall paints the cottonwoods along the creek below cactus-studded slopes in Sabino Canyon. Hikers hike, runners run, and deer roam...

Tayrona National Natural Park has become such a popular destination during typical vacation periods that authorities have had to limit admission. But an off-season visit offers singular luxuries like miles of all-but-solitary beaches, jungle trails, and a unique way to observe a variety of monkeys and tropical birds in every brilliant hue. Tayrona can be experienced as a day trip from Santa Marta or as a several-night stay at one of the park’s accommodations. From the main entrance at Cañaveral (El Zaíno), visitors can take a leisurely hike to the ocean while a donkey handles the luggage; horses are also available for those who prefer not to walk. This same park entrance also leads directly to high-roofed, native-wood cabins known as ecohabs, a slightly fancier option for staying in the park.

New to the Isle of Harris, this is one of Scotland’s more promising distilleries to open in recent years. Here, five local men, trained from scratch in the art of distilling, are working hard to create a whisky of real provenance. You’ll have to wait a few more years to try The Hearach, but it’s made from the softest of Hebridean waters and aged in only the best bourbon barrels from carefully chosen Kentucky distillers, promising a dram with a signature Isle of Harris taste. In the meantime, visit the distillery to taste its popular gin (made with everything from traditional juniper berries to sea kelp) and tour its modern facilities, located right on the harbor in the town of Tarbert.

This place is an interesting blend. In the recent Danish tradition, it is a partnership between a number of different creative types. This time, those personalities happen to be design-oriented people from the food, interior design, and dinnerware design communities. This restaurant has focused completely on providing a rich, intensely rustic experience that embodies modern trends in both the New Nordic cuisine movement and Danish design. Recent offerings include flounder with fried chicken skin and sauce made from fermented asparagus and grilled lobster with juniper pancake and pointed cabbage. Photo: Höst.

Better known as MOHAI, this collection dives deep into local history, from the region’s maritime history to its tradition of technological innovation. Highlights include Boeing’s first commercial plane, the 1856 Petticoat Flag sewn by women during the Battle of Seattle, and the original Rainier Brewing Company neon R sign. Behind the stunning building—overlooking Lake Union—bob National Historic Landmark vessels: most notably the star of the 1934 MGM movie Tugboat Annie and the 1921 Virginia V, a steamer that opens its decks for balls, excursions, and trivia nights. The Center for Wooden Boats has displays and rents vessels on the neighboring docks (cwb.org).

You can’t miss the Parthenon, the majestic ruin towering above Athens. Originally painted in vivid hues, this feat of architecture, engineering, and artistry is still as awe-inspiring as it was almost 2,500 years ago. Le Corbusier, pioneer of modernism, called it the most “ruthlessly flawless” monument in the world. Hold on to your admission ticket: It’s valid for several other archaeological sites on the slopes surrounding the Acropolis, including the Agora and theater of Dionysus.

Shopping for unique crafts and other souvenirs is a trip highlight for many travelers, and this art collective, representing 70 local artists, is a special spot. Nordic imagery, such as the northern lights and winter landscapes, figures prominently in many of the works. You’re sure to find a one-of-a-kind gift here, from glass angels to handmade cups.

José Clemente Orozco, one of the “Tres Grandes” of Mexican muralists (along with Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros), is one of Guadalajara’s most famous sons and unlike another one, the architect Luis Barragán, many of Orozco’s most important works are in the city (at the Hospicio Cabanas, the University of Guadalajara, and other buildings). It may come as a surprise, then, that there is no museum dedicated to the painter and his works in his hometown. You might think, given its name, that the Casa Taller José Clemente Orozco would be it, but the house and studio was only used briefly by Orozco on visits to Guadalajara in the last three years of his life.

After his death, in 1951, his widow decided to turn it into a cultural center. There is only one work by Orozco on display in the building (La Buena Vida). Painted for the exclusive Turf Club, it shows a scene of festive debauchery, complete with scantily clad female dancers. Except for some perhaps veiled criticism, it shares little in common with Orozco’s more typical scenes of revolution. While the Casa Taller is not the place to go to learn about Orozco or see his works, it should be on your list if you want to see current works by contemporary Mexican and international artists. Its galleries regularly house temporary installations and shows by current artists following in Orozco’s footsteps by creating challenging socially engaged works. Admission is free.

Established in 1989, Injalak Arts is a locally owned organization that supports the artistic production of the traditional Kunwinjku people. Works range from paintings on paper and bark to didgeridoos—thought to have originated in this region—to baskets and grass pandanus floor mats. Much of the symbolism is inspired by ancient dreamtime stories and images from the nearby rock art galleries that were left like instructions from the Kunwinjku ancestors. Three tour companies currently have permission to visit the center and surrounding rock art sites.

Blackbird Caye Resort is the gateway to the stunning Belize Barrier Reef, but so much more than a stopgap hitching post for scuba nerds. Stretched across two miles of palm-fringed beach on the windward side of the Turneffe Atoll, Blackbird is set against a backdrop of more than 4,000 acres of untrammeled jungle, mangrove forests, sprawling lagoons, and migratory bird habitats. Many guests come to Blackbird to get under the water and at the reef – some of the best diving sites in Belize are a short five or ten minute boat ride from Blackbird’s dock – though this isolated island paradise has plenty to offer visitors looking to stretch their land legs. 18 ocean-view cabanas, each with its own private balcony and hammock, hold dominion over the Caribbean Sea. The Poolside Bar is a great place to unwind after a hot day in the sun, while the gallant High Tide Bar, with at least two feet in the sea at any one time, offers an excellent happy hour and complimentary snacks, including island fare like lion fish fingers, ceviche, conch fritters, and fried grouper. One of the top dive resorts in the world and a postcard-perfect island paradise, Blackbird is at once home away from home, and your own secluded hideaway. Photo Finish: Nikon D800 | 24-70mm f/2.8 lens | Aperture f/7.1 | ISO-640 | Shutter 1/30 sec.