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There’s a little bar area south of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, two blocks east of the Westin. The bar scene in Xi’an isn’t as boisterous, by Western standards, as in other cities. That being said, if you’re in the area and want a beer, this is a good place. There’s the Lan Kwai Fong bar, Emi Club, and the Blue Lotus to try, and lots of outdoors vendors and street food help make for a fun night.

Sound Table is a true food and beverage bar, rewarding members of the industry every Tuesday night with dinner and drink specials. For the rest of the working masses, the Sound Table is focused on cocktails and its award winning bar program with accompanying food menu. All drinks are sorted by flavor profile, whether you prefer sours and citrus or bright and dry.

Taking a nighttime stroll through Brooklyn, retracing George Washington’s footsteps as he was engaging British forces in Brooklyn and Long Island who went on to invade New York City in the summer of 1776 during the American Revolution (I love a good dose of American history). I paused for a moment to admire the ingenuity and design of the Brooklyn Bridge as well as the Manhattan skyline. Then I found myself humming Alicia Keys’ “Empire State of Mind.”

The open-kitchen, low-key vibe at El Mercado is Rafael Osterling’s take on the traditional cevichería, but he offers some modern twists guaranteed to keep taste buds active and delighted. The restaurant’s name—Spanish for “The Market”—alludes to a commitment to constant communication with providers, ensuring that only the freshest ingredients make it to your table. Though El Mercado is justly hailed for ceviche, there is much more on the menu, including a wide variety of tiraditos, causas, sushi, grilled meat and fish, chaufa (fried rice), pastas, and Osterling’s rendition of other Peruvian comfort foods. Along with cuisine grounded in what’s found at farmers’ markets, catch-of-the-day specials are wide-ranging and likely to be winners.

This 101-year-old building in the Financial District spent its first 59 years as the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. In 2003, the Hong Kong–based Langham Hospitality Group reopened the landmark building as a well-appointed hotel. The building still has its original brass Federal Reserve seal embedded in the marble floor of the hotel’s Italian restaurant, Grana. In the lobby, the banker’s box drawers line one of the walls, while the custom-designed carpets are inspired by the leaf motif found on dollar bills.

The 312 guest rooms, renovated in 2021, have a modern residential feel, with a blue and tan color scheme meant to evoke the shores of New England. Sprawling marble bathrooms have rain showers, while a wooden armoire hides a well-stocked mini bar. On the first floor of the hotel, visit the Fed, a moodily lit 1920s-style cocktail bar with a vault of rare spirits from around the world.

At this rooftop bar on the South Coast Highway, guests can pair breathtaking ocean views with well-made cocktails and delicious bites. There’s also nightly live music and plenty of high-def TVs throughout the space, making this the perfect place to party the night away or simply catch a game. Drinks range from craft beers and 22 wines by the glass to specialty cocktails like cucumber-jalapeño margaritas, while the food leans Southern, with options like gumbo, butter brisket, and jambalaya. Check the website before you go to see who’s playing that night; it could be anyone from a local DJ to a ’90s rock cover band.

No photograph can capture this extraordinary art space created by mural artist Isaiah Zagar down at the quiet end of South Street in Philadelphia’s Center City—you have to see it to believe it. It’s also not easy to describe: an alternate universe? A magical mosaic environment? A creative outsider’s brilliant vision? A terrarium of otherworldly folk-art delights? Decide for yourself when you take a self-guided tour of this one-of-a-kind, ever-expanding project. The site includes an immersive outdoor-art installation crafted from found objects and handpainted tiles, as well as indoor galleries. The opening hours vary due to occasional public and private events; make sure to check the online calendar.

In plain inner Alentejo, and just 3 kilometres away from Évora we can find a small and charming small hotel called “Casa do Governador”. Located inside a 20 ha property and just 500 meters away from the “Convento de Espinheiro”, the “Casa do Governador” was initially an enfermary and quarentene place for old Convent preasts. Over a century old and with a strong historical legacy, the “Casa do Governador” was, in 2012, the target of a profound remodelling process that originated the 7 welcoming bedrooms. The north wing, of a more traditional decoration and the south wing, brand new with a more contemporary and rustic decoration.

Australia is world-renowned for scuba diving, but you don’t have to go all the way to the Great Barrier Reef or Ningaloo. Most people don’t know there is plenty of good diving in and around Sydney, too. One of the best sites is Magic Point off the tip of Malabar Headland National Park south of Maroubra. There’s an extensive reef system and large caves that are home to weedy sea dragons, stingrays, and a recovering colony of grey nurse sharks (which by most accounts are harmless to humans). Local outfitters such as Frog Dive Scuba Centres can lead you there.

Artesanías de Chile is a joint effort between the Chilean government and over 2,000 artisans from north to south to support their craft with three stores in Santiago now: Bellavista, Moneda Government Palace, and SCL Airport. The pieces are unique and made with first class quality ranging from hand-thrown clay pots (greda), ornaments made with “crin de caballo” (horse tail), Mapuche earrings and weavings, alpaca shawls, and wooden bowls among others. Every sale directly supports the artisans along with government initiatives to train them in their craft. Bellavista 357, Bellavista Phone: 56 (2) 2235 2014

Miami Food Trucks serve a wide variety of street food: gourmet sandwiches, tacos, burgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese, falafel, pizza, ice cream, shaved ice, cupcakes, and so much more! The food trucks make their way around South Florida at various parks, parking lots and social events. You never know where the trucks could end up. On any given night after hopping from bar to bar, your favorite food truck could be parked right outside. All Miami food trucks cater and host private events. You can order online and view the schedule if you’re craving something special.

Northern Spain isn’t nearly as popular as the south among foreign visitors (if you discount the El Camino de Santiago), but for my money the north provides a more pleasurable experience. The mountainous terrain is spectacular, the food in every town we visited is splendid, the beer scene is surprisingly bubbly, and the quaint fishing villages, like quiet Comillas, provide respite from the hustle and bustle of big centers like Barca and Madrid. Comillas, scene here from the hills surrounding gorgeous Pontificial University, features an excellent beach, dozens of neat cafes in an ancient town center, and El Capricho, a building designed by famed Antoni Gaudí.

It can be extremely difficult to keep up with cool restaurant openings in NYC. My trick? I look for the lineups. On Soho’s edge, Jack’s Wife Freda had a buzz that caught my attention. When I returned, I was able to get a table solo at this packed boite. Duo Dean and Maya Jankelowitz (ex-Balthazar) make an inventive brunch menu stemming from Israeli and South African influences. I was in a Dr. Seuss mood and had the green shakshuka - yes, green eggs, no ham. I’m a fan of their housemade juices as well. Next time: rosewater waffles.

Hallerbos (Flemish) or Bois de Halle (French) is a beech forest just south of Brussels. It’s a popular spot for walking, cycling and horseback-riding. Every spring, for a few short weeks, the forest makes a magical transformation into a blue carpeted wonderland. Millions of tiny bluebell flowers bloom under the shade of the beech trees and people flock to the forest to catch a glimpse. Timing is everything, too soon and the bluebells aren’t out yet; too late and you’ve missed the show for another year. But that’s what makes seeing it so special.

Petroglyphs are always worth a stop. About 40 minutes north of Globe, on US 60/AZ 77, as the highway winds down through its hairpin curves to the bottom of the Salt River Canyon, stop at ‘Hieroglyphic Point.’ (It’ll be on your left.) This pull-off overlooking the river divides the San Carlos Apache Nation to the south from the White Mountain Apaches to the north. Keep your eyes open for the darker boulders strewn about: they’re covered with pre-columbian petroglyphs dating to centuries before the Apache ever called this area home...