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It is really hard to walk past a cute bakery like Ovenly without going in. Pretty decor plus shelves and glass jars filled with homemade treats just catch my curiosity everytime. Plus, there is something very comforting about biting into a scone with a just-right crust or a gooey cookie with a hint of salty and sweet. So imagine my delight when I discovered Ovenly, on a quiet, industrial street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. I tried a Cheddar Mustard Scone baked with locally-made wholegrain mustard and sharp cheddar, a Chocolate Truffle Cookie enhanced with sea salt, and Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies. Next time I’ll be sure to try the Apricot Thyme Scone, Black Caraway Bread, and Spicy Bacon Caramel Popcorn, which sounds so wrong it must be right. Ovenly was just named Best New Bakery by Time Out New York. Owner/bakers Agatha Kulaga and Erin Patinkin are young Brooklynites who infuse their treats with traditions from their Eastern European backgrounds. Grab some pastries, then stroll around the other independently owned boutiques and cafes in downtown Greenpoint.

Maison Dandoy has been baking delicious treats in Brussels since 1829 and you’ll find their famous shops scattered around Brussels. Step inside, and you’ll be greeted by the sights and smells of crunchy biscuits (cookies) looking much as they have since the shop began. The beautiful packaging makes Dandoy cookies a great gift (even if it is for yourself). Be sure to try the traditional Speculaas (or Speculoos); a spicy, crunchy gingerbread cookie, popular throughout the lowlands. While the Dandoy shops can be found all over, only one is home to the Dandoy tearoom. In my opinion, it is well worth seeking out for arguably the best waffles in Belgium. There are two types of waffle here—Bruxelles (Brussels); rectangular and flaky and Liege; rounded and baked with sticky sugar. How best to eat a waffle in Belgium is hotly contested. Locals swear waffles should be topping-free. I however am a sucker for the stewed cherries and vanilla ice-cream. However you order yours, just don’t ask for a “Belgium Waffle.”

Two things you need to know about gondola rides in Venice: They’re worth it; and the price is agreed beforehand. Knowing those two things, you can happily hop aboard this traditional Venetian mode of transport and relax, because, touristy as it is, it’s not a rip-off, and it’s a must-have experience. You can pick up a gondola almost anywhere in Venice, and you can see whatever sights you want from one... My own recommendation is to head away from the Grand Canal to the quiet backwater canals where you can really imagine yourself centuries back in time. We engaged our gondolier at the station near Rialto Mercato and asked him to take us across to Cannaregio, a more residential area that still boasts some extraordinary palazzi and churches. We barely met another boat, apart from the odd Venetian getting himself home on his motor launch, and unexpected delights loomed upon us silently and suddenly, like Marco Polo’s house, or the Chiesa dei Miracoli. All in all, much better than joining the heavy gondola traffic in San Marco.

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!

Karlsplatz, the city center nicknamed Stachus after a pub Beim Stachus, is home to local life and history, making it the perfect place to start exploring Munich. Around this central hub you’ll find that farmers’ markets, historical interest points, and traditional life come together for a wonderful mix in Bavaria’s largest city. When one thinks of Munich, Octoberfest is usually the first thing that comes to mind, and while it is an amazing event, Munich offers much more.

If you love textiles as much as I do, you’ll love Guatemala. Everywhere I looked, there were beautiful embroidered as well as woven fabrics. I came home with more than my fair share! If you go to Guatemala and you find yourself in Antigua, consider taking a short trip to the nearby village of Santiago Zamora. There, you will find an enterprising group of village women who have formed a cooperative to sell the traditional Guatemalan handicrafts that they make themselves and these include textiles woven on simple backstrap looms. The village girls contribute as well, making small stuffed animals from the fabrics woven by the older women. The money from the sales of the handicrafts goes directly back into the village, primarily for the welfare and education of the children but also for the overall benefit of the village. You do have to pay a bit more by buying from the women in Santiago Zamora but it does go to a good cause and you will return home not only with a beautiful textile but with some priceless memories as well.

The Dubai Spice Souk is a traditional market located in Deira, near the famed Gold Souk. It’s easy to overlook the Spice Souk if you’re not looking carefully; tucked into alleyways off of Baniyas Street, the souk is small, but manages to pack a pungent punch. If you plan on purchasing spices – from cardamon to cumin to turmeric to nutmeg, and everything in between – be prepared to haggle. A good rule of thumb is to cut the vendor’s opening salvo in half, and then barter upwards from there until you reach a number you’re both comfortable with.

To visit Mwanza is to head off the traditional tourist trail of Tanzania. Here, on the coast of Lake Victoria, commercial ships fish for Nile perch and sardines that will be sold across Africa; every year Tanzanians flock to Mwanza for work opportunities. Explore this thriving and interesting city with a stop at the Mwaloni fish market (where you’ll also find produce brought in from villages around the lake) and take in the pretty views of Lake Victoria. Bismarck Rock, a tall boulder balancing atop a jumble of rocks out in the lake, can be visited en route to the ferry terminal. Ferries carry passengers across the lake to Bukoba and points along the shore. From Mwanza, it’s also possible to hop a train across the country to Dar es Salaam, but be warned—it’s regularly delayed for as many as 12 hours.

There is nowhere else in Bangkok quite like the Siam Hotel. For starters, it’s owned and run by a Thai rock star, Kamala Sukusol, and her son Krissada. The boutique property includes mid-century timber buildings built by the legendary silk baron Jim Thompson, as well as open and modern structures, with a focus on harmony and comfort, designed by one of Asia’s best-known architects, Bill Bensley. But beyond the glamorous background, it’s the design of the Siam that makes it stand out the most. There’s a 1920s jazz theme mixed in with some Asian colonial flair; the result—with lots of open spaces, natural light, antiques, potted plants, and a black-and-white palette—is simply beguiling. The views of the river here lack temples or interesting landmarks, but it’s a lazy spot to watch boats go by, which adds to the relaxing atmosphere. Service is personalized and extremely professional, as you’d expect from a property of this caliber. In all, this is the closest thing one can find to a resort in Bangkok, and it is one of the most stylish accommodation choices to boot.

Still in use today, the Ifugao Rice Terraces were carved into the hillsides of Ifugao Province by hand some 2,000 years ago, and are fed by an elaborate irrigation system that captures water from the forests above. While many people explore this famed landscape from the town of Banaue, the Banaue Rice Terraces cluster here isn’t technically part of the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras UNESCO World Heritage site. These terraces are, however, designated a National Cultural Treasure by the Philippine government and are undeniably spectacular. But probably the most impressive of all the terraces are at Batad, a tiny, remote village in the municipality of Banaue that is only accessible by foot. Thanks to their pristine condition, these terraces—along with four other clusters—are included in the UNESCO inscription. The reward for your hike up is a panorama of a kind of enormous amphitheater where each level is actually a rice paddy and where the village of Batad takes the place of the central stage at its base. Maximize your experience by staying in one of the indigenous huts and wake up to a view of the terraces before you even get out of your cot.

This two-level Cantonese palace—connected by an escalator—is lined with tanks of live fish, crustaceans, and bivalves, which the staff will stir-fry, steam, salt-and-pepper, and douse in XO sauce to your heart’s delight. There are many reasons the Chinatown establishment is beloved among in-the-know locals and hospitality veterans, and they extend from the warm, welcoming service all the way through the exquisite live abalone sashimi, mud crab hot pot, and private reserve range of wines. For a Chinese food adventure, arrive late (this place is open until 4 a.m.) and order straight from the live tanks. At least, that’s what the rock stars, politicians, and CBD chefs just getting off work do.

This sleek outdoor mall sits in the lavish neighborhood of Puerto Cancún, known for its marinas, golf course, and luxury homes. The shopping center features international brands like Zara and Sephora, along with a stylish, upscale food court featuring its own bar, views of the marina, and cuisine from all over the globe (think Thai fusion, raw bar, gourmet burgers, French bistro, sushi). For entertainment, the expansive Cinépolis movie theater has a VIP section with cozy recliners and table service right to your theater seat. Though designed for tourists, the theater is popular with local crowds, as well, thanks to its convenient location between the Hotel Zone and downtown. On weekends you can catch performances throughout the mall, including live music and acrobatic shows.

Located in a former mansion, this interactive museum is full of ancient artifacts. Culled from three distinct periods of indigenous history, the collection includes more than 10,000 pieces from Pre-Ceramic (2500 B.C.E.–1000 C.E.), Ceramic (900–1515), and History Cultural (1515–1880) times. Visitors will find shell and stone tools, decorative items, and food vessels, along with vestiges of Aruba’s gold rush. Of particular note is a limestone family burial cave, which, at 4,000 years old, is one of the most ancient pieces in the museum. With its Dutch Colonial architectural details, the building itself is also worth admiring. Note: The museum is closed on Mondays.

Bold. Innovative. The food of modern Jerusalem bang in the middle of Soho. Customers sit along the long, chrome bar chatting with the chefs in the open kitchen. Pots clank and cocktail shakers keep time with the funky soundtrack as customers line up outside the door. Palomar’s small plate menu is a fusion of flavors from North Africa, Southern Spain and the Levant. Thankfully, sharing plates is encouraged so you can sample a little bit of almost everything, but don’t leave without trying the Polenta Jerusalem! Make sure to book ahead. There is a small dining room if sitting at a bar isn’t your thing. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself on your phone, booking another table before the bill arrives.

This superb beach on the island’s northwest shore is accessible only by water. It’s easy to find a boat; they depart frequently from Porto Vromi, Ágios Nikólaos, Cape Skinari and Zákinthos Town. At Navagio, sheer limestone cliffs cradle sugar-white sands and an azure bay. As for the shipwreck that gave the cove its nickname, the story goes that a freighter smuggling cigarettes, wine and women ran aground here in 1981 while fleeing the Greek navy. The ship’s remains can still be seen in the dunes. Note that this secluded spot has no facilities, so bring your own food and drink—as well as a sun umbrella because the beach heats up dramatically by midday.