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Marché d’Aligre is a very special place: Commerces de bouche (mouth businesses!) line up to sell their goods, an orchestra of voices calls out daily specials, and cheesemongers offer free samples. The market’s selection changes with the seasons. In summer, apricots from the Roussillon, figs from Toulouse, and bouquets of herbs from Provence spill from cases and perfume the air. As fall arrives, the butcher will display fresh game from the hunt, and there’s usually at least one stand where someone is shucking fresh oysters. After your visit here, your appetite will surely be piqued; happily the neighborhood is rich in restaurants that base their menus on what’s fresh at the market.

This steep hike is about eight miles out and back, but many are willing to make the trek because of the photo opportunity that waits near the summit. Potato Chip Rock is a sliver of granite that protrudes from a boulder. Since it’s sturdy enough to stand on, hikers often head to the edge and strike creative poses to post on Instagram. Located in Poway, the trailhead is 27 miles from downtown San Diego, but well worth the drive—the panoramic vista from the top offers a great perspective of San Diego County’s canyons and hilly topography. In addition to Potato Chip Rock, be sure to check out the other large boulders and rock formations that litter Mount Woodson.

The royal capital for more than 140 years during the 19th and 20th centuries, Hue is a not-to-be-missed stop on any itinerary in Vietnam. It was a political, religious, and cultural center for the Nguyen dynasty, the last to rule the country before Vietnam proclaimed itself a republic in 1945. The city, a UNESCO World Heritage site, features a dizzying array of tombs, pagodas, and monuments—but perhaps the most impressive, and certainly grandest, sight is its citadel. Surrounded by a moat and hefty stone walls, the citadel contains the Imperial City, with fortified ramparts, brightly painted pagodas and gateways, beautiful carved-stone dragons, and a palpable sense of the history that unfolded here.

Vesper Bar at The Cosmopolitan is our favorite spot for a serious Old Fashioned—or Elderfashioned, the house’s riff, which gets a dose of St. Germain.

Make the trek out to Shanghai Film Studio for two reasons: 1) to wander Shanghai’s Hollywood equivalent and stroll through the sets of some of China’s most famous films (such as “Lust, Caution”), and 2) to experience an older, preserved version of Shanghai, sans traffic and millions of pedestrians. Tip: Stop in for lunch at Talking Land Cafe for a chance at bumping into a famous film star. Ooh la la.

In spite of featuring in all the guide books, this Santo Spirito favourite has a loyal local following, and the place is always packed out with a mix of tourists and Florentines who line up for good value, homecooked food. I would recommend choosing the Tuscan specialities such as the hearty minestrone with rice and black cabbage and the oven-roast guinea fowl (‘faraona’). Homemade apple cake is a great way to finish.

At Cuisine de Provence, Barbara Schuerenberg offers memorable, hands-on cooking classes in her home kitchen overlooking Vaison-la-Romaine and Mont Ventoux. Students learn to prepare five or six typical Provençale dishes using fresh, seasonal produce from Vaison’s famous market, then enjoy the fruits of their labor during a lunch paired with regional wines. Held in English and open to all abilities, the 4.5-hour classes also include a complimentary apron and illustrated recipes, so you can re-create the flavors of Provence for your friends and family back home.

Situated along the bustling, tree-lined avenues of Gangnam, Hotel La Casa is a concept hotel created by one of Korea’s most popular lifestyle and furniture stores, Casa Mia. Known for clean lines and modern touches, the brand is the South Korean equivalent of Ikea. The welcoming lobby is decorated like a cozy study with book-lined walls, plush couches, and picture windows. The 61 rooms of Casa Mia’s flagship design hotel, which opened in 2011, look like pages of a catalog come to life. Rich wood, ample white space with pops of color, and kitschy decor items are meant to make guests feel right at home. Love your pillowcase, the bath towels, or the cute alarm clock next to your bed? The first three levels of the hotel are a massive Casa Mia retail store where guests can purchase items found in their rooms.

Las Vegas may be seated in the heart of the Desert Southwest, but there are still a few places to pluck apples from trees and choose the biggest pumpkins from right off the vine. Gilcrease Orchard is one of those places. The orchard is only open seasonally, but when it is open, people descend upon it in herds to get their hands on several varieties of apples, leafy greens, peaches, pears, plums and many row crops. Grab a gallon of the orchard’s famous apple cider if you decide to visit!

The Saguaro Scottsdale is among the handful of downtown Scottsdale hotels that embrace the urban Southwest vibe. Although it began life as a 1970s chain motel—evident in its blocky structure and the compactness of most rooms—this now-hip address has blossomed into the visual equivalent of desert wildflowers at the height of a wet spring. Especially striking against the desert tan that coats just about every other structure in Scottsdale, both outside and in, are a riot of colors that go beyond orange and purple and pink and yellow to such wildflower shades as California Poppy and Red Desert Globemallow. Just as vibrant is the Saguaro’s pool-party scene, aided, no doubt, by water temps chilled or heated as the season dictates. A complete redo of the Saguaro’s rooms in January 2017 gave them a modern Southwest vibe (think pastel-colored prints of cacti and desert-hued furnishings), but not so much that guests will be asking the concierge where to shop for cowboy boots (which would be Saba’s, just down the street, in Old Town).

In the tiny village of Hesdin-l’Abbé, not far from the bustling centre of Boulogne-Sur-Mer, you’ll find the Chateau Cléry. This 18th century Chateau was once the summer home of nobility, but now you can be treated like a royal at the Cléry Hotel. The Chateau has retained some of its period charm, particularly in the common areas. The rooms are modern and spacious with luxuriously large bathtubs. Guests can choose from saying in the chateau itself or one of the many cottages and out-buildings surrounding it. There is also a modern gym and spa facility on-site and the restaurant is so good, I’ve given it its own highlight! Take time to stroll through the kitchen garden and wooded parkland, say hello to the friendly ducks, and relax with a drink on the sunny lawn. For my full review and more photos: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/07/hotel-chateau-clery-boulogne-france/

Surrounded by bold artwork inside and magnificent ocean views outside, guests are never quite sure where to direct their gaze when they arrive at Ellerman House. A stay here is a bit like visiting an elegant and attentive friend, starting with the complimentary airport pickup straight through all the thoughtful, personalized touches (guests might find a bottle of their favorite vodka already stocked in their room). The hotel owner is a well-known aficionado of South African art, and his private collection graces the walls of the guestrooms and public spaces. True art fans should be sure to visit the on-site gallery to view masterpieces by Louis Maqhubela, Wayne Barker, and Angus Taylor. If it’s not occupied, also sneak a peek at the breathtaking wine gallery, which features a wall made of soil from the Cape Winelands and a spiral-shaped wine rack modeled after a corkscrew.

Sitting on the edge of a cliff, this luxuriously appointed hotel makes for one of the best spots in Cape Town for a sundowner. Have a cocktail on the terrace while watching the fiery African sun meet the tumultuous Atlantic waves.

Big baggy aloha shirts—that could double as canoe sails—goodbye. Instead head to this Chinatown boutique, featuring the sharp, tapered designs of the eponymous Roberta Oaks. She draws on her hippie, farmhouse childhood and mid-century modern Hawai‘ian flair to create prints, which she then combines with a more fitted and form-flattering modern silhouette. These fabrics also take a star turn on graceful day dresses and even doggie bandanas. Open since 2009, this alluring boutique goes beyond attire, selling jewelry, candles, surf photography, and scents like Sándalo (a moody meditation on the islands’ vulcanism with ash, patchouli, and Royal Hawai‘ian sandalwood).

For traditional Mexican handicrafts, Mercado Coral Negro is the easiest place to find all your wares. Here you can purchase jewelry, mayan relics, and unique creations from all over the region. The most beautiful items are the embroidered garments created from local cotton and dyed using traditional methods.

Georgia O’Keeffe called the grouping of weathered rock outcroppings near Abiquiu “The White Place” and immortalized it in paintings. The land is so arid, and so little changes in New Mexico, that the location and signature V shape have survived. A great hike, close to Abiquiu. Cowboys and Aliens was also shot nearby!