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Upon reading up about Hokkaido, one of the popular “must tries” listed by fellow travelers was the age-imo, deep fried potato. Wondering what the fuss was all about, I had to try this. Living in Asia, we are quite familiar with deep fried sweet potatoes, so we were expecting something like that, but we were surprised to see that age-imo is actually made with regular potatoes, a popular produce of Hokkaido, much the same way the Americans consider the Idaho potato :-) Age-imo is usually sold in 3’s like the one in the photo. Upon biting into it, you’ll get a taste of that soft steaming hot potato inside. The batter tastes a lot like the hotdog on a stick batter :-) I think these are also sold in some of the outdoor food trucks but the one in the Nakayama Mountain Pass rest stop has been popularly mentioned. So if you’re on your way out of Sapporo to the Southwestern part of Hokkaido, you’ll most probably pass by Highway 230, and Nakayama Mountain Pass rest stop is just about an hour from Sapporo city center. You can also buy soft ice cream here. Be sure to try a special flavor like orange or melon. It is actually quite nice to eat ice cream in winter :-) There is a souvenir shop which sells all sorts of Hokkaido products. Get a cream puff, or buy a pack of those wonderful light and crisp Hokkaido cookies. Nakayama Mountain Pass is also where you can get great views of the famous Ezo Fuji (Mt Yotei) so be sure to get your cameras ready.

Houston‘s beer scene has commanded national attention for years thanks to its quality craft brews, and there’s no better place to sample some than at Saint Arnold Brewing Company. Founded in the mid-1990s, it has the esteemed title of being the oldest craft brewery in Texas. Monday through Friday the beer hall is open from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; there’s no charge for admission and brewery tours are offered at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. On Saturdays, the beer hall is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and admission is $10, which includes a souvenir glass and four 8 oz. tastings; tours are held at noon, 1 p.m., and 2 p.m. One lesser-known secret about the beer hall? It serves up excellent à la carte food, too.

Why we love it: Atelier Ace’s first luxury property in New Orleans, with antiques and other unique design details to lust after

The Highlights:
- The guests-only library bar, hidden behind a bookcase at Bar Marilou
- Colorful marble floors in the bathrooms
- High-end service, but plenty of privacy when you want it

The Review:
Atelier Ace partnered with Pamela Shamshiri of L.A.-based Studio Shamshiri to design this 67-room property, which opened in April 2019 in an old City Hall annex in the Central Business District. Shamshiri decorated the distinctive guest house with a mix of antiques she collected from around the world, plus custom art and design elements like colorful marble floors, French wallpaper, and vintage-inspired glass light fixtures. Keep an eye out for a reoccurring snake motif throughout the hotel, from sculptural snake shower-door handles in the bathrooms to cobra lamps in the hallways and slithering ceramic elements in the fireplace of the lobby lounge. It’s a little bit Garden of Eden with a hint of the occult, making you feel as if you’ve checked into the private home of an elderly socialite—maybe Iris Apfel—that’s filled to the brim with fabulous souvenirs from her worldly travels over the years.

Maison de Luz is located just across the street from the Ace Hotel New Orleans and guests are encouraged to pop over to the sister property to enjoy the rooftop pool or grab a crawfish roll at Seaworthy. Back at Maison, however, the common areas—including a hidden library bar—are just for overnight guests, creating the feeling of a calm refuge within the city.

On the gorgeous island of Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands there is a beach at Devil’s Bay where huge boulders line the edge of the sand and spill out into the turquoise sea.

Natural tidal pools, arches, grottos and tunnels are formed by the granite boulders.

Since 1990 this beach area has been known as a BVI National Park. The entrance fee is $3.

Swimming, snorkeling, and climbing and slipping through the boulders are popular pastimes at the Baths making it a top tourist attraction on the island. The Top of the Baths is an excellent restaurant with stunning views where I had lunch. There is also a beautiful pool up there. Gift shops offer souvenirs.

At the bottom of the path there is a cafe. I walked through the boulders and had a sense of peace. It was so quiet.

There were some slippery spots and some areas where I had to use care when sliding through the path. The water rushed through a couple of times and I saw the tide was coming in. Luckily, I had come out of the path and onto a stunning white sand beach where I swam in the clear warm waters. I didn’t want to leave this little bit of paradise but it was getting late so I had to pack it in for the day.

The Baths National Park was an attraction that lived up to its reputation. I would recommend the Baths of Virgin Gorda. Wear a bathing suit and bring an underwater camera. Just watch the tides if you don’t want to get tossed around.

With two shops very well located in two of the most visited neighborhoods, one at Chiado and the other at Bairro Alto, Bairro Arte sells crafts and design pieces created by young artists. Many of the pieces are connected to Lisbon in some way, for example a painting of Tram 28. But Bairro Arte is also a gallery, presenting contemporary art exhibitions, with paintings, photography, and sculptures that are sold at reasonable prices.

A tour of CNN Center offers a fascinating look at what it takes to run the 24-hour news cycle. At the world headquarters, founded by media icon Ted Turner in 1980, guests can tour the actual news desks and see a replica of the famed green screen. If you’re lucky, you might also witness the filming of segments for shows like HLN Morning Express and Headline News, which are based here.

The Rossio railway station was designed between 1886 and 1887 by Portuguese architect José Luís Monteiro. It makes connections with the village of Sintra, and the 2,600-meter tunnel was excavated under the city. It is considered one of 19th-century Portugal’s most important works of engineering. It has a beautiful Neo-Manueline façade, where two intertwined horseshoe portals stand at the entrance, a clock sits in a small turret, and the sculptural decoration is abundant. Inside you can now find a Starbucks, Lisbon Destination Hostel, and a souvenir shop.

This former industrial site is a one-stop shopping spot for last-minute souvenirs. Weave in and out of the countless alleys and stalls; among the art galleries, toy shops, crafts stores, farmers market and waterfront restaurants, you’re likely to find something tasty to sample or so unique that you have to bring it home.

Housed in a Victorian home in the center of town, Explore Booksellers is an Aspen institution. Inside, books on business, history, art, travel, and more are crammed into every corner, with an entire room dedicated to children’s literature. The shop also stocks numerous regional titles as well as cards, journals, and gifts and regularly hosts events with local and visiting authors. When you’ve finished shopping, grab lunch on the second floor, where Pyramid Bistro serves healthy, veggie-forward fare.

Dilli Haat is an open-air market with 62 stalls that features both permanent and transitional vendors, allowing original items to be introduced regularly. The space, designed to resemble a traditional village market, was created to showcase products from across India. There is an application process to determine the temporary vendors who generally stay for 15 days. Items include textiles, crafts, clothing, shoes, beads, gems, and art, as well as a food court with specialty items from across the country. The small entrance fee and gated exterior keep unwanted panhandlers at bay, allowing for a leisurely shopping experience. Though prices are reasonable, bargaining is still encouraged. Dilli Haat is a favorite jaunt for locals and tourists, adding to the diversity of the experience.

Nazare, a colorful fishing village, is about 1 hour north of Fatima in Portugal. It is famous for its fishing boats and traditional clothing of its men and women. The boats are gaily painted with upturned prows as they have been since the days of the Phoenicians. The men wear plaid shirts and long stocking caps in which they keep their cigarettes. The women wear the many colored skirts, shirts, vest, and 7 petticoats. The ladies sit outside their homes and entice you to rent their rooms, or they sit under umbrellas on the beach and chat as their salted fish stretched on wooden racks, dry in the sun. Some fishermen sit on the beach and mend their nets, others are out on the sea fishing. Before 1986, the fishing boats were hauled up on the beach by oxen. Today there is a large marina around the corner so you won’t get to see this ancient ritual. But Nazare is still old Portugal. It is charming . The beach and water are very clean and the waves can be a challenge. Surfers love this area with its huge waves. In January, 2013, a Hawaiian surfer rode a 100' wave off the coast of Nazare and broke a record. There are many shops and cafes in the town. Pick up a straw hat or a souvenir doll with her seven petticoats. Enjoy lunch at one of the great seafood restaurants. The choices are consistently fresh and well-prepared. Nazare is a must see for anyone traveling in Portugal. You can take a tour or drive if you have a car. However you get there, you will have a great time.

Known for being a bit boisterous and rowdy, Little India has a distinct personality from the rest of Singapore. It can start to feel a few degrees hotter than the rest of the city as you dodge shoppers, temple goers, and trinket sellers on Serangoon Road. The crowds and pungent smell of flowers, curries, and frying prata excite and assault the senses. The sidewalks are taken up by racks of DVDs, cases filled with phone cards, carts selling garlands of fresh flowers, and men working at sewing machines. It’s a uniquely South Asian crush of color and hum of activity. If you head there on a Sunday—the day most Indian and Bangladeshi construction workers have off—the streets might be even more crowded than usual.

An hour’s cross-island drive takes you to Kalinago Territory, officially established in 1903 as the Caribbean’s only autonomous enclave for indigenous people. The settlement covers six square miles, and many of its 3,000 inhabitants live in traditional wooden huts. Guests are welcome at a model village, where they can watch dance performances and shop for reed baskets and other crafts.

Uturoa’s local town market, which opens at sunrise daily (but only stays open for a few hours on Sundays), offers a selection of hand-crafted souvenirs and pareus on its upper level as well as a vast selection of Raiatea’s freshest seafood and produce—which make for curiously colorful photo ops—on the main level. It really bustles on Wednesdays and Fridays.

On the square in front of Santa Marta’s cathedral and in the streets surrounding it, sidewalk vendors and stores sell handicrafts and traditional clothing, leather products, jewelry and other souvenirs. If you’re looking for a more substantial keepsake of your time in Santa Marta, there are also a number of antique shops in the neighborhood.