Search results for

This unassuming two-story plaza has become a popular Friday- and Saturday-night hangout for 20- and 30-something locals. In addition to its shops, Plaza Paseo Cobá is home to several restaurants and bars with a trendy, bohemian vibe that’s far removed from the beach area’s bump and grind. Feast on artisanal Italian at indoor-outdoor Casa Sofia, or dance to live music at the Public Place.

There’s a lot that makes Shutters on the Beach special, starting with its location—it’s one of only two Santa Monica hotels right on the beach (the other is Mediterranean-inspired Casa del Mar, the sister property next door). Shutter’s waterfront spot gives it a palpable sense of place—especially when you’re sipping something sparkling in the hotel’s updated courtyard, listening to the waves or the Saturday brunch jazz ensemble. The design by White House decorator Michael S. Smith takes its cues from Cape Cod, with blue and white interiors and floor-to-ceiling shutters opening up to ocean views.


The 198 guest rooms and suites—many with balconies—and all feature sunken Jacuzzi tubs. In the summer, life revolves around the beach here, and an activity center is well-stocked with boogie boards, beach cruisers, and umbrellas. The pool is heated year-round, with curtained cabanas and superb guacamole served at the pool bar. Come winter, the main lounge is the beating heart of the resort. The fireplaces crackle as bartenders serve up drinks from a hearty whisky, wine, and cocktail menu; the couches are so comfy, the kiddos might curl up and fall asleep as the folksy duo on duty plays an acoustic nightcap. This is laid-back luxury at its best.



Don’t forget to spend some downtime at the serene ONE Spa, or dine on blue crab and hamachi crudo at the higher-end, coastal California restaurant, 1 Pico. Pro tip: You don’t need to step far from your room to soak in some culture. The hotel has a noteworthy art collection, with pieces by Ellsworth Kelly, John Baldessari, and William Wegman, among others, on display throughout the property.

Compared to other ancient pyramids in Mexico, the ruins at Xochitecatl draw relatively few visitors (we counted a dozen or so during our hour there). The Pyramid of Flowers and other pre-Columbian stone structures sprawl across 30 acres atop the dome of an extinct volcano. The 360-degree panorama takes in the entire Puebla-Tlaxcala Valley, with unobstructed views of the Popocatepetl, Iztaccihuatl, and La Malinche volcanoes, as well as nearby Cacaxtla, site of famous still-colorful Mayan-style murals painted 1,300 or more years ago.

Hotel Bo is a so-called design concept hotel, and its particular concept is the unification of contemporary and traditional Chiapaneco architecture and design. (Chiapaneco means indigenous to the state of Chiapas, where San Cristobal de las Casas is located.) The four elements—wind, water, fire, and earth—are central to the hotel’s aesthetic, with different design details, such as fireplaces and candles, alluding to these elements. Rooms are decorated with some local crafts, and beds are dressed with colorful spreads. The hotel really is in the heart of San Cristobal, within easy walking distance of markets, restaurants, and the city’s main sights, many of which are architectural gems dating back to the colonial era.

The menú del día is a uniquely Spanish tradition. Who in the rest of the world has time to sit for two hours and drink wine, consume multiple courses, all in the normal workday? If you want to experience a traditional menú del día, food that is not glamorous but is nothing if not fresh and made by hand, Politena is your spot. Centrally located and very fairly priced, it’s a perfect example of a great, classic menú del día. Down to the ‘mi casa’ ambience.

The Casa Estudio Luis Barragán is a must for visitors to Mexico City interested in the works of Mexico’s most famous contemporary architect, Luis Barragán, famous for his colorful approach to modernism and his buildings that are as known for their garden settings as for their interiors. While that museum, located in his former house, is the most obvious introduction to his life and works, those who want to dive deeper will want to arrange visits to some of his other buildings.

The Casa Cuadra San Cristóbal dates from 1968 and was designed for the Egerstrom family. The centrality of gardens, plazas, and fountains to Barragán’s work is driven home here by the fact that the house itself is closed to the public. It’s still worth the effort to make the journey (of about 35 minutes to an hour by Uber, depending on traffic) to see the stables and gardens, and the exterior of the house. The walls in pink, mauve, and white, and the large pool at the center of the property create a space that is at once both restrained and exuberantly colorful. Reservations ([email protected]) are required and there is a charge of 300 pesos per person, with a minimum of five people. (You can visit with fewer than five people, but you’ll still need to pay 1500 pesos total, cash only.)

Get a bird’s-eye view of Laguna and its famous sunsets at the Rooftop Lounge, which sits atop La Casa del Camino hotel. Drinks here include a lengthy list of red, white, and sparkling wines as well as specialty cocktails like mojitos in strawberry, mango, and ginger flavors. To pair with your sips, there’s a range of small bites, from barbecue meatballs with blue cheese slaw to bacon-wrapped dates and coconut-breaded shrimp. Just be sure to come prepared with sunglasses and a hat, as shade is limited, and bring your four-legged friend—the bar is dog-friendly.

Located at the Casa del Mar Beach Resort, this casual, indoor-outdoor restaurant starts serving breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and stays open until 10 p.m. Whether you visit morning, noon, or night, you can look forward to everything from local fish to oversize salads and hearty sandwiches. Cocktails are another specialty—in fact, the restaurant hosts happy hour three times a day with two-for-one drink offers. Other nightly specials popular with both visitors and locals include all-you-can-eat ribs on Tuesdays and karaoke on Wednesdays, made all the more fun by the breezy location and ocean views. Die-hard sports fans don’t even have to miss the game, since the restaurant tunes its TVs to whatever patrons request.

One of the best things you can do in Madrid is go on a guided tapas crawl. If you don’t know much about Spain and/or don’t speak Spanish it’s best to have someone that knows what’s going on with you. Here are a few high notes from the crawl. My advice is to be bold and try new things. Don’t be scared and always hop into a bar where you see local people. Thank you to my new friend Carlos! Anchoas (Anchovies) at Casa Toni. Calle de la Cruz, 14 28012 Madrid

Set tight in the jungles around Hotel Casa Chameleon, at Las Catalinas, the restaurant Sentido Norte is 45 minutes from the Guanacaste provincial capital, Liberia. A hilltop restaurant helmed by Costa Rican chef José López, it showcases a mix of local tastes and other modern classics, from sunrise until sunset daily. French toast with plantains, and ceviche punta penca (shrimp, octopus, and avocado) are current top orders; don’t miss the liquid enchantment on offer at the bar, perfect for sunsets, and aguas de sapo, a sweet, spiky pop made with guaro aguardiente.

Laguna’s very first restaurant, the White House opened way back in 1918. It’s been updated several times over the years so the menu feels fresh, but you come here for the cocktail lounge anyway. Head straight to the bar for well-made drinks like the Casa Blanca Organico (tequila, lightly muddled organic blackberries, agave, and club soda) and the house Old Fashioned, made with Bulleit bourbon and orange bitters. Some nights bring live entertainment, but there are always several flat-screens going so you can catch the game while you throw back a few drinks.

Quinta do Vallado welcomes its guest in its comfortable Wine Hotel since 2005. It belonged to the legendary Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira and remains to this day as property of her descendants. It is located on the banks of the River Corgo, a tributary of the Douro River, right next to the river mouth near the town of Peso da Régua.For nearly 200 years the Quinta do Vallado was primarily engaged in the production of Port wine, subsequently marketed by Casas Ferreira (that belonged to the Family). After Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, her great grand-son - Jorge Viterbo Ferreira and her great-great grand-son - Jorge Cabral Ferreira - were responsible for the great development and growth of the Quinta.

On the steep hills above the truffle-obsessed town of Livade in central Istria, Croatia, a man named Vlado Tomažič makes olive oil on his family’s farm. When my husband and I rented the apartment, Casa Maršić (casamarsic.com), adjacent to the farmhouse, we found it the perfect base for exploring the nearby medieval hill towns. We visited Motovun-Montona and Oprtalj-Portole, where we ate fuži, traditional Istrian pasta, with fresh mushrooms and grilled lamb chops at the fantastic Tončić agritourism (agroturizam-toncic.com). We happened to be at the farm during the October harvest and helped Vlado’s friendly crew rake the olives from the trees, taking frequent breaks for gemišt—white wine and sparkling water. Classic Journeys offers seven-night tours of Istria. This appeared in the August/September 2014 issue.

Run by the talented Chef Pilar Cabrera, who also offers cooking classes through Casa de los Sabores, La Olla is an unpretentious restaurant offering Oaxacan specialties. Head to the upper-level dining room, which is more spacious than the ground floor, with artwork by local artists. The moles are delicious, but to start, order the squash blossom soup. A beautifully arranged bowl with squash blossoms and seeds with some queso fresco and cream is placed in front of you, then the waiter pours the soup over it. It tastes as good as it looks. Open 8 am to 10 pm Monday through Saturday. Closed Sundays. La Olla offers a set meal between 1:30 and 4 pm - check the website for the daily menu.

After falling in love with Salvador Dali at his museum in Figueres, we caught one of three buses out to the cliffside town of Cadaques where you can get to know Dali a bit more intimately by touring his house. Full of odds and ends, including mini cages where he kept crickets and a polar bear draped in jewels, his house also includes spectacular views (including this one) of the serene Port Lligat. Tips: You must book tickets in advance to tour his house, and double-check the bus schedules because there are only three buses per day that go from Figueres - Cadaques and back.