Search results for

Opened in 2011, Reykjavík’s Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre is not only the most significant classical music venue in Iceland (home to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and the Icelandic Opera), but also one of the country’s most striking examples of modern architecture. Located close to the old harbor, the building was part of a larger development meant to breathe life into the downtown district (the plan was abandoned due to the subsequent economic crash, but funds to complete Harpa were found). The coruscating, eye-catching facade was designed by Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, and the spacious interior has four handsome halls, the largest of which can accommodate up to 1,800 seated guests. There are also smaller conference rooms dotted throughout the building, and the ground floor hosts a record shop, café and restaurant, and other public areas. In addition to classical concerts, the venue holds music festivals, pop shows, art exhibitions, and more.

Pizza is always a good idea. And pizza fresh from a wood-fired oven served at a table as close to the sea without actually being in the water is an even better idea. Downstairs at the Hotel Covo dei Saraceni, this casual brasserie serves inexpensive pizzas for lunch and dinner. The chewy Neapolitan-style crust is slathered with San Marzano–tomato sauce and fresh, creamy mozzarella, decorated with a basil leaf or two. The simplicity is delicious. You can also order your pies for takeout.

Nothing is a more powerful symbol of the City of Light than the Eiffel Tower. Designed by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 Paris Exposition, it’s one of the world’s most-visited monuments, with nearly 7 million people ascending the 1,062-foot wrought-iron structure each year. Glass elevators spirit you to the top—hardy souls can take the stairs part of way—where in addition to unparalleled panoramic views of Paris, you can toast your arrival with a glass of bubbly at the Champagne bar. Evenings there’s a grand light show: every hour on the hour, the tower sparkles for five minutes with 20,000 bulbs.

The ambience alone is worth a splurge at the dining room of the Majestic Yosemite Hotel, the stopover of presidents, queens, celebrities, and moguls since it opened in 1927 (and, allegedly, one of Stanley Kubrick’s inspirations for the hotel in The Shining). The formal dining room—there’s a dress code at dinnertime—serves such Continental classics as French onion soup, duck leg confit, and rack of lamb Provençale under 34-foot, chandelier-studded ceilings. The Sunday brunch buffet is especially popular, as are the annual Renaissance-themed Christmas dinners in December. For a more casual option, the bar serves sandwiches, salads, and soups and, maybe best of all, offers outdoor tables so you can eat and enjoy a craft cocktail or glass of wine surrounded by glorious views. Note: This restaurant is open year-round.

By far Nagasaki’s largest shopping area, this bustling strip, situated close to the Kanko Dori train station, brims with over 700 shops that range from tiny boutiques to sprawling department stores and high-end emporiums. If you can’t find what you want here, try the surrounding streets, which offer even more choices. The fact that Hamanomachi is a covered arcade means it’s perfect for rainy-day retail therapy, and there are also several key shrines and temples nearby if you need a culture break.

The exterior of this Midtown lodging won’t win any design awards—the building previously housed an insurance company—but that’s what makes the art-filled, wood-accented lobby such a pleasant surprise upon arrival. With its plush leather sofas and moody interiors, the Hutton exudes down-home charm with a modern touch: A friendly sit-down check-in coupled with swift service at the lobby’s WestEnd Kitchen & Bar make the hotel a favorite of touring musicians and visiting celebrities. Oversize guest rooms (some of Nashville’s largest) feature soft blue and gray tones, fabric-covered walls, and vibrant artwork. At the 5,000-square-foot on-site music venue Analog, you can sip creative cocktails while listening to some of the city’s top performers, but if you’d like to see the view from the other side of the microphone, the hotel’s Writers Studios is stocked with state-of-the-art equipment for laying down your own tracks.

My bucket list included seeing the Northern Lights. This took me to the Chena Hot Springs Resort located an hour outside of Fairbanks, Alaska (the address is WRONG on the map). The Northern Lights are best seen in clear dark skies which is abundant in the Fairbanks area. It was 22 below (which is way cold!), but you could stay snuggly warm in the natural hot springs. The medicinal powers of the hot springs are also a high point. Maybe my imagination, but I went into the pool with an achy hip and came out pain free. The rock hot springs pool is surrounded by snow covered trees. This one looks to me like a tree nymph pointing to the sky and promising you a night time glimpse of the Northern Lights. What a spectacle it is! Mother Nature at her best is the colorful dancing lights that can be seen in this Alaska wonderland. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that the Northern Light will appear so I am not promising you or guaranteeing you that if you go you will definitely have that remarkable experience. But, if you are one of the lucky ones that are blessed with a view of this remarkable phenomenon, it is worth the trip. If not, you may also see shooting stars in the dark night sky filled with more stars than you can imagine, go on a one horse open sleigh ride or go mushing in a sled pulled by a group of eager sled dogs! Also enjoy the cozy pub that has a great menu and drinks aplenty! Call the resort to confirm what activites will be available during your stay.

A few green acres of valuable Midtown Manhattan real estate affords office workers and visitors with valuable peace and space, two things that are hard to find in the surrounding streets. Bryant Park shares the block between Fifth and Sixth avenues and 41st and 42nd street with the main branch of the New York City Library (also worth a visit). The library runs an al fresco reading room along the north end of the park, and occasionally hosts readings and author events. In summer, a stage at the western edge of the vast green lawn runs a busy schedule of performances and films. In winter, the lawn becomes an ice skating rink and the site of a busy holiday market. All year round, the park is a popular destination for the bocce ball courts, ping pong tables, small carousel, food kiosks, open lawns, gravel paths, seasonal plantings, and a graceful fountain. It may be a challenge to find a seat at lunchtime, but it’s worth the wait. Take a break from your walk and enjoy some great people-watching, as well as shade and a measure of serenity in a green space bound on all sides by tall buildings.

Mary Ellen’s is known for its delicious grilled cheese sandwiches, which are made in nine gooey varieties and are accompanied to the table by a wide selection of dipping sauces. The menu makes a half-hearted (a little joke there) effort to promote healthy options like kale salad and avocado toast, but really it’s all about the bar food at this friendly neighborhood joint in Old Town. The game’s always on the television, and there’s a regular schedule of trivia contests, open-mic comedy nights, and beer-fueled spelling bees, all of which go well with grilled cheese.

For a unique Malaysian dining experience, head to Pia’s the Padi, where panoramic views of vibrant green rice fields and distant mountains are as sumptuous as the food. Inside the restaurant, huge windows open onto the fields, creating a lovely terrace. Indulge in samosas, chicken butter masala, beef rendang (a favorite), and other traditional dishes. Order à la carte or from a set menu; you can even ask for the chef to prepare something special just for you. When it’s time for dessert, a popular choice is the mango kulfi, a creamy frozen treat. To recreate the dishes at home, sign up for the daily cooking class that begins at 2 p.m. Call ahead for restaurant and class reservations.

A 40-minute drive from Dubrovnik, past panoramas of the Adriatic and green Konavle fields, brings you to this fertile valley, the region’s agricultural backbone. At Đivanović Mills, you can learn how flour was milled 500 years ago. Follow the forest path to the nearby restaurant of Konavoski Dvori for a taste of their famous trout dish and for the cool breeze off the Ljuta River. (Calling the mill in advance is recommended.)

Kimball House is one of Atlanta‘s top rated restaurants and it doesn’t take long to learn why. Every detail is impeccable, from the excellent service to the carefully crafted cocktails to the meals themselves. Set in an old train depot in Decatur, dinner at Kimball House is a splurge you won’t soon forget. Start with a few oysters, their main attraction, and a cocktail in a vintage glass. If your group is feeling adventurous, try the bottled old fashioned, which serves 4, or the full absinthe service, complete with sugar cubes and all the fixings. Beer and wine are also options. The menu changes seasonally, but always offers some form of fish, meat and vegetables, as well as steak and caviar. They don’t take reservations, so you’ll have to be patient or go early. They also have outdoor seating for when the weather is nice. Named for the former Kimball House Hotel, the interior of the restaurant is the star, so don’t forget to look up from your meal.

Argan in Al Jasra Boutique Hotel in Souq Waqif. This Moroccan restaurant, named after a flower is beautifully furnished in true Moroccan tradition and has an inner majlis—a traditional place of gathering for men. A wide variety of couscous are served as well as its signature harira soup.

New safari tents at an iconic central California coast resort invite guests to glamp under the redwood trees. Nightly turndown service, included. Big Sur is once again open for business following last spring’s debilitating mud slides, and autumn is an especially luminous time to explore this legendary stretch of central California coast, some 20 miles south of Carmel. Big Sur’s magic lies in its untamed wilderness: redwood groves, chaparral-covered hills, and iconic rocky cliffs that sprout improbably from the ocean. Condors circle overhead and sea otters float just offshore. For many, the isolation—and peace and quiet—that Big Sur offers is the reason to return again and again. For travelers seeking a soft landing, the Ventana Big Sur resort recently reopened under new ownership and after a massive renovation. New glamping cabins have been added to the 59 rooms, suites, and villas spread throughout the resort’s 160 acres. Shaded by redwoods, the 15 safari-style canvas tents come equipped with hickory walking sticks, portable lanterns, and access to a bathhouse with teak-lined showers and heated floors. Guests can enjoy nightly turndown service and the use of fire pits for making s’mores in the evening. As part of the renovation, the Ventana also built an on-site gallery to showcase paintings, sculptures, jewelry, ceramics, and photography by Big Sur’s most renowned artists. And the new Sur House restaurant—helmed by executive chef Paul Corsentino, who worked in New York and Chicago before heading west—houses a 10,000-bottle wine cellar that highlights small-production central coast wineries. Guests eager to embrace the region’s back-to-nature philosophy might appreciate a soak in the heated, clothing-optional Mountain Pool, undoubtedly more pleasant to ease into than the roiling, frigid Pacific Ocean just down the hill. This appeared in the Jan/Feb 2018 issue.

The Willcox has been an institution for more than a hundred years—so much so that it dropped the “hotel” designation from its name. Located just steps from the sprawling urban forest of Hitchcock Woods, The Willcox caters to the horsey set, with an equestrian theme throughout the rooms and even a horse concierge. Old-fashioned keys open the doors to the 22 rooms, each with with four-poster beds warmed by cashmere-covered hot water bottles, and pets are welcomed with their own “Guest of Willcox” tag. It’s not uncommon to see horses prancing down the streets of Aiken, once the headquarters for the wealthy Winter Colony riders of the 19th century, and the hotel is happy to indulge your passion to gallop, trot, or just enjoy a carriage ride. A saltwater pool and a range of spa services soothe tired muscles after a day in the saddle or tooling around the small-town center. The lobby bar and restaurant are favorites with locals, serving an American menu with a few Kiwi touches from the New Zealand–born chef.