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Local Hawaiian Barbecue is easy to come by in the Islands. And, no fast food or plated lunch chain makes it easier to taste a bit of Island food than L&L Barbecue. Menu favorites include Kailua Pork and Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken. To try something new, there is Lau Lau (pork wrapped in taro leaf), Saimin (noodles and broth with choice of meat), Musabi (meat and rice block wrapped in seaweed), or Loco Moco (hamburgers, rice, gravy, and eggs).

In business since 1983, Enjou Chocolat specializes in customized chocolate creations. Owner/founder Wendy Taffet has over 50,000 different molds at her disposal, which she expertly employs to manufacture confectioneries in every shape–from corporate logos to pink stilettos. Her wizardry has garnered much media attention from places like the Food Network, but Wendy still thinks Enjou is Morristown’s best-kept secret. All chocolates are made in house. Requests are welcome.

The main branch of the New York Public Library is one of the country’s grandest Beaux Arts buildings, a temple to learning on Fifth Avenue between 40th and 42nd streets. At the end of the 19th century, John Bigelow, who oversaw the Tilden Trust, decided that as New York was becoming a global financial capital, it required a grand public library. When the Astor and Lenox libraries faced financial difficulties, he convinced them to merge and, with the Tilden Trust, underwrite the library that now stands next to Bryant Park. The firm of Carrère and Hastings was entrusted with the design, and construction began in 1902 on the building that would be the largest marble structure built up to that time in the United States. The elegant main reading room with its soaring carved-wood ceilings is the highlight of its interiors. The library hosts temporary exhibitions related to literary and cultural topics that draw on its extensive collection of books and other printed materials. The two beloved lions in Tennessee marble—Patience and Fortitude—have stood at the entrance to the library since it opened in 1911 and were created by sculptor Edward Clark Potter.

Overlooking the San Miguel River and trail, Camel’s Garden sits right at the base of the gondola connecting Telluride with Mountain Village, just a few short blocks from Main Street. In addition to a convenient location, the hotel offers several complimentary niceties, including continental breakfast, wine and cheese in the winter, ski valet and storage, and heated underground parking—all of which make getting to the slopes easier, faster, and more pleasant. There’s also Oak, a full-service restaurant and bar beloved for its Southern-style ribs, and the award-winning Atmosphere Day Spa, which features a 25-foot hot tub with stunning mountain views.

Standard rooms are spacious at 385 square feet, while deluxe rooms include a sitting area and wet bar. No matter which you choose, you’ll enjoy a fireplace, balcony, and large soaking tub to soothe post-ski muscles. If you’re traveling with a large family or group, however, opt for one of the condos, which feature separate living areas, washers and dryers, and top-of-the-line kitchens with Sub Zero and Viking appliances.

The façade may be classic, the doormen crisp, and the location tony, but once inside Le Royal Monceau, you’ll feel an independent, unexpectedly edgy spirit running through this luxury hotel. Opened in 1928, the historic spot, now part of the Raffles collection, underwent a complete renovation in the mid-2000s, overseen by interiors master Phillipe Starck, who—true to form—filled the spaces with contemporary style, dramatic flair (like oversized lobby sculptures and a stairwell adorned with dozens of chandeliers), and over 350 pieces of art, many culled from the hotel’s private collection. Art is a big focus here overall: along with a well-stocked art-library-cum-bookstore (which draws a lot of gift-seeking locals) and an on-site showroom curated by local gallerists (recent shows have spotlighted street artists, from Basquiat to Banksy), there’s a resident Art Concierge—the first in Paris—who can create bespoke itineraries for guests and arrange for special access, studio tours, and VIP experiences (including, with enough notice, an after-hours visit to the Louvre).

Sacsayhuaman is an impressive Inca fortress on a steep hill that overlooks all of Cusco. The ruins are humongous, but archeologists believe that the original site was as much as four times larger. What remains today are the impressive outer walls constructed in a zigzag formation across three levels. As with many Inca sites, the walls are made from massive, irregularly-shaped boulders that stick together like a jigsaw puzzle without any additional support. The stones are laid together so tightly that a sheet of paper will not fit into many of the cracks. As the night comes down, this is a perfect location to appreciate the stars.

“I’ve never seen so much red – except at a French brothel,” a fellow guest said to me as we rode the elevator together. She was right. From the moment you enter the lobby, the Rouge lives up to its colorful name with its red quartz tile, red lamps, and the Red Hot Room (for meetings). You’ll find crimson headboards and velvet drapes in each room -- although there’s plenty of zebra print, too. One of eight Kimpton hotels in Washington, DC, Rouge is certainly the rosiest. Stylish and eclectic in that Kimpton fashion, my street-facing room was both comfy and oversized – and convenient. It’s just three blocks to DuPont Circle and then only a bit further to Rock Creek Park (great for jogging, biking, or just walking). The White House is five blocks away and Whole Foods Market just two. For the athletically minded (like me), the good news is that each room has a yoga mat in the closet and nearly all are large enough to do a complete Vinyasa flow. The less good news: the small fitness room in the basement is dreary (but for $5 you can get a pass to the local “Y,” which has every amenity, including a 25-meter pool). The Rouge’s guests are as idiosyncratic as its décor. Families, business warriors, and hipsters seem to be the main human food groups –converging for the hotel’s wine hour from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and at then, again, breakfast. If eclectic’s your thing, the Rouge is your place. Leave the rose-colored glasses at home – you won’t need them here.

The UAE is one of the most multicultural countries in the world and its largest city Dubai the most cosmopolitan. Indians make up one of the largest population groups and have a long history in Dubai dating to its early years as a tiny trading port when most Indians arrived as merchants. My Indian friends in the UAE always swore Dubai had the most authentic Indian food outside India and after 8 years eating it there I can assure you they weren’t exaggerating. It was my go-to for take-away, the food being so good and so cheap there was no reason to cook it at home. My favorite Indian eateries weren’t in hotels but on gritty backstreets in my old Bur Dubai neighborhood -- an area few tourists explore after they’ve done the sights and shopped the souqs. Farida Ahmed, sister of Arva Ahmed, who started Frying Pan Adventures, Dubai’s first culinary walking tours, runs a mouthwatering foodie tour of the Meena Bazaar area, Dubai’s Little India. During the four-hour foodie walk, which will take you through the bustling area, bursting with Bollywood CD and DVD shops, cheap electronics stores, textile shops, and an abundance of simple family-owned eateries, you’ll try everything from fried street food snacks, such as samosas, and piping hot Indian naan breads to Dubai’s best chicken tikka and spice-infused drinks. As with Arva’s Middle Eastern food tour, during the balmy winter months Farida leads you on foot and during the sultrier period uses an air-conditioned car. A must.

Discreetly tucked away down Dean Street in the heart of Aspen, the St. Regis is a bastion of mountain town luxury. Fresh from an interior remodel (completed in 2012) the property brings urban sophistication to the Rockies. Every guest room features a large marble bathroom with a separate bathtub (perfect for soaking after a day on the slopes). The lobby becomes a social hub in ski season and during big events such as the annual Food & Wine Classic. Order a drink and watch for star chefs as you take in the views of Aspen Mountain. If you’d rather be discreet, sneak away to the Library, and lounge on one of the couches. The signature St. Regis butler service caters to every whim at any hour, from securing lift tickets to scoring dinner reservations. When the weather turns cold, there’s no better place to warm up than the Remède Spa with its hot and cool plunge pools, steam caves, and an oxygen lounge, not to mention some of the best therapists in Colorado.

“Have you heard about d’Mongo’s? It is Ryan Gosling’s favorite place to visit when he comes to town!” Although I never saw Ryan Gosling, bartender Red knew immediately that I was new in Detroit and that I’d never been in before. She recommended I try the Detroit Brown, made with Michigan’s own ginger ale: Vernors. As I sipped gently from the cold glass and looked over the top of its rim at the eclectic crowd filling the speakeasy, I couldn’t help but think, “Who cares what celebrity does or doesn’t frequent this place, I’d come back here for the drinks and the crowd any day!” Cafe d’Mongo’s draws a crowd every night it is open—which is usually only on Friday, maybe Saturday—and whether the customers come because of the drinks, the music, the crowd, or because they hope to see Ryan Gosling or Mark Wahlberg, the point is they keep coming. There’s an element of secrecy that has kept even my hotel’s valet from being able to tell me how to get to the revered speakeasy, yet it’s one of the first places I heard about when I asked people on the street where I needed to go get a drink in Detroit. If you find yourself at Cafe d’Mongo’s, tell Red I say hello, and order the Detroit Brown.

The torrent of Anglo eateries that have popped up across Paris in recent years can largely be attributed to the searing success of Rose Bakery. I had my doubts years ago when I first heard about the internationally-staffed organic canteen - how good could English food be, really? Expensive though it may be, it’s one of my favorite places to go for warm cheese scones, fresh vegetable and a variety of cakes suitable for breakfast or afternoon tea. Rose began in London, hopped over to Paris on rue des Martyrs, expanded to the Marais, settled into a 3rd location within La Maison Rouge foundation in the 12th and most recently took over a 2nd floor corner of the chic department store Le Bon Marché. And that’s saying nothing of their international locations. Its appeal was virtually immediate and RB quickly established itself as the spot among hipsters, artists, celebrities (the likes of Natalie Portman and Julie Delpy, who I spotted last year) and tourists for organic, English fare. They open early, excel at pancakes and healthy veggie options and sell a number of British products to-go. Other establishments may have come onto the scene but Rose is a breakfast mainstay.

In the middle of a metropolitan area of twenty million, Seoul’s historic Bukchon neighborhood has kept a traditional village feel. “Hanok"—traditional courtyard houses, with upswept tile roofs and latticed sliding doors—line the hilly streets. Some of them have been opened as small guesthouses. After a trans-Pacific flight, and then a bus ride into the city (from the new airport, built on reclaimed land in the Yellow Sea), I walked a few blocks up narrow lanes and through a wooden gate. I felt as if I’d stepped back into the Korean countryside of a century ago. A rooster and a rabbit shared the courtyard, filled with hydrangeas and herbs. A persimmon tree towered overhead. My room had sliding papered doors; a simple low bed and table; no TV...but free Wi-Fi! The friendly owner, whose family lives in one wing of the house, showed me the hot water machine where I could make instant ginseng tea and “ko-pi” (coffee). Not all hanok lodgings are so spartan. Behind the main courtyard of this house, a “sarang-chae” is also available—it’s like a mini-house (or casita), with its own private garden: rustic luxury. While staying here, I met an Israeli man and his Japanese wife on their way back to the Middle East, as well as a couple of professors of Indian languages from Seattle on their way to New Delhi. Bukchon is becoming more widely known as one of Asia’s urban gems. (For more information: http://www.seoul110.com/html_en/1.html)

Willemstad’s first colonial settlement started as a hub for Dutch slave traders. Now a World Heritage site, this modern city center has a distinct Euro-Caribbean atmosphere, its preserved colonial buildings housing fashion boutiques, art galleries, and sidewalk cafés. Wander down Punda’s narrow cobblestoned alleys, then snap a signature photo at the Queen Wilhelmina Park’s giant Curaçao and Dushi signs. The neighborhood gets extra lively during the free Punda Vibes event every Thursday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., featuring an outdoor market, live music, and local folkloric dancing.

The apéritif of choice in the Dordogne (and in many parts of France) is this sweet dark liquor called walnut wine, but there’s nary a grape in site. The vin de noix is made from young green walnuts harvested between La Fete de St. Jean (June 24) and Bastille Day (July 14), when the shells are still soft and green. Walnut wine is a typically home-brewed concoction. Think moonshine, with a sophisticated French flair. Though I have found it commercially, the best accompanies a good meal with friends around a kitchen table or at the region’s numerous Fermes Auberges (Farmhouse Inns), where all products are made on site. Walk in to any home and you’ll likely be offered a sip. There are hundreds of family recipes for this elixir, each claiming to be the best, bien sur! But most agree, the longer it sits in the cupboard, the better (6 months to years). But it’s worth the wait. Recipe: green walnuts, dry red wine, sugar, and some patience. Et Voila! I’ve often been asked what it tastes like, and my description usually results in a nose wrinkle. A blend of port and prune juice---and it’s delicious. My friend Roland, knowing my love of the apéritif and the memories it summons, sent me these two glasses he’d found in an antique shop in Perigueux, along with a small bottle of his homemade walnut wine. I set the glasses out on my terrace, poured in the chocolate-hued liquor, and toasted to the memory of my beloved Dordogne, and the people from there who have flavored my life.

Even fun has a shelf life. This is what runs through my mind as I walk around Spreepark, the abandoned, dilapidated amusement park in Berlin. When East Germany and the GDR fell, so did many of the businesses operating under the rules of communism. They were never really able to make the transition to capitalism successfully. Spreepark, located in the East German part of Berlin, was one such casualty. Even though Spreepark is “dead,” it is now a present-day photographic amusement park. The park is closely guarded, and trespassing is typical but also dangerous, so an enthusiastic, enterprising young man has started running tours on the weekend, providing access to shoot away to your heart’s content. The rides and stands have all deteriorated in place over the years, which makes for an eerie photographic landscape. More Information: Tour information (only in German) – www.berliner-spreepark.de/ – Tours are given mainly on the weekends. If you want to go on a tour, contact him, as he does know a little English and you can at least book yourself into a tour and get access for photography—even if you don’t understand the stories.