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While Heath Ceramics is over 60 years old, having been founded in 1948 in Sausalito, their colorful bud vases, dinnerware and tiles have enjoyed a boom in recent years. Straddling the line between a rough, hand-crafted aesthetic and an elegant, understated quality, their pieces are hard to miss in the pages of design magazines as well as at the homes of some of your most tasteful friends. The new retail location on 18th Street includes a workshop alongside a café serving Blue Bottle coffee. There is also a smaller location in the Ferry Building.

Tempt fate at the Monkey Paw’s Book-O-Matic machine, where for the price of a toonie you’ll be delivered an archaic tome in the vein of Elementary Arabic, Vol. 3. I’ll let you know how my studying gets on. The Monkey’s Paw is an eclectic vintage bookstore on Dundas with a collection of unique books, vintage maps, and bugs preserved in Lucite.

One of the most luxurious Western guest ranches, opened in 2005, Paws Up Montana, in Greenough, sprawls over 37,000 acres of classic Montana landscape: elk-filled meadows, rocky peaks, and ponderosa pines in the Blackfoot Valley, with the river of the same name running through it all. The most sought-after accommodations are the “glamping” tents on the banks of the Blackfoot or along Elk Creek that are available May through October and organized into five separate camps, taking just six guests each. The camps combine a Western lifestyle with an African safari formula: canvas suites with private baths, a communal dining pavilion with fireplace and fire pit, private camp chef, and butlers to help organize guest activities. Families and friends who prefer four walls between themselves and nature stay in enormous wood-and-stone villas with heated hardwood floors, fireplaces, leather furniture, huge flat-screen TVs, and panoramic windows; some of these homes come with outdoor hot tubs and tented bedrooms for kids.

All guests have the opportunity to hike, rappel, canoe, play paintball, take cooking classes, and more, but the main action is on-site fly-fishing and horseback riding for all levels on 100 miles of private trails or in a 23,000-square-foot equestrian arena; adults and kids 12 and up can help move small herds of Black Angus cattle on sample stock drives. If parents want private adventure time, kid wranglers entertain young’uns. In the evening, communal entertainment takes place in a renovated barn that serves as stock sales venue, dance floor, and movie theater. Despite the busy activity menu and flow of golf carts transporting guests to and fro, the ranch is large enough, and accommodation so widely spaced that guests can survey the landscape and not see anyone.

This sprawling resort features three luxury properties on one Nusa Dua site: the Mulia, the Mulia Resort, and the top-tier Mulia Villas. Choose a full board or half board package for an all-inclusive experience, complete with butler service (at the Mulia and Mulia Villas) and access to nine different dining venues and bars; there are also beach-level pools—one of them resembling a statue-lined Roman bath—and rows of umbrellas on Bali’s eastern shore. The villas feel like traditional Balinese homes, with indoor-outdoor living rooms that have hydrotherapy pools as well as views of colorful gardens or the Indian Ocean. And the spa is one of the most outrageous wellness temples in Bali, featuring a Finnish wood sauna, aroma steam room, and the region’s only ice fountain.

One of Dalmatia’s most underrated cities, Šibenik is finally being recognized as an exciting coastal destination. Its medieval heart is a stone maze of steep alleyways dotted with charming squares and hidden cul-de-sacs, not to mention a pretty harbor and a seafront promenade lined with cafés. Crowning it all is the Cathedral of St. James, an architectural masterpiece incorporating style elements of both the Gothic and the Renaissance. The cathedral is said to be the world’s largest church built entirely of stone—most of which was quarried in the nearby Adriatic islands. Of particular note in this UNESCO World Heritage site: the frieze of 71 heads on the cathedral’s outer wall, which depicts 15th-century citizens of Šibenik with many different moods and personalities.

Seeing the redwoods is all about spending time with tall trees, so naturally, then, stopping in at Tall Trees Grove makes sense. The giants here are over 100 meters high, or as tall as a 35-story building. The grove used to be home to the tallest tree in the world, but since its top fell off back in 1994, it’s now only the 34th-tallest—which is still plenty impressive. (The new tallest tree is actually in an undisclosed location nearby.) The trail runs 3.5 miles around, with about a mile to get to the grove and a small loop through it when you arrive. You’ll view all sorts of enormous, too-tall-to-capture-in-photos trees; you can even walk through one. You do need a permit for the trail, the narrow access road, and the small parking lot. They’re free and available at the visitor centers, but are also limited. Get a map there as well, since GPS can send you slightly off track.

When La Soufrière erupted in 1902, lava flowed down to the sea and created a five-mile-long moonscape on the volcano’s east slope. Today, if you visit during a tropical rain shower, you’ll see the riverbed transform almost immediately from a mere trickle to a gushing stream—and, because of its porous lava base, dry up just as quickly.

The Ritz-Carlton, Istanbul overlooks the bends of the Bosphorus from a superb central location just a short stroll from Taksim Square. Classically styled rooms come with feather beds and 300-thread-count linens. Turkey’s famed Iznik tiles add splashes of Ottoman splendor to the marble bathrooms, where guests scrub away a long journey with gorgeously scented Asprey bath products.

A key destination for spa fans, the spa includes the city’s first exclusive Turkish bath made especially for couples. With its finger on the pulse of the luxury spa scene, the hotel is also home to Istanbul’s first outdoor spa-terrace, where sightseeing-weary guests can relax in Jacuzzis, indulge in a massage, or simply sunbathe beside the pool while soaking up the city views.

Food lovers can tuck into sun-drenched Mediterranean flavors at Atelier Real Food and join Istanbul’s in-the-know crowd for a lazy brunch here on Sundays. Close to both Taksim and the chic shopping district of Nişantaşı, yet still an easy 15-minute journey by public transit into the heart of the historic district, the Ritz-Carlton allows guests to experience the best of both old and new Istanbul.

Parreirinha is a favourite amongst Portuguese South Africans living in Johannesburg and serves some of the best seafood around! A small, former jail is the home of the restaurant, which makes use of one of the jail cells as one of the dining rooms. As you walk into the restaurant you’re welcomed with a tavern like ambiance and entering the court yard you’re treated to a sea of neck ties hanging from the rafters... remnants of an old tradition that required patrons to leave their ties behind. The tradition no longer applies these days as there’s simply no more space, but if you feel like you want to leave a tie behind as a sign that you’d been there, then they’ll gladly take it off your neck! The food at Parreirinha is quite simply amazing! Heck, even the Protuguese bread rolls are divine! On this occasion I shared a Seafood kebab, meant for one, with my friend and we were both definitely full as the last scraps made their way into our bellies. If you’re stuck on something to choose, I’d highly recommend something with prawn. The prawns are great! If you’re not looking for a meal, you can always take up a spot at the bar and enjoy the drinks on offer.

Drive down a country road in County Donegal toward the sea, and you’re likely to find miles of unspoiled golden beach – and if there are waves, the water might be filled with surfers. Pounded by the big swells of the Atlantic Ocean, the northwest of Ireland is one of the best surfing spots in Europe and surfers take to the waves year round, with the biggest swells during winter. The unofficial surf capital is Bundoran in south Donegal. Tullan Strand is a popular beginner spot – you can rent boards or take lessons from one of the town’s four surf schools – while the reef break at The Peak is for more advanced waveriders. The 3km beach at Rossnowlagh, 20km up the coast, is reliable for regular waves and home to one of the country’s first surf clubs. Further north in the county, there are more challenging surf spots at Dungloe, Dunfanaghy, Inishowen and Fanad Head. The Bridge Bar in Bundoran town is the ideal post-surfing recovery spot for bowls of creamy seafood chowder, pints of Guinness and a surf cam so you don’t miss any of the action on The Peak, or walk up the cliff road from Rossnowlagh beach to the Smuggler’s Inn for reviving post-surf refreshments.

Enjoying a hammam experience while traveling in Istanbul was at the top of my list, but it was hard to choose where to soak! After all, the ritual of Turkish bathing wasn’t one I was willing to just “leap” into; after stripping down to their bare essentials, bathers are soaked, washed and dried by same-sex attendants, typically in the sanctity of a mosque. But still, I didn’t want to pick just “anywhere” to get naked and clean. Luckily, I stumbled upon the refined, spotless, inspiring and simply gorgeous space at the Kilic Ali Pasa complex near the Istanbul Modern Museum. I couldn’t ask for a more swanky, special or amazing way to spend a relaxing afternoon, delving into Turkish tradition. When you’re pruny and happy, they have a beautiful boutique next door to purchase lovely souvenirs to take home. For hours, policies, and booking see the link below and ENJOY!

Shopping is not only for humans in Aspen. Your dog should be spoiled with gifts too, especially if you left them at home for the trip. There is no better place for that than C.P. Paws. Look for their sandwich board sign on Hyman Avenue walking mall and walk down the alley. If your dog is with you they will generally sniff it out and lead the way. This is not your ordinary pet shop. Sure inside they have the toys, treats, coats, dog beds, leashes and collars but they have so much more. Get a hand painted dog bowl with your dog’s name or maybe you need a coffee mug with the breed of dog you have to let everyone know you love your pup. Everything is of a high quality and very stylish. Steve, the owner, and his faithful companion, Baxter, are there most days and will gladly help find the right accessories for your loved one. I bought a harness for my very lovable “Marley and Me” yellow lab that was pulling me everywhere and he helped me fit it to her and he even special ordered the perfect color. Your dog might forgive you for leaving them if you bring them back something good.

I rarely get fooled when I follow the local lead and the Koloa Fish Market has my attention. It’s easy to start talking about this little fish palace across the street from the post office. Nondescript is telling it like it is. Observing the stream of locals flowing thru the doors on any given day pegs this place as perfect. This is a fresh fish paradise. Poke prepared in the traditional and innovative styles is the big draw for me. Their wasabi dipping sauce is a great complement to the delightful seasonings. If you need to avoid the raw bar options, you can always hook something to take home to cook. In one of the thousands of hotel rooms without cooking facility? Try the seared ahi with the special teriyaki sauce for a tender treat that easily fulfills lunch or dinner. For those who crave things that walk, they have wonderful treatments on their chicken and pork. Kim chee influences spice things up. The Koloa Fish Market is easy to find and hard to forget. It’s cash only so put your plastic away. No seating onsite, but no shortage of picnic spots on Kauai. It’s just another reminder of a simpler, sustainable Kauai existence. Great testament to the Aloha spirit of the islands.

When Beijing’s hutongs—narrow alleyways that connect to form mazelike neighborhoods—were originally built, they were lined with stone houses that had central courtyards. In 1949, with the founding of the People’s Republic of China, there were more than 3,000 hutongs; so many have been razed since that time that there are now fewer than 1,000. The remaining hutongs are where locals chat with their neighbors, sit outside on hot summer nights, buy fruit, and tend to their gardens, all without leaving their own alleyway. Seeing this side of traditional Beijing life is delightful and serves as a marked contrast to the many shops, restaurants, cafés, and bars that now occupy the courtyard homes lining the alleyways.

From the dusty street, the Hotel El Convento in León, Nicaragua, beckons with its stately façade and red Spanish-tiled roof. Step inside and you instantly feel at home amidst ornate period furnishings that are surely a far cry from the building’s humble beginnings as the 1639 San Francisco Convent. The elegant Restaurante El Victoriano offers an indoor-outdoor retreat centered on the hotel’s manicured, tropical courtyard—an example of the colonial hacienda style found throughout León. The restaurant is a meeting place for people from all walks of life—aged former Sandinistas who now hold positions of leadership, locals splurging on a fine meal, or foreign students from one of the city’s many Spanish language schools seeking tranquility and an excellent cup of coffee.