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Requiring some expert navigating through the graffiti-covered back alleys of town, it’s not easy to find the restaurant/pub Osteria del Sole. But like most tricky things in life, this one’s worth it in the end. Lorenzo, the owner, has just recently returned to Genoa to open Osteria Del Sole after 13 years of running restaurants in New York City (thus, he speaks incredible English), and brings a metropolitan feel to his space (I love the couches in the front). Come early to grab a seat at the bar (a real rarity in Genoa). With a great liquor cabinet, feel free to order your favorite cocktail, and then stay for dinner. Lorenzo has a fabulous kitchen.

The Tule tree is estimated to be over 2,000 years old. It’s not the oldest or the tallest, but at about 30 feet in diameter, it is the widest tree in the world, and it’s quite impressive. The species is Taxodium mucronatum, but it’s commonly known as a Montezuma Cypress. If you visit on the weekend, you can ask one of the local children who act as guides to give you a “tour” of the tree—they point out figures in the natural formations of the tree’s bark and branches.

Corona Del Mar is the ideal beach for an early morning swim. (Yes, it will be invigorating!) There are buoys a couple of hundred yards out from the shore line to guide you, as well as the long rock jetty that keeps the water fairly calm. Want things a little more intimate? Take a short stroll south to find Little Corona Beach, the smaller and lesser-known of the two. Parking: Give yourself a little exercise and park on one of the residential streets above the beach to avoid paying for parking.

This tavern-based tapas bar in Madrid was founded in 1906 and fiercely carries out the tapas tradition. It has had many famous patrons, including Andy Warhol, and has a great wine selection as well as beers to go along with the famous garlic prawns and langoustines.

Take it from a local: If you’re looking to bond with the locals and enjoy some simple fare with lots of taste, drive down to Williche. The family-owned sandwich shop in a street corner in Cabo Rojo is just a block from the town square and a fifteen-minute drive from a couple of beaches.


Williche, a small building with pictures of old Cabo Rojo and slogans proclaiming a love for Puerto Rico, serves you cafeteria-style. It offers juices, different kinds of sandwiches, and milkshakes that are just the right amount of dense. My mom and grandparents started taking me there when I was a kid and I’ve been enjoying their bocadillos ever since. You would expect little (seeing as how they’re basically bread, ham, cheese, onions, tomatoes, and ketchup), but that makes their immense flavor all the more satisfying.


I’ve been living outside of P.R. for more than six years, but every time I come home, I ask my family to stroll down with me by the dominoes-playing older men and to Williche. It’s almost always packed, but I and everyone else know the woman behind the counter (the founder’s daughter). It means we can talk and laugh with her, and get to know anyone else who happens to wander in.


Forget Olive Garden. When you’re in Williche, you’re family.

This handicraft shop on the corner of 5 de Mayo and Morelos is impossible to miss: you can spot the lovely handcrafted pieces from the street through the floor-to-ceiling windows. You’ll find an excellent selection of high quality items from around Oaxaca. La Casa del Rebozo is a cooperative formed by 84 artisans from various regions of Oaxaca. Their handicrafts are of high quality, and show innovation though they’re made with ancient techniques inherited through generations.

Why we love it: A laidback but luxurious coastal retreat set in one of Southern California’s loveliest villages

The Highlights:
- Comfortable, light-filled rooms with private balconies
- Outdoor dining with ocean views
- A beautiful beach just a short walk down the hill

The Review:
Self-described as “your home by the sea,” L’Auberge Del Mar feels more like a mansion plucked from a Nancy Meyers movie. The immaculate property comprises 121 estate-style bedrooms set around a central pool and dining terrace just steps from a textbook SoCal beach. Rooms are full of welcoming touches—plush bedding, marble bathrooms, private balconies or patios, and carefully curated books on local topics—while facilities include several upscale dining and drinking options as well as two tennis courts, a 24-hour fitness center, and an award-winning spa. The hotel even welcomes dogs—and remembers them from previous visits—adding a personal touch to every stay.

Stop by the Living Room for cocktails and regular live music, savor fish tacos at the outdoor Shoreline restaurant as the sun dips into the Pacific, or end the night by the firepits at Bleu Bar. During the day, head to nearby Powerhouse Park and Beach for surfing, swimming and sunbathing, or Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve for hiking. Both Del Mar village and neighboring La Jolla offer upscale shopping and dining, and San Diego is less than 30 minutes on the freeway. Should you wish to stay closer to “home,” there are Electra Beach Cruisers available to rent as well as a village shuttle that covers a one-mile radius around town.

Teotitlan del Valle is world-renowned for its production of high quality woven goods. The weaving tradition in this village dates back to ancient times, when they paid tribute to the Aztecs in weavings, although at that time they wove mostly cotton and used the backstrap loom. The majority of the residents in this community speak Zapotec as well as Spanish and have conserved many of their traditions. On a visit to Teotitlan you can visit a family of weavers and they will show you the whole process of how the rugs are made from spinning the wool to dyeing it (using natural colors such as the cochineal and indigo) and weaving the rugs. Designs range from traditional geometric patterns like those found on the walls of the nearby Mitla archaeological site, to more modern designs such as reproductions of the work of contemporary artists.

Quinta Del Carmen’s story begins in 1916, when it was built as a weekend home for a wealthy family. Since then, this charming stucco, Spanish-style structure has served as staff housing for Aruba’s first hospital, a clubhouse for oil-refinery workers, a private residence, and finally as an elegant restaurant specializing in seafood—although there are plenty of options for carnivores and a few for vegetarians as well. You can dine inside or out, where twinkling lights and lush foliage make for a garden-like atmosphere. Specialties include the seafood paella and sucade lappen, a traditional Dutch beef stew slow-cooked in red wine, herbs, and plenty of butter until it’s fall-from-the-fork tender.

Sunny days should be cherished, and Puerto Rico offers plenty of them. Beaches are wonderful when you’re seeking to escape the heat, but Old San Juan will have you embracing the rays and feeling just as wild and free. The whole family will have a blast running around the fields of El Morro, tirelessly trying to keep a cat- or airplane-shaped kite soaring through the air. At the Plaza del Quinto Centenario, where water shoots up from the ground in foamy jets, join the locals as they gather around to frolic and cool off.

Central Plaza is a lovely place to spend the day and watch the community wind down in the evening. During the day, the plaza is full of music and children playing, and the surrounding streets are full of restaurants, shops, and art galleries. As the sun sets, the plaza gets quieter; the town’s lights turn on, and the children leave, one-by-one, to go home for the night. Stay late and enjoy the peace and quiet of the sleepy plaza, or head down one of the side streets and partake of the local nightlife!

The Museo del Novecento (Museum of the 20th century) is a visual lesson in one century of Italian art history. Housed is the 1930s Palazzo dell’Arengario by Rationalist architects Piero Portaluppi and Giovanni Muzio. The Novecento also houses an amazing collection, Who’s Who of the 1900s, including Italians Balla, Modigliani, Boccioni, Martini, Morandi, and De Chirico and international artists like Picasso, Matisse, and Klee. In fact, the museum is considered one of the world’s most important collections of Italian and international 20th-century art in Italy—Futurism, Spatialism, and Arte Povera. Keep your eye out for Piero Manzoni’s clever Arte Povera pieces, Arturo Marini’s large stone figures, and Pellizza Da Volpedo’s monumental painting Il Quarto Stato (The Fourth Estate). Martini also did the palazzo’s exterior bas relief. Bonus: The upper level bar/restaurant overlooks Piazza del Duomo.

Built on the foundations of a 16th century fortification, the Museo delle Culture del Mondo is housed in the 19th century Castello D’Albertis - the private home of the global traveler and collector of antiquities. Veer off the standard art/church museum trail, and up the massive staircase to the Castello, to see a beautifully preserved piece of Genovese history (and some super fascinating collections of global interest). While the walk is quite the hike, the view from the top floor library of the museum is stunning.

With its pristine beaches, emerald lagoons, and wildlife-filled jungles, Manuel Antonio National Park is considered one of the world’s most beautiful natural wonders. There’s no better place from which to explore it than the five-star Arenas del Mar, an 11-acre hotel and reserve that’s set atop rain-forested cliffs overlooking the Pacific and delivers just the right amount of luxury within walking distance of the park. (Just don’t be surprised to cross paths with the occasional monkey, sloth, crab, or iguana.) The rooms on the upper level have ocean views and feature hot tubs on large terraces; beachfront rooms are a particularly good choice for families with children thanks to easy access to the lower pool and the casual Playitas Restaurant. But the resort is also an unexpected culinary beacon, serving sustainable dock-to-dish seafood caught by local fisherman that morning and certified gluten-free options alongside traditional Costa Rican specialties.

This 23-room hotel has colonial charm even though the building is relatively new. The word “sotano” means basement in Spanish and the Hotel Casa del Sotano is thus named because the building’s first story is below street level. The lower level has a central patio with water features and lots of plants, so it’s both cheery and tranquil. The colonial furnishings, wrought iron, Mexican tile and artistic touches throughout the property add to its appeal. In the morning you can enjoy a cup of coffee on the terrace while you enjoy the view of the towers of Santo Domingo over the rooftops of Oaxaca city.