Smag31

New Year’s Eve To be among the crowds on the Puerta del Sol on the most exciting night of the year is an unforgettable experience. On the stroke of midnight join the revellers in observing the custom of swallowing grapes, one after each chime. Bags of grapes and bottles of sparkling wine are sold from … Read more

Hong Qiao Market Hong Qiao is best known for pearls (hence its alternative name, the “Pearl Market”), with a huge range available, freshwater and seawater, up on the third floor. The floors below are a tight compress of clothing, shoes, electronics, and more, while in the basement is a pungent, but fascinating market for fish, … Read more

Tea sets You’ll never look at a cup the same way again. For a start, Chinese tea cups are often three-piece affairs with a saucer to prevent burned fingers and a lid to keep the leaves out of your mouth. They are sized from mug to thimble, and the colors and patterning can be exquisite, … Read more

NOTE Pilsen Named after a city in the former Czech Republic, whose immigrants settled here in the mid-1800s, this neighborhood now claims the Midwest’s largest Mexican community. It’s anchored by the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum  and animated by street vendors, mariachi music, and Mexican restaurants. Vibrant outdoor murals and mosaics portray Mexican culture and … Read more

Chicago Blues Festival The raucous weekend-long Blues Festival kicks off summer in Chicago. An estimated 750,000 listeners converge on Grant Park for the world’s largest free blues event. The main stage line-up spans traditional bluesmen like Honey Boy Edwards, jazz interpreters such as Mose Allison, and blues-inflected popsters like Bonnie Raitt. Smaller side stages offer … Read more

Geiselgasteig & Bavaria Filmstadt Second only to Berlin’s film industry, Geiselgasteig has been a centre for film since 1910. Major productions have been shot here well into the modern era, including Petersen’s Das Boot, and films by Bergman and Fassbinder. Today, Bavaria Filmstadt presents screenings and live shows on the back lot. Geiselgasteig, Bavariafilmplatz 7 … Read more

Viktualienmarkt For a special experience, be sure to visit the Viktualienmarkt, founded in 1807. Formerly a farmers’ market, it has evolved into a shopping destination for gourmets. From Monday to Saturday, you will find daily offerings of fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, eggs, honey, and flowers, as well as exotic spices and other speciality foods. … Read more

Using the word “grunge” to describe Seattle’s music will mark you as an unhip outsider or a journalist looking for verbal shortcuts. The drinking age for all alcoholic beverages in Washington is 21, so have your ID handy when seeking entrance to taverns or bars. The Showbox This elegant 1900s Art Deco room with state-of-the-art … Read more

For safety reasons, Seattle parks close by 10pm or 11pm, and it’s best not to visit them after dark. Greenlake The well-worn paths in this lake’s  sylvan setting take visitors around a placid lake in a quiet neighborhood north of downtown. Mirror-smooth or gently rippling with the wind, Greenlake’s mesmerizing surface lets minds wander freely. … Read more

A warm welcome The Viceroy embraces Mayan mythology and culture wholeheartedly. On arrival, resident shaman, Jose Coali blesses you with Copal, a type of incense made from the resin extracted from the Bursera Bipinnata tree, which he burns and what’s around you. Viceroy’s menu takes inspiration from Mayan cuisine with dishes such as Yellowfin Tuna … Read more

Fun: The monthly Full Moon BBQ at the Bizot Bar kicks off with cocktails to the sounds of Radio Nova. The BBQ – if you have time to eat between dancing – has spicy jerk chicken, jerk pork, steaks, ribs, lobster and snapper and is served buffet style with a full salad bar. Must try: … Read more

Spa of the month – GoldenEye, Jamaica If you’re looking for a laid back Caribbean experience with a bit of celebrity magic thrown in, GoldenEye might be just the place for you. Located in Oracabessa on the north coast of Kamaica, GoldenEye is the quintessential cool resort. The property began life as a villa built … Read more

Passeig de Gràcia Barcelona’s grand avenue of lavish Modernista buildings is fittingly home to the city’s premier fashion and design stores. From the international big league (Chanel, Gucci, Swatch) to Spain’s heavy hitters (Loewe, Camper, Zara, Mango), it’s all here. And topping the interior design list is the perennially popular Vinçon. Side streets reveal more … Read more

Elephant Housed in a Modernista villa, filled with candles and Moroccan lamps, this swish nightclub attracts a fashionable young crowd. But the real highlight is the garden, where lounge beds with diaphanous white drapes, fountains and giant elephant statues add an exotic touch. In winter, the outdoor dance floor is transformed into a spectacular tent.  … Read more

Royal Ontario Museum A truly magical place for children, Canada’s largest museum makes a special effort to have plenty of hands-on exhibits. The much-loved Dinosaur Gallery and mummy cases are strictly “don’t touch,” but the Hands-On Biodiversity Gallery enchants and educates youngsters with interactive exhibits . Royal Ontario Museum Hockey Hall of Fame Budding hockey … Read more

With the launch of the Vivanta by Taj, Bekal, the state’s unexplored north coast is thankfully opening up to visitors. “Holidays can either be active or lazy; a vacation here invariably falls into the latter category,” says Samir Khanna, general manager of Vivanta by Taj, Baklal, as we drive around the resort in a golf … Read more

Although nobody at GoldenEye really pushes the James Bond thing, Ian Fleming wrote the Bond books here. His house, from which the resort takes its name, overlooks the sea, and there are cottages with names such as Vesper and Solitaire. GoldenEye recreates the ambience created by Ian Fleming in the 1940s. Hidden away from the … Read more

From ice-cream-flavored spa treatments to Barbie-themed rooms, Priyanka Shewakramani reports on hotels and resorts going the extra mile to keep families entertained. After all, if you spend your vacation worrying the kids will smash the crystal vase in your suite, you probably shouldn’t be there. When it comes to family holidays, choosing the right hotel … Read more

Mention Skye to ramblers worth their saltand the word Cuillins with swiftly appear in the conversation. In terms of grandiose and brutal terrain, few mountain ranges in Britain can compare. The violence of their volcanic birth was tempered by the ice age that followed, with basalt and gabbro rock splitting and corroding at different rates … Read more

Built on wool Lavenham, Suffolk Lavenham is six miles north-east of Sudbury. Wool was also the reason for the wonderfully rich and colorful medieval half-timbered villages of East  Anglia, and Lavenham is probably the best-known and most complete. Medieval houses such as the Guildhall and Wool Hall sag and creak crazily with age around the … Read more