Café Carlyle Chic and classy Café Carlyle is New York at its best and is well worth the steep cover charge; Eartha Kitt was a regular, and Woody Allen is often part of Monday night jam sessions. Bemelmans Bar features pianists like Barbara Carroll, and a cheaper tab. Carlyle Hotel, 35 East 76th St at … Read more
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
Café de Flore A hang-out for artists and intellectuals since the 1920s, its regulars have included Salvador Dali and Albert Camus. During World War II Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir “more or less set up house in the Flore”. Although its prices have skyrocketed, its Art Deco decor hasn’t changed and it’s still a … 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
Jardin des Tuileries A stroll through the beautiful Tuileries Gardens is one of the must-dos of Paris. Before the Revolution this was a prime spot for the aristocracy to show off their latest fashions. The gardens are now part of the Musée du Louvre . Jardin des Tuileries The Left Bank A very Parisian walk, … 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
Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace Hampton Court The finest piece of Tudor architecture in Britain, Hampton Court was begun by Henry VIII’s ally Cardinal Wolsey in 1514 and later given to the king. It was enlarged first by Henry and then by William and Mary, who employed Christopher Wren as architect. Its many rooms include a … 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
Sherlock Holmes The famous but fictitious detective created by Arthur Conan Doyle first appeared in 1891. He still gets regular fan mail sent to his equally fictitious address of 221b Baker Street . Sherlock Holmes, London’s famous detective Charles Dickens The great Victorian novelist and social campaigner (1812–70) lived in Doughty Street for two years … 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
Berliner Filmfestspiele The Berlinale is the only top German film festival, and is attended by Hollywood stars and German starlets alike. Until 1999, the film festival took place all around the Zoo-Palast cinema; today the traditional festival draws thousands of cinema fans to the area around Potsdamer Platz. Filmhaus Potsdamer Platz 2nd and 3rd week … 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
Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe) Whatever you are looking for, you will find it here, in Europe’s largest temple of consumption. On eight floors, the venerable KaDeWe (department store of the West) offers more than three million products. On its gourmet floor, West Berlin’s former “shop window”, you can choose from 1,800 cheeses, 1,400 breads and … 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
Pacific Place Part of a $500 million development plan, this is the crown jewel of Seattle’s retail shopping centers. Stores include Tiffany & Co., Coach, Ann Taylor, Helly Hansen, Cartier, Pottery Barn, L’Occitane, Aveda, and Williams-Sonoma. The top level has an 11-screen AMC Theatre complex and several fine gourmet restaurants. There is also a skybridge … Read more
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Dining Room More perfect food than this, in a more quietly refined setting, or with more elegantly considerate service is hard to imagine. When you want to give yourself a treat, make a reservation here and prepare to be pampered with the very best food and wines . Ritz-Carlton Hotel Dining Room … 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
The Herbfarm Dining at this Eastside restaurant requires time, money, and an appreciation of the culinary arts. Chef Jerry Traunfeld’s kitchen often uses ingredients from the restaurant’s gardens and farm. Creative menus include a nine-course dinner of Northwest foods, served with five or six matched wines (non alcoholic options are also available). Reserve well in … Read more
49-Mile Drive This all-in-one driving tour is marked with blue-and-white seagull markers, and winds its way through the most picturesque parts of the city. It can be challenging to follow, keeping an eye out for the markers and the traffic at the same time, but you can get a map of the route from the … 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