A one-week stay at a five-star, professionally staffed villa in Jamaica doesn’t come cheap –especially during high season, which runs from mid-December to mid-April. But the costs of a sybaritic experience can be whittled down substantially when it’s split among one or more families, or a tribe of friends. Each of these exceptional properties is uniquely steeped in history, offering privacy, security, luxury amenities and great views.
Only on a cruise ship can someone effortlessly visit three ice bars in three different countries in just over a week—so we did. The first lap of our Scandinavian trifecta began one day before we were to embark on an 11-day Baltic cruise on the Crystal Symphony leaving from Stockholm, Sweden.
This week, the American Planning Association designated iconic Fifth Avenue as one of its 10 Great Streets for 2012—calling it “expansive and majestic” with a “style and splendor that is virtually unparalleled in the U.S.” Fifth Avenue runs from Washington Square in Greenwich Village to Marcus Garvey Park at 142 Street in Harlem—a distance of…
If you are headed to New York City, don’t miss Discovering Columbus, the new temporary public art installation on display at Columbus Circle in New York City. At the invitation of the Public Art Fund, Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi has wrapped an inviting living room around the iconic statue of Christopher Columbus. The exhibit is…
Florence is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, renowned for its history and culture. So why would any visitor plan an early morning day trip from there to Bologna? An Italian phrase says it best, Ad essere sinceri, è più forte di me. In English: To be honest, we simply couldn’t resist. Having…
OSTUNI, Italy — With pencil and paper, Croci Sisinni sketches street scenes during his walks. Then the sculptor returns to his studio and chops off chunks from a large slab of limestone, their shape suggesting the landscape or streetscape to be carved. “You might call them pieces of Ostuni,” he told us. His tools appear…
Nestled in the rugged Ozark Mountains in the buckle of mid-America’s Bible Belt, Branson, Missouri serves up a heaping helping of Las Vegas-style entertainment (without a hint of raunchiness), seasons it with a plethora of outdoor activities, and adds generous portions of red, white and blue. If you think “Branson” is all about hillbillies and…
With its Mediterranean climate, Napa Valley in California is a congenial home to some 400 wineries. But the fertile vineyards and memorable wines of this region often overshadow its reputation as a mecca for sustainable foods and farm-to-table cuisine. The nation’s first agricultural preserve was established here in 1968, and farmers, ranchers and other local…
Last summer, my husband and I decided to retrace the route we had once taken to the Canadian border. Ten years ago, our son was a young hockey player and we were driving him from our home in New York to a tournament in Québec City. This time there were only two of us in…