This is the heart of Strasbourg’s commercial district. You’ll find upscale shops lining the central square, which is dominated by a statue of Jean-Baptiste Kléber, who was a general during the French Revolution. He was born in the city in 1753, and his remains are buried in a vault beneath the statue. Notice Aubette Palace on the north side of...
ScheduleScheduleScheduleWhen you have had enough of shopping on the busy Kalverstraat, head to the Nine Streets (de 9 Straatjes) for a more authentic and relaxing experience. In an area constructed in the first half of the 17th-century, the nine side streets, located a mere two minutes walk from Dam Square, connect the main canals between Leidsegracht and Raadhuisstraat. The names...
Bangkok-based design company Propaganda creates and sells whimsical housewares. According to their website, Propaganda wares reflect “the innate sense of Thai playfulness.” Products with a sense of humor include toothbrush holders in the shape of a tooth, salt and pepper shakers that look like the lobes of the brain, and the Mr. P “One Man Shy” lamp with a shade...
Janpath Road runs due south from Connaught Place to India Gate. On its northwestern stretch are a number of street markets and shops all with an eye on the tourist dollar. Haunting the pavements you’ll find hawkers offering backgammon sets, chess sets, maps of India and other trifles they think tourists should buy. There are plenty of clothing, shoes, book...
Khan Market is the market of choice for expats and well-heeled Delhiites. Have a bespoke pair of shoes made here, browse bookshops for hours, search for classical and pop Indian music, get the latest electronic toy or just relish in some of the fine cafes in this block. Behind the market tucked away in a corner is a wine and...
Santushti shopping complex is the absolute opposite of the usual bedlam of Delhi markets. This is a collection of small shops dotted around landscaped gardens on the edge of a Delhi Air Force base. The reason being that the market was set up by the wives of the air force officers and now caters for the upper echelons of Delhi...
In Sanskrit, Saket means a place close to heaven and for shopaholics this would be an apt name for this district that contains five shopping malls. Here you’ll find department stores, fashion shops, a multiplex cinema, a food court, restaurants, coffee shops and a Hard Rock cafe. The complex also includes the Hilton Garden Inn. Metro: Malviya Nagar on Line 2...
Brick storefronts from the 1890s create the historic center and soul of this frontier town. The original wood buildings burned twice in the 1880s so brick was mandated. Old names remain, Babbitt Brothers (1888), Weatherford Hotel (1900), and the Hotel Monte Vista (1927), but most of the stores have experienced multiple reincarnations. You’ll find boutiques, outdoor outfitters, book stores, art...
Just 15 minutes drive north of downtown Cairns, Palm Cove might just as easily be known as Paperbark Cove. Ancient paperbark trees vie for shady dominance along the beachfront strip of Palm Cove. Lined with cafes, restaurants and resort hotels, Palm Cove is equally suited for brunch, lunch or dinner, a weekend getaway or a romantic week with a loved...
When it opened in 1998, Bellagio raised the ante for major players on the Strip. From its graceful dancing fountains out front to the jaw-dropping Dale Chihuly glass flower sculpture in the lobby, this grand dame aims to impress. It even starred in the remake of the Rat Pack caper movie Ocean’s Eleven. Stroll down the deluxe shopping promenades, wander the indoor...
Rising between CityCenter and Bellagio, the Strip‘s flashiest casino resort has upped the ante. Forget about stuffy casino hotels that lamely try to imitate the elegance of Old Europe. Cosmopolitan is aptly named; it’s sophisticated, young and ambitious. Here beauty has finally tamed the beast of the Strip. Whimsical contemporary art and priceless museum pieces are everywhere you look around the...
Artificially blue skies with fluffy clouds float over Elysian fields of designer boutiques. Stalwart houses of fashion – Armani, Dior, Versace – and youthful names like 7 for All Mankind and Juicy all find their place in this faux Roman marketplace with over 160 shops. Ladies, look out for Agent Provocateur for lingerie. Meanwhile, Lush and Kiehl’s carry everything good for your...
Sporting a faux Italianate cityscape, the Venetian’s luxury mall is almost a world unto itself. Let yourself float here off the Strip via the mini Rialto Bridge and its anachronistic moving walkway. Inside high heels go clickety-clack down cobblestone streets past designer shops, while operatic singers provide “streetmosphere.” Catch a free live performance in St Mark’s Square while waiting in line at...
On weekends, you’d be forgiven for thinking every twenty- and thirty-something from Southern California had decamped here. Walk dazedly around the expanded casino, where go-go dancers shimmy above the blackjack tables, and take in the museum-worthy collection of rock-star memorabilia, from black leather jackets worn by everyone from Elvis to the Ramones. Feed yourself at star-studded Nobu sushi bar. Mr. Lucky’s...
Get ahead of your vacation budget at Vegas’ best outlet shopping mall. Not far west of downtown, you’ll find primo brand names heavily discounted here, including Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, DKNY, and AllSaints. Public buses shuttle to the mall frequently, including the SDX express route from the Strip and downtown. From the Strip, it’s at least a 30-minute bus ride, or about 15 minutes...
Madrid’s Elegant Belle Époche Boulevard The Gran Vía represents Madrid’s energetic Belle Époque in style and mood. It was to open up the city to a wide, luxurious thoroughfare and to do away with smaller more mazelike streets. Inspired by similar urban development in other cities, especially Paris, plans were drawn up in 1862 but actual construction did not start...
A must stay is the magnificent turreted and gabled Grand Victorian Bed and Breakfast Inn considered one of the best examples of Queen Anne Victorian architecture in the state and situated in the downtown of historic Bellaire, a 19th century Victorian era lumber village and now a place for serious foodies and those who love a piece of history. Just...
Check out the Vigland Gallery featuring gas-fired porcelains by noted Northern Michigan ceramists Alan and Susie Vigland as well as other local artists. Art lovers will also want to stop at Gwen Frostic Prints is situated on a 250-acre private wildlife sanctuary along the Betsie River and includes a print shop with 15 Heidelberg presses that produce notepapers, postcards, and...
Check into the Crystal Lake Resort perfect for swimming, snorkeling, fishing and boating and just a short walk from Beulah, a historic lakeside village nestled along the Betsie Valley Trail. Close to three golf courses, Crystal Lake Golf Course, Champion Hill and Pinecroft. In the winter, the area is perfect for snowmobiling, cross country skiing Dine at the Cherry Hut...
Tucked away in the Straits of Mackinac off the mainland just before the magnificent Mackinac Bridge that connects the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan, Mackinac Island is an time trip to the 1800s. It is here that horses were banned in 1897 (before there were even many cars) and so transportation around the island with its wedding cake mansions,...