When you're in another country, it's often hard to figure out where to go for just a simple, reliable meal. In this edition of Fast Bites, we point out some of the better fast food options in Paris.
• Flunch is a family-friendly, cafeteria-style chain with several locations around Paris, including one near Forum des Halles, the city's largest fresh market.
People generally don't need too many travel tips for the Greek island of Mykonos. Watching the sunset is often reason enough. Wherever you go on the island, you'll find something exciting, interesting, and fun, from the flawless beaches on the southern coast to some fantastic restaurants, bars, and clubs in and around the town of Hora. But even though it's impossible to have a bad time in Mykonos, it's worth looking out for the Archaeological Museum of Mykonos, because it helps put in perspective the beautiful yet ancient island you're walking on. It houses the archaeological finds from Mykonos and nearby Reneia, and features several centuries of fine art and sculpture. A large ceramic vase known as a pithon from the Seventh Century B.C., for example, has an elaborately carved relief depicting the fall of Troy on its surface. A collection of Rhenian gravestones, meanwhile, feature intricate stonework detailing the lives of the people they commemorate. A display of ceramic and glass dolls and rings shows that artists of the time had a whimsical side as well. The museum is located just minutes from the Santa Marina Resort & Villas, Mykonos, a member of Starwood's Luxury Collection.
London's Tate museums are some of the city's most beloved attractions, drawing thousands of visitors every year, and they're linked by one of the most creative forms of transportation you've ever seen. Art aficionados in London who don't mind feeling the motion of the ocean should make their way to the Tate Boat. This 220-seat catamaran with interior and exterior designs by Damien Hirst, but don't worry, no dead sharks or taxidermy were involved, just a whole lot of polka dots. The Tate Boat plies the waters of the Thames river between Tate Britain and Tate Modern every forty minutes during operating hours. It even makes a stop at the London Eye for those who desire a heightened view in the city between museum hopping. Starwood has several London properties, including the Sheraton Belgravia Hotel, London.
"Le Smoking," Yves Saint Laurent's female tuxedo, unveiled in 1966, is considered one of the twentieth century's most iconic pieces of fashion design. A true work of fine art in the eyes of many, the sleek, sexy piece of couture that bristles with a perfect combination of both masculinity and femininity, joins nearly 150 outfits at Montreal's Musee des Beaux-Arts, through September 28. Culled from the temperature-controlled archive of Fondation Pierre Berge Yves Saint Laurent, the exhibition includes sixty, never before exhibited pieces, as well as drawings, photographs, and videos.
Forty years of the revolutionary Algerian designer's career are presented in four different sections - "Masterful Pencil Strokes," "The Yves Saint Laurent Revolution," "The Palette," and "Lyrical Sources." Together, they trace the evolution of the designer's oeuvre, from the early sketches, to the merging of masculine and feminine elements, to the exploration of color, to the influence of history and literature. Pieces like the Mondrian cocktail dress from 1965, illustrate Saint Laurent's relationship with popular artists of the time, while evening gowns from the 1970s and 1980s show the degree of power with which he endowed his glamorous clientele. Since the designer's death this past June, this dazzling retrospective has become all the more relevant, and surely makes an imperative visit for those staying at the exquisitely fashionable Le Meridien Versailles, just two miles up the road from the Musee des Beaux-Arts.
Prepare for the exhibition by watching this fascinating footage from one of Saint Laurent's first fashion shows, in 1962.
Poutine is served all over the place, but one of the best places to try it is La Banquise, a 24/7 shop where the menu boasts 25 variations on the dish, from the classic to the T-Rex, which features minced meat, pepperoni, bacon and smoked sausages in addition to the usual cheese and gravy. Delicious artery-clogging goodness. At Maamm Bolduc, a cozy neighborhood joint, there's also plenty of variation. I'd recommend the poutine Bourguignonne, an homage to the classic French dish.
The most luxurious poutine is to be found at Au Pied de Cochon, where it's topped with seared foie gras and smothered in foie gras gravy. It's also the most expensive you'll find, at $23 Canadian, although Restaurant Fusion le 940 occasionally give them a run for that money with poutines on its specials list.
During World War II, an American man named Jim Thompson found himself amidst the jungles of East Asia. A trained architect, and skilled entrepreneur, he saw opportunity in this beautiful region, and in the late 1940s settled permanently in Thailand. Over a period of twenty years, Thompson revitalized Thailand's silk industry, a craft that was briskly losing momentum. He purchased a batch of looms, hired a staff of weavers, and boosted the local economy with his new business, the Thai Silk Company Limited. Sadly, Thompson disappeared one day while on holiday in Malaysia. His disappearance continues to be a mystery, but the man did leave a lasting legacy that can be enjoyed by visitors to Bangkok: his beautiful home.
Just a short walk from the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, the Jim Thompson House is a complex of six traditional, teak homes brought together from various parts of Thailand. Visitors can take a guided tour through the former residence, and get a closer look at Thompson's dining room, bedroom, library, and drawing room which was once one of Bangkok's great social centers. The beautiful home features wonderful architectural details, and houses a vast collection of arts and antiques, including a splendid array of Buddha images, Thai paintings, and even a 19th century "mouse house."
New Orleans has much to offer the traveler, but two things stand out above all others: delicious Creole and Cajun cuisine and some of the best live jazz to be found anywhere on the planet. We've given a few pointers on where to dine in the Big Easy, but if it's authentic New Orleans music you hunger for, make a beeline for Tipitina's. This artistic hot spot has made the corner of Napoleon Avenue and Tchoupitoulas Street a mecca for jazz enthusiasts since 1977, and musical legends from Dr. John to the Neville Brothers have made the stage their second home, helping to define the New Orleans sound for a new generation. To catch a live performance at this classic venue is to embrace the true embodiment of New Orleans, and if the experience inspires you to pick up an instrument of your own, drop by the club on Sunday. The famous Sunday Music Workshops are back, and students and visitors can once again play and learn from some of the finest musicians in Louisiana. Sounds pretty funky to me (and I mean funky in a good way). Starwood has six hotels in New Orleans, including the W New Orleans, French Quarter.
On Labor Day weekend, Aug. 29 to Sept. 1, Slow Food Nation comes to San Francisco. Not familiar with Slow Food? It's a movement away from mass-produced foods and a return to regional, seasonal and artisanal meats, cheeses, wines and produce.
The festival is bringing together thousands of slow food devotees — as well as people who just like to eat — to two locations in SF, Fort Mason near the Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf Hotel and the Civic Center area near the Westin St. Francis, where dozens of events will cover the breadth of the movement. Graze your way across the nation in the huge tasting pavilion, buy the makings of a great picnic at the farmers market and street food stalls, listen to talks by such luminaries as author Eric Schlosser and Chef Alice Waters, or take a workshop on how to set up your own home garden. In the evening, you can one of dozens of slow food dinners at area restaurants; check the website for details. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
The skyline of Shanghai is dominated by one of the most unusual-looking buildings in the world. Comprised of two large globes pierced by three cylindrical columns, the Oriental Pearl Tower soars 468-meters into the Shanghai sky, and it's definitely worth a visit if you're in town. The highest TV tower in Asia, its observation decks and restaurants provide unparalleled views of the city and countryside, from the nearby Bund district, with its rows of western-style buildings, to the Huangpu River, where elegant ships and rickety barges ply the busy waters. The tower is located in scenic Pudong Park, a peaceful green space that provides a refreshing retreat from the nonstop energy of the city. Guests at the St. Regis Shanghai or any of Starwood's Shanghai properties might appreciate seeing the city from this unique bird's eye perspective.
Just eight blocks north of The Nines, a brand new Luxury Collection hotel, Portland's Chinatown is the city's oldest neighborhood, and one of the nation's nicest. Its entrance at N.W. Fourth Avenue and Burnside Street is clearly marked by a grand gate, adorned with 78 dragons, and 58 mythical characters, and flanked by a pair of stone dragons that signify the yin (protection of the young), and the yang (protection of the nation).
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