When possible, I’ve linked to the SmartShanghai.com entry, which gives you a map to help you find the location, the nearest metro station, and the option of a taxi printout in Chinese that you can give to a cab driver.

The doing

It’s important to remember that there have been Europeans in Shanghai since around the mid 19th century, which means it’s not like most other Chinese metropolises. The number one thing people tell you to do in Shanghai? “Walk the Bund.” The Bund is a riverside walkway flanked by European-style buildings that host chic hotels, restaurants, clubs, and offices.

The views from the Bund look across to the booming Pudong area let you see how the city lights up as each building competes to be the brightest and most attention-getting. You can also take a sunset boat cruise along the Huangpu River, to see the bright lights from a different vantage point. Of course, this is Shanghai, so once it gets dark, your boat will light up, too.

Just west of the Bund, the most charming area to spend time in is the French Concession. Tree-lined streets with colonial-era buildings sit alongside neon-lit noodle parlors and super-duper malls. One of the highlights of the French Concession is a foray into the warren of alleys and lanes that make up the Taikang Lu area. It’s pretty hard to describe, but imagine a bunch of small lanes and shops all cobbled together. Part souq, part street, part mall, part art gallery, it’s (probably) not like any other place you’ve ever been to.

Wander the lanes, browsing the shops and artist spaces, where you can find anything from smart silk scarves and high-fashion clothing pieces to cheeky Japanese t-shirts, Communist propaganda memorabilia, and quirky gifts.

For a sanitized, albeit very pleasant version of what the French Concession has to offer, hit up Xintiandi – a painstakingly restored area of shops and restaurants that comes alive at night with patrons spilling out on patios, cocktails in tow. Xintiandi could be renamed Expat Central, but for the incongruous historical site within its confines: the building that signifies the birthplace of the Communist Party. I had a nice time drinking beer in the warm night air there, but for the most part I found myself more interested in things like the massive beverage towers being hauled by the bicycle delivery guys just outside the area.

On the weekends, in People’s Park, you will find something strictly Chinese: the Marriage Market. Hundreds of potential suitors list their height, weight, and other interesting stats about themselves, in hopes of securing a partner. Of course, the majority of people looking at listings are the mothers and grandmothers, jotting down phone numbers to bring home to their recalcitrant daughters. The young women in the park that we chatted with find the whole system dreadfully old-fashioned and completely embarrassing.

A little more pricey than roaming the streets on your own, but 100% worth it, is to schedule a tour with Shanghai Pathways. The native Shanghainese guides will show you parts of the city that you could not easily access on your own, and it’s a truly special experience. You can see the breadth of options on their website. We took a trip to the huge, bustling, 24/7 Shanghai Wet Market, which was a fabulous way to spend a morning. Lots of meat hooks! (To see a super in-depth look at our Shanghai Pathways tour to the Wet Market, you can check out the full pictorial run-down I wrote for Summer Tomato.)

We also convinced our guide to take us to the only place in China that still produces soy sauce the old-fashioned way, which takes 2 years (!) to ferment in clay pots with woven lids. It’s not an official tour, but we jumped at the chance to be the guinea pigs for this potential future tour, and the opportunity to experience a very special kind of barrel tasting. The verdict: delicious.

Across the Huangpu River, you leave Puxi (“west of the river”) for the modern marvels of the Pudong (“east of the river”). Head to the World Financial Center, the 2nd tallest building in the world and the home of one of the most spectacular observation decks in existence. Pay the full price and you can zoom all the way to the top of the opening, which has a glass floor that makes most people (even those of us with strong constitutions and no declared fear of heights) waver a bit. Of course, for roughly the same price as entry to the observation deck, you can just hit the 93^rd floor lounge of the Park Hyatt in the same building, and buy yourself a couple of drinks, free view included. Of course, this is Shanghai, so it’s not surprising to hear that they’re currently constructing an even taller building next door.

Perhaps you’d like to get as far off the touristy track as possible. I have just the thing for you—Qibao Old Street. This water town lies within the confines of the Shanghai metro system, so it’s available to you if you’re willing to sit on a subway train for 30 minutes or so. Qibao is a little hard to explain, but I interpret it as having a Jersey Shore/Coney Island kind of vibe. The only difference is that instead of carnival games, they have cricket fighting (the bugs, not the bats) and instead of kettle corn, you can buy miscellaneous animal parts on sticks to snack on. Imagine teenage paramours trying to be cool with a backdrop of red-lit shops and stalls with whole barbecued frogs and pig feet on sticks, all underlined by some vaguely dirty (albeit grudgingly picturesque) canals. Still, the effect is charming, and for once, you’ll be the only laowei around.

Another slightly off-track destination is the new Shanghai Museum of Glass, a small and very specific museum (my favorite kind!) in a gorgeous industrial glass building. SHMOG, as its known, is a bit of a trek (don’t even try to metro and bus there; just go for the taxi) but the building is striking and it’s pretty enjoyable if you like glass. It starts out pretty slowly and predictably, but the second half of the exhibition is informative and aesthetically interesting.

If you’re into the gallery scene, don’t miss a few hours at M50, on Moganshan Road. You’ll find a haphazard grouping of old buildings that used to be part of a textile mill, which are currently colonized by up-and-coming artists. Wander among the pedestrian alleys–with galleries on every floor, you’re sure to find something that catches your eye.

The eating and drinking

First things first: a stop at Yang’s Fry Dumplings. You want to do this very early on, because you’ll probably want to go back again and again. With over a dozen branches throughout the city, you should be within easy distance to Yang’s at all times. Pay for your dumplings at the cashier (at press time, under US $1 for 4 dumplings—you order them in multiples of 4) and join the back of the queue. Grab a sauce bowl and a soup spoon and jockey for a seat (sharing a table is the norm.) After mixing up the right proportion of vinegar and fried chili flakes in your sauce bowl, move one of the dumplings into the soup spoon; your best bet is to use the spoon and the chopsticks as a team to tackle the juicy exploding dumpling.

The dumplings, which are fried on the bottom and steamed on the top, are full of hot broth, so take a small bite and slurp out the juice before proceeding. Pile on the vinegar and chili flakes and prepare to D.I.E. of happiness. After the third dumpling, I predict you’ll be a) deciding how many more to order and b) trying to figure out when you’re going to make it to Yang’s next.

On the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of price, atmosphere, and clientele, nearly everyone we talked to recommended recommended dinner at M on the Bund, on the 7th floor of 5 Bund, and while it was a gorgeous space and a view that couldn’t quit, the food was only so-so, especially considering the exorbitant prices.

Instead, I recommend you skip M and just go one floor down to Glamour Bar for well-crafted and interesting cocktails. Get there early enough (before 9, maybe) and you can snag a table with a great view of the sky-high skyline across the river in Pudong, plus a front-row seat for people-watching as the place starts to fill up.

If you’re in the Taikang Lu area and want to grab a snack or a drink while you’re there, I recommend Kommune, which offers a laid-back courtyard setting and a surprisingly delicious albeit eclectic menu. If you’ve ever dreamed of eating good hummus or lasagna in China among artsy intellectual types while listening to achingly hip music, this is your big chance.

But you are in China, after all, so you might be on the hunt for regional Chinese food, and migration patterns are definitely in your favor in Shanghai, as you’ve got people from every region of China showing off their culinary stylings. If you want more dumplings options than the one-size-fits-all Yang’s experience (say, if you don’t eat pork) then there is always a branch of the upscale Taiwanese chain Din Tai Fung nearby; you can get them filled, fried, steamed, or souped in a dazzling array of combinations.

Overall, I personally find the bulk of the Shanghainese cuisine a little bland for my taste, but the Grandma’s Meat Pot at Shanghai Min—a clay pot overflowing with slow-braised pork belly and knotted tofu skin—is one of the best things I’ve eaten in a long while and worth the trip. I wouldn’t turn down their fried meat dumplings, either, and the Bund views from their perch at the tippy top of Super Brand Mall aren’t too shabby.

For excellent and accessible Yunnan food, Lost Heaven is a great bet, but if it’s not too inconvenient, trek out to the location at Gaoyou Lu and Fuxing Xi Lu; it’s more intimate and homey than the glitzier version on the Bund. But truly, my heart belongs to the numbing chili fires of Sichuan cooking. Thankfully, a couple of Shanghai natives shared their favorite Sichuan restaurant with us, and it was spectacular. Middle-class Chinese families fill this affordable, large, tasteful restaurant (which is somewhat unfortunately named Chopsticks) in the Shanghai Pearl Hotel. Standouts included fish-flavored shredded pork (which we confirmed had no fish in it and tasted nothing like fish) tree mushrooms in a hot pot, and poached sliced beef in hot chili oil, with thick, glassy rice noodles slicked with chili oil. There was also a dish that consisted of chiles with tiny pieces of chicken hidden throughout. The chiles outnumbered the chicken by about 20 to 1.

Of course, if you want braised bullfrog or duck blood, be my guest (and let me know how they tasted, because I didn’t try them.)

The Cool Docks is also a pretty cool place, despite the dorky name (maybe it sounds better in Chinese?) with a slower, more relaxed feeling than Xintiandi, featuring small restaurants around a courtyard fountain, and another opportunity for people-watching.

The Indian restaurant at the Cool Docks, Kebabs on the Grille, is so good we went back twice for curries and lamb kebabs with cooling raita and charred naan.

With the strong expat legacy, there are other non-Chinese restaurants that deliver as well. For cracker-thin pizzas and Italian specialties in a breezy covered side patio, try Bella Mia, a standout and a welcoming place when you just can’t eat another dumpling. The friendly, hands-on owner claims both Northern and Southern Italian heritage, so he deftly covers a spectrum of dishes.

For drinks, the outside rooftop patio at Kathleen’s 5 in People’s Park is a classic– and they have a reasonably priced, thoughtful wine list to go with the views. Across the street from the Cool Docks at Waterhouse on South Bund, both the rooftop bar and the first floor lounge are intimate, fun places for a drink (make your choice depending on weather and how badly you want a view.)

For strictly drinks, The Bund and Xintiandi (both described above) are crawling with bars and clubs – pick up a copy of Time Out Shanghai or That’s Shanghai, or check SmartShanghai.com to see which is the flavor of the week.

Now go back to Yang’s one more time.

The sleeping

There are a wealth of great hotel options in Shanghai, and as usual, I picked from the Tablet Hotel offerings. We stayed at two different places in Shanghai, and we liked them both for different reasons. JIA Hotel Shanghai is in an old, 7-story French Concession building that’s been retrofitted with modern, comfortable, thoughtful furnishings. Just off Nanjing Road, right at the metro station, it’s at the epicenter of commerce and crowds, in a good way. If you can afford the splurge, opt for one of the reasonably priced suites  - you’ll feel like you’re playing house in your very own Shanghai sublet.

If you want to be out of the unceasing action of Nanjing Road, Waterhouse on South Bund, also a modern hotel, might be a good choice. Its aesthetic is a little grittier than JIA—think concrete and iron—but not at the expense of comfort or service. It’s next to the Cool Docks, which makes it easy to grab a bite to eat or a drink, plus it’s on the southern end of the Bund, so you can walk the mile or so down for dinner and Bund views at your pleasure.

An added bonus is that the walk to the closest Metro stop (Xiaonanmen) leads you through the old silk market, which is an area where people still live in an old-fashioned way that hasn’t yet fallen prey to the cranes and construction.

But fall it will, because Shanghai never stops moving forward, forward, inexorably forward.

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The question: “This summer, I’m going to Italy- biking from Rome to Venice, through Tuscany, with lots of stops in between. What are your favorite things to see, eat, and do there?”

How can I tell you all the things to do in Italy? This will barely scratch the surface! Let me get this out of the way first: I haven’t been to Rome in quite some time, so I will point you to some fine recommendations from Heidi of 101 Cookbooks for that. I’m also incredibly partial to the New York Times “36 Hours” column… and luckily for you, they have a recent one on Rome.

Of course, I like to plan ahead, so if I were heading to Rome I’d be considering a stay at the modern budget Orange Hotel, the colorful Capo d’Africa, or the tucked-away and charming Inn at the Spanish Steps. For a more luxurious splurge, I might go for the newly revamped Hotel de Russie. Tablet Hotels has a long list of unique Rome hotels to book (including the four I just mentioned), so if you need a place to stay, I’d start browsing photos, reading editorials, and checking availability.

Moving on to Tuscany, which is one of those places that looks exactly how you’ve imagined, only much better. You may have heard this already, but in Tuscany it’s fun to stay in an agriturismo–a guesthouse on a farm. I would recommend you look on Trip Advisor for reviews and email them to see if they’re available. There is a wide range of really down-home to fancy shmancy, which is where Trip Advisor comes in to help a lot.

My husband’s favorite town in Tuscany has got to be Siena. I don’t really need to tell you what to do there because once you’re in the old town you’ll just figure it out. Each summer, they have a horse race called the Palio in their shell-shaped piazza–something I would definitely like to witness in my lifetime!  We missed it by a week on our last trip. If you’d like to plan on that, it’s held every July 2nd and August 16th.

The tiny hilltop hamlet of Panzano is where you’ll find the famous “butcher of Tuscany” Dario Cecchini–if you are a meat lover, or any kind of food lover, I can’t stress highly enough my wish for you to eat at Solociccia, a restaurant with communal seating and 6 courses of meat with wine for 30 euros. (“Solociccia” means “only meat.”)It’s one of the most engaging and enjoyable restaurants I’ve ever experienced. We made a reservation on the same day over the phone; it’s not open every day so check ahead. There are two other Dario Cecchini restaurants, and yes, I know (and envy) people who have tried all three in one weekend. Dario+ (fka Mac Dario) is more casual, while Officina della Bistecca is the most upscale and focuses on steak.

A visit to Dario’s butcher shop, Antica Macelleria, is a must as well. When you arrive, you’ll most likely be greeted  by the ever-theatrical Dario wasn’t holding court in the street with his striped pants, bottle of homemade chianti in one hand, and teetering tower of drinking glasses in the other. Don’t worry–he’ll offer you a glass.

San Gimignano is one of the most postcard-perfect Tuscan towns–a town of many towers. It’s lovely and charming. And don’t forget to drink some Vernaccia de San Gimignano, it will be hot and you will need the refreshment from this excellent local white wine.

Monteriggioni an old walled town between Siena and San Gimignano. It’s a relaxed, quiet place to stop for lunch and walk the upper walls for views across the Tuscan landscape. If you were traveling with kids, I’d recommend Monteriggioni for the small medieval museum that charms kids and adults alike, with coats of chain mail, swords, and armor to try on. There are two terrific restaurants in the main square of Monteriggioni: Pozzo and Remo.

Other Tuscan towns that hold some interest for me are Volterra, named for its many stone vaults, and Parma, the birthplace of two of the finest foods known to humankind: parmigiano and prosciutto. Greve in Chianti was highly unexciting, I would not recommend it. Castellina in Chianti is much cuter and sweeter, but not worth a special trip. Of course, the aforementioned Panzano is in a much better hilltop setting than Greve and just a couple kilometers away.

I haven’t been to Firenze or Bologna in awhile,  so I’m not qualified to make recommendations.The beauty is that lots of people have  been to those places so getting advice on them should be quite easy.

Moving on from Tuscany on the way to Venice, you will pass through the town of Ferrara, the bicycle town of Italy. It’s an underrated town with an excellent local culinary tradition and old-town charm. Eat at Trattoria da Noemi, which though reasonably casual is in my opinion, one of the best restaurants in Italy. Order the salamina, a pork lover’s delight and a specialty of the town, something like an unholy marriage of salami and chorizo over  mashed potatoes. (Insert Homer Simpson drooling sound.)

Ah, Venezia, one of the most magical cities in the world. You might feel like it’s full of tourists but it will help to remember that ever since they built on water, nearly 500 years ago, the place has been full of tourists! My first bit of advice: get out of the main area of Piazza San Marco. It’s covered in pigeon shit, tourists, and 8 euro cups of coffee. There are literally dozens of lesser piazzas and campos with much more to offer. Last time we stayed near Campo San Giacomo and we spent many an enchanted evening sipping an aperitivo while the neighborhood kids played in the public fountain.

The Peggy Guggenheim Museum is definitely worth a visit; it’s got one of the best modern art collections in the world (and my very favorite Picasso) in an unexpected canal-side setting. Fans of contemporary art should not miss it. Scuola Grande di San Rocco is another worthwhile museum. It’s an old church that’s been covered on the inside–walls, ceilings, staircases, and so forth–with Tintoretto paintings. (My Dad’s favorite, for what it’s worth.)

A day trip to the island of Murano is another of my top recommendations. Murano is the glass-blowing island of Venice and you can stop by working fornaces to see people making glass. It’s also a good spot for buying gifts as there are lots of small (albeit breakable) things to pick up there, and since you can watch the whole process you’re guaranteed your tourist tchotchkes weren’t made in China. You can take a vaporetto (water bus) there or a water taxi. There is a great authentic restaurant along the main strip called Dalla Mora. Order a whole salt-crusted fish and watch the local men argue over soccer.

As for restaurants in Venice, people say it’s hard to eat well there, but if you know where to go, you can find terrific food to rival any in Italy. Some of the very best in my mind are L’Incontro off Santa Margherita, La Zucca by San Giacomo, and for a more pricey but excellent meal try Fiaschettteria Toscana in Canareggio.

I often use Tablet Hotels to find and book interesting hotels throughout the world. I know in Venice they  have some cool ones that are not too expensive, as I’ve had my eye on them: Charming House IQs and Charming House DD 724. If you’d like to rent an apartment, which is terrific when you are travelling with a larger group, VRBO has some excellent ones. The penthouse apartment we stayed in in Venice was via VRBO, and had a fabulous balcony overlooking the canal – Dimora Tintoretto at the Casa dei Pittori. It was by a fabulous Campo and close to the train station and great restaurants and cafes.

For gelato: This is my husband’s area of expertise. Grom on San Barnaba is his favorite. My mom calls it the “BiRite Creamery of Venice”. Gelateria San Stae is my favorite, especially the very very dark cioccolato flavor.

A few general tips about Italy…

• Don’t forget to eat a gelato in each and every town until you find the very best one.
• Mark Bittman has some good recommendations on restaurants–search them in the New York Times and bring printouts with you.
• They always say “get lost in Venice” and it sounds a bit trite, but it’s actually good advice. Hopefully not TOO lost though.
• To get double espresso you have to ask for “doppio”. The only word my Italian husband actually learned to say in Italian.

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The first sighting was a rocket ship and a UFO within a few stores of one another, housing a used clothing store (rocket ship) and a cafe (UFO.)

Next I swooned at the 1950s sensibility of the Kurt’s Camera Corral sign. Plus, I like picturing cameras in a corral. (I was also nostalgic for the idea of a modern store that offered service with the price…)

Hiway House Motel beckoned from across the street–too bad we already had a place to stay.

A few more steps and I saw a concert was playing soon – Mars Hill Church? Never heard of them, but they’re probably the next hot indie band. Or… this is a church that lives in an old movie theater. Yes, it was the latter.

I couldn’t get enough of the ironing guy in Master Cleaners; if this were a video you could see his neon arm moves back and forth, disconnecting from his neon body at the shoulder, as he endlessly irons his neon shirt.

Crossing the street, I was hit with one of the most epically geeky and incredibly rendered murals I have ever seen. The breadth and depth of comic and sci-fi characters in the mural outside the Astro Zombies Comic Shop are amazing. Comic book nerds, this should be a stop on your pilgrimage.

I don’t know who these green guys are- anyone? But I know that only in this mural would they hang out with “Hard Knock Life” version of Dr. Evil and Mini-Me.

All this sightseeing in the desert heat had me ready for some ice cream. Or in this case, frozen custard. I could tell from the sign that the flavor of the day at Chillz would help me beat the heat.

I imagine New Mexicans probably have a pretty easy time dressing up for Halloween… between Masks y Mas and Larry’s Hats (and old jewelry,) they’ve got it covered.

A cold beer on the rooftop deck of Bailey’s on the Beach–a kitschy ocean-themed bar in the middle of the desert–gives you a great vantage point to see the sun set over the University of New Mexico.

The nighttime desert sky beams bright blue with all the neon lights.

(Everything seen here is located on Central Avenue in Albuquerque, roughly between Carlisle Boulevard and Princeton Drive, except Baileys, which is just off Central Ave at 2929 Monte Vista.)

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The Question: “I am planning a girls trip to Palm Springs in two weeks, and I wanted to ask for your advice on hotel and restaurant recommendations.  I’m looking for a cool “happening” central hotel with pool where we could hang out.  We’ll want to have a nice dinner on Saturday night, and may be squeeze in a lunch or brunch as well.  Any advice?”

I actually wrote a blog post with some of my favorite Palm Springs spots awhile back- it should be a helpful start, although  some of my opinions have changed slightly. I got to know the area a lot better since we got married there, so I’ve had a chance to try many more things since then…

For a hotel, it really depends a lot on the budget and what you’re after- there are lots of great hotels down there. The Ace Hotel is super groovy (definitely qualifies as “happening”) but it’s not right in the middle of town. It’s a pretty small town and cabs and parking are plentiful, so it’s not a huge deal. They have an excellent poolside scene! Two small hotels that are quite fabulous and centrally located are Del Marcos and Chase Hotel. The Viceroy has a very LA vibe, and is a bit bigger and more chichi modern. It’s in a great location as well. I have heard great things about Desert Riviera, but it’s basically next door to Ace.

While I so enjoy a stay at The Parker Palm Springs, I have to warn that it’s way on the edge of town and pretty pricey. If you don’t stay there, do go for patio drinks, splurge for dinner at Mr. Parker’s (where we went on our very last pre-wedding date as fiancees before tying the knot!) or opt for a see-and-be-seen brunch at Norma’s. Bring your biggest sunglasses!

When it comes to food: for lunch or brunch I highly recommend Cheeky’s. Everyone loves it there! They have a bacon flight, for goodness’ sake. For dinner, it really depends on what atmosphere you want. If you can sit outside, Spencer’s at the Mountain has a great outdoor area with lights that’s really pretty and the food is good. (We had our rehearsal lunch there.) I think the best quality food and service in town is at Zin, but the atmosphere is not the best. As I mentioned, Mr. Parker’s at the Parker Palm Springs has great food as well, and a super cool and funky atmosphere, but it’s pricier. The Parker is a really zany place so it’s fun to see it. You can eat brunch there, which is a great setting, but it’s way expensive and not amazing. I would definitely choose Cheeky’s over Norma’s.

Don’t forget to try a date shake while you’re there–a desert delight. Have a great weekend!

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Mzizima (“healthy town”) is what the city used to be called before it became Dar es Salaam (“house of peace”.) If you’re staying at the fabulous Kilimanjaro Kempinski (which you should, by all means) then you can walk your jet-lagged self to this market at sunrise for all the early morning action.(NB, the Kempinski is also very well-located for walking to the Zanzibar ferries.) Here! I made you a map.

Mzizima Market is almost exactly the opposite of the orderly Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo–and if you’ve been to both, the contrast is startling (and invites thoughtful conversation about culture and food.) At Mzizima, the fish comes in on the boats in the Indian Ocean…

…and is immediately and unceremoniously slapped down and gutted with lightning speed. Guts abound. The haggling, poking, and prodding begins even before the fish have been cleaned.

The bigger fish are carried from the beach and simply thrust aloft. This invites a crowd to gather around the fish and start yelling out their offers. These impromptu auctions are over in seconds and occurring constantly.

Gutting a fish requires a sharp knife. This guy will handily hone it for you on his ingenious bicycle knife grinding contraption.

This being our first morning in Tanzania, after a very long journey, we were initially a little apprehensive about the crush of people. It turned out that everyone was just being by turns curious and/or friendly. At five o’clock in the morning, we were definitely the only people there solely for the sights and sounds (and, sigh, smells; it’s a fish market after all)–and we were hardly inconspicuous! Was it the giant camera? The blonde hair?

I love how these women match their shrimp, and how they manage to look so fashionable and put together even with 2 or 3 inches of fish slop on the ground.

I made you a map so you can find it. Hint: don’t wear sandals!

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If you’re like me, the first thing you’ll do Friday night when you arrive in town is drop off your bags, do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars, just make a beeline for the Turf Supper Club to get directly and immediately into vacation mode. My husband puts this in his top 5 favorite restaurants in the world. I will have to go top 10. But still! It’s a must, especially if you like tasty cocktails and hunks of meat.

The short version of the story is that this spot was hip and happening back in the olden days, the neighborhood went downhill and the joint closed for about 30 years, and was reopened in ’99 and kept almost exactly the same decor-wise and vibe-wise. The vaguely horse track theme and the dim pinkish lights are the perfect ambience for a pint-sized cocktail and a hunk of raw steak–which costs about 7 bucks. Why so cheap? You cook it yourself on a communal grill.

Now that you’re sated with steak and possibly a little tipsy, head to the Gaslamp District just down the hill for a post-prandial beverage at some over-crowded, over-designed bar. I’m a supersucker for the newish Searsucker, which boasts specialty drinks like the “Best Served Cold”, which combines gin, watermelon, jalapeño, and citrus. Yowza. On the other hand, If you’re feeling adventurous, low-key, poor, and have a designated driver, my favorite kitschy-tacky 1970s mermaid-themed bar, Pacific Shores, is all the way in Ocean Beach but it just happens to have good, strong drinks that range from two to five dollars. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever actually paid five dollars there. The blacklight-heavy, under-the-sea ambiance will either delight or horrify you (me=delighted.) Hint: if you want to sound like a local, call it PacShores.

Wake up! It’s breakfast time. There is only one place to head for mouthwatering breakfast pastries and a whole litany of very best and fanciest coffees, teas, and hot chocolate, which is Extraordinary Desserts. Technically there are two places because they have two locations–the original location (where yours truly used to work, in fact) on 5th Street between Hillcrest and Downtown, which is quaint and cozy, and the newer Little Italy location which offers a va-va-voom design, with its super modern design and lofty concrete and metal. Everything there is both gorgeous and incredibly delicious. Top marks from me!

What to do once you’ve recovered from your post-breakfast mini-coma? For the culturally inclined, the La Jolla branch of the Museum of Contemporary Art has an astoundingly well-curated collection in a small, manageable package. (Then again, in that ritzy neighborhood they probably aren’t hurting for donations.) I am a big fan of small modern museums and this is one of my absolute favorites. The sculpture garden out back looks onto the Pacific Ocean and features a breadth of works, including Nancy Rubins’ fabulous sculpture “Pleasure Point” hanging off the building’s backside.

Another excellent choice is a visit to the USS Midway. Now I’m not the most militarily inclined, but this once-active aircraft carrier is a fantastically interesting historical site with an excellent audio tour to boot. Kids will like it too–as long as you let them up on the deck with all of the old planes. For the tequila-inclined, there’s always Old Town, the original historical location of the town of San Diego and the site of the first Western settlement in California. Old Town is a state park that has a couple of historical sites, wide pedestrian roads, kitschy Mexican tourist shops, and some fine margaritas. Learn about some of San Diego’s Spanish founders then mosey on over to the big courtyard for some live mariachi, traditional dance performances and a strong margarita with a side of guacamole. You can even find out what the Mormon Battalion is! (I’m not going to tell you, because that would ruin the surprise.)

After all that art, tequila, and/or historic military airplane action, you’ll be famished once again. No trip to San Diego is complete without a stop for cheap and tasty carnitas at Porkyland. Trust me, I know my pork! If you’re with a group, the family platters of crispy, salty pork, fresh tortillas, and all the fixin’s to fill you up will not disappoint. The original location in the barrio has shut down since I moved away, but luckily for you, if you went for art, there’s a La Jolla location. If you went for tequila or airplanes, there’s a Hillcrest location.

Now, a few more suggestions on proper lollygagging. You didn’t come to this laid-back beachtown to, like, put effort into stuff, did you? If you’ve rented a car, you might fancy a trip across the Coronado Bridge, just south of downtown, to the famed Hotel Del Coronado. The hotel’s red roofed, old-fashioned charm has been featured in several movies (including one of my favorites, Some Like It Hot) and still delights with an updated, outdoor comfy lounge bar by the beach. It can get over-touristy on the weekends, but a walk along the white sands of Coronado will quickly get you back to chill mode–especially if you happen to be there on one of those lucky days when the dolphins frolic just off shore.

If that’s not your scene, maybe you’ll feel more at home in a house of hipness. Two come to mind–one in Pacific Beach and one downtown. The bar/restaurant at Tower23 Hotel, JRDN (pronounced “Jordan”) is a good choice on a warm day. If you’re lucky, you can snag a seat poolside on the mezzanine level to sip and snack. But I’ve got a real soft spot for rooftop bars, even more so when it’s a tucked-away, secret-seeming one like Beach Bar at the W Hotel. A late afternoon here is a divine way of enjoying the last rays of the day without having to contend with the scantily clad, club-going hordes that descend upon it at night. You can take off your shoes, wiggle your toes in the sand, and all but forget you’re smack in the middle of downtown.

Dinnertime again! Sushi’s on tap for tonight. Sure, you could wait 2 hours for a table at the crowded, crazy RA for one of their funky rolls. The combinations are delicious, the sake is flowing, the skirts are miniscule, and the heels are high. If you would like a sushi experience that is approximately the exact opposite, a few blocks away you will find Kiyo’s, one of the oldest sushi places in town. You will get no ambiance, many friendly Japanese people, extremely delicious fish, and no scenesters. Not a one.

If sushi doesn’t suit your fancy, or you have something romantic in mind, supper by sunset at Georges at the Cove will treat you right. (It’s a little confusing because they have a fancy indoor restaurant, a bar, and a rooftop bistro called the Ocean Terrace. The Ocean Terrace is the nicest setting and the best food.) You may want a reservation (even if you just call the same day) to try and request a table on the water side for the splendiferous sunsets.

Did you perhaps have one too many last night? Or are you on your way to the world famous San Diego Zoo and need sustenance to tackle Panda Canyon? What you need is one of the specialty benedicts, an eye-opening  jalapeño cheddar cake, or a short stack of pizza-sized Cap’n Crunch raspberry pancakes (pictured below) from Cafe on Park. Try to drag your ass there by 10 or you’ll probably have to wait. If you’re a hair-of-the-dog type or if the aforementioned zoo trip involves whiny kids, may I recommend one of their excellent Bloody Marys?

Wait to digest all of that before you head out to Belmont Park for a ride on the Giant Dipper. Just before the big plunge, you’ll see ocean views for miles! The perfect way to say goodbye to sunny San Diego.

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The Question: “Me, my wife, and my 2-year-old son are going to Europe for the month of May.  We fly into Berlin at the start of the month and we fly out of Rome at the end.  We will definitely make our way to Paris in between, but that’s all we have.  I’ve only been to London, Amsterdam and few cities in Spain, so I am completely overwhelmed with the many choices of where else we could go. So, I’m wondering if you know of any easy-to-get-to great locales in between Berlin, Paris and Rome. Also, any train advice you have would be helpful.  I know that flying between the cities would be cheapest, but I’m trying to avoid flying and airports as much as possible.

Let’s start at the beginning–I have no Germany knowledge as I have never been there (although it looks like a trip there might happen this year!) so I can’t tell you what to do in Berlin. If you’re going from Berlin to Paris by train, you’re probably thinking about stopping in Brussels. May I suggest a couple of days in Bruges instead? Brussels is a reasonably pleasant international city, but its charms (in my opinion) don’t merit the deep exploration of truly great world cities like Paris or Rome, so you might instead enjoy a few days of small-town charm in between those two large metropolises. Bruges is a jewel of a Belgian town that will give you an easy, slower-paced taste of Belgium with little hassle. You will probably have to take an overnight train from Berlin to Brussels and change to a short train to Bruges (about 1 hour from Brussels.)

Heading into Paris from Belgium, you can camp out there until your next move. Paris is, of course, fabulous, and it would be hard for me to synthesize my very favorite things to do there–but I’ll try a few.

• Falafel in Rue Rosiers (pick a line, any long line, all of them are good.)
• Cafe Josselin in Montparnasse for crowded tables, friendly service, the best buckwheat crepes and strong Bretagne cider.
• The tasting menu at the excellent Spanish restaurant Fogón. (Babysitter required.)
• The nearly tourist-free bar scene on Rue Oberkampf.
• Sauntering through the painters at work in the plaza at the top of Sacre Coeur and scouting out the moulins (windmills) tucked in the neighborhood nearby.
• The Arabic hammam (communal baths) at L’Institut du Monde Arabe. (Check hours on their website: some days are men only, some days are women only.)
• The dazzling and delightful market food hall at Le Bon Marché (metro: Sevres-Babylone.)
• The Sunday flea market at Saint Ouen (metro: Clignancourt.)
• The view from the top of the Pompidou Centre on a clear day.
• Shopping in the Marais, in the alleys and on Rue Tiquetonne.
• Sunny afternoons sitting by Canal St. Martin sipping on a glass of rosé.
• A stop at the venerable tea shop Le Mariage Freres for tasting, sipping, smelling, and presents.
• The way Hotel de Ville looks on a dark and stormy night.
• Meringues from anywhere.

And when in doubt, use the restaurant recommendations from David Lebovitz.

I could go on for days about Paris, but you need to get to Rome! There are a lot of options in between. I’m going to recommend against Venice, although it’s doable, and it’s wonderful, because it’s a bit out of the way and it definitely deserves more than a couple of days. I fear that a stop in one of the northern Italian cities like Milan, Turin, or Genoa will just feel like a slog from one big city to the next, and not really provide you with a respite. Plus, to be honest, none of those places really knocks my socks off. In that case, I think the best thing to do would be to choose a spot in the south of France, along the southern coast. Now the trick is which spot to choose?

I could make a strong argument for Nice. Staying in Nice would be, well, nice. It’s home to one of my favorite restaurants of all time, La Merenda, and it’s a handy jumping-off point for day trips to the hanging-on-a-hilltop hamlet of Eze and other points of interest along the Côte d’Azur. But don’t fool yourself–Nice is a big and bustling city, not a small seaside town. If you opt to stop there, you should either stay in Vieux Nice (Old Nice), a windy warren-like area with old stone streets and alleys, or even better, the tinier town just to the East, Villefranche-sur-Mer. The bayside in Villefranche couldn’t be cuter–in fact, it’s been used in dozens of movies to represent that Cote d’Azur ideal.

You could also opt for a stint in nearby Cannes, which is a bit more removed, and due to the famous film festival offers a bevy of fine hotels and restaurants to choose from. I’ve had my eye on 3-14 Hotel (perhaps partly precipitated by a preoccupation with Pi?) and the elegant Hotel Martinez.

But what about Cassis? From a practical standpoint, it offers the benefit of being a short hop (30 minutes by car) from Marseille, which has a major train station for ease of travel between both Paris and Rome. It’s also lesser known to the international tourist hordes who frequent Nice and surrounds, although still popular with French tourists. Its charm is a bit less tarnished by modernity and a bit more authentic (although I’m loath to use that loaded word.) It offers your best chance to decompress and recharge from Paris before jumping back in to the urban hum in Rome. Perhaps you could make your home in the venerable Hotel Liautaud for a few days?

Cassis is in an area known as Les Calanques (meaning “the inlets”) for its unusual coastal geography on the azure blue Mediterranean. In addition to swimming, Les Calanques offer excellent hiking and climbing. Cassis also has the benefit of being a stone’s throw from the Bandol wine region, a lesser-known appelation in Provence and an excuse for a lazy drive through the picturesque countryside. The homey tasting rooms in Bandol (which can really be just a family’s living room) belie the sophistication of the excellent rosé and red wines they produce.

I’ll recommend that these few days in the south of France is the one place you should splurge for a car rental. You won’t be able to take advantage of the best there is to offer without mobility.

I haven’t been to Rome in quite some time, so I will point you to some fine recommendations from Heidi of 101 Cookbooks for that. I’m also incredibly partial to the New York Times “36 Hours” column… and luckily for you, they have a recent one on Rome!

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Puebla, Mexico’s fifth largest city, is a 2 hour bus ride from Mexico City airport, and can easily be reached via airport bus–they run every half hour, and are very nice and comfy. It’s an excellent place for a long weekend, and after visiting, I’m adding it to my list of favorite Mexican cities. (If pressed, I would say Guanajuato and Mexico City round out the top three.)

Puebla is the birthplace of that most complex and unique of sauces–the dark brown, chocolate-laden mole Poblano (get it? Puebla? Poblano?) But there are actually many excellent moles besides the Poblano variety, like green pípian made with a blend of tomatillos and pumpkin seeds, the red pípian rich with tomatoes and peanuts, and the manchamanteles (“tablecloth stainer”)–deep red with guajillo chiles and a hint of cinnamon. You will have to try as many as possible, naturally. The best place to do that is Mesónes Sacristía. They have rooms there too, in case you want a short walk to lie in bed after your molextravaganza. It’s on a colorful street in an area known as Los Sapos (“The Toads”)–and the adjoining plazas have a hodgepodge of a flea market on weekends.

You can also eat your fill of the wonderful, fabulous, excellent (can you tell I like them?) tacos arabes (“Arabian tacos”). In the Cholula post I compared them to Salma Hayek because they are the best possible combination of something Middle Eastern (a shawerma) and something Mexican (a taco.) The description is apt.

The best place for tacos arabe in my humble opinion is Las Ranas. El Sultan is a close second (no website to be found, but there is a branch on 5 de mayo, just off the Zócalo.) Ordering is a little confusing, but here are some rules of thumb: gringa means you’ll get cheese, and arabe means you’ll get a thicker, more flatbread-like tortilla vs. ordering it with maíz (a tiny corn tortilla) or harina (a bigger flour tortilla.) In all cases you’ll get onions and cilantro. If you ask for it con piña, they’ll lop off a chunk of fresh pineapple warmed on top of the spit. My husband swears this is the only way to go but as for me I will stick with my gringa arabe just as is. It’s cheap, too! Two people with full panzas (bellies) for a couple of bucks.

If you didn’t get full on your tacos, a popular street snack is salty potato chips that get a dose of fresh lime and hot sauce to your liking. You’ll be fighting over the soggy ones at the bottom.

For something on the fancier side, a Poblano fusion meal at La Purificadora is a nice experience, and in a stunning building to boot. The building incorporates old, new, and recycled elements to great aesthetic effect. La Purificadora is also a hotel, but it’s not in the best of locations for walking around, and I’ve heard that it can be very loud with the rooftop bar going until the early hours of the morning. Head up to the top floor to check out the 30 meter clear glass swimming pool–an anomalous modern sight against a backdrop of colonial-era churches.

No trip to Puebla would be complete without sampling pasita or rompope at La Pasita. Rompope is a close relative of eggnog that’s made by nuns. Pasita is a raisin wine that comes with a cube of cheese in it, a surprisingly good combination. Go ahead, try one of each. Try two of each. Try three of each. Oh wait, now you can’t stand up. Go back to two.

But don’t think of this as a bar–think of it as an afternoon treat, because it closes very early (5:30 on some days, 2:00 on other days.)

Whenever we’re in Mexico, we get in the habit of drinking Herradura Reposado as a sipping drink. (We learned it from my Dad.) At nice places you’ll get a side shot of sangrita to go with the tequila, which is kind of like bloody mary mix. Both La Purificadora and Mesónes Sacristía had excellent homemade sangrita.

One local food that I will admit I was underwhelmed by were the cemitas. It was just a sandwich on a sesame seed bun. Nothing spectacular or even very good about it and that’s after a long walk to seek out the cemitas spot.

I would recommend staying in the Centro Histórico–we enjoyed El Sueño for the location, price, comfort, and tranquility. Also for the excellent chilaquiles verdes we could order for our included breakfast. Mesónes Sacristía, mentioned above, is also highly recommended and in a great location. Both are just a couple of blocks from the Zócalo (main square), which is great for strolling, sitting and sipping a beer, having a snack, or just plain people-watching.

If you’re lucky, there might be a giant high school marching band competition in the Zócalo!

If you’re unlucky, there might be clowns. (I don’t like clowns! I used to have an email address that was karen@ihateclowns.com. Can you believe that?)

A lot of people ask me if I feel safe in travelling in Mexico, considering all of the frightening news stories we hear about drug cartels, kidnappings, beheadings, and so forth. Geographically, Mexico is not a small country; the entire area is about 7 times the size of California. Logically, there are places that are more safe and places that are less safe. Of the many towns and cities I’ve visited, Puebla feels like one of the safest. Throughout its history, the Puebla area has consistently been quite prosperous, because of steady growth in industry, mining, and agriculture. They also produce and export the famous Talavera tile, which adorns the outsides of many a building.

What I’d like to stress, however, is not the demographics and statistics about Puebla’s safety, but rather the fact that I really felt safe, at least in the central areas of town. Walking around town one night, we turned on to a particularly dim street. I heard footsteps behind me and with a quick glance around, realized we were alone on this darkened street. I gripped my husband’s arm a little tighter and quickened my pace. The person behind me started walking faster, too. Just as I was starting to get into full panic mode, sure he was an assailant ready to kidnap the silly gringos who walked the dark streets at night, he passed and gave us a look. Dressed impeccably from head to toe, he was sartorially synchronized with the hippest of hipsters, complete with chunky glasses and jaunty scarf. His skinny jeans probably cost more than my plane ticket. He turned and looked at us as though he was afraid that WE were the errant street thugs that he should fear. My husband and I started laughing as this erstwhile kidnapping fiend headed into the Funky Monkey. In short, we decided Puebla was pretty non-threatening.

Between La Purificadora and the Centro Historico you will find El Parian, a pedestrian plaza dotted with artists’ ateliers. Not all of the art is top-notch, but it’s fun to see a mix of young and old honing their skills and offering their paintings. It eluded me on first pass, so here’s how to find it: it’s parallel to, and in between, 6 Nte and 8 Nte, in the section between 2 Ote and 4 Ote. In the evening, the ateliers close, and the restaurants and bars open up. Chairs and couches are pulled out on to the plaza, where talented, tortured university students with guitars croon to earn cigarette money.

There are also two fantastic small museums in Puebla. Museo Amparo has a beautifully curated collection of pre-colonial art, and a colonial era home set up with artifacts and furnishings.  Galería de Arte Moderno y Contemporáneo (tucked behind La Purificadora) has a small but extremely compelling modern art collection, and is housed in an architecturally interesting building that combines old and new structures. There is also a lovely neighborhood park with meandering trails and some sculpture nearby. We caught a pretty teenager taking her quinceañara (Sweet 15) photos.

We also saw a guy in a full-on homemade Optimus Prime costume nearby, but I think that’s somewhat less typical.

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I confess I didn’t realize it was a real place until I was all grown up! Since then, it has been on my list of places to visit. We took a quick weekend trip there with friends and it was a real treat.We flew into Long Beach on JetBlue, hopped in a cab, and grabbed the last ferry to Avalon, Catalina’s most prominent town. (For all intents and purposes, it’s really the only town. There is a second little town called Two Harbors, which has a couple hundred people which has one hotel, and one restaurant, and not much else.)

Catalina Island is home to only around four or five thousand people. But what a life they have! Just 26 miles across the sea in a one hour ferry, and you feel transported to another time and place.

Avalon strictly limits the number of cars allowed, which makes it a clean, clear, quiet place. So most people drive around in golf carts.

Where to eat and drink? Well, M in the Metropole brought us back for excellent bloody marys and tasty bites on their perfect-for-people-watching patio and their airy but elegant dining room.

A fancy dinner at Catalina Country Club might be in order. Or you can try the excellent seafood at The Lobster Trap, an odd place that has an unappealing menu and food that looks unappealing, yet everything tastes stupendously delicious.

If you have to wait for a table, grab a drink at the divey Marlin Club next door.

Or maybe you’d prefer a luau-themed dive bar. In that case, don’t miss Luau Larry’s–the local band that plays on Saturday nights is better than you’d expect. Or, head down past the casino and hit the hip scene at Descanso Beach Club for sand in your toes and a margarita in your fist.

Where to stay? A warning here, lodging is a bit pricey! Aurora is a good lower-priced option, and offers modern boutique hotel charm. The Metropole and the Pavilion are top choices. (That’s the Pavilion down there. Free wine at sunset.)

Catalina also has interesting history. William Wrigley Jr., of Doublemint gum and Chicago ballfield fame, bought up the whole island in 1919 (I guess you could do that back then!) He built something called a casino which is not really a casino but which looks cool and has a movie theater inside.

And he was buried there, in a big memorial. The memorial is still there, although the body was moved for some odd reason.

If you like snorkeling or especially scuba, you will find lots of things to do. There are shipwrecks to explore and all kinds of fish. Nice hiking, too. You can do a zip line if you’re adventurous. Or just go and watch the taffy puller–it’s quite hypnotic–and grab a fresh caramel apple or scoop of Thrifty ice cream, you know? You’re on vacation.

There are also bison on the island, which I didn’t actually see. They have an interesting story too–they were brought in for a film in the 1930s, and the crew just left them there to hang out. Of course, they procreated quite a bit so now there are a lot of them. That’s Catalina for you. Quirky and lovable. And utterly perfect for a mentally transporting weekend.

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So what do I love about Bali? What’s not to love? The people are incredibly friendly, it’s beautiful and lush, there is wonderful food and drink from the low end to the high end, and you can have luxurious experiences at ridiculously cheap prices. Often times when you travel somewhere that’s really inexpensive, it comes with a side order of hassling and haggling. This is one of my favorite things about Bali–especially the inland paradise of Ubud–there is no one tugging on your sleeve begging you to buy something or waving necklaces in your face, as in Mexico, Egypt, etc. So, to sum up: nice+cheap+beautiful+delicious-hassle = BALI. That is the formula for a great vacation.

When you think Bali, you are probably picturing a beautiful white sandy beach. There are many of those, to be sure, but interestingly enough, the inland town of Ubud is the island’s greatest treasure. In Ubud, we stayed at Alam Indah, which was fantastic. They have a couple of small properties near to each other: Indah, Shanti, and Jiwah. Alam Indah offered extremely excellent hospitality and a beautiful setting. Each property has a small number of big private rooms (really, like your own little house) and private patios replete with Hindu carvings and so forth. It was so shockingly cheap and felt totally luxurious and private, around $60 US for a whole house overlooking the jungle.

This hotel group also has cooking classes if you’re into that. We walked over to Alam Shanti to take a look, it’s a little fancier than Alam Indah, but slightly less atmospheric as it’s not as nestled into the trees… although their pool does overlook a rice paddy, which is pretty darn nice. We did not check out Alam Jiwah in person so I can’t speak to how it compares to the other two.

These inns are in a good location too, as they are secluded but just a short walk through the Monkey Forest to town. That’s right, MONKEY FOREST! Full of fun little MONKEYS! That was my favorite part of each day… getting up close and personal with a whole barrel of monkeys. But be sure to have no food in your pockets or purse as it’s nice to look at the monkeys, but you may not want them to climb all over you. Even if they are adorable little babies like this one.

If you want to pay more and go way all out- I recommend checking the Ubud properties at Tablet Hotels as there are some really amazing ones there that make me swoon. But for my money, I wholeheartedly recommend staying at Alam Indah or Alam Shanti, and I don’t think that paying a whole bunch more will actually get you a whole bunch more. (Also: when you get down farther in this post, to the part where I recommend renting a whole colonial mansion in Jimbaran, you might see why it’s to your benefit to spend less in Ubud.)

Now that you have a place to stay, where are you going to eat? There are lots of street stands or warungs (casual restaurants) that sell nasi goreng, a common Indonesian rice and vegetable dish. These casual spots usually hit the spot for about a buck a plate.

Our favorite place hands down was Naughty Nuri’s Warung. We went there multiple times and loved it. We couldn’t quit it! It’s owned by a husband/wife team–she’s Balinese, and he’s from New Jersey. This warung mashes up the best of both worlds, so they have excellent Balinese food on the menu alongside barbecued ribs, sashimi, martinis, and more in a casual indoor/outdoor setting. At the communal tables, you can meet old Balinese guys talking politics, wanderlusting Australian expat hippies, buttoned-up NGO workers, and a whole host of other interesting folks. Naughty Nuri’s is on my list of top 5 favorite restaurants in the whole world. In fact, I wish I were eating there right now!

Throughout Indonesia, when you see a sign that says “Babi Guling” that means they roast one whole pig each morning and sell hunks of it until they run out, usually around 2 PM. The best Babi Guling in Ubud is in the center of town, called Ibu Oka. You’ll get a basket of delectable pig meat, crispy pig skin, rice, a spicy sauce, and a beer for about 2 bucks. Delicious!

Now let’s talk fancy shmancy- you have to do that in Bali because the prices are so incredibly low. Mozaic and Nomad are the most well-known and renowned. You will need a reservation.

Besides eating, the best things to do are to hang out in the Monkey Forest, see a Balinese dance show, and go shopping. I’m not a huge shopper, but there is also great shopping in Ubud–with lots of crafty jewelry, clothes, pottery, and more, in styles that range from the very primitive to really modern. You can also rent a scooter and take a 20 minute drive out of town to see some smaller villages and rice paddies. They are very picturesque, but it is the one place near Ubud where you will be hassled to buy things from people.

Most of all, most most MOST of all, while in Ubud, you must get a 4 handed massage at Spa Hati. That’s right: 2 people massaging you at the same time. Best. Massage. EVER. Even better, the money goes to their community education program, so your massage payment is actually a charitable donation!

Now, it’s time to leave the lush green forests of Ubud and head out to the beach. In the main beachgoing area of Bali, near Kuta and the airport, there are several connecting little towns with different vibes. Depending on where you stay, you can rent a Vespa for a couple bucks (literally, like $2 to $5 for the whole day) and get between the towns. Kuta is more college-y, hippie, spring break-y, it’s the most touristy, and it’s overall the least appealing. Legian is much nicer. Seminyak is the bougiest. (is that how you spell that?!) The little town of Jimbaran is a bit farther south– perhaps 15-20 minutes by scooter from Seminyak, and worth a visit as well. Depending on how much time you have, you might want to split your beach time between, say, half the time in Seminyak and half the time in Jimbaran.

We stayed in Jimbaran and traveled about the area on the aforementioned Vespa, which our hotel arranged for us for next to nothing. We absolutely adored the place we stayed in Jimbaran, called The Shaba. There are 2 parts on the property, one is like a normal boutique hotel with a couple of rooms and the other is this totally baller colonial mansion with butlers, a private pool, free retro scooters, and the whole thing is just totally over the top and incredibly fabulous. Next time, I’d be tempted to inquire about renting the whole mansion and living like kings for a couple of nights at least. Everything else is really cheap in Bali so it just might be worth it…

But if not, just staying in the boutique hotel is fantastic, as it’s very small and stylish. They make you breakfast on the patio, and even though it’s just a few rooms, they can do cocktails, lunch, and dinner by the pool or on the patio if you want.The location of The Shaba is terrific, because you are just across from the InterContinental and a short drive from the Ritz Carlton, so you get the seclusion and chillness of a small hotel, but if you want big hotel things they are always close at hand.

Also, you can walk to the Jimbaran seafood warungs or fish huts–a must-do in Bali no matter where you stay. There are restaurants that set up tables on the beach at sunset, and you get to pick out what fresh fish you’d like to eat and they make it for you just to your liking. It is lovely to see all of the families playing on the beach and it truly feels like you are in paradise.. Go at sunset!

In Seminyak there is an epically cool beach club called Ku De Ta. In the day, it’s like a place you can swim on the private beach, rent chairs, get drinks/food, etc. then at night it turns into a super chichi club. I highly recommend you don’t miss it–but to set expectations, it’s one of the only places in Bali that has USA price points–and as such, it can be a shock when you’re used to paying $2 for lunch.

As well, there’s an excellent Belgian brewery and restaurant in Seminyak also called Mannekepis. After weeks of Asian food, the steak tartare and perfect frites were like heaven.

The Ritz Carlton/Bulgari Hotel also has some good restaurants, naturally, especially the Italian one there if you’re sick of Balinese food by this point.

One very important note regarding beer in Bali: you can get the ubiquitous cheap Indonesian swill, Bintang, everywhere you go. Here’s a secret a local taught us: there is a microbrew made on Bali that is in such small production it never gets exported off the island. It’s called Storm and there are 4 varieties, from light to dark. Skip the Bintang and ask for Storm. They won’t have it everywhere, but when they do, your taste buds will thank you. All four varieties are super delicious!

Now that I have equipped you to plan your trip to paradise… can you please fit me in your suitcase?

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