Town & Country articles from May 2008

Town & Country archives from May 2008

All the comforts of home.(EDITOR'S LETTER)(Editorial)
May 1, 2008... THE COMEDIAN George Carlin has a famous routine built around possessions-or, as he calls them, our "stuff." Once we acquire such stuff, he contends, it must go everywhere we go. He exaggerates, of course, which is what makes the routine so...

Inclusive, not exclusive.(In Your Own Words)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2008... I am one of your subscribers, without either being wealthy or aspiring to be affluent. I am a child psychologist working for a nonprofit organization, and my clients are medically fragile children. The work is challenging and, at times,...

Reader male.(In Your Own Words)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2008... In "Listen Here," Pamela Fiori describes T&C as being mainly for women. While this is probably correct, I find a number of items each month that are of interest to men in their early forties--like me. I always enjoy the travel articles and...

Correction.(Correction notice)
May 1, 2008... In our February issue we published a story by Susan Crandell titled "All Aboard for Eastern Europe," about a train trip from Venice to Prague. While we do fact-check all of our stories, we unfortunately did not confirm with an independent...

Scene & be seen: a calendar of events, trunk shows and benefits taking place at a store or location near you.(Diamond in the Rough)
May 1, 2008... Diamond in the Rough[R] "Rough diamonds are our muse. They inspire us to create every one of our unique designs. We are dedicated to creating fine jewelry celebrating the incredible natural beauty of the rough diamond." Anjanette...

San Francisco Ballet.(PARTIES: San Francisco)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Occasion: The seventy-fifth anniversary of the San Francisco Ballet, whose 1,200 exquisite-looking guests helped redefine the term glamour quotient. The setup: Four simultaneous dinners were held at City Hall...

Detroit Institute of Arts.(PARTIES: Detroit)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The People: Two thousand art patrons mixed and mingled to celebrate the anticipated reopening of the DIA. The Place: The museum, which had been partially closed for tile past six years during a $158 million...

Arthritis Foundation.(PARTIES: Atlanta)
May 1, 2008... The Place: The Arthritis Foundation's Georgia chapter held its twenty-sixth annual fundraiser, the Crystal Ball, at the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead. The Honorees: Leslie McLeod, an advocate for children's causes such as juvenile arthritis, and her...

Chanel Fine Jewelry.(PARTIES: New York)
May 1, 2008... The Event: Inspired by both Truman Capote's famous 1966 Black and White Ball and Coco Chanel's 1932 premiere diamond-jewelry collection, Chanel Fine Jewelry hosted Nuit de Diamants, a special fete held in the Plaza hotel's Grand Ballroom, which...

Metropolitan Opera.(PARTIES: New York)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... The People: A total of 1,050 guests, including tenor Plaicido Domingo, gathered for the Met's 123rd opening. The Place: Inside the opera house, and outside, too. A live performance of Lucia di Lammermoor was broadcast on-screen in Lincoln...

G&P Foundation for Cancer Research.(PARTIES: New York)
May 1, 2008... The Event: The Angel Ball, the biennial fundraiser for cancer research that's hosted by songwriter Denise Rich and that invariably attracts a star-studded lineup of singers, models and music execs. The latest benefit was held at Manhattan's...

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.(PARTIES: New York)
May 1, 2008... The Venues: New York City Center, the eighty-five-year-old concert hall in midtown Manhattan, welcomed 1,300 guests for the Alvin Alley American Dance Theater's Opening Night Gala performance. The Sheraton New York provided the space for dinner...

Africa-America Institute.(PARTIES: New York)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... The Event: The twenty-third annual fundraiser for the Africa-America Institute (AAI), a New York-based organization created in 1953 to help African students living in the U.S., took place at the Ritz-Carlton in downtown Manhattan last fall. To...

Ah, Paris! The City of Light is beckoning with wonderful new attractions, from an exciting debut at the Eiffel Tower to reimagined shopping experiences on the Rue du Faubourg St.-Honore and the Place Vendome.(ON THE TOWN)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE VERY SYMBOL of the City of Light offers the most alluring new Paris discovery: superchef Alain Ducasse's takeover of Le Jules Verne (South Pillar, Eiffel Tower,. 011-33-1-45-55-61-44), the restaurant on the...

Revamping Le Meurice.(ON THE TOWN: Ah, Paris!)(Le Dali)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When Philippe Starck was tapped to revive the public spaces of Le Meurice, he dubbed the grand hotel the Sleeping Beauty and himself the not-so-charming Prince. The designer has since transformed the staid Jardin...

Harmony on your plate.(ON THE TOWN: Ah, Paris!)
May 1, 2008... It took nearly eighty years to correct an echo in the Salle Pleyel, the premier symphony hall in Paris, centrally located near the Arc de Triomphe. The latest upgrade to the elegant hall is a little-known but very gracious dining area called...

Bons vivants.(ON THE TOWN: Ah, Paris!)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Go for the romance; stay for the poached pear with fromage blanc ice cream. Two new books by Americans in Paris point out that food may not be what takes you to France, but it's a tempting reason to extend your stay. Respected cookbook author...

Going outdoors with T&C.(IN THE COUNTRY)(Town and Country)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Everybody has a favorite room at home. Sometimes it's shared with friends and family; other times we retreat there alone. This month we debut the Town & Country Collection, our first exclusive line of outdoor...

Trading secrets.(IN THE COUNTRY)(horticultural)(List)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Oak trees do from acorns grow, and Trade Secrets, northwest Connecticut's rare-plant and garden-antiques sale, has sprouted into a major event. Started by interior designer Bunny Williams and her gardener, Naomi...

Walks on the wild side.(IN THE COUNTRY)
May 1, 2008... Instead of roses on Mother's Day weekend, think wildflowers. On Saturday, May 10, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, in Austin, Texas, hosts its fourth annual self-guided tour of five notable local gardens. And as she does every year,...

Vintage venues.(IN THE COUNTRY)(Vintage French Interiors: Inspiration from the Antique Shops and Flea Markets of France )(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With one dip into the captivating photographs and text of Sebastien Siraudeau's Vintage French Interiors: Inspiration From the Antique Shops and Flea Markets of France (Flammarion; $34.95), even the most committed...

The bloom is on the rose.(IN THE COUNTRY)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In wine, as in life, charm is the most elusive quality of all: an unstudied, off-the-cuff allure requires good winemaking but also a bit of luck. And charm is the principal thing we look for in rose, which must be...

Cheeses by the sea.(IN THE COUNTRY)(Cavaniola's Gourmet Cheese)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In 2003 Art Ludlow, a Long Island potato grower, switched from digging potatoes to churning cheese. His Mecox Bay Dairy, in Bridgehampton, New York, is the only cow dairy farm on Long Island. Anne Saxelby, a New York...

Delphine Krakoff.(FASHION & STYLE)(Interview)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] OCCUPATION: Interior designer. FAVORITE ACTIVITIES: "Between a job that I love, three sweet young children under the age of four, a husband I'm crazy about [Reed Krakoff, president and creative director of Coach] and...

Prints that pop.(FASHION & STYLE: Trends)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... PRINTS THAT POP Interior design meets fashion in a selection of summer classics created by tastemakers known mostly for their work in home couture. With their eye for color and composition, Allegra Hicks, Muriel Brandolini and others have...

Masters of couture: spring highlights from seven haute couture designers.(FASHION & STYLE)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] VALENTINO A bittersweet goodbye marked the end of an era for the famed Roman couturier. In a show consummating his forty-five-year reign as designer to the stars, Valentino displayed his signature style in flowing,...

Bucking the trend.(FASHION & STYLE: Men)(Interview)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] JAY KOS was vacationing on Capri when he had the idea for translating the island's pastel colors to men's buckskin shoes. "The news about my bucks [$695 a pair] is that no one has made them before in these colors and...

Baccarat.(LEVELS OF LUXURY)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Looking for star-quality crystal? This French firm has been the go-to source since 1764, and its entry into furniture and other areas of design keeps it a cut above. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IN THE DOOR Mille Nuits Flutissimo flute...

Hoopla!(JEWELRY)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Gold hoop earrings are essential to any jewelry wardrobe, but when oversized and accented with diamonds, they provide a grand flourish. 1. IPPOLITA Super Starlight ($2,500), at Bergdorf Goodman, NYC, 212-872-2518....

PS: I love you.(JEWELRY)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Birthstones, engraved charms, lockets: honor thy mother with a personalized gem. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] JENNIFER FISHER 14k-gold shields ($420 each) and chain ($600), jennifer fishernyc.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Flex time.(WATCHES)
May 1, 2008... Sporty chic translates easily to watches, thanks to rubber wristbands combined with diamond bezels, classically shaped faces or bursts of color. From left: CORUM Admiral's Cup Competition 40 ($9,800), at selected Neiman Marcus stores,...

Remember mother.(BEAUTY & HEALTH)(Mother's Day)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Even on our worst days, our moms have a knack for making us feel calm and cozy. Show your appreciation by filling your mother's home with the warming aromas of crisp greens, luscious florals and sensuous musks. From...

Carolina's choices.(BEAUTY & HEALTH)(Carolina Herrera Jr.)(Buyers guide)
May 1, 2008... Looks can indeed be deceiving: you'd never guess that Carolina Herrera Jr. is thirty-nine years old. But then, she is the daughter of Carolina Herrera, the equally stunning designer. It may come as no surprise that, with natural beauty on her...

Time to toss it?(BEAUTY & HEALTH)
May 1, 2008... How do you know if your mascara is brimming with bacteria or if your moisturizer is no longer delivering antioxidant protection? T&C posed these and other questions to experts with the goal of discovering how you can get the most mileage out of...

A firm foundation.(BEAUTY & HEALTH)
May 1, 2008... A Firm Foundation In every makeup artist's beauty bible it is written, "Thou shall not overdo the foundation." Abhorrence of the masklike look runs deep among pros, so at the risk of eliciting gasps, I confess: I am a foundation fanatic. I'm...

Facial a la mode.(BEAUTY & HEALTH)(Calming Cocoon Facial Kit)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Heading to the spa every month for a revitalizing Darphin facial seems like a dreamy treat--until you wake up and wrestle with your calendar. If your schedule is as jam-packed as ours, don't give up with a "C'est la vie." Darphin is now...

Own a Warhol.(BEAUTY & HEALTH)(Andy Warhol)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New York City perfumery Bond N o. 9 has just released Union Square, the second of twelve Andy Warhol-themed scents. An initial burst of freshly cut green stems is sweetened by lily of the valley and blue freesia; an...

Sally goes solo.(BEAUTY & HEALTH)
May 1, 2008... Sally Hershberger, known for creating Meg Ryan's famous shag and for charging $800 per cut, now shares some of her expertise at a fraction of the cost. Sally Hershberger Supreme Head, the bicoastal hairstylist's first solo hair-care line,...

Support system.(BEAUTY & HEALTH)(Clarins Younger Longer Balm anti-aging cream)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Your antiaging cream diligently protects cells, but what about the underlying networks that provide nourishment and support regeneration? As you age, communication among nerve endings slackens and capillaries harden;...

Editor's choice: stay-put concealer.(BEAUTY & HEALTH)
May 1, 2008... Janet Carlson, T&C's beauty director, has dabbed her undereyes with dozens of formulas in recent years in search of one that felt just right and wouldn't wear away by midday. Her top pick: Yves Saint Laurent Anti-Cernes Multi-Action Concealer...

Must-dos for May.(BEAUTY & HEALTH)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... 1. COLLECTA BOUQUET Plant this covetable array of single-note fragrances, ANNICK GOUTAL Les Soliflores ($400), on your dresser and you can pick a different bloom every day--orange blossom, violet, jasmine, lily of the valley or...

Bob: the builder: Why Robert A.M. Stern, formerly dismissed as old-fashioned, might just be the architect of the moment.(ARTS & CULTURE)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EVERY MORNING the New York-based architect Robert Arthur Morton Stern dons a sober suit, tailored in London, puts a canary-yellow silk handkerchief into the breast pocket, slips on yellow socks and Gucci loafers in...

Piece of cake.(ARTS & CULTURE)(American Ballet Theatre's Cake)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Cake," a new ballet that chronicles the rich, if not always sweet, life of Marie-Antoinette, premieres this month at New York's Joyce Theater as part of the American Ballet Theatre II company's spring season....

Roman Spring in D.C.(ARTS & CULTURE)(District of Columbia)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Nothing says Washington like love and deception, a combination taking center stage this month as Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra form an ambitious Roman repertory at the Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC). "These are very political plays,...

May must-sees.(ARTS & CULTURE)
May 1, 2008... * New York galleries let their art stars shine this month when out-of-town collectors arrive for the big spring auctions from the 6th through the 16th. Don't miss Neo Rauch at David Zwirner from the 12th through June 21, Christopher Wool at...

Good as gold: boutique hotels, an undisturbed landscape and nobles dedicated to preserving their culture are pumping new color into Portugal's Douro wine country.(TRAVELER'S NOTEBOOK)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] OUR DRIVER maneuvers our vehicle along a narrow, twisting road toward the hilltop village of Provesende, in Portugal's Douro Valley. It's the end of harvest season in this seventy-mile swath of steep stone-terraced...

Swiss bliss.(TRAVELER'S NOTEBOOK)(Le Richemond)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] GENEVA Despite its watchmaking legacy, Geneva isn't exactly famous for being up-to-the-minute. That's why last September's reopening of the grand 19th-century Le Richemond has everyone in town talking. Under the chic...

Regal bistro.(TRAVELER'S NOTEBOOK)(Royalton Hotel)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... NEW YORK At Manhattan's recently redone Royalton Hotel, the clubby lobby is filled with velvet and suede and apreswork crowds making the most of their expense accounts. But rather than check out the models sipping cosmopolitans, happy-hour...

Estate jewels.(RENTALS)(Blandings)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] What can you expect from a company called Blandings, named for the fictional castle in P.G. Wodehouse stories? Exquisite stately homes, of course. The London-based rental agency represents 210 historic properties...

Fearless females: six recent books celebrate the intrepid spirit of women travelers, past and present.(TRAVELER'S NOTEBOOK)
May 1, 2008... IT HAS BEEN SAID that there are only two types of stories: someone goes on a journey or a stranger comes to town. Lately, though, the balance has tipped decisively in favor of the former, as mar and more books honor the courageous wanderings of...

Subtle has its day.(DESIGN TRENDS)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... With a few key moves, you can downshift your interiors to a chic new cruising speed. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Choose a carpet that whispers instead of shouts. The wool-silk Nautilus (left and above), by Kelly Wearstler for the Rug...

Silver lining.(DESIGN TRENDS)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] When designer Barbara Barry bought a new house in Beverly Hills last year, she took possession of a master bathroom that Humphrey Bogart might have loved: spacious, even clubby, lined with oxblood marble and...

The best of intentions: when well-meant words hurt more than help.(SOCIAL GRACES)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I HAVE NO DOUBT that when our fourteen-year-old daughter was struck by a ear and seriously injured some years ago, one of the things that helped our family weather the storm was the affection of those friends who...

The other Armani: Roberta Armani is making her mark on her famous uncle's company and on her new apartment in Milan.(Giorgio Armani)(Cover story)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] THEY ARE SO DIFFERENT--like fire and ice. At their core is the same elemental energy, but Roberta Armani, the niece of fashion designer Giorgio Armani, is as warm and open as her legendary uncle is reserved and...

Endless summer: passionate about houses and crazy for Hawaii, tastemaker Gordon Thompson remakes a historic house in Honolulu.
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] IN 1999 Gordon Thompson, who was born and raised in San Diego and is therefore a surfer almost by city decree, celebrated his tenth year with the Nike company by taking a six-week sabbatical and riding ocean waves...

Opposites attract: Blair and Alistair Clarke vie for control of the stylistic heart of their apartment--and both end up winning.(Interview)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Alistair Clarke manages to hold his own in a roomful of women: here he joins wife Blair (pregnant with daughter Georgina, now five months old), daughter Poppy and a voluptously feminine trio courtesy of British...

Totally in tune: for music impresario Richard Foos and his family, a new place in the hills west of L.A. has proved to be pure platinum.
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A onetime spec house is now a highly personal home for Richard and Shari Foos and their daughter, Harley, thanks to some practical magic from L.A. designer Thomas Callaway. In the entry hall (opposite), he added a...

Global sourcebook.(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Thomas Callaway is a designer whose specialty is foreign accents. Here are a few of his top sources and favorite products. Fabrics: Callaway often relies on colorful prints from Lee Jofa, including Intaglio Weave for upholstery and...

Form follows fancy: a garden in the south of France comes gloriously to life--and remakes its owners in the process.
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ON A SLOPE in the Luberon hills above the town of Apt, La Chabaude, a stone manor house on twenty acres, surveys unspoiled countryside with barely another human habitation in sight. This late-September day, the...

Weddings.
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In an afternoon ceremony at the Union Chapel in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, Dr. Elizabeth Curran Perkins (wearing a strapless silk gown by Liv Harris) married Mr. James Lynwood Wilder III. A dinner-dance followed at...

Horoscopes.
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Taurus April 21-May 21 It's your birthday, and you're determined to stop putting your dreams and hopes second. Why waste another minute when Venus is beautifully aspected, Jupiter is in harmony with your birth...

Make that change.(Editor's Letter)
May 1, 2008... THERE IS A TENDENCY AMONG TRAVELERS, MYSELF included, to secretly hope that the places we love will never change. A part of me wants to visit the same gritty East Village I knew in the eighties, where I bought records and dreamed of getting...

Rock the Kasbahs: in southwestern Morocco, a 100-mile stretch of dramatic coastline and four new maisons d'hote are drawing the next generation of chic bohemians.(The T&C Traveler: What to Know & Where to Go)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] DRIVE THIRTY MINUTES SOUTH OF AGADIR, MOROCCO, on the P30, the part of the new Trans-African Highway that hugs the coast between Cairo and Dakar, and the urban landscape melts into flat fields dotted with spiny...

Polynesian perfection.(CRUISE)(Ti'a Moana)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Imagine a cruise without cruise rules: no reservations or seatings for meals, no run-like-clockwork shore excursions. The Ti'a Moana, all 226 elegantly appointed feet of her, plies the vodka-clear waters of French...

All the RAJ.(BOOK)(India Sublime: Princely Palace Hotels of Rajasthan)(Plot summary)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Rizzoti's handsome new tome India Sublime: Princely Palace Hotels of Rajasthan ($65) profiles twenty-one of the northwestern state's royal, residences, from a 6th-century fortress complete with a dungeon and secret passages to a 20th-century...

Belgians in Beijing.(MUSEUM)(Guy and Myriam Ullens)(Beijing, China)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Artists in Beijing have found two new patrons at the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art. Belgian billionaire Guy Ullens and his wife, Myriam, carved out 26,000 square feet of exhibition space in a former munitions...

Letter from Paris.(The T&C Traveler: What to Know & Where to Go)(Directory)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FASHION ALERT FOR THE SANDBOX SET: MORE WORKING morns with extra spending power are demanding designer clothes for their trendsetting kids. And when it comes to pint-sized attire, Parisians are ahead of the curve,...

San Francisco's freshest.(SHOP)(San Francisco, California)(Carrots)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Something sweet has sprouted among the antiques shops in San Francisco's Jackson Square: Carrots, a clothing store run by sisters Melissa and Catie Grimm, scions of Grimmway, the baby-carrot producer. Its putty gray walls and worldly aesthetic...

On the town in Melbourne.(NIGHTLIFE)(Melborune. Australia)(Brief article)(List)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A new crop of idiosyncratic center-city lounges is burnishing Melbourne's reputation as Australia's nightlife capital. At the Toff in Town (Curtin House, 252 Swonston St., level 2; 011-61-3-9639-8770), guests kick...

Oman: the Middle East's new frontier.(The T&C Traveler: What to Know & Where to Go)(List)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AS WE GAZED DOWN FROM ONE OF OMAN'S OLDEST fortresses, the ancient oasis town of Nizwa glistened under the Arabian sun. Below us, a sprawling souk was selling everything from frankincense to racing camels. Beyond the...

Double-mint Milan.(HOTELS)(Milan, Italy)(Brief article)(List)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For models, designers, even hotels, it's not easy to break through in trendsetting Milan. But two new properties have made an impression. The Town House Galleria (8 Via Silvio Pellico; 011-39-02-8905-8297;...

Pop rocks.(ACCESSORY)(Susan Hanover Designs)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If crossing borders with your precious jewels makes you nervous, here's an alternative. Jewelry designer Susan Hanover lets you create endless variations on her signature chunky-stone theme with her traveling kit....

Finland.(RAVES & REVIEWS)(Brief article)(Hotel review)
May 1, 2008... "I journeyed to Finland in search of ingredients that can be found only in the wild there, timing my trip with the ripening of the forest fungi and bog berries. It was amid the dazzlingly clear lakes of Kainuu, in central Finland, that I...

Letter from Portland.(The T&C Traveler: What to Know & Where to Go)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A DECADE AGO, WHENEVER I TOLD SOMEONE I WAS FROM Oregon, they would look at me curiously and ask how I survived the rainy winters. These days the admission inspires proclamations of envy. You see, Portland--Oregon's...

A tree grows in Jamaica: at the Fern Tree Spa, beautiful grounds plus customized treatments equal a rejuvenating (and local) experience.(Body & Soul: CARIBBEAN)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] RENEWAL IS A THEME SUBTLY WOVEN INTO THE FABRIC of Half Moon, a plantation turned luxury resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Conceived in 1954 by a group of American entrepreneurs (among them tire magnate Harvey...

Jungle therapy.(RESORT)(Ka'ana Boutique Resort)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... With the opening of Belize's Ka'ana Boutique Resort, you can now spend mornings hiking through the emerald jungle of the Maya Mountains and afternoons working out muscle kinks with a deep-tissue massage. Irish brothers and owners Colin and...

Grass, food, lodging: in South Africa's interior, two remote retreats are mining the rich, and overlooked, culinary history of the vast scrubland called the Karoo.(Great Tastes)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IN THE MID-1970S, WHEN I WAS ABOUT EIGHT YEARS OLD, my parents interrupted a perfectly wonderful beach holiday we were spending on the southern coast of South Africa to pay a visit to a mad Afrikaner aunt of my...

Lush life: pining for a second home in Hawaii? On the green island of Kauai, a building boom is making it easier to find your piece of paradise.(Homes Away From Home)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] KAUAI IS HAWAII'S GARDEN ISLE: A PLACE OF VERDANT volcanic mountains, rolling sugarcane fields, waterfalls and rainbows. Its laid-back ambiance recalls the days when the cycles of the growing season set life's pace,...

Czech mate: looking for one-of-a-kind glassware and vintage toys? Tastemaker Karen Feldman is your girl Friday for shopping in Prague.(The Cultivated Shopper)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MY INTRODUCTION TO SHOPPING IN PRAGUE WAS THIS practical advice: "Don't wear heels. They're treacherous on the cobblestones." The counsel came from Karen Feldman. I wanted her to take me to some of her favorite...

Safari made simple: planning a trip to see the Big Five doesn't have to be a big headache. Follow this advice to enjoy the best Africa has to offer.(Strategies & Tactics)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FOR MOST PEOPLE, AN AFRICAN SAFARI IS A ONCE-IN-A-lifetime experience. But the options available--which countries to visit? What time of year? Which outfitter to use?--are as wide-open as the continent itself. It's a...

Not gathering dust: for travel addict Fred Dust, a partner at the innovation and design firm Ideo, life is a series of memorable experiences.(Worldly & Wise)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHEN THE ROOM-SERVICE CART IS ROLLED INTO YOUR suite, you probably aren't thinking about why an Alvar Aalto bud vase or red Laguiole flatware was chosen to go with your Continental breakfast. The night before, you...

A separate Greece: the Greek islands aren't only about whitewashed buildings and pristine beaches. Native Eleni N. Gage seeks out hidden spots that are sure to lure you in.
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] When someone seeking travel advice recently told me she'd brought her three-week-old to Turkey and, later, toted her toddlers around Sicily, I suggested she take her two girls to Greece. "Really?" she replied....

Into the mystic: if Cartagena's old colonial walls could talk, what stories they would tell. In the seductive seaside city Gabriel Garcia Marquez calls home, there's magic, and the occasional bit of the macabre, on every cobblestoned street.(City overview)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] RAFAEL DEL CASTILLO AND I HAD NEVER MET, BUT A mutual friend put us in touch before I left for Cartagena. "Rafa" came from one of the leading families there and had married a former beauty queen. "The night you...

National treasures: in Kyoto, Japanese crafts are evolving from traditional pieces to modern art. Tom Downey meets the calligraphers, kimono dyers and kettle makers who are redefining artisanship.(City overview)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] In a small studio in the foothills of northeast Kyoto, Shotei Ibata, master calligrapher, picks up a giant paint-brush half his height. Ibata is a reed-thin man pushing seventy-four, but, wielding the horsehair...