From south to north, we combed the country for some high-on-charm, low-on-cost places to stay

Vienna for an elegant weekend; packing essentials from Trunk’s Mats Klingberg; a Colombia trifecta of city, beach and mountains; and a charming new Bordeaux hotel in a very cool neighborhood.

Answering Your Questions

In the Courtroom

Our selection of absolute favorite Paris restaurants, based on recent and anonymous visits, including classic bistros, modernist joints, tasting menus, international flavors, wine bars and spots for breakfast & lunch.

A new restaurant to fall for in Saint-Germain

Carriers will charge more baggage fees in 2023. But that's not all.

There's another airline merger on the horizon. Should the government clear it for takeoff?

Sformatini di Zucchini + Pasta

Video, Menu Plan and Recipes

He's happy to let you change his mind. But don't try to show him a Powerpoint. And above all: Make sure your math is accurate.

It's not the most loved airline among investors, but the holiday business is holding up nicely.

On the cheap, like a local, and without a lot of luggage.

(This is the first of what I hope is many guest posts. I’ve reached out to a few other travel writers, who share my ethos, and hopefully will sprinkle their pieces in amongst mine. With the goal of expanding how often this substack posts — CA) When, many years back, I first heard Jeju Island referred to as the “Hawaii of Korea,” I’ll admit to rolling my eyes. After all, I’d been in the country long enough to know that the tourism boards won’t think twice about overhyping their local landmarks by comparing them to much more famous international attractions, with often cringe-inducing results.

Traveling Light

In the Courtroom

If you're visiting Colombia soon, pay attention...

An enthralling trip through time across South America's second largest country...

+ the items that were as useless as tits on a bull.

And I'm frothing at the mouth with excitement!

Café Carmellini, martinis, Bar Six, Michelin, WeWork, Flamingo Estate rugs, Pay Dirt, Thanksgiving, MORE

BARS • The Nines Jingle Jangle (Wall Street, above), Irish Christmas at The Dead Rabbit; garland galore plus adult whiskey-spiked gingerbread men Sippin’ Santa (Lower East Side/Williamsburg), tropical holiday tipples from the Miracle team and tiki expert Jeff “Beachbum” Berry at Thief LES

Backed by a major airline, a wheelchair securement space suitable for use on most airplanes will debut at the Aircraft Interiors Expo next week.

People with disabilities face these same emotions everyday, and it's worth taking a moment to reflect on why.

I’ve been sending this newsletter out to thousands of you for over a decade. I always provide travel tips, share stories, or promote an upcoming pilgrimage. Always positive. Always hopeful. Maybe sometimes creepy if relics are involved. Today, though, I have an angry rant.

With the official unveiling of the 2023 Vatican Nativity and lighting of the tree coming tomorrow, below is a recap of previous years. But first, a pilgrimage announcement for you… Rome, Just Rome: Lenten Edition My Rome, Just Rome pilgrimages are a hit. They sell out as soon as they are announced and so many of the travelers have said it was their best trip ever, even those who have traveled with me many times. This one is similar to the others, with two great bonuses…

Plus: Links to a bunch of recently published pieces your clients might be in!

You miiiight want to switch your strategy up a bit this month

Gentle reader, Los Angeles City Hall does not want us to do the work we do, which is to bring you the truth about why this beautiful town that we love almost as much as we love each other is in such a grim and miserable state. This is a quick note to let everyone within the sound of our Substack know that this afternoon, we had a video call with Ephraim Turner, a Senior Investigator with the

Gentle reader, There are times in Los Angeles when the past appears to rhyme with the present. We don’t know if it’s merely coincidence or if some celestial poet is crafting doggerel, but it sure feels like there is a larger, inexplicable pattern at play. And we pay attention.

Intrepid is running a press trip for writers from diverse backgrounds looking to get their foot in the travel media door

It's December and we've got big news. And some sound advice.

I used to be fat. Being back in America for six weeks reminded me why.

But when I lived Vietnam, I discovered the actual dish is not what I expected.

[Hanoi, 2/28/20] It’s been two years since I flew out of Hanoi. Chasing Covid to South Korea, I thought I would stay there for maybe a month, with a possible side trip to Fukuoka or even Osaka adding two more weeks. I never thought Covid would keep me out of Vietnam this long.

[Vung Tau, 12/9/23] On weekends, Saigonese come to Vung Tau. Relaxing at Thư Viện Thân Thiện [Friendly Library], I can spot these obnoxious intruders. Of course, as soon as they speak, there’s no denying they’ve come only to ruin my motherfuckin’ city! It’s not just their insufferable Saigon accent, but the moronic questions they ask baristas and waitresses. Get out! I must start a nativist movement here. With my own money, I’ll build a wall across National Highway 51, so no Saigonese can ever come here to disturb, defile and spit on me again!

Making a trip of visiting the stopped-in-time homes of Virginia Woolf and her sister Vanessa Bell, including bracing walks across the South Downs and a cozy coaching inn

A kinder, gentler century prevails: an 18th century palace turned B&B, a Napoleonic-era mustard shop, and fairytale Flemish architecture

This dreamy Phoenicia, NY getaway is one of our faves ☁️

Check Out December's Airbnb & Hotel Deals to Get Upstate This Month

T'amerò, Sembra un sogno, Rivederti

Resources for enjoying your trip to this famously exasperating place

All photographs are mine, unless otherwise stated taken on 5th July 2023. In a city filled with extraordinary works of ancient art, perhaps one of the most breathtaking is one of the least visited and one of my favourites. Between tours on a torrid day earlier this week I took myself to the top floor of

Rome is gearing up for Christmas. As well as the traditional presepi (nativity scenes), trees and lights are appearing across town. This year the usual piazza Venezia tree is, because of interminable works on the metro

Collectively, these 23 destinations for ’23 have nothing whatsoever in common. In some instances, they are experienced food people opening a new chapter, opening a new place, reinventing themselves, or playing their part in reinventing a street, a city, a county, through their work.

State of Mind

In which I discover the comfort that lies beyond our biggest challenges

In which I buy books while waiting for trains

A battle report from the home front

A battle report from the home front