Barbara Barton Sloane

Design should never say "Look at me." It should always say "Look at this."

And so it does this year, as Helsinki, Finland has been chosen to be the World Design Capital and, true to the quote, the city never says "Look at me." Indeed, all of Finland's quiet restraint,...

"Don't forget, s'mores on the terrace at 8," Harry called as he left our room at Montage Deer Valley in Park City, Utah. This handsome young man, and the Montage is full of them, greeted us at the front door of this spectacular property and eased us seamlessly through the...

Consider this happy fact: The Riviera Maya in Mexico, our southern neighbor, is a safe haven for tourists. The Mayan coast stretches along the Caribbean Sea from Puerto Morelas to Punta Allen and claims 125 miles of coastline, cultural riches, luxe hotels, pristine beaches, marine life, caves, cenotes and archaeological...

East Germany conjures up images of cold Communist architecture, but the region is full of princely castles and parks, all of which were long unreachable because of the Iron Curtain. On a recent tour of the historic estates, I found that many had been renovated or restored and that the...

The sky, as we deplaned in Ireland, was deep gray and portending rain at any moment but the guide who met us allayed our weather worries by saying that it only rained twice last year... Once for five months and once for seven months. Alrighty then.

But just think: If...

When you think of Jerusalem, opera is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Yet the connection is not as far-fetched as it seems: In this city, 3,000 years ago, King David built his palace. It's said that he hung a harp (lyre) above his bed and when...

"We'll always have Paris." Those iconic words uttered by Bogart to Bergman in "Casablanca" so many years ago are just as true and meaningful today. Maybe even more so. You see, recently Bertrand Delanoe, the mayor of Paris, has created something called Paris Tourist Day, meant to encourage Parisians to...

I was dangling from a steel cable suspended high above the jungle canopy in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. As soon as I'd say the word, my guide would unhook me from the brake that kept me tethered and I'd fly 200 feet above the dense green Mexican rain forest on a...

Hong Kong means "fragrant harbor," and the narrow body of water which separates Hong Kong Island from the Kowloon Peninsula is known as Victoria Harbor, one of the deepest natural maritime ports in the world. This harbor is Hong Kong's most famous tourist attractions and the city ranks as the...

"Throw me something, mister!" was the constant cry as our float wound its way through the jam-packed streets of Lake Charles, Louisiana. Watching Mardi Gras as a spectator years ago in New Orleans, it was I calling to the bead-throwers on high to toss me a souvenir. It was silly...

After 10 long years of wavering and indecision, the World Trade Center powers that be have finally agreed on a master plan. The cavernous hole known as Ground Zero has a new group of skyscrapers transforming New York City's downtown skyline. A brand-new, beautiful and livable urban area has surfaced...

You're surrounded by 17th- and 18th-century architecture, cobblestone streets and encompassed by towering ramparts of a walled city. Strolling down a narrow alley, you find inviting shops: patisseries, epiceries and boulangeries. Are you in Dijon, Alsace or maybe even Paris? Mais non. You're in a city far more accessible but...

As we gear up for our own gory and ghostly celebrations in America, let's check out how our British neighbors across the pond celebrate Halloween.

Night of the Living Dead

The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the...

This year -- 2011 -- has been designated The Year of Alabama Music. To Quote Berthold Auerbach: "Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."

In light of this state's recent tornado tragedies, though it seems somewhat incongruous, this year may be the very best time...

The light shimmers bright and golden on a cerulean sea. The soft, warm breeze stirs the palm trees and threatens to take my napkin off into the blue. Sitting at a terrace café, drinking a cappuccino, I've asked my friend Karen to pinch me to prove I'm not dreaming because...

The epic landscapes of western Wyoming, surrounded by spectacular mountain ranges, represent some of America's most iconic scenery. Jackson Hole has been called "the last and best of the Old West" and refers to the entire valley in which the town of Jackson is located. One of the alluring aspects...

There's a Reason It's Called the Wild West
Calgary is the largest city in the province of Alberta, Canada about 50 miles east of the Canadian Rockies. As the third largest municipality in the country, it is a city acutely aware of its responsibility in the areas of environmental...

Peering out of my van window, I was happy the rain had stopped. Looking over the meadow, the fog was slowly lifting, and out of this moody, misty atmosphere I saw several large, lumbering images walking the fields. Our van slowed to a stop and as the mist receded, I...

Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look what they do when they stick together. In Telluride, Colorado, their sticking together has produced a magnificent, world-class resort for all manner of winter sports. The destination is nestled in the southwest corner of Colorado where geology did some...

Stepping into an ankle-deep puddle, I almost lost my footing and quickly had to grab the hand of an elderly gentleman who then ceremoniously led me onto a large wooden plank sitting atop several inches of water, courtesy of the Grand Canal. Walking the plank before I reached the hotel...