The ultimate travel accessory? More than a hardcase Tumi carry-on or sleek leather passport holder, it's an at-least elementary grasp of your destination's native tongue. From reading menus to asking directions, dealing with local transportation -- and not getting taken for a ride -- familiarizing yourself with the...

For the second act of my trip to Singapore we opted to stay not in the city itself but rather on neighboring Sentosa, the city state's man-made resort island.

Here's why this was a great idea:

Coming off of the beaches of Batu Ferringhi...

We were in the lobby of George Town's Traders Hotel in Penang when we felt it, a queasy movement, subtle enough that I couldn't place it until I heard someone say "earthquake." Our fellow Anglophone travelers were quicker than us to realize what was happening. Then we heard...

Earlier this week, my husband and I arrived at Singapore's Changi Airport as we began a trip that will include visits to Kuala Lumpur, Penang and the beaches and jungles of Langkawi. As first time visitors to Singapore, neither of us knew what to expect.

Of course we had done...

After visiting Lake Placid for the first time last January and coming home completely smitten with its mountains, lakes and town, I couldn't wait to return to the Adirondacks this summer and see another, greener side of the High Peaks region.

Going up just one week after Hurricane...

Far from the temperamental grumblings of Mount Etna, tourist beaches of Taormina and bustling piazzas of Catania, the western coast of Sicily is a rugged, sun-drenched region filled with undiscovered gems and some of the island's most spectacular gastronomy.

Erice

Take a dizzying cable car ride to the top...

His clothes define the American dream. And his car collection is taking Paris by storm.

Whether or not you wear Polo, Ralph Lauren, or any of his many lines, most would agree that Ralph Lauren has a great sense of style. Beginning with his breakthrough job as the costume designer...

I love New Orleans. It's one of my favorite cities and I am continually charmed by its energy, quirkiness and unique way of doing things. I was just there in January and won't be back for Mardi Gras this year, but that doesn't mean I won't be celebrating...

Two-time Olympic host town Lake Placid has a storied winter sports pedigree. It was the setting for the 1932 and 1980 games, the latter of which hockey fans will remember as the year of the "Miracle on Ice" wherein the underdog USA team beat the Soviets....

New Orleans is known as a great eating town. For the next few posts, I will be writing about my recent culinary adventures in the Big Easy.

Jackson Square on New Year's Day

First up is August. Having had our...

Most of us are familiar with steakhouses, the vast and opulent dining establishments whose menus are dedicated to T-bones and rib-eyes, Porterhouse and prime rib. We don't blink when presented with a menu full of cuts and côtes, whose sole nod to sustenance of the non grass-fed, dry-aged variety comes...

With 41 floors and 1275 rooms, the New Orleans Marriott might not be the first thing you envision when you think New Orleans dining. Nonetheless, it should be on you radar. James Beard Award-winning Chef Mark Quitney presides over the kitchen with a mix of culinary...

Art Basel Miami 2010 kicks off December 2nd. We sat down with Cricket Taplin, a veteran art collector and the owner of Miami's Art Hotel, the Sagamore, to get the inside track on America's most important art fair and things to keep in mind when starting your own collection.

Driving from Danang airport to the sumptuous Nam Hai resort on Vietnam's central coast, it is impossible not to notice the vast stretches of construction and "Opening Soon" signage that line the beachbound side of the road. When I remark on the phenomenon to one of the Nam...

When it comes to accommodations, as any devotee of camping or housing swaps will attest, sometimes the budget option is the better one. On the other hand, there are times when spending more is worth every penny. In anticipation of arriving in Saigon, my boyfriend and I booked a room...

New York is in its first blush of crisp fall weather and the main thing on my mind is daytrips. Daytrips are the perfect way to squeeze in the feeling of vacation without the time and cost of a real deal vacay. I think I really started appreciating these quick...

Before my recent trip to Sedona, the only travel I had done in the American Southwest was to Las Vegas. Arriving at Phoenix's Airport, I had no idea what to expect. The two-hour drive to from Phoenix to Sedona yielded rocky cactus-filled vistas and a seriously blue sky. As the...