The charm of Ventotene is apparent the moment you spot it from the boat transporting you to its shores. Sitting there like a lonely sponge cake protruding from the surface of a clear blue plate, the island's sheer size -- or lack thereof -- promises something not only special but personal.
Arriving on this tiny island off the west coast of Italy, you enter the port built into the side of the volcanic island by the ancient Romans and only recently developed and expanded to provide for heavier traffic. The fishermen's boats lining the harbor along with pizza and scuba shops give the island that quintessential small-town Italian feel.
To get to the center of the island, you walk the winding ramp to Piazza Castello, where the town hall sits. Grab a cappuccino at one of the two cafes there, which moonlight as restaurants during peak season from May to October. If caffeine doesn't satisfy you, grab a bottle of wine at one of the local alimentari and sit in the park right off the square for majestic views of the small uninhabited island of Santo Stefano (used to detain Mussolini's adversaries during his rule).
Part of the cluster of islands known as the Pontines, Ventotene -- which gets its name from the Italian word for wind, "vento" -- lies in the Tyrrhenian Sea just west of the mainland region of Campania.
It occupies less than a square mile, and its history dates to the Roman Empire, when emperors such as Augustus and Tiberius found the island's isolation perfect for banished troublemakers. During World War II, it was used as a listening post by a German garrison before being captured by the Allies in 1943.
The island also has a rich literary history. It is thought that Homer intended this to be the spot where Ulysses confronted the sirens during his long journey home. John Steinbeck wrote about the 1943 U.S. raid on Ventotene while he was a war correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune.
During the day, you can sunbathe at one of the three main beaches. Cala Nave is the preferred choice for its accessibility, black volcanic sand and rock outcroppings that make for ideal basking in the intense Mediterranean sun.
Ventotene has become a scuba diving destination because of its lush and mostly undisturbed aquatic life. There are several scuba-diving schools on the island, one of which was erected in the late '70s and is the oldest scuba academy in the whole of Italy. Private and group lessons start at 100 euros.
Ventotene's size makes it perfect for simply setting off and exploring. Walking is cheap, and traversing the bright landscape -- which often doubles as cliff's edge because of the island's narrow width -- is rewarding not only for its brilliantly colored vegetation but also for its panoramic views and lack of entry fee.
Lower on the island, discover the chiseled rocks pockmarked by saline (little crevices used to collect fresh salt water in ancient times) and the sea caves down by the port where transparent pools often act as windows into the astonishing marine life that surrounds the island.
If you're looking for something a little less nature-oriented, there are two museums. Villa Giulia -- which is less enclosed museum than outdoor relic -- is the ancient remains of a structure that housed/imprisoned Emperor Augustus' daughter, Giulia, who was exiled there for her promiscuity and immorality. The other is the Archeological Museum, which in its more standard presentation holds many artifacts that have been uncovered on the island over the years.
Unlike its more frantic (by Italian standards) and popular southern neighbors, Ischia and Capri, Ventotene has barely been touched by international tourism. The hotels are affordable, and the food isn't overpriced. Today, it's home to a year-round population of about 600. That number skyrockets during the summer months, especially in August, when it seems that every Italian heads to the seaside, or September, when the Festival of Saint Candice (Festa di Santa Candida) turns the island into one extended party.
Ventotene's real appeal isn't in its breathtaking 360-degree sea views, its clear, clean water or even its architecture and people. There are other places in Italy just as stunning. Its charm is in the sense you get that you're experiencing something not discovered by the tourists who flock en masse to the rest of Italy year-round. A sense you're among Italians.
Getting there: Ferries run from Naples and Formia
Dining: The island's restaurants keep visitors well-fed during peak season from May to October. Da Benito, with an unparalleled location literally inside the foot of a cliff, or Il Giardino, known for its lentils, are popular choices. The choices are more limited off season.
2008/10/22
A walk on the moon, in Turkey
"These are the fairy chimneys," our guide Alec said, pointing to a hill covered in large, strangely shaped rocks. "This one is a camel. That one over there is the Virgin Mary."
After driving from the Kayseri airport for an hour surrounded by sunflower fields on a flat, two lane road traversing Turkey's Anatolian plateau, the landscape changed drastically from an even plain to something resembling the moon. My mom and I couldn't believe the sight of these giant objects randomly emerging from the ground.
The "fairy chimneys" were created by a volcanic eruption millions of years ago and shaped over the years by wind and rain. These formations cover Cappadocia, an area in the center of Anatolia, where people built dozens of towns and monasteries using the rugged landscape for protection and shelter.
This remote region in the center of Anatolia is far from any of Turkey's major cities, but it has become a hot spot for backpackers and upscale tourists alike. The captivating landscape, combined with thousands of years of history and recently built luxury hotels, have put this isolated area on the map for travelers looking for something a little off the beaten path.
Our guide explained how the "fairy chimneys" got their name. They were first inhabited thousands of years ago and later abandoned. When people returned to Cappadocia, they didn't know who had built homes inside the rocks and believed that fairies had lived there previously.
Our first stop was Zelve, an almost 2,000-year-old monastery carved into the anthill-like formations. Some of the first Christians fleeing persecution from the Roman Empire found refuge in this remote area.
"Last week we could walk that way," Alec said, pointing to the roped-off path blocked by crumbling rocks. "But the boulders keep falling."
Scaling uneven rocks and ducking under low ceilings, we discovered bedrooms, churches and kitchens that had been carved into the rocks by hand. A tandoori grill was dug into the soft earth below and the outside of each home had a pigeon house, since local people relied heavily on the birds for food and fertilizer.
The Goreme Open-Air Museum, encompassing the site of the most well-known and largest of the preserved towns in the area, was a monastic community for early Christians. There are many intact, rock-hewn churches decorated with paintings and drawings from the town's original inhabitants.
Once inside the open-air museum, there's an extra fee to see the Dark Church, but it's worth the price.
Built into an unpresumptuous cave like the others, very little light is allowed inside, which has helped the colorful frescoes stay perfectly preserved. Many of the paintings were created around the 11th century and depict scenes from the Bible, including one of the Last Supper.
On the road outside Goreme, our guide pulled over to the side of the road and asked if we wanted to see Love Valley. Curious, we obliged, and so he drove us through an unpaved path covered in overgrown shrubbery. After a few minutes, the landscape opened up to a giant field filled with dozens of giant rocks.
As soon as we got out of the car, we realized how this place got its name. Marked by a yellow wooden sign with red phallic objects etched on, we looked up and saw dozens of X-rated rocks. It looked like Mother Nature had a good sense of humor in designing a field full of 70-foot-high erections.
Our guide told us that George Lucas had wanted to film one of his Star Wars movies in the region, but was talked out of it after colleagues took a closer look at the landscape.
We saw once-bustling cities below the ground as well. The first Christians used to escape persecution in underground hideouts such as Derinkuyu, which stretches at least eight floors beneath the earth and only 10 percent of which is open to the public.
Even the bravest of travelers may feel claustrophobic in the sprawling maze of dimly lit tunnels and chambers. Inside, we saw a winery, school and stalls for animals. To protect themselves from possible invaders, people designed round stone doors that could be rolled to open and shut off the hallways.
We were taken to our hotel, the Anatolian Houses, which was a much more upscale version of cave life. Travelers in Cappadocia used to be mainly backpackers, but recently, more upscale hotels have been popping up all over the region.
Our luxury hotel, situated on a hill overlooking the town of Goreme, was built in 2006 and has 19 guest rooms. Our room was built into the soft rock and was complete with a glass case with Anatolian artifacts and a traditional Turkish carpet covering the slate floor.
From our own patio outside our room, we had a beautiful view of the sun setting over Goreme. We relaxed at the end of the day, sipping on world-renowned Cappadocian wine from a flowing tap next to the pool.
2008/10/19
How to Eat Out Without Gaining a Pound
Order it your way
You’re the customer, and most restaurants will do everything they can to keep you happy. So don’t be afraid to nicely ask to have that shrimp special grilled instead of fried.
Think tapas
Don’t feel compelled to order an entrée. You can put together a healthier meal out of two or three appetizers and side dishes.
Beware of the four Cs
Crunchy, cheesy, crispy, and creamy. Those words are code for fat-dense foods.
Say bye-bye to bread
There’s no need to test your willpower. Take just one slice, then ask the waiter to remove that breadbasket from the table.
Undress your salad
Dilute your favorite salad dressing with a squeeze of lemon or a few drops of vinegar.
Wrap it up
Get your doggy bag up front. Wrap up half before you dig in—out of sight, out of mind … and mouth.
You’re the customer, and most restaurants will do everything they can to keep you happy. So don’t be afraid to nicely ask to have that shrimp special grilled instead of fried.
Think tapas
Don’t feel compelled to order an entrée. You can put together a healthier meal out of two or three appetizers and side dishes.
Beware of the four Cs
Crunchy, cheesy, crispy, and creamy. Those words are code for fat-dense foods.
Say bye-bye to bread
There’s no need to test your willpower. Take just one slice, then ask the waiter to remove that breadbasket from the table.
Undress your salad
Dilute your favorite salad dressing with a squeeze of lemon or a few drops of vinegar.
Wrap it up
Get your doggy bag up front. Wrap up half before you dig in—out of sight, out of mind … and mouth.
America’s Healthiest Restaurants
by Health.com
You work out. You watch what you eat. But you don’t want to have to prepare every meal at home for the sake of your health—nor should you have to. We surveyed chain restaurants and found 10 surprisingly healthy standouts. Hit our top 10 for whole foods, good-for-you fats, even green vegetables on—gasp!—the children’s menu. Read on for the winners, great fast-food options, plus, how to eat out without gaining a pound.
If you’re like us, you eat out more than ever—and, as nice as it is to not have to cook, those meals out can actually feel like work. How do you navigate the minefields of huge portions, hidden fats, and sky-high sodium levels?
You shouldn’t have to resign yourself to paying for restaurant meals with a future cardiac workup. You just need to know where to go to find healthy, fresh food. To that end, we went out into the world of sit-down restaurants, looking to separate the (whole) wheat from the chaff.
Backed by an advisory panel of experts in healthy dining (meet our experts), we sifted through 43 chains with more than 75 locations across the country and, frankly, were astonished by how many restaurants made no nutritional information available. But judge we did (see How We Ranked Them), those brave (and progressive) enough to share their numbers. What you hold in your hands are the 10 that stood at the top of the heap.
Danger zone: Deep-dish pizzas can pile on the fat.
We love: The Penne Bolognese—just 16 grams of fat (well within the daily recommended max of 65 grams of fat for a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet).
Danger zone: Plate overload—after all, it’s all-you-can-eat.
We love: The Tomato Spinach Whole Wheat pasta, a delicious combo of whole grains and veggies.
Danger zone: The “Comfort Classics” page of the menu, with throwbacks like rich (super-high-fat) Chicken Cordon Bleu.
We love: Chicken & Fruit (above)—grilled chicken and a garden salad, plus wedges of fresh orange, honeydew, watermelon, and cantalope.
Special credit goes to their nutritional information being based on the whole entrée, not a single serving like at most places.
Danger zone: Traditional, fat-dense items such as Lo Mein Beef.
We love: Carb-free vegetarian lettuce wraps—wok-seared tofu, red onions, and water chestnuts with mint and lime, set in lettuce cups.
Danger zone: Breakfast, where bacon and sausage are kings.
We love: Healthy options on the kid’s menu, like slow-roasted turkey with mashed potatoes and glazed baby carrots, and fruit and yogurt dippers for dessert.
Danger zone: Comfort-food entrees like Gourmet Chicken Potpie, which piles more than half your daily calories on the plate.
We love: That they’ve even healthied-up the burgers, offering veggie and turkey versions.
Danger zone: Heavy entrees like spaghetti and meatballs with meat sauce.
We love: The delicious Italian sorbetto and biscotti—just 330 calories and 4 grams of fat.
Danger zone: Sodium counts. To get below 1,000 milligrams, you’ll need to get those Chicken Fajitas with no tortillas, tomalito, rice, sour cream, or guacamole.
We love: Fresh fish of the day, grilled and served on a skillet with homemade salsa.
Danger zone: The non-olive-branch entrees. Olive Garden provides no nutritional information on anything else on the menu.
We love: The low-fat Capellini Pomodoro (644 calories and 14 grams fat).
Danger zone: Breakfast specials, especially the Meat Lover’s Scramble, which is as bad for you as it sounds.
We love: The online nutritional chart has Weight Watchers Food Exchange Values.
We love: The Trio—soup, noodles, or salad paired with your favorite protein, plus a side salad or a cup of soup.
We love: Anything with the chipotle-adobo-marinated grilled steak.
We love: The delicious, healthy fruit smoothies in a green tea base.
We love: “You Pick Two” combos. You can get half a sandwich paired with a vegetarian soup
We love: The restaurant’s recent move to using preservative-free chicken, for better flavor and less sodium.
Los Angeles: M Café
Berkeley, California: Chez Panisse
New York City: Blue Hill
Chicago: Green Zebra
Detroit: Inn Season Café
Atlanta: Bacchanalia
Not everything was so rosy out there. Below, some of the scarier items we came across in our travels.
You work out. You watch what you eat. But you don’t want to have to prepare every meal at home for the sake of your health—nor should you have to. We surveyed chain restaurants and found 10 surprisingly healthy standouts. Hit our top 10 for whole foods, good-for-you fats, even green vegetables on—gasp!—the children’s menu. Read on for the winners, great fast-food options, plus, how to eat out without gaining a pound.
If you’re like us, you eat out more than ever—and, as nice as it is to not have to cook, those meals out can actually feel like work. How do you navigate the minefields of huge portions, hidden fats, and sky-high sodium levels?
You shouldn’t have to resign yourself to paying for restaurant meals with a future cardiac workup. You just need to know where to go to find healthy, fresh food. To that end, we went out into the world of sit-down restaurants, looking to separate the (whole) wheat from the chaff.
Backed by an advisory panel of experts in healthy dining (meet our experts), we sifted through 43 chains with more than 75 locations across the country and, frankly, were astonished by how many restaurants made no nutritional information available. But judge we did (see How We Ranked Them), those brave (and progressive) enough to share their numbers. What you hold in your hands are the 10 that stood at the top of the heap.
Best Casual Dining Spots
If you haven’t been to your local Uno’s recently, you’re in for a great surprise. Sure, its famous deep-dish (read high-fat) pizzas still hold court, but nutrition has become the word of the day with a completely trans fat–free menu and plenty of grilled entrees (including antibiotic-free chicken). Adding to the healthy variety: whole-grain pasta and brown rice, organic coffee and tea, and flatbread pizzas that have half the calories of deep-dish ones. Plus, you can add a salad to your pizza for half-price because, according to the menu, “We want you to get some greens in your diet.” Now that’s a blue-ribbon commitment to health. Another reason Uno’s is at the top of our list: You know what you’re eating. In the lobbies of most of the restaurant’s locations, there are Nutrition Information Centers that detail ingredients, fat and sodium contents, and calories and fiber of every item, in addition to gluten-free options.
Danger zone: Deep-dish pizzas can pile on the fat.
We love: The Penne Bolognese—just 16 grams of fat (well within the daily recommended max of 65 grams of fat for a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet).
Can a buffet-style restaurant—that symbol of American overindulgence—possibly be one of the healthiest restaurants in the country? It can in this case, because this salad-soup-and-bakery eatery (Southern California locations are named Souplantation, everywhere else they’re called Sweet Tomatoes) uses produce so fresh that it’s guaranteed to have been “in the ground” 24 hours before it’s in a refrigerated truck on its way to the restaurant. At the salad bar you’ll find seasonal vegetables like squash and bell peppers, freshly tossed and prepared salads, and a great range of nonfat dressings. San Marino Spinach With Pumpkin Seeds and Cranberries, anyone? This is paradise for vegetarians, vegans, and anyone who’s looking for a low-sodium, low-fat, high-nutrient meal outside the home.
Danger zone: Plate overload—after all, it’s all-you-can-eat.
We love: The Tomato Spinach Whole Wheat pasta, a delicious combo of whole grains and veggies.
This cozy café-style restaurant transforms normally less-than-healthy foods into better—and still tasty—options: a half-pound cheeseburger wrapped in lettuce (that’s right, no bun); the cutely named Naked French Market Onion Soup, served without cheese. Another thing to love is the way that Mimi’s clearly steers you toward its healthy options. Its “Lifestyle Menu” points you to low-carb picks like the fish of the day served with fresh steamed veggies. Also, Mimi’s keeps portions small, so you can get away with occasionally having one of their more indulgent entrees like the Sweet & Sour Coconut Shrimp (608 calories).
Danger zone: The “Comfort Classics” page of the menu, with throwbacks like rich (super-high-fat) Chicken Cordon Bleu.
We love: Chicken & Fruit (above)—grilled chicken and a garden salad, plus wedges of fresh orange, honeydew, watermelon, and cantalope.
Take the best aspects of Asian cuisine—a combination of fresh vegetables and protein—surround them with healthy influences such as whole-grain brown rice, wild-caught, sustainable Alaskan salmon, and all-natural chicken, and you have a recipe for delicious, healthy dining. Wok-based cooking (which requires less oil) using soybean oil keeps fat contents low, and less sodium in the sauces rounds out P.F. Chang’s healthy take on Chinese food.
Special credit goes to their nutritional information being based on the whole entrée, not a single serving like at most places.
Danger zone: Traditional, fat-dense items such as Lo Mein Beef.
We love: Carb-free vegetarian lettuce wraps—wok-seared tofu, red onions, and water chestnuts with mint and lime, set in lettuce cups.
You wouldn’t think a restaurant that prides itself on sausage could muscle its way into the top five healthiest restaurants in the country. But Bob Evans scores high on its dinner menu, which has plenty of low-carb, low-fat entrees and alternatives for children and adults (chicken tenders that are grilled instead of fried, potato-crusted flounder, and salmon stir-fry). Look for sides like steamed broccoli florets and fresh fruit, and enjoy old-fashioned family meals in a modern, nutrition-forward way.
Danger zone: Breakfast, where bacon and sausage are kings.
We love: Healthy options on the kid’s menu, like slow-roasted turkey with mashed potatoes and glazed baby carrots, and fruit and yogurt dippers for dessert.
If we’d done this survey in 2004, Ruby Tuesday might have won the blue ribbon for printing all its nutritional content right on the menu. It was revolutionary, and, frankly, it didn’t last. But the healthy ethos survived in the chain’s ingredients: organic greens, hormone-free chicken, trans fat–free frying oil, and better-for-you beverages including Jones organic teas and made-to-order drinks like all natural lemonades (think real fruit and juice). It’s easy to find the good stuff—it’s highlighted—and the offerings range from a chicken wrap in a whole-wheat tortilla to broiled tilapia.
Danger zone: Comfort-food entrees like Gourmet Chicken Potpie, which piles more than half your daily calories on the plate.
We love: That they’ve even healthied-up the burgers, offering veggie and turkey versions.
This Italian eatery puts its entire menu’s nutritional content online, so you know before you go what to steer clear of—mainly, the massive baked pastas. But what pushed Macaroni Grill onto our best list is its “Sensible Fare” menu, with entrees like Simple Salmon, a grilled fillet sided by grilled asparagus and broccoli. Grazie for whole-wheat penne available as a substitute in any dish. And bravo for including a grilled skinless chicken breast with steamed broccoli and pasta on the kid’s menu.
Danger zone: Heavy entrees like spaghetti and meatballs with meat sauce.
We love: The delicious Italian sorbetto and biscotti—just 330 calories and 4 grams of fat.
Chevy’s makes a big deal out of the “fresh” in its name, and with good reason—no cans in the restaurant, fresh salsa blended every hour, fresh avocados smashed every day for guacamole, and watch-them-made tortillas. All oils are trans fat–free, and the Mexican-style fare has lots of healthy options including Grilled Fish Tacos.
Danger zone: Sodium counts. To get below 1,000 milligrams, you’ll need to get those Chicken Fajitas with no tortillas, tomalito, rice, sour cream, or guacamole.
We love: Fresh fish of the day, grilled and served on a skillet with homemade salsa.
Like Macaroni Grill, this Italian eatery has great-for-you options, as long as you keep your wits about you (again, avoid the baked pastas!). Use the olive-branch icon on the menu to find low-fat “Garden Fare” items such as Venetian Apricot Chicken, (448 calories, 11 grams fat). Even the fries aren’t a disaster, because they’re done in trans fat–free oil. You can grab some whole-grain goodness, too, by choosing the whole-wheat linguine at dinner as a substitute for any pasta.
Danger zone: The non-olive-branch entrees. Olive Garden provides no nutritional information on anything else on the menu.
We love: The low-fat Capellini Pomodoro (644 calories and 14 grams fat).
Yes, the home of the Lumberjack Slam and Moons Over My Hammy offers lots of skinny options to counter its fatty mainstays. “Fit-Fare” dishes such as the grilled-chicken-breast salad, and tilapia with rice and veggies, each have less than 15 grams of fat. Denny’s also posts full nutritional information on its Web site. Its use of trans fats to cook its French fries kept it from landing higher on our list, but the rest of the fried food is trans fat–free.
Danger zone: Breakfast specials, especially the Meat Lover’s Scramble, which is as bad for you as it sounds.
We love: The online nutritional chart has Weight Watchers Food Exchange Values.
Shining Examples of Fast-Food Fare
Why does this Colorado-based chain top our quick-serve list? Noodles & Company combines 19 fresh vegetables with seven types of pastas in Asian, Mediterranean, or American entrees (think Indonesian Peanut Sauté or Wisconsin Mac & Cheese).
We love: The Trio—soup, noodles, or salad paired with your favorite protein, plus a side salad or a cup of soup.
The idea is simple: Build your own gourmet burrito, fajita burrito, taco, or burrito bowl. The flavor and the healthiness are in the details—naturally raised, antibiotic-free meats, organic beans, and even hormone-free sour cream. Corn tortillas give you a whole-grain option, and the tortilla-less Burrito Bowl lets you ramp up the proteins and veggies.
We love: Anything with the chipotle-adobo-marinated grilled steak.
Any chain that calls small appetizers “Shareables” has the healthy idea down. Cosi’s central theme—the hearth—yields tasty hearth-baked entrees (in the locations where they serve dinner), from Alpine Chicken to Grilled Wild Alaskan Salmon. High marks for baby carrots as a substitute for chips to go along with sandwiches.
We love: The delicious, healthy fruit smoothies in a green tea base.
The bread is fresh and tempting (and you can go whole-grain). But look to Panera’s soups for great low-calorie and low-sodium options. Fresh fruit cups and apples make for healthy sides, and we give the restaurant special kudos for offering kids’ meals that come with organic cheese and all-natural peanut butter.
We love: “You Pick Two” combos. You can get half a sandwich paired with a vegetarian soup
This chain boasts hormone-and antibiotic-free chicken. Plus, it provides a great nonfood nutritional tool: computerized kiosks available in most locations allow you to plan your meal and even sort the menu by your goal—whether it be high fiber and protein; or low carb, fat, cholesterol, sodium, or calories.
We love: The restaurant’s recent move to using preservative-free chicken, for better flavor and less sodium.
6 Independents Leading the Way
Los Angeles: M CaféRemember your macrobiotic friends who eschewed refined sugar, eggs, and dairy, and their noble (but bland) dinner parties? Meet your new BFF: This café makes macrobiotic cuisine incredibly tasty fare.
Berkeley, California: Chez PanisseA longtime leader in the movement to showcase organic ingredients, cooked in simple, healthy, and delicious ways, Alice Waters’s Chez Panisse offers a daily prix-fixe menu that includes vegetables fresh from the garden, fruit right off the branch, and fish straight from the sea.
New York City: Blue HillThe Greenwich Village setting may whisper “speakeasy,” but the menu sings “farm.” Since 2000, this nationally lauded restaurant has been using produce and animals from Stone Barns Center, a four-season farm and educational center 30 miles up the Hudson River.
Chicago: Green ZebraGreen Zebra makes its vegetarian-oriented menu stand out with chef-owner Shawn McClain’s creative, flavorful pairings. Roasted Squash Salad With Chestnut, Pear, and Parsley? Yum.
Detroit: Inn Season CaféIn a city where some of the hottest restaurants are cooking up dishes with rich cream sauces, you can thank your lucky stars for the Inn Season Café. Whole-grain burgers and lasagnas with veggies rule the roost.
Atlanta: BacchanaliaTalk about farm fresh: Husband-and-wife team and co-owners Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison supply much of the restaurant’s organic offerings from their own farm.
And Now the Not-So-Healthiest
Not everything was so rosy out there. Below, some of the scarier items we came across in our travels.Scary chicken: At Chili’s, 1 serving of Crispy Honey Chipotle Crispers (no dressing) just laid 1,890 calories at your door.
Sides to Die For: Literally. O’Charley’s Onion Rings with Cajun Horseradish Sauce packs 1,800 calories on the plate, and 139 grams of fat.
Worst advice: It’s hard to think healthy when the menu encourages you to fatten up, which is exactly what Cracker Barrel does, telling you to “loosen your belt and enjoy” its Country Boy Breakfast, which offers your choice of country ham, pork chops or steak grilled to order, three eggs cooked to order, fried apples, hashbrown casserole, grits, gravy, homemade buttermilk biscuits, real butter, and preserves or what they call Jam n’ Apple butter.
Is there such a thing as too much cheese? Yes, Pizza Hut: Stuffing cheese into pizza crusts is just plain overkill.
No wonder they sell a lot of soda: The chicken and beef grilled stuft burritos at Taco Bell both have more than 2,000 mg. sodium (and your daily max should be 2,300).
Killing us with silence: These places might look like healthy options, but they provide NO nutritional information. And we begged. Benihana, Bertucci’s, Bonefish Grill, and California Pizza Kitchen, why aren’t you talking?
2008/10/18
Fall Inn : Hotels with Amazing Fall Color Views
by T+L
Everyone knows where to find America’s boldest fall colors: the crimson of a maple leaf in Vermont, an oak’s burnished orange in the Smoky Mountains, the brilliant gold of an aspen in, well, you know. But what’s the fun of a great leaf-viewing locale when you’re holed up in a hotel overlooking a parking lot?
This annual metamorphosis happens so fast that when the leaves hit their stride, you want to maximize your time with a winning view. That means staying in a place where you can wake to a sweeping swath of color right outside your window, take morning coffee with the light glinting off the reds and yellows, stroll the grounds kicking leaves, and enjoy a late-afternoon cocktail as shadows begin to blanket nature’s palette.
Unearthing such autumnal accommodations, however, is no easy task: Hoteliers bought up the best vantage points years ago, so your selection of full-color properties is limited. (The upside? In some cases, staying in an historic hotel.) But we did the legwork for you, finding great spots across the country where you can fully embrace the classic fall experience while relaxing in luxury. Plus, we’ll tell you when to go and which rooms offer the best views.
Happy peeping.
This annual metamorphosis happens so fast that when the leaves hit their stride, you want to maximize your time with a winning view. That means staying in a place where you can wake to a sweeping swath of color right outside your window, take morning coffee with the light glinting off the reds and yellows, stroll the grounds kicking leaves, and enjoy a late-afternoon cocktail as shadows begin to blanket nature’s palette.
Unearthing such autumnal accommodations, however, is no easy task: Hoteliers bought up the best vantage points years ago, so your selection of full-color properties is limited. (The upside? In some cases, staying in an historic hotel.) But we did the legwork for you, finding great spots across the country where you can fully embrace the classic fall experience while relaxing in luxury. Plus, we’ll tell you when to go and which rooms offer the best views.
Happy peeping.
Equinox Golf Resort & Spa
Manchester Village, Vermont
The Setting
The maples and oaks around this 2,300-acre resort have been drawing visitors since 1769. Reds and oranges fill the grounds and climb up the surrounding Green and Taconic mountain ranges.
Rooms To Book
You’ll find color outside most of the 195 rooms, but your best bet is to grab a room on the 3rd- or 4th-floor south wing, facing the mountains and their maples and oaks.
Bonus Views
Sit out on the back deck in a rocking chair, or in an Adirondack chair on the lawn facing Mt. Equinox.
Get Outside
Hike the 800-acre preserve behind the hotel with marked trails, or take a fly-fishing lesson on the private trout pond.
The Season
Mid-September through Mid-October.
fall rates start at $449.
Keswick Hall
Keswick, Virginia
The Setting
This Orient-Express hotel is set at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, close to Monticello, surrounded by a color explosion courtesy of maples, oaks, and birches.
Rooms To Book
Since only some rooms offer views of the countryside, stick to the State Rooms and Balcony State Rooms on the 1st and 2nd floors, with their large windows and terraces overlooking colorful oaks, dogwoods, hickories, and poplars. Thomas Jefferson never had it so good.
Bonus Views
Sit down to a meal in Fossett’s Restaurant, with its floor-to-ceiling windows, or have a drink out on Fossett’s terrace.
Get Outside
Play a round of golf surrounded by the colors, or try the off-site horseback riding. For a true bird’s-eye view, though, take off in a hot-air balloon.
The Season
October, into November.
fall rates start at $325 midweek, $395 weekend.
The Balsams
Dixville Notch, New Hampshire
The Setting
The resort’s lakeside spot in the Northern White Mountains offers maple reds and beech yellows in surround-sound, along with color-heavy views of Vermont’s Mt. Monadnock and Quebec’s Mt. Hereford.
Rooms To Book
Since the resort sits at the base of a mountain, the best color views are on the opposite side, overlooking the lake.
Bonus Views
Grab drinks on the veranda, then ask for a lakeside table in the dining room.
Get Outside
The resort runs guided hikes, or take out a mountain bike along the trails—rentals are complimentary.
The Season
The northern clime makes this season short: mid-September to early October.
fall rates from $138.
Little Nell
Aspen, Colorado
The Setting
At the base of Aspen Mountain, this perennial award-winner gives you a prime spot to watch the gold (and a smattering of reds and oranges) cascading down the slope.
Rooms To Book
Those on the top (4th) floor have the best views of Aspen Mountain; choose one of the three suites and you’ll score a balcony.
Bonus Views
Have a drink on the patio outside Montagna restaurant (from Master Sommelier Richard Bett’s award-winning wine list); the Tavern also serves up golden opportunities.
Get Outside
Go hiking or biking; this is Colorado, after all, and the mountain’s right outside the door.
The Season
Autumn in the Rockies can be unpredictable (and short-lived); October’s usually a safe bet.
fall rates from $360 for a mountain-view room.
Inn on Biltmore Estate
Asheville, North Carolina
The Setting
Inspired by the mansion it shares grounds with, the inn is surrounded by sycamores, hickories, oaks, and pines and looks out onto the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Rooms To Book
While most of the 204 rooms have views over the 8,000-acre grounds, the nine suites bring the mountains into view and maximize the color quotient.
Bonus Views
Breakfast and dinner in the Dining Room are practically mandatory for color viewing; in between, have drinks on the Veranda.
Get Outside
A menu of activities gets you into the color, including biking, rafting, horseback riding, flyfishing, and the inn’s Land Rover Driving Experience.
The Season
Color usually begins to show in late Sept.; the long season runs through early November.
fall rates start at $299.
Topnotch Resort and Spa
Stowe, Vermont
The Setting
A European country manor style imbues this 120-acre resort in the Green Mountains, just two miles from Mt. Mansfield, Vermont’s highest mountain.
Rooms To Book
You’ll find the best Green Mountain views on the second and third floors, especially from the Champlain Suite and the Governor’s Suite. Better still? The on-property resort homes, with large terraces and balconies.
Bonus Views
Norma’s Restaurant has floor-to-ceiling windows and offers spectacular vistas of Mt. Mansfield and the surrounding mountains. Or borrow a pashmina and dine outside under a heat lamp.
Get Outside
Soak in the colors while fly-fishing and horseback riding.
The Season
End of September-end of October.
fall rates start at $385.
Columbia Gorge Hotel
Hood River, Oregon
The Setting
This luxury hotel sits 200 feet above Hood River and 45 feet from the edge of the Columbia Gorge, where Oregon ash and vine maples paint a canvas around tightly packed firs and pines.
Rooms To Book
Corner rooms on the hotel’s river side give you two walls of windows to take in the Pacific majesty.
Bonus Views
Have coffee out on the terrace before sitting down to breakfast (and lunch and dinner) in the window-laden dining room.
Get Outside
Drive the colorful “Fruit Loop” up the Hood River Valley.
The Season
Mid-September through Mid-October.
fall rates from $169.
Mount Washington Resort
Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
The Setting
In the shadow of its 6,288-foot namesake mountain, this resort was built specifically to take advantage of the White Mountain National Forest view.
Rooms To Book
Ask for the front side (or sunset view) to get a close-up of a different mountain—Mt. Rosebrook—and its maple, oak, beech, and poplar. The resort is currently renovating all its guest rooms, so ask for availability of a new room.
Bonus Views
Pull up a wicker chair and have a drink on the veranda surrounded by colors, followed by dinner in the renovated dining room with its big picture windows.
Get Outside
Hiking, mountain biking, fishing, golf, and scenic chairlift rides all make for colorful excursions.
The Season
Mid-September to mid-October.
fall rates from $189 per person, (includes breakfast and dinner).
Munich's new modern design
by Aric Chen
For much of the world, Munich is likely to evoke one or more stereotypical images, among them the Glockenspiel in the tower of the neo-Gothic Rathaus, or city hall; the annual Oktoberfest bacchanal; and mustachioed men wearing lederhosen. Style, a word generally not associated with lederhosen, doesn't spring to mind. But these days Munich, Germany's third-largest city and the capital of Bavaria, is shedding its dirndls and feathered caps in favor of cutting-edge design.
For much of the world, Munich is likely to evoke one or more stereotypical images, among them the Glockenspiel in the tower of the neo-Gothic Rathaus, or city hall; the annual Oktoberfest bacchanal; and mustachioed men wearing lederhosen. Style, a word generally not associated with lederhosen, doesn't spring to mind. But these days Munich, Germany's third-largest city and the capital of Bavaria, is shedding its dirndls and feathered caps in favor of cutting-edge design.
Until my latest visit, I hadn't thought much of the city. I had traveled there twice—once as a backpacking teenager lured by the promise of copious beer, and again about 10 years later—and in my more sober moments Munich seemed a bit of a bore. It was as if the Wittelsbachs were still holed up in the royal palace: the spires of Baroque churches soared above winding streets, throngs followed the pied-piping Glockenspiel to the Marienplatz (the historic main square), and the Odeonsplatz and tony Maximilianstrasse presided with Italianate decorum. Munich was charming, elegant and postcard-perfect—but often as riveting as a boiled Bavarian potato. It was a well-preserved time warp rebuilt after World War II with a hint of self-satisfied, Disneyesque preciousness.
That's no longer the case. "In some ways, Munich has always been a creative city," says Christian Haas, a young local designer, over drinks at Heyluigi, a bustling boîte in the fashionable Glockenbach neighborhood, where a herd of wall-mounted plastic animals is the primary décor. "But it's changed a lot in recent years," he adds.
As Munich celebrates its 850th birthday this year, its historic center remains pleasantly intact—though it's now also home to a new synagogue and a Jewish Museum, designed by German firm Wandel Hoefer Lorch and opened in 2007. They are signs not just of a reinvigorated Jewish community but of a burst of innovation, powered by a strong economy (companies like BMW and Siemens call Munich home) and by the global boom in contemporary design. Driving in from the airport, one sees the evidence immediately: there's the Allianz soccer stadium, an illuminated doughnut completed for the 2006 World Cup by vanguard Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron. Closer to town are the BMW Museum and the glittering new BMW World, a car-delivery center accessorized with restaurants and shops. The swooping glass-and-steel leviathan, designed by Austrian firm Coop Himmelb(l)au, looks like a spaceship touching down.
Even the old center has received a design-driven jump start. Inserted with surgical precision inside a historic city block, Herzog & de Meuron's Fünf Höfe ("five courtyards") complex offers a Kubrickesque take on a 19th-century shopping arcade, its passageways and interior quadrangles distinguished by hanging plants, warped walls and a sculptural sphere by the artist Olafur Eliasson. One night, I met Uli Tredup, a Munich-based interior designer, for dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant called Brenner. The salsiccia was a bit dry, but the scene said it all, as bijoux-laden ladies and Gucci-swathed men navigated the minefield of high-end shopping bags by their chairs. More telling than the conspicuous consumption was the setting of the restaurant itself, which occupies the vaulted cavern of the city's royal stables, now encased within a modern complex built behind a Victorian-era façade. It's an 18th-century relic wrapped in 21st-century glass inside a 19th-century shell—an apt metaphor for the city's hybridization. The new creative energy is welcomed by Tredup, who has designed smart galleries and shops in Munich—including the Nymphenburg porcelain showroom and the Talbot Runhof boutique—as well as a house for Boris Becker.
Locals describe their home, tongue-in-cheek, as Italy's northernmost city. The pace is relaxed, and in summer the beer gardens are packed and the sky is pristine—an ideal habitat for the sun worshipers who stake their ground, full monty, in the R-rated section of the sprawling English Garden. "It's an extremely pleasant city," says Ingo Maurer, 76, the local designer who's legendary for his poetic lighting fixtures. "The feeling is gemütlich [cozy]," he says. Originally from the German side of Lake Constance, Maurer, who lives part-time in New York, settled in Munich four decades ago. With its egg yolk-yellow buildings hemming a quiet courtyard, his compound just off Kaiserstrasse could be described as gemütlich as well. This month, Maurer plans to open his first-ever Munich showroom, where visitors will find his classics—say, an explosive chandelier of shattered china—along with exhibitions, lectures and his latest work.
Munich is also home to designer Konstantin Grcic, renowned for the technological and formal innovations of his space-age products, and furniture maker ClassiCon, which produces several Grcic designs. The haute-modern kitchen manufacturer Bulthaup has its headquarters just outside of town. An emerging generation, including Haas and former Grcic protégés Stefan Diez, Nitzan Cohen and Clemens Weisshaar, are bringing their energy and talent to the city just as surefire, imported names like David Chipperfield and Andrée Putman have contributed interiors for, respectively, the Rena Lange boutique and the historic center's Blue Spa and Restaurant, at the Bayerischer Hof hotel.
The inventive crowd now flocks to a number of newly buzzing establishments. In the historic center they fill the restaurant Schumann's, a standby having a revival, and Saf im Zerwirk, a vegan eatery designed by Cohen. In nearby Glockenbach they savor tagliatelli al ragù at Heyluigi or the all-day breakfast at Café Maria, sip wine at the chilled-out Maroto Bar or the livelier Café King, and browse the tightly edited design bookstore Soda.
Not all is new here in terms of groundbreaking design. Munich was home to the Deutscher Werkbund, the seminal early-20th-century association—a Bauhaus precursor—that sought to integrate crafts with modern industry. Among its members were artists Richard Riemerschmid and Peter Behrens, who would help found the Neue Sammlung museum, which today has the world's largest collection, at around 75,000 objects, of modern and contemporary design. In 2002, the museum left its "provisional" home of nearly 80 years for dramatically expanded quarters in the Pinakothek der Moderne. Among its soaring galleries is one of the most comprehensive design installations I've ever seen, spanning Art Nouveau chairs, the Bauhaus, and mid-20th-century masters, as well as Macintosh computers and Braun appliances.
Nowadays, the city's forward-looking spirit shows up in unexpected ways. Consider the Nymphenburg porcelain manufactory, located in the 17th-century Nymphenburg Palace, its home for more than 250 years. The frilly figurines and Rococo dinner services are still handcrafted using machines powered by water. Swans ripple across the ponds of the palace grounds, where you might spot Franz, the current Duke of Bavaria, walking his dachshund, Wastl. But Nymphenburg's kilns are also producing some of the most notable contemporary designs around: porcelain driftwood candleholders by Ted Muehling, plates by Hella Jongerius that reveal the process of applying decoration, faux-stitched teapots by Grcic. "We want to explore what's possible in porcelain, while creating timeless pieces that have long-term value," Nymphenburg's CEO, Jörg Richtsfeld, tells me.
Munich is remaking itself by engaging its past. Its most radical spaces (think of Fünf Höfe or even Brenner) have emerged from a rich historical fabric, just as Nymphenburg's froufrou porcelain has evolved into pieces now coveted by avant-garde aficionados. The city is wresting innovation from its most entrenched traditions. And that may soon even extend—yes—to lederhosen. "It took me five years of living in Munich before I would even go to Oktoberfest, and 20 years to wear lederhosen there," says the designer Uli Tredup. "But now it's actually sort of cool for the kids to wear traditional clothes."
2008/10/17
Sun-splashed Miami on a budget
It might be notorious for its late-night party scene, swanky beach hotels with steeply priced drinks and the beachgoers who wear barely-there $300 swimsuits, but vacationing Miami-style doesn't have to cost a fortune.
From $3 beers to staying at a hostel for $34 a night to $7 bike rides along the Florida Everglades, visitors looking for deals have lots of options in the area.
Lodging
If you're adventurous and on a tight budget, consider staying in a hostel. Rooms can house anywhere between three and 14 travelers, sleeping on bunk beds, from $18 a night per person to about $40, depending on season and room size. Hostels in Miami Beach include Tropics Hotel & Hostel (1550 Collins Ave.), Jazz on South Beach Hostel (321 Collins Ave.), and South Beach Hostel (235 Washington Ave.).
For more conventional lodging, research your hotel at the one-stop shopping Web site http://www.miamihotels.com. Book a room while looking for nearby attractions, beaches and events.
Miami Beach
The Lincoln Road pedestrian mall is perfect for strolls and people-watching. You'll find dozens of restaurants and shops, along with locals walking dogs or weaving through the crowds on roller blades.
For a quick bite, check out Pizza Rustica (667 Lincoln Road, other locations on Washington Avenue), where you can get a huge slice of gourmet pizza for about $5. This is also a great spot for club-goers looking for something to fill their stomachs after a few drinks since it's open from 11 a.m. until 3 or 4 a.m.
At 625 Lincoln Road is a hidden gem popular with the locals. Snuggled between two stores is the narrow, tiny bar called Zeke's Roadhouse, which boasts more than 80 bottled beers and drafts from around the world -- each just $3. No hard alcohol is sold here, and no outside food or drinks are allowed on the premises. Keep your ID handy since bartenders check it with each purchase. No ID, no beer.
If you prefer to spend your time on the sand, the beach is walking distance (and free, unless you rent the pricey beach chairs). On your stroll, check out the Art Deco architecture and ritzy hotels. Or snap some pictures at the Casa Casuarina mansion where fashion designer Gianni Versace once lived, now a luxury hotel at 1116 Ocean Drive.
A drink at a trendy hotel bar on the beach -- the Delano, Setai, Shore Club, Gansevoort -- can cost up to $15, but you might just run into a celebrity. Owen Wilson was spotted at the Delano while filming "Marley & Me" with Jennifer Aniston. She reportedly spent time at the Mandarin Oriental.
Many restaurants in South Beach and other touristy areas automatically add a tip (usually 15-18 percent) to the bill.
Art and gardens
The Miami Art Museum (101 W. Flagler St.) has a unique collection of different cultural traditions of South Florida. Adults pay $8, seniors $4, free for children under 12 and students with ID; free to all on the second Saturday of each month. Also on second Saturdays, local galleries and studios in the Wynwood Art District offer free wine (or beer) on a gallery walk, 7-10 p.m. The Wynwood galleries are open other days as well.
A short cab ride away, in the heart of Miami about a mile from downtown, is Vizcaya Museum & Gardens (3251 S. Miami Ave.) built by agricultural industrialist James Deering in 1916. The landmark property includes a main house filled with treasures from around the world, a walkway lined with fountains and foliage, 10 acres of formal gardens and a hardwood hammock overlooking Biscayne Bay. Admission for adults is $12; children 6-12, $5; ages 5 and younger free.
Not far away, in the Miami suburb of Coral Gables, is the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
(10901 Old Cutler Road) with an extensive collection of rare tropical plants. Stop by its verandah restaurant or garden cafe, or spend the afternoon drinking tea here. Adults pay $20; seniors $15; children 6-17, $10. Admission is pay as you wish on the first Wednesday of each month.
Entertainment and food
Transit Lounge in the downtown area (729 SW First Ave.) hosts several local bands during the week that play Latin and funk music. A drink is around $6; open late (5 a.m.). If you get tired of dancing, sit along the walls adorned with paintings done by local artists and play that favorite game from childhood, Connect Four.
Calle Ocho, or Eighth Street, hosts Viernes Culturales or Cultural Fridays the last Friday of every month. The art and street festival spans four blocks lined with more than a dozen galleries, restaurants blasting Latin music and cigar shops -- some offering free drinks and appetizers. Stages are set up for live music. Organizers say the Latin festival attracts over 10,000 people to the heart of Little Havana. Dancing and cigar smoking is encouraged.
While on Calle Ocho, don't miss the Cuban food and coffee at Little Havana's famed Versailles Restaurant (3555 SW Eighth St.) a required stop for vote-seeking politicians -- including, most recently, Republican presidential contenders Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee.
Nature
The best way to see South Florida's alligator-infested waters is riding an airboat through the Everglades. Everglades Alligator Farm is about 35 miles south of Miami in Homestead, while Everglades Safari Park is about 15 miles west on the Tamiami Trail. Both places offer a chance to experience Florida's river of grass up close. You can even take a picture holding a baby alligator or watch an alligator show. The adventure, airboat and all, costs about $23 for adults, $15 or less for children. Both Web sites offer printable discount coupons.
Also in Homestead, Shark Valley Tram Tours rents bikes for $6.50 an hour. A 15-mile nature trail through the northern region of Everglades National Park takes two to three hours. If you'd rather rest your feet, a two-hour guided tram ride with wildlife viewing and a stop at the Shark Valley observation tower for a panoramic view of the Everglades costs $15.25 ($9.25 for ages 3-12). (Access to Shark Valley was limited in early October due to flooding, with tram tours suspended and bike routes limited, so check on conditions before you plan a trip there.)
The fee for car entry to Everglades National Park is $10, good for seven consecutive days, or $5 per person on foot, bike or motorcycle.
Transportation
Miami lacks comprehensive public transportation, but there are economical ways to get around. You can't miss the big blue Super Shuttle vans from the airport to the beach and Miami hotels, $20 plus tip. The Tri-Rail is a convenient, affordable way to navigate the region, with stops including area airports, Fort Lauderdale, Delray Beach, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach. One-way fares are $2-$5.50, all-day $4 weekend fare.
Taxis are widely available if you prefer not to rent a car. A ride from the airport to the beach can cost about $30-35.
From $3 beers to staying at a hostel for $34 a night to $7 bike rides along the Florida Everglades, visitors looking for deals have lots of options in the area.
Lodging
If you're adventurous and on a tight budget, consider staying in a hostel. Rooms can house anywhere between three and 14 travelers, sleeping on bunk beds, from $18 a night per person to about $40, depending on season and room size. Hostels in Miami Beach include Tropics Hotel & Hostel (1550 Collins Ave.), Jazz on South Beach Hostel (321 Collins Ave.), and South Beach Hostel (235 Washington Ave.).
For more conventional lodging, research your hotel at the one-stop shopping Web site http://www.miamihotels.com. Book a room while looking for nearby attractions, beaches and events.
Miami Beach
The Lincoln Road pedestrian mall is perfect for strolls and people-watching. You'll find dozens of restaurants and shops, along with locals walking dogs or weaving through the crowds on roller blades.
For a quick bite, check out Pizza Rustica (667 Lincoln Road, other locations on Washington Avenue), where you can get a huge slice of gourmet pizza for about $5. This is also a great spot for club-goers looking for something to fill their stomachs after a few drinks since it's open from 11 a.m. until 3 or 4 a.m.
At 625 Lincoln Road is a hidden gem popular with the locals. Snuggled between two stores is the narrow, tiny bar called Zeke's Roadhouse, which boasts more than 80 bottled beers and drafts from around the world -- each just $3. No hard alcohol is sold here, and no outside food or drinks are allowed on the premises. Keep your ID handy since bartenders check it with each purchase. No ID, no beer.
If you prefer to spend your time on the sand, the beach is walking distance (and free, unless you rent the pricey beach chairs). On your stroll, check out the Art Deco architecture and ritzy hotels. Or snap some pictures at the Casa Casuarina mansion where fashion designer Gianni Versace once lived, now a luxury hotel at 1116 Ocean Drive.
A drink at a trendy hotel bar on the beach -- the Delano, Setai, Shore Club, Gansevoort -- can cost up to $15, but you might just run into a celebrity. Owen Wilson was spotted at the Delano while filming "Marley & Me" with Jennifer Aniston. She reportedly spent time at the Mandarin Oriental.
Many restaurants in South Beach and other touristy areas automatically add a tip (usually 15-18 percent) to the bill.
Art and gardens
The Miami Art Museum (101 W. Flagler St.) has a unique collection of different cultural traditions of South Florida. Adults pay $8, seniors $4, free for children under 12 and students with ID; free to all on the second Saturday of each month. Also on second Saturdays, local galleries and studios in the Wynwood Art District offer free wine (or beer) on a gallery walk, 7-10 p.m. The Wynwood galleries are open other days as well.
A short cab ride away, in the heart of Miami about a mile from downtown, is Vizcaya Museum & Gardens (3251 S. Miami Ave.) built by agricultural industrialist James Deering in 1916. The landmark property includes a main house filled with treasures from around the world, a walkway lined with fountains and foliage, 10 acres of formal gardens and a hardwood hammock overlooking Biscayne Bay. Admission for adults is $12; children 6-12, $5; ages 5 and younger free.
Not far away, in the Miami suburb of Coral Gables, is the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
(10901 Old Cutler Road) with an extensive collection of rare tropical plants. Stop by its verandah restaurant or garden cafe, or spend the afternoon drinking tea here. Adults pay $20; seniors $15; children 6-17, $10. Admission is pay as you wish on the first Wednesday of each month.
Entertainment and food
Transit Lounge in the downtown area (729 SW First Ave.) hosts several local bands during the week that play Latin and funk music. A drink is around $6; open late (5 a.m.). If you get tired of dancing, sit along the walls adorned with paintings done by local artists and play that favorite game from childhood, Connect Four.
Calle Ocho, or Eighth Street, hosts Viernes Culturales or Cultural Fridays the last Friday of every month. The art and street festival spans four blocks lined with more than a dozen galleries, restaurants blasting Latin music and cigar shops -- some offering free drinks and appetizers. Stages are set up for live music. Organizers say the Latin festival attracts over 10,000 people to the heart of Little Havana. Dancing and cigar smoking is encouraged.
While on Calle Ocho, don't miss the Cuban food and coffee at Little Havana's famed Versailles Restaurant (3555 SW Eighth St.) a required stop for vote-seeking politicians -- including, most recently, Republican presidential contenders Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee.
Nature
The best way to see South Florida's alligator-infested waters is riding an airboat through the Everglades. Everglades Alligator Farm is about 35 miles south of Miami in Homestead, while Everglades Safari Park is about 15 miles west on the Tamiami Trail. Both places offer a chance to experience Florida's river of grass up close. You can even take a picture holding a baby alligator or watch an alligator show. The adventure, airboat and all, costs about $23 for adults, $15 or less for children. Both Web sites offer printable discount coupons.
Also in Homestead, Shark Valley Tram Tours rents bikes for $6.50 an hour. A 15-mile nature trail through the northern region of Everglades National Park takes two to three hours. If you'd rather rest your feet, a two-hour guided tram ride with wildlife viewing and a stop at the Shark Valley observation tower for a panoramic view of the Everglades costs $15.25 ($9.25 for ages 3-12). (Access to Shark Valley was limited in early October due to flooding, with tram tours suspended and bike routes limited, so check on conditions before you plan a trip there.)
The fee for car entry to Everglades National Park is $10, good for seven consecutive days, or $5 per person on foot, bike or motorcycle.
Transportation
Miami lacks comprehensive public transportation, but there are economical ways to get around. You can't miss the big blue Super Shuttle vans from the airport to the beach and Miami hotels, $20 plus tip. The Tri-Rail is a convenient, affordable way to navigate the region, with stops including area airports, Fort Lauderdale, Delray Beach, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach. One-way fares are $2-$5.50, all-day $4 weekend fare.
Taxis are widely available if you prefer not to rent a car. A ride from the airport to the beach can cost about $30-35.
Copenhagen: A local's view
Tim, 33, is a Canadian who moved to Copenhagen in 2000 to study at Copenhagen Business School. He has been working full-time in Copenhagen since 2004, currently as a journalist for a bank. He also produces "The Copenhagen Report", a blog about the city.
- Copenhagen was recently voted the world's best city to live in -- what's your opinion?
It's absolutely true! Of course, it's somewhat subjective. For somebody who puts a high value on surrounding themselves with friends and colleagues who generally have a very outward, international perspective, desires a high degree of organization in both their business and personal life, likes being close to the sea, prefers biking to driving, and perhaps has one or two children but still wants to live in the city, then the high ranking of Copenhagen makes perfect sense.
- Is there anything you especially like or dislike about Copenhagen?
As a northern city, it's a bit too cold and cloudy for my preference and the city is a bit quiet during the first part of the week, which changes from Thursday onwards.
As for the positives, Copenhagen is generally a very liberal place, which reveals itself in interesting ways. It's not a politically correct city, which is a relief to me. I don't mind a bit of graffiti from time to time or hearing a bit of noise on the streets at night. I love that people can have noisy parties until very late into the night. People generally respect this freedom by not abusing it.
The city has an enormous capacity to surprise. Copenhagen stages exceptional annual music festivals, such as the Distortion Festival, and excellent independent film festivals, public events like free cinema in the park in the summer, and so on.
- How would you describe Copenhageners' attitude to life?
I would say Danes' ability and willingness to socialize is probably quite underrated. It's not something that is visible at first glance as it's often done in a distinctly Danish way. Some think that just because Danes aren't Latin or Mediterranean in their way of being that they are closed people. I would disagree.
Copenhageners manage to find a balance between their personal and work lives and they know how to make the city part of their life -- how to 'use' the city. Go around the city on a hot summer day to get an idea of how this works.
- The political climate in Denmark has moved to the right in recent years -- is that something that's noticeable in Copenhagen?
If a person spent several years in Denmark without really reading the newspapers or listening to the news, I have my doubts that this shift is something that would be easy to detect.
In many respects, Copenhagen has opened up, in spite of this apparent political shift to the right. There are far more foreigners working in Copenhagen than ever before, a result of more and more companies employing foreigners and even making their official business language English.
The right-wing definition of 'Danishness' is something that relatively few Copenhageners can relate to and voting patterns in Copenhagen bear this out. It's really the right-wingers who need to be integrated into Danish society.
- Could you describe a typical Copenhagener's weekend?
The weather has an enormous impact, far more so than in many other cities in other countries. One reason is the short shopping hours; on Saturday afternoons downtown shops close at 5 p.m. and the other shops close at 2 p.m. Shops are closed all day on Sundays, except on the first Sunday of the month.
On Sunday, if the weather is cloudy, rainy or cold, the possibilities for getting out are limited during the day. Of course, Sunday brunch at a café is popular.
In the evening it's a different story. Copenhagen is buzzing until the early hours of the morning. You can get a drink at plenty of places until 5 a.m. and even then there are a few after-hours places to go to. Not that I would necessarily recommend the after-hours experience!
Just as many people light candles, invite friends over and talk and drink until equally late.
- It's a pricey city -- is it possible to visit on a budget?
It's not impossible. Of course, the better the weather, the easier it is. The main budget-killers for tourists are eating and sleeping. To do this cheaply, creativity is required (and probably sleeping in a hostel).
It's easy to cover Copenhagen on foot (if you don't want to rent a bike). The famous Danish open-faced sandwiches ("smørrebrød") are cheap and widely available -- just be sure to pick one of the nondescript places where the locals go. And you can always buy a cheap cold beer or two from a supermarket when you get tired of walking, then sit in Nyhavn alongside the tourists drinking expensive beers, or in a park.
Alternatively, dark and dingy Danish bodegas are found everywhere in the city and they are an authentic experience and always serve cheap beer. They are filled with down-to-earth locals who, in spite of the cold stare you may receive upon entering, will inevitably prove friendly. When you're stumbling home, grab a cheap late-night "poelser" (hot dog) or falafel, just as the locals do.
There are plenty of interesting sites to see without opening your wallet. My recommendations would be Christiania, the swimming area at Islands Brygge (where you can take a dip in the cool, clean salt-water of the Copenhagen channel), or rent a bike and head north along the coast towards the beaches in Klampenborg and beyond, while looking at the magnificent houses along the way.
And for the cost of a cheap public transport ticket you can ride the harbor boat-bus around the entire channel and see the same sites as the tourist boats (and even hop off and on along the way).
- If Copenhagen was a person, what would she or he be like?
A hipster with a few tattoos -- no question about it! And they would be the coolest person in the place. London or Paris (as people) would certainly think they were coolest and they would most certainly try to act it.
But that moment when they were standing outside trying to hail a cab to get home (probably around midnight or 1 a.m.), as Copenhagen cycled by them with friends on the way to the next watering hole -- well, the façade of London or Paris as 'coolest' would be revealed for what it is.
- Copenhagen was recently voted the world's best city to live in -- what's your opinion?
It's absolutely true! Of course, it's somewhat subjective. For somebody who puts a high value on surrounding themselves with friends and colleagues who generally have a very outward, international perspective, desires a high degree of organization in both their business and personal life, likes being close to the sea, prefers biking to driving, and perhaps has one or two children but still wants to live in the city, then the high ranking of Copenhagen makes perfect sense.
- Is there anything you especially like or dislike about Copenhagen?
As a northern city, it's a bit too cold and cloudy for my preference and the city is a bit quiet during the first part of the week, which changes from Thursday onwards.
As for the positives, Copenhagen is generally a very liberal place, which reveals itself in interesting ways. It's not a politically correct city, which is a relief to me. I don't mind a bit of graffiti from time to time or hearing a bit of noise on the streets at night. I love that people can have noisy parties until very late into the night. People generally respect this freedom by not abusing it.
The city has an enormous capacity to surprise. Copenhagen stages exceptional annual music festivals, such as the Distortion Festival, and excellent independent film festivals, public events like free cinema in the park in the summer, and so on.
- How would you describe Copenhageners' attitude to life?
I would say Danes' ability and willingness to socialize is probably quite underrated. It's not something that is visible at first glance as it's often done in a distinctly Danish way. Some think that just because Danes aren't Latin or Mediterranean in their way of being that they are closed people. I would disagree.
Copenhageners manage to find a balance between their personal and work lives and they know how to make the city part of their life -- how to 'use' the city. Go around the city on a hot summer day to get an idea of how this works.
- The political climate in Denmark has moved to the right in recent years -- is that something that's noticeable in Copenhagen?
If a person spent several years in Denmark without really reading the newspapers or listening to the news, I have my doubts that this shift is something that would be easy to detect.
In many respects, Copenhagen has opened up, in spite of this apparent political shift to the right. There are far more foreigners working in Copenhagen than ever before, a result of more and more companies employing foreigners and even making their official business language English.
The right-wing definition of 'Danishness' is something that relatively few Copenhageners can relate to and voting patterns in Copenhagen bear this out. It's really the right-wingers who need to be integrated into Danish society.
- Could you describe a typical Copenhagener's weekend?
The weather has an enormous impact, far more so than in many other cities in other countries. One reason is the short shopping hours; on Saturday afternoons downtown shops close at 5 p.m. and the other shops close at 2 p.m. Shops are closed all day on Sundays, except on the first Sunday of the month.
On Sunday, if the weather is cloudy, rainy or cold, the possibilities for getting out are limited during the day. Of course, Sunday brunch at a café is popular.
In the evening it's a different story. Copenhagen is buzzing until the early hours of the morning. You can get a drink at plenty of places until 5 a.m. and even then there are a few after-hours places to go to. Not that I would necessarily recommend the after-hours experience!
Just as many people light candles, invite friends over and talk and drink until equally late.
- It's a pricey city -- is it possible to visit on a budget?
It's not impossible. Of course, the better the weather, the easier it is. The main budget-killers for tourists are eating and sleeping. To do this cheaply, creativity is required (and probably sleeping in a hostel).
It's easy to cover Copenhagen on foot (if you don't want to rent a bike). The famous Danish open-faced sandwiches ("smørrebrød") are cheap and widely available -- just be sure to pick one of the nondescript places where the locals go. And you can always buy a cheap cold beer or two from a supermarket when you get tired of walking, then sit in Nyhavn alongside the tourists drinking expensive beers, or in a park.
Alternatively, dark and dingy Danish bodegas are found everywhere in the city and they are an authentic experience and always serve cheap beer. They are filled with down-to-earth locals who, in spite of the cold stare you may receive upon entering, will inevitably prove friendly. When you're stumbling home, grab a cheap late-night "poelser" (hot dog) or falafel, just as the locals do.
There are plenty of interesting sites to see without opening your wallet. My recommendations would be Christiania, the swimming area at Islands Brygge (where you can take a dip in the cool, clean salt-water of the Copenhagen channel), or rent a bike and head north along the coast towards the beaches in Klampenborg and beyond, while looking at the magnificent houses along the way.
And for the cost of a cheap public transport ticket you can ride the harbor boat-bus around the entire channel and see the same sites as the tourist boats (and even hop off and on along the way).
- If Copenhagen was a person, what would she or he be like?
A hipster with a few tattoos -- no question about it! And they would be the coolest person in the place. London or Paris (as people) would certainly think they were coolest and they would most certainly try to act it.
But that moment when they were standing outside trying to hail a cab to get home (probably around midnight or 1 a.m.), as Copenhagen cycled by them with friends on the way to the next watering hole -- well, the façade of London or Paris as 'coolest' would be revealed for what it is.
2008/10/16
Copenhagen: A seasonal guide
Roskilde Festival (July)
The Danes love the outdoors and they love rock music; the Roskilde Festival is where they combine these passions for a weekend of drunken revelry.
The four-day event is held about 30 minutes from the city proper, which means you can either go in for the full festival experience -- smelly toilets and all -- by pitching a tent alongside 70,000 other party monsters, or you can fake it by staying in the city and commuting to the festival each day.
There are also day tickets if you don't have the stamina for the whole shebang.
Kulturnatten (October)
For something a little more high brow there's the Night of Culture. For one night only some 300 venues in the city stage theater performances, art exhibitions, concerts and poetry readings.
Copenhagen Jazz Festival (July)
A world away from the mud and moshing of Roskilde, the city's largest festival consists of more than 450 performances, many of them free, covering everything from hard bop to fusion. Goatees are optional.
Copenhagen Summerdance (August)
Each August some of the finest dance companies and choreographers in Scandinavia perform al fresco in the courtyard of the stately Copenhagen Police Headquarters. Dance enthusiasts should also try to catch the annual free outdoor performance given by the Royal Danish Ballet at the Kastellet fortification.
Father Christmas Congress (July)
One of the more bizarre fixtures in Copenhagen's calendar, the event is held in July -- presumably the slow season for Santas -- at the Bakken amusement park, some 20 minutes north of the city. The climax of the event is a procession of Santas from all over the world along Strøget, accompanied by their ever-faithful Christmas elves. Parents should be prepared for some awkward questions from the kids.
Tivoli Gardens (November/December)
These pleasure gardens make for a great day out any time of the year but to see them at their most bewitching, visit from mid-November through December, when they are transformed into a fairy tale of lanterns and Christmas markets. There's also outdoor skating, a Christmas cabaret and the very Danish 'Nissekøbing' village, home to more than 100 mechanical pixies. Hans Christian Andersen would have approved.
The Danes love the outdoors and they love rock music; the Roskilde Festival is where they combine these passions for a weekend of drunken revelry.
The four-day event is held about 30 minutes from the city proper, which means you can either go in for the full festival experience -- smelly toilets and all -- by pitching a tent alongside 70,000 other party monsters, or you can fake it by staying in the city and commuting to the festival each day.
There are also day tickets if you don't have the stamina for the whole shebang.
Kulturnatten (October)
For something a little more high brow there's the Night of Culture. For one night only some 300 venues in the city stage theater performances, art exhibitions, concerts and poetry readings.
Copenhagen Jazz Festival (July)
A world away from the mud and moshing of Roskilde, the city's largest festival consists of more than 450 performances, many of them free, covering everything from hard bop to fusion. Goatees are optional.
Copenhagen Summerdance (August)
Each August some of the finest dance companies and choreographers in Scandinavia perform al fresco in the courtyard of the stately Copenhagen Police Headquarters. Dance enthusiasts should also try to catch the annual free outdoor performance given by the Royal Danish Ballet at the Kastellet fortification.
Father Christmas Congress (July)
One of the more bizarre fixtures in Copenhagen's calendar, the event is held in July -- presumably the slow season for Santas -- at the Bakken amusement park, some 20 minutes north of the city. The climax of the event is a procession of Santas from all over the world along Strøget, accompanied by their ever-faithful Christmas elves. Parents should be prepared for some awkward questions from the kids.
Tivoli Gardens (November/December)
These pleasure gardens make for a great day out any time of the year but to see them at their most bewitching, visit from mid-November through December, when they are transformed into a fairy tale of lanterns and Christmas markets. There's also outdoor skating, a Christmas cabaret and the very Danish 'Nissekøbing' village, home to more than 100 mechanical pixies. Hans Christian Andersen would have approved.
Copenhagen: Insider tips
Trump card
The Copenhagen Card entitles you to free use of the city's train, bus and metro systems, as well as free admission to 60 museums and attractions. There are two versions, valid for either for either 24 hours (199 DKR) or 72 hours (429 DKR), which you can buy at tourist offices, train stations and some hotels
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Make your way some 40km north of the city to this fascinating museum -- it's well worth the effort. Set in a beautiful sculpture park in the coastal village of Humlebaek, Louisiana is a beguiling combination of nature, architecture and contemporary art.
On the up
Check out the district of Nørrebro for a taste of the 'other side' of Copenhagen. Slightly grungy, defiantly hip and definitely up-and-coming, this area has had its share of social problems, but it also has an undeniable energy and is increasingly popular with Copenhagen's young-and-trendy set.
Pass the Post
The Copenhagen Post is a weekly English-language paper, available from train stations and newsstands. It comes with the 16-page "In & Out Guide," which has complete entertainment listings and is worth the cover price by itself.
Route canal
Take a load off and let a canal boat take the strain as it meanders through Copenhagen's waterways. DFDS Canal Tours offers one-hour guided tours from Nyhaven and Gammel Strand, as well as a water bus service that allows you to board and disembark at any of its 16 stops.
Free museums
Two of the city's finest cultural treasures, the Statens Museum for Kunst (National Gallery) and The National Museum don't charge for admission. A number of Copenhagen's museums and galleries offer free entry on Wednesdays, including the excellent Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket.
The Copenhagen Card entitles you to free use of the city's train, bus and metro systems, as well as free admission to 60 museums and attractions. There are two versions, valid for either for either 24 hours (199 DKR) or 72 hours (429 DKR), which you can buy at tourist offices, train stations and some hotels
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Make your way some 40km north of the city to this fascinating museum -- it's well worth the effort. Set in a beautiful sculpture park in the coastal village of Humlebaek, Louisiana is a beguiling combination of nature, architecture and contemporary art.
On the up
Check out the district of Nørrebro for a taste of the 'other side' of Copenhagen. Slightly grungy, defiantly hip and definitely up-and-coming, this area has had its share of social problems, but it also has an undeniable energy and is increasingly popular with Copenhagen's young-and-trendy set.
Pass the Post
The Copenhagen Post is a weekly English-language paper, available from train stations and newsstands. It comes with the 16-page "In & Out Guide," which has complete entertainment listings and is worth the cover price by itself.
Route canal
Take a load off and let a canal boat take the strain as it meanders through Copenhagen's waterways. DFDS Canal Tours offers one-hour guided tours from Nyhaven and Gammel Strand, as well as a water bus service that allows you to board and disembark at any of its 16 stops.
Free museums
Two of the city's finest cultural treasures, the Statens Museum for Kunst (National Gallery) and The National Museum don't charge for admission. A number of Copenhagen's museums and galleries offer free entry on Wednesdays, including the excellent Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket.
Copenhagen: Where to shop
For a city of its size, Copenhagen has a remarkable range of shops that ooze class and individuality.
The city's main shopping hub is Strøget, a collection of pedestrianized streets that lead from Rådhuspladsen to Kongens Nytorv; you can easily spend hours, and a small fortune, browsing its boutiques and chain stores.
Don't miss Illums Bolighus (Amagertorv 10), with its four floors of contemporary Scandinavian design. Once you've got a taste for stylish home accessories, make your way to Normann Copenhagen (Strandboulevarden 98) or Hay Cph (Pilestraede 29-31) for a masterclass in simplicity and elegance.
When you've finished kitting out the house you might want to work on your wardrobe. Kronprinsensgade is full of hip boutiques, among them Bruuns Bazaar (Kronprinsensgade 8-9), with its collection from the ever-so-trendy, and suitably pricey, Bruuns label. Nearby, Designers Remix (Pilestraede 8) offers sophisticated styles for women, while Könrøg (Hyskenstræde 11) has cutting-edge fashions from a collective of Danish designers.
For something more traditional, but no less beautiful, head to the Georg Jensen store in Amagertorv, for silverware that ranges from intricate jewelry to timeless tableware. If that's not exclusive enough for you, Peter Hertz in Købmagergade is jeweler to Danish royalty.
Pick up something for the kids at Aniel (Frederiksberg Allé 70), which has too-cute baby grows, children's clothes and wooden toys made from organic and natural materials. Frydendahl (Store Regnegade 1) has some unusual hand-knitted toys among the selection of homeware strewn along the pavement outside.
If your eyes are bigger than your wallet, then you might be interested in the flea market held on Saturdays in Israels Plads, where high-street stores are said to unload the goodies they can't sell in their shops. If it's raining you might prefer Det Blå Pakhus (113 Holmbladsgade), the city's biggest indoor flea market and a treasure trove of bargains begging to be hunted.
The city's main shopping hub is Strøget, a collection of pedestrianized streets that lead from Rådhuspladsen to Kongens Nytorv; you can easily spend hours, and a small fortune, browsing its boutiques and chain stores.
Don't miss Illums Bolighus (Amagertorv 10), with its four floors of contemporary Scandinavian design. Once you've got a taste for stylish home accessories, make your way to Normann Copenhagen (Strandboulevarden 98) or Hay Cph (Pilestraede 29-31) for a masterclass in simplicity and elegance.
When you've finished kitting out the house you might want to work on your wardrobe. Kronprinsensgade is full of hip boutiques, among them Bruuns Bazaar (Kronprinsensgade 8-9), with its collection from the ever-so-trendy, and suitably pricey, Bruuns label. Nearby, Designers Remix (Pilestraede 8) offers sophisticated styles for women, while Könrøg (Hyskenstræde 11) has cutting-edge fashions from a collective of Danish designers.
For something more traditional, but no less beautiful, head to the Georg Jensen store in Amagertorv, for silverware that ranges from intricate jewelry to timeless tableware. If that's not exclusive enough for you, Peter Hertz in Købmagergade is jeweler to Danish royalty.
Pick up something for the kids at Aniel (Frederiksberg Allé 70), which has too-cute baby grows, children's clothes and wooden toys made from organic and natural materials. Frydendahl (Store Regnegade 1) has some unusual hand-knitted toys among the selection of homeware strewn along the pavement outside.
If your eyes are bigger than your wallet, then you might be interested in the flea market held on Saturdays in Israels Plads, where high-street stores are said to unload the goodies they can't sell in their shops. If it's raining you might prefer Det Blå Pakhus (113 Holmbladsgade), the city's biggest indoor flea market and a treasure trove of bargains begging to be hunted.
Copenhagen: Where to Eat
At last count, Copenhagen's restaurants boasted 12 Michelin stars between them, more than anywhere else in Scandinavia.
Noma (Strandgade 93) is unique in that it can claim two of those stars. From a converted waterfront warehouse, chef Rebe Redzepi offers a modern take on Nordic cuisine, scouring Scandinavia for ingredients such as langoustines from the Faeroe Islands, wild salmon from Iceland and musk ox from Greenland -- fantastic served with glazed beetroots, apple and smoked marrow.
Geranium (Kronprinsessegade 13), in the beautiful gardens of Kongens Have, has earned a Michelin star for its biodynamic, organic cuisine, including some imaginative vegetarian dishes -- try the new carrots with elderflower vinegar, sago and white chocolate.
Le Sommelier (Bredgade 63-65) has more than 800 wines and a famous crème brûlée with geranium ice cream, while Café Victor (Ny Østergade 8) is a hip bistro that draws an artsy crowd and the occasional visiting celebrity. It also boasts a fine selection of spirits.
Vegans will find unfussy fare at Den Grønne Kælder (Pilestaede 48) and Restaurant Flow (Gyldenløvesgade 10) dishes up organic vegetarian food in a relaxed setting.
Danes drink more coffee per person than any other nationality, so perhaps it's not so surprising that they have won the world barista championship four times in the last eight years. Klaus Thomsen was 2006 champion and he runs Estate Coffee (Dronning Olgas Vej 30), which slow roasts its own blends, as does Café Europa (Amagertorv 1), run by 2001 champion Martin Hildebrandt.
Café Stelling (Gammel Torv 6) looks stunning with its Arne Jacobsen chairs, tables, bar stools and lamps, while multi-taskers will enjoy Laundromat Café (Elmegade 15), where you can grab a coffee, wash your clothes, and browse through the 4,000 used books that are on sale there.
No trip to Copenhagen would be complete without sampling the Danes' favourite snack, "smørrebrød." The classic 'open sandwich' consists of dense, dark brown rye bread finished with toppings that might include smoked salmon, herring, cheese, egg or shrimp. You can choose from 200 varieties at Ida Davidsen (Store Kongensgade 70). The Royal Café (Amagertorv 6) offers a more refined take on the open sandwich, served in sushi-sized portions and eaten in suitably regal surroundings.
Like the Danes themselves, Copenhagen's nightlife is generally relaxed, although not without its surprises.
There's currently a trend for 'hybrid' establishments that are cafés by day, but morph into bars or restaurants in the evening, and feature a dancefloor-filling DJ when night falls. The sophisticated Aura (Rådhusstræde 4) is a restaurant in the week and cocktail bar on Friday and Saturday nights.
Pussy Galore's Flying Circus (Sankt Hans Torv 30) is the epitome of Danish minimalism -- sleek, stylish and flawlessly decked out in Arne Jacobsen furnishings. The breakfasts are good, the brunches are famous and the mojitos are even better, making it an excellent place to start the day or to kick start the night.
While Carlsberg may be Copenhagen's best-known contribution to the noble art of brewing, the city is also home to a handful of micro breweries. Still, if you're determined to stick with the Carlsberg, be sure to try it at Vinstue 90 (Gammel Kongevej 90). Ask for a slow beer and you'll have to wait 15 minutes for a meticulously pulled draft Carlsberg with a huge creamy head; but with fewer bubbles and bags of flavor it's well worth the wait.
Noma (Strandgade 93) is unique in that it can claim two of those stars. From a converted waterfront warehouse, chef Rebe Redzepi offers a modern take on Nordic cuisine, scouring Scandinavia for ingredients such as langoustines from the Faeroe Islands, wild salmon from Iceland and musk ox from Greenland -- fantastic served with glazed beetroots, apple and smoked marrow.
Geranium (Kronprinsessegade 13), in the beautiful gardens of Kongens Have, has earned a Michelin star for its biodynamic, organic cuisine, including some imaginative vegetarian dishes -- try the new carrots with elderflower vinegar, sago and white chocolate.
Le Sommelier (Bredgade 63-65) has more than 800 wines and a famous crème brûlée with geranium ice cream, while Café Victor (Ny Østergade 8) is a hip bistro that draws an artsy crowd and the occasional visiting celebrity. It also boasts a fine selection of spirits.
Vegans will find unfussy fare at Den Grønne Kælder (Pilestaede 48) and Restaurant Flow (Gyldenløvesgade 10) dishes up organic vegetarian food in a relaxed setting.
Danes drink more coffee per person than any other nationality, so perhaps it's not so surprising that they have won the world barista championship four times in the last eight years. Klaus Thomsen was 2006 champion and he runs Estate Coffee (Dronning Olgas Vej 30), which slow roasts its own blends, as does Café Europa (Amagertorv 1), run by 2001 champion Martin Hildebrandt.
Café Stelling (Gammel Torv 6) looks stunning with its Arne Jacobsen chairs, tables, bar stools and lamps, while multi-taskers will enjoy Laundromat Café (Elmegade 15), where you can grab a coffee, wash your clothes, and browse through the 4,000 used books that are on sale there.
No trip to Copenhagen would be complete without sampling the Danes' favourite snack, "smørrebrød." The classic 'open sandwich' consists of dense, dark brown rye bread finished with toppings that might include smoked salmon, herring, cheese, egg or shrimp. You can choose from 200 varieties at Ida Davidsen (Store Kongensgade 70). The Royal Café (Amagertorv 6) offers a more refined take on the open sandwich, served in sushi-sized portions and eaten in suitably regal surroundings.
Like the Danes themselves, Copenhagen's nightlife is generally relaxed, although not without its surprises.
There's currently a trend for 'hybrid' establishments that are cafés by day, but morph into bars or restaurants in the evening, and feature a dancefloor-filling DJ when night falls. The sophisticated Aura (Rådhusstræde 4) is a restaurant in the week and cocktail bar on Friday and Saturday nights.
Pussy Galore's Flying Circus (Sankt Hans Torv 30) is the epitome of Danish minimalism -- sleek, stylish and flawlessly decked out in Arne Jacobsen furnishings. The breakfasts are good, the brunches are famous and the mojitos are even better, making it an excellent place to start the day or to kick start the night.
While Carlsberg may be Copenhagen's best-known contribution to the noble art of brewing, the city is also home to a handful of micro breweries. Still, if you're determined to stick with the Carlsberg, be sure to try it at Vinstue 90 (Gammel Kongevej 90). Ask for a slow beer and you'll have to wait 15 minutes for a meticulously pulled draft Carlsberg with a huge creamy head; but with fewer bubbles and bags of flavor it's well worth the wait.
Copenhagen: What to see
Copenhagen is compact and relatively traffic-free, making it a pleasure to explore on foot. Start your visit Start in Indre By, the bustling and historic heart of the city.
Although often described as the longest pedestrianzed street in Europe, Strøget is actually a series of connected streets. Stroll alongside the locals, checking out the street entertainers and boutiques and try not to let your credit card run away with itself.
Make a detour into the Latin Quarter, with its winding streets and historic buildings. The Rundetaarn (Round Tower -- Købmagergade 52) was built in the 17th century and still functions in its original role as an observatory. A wide, rising corridor leads to the top for a fantastic view of the city.
At the eastern end of Strøget is Kongens Nytorv. This expansive square is home to the Royal Theater and Charlottenborg Palace. Its glass-fronted cafés make an excellent spot to take a breather, but if you can hold out, just off the square is Nyhavn, the colorful facades of its medieval buildings providing the perfect backdrop for its harbor-side cafés.
Take the Knippelsbro bridge across the Inderhavnen (inner harbor) to reach the delightful little island of Christianshavn. Its canals and picture-postcard houses have earned it the moniker of 'Little Amsterdam' and its skyline is dominated by the spiraling black and gold spire of the Vor Frelsers Kirke church (Sankt Annæ Gade).
The island is also home of Christiania, the 'free city' that has been populated since 1971 by a community of various dropouts, artists and hippies. An incongruous mix of former army barracks and colorful, ramshackle homes, the mural-lined dirt streets make an interesting detour from the ordered architecture of Copenhagen proper.
Visible across the Inderhavnen is Amalienborg Slotsplads, a regal square surrounded by the four Amalienborg palaces, the royal family's winter residence. You can watch the changing of the guard each day at noon.
Nearby is Kastellet, a star-shaped fortress that has housed by troops since 1660, and just beyond, on the Langelinie coastline, is the small bronze statue of the Little Mermaid. In reality, this tribute to a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale is somewhat disappointing, but it remains hugely popular and is an inevitable box to tick on any visitor's itinerary.
Rosenborg Slot is a former royal residence surrounded by a moat in the peaceful setting of Kongens Have (The King's Garden), the city's oldest park, and the nearby Botanisk Have (Botanical Gardens) are a pleasant location for a summer stroll.
Copenhagen also has some superb cultural treasures; be sure to visit the Nationalmuseet (Frederiksholms Kanal 12), which includes a fascinating collection of ancient objects that have survived, preserved in Denmark's peat bogs, and a stunning array of Viking artifacts.
The Statens Museum for Kunst (National Gallery, Sølvgade 48 - 50) has a vast collection representing 700 years of European art, but even more impressive is Ny Carlsberg Glypotek, with its glass-domed Winter Garden, impressive collection of ancient sculpture and a wing devoted to French artists from the 19th and 20th centuries.
End your stay with a trip to Tivoli Gardens. These pricey pleasure gardens in the centre of town may not match bigger amusement parks in terms of thrill rides, but they have bags of charm, fairytale landscaped gardens, a lake, theatres and concert halls. In summer Tivoli stays open until midnight and as dusk falls lanterns twinkle into life and the atmosphere becomes almost magical.
Although often described as the longest pedestrianzed street in Europe, Strøget is actually a series of connected streets. Stroll alongside the locals, checking out the street entertainers and boutiques and try not to let your credit card run away with itself.
Make a detour into the Latin Quarter, with its winding streets and historic buildings. The Rundetaarn (Round Tower -- Købmagergade 52) was built in the 17th century and still functions in its original role as an observatory. A wide, rising corridor leads to the top for a fantastic view of the city.
At the eastern end of Strøget is Kongens Nytorv. This expansive square is home to the Royal Theater and Charlottenborg Palace. Its glass-fronted cafés make an excellent spot to take a breather, but if you can hold out, just off the square is Nyhavn, the colorful facades of its medieval buildings providing the perfect backdrop for its harbor-side cafés.
Take the Knippelsbro bridge across the Inderhavnen (inner harbor) to reach the delightful little island of Christianshavn. Its canals and picture-postcard houses have earned it the moniker of 'Little Amsterdam' and its skyline is dominated by the spiraling black and gold spire of the Vor Frelsers Kirke church (Sankt Annæ Gade).
The island is also home of Christiania, the 'free city' that has been populated since 1971 by a community of various dropouts, artists and hippies. An incongruous mix of former army barracks and colorful, ramshackle homes, the mural-lined dirt streets make an interesting detour from the ordered architecture of Copenhagen proper.
Visible across the Inderhavnen is Amalienborg Slotsplads, a regal square surrounded by the four Amalienborg palaces, the royal family's winter residence. You can watch the changing of the guard each day at noon.
Nearby is Kastellet, a star-shaped fortress that has housed by troops since 1660, and just beyond, on the Langelinie coastline, is the small bronze statue of the Little Mermaid. In reality, this tribute to a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale is somewhat disappointing, but it remains hugely popular and is an inevitable box to tick on any visitor's itinerary.
Rosenborg Slot is a former royal residence surrounded by a moat in the peaceful setting of Kongens Have (The King's Garden), the city's oldest park, and the nearby Botanisk Have (Botanical Gardens) are a pleasant location for a summer stroll.
Copenhagen also has some superb cultural treasures; be sure to visit the Nationalmuseet (Frederiksholms Kanal 12), which includes a fascinating collection of ancient objects that have survived, preserved in Denmark's peat bogs, and a stunning array of Viking artifacts.
The Statens Museum for Kunst (National Gallery, Sølvgade 48 - 50) has a vast collection representing 700 years of European art, but even more impressive is Ny Carlsberg Glypotek, with its glass-domed Winter Garden, impressive collection of ancient sculpture and a wing devoted to French artists from the 19th and 20th centuries.
End your stay with a trip to Tivoli Gardens. These pricey pleasure gardens in the centre of town may not match bigger amusement parks in terms of thrill rides, but they have bags of charm, fairytale landscaped gardens, a lake, theatres and concert halls. In summer Tivoli stays open until midnight and as dusk falls lanterns twinkle into life and the atmosphere becomes almost magical.
2008/10/11
Copenhagen: Where to stay
Denmark has long been at the forefront of modern design and to see Danish design at its most iconic, check in at the Radisson SAS Royal (Hammerichsgade 1, doubles from 2,299 DKK a night).
It was designed entirely by the legendary Arne Jacobsen, from its skyscraper-style exterior down to its furniture, door handles, and even the cutlery in the restaurant. Since its opening in 1960, the rooms have been refurbished in contemporary Danish style, but classic chair designs such as the Egg and the Swan still grace the hotel where they made their first public appearance.
First Hotel Skt Petri (Krystalgade 22, doubles from 2,096 DKK) is another tribute to Scandinavian elegance, with an interior that is airy, light and very white. Rooms on the fifth and sixth floors have wonderful views across the medieval steeples and tiled rooftops of the Latin Quarter. It is worth noting that the hotel's funky Bar Rouge is open until 2am and can be noisy at the weekend.
For bold contemporary design that breaks away from the minimalist mould, Hotel Fox (Jarmers Plads 3, doubles from 1,250 DKK) is an eye-popping extravaganza of wild colors. It was opened in its present form in 2005 by Volkswagen, who invited 21 artists to design everything from the furniture to the décor in each room. The result is a unique combination of hotel and art gallery.
For something less challenging, and altogether more relaxing, try Carlton Hotel (Vesterbrogade 66, doubles from 1,290 DKK), Bertrams Hotel (Vesterbrogade 107, doubles from 1,455 DKK) or Axel Hotel (Helgolandsgade 11, doubles from 1,615 DKK). Part of the Guldsmeden mini-chain of boutique hotels, they offer four-star quality with an eco-friendly feel. Their organic policy starts with the breakfast buffet, includes the shampoos and lotions in the bathrooms, and even extends to organic cocktails in the bar.
Cheap accommodation is scarce in Copenhagen but one economical and stylish option is Danhostel Copenhagen City (H.C. Andersens Boulevard 50, doubles from 780 DKK), a huge hostel that has some private rooms for two to four people. Although the rooms are somewhat sparse, the whole place is spanking new and the interiors are undeniably smart. Cabinn City (Mitchellsgade 14, doubles from 1290 DKK) is another good budget option, offering simple, modern rooms and a great location near Tivoli Gardens.
It was designed entirely by the legendary Arne Jacobsen, from its skyscraper-style exterior down to its furniture, door handles, and even the cutlery in the restaurant. Since its opening in 1960, the rooms have been refurbished in contemporary Danish style, but classic chair designs such as the Egg and the Swan still grace the hotel where they made their first public appearance.
First Hotel Skt Petri (Krystalgade 22, doubles from 2,096 DKK) is another tribute to Scandinavian elegance, with an interior that is airy, light and very white. Rooms on the fifth and sixth floors have wonderful views across the medieval steeples and tiled rooftops of the Latin Quarter. It is worth noting that the hotel's funky Bar Rouge is open until 2am and can be noisy at the weekend.
For bold contemporary design that breaks away from the minimalist mould, Hotel Fox (Jarmers Plads 3, doubles from 1,250 DKK) is an eye-popping extravaganza of wild colors. It was opened in its present form in 2005 by Volkswagen, who invited 21 artists to design everything from the furniture to the décor in each room. The result is a unique combination of hotel and art gallery.
For something less challenging, and altogether more relaxing, try Carlton Hotel (Vesterbrogade 66, doubles from 1,290 DKK), Bertrams Hotel (Vesterbrogade 107, doubles from 1,455 DKK) or Axel Hotel (Helgolandsgade 11, doubles from 1,615 DKK). Part of the Guldsmeden mini-chain of boutique hotels, they offer four-star quality with an eco-friendly feel. Their organic policy starts with the breakfast buffet, includes the shampoos and lotions in the bathrooms, and even extends to organic cocktails in the bar.
Cheap accommodation is scarce in Copenhagen but one economical and stylish option is Danhostel Copenhagen City (H.C. Andersens Boulevard 50, doubles from 780 DKK), a huge hostel that has some private rooms for two to four people. Although the rooms are somewhat sparse, the whole place is spanking new and the interiors are undeniably smart. Cabinn City (Mitchellsgade 14, doubles from 1290 DKK) is another good budget option, offering simple, modern rooms and a great location near Tivoli Gardens.
Copenhagen: City overview
A recent study on global wellbeing showed the Danes to be the happiest people on the planet and with about a fifth of them living in their capital it stands to reason that Copenhagen must be a little bit special.
So what are they so happy about? Well, lifestyle magazine Monocle recently named Copenhagen as being the world's most livable city, highlighting the quality of its infrastructure, transport system and contemporary buildings.
It's true that the city is well planned and well managed; it boasts a new metro system, the main arteries in the centre are pedestrianized and the other streets are filled with cyclists rather than exhaust fumes.
But Copenhagen is not some soulless exercise in sterile urban planning. There are the winding medieval streets of Indre By and the Latin Quarter, the picture-postcard houses of Nyhavn, the canals of Christanshavn, and the palaces and parks of Fredericksstaden and Rosenborg. The city is, simply, charming.
If you spend some time in Copenhagen you'll quickly come to understand the Danish concept of "hygge", a word with multiple meanings that is best translated as something between "cozy" and "relaxed". But if that suggests a city of bygone cuteness it doesn't take into account the sleek modernism of Danish design.
Arne Jacobsen's legacy can be seen throughout the city (check out the Radisson SAS Royal and Café Stelling) but no less visionary are recent structures such as Henning Larsen's futuristic Opera House or the dramatic new Royal Library, known as the "Black Diamond".
The clean lines and minimalism that characterize Danish design are evident in the interiors of the city's stylish bars, restaurants and hotels and perhaps their influence can even be detected in the trend away from bland, stodgy cooking to a cleaner, healthier style that is earning the city's restaurants acclaim and Michelin stars.
The alternative side of Copenhagen can be seen in places like Christiania, the 'free city' founded in 1971 by a collection of dropouts, hippies and social visionaries.
The fact that this semi-autonomous experiment in communal living has survived for so long is testament to the open-mindedness of the Danish; but the very existence of Christiania has always been controversial and government plans to 'normalize' the area suggest it may not be 'free' much longer.
Like any city of its size, Copenhagen has its share of social problems. Nørrebro has been the scene of a riots in recent years, with some commentators blaming social deprivation and others blaming boredom among young people.
But it is working class areas like Nørrebro and Vesterbro, away from the tourist trail, that are the beating heart of the city. They are home to many of Copenhagen's trendiest bars and clubs and they have a sense of community that is difficult to convey; it is something Danes might describe as "hygge".
So why are the Danish so happy? Go to Copenhagen and you'll understand.
So what are they so happy about? Well, lifestyle magazine Monocle recently named Copenhagen as being the world's most livable city, highlighting the quality of its infrastructure, transport system and contemporary buildings.
It's true that the city is well planned and well managed; it boasts a new metro system, the main arteries in the centre are pedestrianized and the other streets are filled with cyclists rather than exhaust fumes.
But Copenhagen is not some soulless exercise in sterile urban planning. There are the winding medieval streets of Indre By and the Latin Quarter, the picture-postcard houses of Nyhavn, the canals of Christanshavn, and the palaces and parks of Fredericksstaden and Rosenborg. The city is, simply, charming.
If you spend some time in Copenhagen you'll quickly come to understand the Danish concept of "hygge", a word with multiple meanings that is best translated as something between "cozy" and "relaxed". But if that suggests a city of bygone cuteness it doesn't take into account the sleek modernism of Danish design.
Arne Jacobsen's legacy can be seen throughout the city (check out the Radisson SAS Royal and Café Stelling) but no less visionary are recent structures such as Henning Larsen's futuristic Opera House or the dramatic new Royal Library, known as the "Black Diamond".
The clean lines and minimalism that characterize Danish design are evident in the interiors of the city's stylish bars, restaurants and hotels and perhaps their influence can even be detected in the trend away from bland, stodgy cooking to a cleaner, healthier style that is earning the city's restaurants acclaim and Michelin stars.
The alternative side of Copenhagen can be seen in places like Christiania, the 'free city' founded in 1971 by a collection of dropouts, hippies and social visionaries.
The fact that this semi-autonomous experiment in communal living has survived for so long is testament to the open-mindedness of the Danish; but the very existence of Christiania has always been controversial and government plans to 'normalize' the area suggest it may not be 'free' much longer.
Like any city of its size, Copenhagen has its share of social problems. Nørrebro has been the scene of a riots in recent years, with some commentators blaming social deprivation and others blaming boredom among young people.
But it is working class areas like Nørrebro and Vesterbro, away from the tourist trail, that are the beating heart of the city. They are home to many of Copenhagen's trendiest bars and clubs and they have a sense of community that is difficult to convey; it is something Danes might describe as "hygge".
So why are the Danish so happy? Go to Copenhagen and you'll understand.
Tokyo: A local's view
Canadian Jean Snow moved to Asia to study Chinese in Tianjin, China, but departed for Tokyo after falling for a Japanese woman, who is now his wife. Since 2002, Jean's excellent blog Jeansnow.net has been keeping tabs on design and pop culture in Tokyo.
"When I get asked why I started blogging about Tokyo, and why I've been doing it for so long, I always have the same simple response: the city made me do it. I don't think you can live in this city as an expat for an extended period of time without developing a strong attachment -- maybe even an attraction.
"For me, it was Japanese design that first grabbed a hold of me, and gave me such a sense of enjoyment and wonder that I felt like I needed to report on it. I found it everywhere I looked, from the amazing design and cultural magazines on the racks, to the stylish shops and interiors. You can't really leave your home without encountering a cool spot that makes you want to take a photo and then report on it as soon as you get home to your computer.
"How can you not find something to like in this city? Try to find a trendier spot to shop for clothes than Harajuku or Daikanyama. Like things a bit more upscale? Meet me at one of Aoyama's many great cafes. How about record shopping in Shibuya?
"If a tour of flagship brand stores designed by architectural superstars is more your thing, Omotesando and Ginza have got that covered. And of course, there's no better place to get your electronic and video gaming fix than in Akihabara, Tokyo's "Electric Town." It doesn't matter what your tastes tend towards, there's a district for everyone in Tokyo, as well as a shop that will cater to the most obscure and underground of desires.
"But the thing I probably love the most about this city is that it's constantly changing. You can't really expect things to stay the same for very long, which turns every outing into an exploration. Shops come and go, and same goes for architectural marvels, or even entire city blocks.
"New 'cities' -- in the form of entertainment complexes like Roppongi Hills or Tokyo Midtown -- continue to pop up. It's always worth taking a look down every side street since you never know what you'll find there, waiting to be discovered. I'm constantly amazed at how much change happens in this city.
"Is it a perfect city? No -- there are certainly things that could be improved, but then again, the same could be said for any city. For some it may be the language barrier, for others, the relatively tiny apartments that most people tend to live in.
"Some of these frustrations will drive people away, but those who stay are the ones who have found ways to deal with, and overcome, whatever is thrown their way. Sometimes, the city itself even provides the solutions. Small apartment? No worries, since I can meet friends and spend time in every cafe, bar or "izakaya" (Japanese pub). I don't even have to worry about food storage, what with convenience stores -- and in Japan, they truly are convenient -- at pretty much every corner.
"Tokyo is a city that offers a constant stream of discovery and wonder. Could there be a better place to find yourself as a blogger?"
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