The Enlightened Traveler: Bargains Await in Exotic Morroco

The Saudi royal family notwithstanding, most of us want a first-class travel experience and wouldn't mind saving a few $$, to boot.

London's great Financial Times – a must read for savvy travelers and shoppers – reports that there are high-end bargains to be had in exotic Marrakesh, the result of a surprising luxury hotel building boom.

Five new hotels open this year, with more to come.

"Whether there will be sufficient guests to fill them, however, remains to be seen,"the FT hypothesizes.

The spectacular Palais Namaskar, run by the same folks who own the Hotel du Cap

That is because tourism is already down in Morocco, a drop of about 20% in the last two years. Half of the country's visitors come from France. The Eurozone financial crisis isn't going away anytime soon.

The country's top five-star hotels – the fabled La Mamounia included – are already discounting, even before the addition of the new luxury properties.

Here's a quick rundown, according to the FT, on what's just opened or coming shortly:

The Palais Namaskar is noteworthy because (1) a third of the 12-acre grounds is under water, thanks to the 28 swimming pools, multiple ponds and the great reflective sheet of cooling water that bisects the property, and (2) it is run by the Oetker Collection, owner of the super deluxe Hotel Du Cap in Antibes and Le Bristol in Paris.

Small is also beautiful: bedroom at the boutique Mosaid Palais Aziza

The Taj Palace, from India's Taj hotel group, opens in the Fall with Indian chefs in its restaurant and Indian ayurvedic doctors in its spa.

The 28-room Mosaic Palais Aziza stands opposite the ritzy palace of its owner, Saudi Prince Bandar.

The FT describes The Selman as having"the most opulent, most technologically advanced spa in the city, an 80m swimming pool, a water garden redolent of the Generalife in Granada, as well as a stable of Arabian thoroughbreds." The traditional (but plush) Moroccan interiors are the work of Jacques Garcia, the architect behind the extensive renovations at La Mamounia a few years ago.

La Mamounia: Grande Dame of Marrakesh hotels since 1922 and still fabulous

Garcia is also designing The Delano, the first Moroccan property from New York's Morgans Group. It opens in September.

At least six more deluxe properties are planned through 2014, including a Mandarin Oriental, a hotel from Monaco's casino operator, Societe des Bains des Mer, and a second inn from Morgans.

Competition is already fierce – all the better for you, dear Enlightened Traveler. Now's the time to do your  research and snap up a dream Maghreb vacation at a favorable price.

The full FT post, with links to the hotels mentioned, is right here.

The Enlightened Traveler: When In Tel Aviv, Do as The Tel Avivim Do

The dynamic residents of Israel's bustling second largest city know how to live.

On every block, in every Tel Aviv neighborhood you'll find a cozy cafe, chic wine bar, funky coffee joint, tantalizing ethnic eatery, or world-class restaurant. Enthusiastic diners spill out onto sidewalks where they perch at tables and carry on until two or three in the morning, even on weekdays.

It's hard not to fall in love with a city whose population derives so much pleasure from good food and lively conversation.

Modern Tel Aviv has stunning beaches and charming
neighborhoods, if you know where to look

("Lively" is an understatement. The Tel Avivim don't converse, they debate – about everything from politics to who makes the best pizza. Or as the old joke goes, "Four Israelis, five opinions!")

Tourists congregate mostly at the large, graceless chain hotels that hug the city's shimmering Mediterranean shoreline; along Dizengoff Street, its hit-or-miss main shopping boulevard; or at the bars and restaurants of the renovated, crowded Old Port.

While its  beaches are fabulous, Tel Aviv isn't really a resort destination. Nor do you go there to shop.

Much has been written in the last few years about Neve Tzedek, one of the earliest Jewish neighborhoods dating from the last quarter of the 19th Century. It was neglected until the 1980s when gentrification and preservation efforts brought boutiques, wine bars, and restaurants.

Today it is one of the city's most fashionable and expensive districts, frequented late into the night by tourists and locals alike. Particularly notable: The Suzanne Dellal Centre for Dance, home to two of the country's leading troupes, Inbal and Batsheva.

While Neve Tzedek remains a popular entertainment quarter, savvy locals often head in the other direction at night toward the less well known Ibn Gvirol Street, home to some of the city's hottest and most interesting eateries.

Elba: new addition to Ibn Gvirol's many restaurants

The municipal government upgraded and refreshed this modern, wide boulevard a few years ago. Its arcaded buildings provide shelter for a stroll on a rainy or stifling day. Tel Avivim flock here because they know that there's something for everyone to enjoy on Ibn Gvirol.

Elba (at No. 36) is a sophisticated, pricey wine bar that opened to great anticipation a few months ago. It's minimalist interior would look right at home in New York or London.

Ha Miznon: modern twist on a pita joint

Chef Yair Yosefi was born in Tel Aviv, cooked in Paris (at Le Grand Vefour and Lasserre) for ten years, and returned to start Elba. Yosefi is offering new interpretations of Israeli, French, and Mediterranean dishes, including a signature slow roasted chicken that undergoes a 48-hour preparation and cooking process.

At the opposite end of the scale sits Ha Miznon, a tiny street food joint serving up fluffy, warm pitas filled with a remarkably delicious assortment of unlikely ingredients: short ribs, chicken livers, and shrimp plus house-made tahini sauce, pickles, peppers, and other condiments.

Another specialty is a whole cauliflower, unhurriedly roasted to delicious, tender perfection.

Eyal Shani, who previously ran several noteworthy high-end restaurants, is the talented chef behind this very affordable, locally popular establishment.

The scene is so casual and the food so original and tasty that you will want to come back again before you leave Tel Aviv.

Ha Miznon is at No. 23 Ibn Gvirol. The sign is in Hebrew only, so ask to make sure you're at the right place.

We'll have more on the many pleasures to be found on trendy Ibn Gvirol plus hotel recommendations and additional Tel Aviv travel tips in a subsequent post.

Letter from Buenos Aires:The Cost of Visiting Argentina Is On The Rise, Sort Of. Plus Where To Eat Now in BA.

Regular readers of The Luxury Life know that we love pretty much everything about Argentina.

It used to be a great bargain, but is it still a good value for budget-conscious visitors?

The answer is yes – and no – according to our friend and correspondent Alexandra Lazar, author of the terrific, informative blog on food and restaurants in Buenos Aires, Pick Up The Fork.

Pick Up The Fork recommends this hot new eatery
in the oh-so-hip Palermo Hollywood quarter of BA

Allie writes:

Argentina isn't as great of a deal as it used to be. Inflation is a killer, and prices are constantly rising. 

Those who have already traveled to Argentina within the last few years will notice that it is much more expensive now. That being said, for first time visitors Argentina would be quite the bargain. 

They can find great deals staying in very nice apartments (instead of hotels) and eating out at wonderful restaurants, spending a fraction of the price that they would in the U.S. Shopping (leather and wine, for example) is more affordable. Public transportation and taxis are relatively cheap, too. 

Superclassico: River Plate vs. Boca Juniors. Not to be missed!

The type of things that are more expensive, or the same as the U.S., are small items like a good cup of coffee (which costs around US$ 3-5). Ethnic food is expensive compared to the U.S. (although tourists probably won't be eating much of this). So are toiletries and, of course, anything imported.

Even though it's about 4.39 pesos to the dollar, and local prices are pretty inflated, it's still a good time to travel to Argentina. 

Allie adds that Spring or Fall are the best times to be in Argentina.

She also makes this recommendation:

Those who want to experience Buenos Aires to the fullest should contact Madi Lang, who runs BA Cultural Concierge. She'll organize a customized itinerary for your visit, book you into a smart boutique hotel or charming apartment (at a fair price), arrange a guide, driver, or cell phone, and generally ensure that your entire visit will go smoothly and be memorable.

That's good enough for us, and it should be for you, too.  Contact Madi at www.baculturalconcierge.com.

Alexandra Lazar's lively blog, Pick Up The Fork, is our go to source for anything and everything to do with food in Buenos Aires. We especially recommend her recent post Eat As The Porteños Do – Lazar's take on the best places to eat the most typical local breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

Residents call themselves Porteños because BA is a port city situated on the Rio de la Plata, or River Plate, after which the beloved Argentine soccer club is named. 

Be sure, too, to catch an Argentine soccer match. It's an experience. Because the fans are usually more excitable than the players, don't go on your own unless you speak Spanish well and feel very comfortable in a dark alley around 3AM. Your hotel, or Madi Lang, will make arrangements for a group visit with an escort.

The Enlightened Traveler: What's Going On In Paris And London

If you think you are a savvy traveler, then you'll want to always know what's going on in Paris and London.

Here are two web resources we rely on to keep au courant:

There's so much to do in Paris, one of the great destinations for art, food, strolling, and... shopping! That is why we frequently check Chic Shopping Paris for the latest boutique openings and sales. Lots of terrific shopping tips, too.

We also are dutiful readers of the weekly arts and culture e-mail published by London's Telegraph. In it you'll find useful, up-to-the-minute information about theatre, art exhibits, music and more. Sign up for the paper's Arts Agenda here.

The Enlightened Traveler: Brazil, Mexico City - What Are You Waiting For?

If you believe the Wall St. Journal – and you should, so long as you avoid the editorial pages at all cost – two of the top tourist destinations right now are Mexico and Brazil.

Then, again, we've been saying that for years now.

Despite drug wars and scare inducing headlines, Mexico ranks 10th globally in tourism. Americans still make up the largest group of visitors. Tourism overall has picked up in Mexico and is expected to reach record levels on 2012.

Most of the drug-related violence has been concentrated in the North.

Not to be missed in Mexico City: murals by Orozco, Rivera, Siqueiros

Mexico City remains one of the safer parts of the country. That's a good thing, as the seat of government is home to the kind of world-class cultural institutions, restaurants, and shopping that artful travelers appreciate.

Another plus: it's one of the less expensive major capitals and can be reached by plane from the U.S. in just a few hours.

Read our post from 2009 on what to do in fabulous Mexico City.

Brazil, too, has experienced an uptick in violence, although we've never felt unsafe in the parts of Rio de Janeiro that tourists prefer.

Rio's Santa Teresa hotel, its highly rated restaurant, and arty
surrounding neighborhood are hot, hot hot right now

If anything, Brazil is more secure and more enjoyable today than ever, thanks to a booming economy, rising standard of living, and government preparations for the Olympics in 2016 and World Cup in 2014.

Don't wait for those events to visit. Brazil is ready right now for its close-up.

There's so much to do in the planet's third largest democracy. The Wall St. Journal has just devoted its entire weekend edition to amazing Brazil. It's full of great, up-to-the-minute restaurant and shopping tips. Make sure to devour it before you plan your trip.

Read The Luxury Life's Rio de Janeiro suggestions right here.

The Enlightened Traveler: This is London

The first in a series of reports over the next few weeks
on what's new and noteworthy in London.

Just when you thought that you had to drop everything and head straight for Dubai, Shanghai, or Berlin – or risk compromising your "I've been everywhere cool and you haven't" status – along comes no-nonsense London with a few surprises of its own.

Not to be outdone by upstarts, the British capitol is on the ascendant. Or should we say, London continues to rise, perennially reinventing itself in ways that underscore its rank as one of the planet's favored destinations.

The hottest table in town for some time to come is Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. Opened a fortnight ago, it is the latest conceit from the brilliant, experimental chef who brought modern British cooking to the forefront at his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, The Fat Duck.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal's dining room

This time around Blumenthal has dipped into Britain's culinary past for inspiration. He reportedly spent 18 months researching recipes that go as far back as the 1300s. Of course, he doesn't just recreate them for modern diners. What fun would that be? He has reworked them into a menu of "perplexing unfamiliarity," one that is a "startlingly original read," according to one newspaper critic.

Meat fruit

Hmmm?

His signature Meat Fruit (c. 1500) consists of chicken livers whipped into a mousse, formed into the shape of an orange, and covered with mandarin jelly. There's also the quaintly named Rice and Flesh (c.1390) which rests braised calf tail on a bed of saffron rice, and Ragoo of Pigs Ears (c.1750) with anchovies, onions and parsley.

And those are just the starters!

The main courses sound tame by comparison. Sirloin of Black Angus (c.1830) comes with mushroom ketchup, red wine juice and triple cooked chips. There's also a Spiced Pigeon (c.1780) with ale and artichokes, Cod in Cider (c. 1940), and Beef Royal (c.1720). This last is a short rib of angus cooked for 72 hours sous vide, the vacuum sealed water submersion method Blumenthal pioneered. (Intensifies the flavors but diminishes the texture, according to those who know a thing or two about food.)

At least some of London's food critics have worked themselves into an unabashed frenzy of adulation.

"If there has been a more flawless and exhilarating restaurant opening in the past decade, I missed it," gushed Matthew Norman in The Telegraph.

Others are offering a more restrained view. The Daily Mail labeled Blumenthal’s "interpretation" of traditional British food "a brilliant and original concept," then opined, "Yet eating at his new restaurant remains an interesting experience, rather than a delicious one."

Time Out's Guy Dimond was only moderately impressed. The restaurant is just "another smart, five-star-hotel restaurant, not the culinary equivalent of the Second Coming." Apparently he didn't ask the patrons who have to wait until June to get in or the guy who already has auctioned off his booking on eBay.

You'll find Dinner by Heston Blumenthal at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge. The airy dining room overlooks Hyde Park. Service is professional and friendly, not stuffy.

Finally, it's not cheap. Although by London standards it's not exactly exorbitant either. Check how your stocks are doing to see where you stand on the issue. Or go for the set lunch at a reasonable £28 – if you can get a reservation.

Want to know more? Here are a few recent reviews and articles from British publications: The Telegraph, The Independent, The Daily Mail.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is at 66 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7LA, tel. +44 (0)20 7201 3833, www.dinnerbyheston.com.

Click here to read our other articles on London.

The Enlightened Traveler: London's Charlotte St.

Even if you're a frequent visitor to London, you might not know Charlotte St.

Tucked away a few blocks north of Oxford St. and west of bustling Tottenham Court Rd., it's a quiet byway noteworthy for its many restaurants. These aren't London's finest eateries, though many of them are very good.

That makes Charlotte St. your preferred destination when you don't know where you want have dinner. You can work up an appetite as you stroll the area, inspecting your many options.

No phony Sicilian decor at Mennula, just simple, up-to-the-minute elegance

One that currently is attracting attention is the recently opened Mennula at No. 10. Sicilian-born chef-owner Santino Busciglio has worked at some of the city's better Italian restaurants, Rosmarino, Zafferano and Alloro.

We haven't been there yet, but we have been impressed by the reviews.

Time Out notes that Busciglio's "style of cooking is much more contemporary and refined than Sicilian home cooking, a fact underlined by this Fitzrovia site also being self-consciously smarter than London's other Sicilian restaurants."

The Independent writes: "There's nothing particularly flashy about Mennula; the lion's share of the work has gone into getting the food right, rather than "the concept"... If you're after simple Sicilian food, lovingly prepared by a talented chef, this is the place to come."

We cannot wait to try it.

The British Museum, Bloomsbury, Oxford St. shopping, Wigmore Hall, and West End theaters are 5-15 mins. on foot from Charlotte St. Goodge St. is the nearest tube stop.

The arty, chic Charlotte Street Hotel is a show business favorite and a luxe place to stay if your budget allows. Even if you are not in residence, you can enjoy a drink in the hotel's stylish Oscar Bar before dinner at Mennula or another Fitzrovia restaurant.

The Enlightened Traveler: Lasagna To Die For In New York

If the missus and I lived on New York's Upper Westside, we'd eat at Salumeria Rosi often. Make that very, very often.

It's our idea of the perfect neighborhood restaurant:

• Casual and upscale at the same time
• Reasonably priced
• Terrific by-the-glass wine selection
• Wide range of small plates, so we can order a little or a lot
• Cozy, contemporary atmosphere
• Friendly service

And did we mention that that the food is fantastico?

Salumi is the Italy's answer to charcuterie.* (Or maybe it's the other way around?) Salumeria Rosi's exquisite cured meats, sausages and other dishes are pretty close to what you'll find in the Old Country.

The Italian-trained Cesare Casella oversees the kitchen. While we've never dined at his two earlier New York restaurants, Maremma (now closed) and Beppe, both had undistinguished reputations. He seems to be hitting his stride with this latest incarnation.

Porchetta (oven roasted, spiced pork tenderloin), culatello (wine soaked proscuitto, rubbed with spices and massaged by hand), coppa (aged, salted pork collar) are just a few of about a dozen and a half housemade coldcuts on offer.

It's not all about meat, however. There are plenty of fresh salads, vegetable dishes, satisfying soups and delicate pastas, too.

Of these we especially recommend the Torta di Porri (an individual savory tart of leeks, pancetta and parmesan) and the very tasty Cavolini con Prosciutto (roasted brussels sprouts, prosciutto, garlic and red wine vinegar).

Not to be missed is their sensational lasagna. It starts with housemade pasta that is layered with pork and beef ragu and velvety béchamel sauce. Each portion is assembled, then cooked to order. What shows up at your table is lighter, more delicate, and more delicious than anything you've had before.

Except for the soups, portions are on the lighter side and range from about $4 to $8 per plate. While you can always stuff yourself if you choose, two can eat well on an assortment of six or seven dishes. (And as we say, if you're not very hungry, you can choose fewer dishes. Sweet!)

The restaurant offers an interesting selection of wines by the glass from small Italian producers of Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Dolectto, Neprica and other varietals and styles. All pair nicely with the food. At $10 to $16 per smallish serving, they seem to be not as good a value.

Soppressata (top); white anchovies on a bed of raddichio.
(Photos by Marc Whalen)

If you go, be sure to ask your server for food specials and wine selections not on the menu. They usually have several but don't make a point of volunteering them.

It should be abundantly clear by now that this isn't a checkered-table-cloth-and-chianti-bottles-hanging-from-the-ceiling kind of joint. The clever, dark, contemporary interior is the work of motion picture production designer Dante Ferretti, responsible for the later Fellini films and many Scorcese works. (Think Gangs of New York, The Age of Innocence, Casino, and the current Shutter Island).

According to chef Casella, a visit to the salumeria is considered an integral part of daily life for many Italians. Now that Salumeria Rosi is here, New Yorkers may feel the same.

After your meal, if it's a nice night, stroll to Lincoln Center to take in the water show at the new fountain and refurbished plaza. Or saunter a few blocks up Broadway to the bustling Fairway Market where you can browse the generously stocked aisles and pick up a few goodies for tomorrow night's dinner.

Salumeria Rosi is located at 283 Amsterdam Ave. (between 73rd and 74th Streets), (212) 877-4800

*The word salumi is not a misspelling or variant of salami. Salami is a specific type of salumi. But you knew this already!

The Enlightened Traveler: Venice With Julie Christie in the Winter

As we grew up and still live in Southern California – where it can be 80º on Christmas day – our idea of a winter vacation has very little to do with Hawaii, the Caribbean, or (with the exception of Rio de Janeiro) anyplace tropical.

What is more romantic than Venice in the winter?

Au contraire! We enjoy donning our toasty Loro Piano cashmere scarves and sweaters to go shopping and museum hopping in Paris, London, or New York during November or December.

We also like taking long afternoon walks on the deserted, gray beaches of Cape Cod, then snuggling by the fireplace on a long January's night.

Thus, it does not at all seem odd to suggest that now is a wonderful time to visit Venice, Italy. Or so we read in the estimable Financial Times.

Who can resist Venice when described like this?

Even on the dullest days the lagoon has an opalescent glow, and there are times in late February when the light has an almost African brilliance and a clarity you don’t find at any other time of year, when the snow-covered Dolomite peaks 100 miles to the north appear in the shimmering sky over the lagoon.

Or like this:

Venice becomes a different place [in winter]. The sense of this ancient, decaying city as a slightly sinister labyrinth – unforgettably captured in the 1973 film "Don’t Look Now" – comes to the fore.

Okay! We're checking the flight schedules right now. You can read the FT's article in full right here.

As for Nicolas Roeg's memorable movie, a '70s favorite, what wouldn't we have done back then to be in Venice with the incandescent Julie Christie?

Or with Susan Anspach, radiant and unattainable in Paul Mazursky's still enjoyable Blume in Love, a good deal of which takes place in a fog shrouded Venice?

Or with the ambrosial Daniela Bianchi (at right) in the great second Bond film, From Russia With Love, which starts in Turkey and concludes in Venice (with nary a stop in the Soviet Union) as the evil Rosa Krebb (the original Frau Farbissener, Lotte Lenya) gets the drop on Bond, and holds him at gunpoint, but the gun is knocked away by Romanova (Bianchi)?

Klebb releases her poisoned toe-spike (ouch!), but Bond pins her to the wall with a dining chair. Romanova grabs the gun and shoots Klebb. Riding in a gondola, Bond throws the compromising film of him and Romanova into the water, and they sail away. Whew!

There are many more memorable movies set in Venice: Summertime (noteworthy because Katharine Hepburn falls into the Grand Canal) and A Little Romance (starring the adorable, unknown Diane Lane and the much less adorable Laurence Olivier), to name just two.

And speaking of Laurence Olivier, remember him as Neil Diamond's elderly cantor father in the misguided 1980 remake of The Jazz Singer? Diamond, in the role of Yussel Rabinovitch (we kid you not!), utters this memorable line of dialogue on the phone to Sir Laurence: "I can't go to synagogue tonight, Pop. I have to cut a record." (Oy!)

All of which brings us to something called The Maori Merchant of Venice.

We discovered this unlikely gem when researching this post. It's a 2002 New Zealand film adaptation of Shakespeare's play in the Maori language, utilizing mostly Maori actors. The film recreates the costumes and settings of 16th century Venice.

Incredible as it seems, the picture got impressive reviews. Alas, it's not available here even on Netflix.

Fortunately, we'll aways have Venice in the winter.

For more winter trips, read our post on Paris at the holidays.

Black and white photo of Venice: Beetle

The Enlightened Traveler: New York Is Now The Meatball Capital

There's a store for everything in New York. Add meatballs to the list of Manhattan's specialty outlets.

The Meatball Shop will open on Wednesday in the Lower East Side, reports today's New York Times.

Choose from beef and spicy pork as well as chicken, vegetable, salmon and a weekly special. Sauce, cheese, starchy accompaniments and some vegetables round out the menu.

For dessert? Housemade ice cream squashed between freshly-baked cookies.

Prices start at about $3. Take the F train to Delancey Street, then take a number!

The Meatball Shop, 84 Stanton Street (Allen Street just below Houston), (212) 982-8895

You can make your own delicious meatballs at home.

Use a combination of meats, fresh (not dried) breadcrumbs, and don't overmix or handle the meat too much.

For a spicy twist, try Spaghetti and Meatballs All'Amatriciana, the cover recipe from the January 2010 issue of Bon Appetit magazine.

Photo of meatballs: New York Magazine

The Enlightened Traveler: What's On In Paris And Why You Should Spend The Holidays There

Are you planning a cozy Christmas holiday week at home with friends, family, lots of good food and movies? Or are you joining the legions who already have decided that the holidays are going to be no big deal this year?

Either way, you could do better.

We recommend heading straight for Paris, which, while magnificent at any time of year, seems most magical at Christmas.

(Hey, if it's too late for this year, there's always 2010. So, read on!)

By day you'll have your pick of dozens of wonderful museums and exhibits, sans the long lines and crowds of summer.

The Grand Palais is currently running an ambitious exhibit that explores the work and influences of Spanish cubist painter Pablo Picasso. Whether you're an expert on Picasso's work or are encountering it for the first time, "Picasso and the Masters" promises to give a solid overview of the artist's development and early influences, from Goya to Renoir and Manet.

The exhibit showcases some 200 works and should allow even those who are very well-versed in Picasso's creations to gain new perspective. Through February.

An exhibition devoted to Louis Comfort Tiffany is at the Musée du Luxembourg. This show brings together some 160 works (stained-glass windows, vases, lamps, objects, jewels and mosaics, drawings, watercolours and photographs), to reveal Tiffany’s outstanding contribution to the glass industry as well as to decorative arts in general. Through Jan. 17.

Other tantalizing exhibits on now include, "Renoir in the 20th Century" at the Galeries Nationales, "Venetian Rivalries: Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese" at the Louvre, and "Louis XIV: The Man and the King" at the Chateau de Versailles.

Plan to spend some quality shopping time at our favorite grand magasin, Au Bon Marché on the Left Bank. Even if your budget prevents you from loading up on designer duds, you will find affordable, memorable gifts in the store's La Grande Epicerie, a showstopping agglomeration of gourmet foods, sweets, and spirits.

Save some time to explore the charming boutiques – laden with gifts, tabletop items, and antiques – on the several streets that lead from Au Bon Marché through the Latin Quarter to the Seine.

A this time of year sometimes testy shopkeepers will be happy to see you. (In this economy, they'll be positively ecstatic.)

After an afternoon at the galleries, restore yourself with a cup of rich hot chocolate at one of the numerous patisseries to be found in every neighborhood. You'll enjoy it all the more in the crisp air of December than in the sweltering heat of July. If in doubt, head for the famous Ladurée or Angelina. (For more ideas, see David Lebovitz's Hot Chocolate Address Book.)

During Christmastime, Paris is breathtaking at night with dazzling light displays on the Champs-Elysées and other major thoroughfares.

Many fine restaurants and theatres remain open and welcoming throughout the holidays. Waiters normally are convivial, not brusque, owing to the season and absence of tourists.

Still, it may be difficult to find a place to dine on Christmas Eve or Christmas Night.

Our choice for Christmas eve: the famous patisserie Ladurée also operates an elegant restaurant with excellent food at their Champs-Elysées location.

We once chatted with a French couple seated next to us who boasted that they dine at Ladurée every Christmas Eve. Turns out the the husband is executive chef for Air France first class; he knows what he's talking about.

Sleep in on Christmas morning, then eat a hearty late lunch at your hotel and plan to skip dinner. Instead, reserve tickets to see the Nureyev staging of "Nutcracker" by the Paris Opera Ballet at Opera Bastille.

On another evening, see the company's new Ballets Russes de Dhiagilev program at the historic Palais Garnier, magnificently restored to its original splendor. The original choreography and stage settings for Spectre of the Rose, Afternoon of a Faun, Three-Cornered Hat, and Petroushka are on offer. Not to be missed!

At 4p.m. on Christmas afternoon, there's a free concert of organ and choral music at the Church of La Madeleine.

You'll also get a kick out of the Parisian version of the Broadway musical "The Lion King" at Théâtre Mogador. It's in French, of course, but that won't matter as you've already seen the show in the States, right?

Go for the enchantment, sheer spectacle, and fun of watching a French audience clap and stamp their feet in time with the music. As the show has been running for two years, it's likely to still be there next Christmas.

Looking for more amusement? How about outdoor ice skating until 10p.m. (midnight on Fridays and Saturdays) at the Hotel de Ville?

There's lots more to do in Paris at the holidays.

Even if you don't follow any of our suggestions, go anyway. Whatever you end up doing, you're sure to have the experience of a lifetime.

Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année à tous!

(For more Paris travel tips, click here.)

The Enlightened Traveler: Hermes On A Budget In Paris

Saturday's Wall St. Journal reported on the November 10 sale of vintage Hermes at the prestigious French auction house Artcurial.

Great deals on vintage Hermes in Paris. Top: Hydra bag $189. Bottom: Mephisto bag, $259. Below left: watch, $689

The paper states that the appetite for Hermes, whether vintage or new, has not at all been affected by the global economic downturn. Indeed, the auction netted a record of nearly $1.2 million for 631 lots, mostly bags and scarves but also including some unusual pieces such as a pair of garden pruners and a circa 1930 ladies watch that records golf scores.

While items from Vuitton, St. Laurent and other luxury labels are gathered into group auctions, Hermes is the only house to have its own twice-yearly sale.

The famous Birkin and Kelly bags were the top sellers with prices to match. Some crocodile and alligator models in exotic colors went for $25,000 - $50,000.

Still, there were bargains to be had. Many scarves sold in the $200 - $300 range.

You could have purchased a Kelly bag in natural pigskin for $4,677 or one in black leather for $2,598. A large Kelly in blue leather went for $2,079.

One lucky buyer snagged a small Kelly backpack for just $693.

If you schedule your next Paris visit to coincide with one of Artcurial’s Hermes auctions, you can skip Printemps and the other grands magasins altogether and return home with an affordable and prized vintage Hermes.

Getting a bargain won’t be the best part. When others compliment you on your good taste, you’ll get to tell them that you picked it up for a song at an auction on the Ave. Montaigne.

The full WSJ report is here.
Artcurial’s website is here.

The Enlightened Traveler: Where The Locals Dine In New Orleans

Here’s a secret we’ve learned from our many visits to the Crescent City over the past 25 years: the shabbier the restaurant looks on the outside, the greater the likelihood that the food is fantastic – and cheap.

Thus, we were pleased to read that Indiana Colts star quarterback Peyton Manning recommended two of our favorite New Orleans eateries in the September issue of Esquire.

In New Orleans, the worse it looks, the better the food. As for Domilise's shrimp po' boy, brace yourself!

They are in the Uptown neighborhood and mostly patronized by locals, the folks who rarely venture into the French Quarter.

Neither Domilise’s or Camellia Grill is what you’d call a restaurant. “Joint” is more like it, especially in the case of Domilise’s, which from the outside looks as if it might be closed. The interior isn’t going to win any design awards either. But, the service is friendly and the po’ boys are outstanding. The true taste of New Orleans in every bite.

Camellia Grill's burger: all "dressed up" plus bacon and cheese

Compared to Domilise’s, Camellia Grill is posh. Still, it’s just a counter, a few booths, and often long lines outside, unless you go late at night. (If you go after a Saints game, be prepared to wait!)

No po’ boys here, but they do offer great beans and rice for Sunday supper. Their hamburger is what most people want. Ask for it “dressed,” the New Orleans equivalent of lettuce, tomato, pickle and ketchup.

Another favorite of ours is the better known Mother’s in the Central Business District. We prefer their Jambalaya to the version at The Gumbo Shop (take out only at their Uptown kitchen; eat in at their French Quarter cafe).

Mother’s will “cold pack” a gallon of Jambalaya so you can take it back on the airplane as your carry-on. This won’t seem as crazy as it sounds once you’re home and tucking in to a brimming bowlful a few nights later. (Freeze the rest in serving portions and enjoy sparingly until you return to New Orleans.)

We especially like Mother’s debris sandwich. It’s a French Dip affair made with the small leftover end pieces of the roast beef, the debris, that have been sitting in the juice for a while. Do not leave Louisiana without having sampled one.

More on where to dine in New Orleans, Uptown and elsewhere, in future postings.

Domilise’s, 5240 Annunciation St., (504) 899-9126 (take a taxi)
Camellia Grill, 626 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 861-9311 (on the streetcar line)
Mother’s, 401 Poydras St., (443) 408-6004 (walking distance from the Quarter)

Photos: Domilise’s – Eating in Translation, shrimp po’ boy – hollyeats.com, Camellia Grill hamburger – David Adams, Camellia Grill – Nola-Shiva

The Enlightened Traveler: New York's Best Bakeries

We're crazy about good bread and cookies – not necessarily in that order.

Over the years, we've sampled our way through loaves and tempting treats of all kinds from San Francisco to San Juan.* No place in North America has more fine bakeries than New York City.

Mitchel London cupcake: not fancy, just fabulous!

We're fond of the deservedly famous cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery, whose Upper Westside location opened earlier this year with, sadly, the same long lines as the original downtown bakery.

Don't feel like waiting? Mitchel London's chocolate fudge cupcakes are equally sublime.

Pick them up at his cafe on East 65th or at Fairway Market on Broadway and 74th, open until 10:00pm.

The hands-down-best-we-ever-tasted almond croissant at the recently closed Payard Patisserie on Lexington Ave. is another passion. Happily this flaky, crunchy marzipan-filled wonder is still available at the Payard Bistro at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. It's hard to imagine a better use of $4.

So many NY bakeries, so little time!

Here are our top Manhattan baked goods. These are the ones we bring Zip-Loc bags for.

Citarella Pecan-Cranberry Bread

Citarella has a bakery. Who Knew?

Long Famous for its fish and meat selections, Citarella, at Broadway and 75th, also has a swell bakery on the premises. We always bring a couple of loaves of the dome-shaped pecan-cranberry loaf (sliced thin) back home with us. Toast it lightly. Enjoy with a smear of sweet whipped butter and a cup of tea or coffee.

Citarella also has locations on the Upper Eastside, in the Village, and in the Hamptons.

Amy's Semolina With Golden Raisins and Fennel Bread

This is the loaf that started it all for Amy's, one of the first artisanal bakeries in New York when it opened way back in 1992. We've never been able to get enough of it. Consume the same as with the pecan-cranberry bread. It's also good with a little strawberry or raspberry jam and complements blue cheese nicely. Both this and the Citarella loaf freeze very well.

You'll find Amy's on Ninth Ave. (between 46th and 47th), in the Chelsea Market, and in the Village on Bleecker St. The semolina loaf is also sold at Fairway Market on Broadway and 74th, a block from Citarella. (Why schlep?)

Levain Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie

A legion of New Yorkers swear that Levain Bakery's chocolate chip walnut cookie is the best around. We agree, although we think that their chocolate chocolate chip cookie is just as delicious.

Levain cookie: not to size, it's bigger!

The first thing that sets Levain's cookies apart from all others is their size. They're huge, about the size of a squashed softball or an engorged hockey puck. They're chewey and rich.

The chocolate chocolate chip is prepared with an extra dark French cocoa and semisweet chocolate chips. They come out of the oven with molten layers of chocolate swirling together. Trust us when we tell you that one of these babies will feed two ravenous adults. (Allow one per person if you skip dinner altogether.)

At $4 each, you could get a whole box of store-bought cookies for the same money. But, honestly, why would you want to?

Levain is on West 74th St. between Amsterdam and Columbus.

*In San Juan, Puerto Rico, we recommend the mallorca con mantequilla (a round, flat pastry dusted with confectioner’s sugar and served with butter) and a strong cup of coffee at La Bombonera.

The Enlightened Traveler: In Rio de Janeiro, Forget Copacabana!

Rio de Janeiro doesn't have many must-see sites for the visitor. (The impressive Christ the Redeemer, with it's breath-taking view of the city and shimmering bay, is a noteworthy exception.)

Rio's museums and shopping aren't much either. You'll do better elsewhere.

The main reason to visit this Brazilian gem is a simple one. If you enjoy people watching and like to hang out into the wee hours at cozy neighborhood cafes, bars, restaurants – as the locals do – then Rio's for you.

Before we had been there, our friend, screenwriter Tom Musca, informed us that there's only one thing we needed to know about it - Leblon. How right he was.


Leblon, at bottom, boasts Rio's nicest beach, cafes and streelife

The trendy quarter known as Leblon is two beaches south and a world away from the tawdry tourist stomping ground that is Copacabana Beach.

In fact, we advise you to skip Copacabana altogether. In no circumstances lodge there, unless it's at the luxe, palatial Copacabana Palace and you don't mind taking a taxi to other neighborhoods for strolling, dining, and shopping.

Ipanema, the famous beach between Leblon and Copacabana, is a mixed bag, with nicer hotels, restaurants and shopping, like the impressive H. Stern jewelry workshops and sales floor. This is where you'll find Vuitton, Cartier and other international brands. But you you're not traveling 20 hours for that, are you?

For most of your visit, you'll want to stay close to Leblon, with its mix of sophisticated bohemian pleasures. (Pronounce Leblon as if you are speaking French: "luh-blohn" with the nasal "n" at the end.)

Its beaches and streets are among Rio's cleanest, safest, and least crowded.

We often dine at the brasserie Garcia & Rodrigues, where we are well fed by their French chef from early in the morning until very late at night. For snacks or take out, they have their own bakery, deli counter, and wine cellar. The place is casual, friendly, and filled with students, sophisticates, and otherwise untouristy, very cool folks – just like us.

Garcia & Rodrigues is on the Ave. Ataulfo de Paiva, Leblon's main boulevard, and right across from the Hotel Ritz, where you can nest in a spacious one bedroom apartment, not a paltry room such as you'll get in Ipanema or Copacabana, for around $125 per night, breakfast included – if you ask politely.

Right next door to the the Ritz is the fabulous Letras e Expressoes book and record emporium. You'll want to own every CD in the store and most of the DVDs, books, and international newspapers. They frequently host free performances from established and young Brazilian musicians. (Click here to see videos.) It's open until 2AM weeknights and round the clock on the weekend.

Many of Leblon's best restaurants can be found on Dias Ferreira street, just around the corner from the Ritz. The hot South American designer Isabela Capeto also has a boutique there.

Not to be missed: Pizza Guanabara, serving Cote d'Azur style pizzas that are so good you'll be back several times during your stay. Don't forget to order a choppe (Brazilian draft beer and pronounced "shop") with your meal, as the Cariocas do. You can sit outside all night, basking in the sultry tropical warmth as the hours and crowds gently pass by.

Just a few blocks from Leblon in Ipanema is Restaurant Da Silva, under the same ownership as the famous Antiquarius, which is to say that at Da Silva you get much of the same food, but cheaper and more casual. It's where young professionals and artists like to dine.

After your meal, it's time to hurry back to Leblon to browse Letras e Expressoes, grab a desert and coffee at Garcia & Rodrigues, or join the illuminati at the profusion of outdoor bars and cafes.

And the best part is, you're in Rio!

As much as we love Leblon, Rio has other attractions. The formerly dicey Santa Teresa neighborhood is being gentrified and is home to art galleries, trendy cafes, and hip boutique hotels. ♦ Catch the entertaining, flashy samba show at Plataforma, which is in Leblon, even though it caters to tourists. ♦ Leave your good jewelry and watches at home. Brazil can be unsafe even in the best neighborhoods. ♦ The first "R" of any word in Brazilian Portuguese is pronounced as an "H". It's the Hotel Hits (not Ritz), Hee-oo (not Ree-oh). If you meet someone named Rosa or Roberto, now you know how to pronounce it. ♦ For Brazilian history and music, we recommend these volumes: "Brazil, The Once and Future Country" by Marshall Eakin and "The Brazilian Sound" by Chris McGowan and Ricardo Pessanha.