Sleeping in a Hobbit House, Cappadocia, Turkey

Condesa DF, Mexico City

Condesa DF is an uber-hip, boutique hotel in the heart of Mexico City’s stylish, tree-lined neighborhood of the same name. Housed in an architectural landmark building dating from 1928, the hotel and its restaurant exude style, energy, and creativity. Occupying the ground floor of an airy, high-ceiling open atrium is the buzzing restaurant and bar, where splashes of bright turquoise cut through minimalistic white, black, and brown tones. Read more

Florida’s Longboat Key Club and Resort

Located on the beautiful Gulf of Mexico Drive, in the stunning surrounds of Sarasota, Florida, the Longboat Key Club and Resort is just about the most relaxing place on earth. Seriously. With a bountiful Florida sun beating down, it’s too easy to zone out beside the pool, drinking cocktails, reading sporadically, and imagining that this is how life should always be lived. Only it isn’t. Well, for most of us anyway. Paris Hilton, really! What are you doing wasting time in LA? Read more

The Kimber Modern Hotel, Austin, Texas

Whilst in Austin the other weekend, I spent a couple of nights at a beautifully designed hotel called the Kimber Modern, which is located in the happening SOCO area, just a short hop, skip and sideways roll to the bustling hive of restaurants and cafes along South Congress. The Kimber Modern is a hotel with a twist. First up, the architecture is stunning, this elegant and contemporary building with subtle splashes of color to break up the overall white-walled minimalism. And then there are the clever design touches, such as communal hammocks made from car belts, and a giant tank churning liters of water in a calming, almost Zen-like manner. [photos by Alison Zavos] Read more

Barcelona’s Cuines Santa-Caterina

When Barcelona’s ‘it crowd’ are hankering for some good tucker, I’m pretty sure they head straight to Cuines Santa-Caterina. And why wouldn’t they? Located inside the actual Mercat de Santa Catarina (a fresh produce market) this hip restaurant/bar serves up tasty cuisine from breaky right through to dinner. Ranked as one of Barcelona’s top places to eat and be seen, it’s got several open grills — and you can either sit at the bar, peering into the kitchen, or at large communal tables. Head there early for a tapas-style breakfast, or choose from three oddly grouped cuisines for lunch or dinner: Vegetarian/Sushi, Mediterranean and Asiatic. Thanks to the Scandinavian-inspired decor, you feel like you’re inside a giant warehouse, surrounded by giant shelves topped with boxes, wine, olive oil and vinegar. The prices are surprisingly reasonable, the staff are welcoming, and if you’re there for breakfast, you can hit the market with a full tummy afterwards. Read more

It’s Armageddon in Sydney

Wow, is this what the end of the world looks like? Over the last few weeks, Sydney has been witnessing some seriously bizarre weather — and now this! Today, Sydneysiders woke to an apparently unprecedented phenomenon, as red-tinged clouds enveloped the entire city in a giant dust storm. Apparently the huge volume of dust was blown in by gale-force winds from the west overnight — leaving the Sydney CBD and most of the suburbs covered in a thick blanket of eerie red and orange smog. So if you’re in Sydney, pop your hayfever tablets and get the tissues ready people. it’s going to be a long, hazy, sneezy day! [photos by Kat Whitehead] Read more

Sydney’s Ruby Diner

When you wake up on a Sunday morning with a slightly hazy head and a rumbling tummy, what do you need? A damn good brunch! And where can you find one? Well, if you happen to live around Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, I suggest you head straight to Ruby’s Diner, on Bronte Road in Waverley. Ruby’s is owned by a cool dude named Ed, who gained local notoriety at Jed’s Cafe in Bondi.

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