Chicago’s Avec wine bar

Living the high life in Biarritz, France

Seriously, is there anywhere in the world more glamorous than the French holiday town of Biarritz? I recently visited Biarritz for the second time, and this visit, was even more wowed by the endless array of buffed, leggy, chain-smoking Europeans — each of them dripping in jewellery, swanning about in their caftans, and sipping champagne like it was water. Read more

Marques De Riscal, Spain

I didn’t think there were many cooler buildings in the world than the Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain -until I stumbled on another of Frank Gehry’s architectural masterpieces in the unassuming village of Elciego. Deep in the heart of the Rioja wine region, the Marques de Riscal is a luxury hotel, and its contemporary style is certainly at odds with the historic, green surrounds. However, if you’re not prepared to fork out for a meal at the restaurant, or upwards of 600 euro a night to stay there, you can forget getting any closer. Unpaying guests aren’t allowed through the gates, and you’ll feel like a nosey neighbour trying to peer over the towering fence for a glimpse. Even still, it’s definitely worth a try. Read more

Hanging with the witches in Zuggaramurdi

Okay, so these days we have global warming, rising sea levels and terrorism to deal with. But you’ve really got to feel sorry for the hapless souls who lived in the seventeenth century, especially if they happened to live in the Basque village of Zuggaramurdi. In this picturesque and seemingly tranquil village, the infamous witch hunts of the Spanish Inquisition reached fever pitch — and it was in the town’s caves that hundreds of alleged “witches” were burnt in front of cheering crowds. Today, you can take a tour of the creepy caves, and in June every year, the locals hold a night-long party in the caves to celebrate the summer solstice. If you dare, you can even stay in a witch-themed auberge for the evening. Spooky stuff! Read more

One Ring Zero’s Recipe Project

What happens when you put your favorite recipe to song? Well, Brooklyn-based band One Ring Zero set on a mission to find out. The result? One Ring Zero’s Recipe Project: a compilation of recipes by the band’s favorite chefs sung out verbatim and set to the chef’s musical styling of choice. Read more

A dash of style with Adler salt & pepper shakers

Inspired by the already fabulous Jonathan Adler designs, these irresistible salt and pepper shakers add the perfect dash of style to any kitchen. The recently released chic shakers come in well-executed, creative shapes like whales, penguins, and Adler’s iconic fish. All are lovingly packaged in bright, inspired boxes, making them an overall sophisticated yet playful addition to your table.

Drip Maple Syrup

Throw out that notion of kitschy maple syrup bottles shaped as log cabins. Canadians now have Drip: a fresh, simple design that was handled with purity and thought, reflecting the product within. These luxury-inspired bottles, reminiscent of old school medicine jars, boast copy that echoes Drip’s concept — delicate, straightforward, delicious syrup. The bottles and its sweet contents are both worth heading north for, so bring on the pancakes.