Becca Bergman Bull made her first trip to the Hamptons inspired by James Salters 1995 novel, Light Years. Salter, a pillar of American literature, lives in Bridgehampton. Heres an excerpt.The summer ends. There are misty, chilly days, the sea is quiet and white. The waves break far out with a slow, majestic sound. The beach is deserted. Occasional strollers along the waters edge. The children lie on Viris back like possums; the sand is warm

When you think youll never see your way out of winter, head to Mexico. Sanity and revitalization await in Tulum.TULUM, Mexico – Last year I survived my first New York winter, one of the worst in years, so Im officially in the club. The club of tough it out til May cuz March feels like January, and April is only slightly better. How do people survive this every season?

Youve had a crazy holiday and are getting back to the grind of the new year, wondering how and when youll find peace and quiet. Heres an excellent, beautiful, and inexpensive option an hour outside Buenos Aires. Eco Yoga Park is a special place which multitasks as an ashram, an organic farm, and a volunteering haven for long-traveling backpackers.GENERAL RODRÍGUEZ, Argentina – When I decided to spend some time volunteering in Arge

Sonoma isnt all wine tastings and big meals. Well, actually, it is. But then you need a place to rest your head. Emily Fiffer checks into one of the best, Farmhouse Inn, which made our list of the Most Romantic Hotels in the USA.FORESTVILLE, California — First things first: I am terrible at sitting. Vacations built for relaxation cause me great anxiety. When Im done gazing at the ocean, what can I do?But rules did not apply and neuros

Just back from: Rancho Pescadero in Baja, Mexico. Its about 60 miles north of Cabo near Todos Santos.Was it your first time? This was my first trip to Rancho Pescadero, although I first visited San Jose del Cabo about fifteen years ago. Mucho has changed, as Cabo is incredibly developed now.How long were you there? One week in December.Why did you go? I needed to get away from the world and dunk my brain in the ocean. I surf.Who were you wi

Designer and letterpresser J.B. Taylor has a thing for relic-hunting, especially on the old streets of Paris.PARIS, France – Upon the suggestion of a friend in the neighborhood, we strolled over to the Village St. Paul in the Marais to visit the absolutely addictive Au Petit Bonheur La Chance boutique. It is one of those magical places where youd have to be missing a heart in order to walk out empty-handed.La Chance is filled to the rafters

The hotel is one of the grandest and most romantic in Paris, even if you dont have romance on the brain.PARIS – When I told a French friend that I was going to Paris, he asked me where I was staying. Hôtel Plaza Athénée, I told him. Phoooo, he exhaled through puffed up cheeks and puffed out lips, the way French people do. I hope youre taking your boyfriend with you. When I told him, no, I was taking my mother, he shook his head. Oh no, no,

Love comes in all shapes, tastes, and sizes. This month the magazines are gushing about the cuisine of San Sebastián, vintage jewelry from around the world, mountain climbing in Cuba, and Carnevale in Venice. CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER On the cover: Art galleries in Java, houseboats in Kalimantan, and a jungle lodge in Borneo — Deborah Dunn looks beyond Bali to find Indonesias hidden gems.Highlights:- Sun, Sea, and Gastronomy: With more Mich

On a little side street in Paddington sits a charming shop reminiscent of a general store, complete with vintage signage and a black-striped awning. The Society inc. is filled to the brim with curious odds and ends — Victorian masks, rattan baskets, and enamel jugs — which are painstakingly collected and curated by interior stylist Sibella Court. In addition to running her shop, Court is an author and designer of commercial

WSJ. and former Domino editor Deborah Needleman may have the best decor taste of anyone we know. We checked in with her during a recent trip to Paris to find out where she rests her head. Of course, it sounds amazing.PARIS – It seems the things I like in a hotel are different from what other people like. Here are some things that endear a hotel to me: fabric-covered walls and shirred silk lampshades, old carpets running up the stairs h

PARIS – From Molière and Voltaire to Fitzgerald and Stein to Gopnik and Gavalda, the City of Lights brings out the writer in everyone. If you cant have Paris under your feet, you can have it in your imagination. Inspired by our Literary Tour of Paris itinerary, weve assembled a highly subjective list of fiction and non-fiction for readers of all ages.Works of FictionHenry and June, Anaïs NinI Wish Someone Were Waiting for Me Somewhere,

Tulum on the Riviera Maya is a perfect family trip: a little nature, a little history, a lot of beach time and tacos. This guide ensures everyone comes home happy. TULUM, Mexico – Tulum was exactly what my family (me, the wife Michelle, six-year-old Jake, and four-year-old Sophia) needed in a winter getaway from New York City: stunning white sand beaches, a calm ocean to swim in, interesting activities, and great restaurants, many

Deborah Needleman isnt just an awesome editor and writer; shes also an amazing gardener. She gave us her quick list of favorite floral spots in Saint Germain. PARIS – After delicious breakfast at Hôtel Duc de St Simon, my favorite in Paris (which you can read about here), I like to wander round the hood. Keeping with my old-fashioned charm slant and the fact that Im a gardener, I offer a few flower-inspired spots to visit.Le Cabin

Just back from: Bonaire, Dutch Antilles.Was it your first time? Yes.How long were you there? Two weeks.What was the best tip you got before you left? My sister, who lives there, told me to buy my own pregnancy-safe mosquito repellent. A good tip since I am pregnant.Whats the #1 tip youd give a friend who wanted to go? Dont just hang out on the beachy part of the island. Go to the rough coast as the nature there is wild and special. It

Round Hill, a genteel, country club-style beach resort in Jamaica, gets top marks when total relaxation is the only agenda.  MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica – He had me at hello. Not sure if it was his lilting Jamaican accent, his relaxed demeanor, or the fact that he was offering me an ice-cold rum punch, but I was smitten. Sporting a bright turquoise jacket with shiny brass buttons and an ear-to-ear grin that could have easily been on a Cr

A moon landing, an unfathomable idea just a half century ago, is quickly becoming the next big thing in travel. At once exotic and familiar, the moons dark volcanic maria and ancient crustal highlands beckon to those looking for a change of scenery. But its not always what it seems. Eve Epstein goes where no (wo)man has ever gone before, and realizes that the second brightest star in the sky doesnt hold a candle to Earth.THE MOON –&nbs

Theres no stopping a man on a mission...for kitchen tiles. Arts marketing consultant and design aficionado Steve Rogenstein explores Seville and Lisbon through the ceramics on the wall.SEVILLE and LISBON – My boyfriend imagined lining his West Village apartment windowsills with picturesque antique tiles. We had seen a few throughout our travels in Italy and upstate New York, but none that particularly suited his tastes. With a discrimi

Links We Love is the weekend compendium of what were loving right now. Happy armchair traveling.Pavia, founder/CEO- Abandoned in Bulgaria: Photographer Timothy Allen went on an aweome adventure to capture a former communist stadium that now looks like the coolest possible movie set. It was stunning then, and its more so now.- Milan Design Fair: Rarely does anything from this annual design extravaganza inspire my must-have lust, but Im diggi

And so we debut a new Innkeepers Tales series by a guy who wed gladly swap lives with: John Voigtmann, owner of La Bandita in the Tuscan hillside.TUSCANY – When I decided to quit my record industry job, move across the world to a place I never lived, learn a new language, and take on a massive renovation project in the middle of a UNESCO Heritage site, I knew that I was in for a wild ride. What I didnt realize, however, was that being

Links We Love is the weekend compendium of what were loving right now. Happy armchair traveling.Pavia, founder/CEO- Pinch: The octopus in Angola. The human hair hat in Papua New Guinea. Impossible to pick a favorite in this gallery of global hair awesomeness.- EatBoutique: In the alternate universe where Im a bakery person, Rose Bakery in Paris will be my secret headquarters. - JustLuxe: Its James Beard Awards weekend in NYC. Theyre th