OUAGANDOUGOU, Burkina Faso – Finding your way around Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, should be easy to do. Wide, ramshackle boulevards radiate from plazas and monuments — this is French Africa, after all — and even the hovel-lined dirt alleys are organized into a relentless grid. Buzzards perch on top of the street lamps that line the avenues, making you feel, as you drive down the street, like a fl

This story was originally published for the tenth anniversary of September 11th. The keen sense of sadness and perseverance lingers, even eleven years later.On September 3, 2001, my sister got married, and I missed it.Even with five siblings, all now hitched, I wouldnt have considered missing a wedding, but I wasnt in a position to negotiate. Two days earlier and nearly 5,000 miles away, in the capital city of Ouagadougou, I had raised my r

My idea of a great escape: an exquisite, boutique hotel with amazing food tucked away in a quiet, European village with nary an obnoxious tourist in site. Oh, it needs to be easily accessible — no complicated airplane connections or endless drives for my family. A tall order? Not at Gran Hotel Son Net in the mountain village of Puigpunyent just outside of Palma, Mallorca, otherwise known as my little slice of heaven.Lets jus

Team Fathom took a break from the busy morning to watch a video sent to us by our tech guy. Its really illuminating: Isang Litrong Liwanag (A Liter of Light) is a simple and awesome sustainability project that brings light into homes sans electricity. Its happening right now in the Philippines, using ridiculously easy-to-find materials. See for yourself.MORE INFOMake a donation through the Isang Litrong Liwanag website ($10 will cover insta

When your last name is Cousteau, life in a wetsuit seems like a given. And for Céline — granddaughter of legendary scuba explorer Jacques — preserving the Cousteau legacy means promoting the awesomeness of Earth. Through her work as a field producer, photographer, and documentarian, Céline travels to far-off places, monitors at-risk species, and protects the planets natural resources. She sent in a postcard describing one o

People ask me all the time how I went from working at the glossy pages of Vogue to founding Under the Acacia, an organization implementing sustainable community development in rural Kenya. The two may seem worlds apart. But it only takes twelve steps to get from 4 Times Square to the African bush.1. Start a long distance relationship. Then get on a plane.Before my first trip in 2005, I read the international news about Kenyas dark side. I a

This months magazine digest gives you plenty of reasons to travel: the best food, clothes, art, jewelry — and all of the above.CONDE NAST TRAVELEROn the Cover: The World of Style issue examines travel in conjunction with fashion. London, Milan, and Oaxaca are among this issues featured cities.Highlights:- Rock On!: Christian L. Wright recognizes that, even though it comes with a hefty price tag, a local gemstone makes for an ex

Thrilled to have longtime journalist, author, and irreverent voice of the south — Julia Reed — share her travel tendencies with Fathom.Hometown: I grew up in Greenville, Mississippi. I lived in New York for 20 years and I now live in New Orleans. Occupation: Journalist, author, creative director. Favorite destinations: Oh gosh, there are so many! London, Rome, Madrid, the west coast of Ireland; Kenya and Tanzania for s

LONDON – Mary Poppins took the Banks children to Portobello Road, where they were hounded and sung at by street sellers flagging everything from worn-out books to rusty needles. Back then, Portobello may have been the market of the times, but across town, hidden deep in the concrete jungle of Hackney, a new market was quietly waiting for its time to shine.For over a century, Broadway Market has been providing fresh produ

Were always looking for perfect America towns where the living is easy and the mood is cheerful. Throw in a beach and some genteel southern charm and were even happier. Wrightsville Beach, were happy to get to know you. THE SCENEIts hard to find beaches and beach towns that feel the way they did when you were a kid. Places where boogie boards are the most common accessories, flip-flops are welcome everywhere, and the most difficult dec

The savvy business woman who founded Shobha — a NYC-based mini-chain of salons focused on waxing, threading, and sugaring — was born in Michigan, but spent her first six years living with grandparents in India. Shobha says she knows shes home when the musty, humid air of Hyderabad hits her face. Recently, the entrepreneur made a special trip with a dual purpose: to show off the newest edition of the family, and connec

The classic novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith, depicts the realities of early 20th century immigrant life. Its honest portrayal of lifes hardships inspired a corresponding Broadway musical and movie in 1945. Heres an excerpt from the first chapter:Serene was a word you could put to Brooklyn, New York. Especially in the summer of 1912. Somber, as a word, was better. But it did not apply to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Prairie wa

The first time I visited Austria, my cousins Heinrich and Roland pulled a prank on me by pretending they were in trouble with a crime syndicate. It was a well thought-out ordeal. As we drove toward the town of Klagenfurt, a black van began following us with its lights off. The van then turned on the high beams and pulled up beside us. I caught a glimpse of a man in a ski mask before Heinrich took off. Soon we were speeding down a winding di

On her second day in Mexico City, Pavia explores the cool neighborhoods Roma and Condesa, but doesnt necessarily find what shes looking for.MEXICO CITY – This isnt much of a walking city.At least not like New York or London or Paris or Rome. Mexico City is vastly spread out, like Los Angeles. Julie (the BFF whose business trip Im crashing) and I set out to visit the neighborhoods Id heard so much about: Roma (edgy, emerging, Williamsburg-li

Independent coffee house St. Coffee on St. Claude resides on a bustling corridor in NOLAs Marigny neighborhood. Proprietors Jayna Jenson and Alex Schutz have been pulling proper espressos since May 2011, and it has become the local hangout. Jayna (who I first met years ago at a sissy bounce performance in a warehouse in Brooklyn) is a font of local wisdom — and always knows where the partys at.Tell us about your coffee shop:

In her last dispatch from Mexico City, Pavia checks out Polanco and San Ángel Bazaar and eats really, really well.MEXICO CITY – The best part of any trip is sitting at a meal with the locals. Theres no better way to get to know a culture and its people. And while you cant do much more than scratch the surface in a weekend, with the right guides, you can go deeper.My best friend Julie and I spent a lot of time with two Mexicans, Samuel

Dear Fathom: My wife and I are getting away for ONE blissful night alone without the kids and want a hotel in South Beach thats nice, chic, fun, and doesnt suck. Does such a place exist?Now be nice: When its miserable in Philadelphia, its always sunny in South Beach. That said, quality can be tough to come by along Collins Avenue and Ocean Drive, where they prize tininess of bikini over speediness of room service.But your mythic hotel does

Your vacation. Exactly as you like it. Just one of the many joys of traveling solo (along with freedom, introspection, and dessert all to yourself). If you havent considered it before, maybe nows the time to boldly strike out on your own. ISLA MUJERES, Mexico – I was a simple girl with a simple goal: I wanted to stand in the ocean, look down, and see my toes.I set off from a dreary, wintry New York City for a quick two-night, three-day stay

Contributing editor Christina Ohly has been traveling to London with her kids since they were infants. She knows how to mix parent- and kid-approved museums, shops, restaurants, and hotels.LONDON – London is one of the — if not the best — cities to visit with kids. Here are highlights for all ages, palates, and interests, with South London as a base for exploring central London and the outskirts.DAY 1 - Science and NatureGone ar

No more doggie day care. No more kennels. The next time you go away, Puppy is coming with you. Start in Carmel on the gorgeous Pacific Coast. Golfers, retired celebs, and burnt-out Silicon Valley refugees arent the only ones living high on the hog there.CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, California – If I return in my next life as a dog, Carmel-by-the-Sea is where youll find me. In a town where you can get a ticket for wearing heels or dribbling ice cream