New York, New York, so good they named it twice,New York, New York, all the scandal and the vice, I love it! So sang Gerard Kenny in 1978. I'm not so sure about the vice, but I love a bit of scandal and where better to read about it than in the New York Times? Sitting in one of NY's many diners, while knocking back endless cups of coffee and wolfing down a real Big Apple breakfast, is a pretty good way to soak up the city morning atmosphere. I started my affair with New York in 1971 when I visited the city for the first time at the tender age of fourteen, flying from London on my own. Too scared to disturb the passenger next to me, or to use the lavatory, I remained in my seat for the whole journey, listening to Tony Blackburn through crackly headphones, on a continuous one-hour loop. Emerging surprisingly unscarred from the experience of hearing the iconic disk jockey's cheesy jokes eight times, I was met at the airport by the American family with whom I stayed for one month. It was the time of flower power and the hippy generation, a movement I embraced ...

Kick off the weekend with a Friday night ball game at AT&T Park to watch the San Francisco Giants. Even if you don’t see a ‘splash hit’, the waterfront views of the Bay Bridge are unbeatable, and the super slide and mini-ball park are sure to be a homerun with the kids. Don’t forget a sweatshirt for when the fog rolls in! Saturday morning put on your walking shoes and take Bart to the Embarcadero terminal to sample California’s natural bounty at the Ferry Building Farmer’s Market. Hundreds of local farmers gather outside of the historic Ferry Building Plaza to sell an impressive cornucopia of seasonal fruits, flowers and vegetables, as well as artisan cheeses, smoked meats, pastries and breads. If you get a late start and are looking for lunch, indulge at one of the prepared food stands and treat yourself to homemade tamales or lox sandwiches on fresh San Francisco sourdough still warm from the oven. Once you’d had your foodie fix, hail a cab or take the N-Judah line from the Embarcadero Muni Metro station at Market and Main Streets to Golden Gate Park to check out the recently renovated California ...

Nighttime on a snow-covered mountain is one of life’s magical experiences. Not only does Keystone resort offers one of the longest ski days in Colorado (lifts close at 8pm) there’s plenty more to do once the sun sets over the Rockies. How about trekking through the snow on a carriage drawn by draft horses? At the end of your ride you’ll be wined and dined in an authentic homestead before being trotted back home to again to your hotel or holiday apartment. Another singular dining destination is the elegant Apenglow Stube restaurant. It requires two chairlifts and a short walk to get there, but once you are you will be offered gourmet Bavarian influenced cuisine accompanied by dazzling mountain views. Der Fondue Chessel, another noted Keystone restaurant, which specializes in fondues and raclettes, is reached by a high-speed gondola making getting there half the fun. Down in Lakeside and River Run villages there are dozens more eateries, from pizzerias to delis and grills, and a good selection of bars serving local beers. One of the loveliest night events in Keystone is the Glowstick Ski Parade. Held every Sunday evening, skiers and snowboarders meet up on the top of Discovery ...

Out of all the resorts in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, Keystone has the reputation of being the most family-friendly, going the extra mile to keep the little ones happy and amused. The resort even has its own kid’s mascot; a dog-like character called Ripperoo who can often be seen hanging around the lifts and runs. And it has tubing. Tubing, or skirting down a mountain on an inner-tube, is a great break away from the skis. There’s certainly not much skill involved (in fact the only requirement is that participants be over 42 inches tall) and it’s a good way to boost children’s confidence in the snow. ‘Disco’ Day tubing (whereby you whoosh down the slope to a disco beat) and night tubing is also available at Keystone’s tubing runs (bookings required). There are plenty of indoor kid activities too. At the Kidtopia Activity Centre in River Run Village they can take part in face painting, snowflake making and all manner of winter crafts (Open 9am-4.30pm, daily). Or how about taking them to Glow Bug Skate Night? On Monday evenings, the rink monitors at Keystone Adventure Center will dress you up in glow-in-the-dark gear, and then let you loose on ...

The Rocky Mountains are any skier’s dream destination and Keystone is one of its most popular resorts. Spread over three mountains, Keystone’s variety of activities is astounding, from tubing to snowboarding, ice climbing to Nordic skiing and night skiing. On top of that, its facilities are plentiful. Keystone Colorado’s accommodation is clustered in and around its two purpose-built villages; Lakeside and River Run. Here you’ll find a plethora of lively restaurants and bars, shops and other services, including lots of activities for children. One of the most appreciated of Keystone’s features is the ease in which you can get to the slopes, with a 35,000 per person, per hour capacity spread over twenty lifts (all within walking distance of the majority of Keystone’s holiday apartments) and two high speed gondolas. And although its well known for steep slopes and long, groomed ski runs, the terrain itself is varied enough to suit all ages and levels. More experienced skiers will appreciate the Terrain Park, with over 100 slopes, ramps, pipes, half pipes and other elements to jib and jump over. Or the Independence Bowl; 278 acres of steep, north-facing terrain reserved for expert off-trail, downhill skiing and snowboarding. And there are ...

Although a little rough around the edges, Downtown Miami is a fascinating district, where modern skyscrapers jostle for position with Spanish colonial-style architecture and ‘Little Havana’ bursts with Cuban culture. Downtown Miami’s most enduring landmark is the Freedom Tower (600 Bicayne St.), built in 1925 yet modeled after the Giralda, the famous Gothic-Baroque bell tower of Seville’s cathedral (itself remodeled from a minaret). Once the headquarters of a newspaper, it was here in mid-1950s that thousands of fleeing Cubans were received into the USA, forever changing the demographic makeup of this part of the States. Another Mediterranean-revival relic is the Gesu Church (118 NE Second St.), the largest Catholic church in Miami. Lovers of kitsch should head to Flagler St., the heart (or some would say underbelly) of Downtown Miami. Here the Olympia Theater (174 E) has retained its OTT, orientalist interior (it’s worth buying a ticket to see it). Miami’s Cuban presence is centered on and around Calle Ocho. Here you’ll find fabulously tacky botánicas (shops selling lotions, potions and magical santería spells) the most famous being El Aguilla Vidente at 1122 SW Eighth Street. Almost next door is El Crédito, a small cigar factory and shop. For more ...

Miami has its fair share of mansions, villas and stately homes, but none quite live up to the grandness of the Villa Vizcaya. Dating from the early 1900s, but encompassing much earlier styles, it was originally the private home of James Deering, a rich industrialist who had a passion for antiques, the Renaissance, northern Italian architecture and the flora of southern Florida. Now open to the public, the villa is perched on the edge of a mangrove swamp, more popularly known as Coconut Grove. Whilst the villa’s sheer size and pretentiousness is easy to criticise, the craftsmanship, collection of antiques and furniture inside and beautiful French and Italian-inspired gardens are at times breathtaking. The real credit for the Villa Vizcaya lies with Paul Chaflin, a curator who had studied fine art in Paris and Florence. He assisted and advised Deering throughout the entire project, lending his highly–refined aesthetic sense to every polished and embellished nook and cranny. For most visitors however, the gardens are the highlight of the visit. Deering was a passionate conservationist and insisted that the lush, native plant and tree life be uses in the extensive Renaissance gardens (species such as Palms and Philodendrons has not been used ...

Whilst Miami is known for its glass and steel skyscrapers, the city’s singular, vernacular style is art deco. Distinguishable by bright, gelato-coloured facades and details and nautical forms, Miami has some 800 preserved buildings in the so-called Art Deco district of South Beach. In the USA and Europe, art deco was an architectural and aesthetic movement that combined functionalism and modernism with highly stylised motif. It reached it peak in the nineteen-thirties and phased at the beginning of WW2. In Miami, art deco developed a playful, ‘Mediterranean’ feel as the city established itself as an America’s premier resort. Art deco style was used in apartment buildings and private villas, but the ‘ocean-liner’- inspired hotels of the period is where the movement really shone. Many of these can be seen along Ocean Drive, then, as now, Miami’s beach-facing epicentre. To dig deeper into deco in Miami, the highly-active Miami Design Preservation League (tel. 305 672 2014) organises a variety of tours of the district, from self-guided cellphone tours to jaunts on segways. Every mid-January, the ‘Art Deco Weekend’ draws some 400,000 people to two days of art and antique fairs, free theatre and dance and parades, all celebrating the heady ...

Because one week of my life spent there is not enough for me. This city is where my dreams came true, the city where I forgot all my worries and problems; the city of lights, sun, fun and love. Actually, I have five main reasons to visit Miami once more: Meridian Street. There I broke up with my ex-boyfriend and found my true love. An hour of shedding tears on a small bench I met HIM, the beginning of today’s happy life. This street changed my life, but I noticed that all a lot of things happened here. Who knows what will happen when I will walk down it next time? Inspiration. Beaches with hot, white sand, blue and sometimes emerald-green ocean and deep-blue sky inspired me to write a very moving story which helped me to win a competition, the prize for which was a journey to Edinburgh. Edinburgh also means a lot to me, but that is another story Aviator sunglasses. My favourite sunglasses, that I have lost somewhere in Miami. In fact, it is rather strange to have hope of finding them again, but it’s happened before. I left them on a seat of the plane when I arrived ...

Next to New York, many gastronome’s cite San Francisco as North America’s great foodie city. The arguments are strong: its long history of immigration have bestowed a wide variety of influences on local cuisine, it’s the birthplace of the organic food movement and in close proximity to the famed Napa Valley wine country. Although you are spoilt for dining out choices in San Francisco, you may like to buy some fresh produce and cook up a meal in your holiday apartment. One of the best places to shop for fresh food, for both locals and visitors alike, is the