Get your French fix for free at the Santa Barbara French Festival.
Santa Barbara is spectacular any time of year, but it's particularly alluring in summer when the average high temperature is around 75 degrees. There's something going on almost every weekend, and there's an art show in the ocean-front park every Sunday afternoon.One of our favorite events is the annual French Festival, which takes place on the weekend closest to Bastille Day. This year, the festival will be held in Oak Park from 11AM to 7PM on July 11 and 12.
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Where to find Rome's best ice cream.
The Italians are really good about protecting their patrimony. When they find something undeniably great -- Parma ham, Neapolitan pizza, Balsamic vinegar from Modena -- they recognize it, venerate it, and then promote it.If you've spent some time in Rome, you know that one of the city's greatest pleasures is its gelato. In fact, many people -- ourselves included -- believe that Rome has the best ice cream in the world. And, sure enough, the City of Rome has found a way to shortlist the best, by designating some shops as Gelaterie Artigianale.
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Place's to eat in Napa Valley's charming Yountville.
Nine miles north of Napa, California, the sleepy little town of Yountville - population 3,019 - has the best dining per capita of any place in the world. In fact, there are four Michelin-starred restaurants along a six-block stretch of Washington Street. And it goes without saying that the wine lists are stellar. One of only two American restaurants outside New York to boast three Michelin stars, The French Laundry is considered by many to be the top table in the country. To dine here, you'll need to make reservations two months in advance, to the day, and be prepared to spend $240 per person for Chef Thomas Keller's nine-course tasting or vegetarian menu.
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Acropolis Museum opens in Athens.
We first went to Athens in 1998. The city was dirty, congested, and really difficult for non-Greeks to navigate. On top of that - literally - the smog was so bad that you couldn't see anything from the Acropolis but a thick blanket of brown.
So when we returned in 2005, we weren't expecting much. But it was gorgeous. The city had completely transformed itself to host the 2004 Olympics. The air was clear, the archaeological sites were terrific, even the airport was clean and efficient with a beautiful Sofitel walking distance from the terminal.
Acropolis Museum Photo Flickr: MPD01605
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Great views and Hawaiian history on Kauai's Mahaulepu Heritage Trail.
Visitors to Kauai from the mainland are usually wide awake while the rest of the island is sleeping in. Since most stores and attractions don't open for hours, the best early morning pursuit is a sunrise beach walk. And one of the best is the Mahaulepu Heritage Trail, which winds from Shipwrecks Beach to Kawailoo Bay.To get there, take Poipu Road past the entrance to the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort. Turn right on Ainako Street and park at the lot where the road dead ends at the beach.
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