Travel

Upstart Challenger to Trendy Colorado Resorts
By J.P. Hoornstra

When your canvas is Mammoth Mountain, the apex of California’s Sierra Nevada range, it’s tough to screw up the painting. This late-blooming resort community, founded in 1955, now includes everything from a Motel 6 to luxury cabins, golf courses and dog-sled rides. More than any of these amenities, however, it’s the abundant slopes and remote locale that allows Mammoth to claim the title of No. 2 ski-resort destination in the country.

13 Great Destinations To Welcome The New Season
By Heather Corcoran, Khristina Narizhnaya, Nathan Storey and Lauren Wilkinson

Explorers Go to Ends Of The Earth, Just to Broadcast the Experience Back Home

By Tomas Dinges

The seasoned explorer Jon Bowermaster has kayaked on all seven continents in a long career of adventure, but as the frontiers of new exploration are vanishing, his concerns are changing.

Belle Gray
Lisa Rinna is one busy woman. In addition to her TV work, she owns not one but two boutiques in the L.A. area (in Sherman Oaks and Calabasas). Her Belle Gray stores reflect her laid back but stylish California look, stocking Juicy Couture, Citizens of Humanity and Glamajama. Rinna has also created her own Belle Gray label of comfy track suits and cute printed tank tops. (We’re waiting for Rinna to come up with something featuring her husband Harry Hamlin and “Clash of the Titans” movie, which we secretly love). Belle Gray also gets the prize for the best Web site, as it offers online shopping and handy search tips like “As seen on...” and “Lisa’s picks of the week.”

By Christina Valhouli
Mumbai is one of the most dynamic and chaotic cities in the world. It is the center of the Bollywood film industry as well as the Indian Stock Exchange, but most visitors come here for one reason: to shop. Some of the best items to shop for include textiles (hand-blocked cottons as well as silks); shawls (from pure pashmina to wool and silk blends); and stylish housewares, all at a fraction of the price that they would cost in the West. To keep your sanity in check, hire a taxi for the day and take a targeted approach to shopping. Our Top Shops Mumbai guide highlights some of the best stores in the city, from silver at Ravissant to stylish hand -blocked prints at Anokhi. Our favorite shopping areas are Colaba, in the south of the city near India Gate, as well as the trendy suburb of Bandra, which is about an hour north of Colaba but well worth the drive because of its high concentration of boutiques and cafes.

By Christina Valhouli

If you want to have a celebrity sighting in L.A., there are a few guaranteed places to go, such as The Ivy, Hyde, and the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre, as well as the city’s best shops. L.A. is one of the best shopping destinations on the planet, and for a primer on some of the city’s best stores, you only have to look at where the celebrities (and their stylists) shop. Any L.A. shopping trip should start with Fred Segal, the quirky department store where everyone from Katie Holmes to Barry Diller and Gwyneth Paltrow has been spotted. To do it right, make sure to dress the part, arrive in a gorgeous car, and stay for lunch. If your style leans more towards vintage, follow in the footsteps of Kate Moss and Charlize Theron and head to Decades. Or if you want to declare your allegiance to Team Jolie or Team Aniston with the appropriate T-shirt, stop in at the wonderfully kitsch Kitson boutique. Happy shopping, and don’t forget to tip the valet parking attendant well.

By Christina Valhouli

In many ways I found shopping in Chiang Mai to be far more enjoyable than Bangkok. The city’s small scale and rich history of craftsmanship — minus the choking pollution and crowds — all chalk up to one stellar shopping experience. Chiang Mai may not have the glossy mega malls with aquariums and Ferrari showrooms that you’ll find in Bangkok, but what it does have is plenty of independent boutiques where it feels as if you’re shopping in someone’s home. We found ourselves buying way more items here than in the capital. Some of the best buys include ceramics, silks, lacquer ware and silver. Read on to find where to shop and what to buy in Chiang Mai.

New Breed of Airlines Offer Luxury at Bargain Prices

By Sascha Brodsky

I decided Silverjet was the better way to fly when they started wheeling the chocolate cake down the aisle. I’m usually the economy class type and in my experience snack time means little dehydrated packs of cookies. The cake was whole as if it had been baked by a team of Silverjet grandmothers and was served on china with a generous dollop of double cream.

By Keith Kennedy

Like many New Yorkers who travel to Los Angeles for business, I frequently extend my visits through the weekend for a little fun in La-La land. Whether staying on the beach in Santa Monica or in the heart of Beverly Hills, these extended stays usually include some combination of wining, dining, seeing friends and celeb spotting.

By Hyon Jung Lee

You’ve fallen in love with the signature shoes, and you might fall in love with the Ferragamo family’s cabernets and brunellos, too. Salvatore Ferragamo, grandson to the esteemed Italian footwear designer, has been busy expanding the Ferragamo family brand portfolio into the wine industry and agro-tourism with Il Borro. This estate in Tuscany is part of the portfolio of the family’s luxury holdings, including the fashion and accessories business, four hotels in Florence (including the Hotel Lungarno) and Nautor Swan, a yacht-building company.