Casablanca, Morocco

Morocco’s largest city has emerged as the gateway between Europe and Africa—and not just for the corporate types moving into the upcoming Casablanca Finance City complex. The Four Seasons has opened its doors at Anfa Place, a mixed-use development by Foster & Partners that abuts the city’s beachfront Corniche area. The building has 186 rooms and suites with Fragonard bath amenities and customizable beds, shops ranging from Moroccan fashion label Diamantine to Marks & Spencer, and more than a dozen cafés and restaurants (head straight to the Philippe Starck–designed Paradis du Fruit). Within a few years, the city skyline will be dominated by Africa’s tallest skyscraper, the $1 billion, 114-story Al Noor Tower. Go now for uncrowded access to architectural wonders like the seaside Hassan II Mosque, with its magnificent marble interiors and the world’s tallest minaret—the mosque is among a small number in the country that are open to travelers of all religious backgrounds. —Nikki Ekstein

Best Places to Swim With Sharks

Maaya Thila, Maldives

Home to hammerhead sharks, reef sharks, and white tips that circle the dive site in large groups, Maaya Thila is one of the best spots in the world to swim alongside whale sharks. The largest species of fish, a whale shark can grow to be 46 feet long and weigh up to 15 tons. Hopefully you've practiced with Dory and brushed up on speaking whale...

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Iberá Wetlands, Argentina

Argentina is home to endless pampas, Patagonian desert, and the world’s second-largest wetlands, with an indigenous wildlife population that’s been drastically dwindling, until now. Mammals and avians native to Esteros del Iberá—a 3.2 million-acre watery network located in the northeast province of Corrientes—such as giant anteater, giant otter, pampas deer, and red macaw, are at the heart of an intensive repopulation program led by Kristine and Doug Tompkins’ Conservation Land Trust and backed by the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. The undisputed star of this rewilding is the jaguar, the largest feline in the Americas, and previously wiped out from Corrientes. The first female settled into her new home at the San Alonso reserve last May; a mate will join her by the end of 2015. Key to a healthy ecosystem, the jaguar’s repopulation is great news not only for those eager to see the rare animal but also for conservationists keen to see the reserve attain national park status. Esteros del Iberá recently unveiled three new access routes in its northwestern basin. Guests staying at eco-lodges such as Puerto Valle can now traverse this northern sector by kayak, horseback, or 4 x 4. On the southwestern basin, wildlife lovers should head to luxury lodge Rincón del Socorro for the best sightings, while fly-fishing fans should make a beeline to Pirá Lodge to catch golden dorado. —Sorrel Moseley-Williams

Barcade

I don't care much for drinking beer or playing old arcade games.

However, the food here is really good.

They have a chicken and waffle sandwich that I absolutely adore.

Please go and try it and enjoy the variety of beer and arcade games if you're into that stuff.

The Crab Spot Restaurant

I was really impressed with the décor of the place, the food was spot on,(ordered: the seafood platter for 2 with a whole lobster, two types of crab legs, shrimp, mussels, 2 ears of corn, 2 servings of potatoes and bread) fresh and tasty, service with a smile, great atmosphere for a crab shack.

I recommend this place to everyone who loves crabs and lobster.

   

Eludz Lounge and Restaurant

So glad we found a flyer in the jerk chicken restaurant for this place. They were advertising their Seafood Wednesday special (I am a sucker for seafood).

- Great space

- Amazing food

- Delicious drinks

- Friendly staff

- Good music, they have a dj at night

- Just wish we didn't have to drive there

But definitely worth the trip.

Man Crate, Great Gifts For Guys

No bows, no ribbons, no fluff. Just great gifts for men in a crate.
Awesome gifts for guys packed in wooden crates that they get to open with a crowbar.

I got the nuts for my guy since he's trying to be healthy right now. He loved it.

I plan on getting him another for football season.

And you can choose from several pre-written messages from the company that are absolutely hilarious.

Dellarocco’s Brick Oven Pizza

Okay, so it's Friday evening. I had a long week of pretending to like my job. I deserved a drink but my other half wants pizza. Where do we go?

Duh, a place with brick or coal oven pizza and a full bar. So we headed over to downtown Brooklyn and landed at Dellarocco's Pizza restaurant.

Here are my highlights:

- got the cute little nook with a table for two and a view of outside
- great service
- nice cocktail and beer selection, I went with the Wake Up cocktail (delicious with a shot of espresso)
- awesome pizza selections (we had two pies; one with buffalo mozzarella, mixed peppers and arrabatta, the other with buffalo mozzarella, spicy broccoli and sausage)
- pleasant decor and atmosphere

Please give it a try if you're ever in the area.

Outback Steakhouse...New Dishes To Try Out

I often go here because my other half loves the way they prepare the chicken wings.

But I've managed to figure out ways to create my own entrees, so I don't get bored.

I almost never get the steak. It isn't bad but it's not great either.

I really like their pasta and rack of lamb.

And I always have some seafood dish, either as an entrée or appetizer.

They have a new dish called Crispy Shrimp, you can get 24 for $10, which is very good.

I also like the mini desserts, especially since I normally have to skip dessert because I'm too full. Now, I don't have to!

The only other downside, besides not being able to buy a steak at a steakhouse, are the weak drinks.

We ordered Long Island Ice Teas and received mainly juice.

CajunSea & Oyster Bar

If you are after seafood and an experience this is the place - once you put on the bib and pull on the plastic gloves you will be ready to go and have one of the tastiest and messiest meals of your life.

The ambiance is fantastic. They played great music all night...wish there was a dance floor. I was having flashbacks of trips to Vegas.

Our waiter was Axel and he was awesome. I mentioned it was my birthday and he remembered to bring out a dessert and candle and the whole staff sang to me, at no additional cost. :)

Nice décor

Cajun Chicken Wings

Seafood Boil Combo A - I loved it!

The staff offered to take our pic without us even having to ask. Great service!

 

Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad is one of the most diverse islands in the Caribbean. You have influences from Africa, India, Europe and South America.

The people are nice, the food is good and you can find some good deals for a long weekend trip.

I used BookIt.com to plan my trip from Thursday to Sunday, flying from NYC, we stayed at the beautiful Radisson hotel with a rotating restaurant on the top level for about $500 per person.

Check it out if you can. You won't be disappointed.

Trinidad and Tobago Flag

Radisson Hotel, with revolving restaurant on the top floor. Amazing!

Grabbing breakfast in Tobago. We flew to Tobago for the day to check out the beach.

At a sandbar in Tobago. We took a boat tour out and they made a stop here so we can have a swim. They say the sands have rejuvenation elements within it, so everyone starting rubbing it all over their faces and bodies lol.

Liège, Belgium

Once a blue-collar paradise for coal miners and steelworkers, Liège is the surprising new destination for art and food this summer. The Boverie art museum opens in May, showcasing the best of Belgian art and working in conjunction with the Louvre to curate a huge exhibition of international greats like Renoir, Manet, van Gogh, and more. The Boverie is the crowning piece on a public development in southwest Liège, between the Santiago Calatrava–designed train station (Liège Guillemins, the largest in the city) and an urban mall called the Médiacité, about a 20-minute walk from the center of town. By the Boverie’s opening, the Design Station of Wallonia—a local artists’ showcase focusing on design collaborations celebrating the city’s economic and cultural heritage—will also be in full swing. June sees the first annual Generation W Food Festival, in nearby Namur, where French-speaking chefs and producers from the Wallonia region of Belgium will showcase their regional cuisine. Look out for expert cuisine from Liège native Philippe Fauchet, whose namesake restaurant in St.-Georges-sur-Meuse focuses on terroir, and 10 high-profile chefs from the region including Maxime Collard, Pierre Résimont, and Benoit Neusy. Regardless of when you visit, the must-try foods include sugary Liégeoise waffles at Sandwicherie Pollux, on the Place de la Cathédrale, and the city’s traditional meal—meatballs with fries—at Café Lequet, near the river and the Cathédrale St.-Paul. —Jennifer Billock


 



 

 

Seattle, Washington

 



This year Seattle is not going to let Portland, its little sister three hours south, get all the foodie-destination credit. One culinary neighborhood to watch is Capitol Hill, and in 2016, it'll be easier than ever for visitors to get there. The Seattle streetcar system is adding a line to connect the area, and Link, the light rail, is also building a line to take visitors right from the SeaTac airport to Capitol Hill. The most in-demand tables there include Lionhead, a Sichuan-inspired spot by Jerry Traunfeld (former chef at the Herbfarm), and Soi, a husband-and-wife team serving Thai food from the Isaan region. Don’t miss the new Capitol Hill Hot Cakes—though it sounds like a brunch destination, it's actually a "molten chocolate cakery" nighttime spot that also has soft-serve you can top with potato chips and roast-your-own marshmallows for s'mores. Seattle’s exciting news expands past the city proper as well: 16 miles northeast is the McMenamins Anderson School, a 1931 Art Deco–style former junior high school in the town of Bothell that’s now a hotel. The classrooms and ball fields are gone, replaced with three restaurants, two bars, a brewery, movie theater, indoor pool, and outdoor fire pits—making it a school you actually want to spend the night in. —Sarah Z. Wexler


 

Niagara Falls, The Canadian Side of Things

This a great weekend getaway for anyone who is interested.

We used Amtrak Vacations to book the trip. This includes:
- 9 hour train ride both ways from New York City to Niagara Falls on the Canadian side
- 2 night hotel accommodations at the Hilton, walking distance to the falls
- Passes to ride the Maid of the Mist (so fun)
- Passes to go to the Skylon Tower (beautiful view)