Sherman's Travel

TV host and professional foodie Anthony Bourdain, whose show Parts Unknown takes him all over the globe, has some pretty specific feelings about food and travel. I spoke to him this week about his favorite (and not-so-favorite) experiences while he’s on the road. Here’s a sampling: Read more

The last time I was in London, I was a sophomore in college; the food scene was known to be less-than-stellar and my budget was non-existent. This time around, thing were looking up. While I’m no Rockefeller, I had a little change in my pocket and the food in this city has become some of Europe’s finest. I dove in head first, and here are four of my favorites: Read more

Hot spring retreats can border on the humdrum – you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. Or so I thought. Then I heard about Colombia’s Santa Rosa de Cabal, which is not only blessed with natural therapeutic thermal springs (one of which is actually fed by a piping-hot waterfall!), but surrounded by impossibly lush landscapes of rolling hills, fertile pastureland, and soaring mountain peaks, all set in Colombia’s picturesque “Coffee Triangle.” After 10 months of trotting the globe, soaking my weary bones in warm waters, in wondrous natural surroundings, sounded like just the ticket for some much needed R & R. Read more

Every time I set foot in an airport I’m overtaken by the urge to look like I know what I’m doing, which is quickly followed by a desire to actually know what I’m doing. And sometimes I fail on both counts. While I’ve learned much about travel the hard way, I do try to learn from my blunders. Here now, five common mistakes that are all too easy to make at the airport, and how to avoid them. Read more

No matter where we call home, we share one thing in common: gathering around the table to break bread and crack open a bottle or two. Sometimes when the conversation and local liquor get flowing, the result is a big old headache the following morning.

Approaches to alleviating the hangover vary by destination. Some are healthy, some are indulgent, and some are plain crazy – while others turn to a cheeky afternoon drink as the ultimate cure. Here are five hangover cures from around the globe. Read more

Timing, as they say, is everything. It’s true of romance, successfully poaching eggs and, of course, booking travel. That’s why it’s important to know that it’s currently shoulder season in the Caribbean. The interim period between peak winter and low summer travel months, shoulder season is the perfect time to visit the region without counting dollars or dodging crowds.

Better still, a number of major carriers are celebrating new routes to hot Caribbean locales with killer fares. From unstoppable rates to Colombia’s sexy seaside city, to the first-ever direct flights to Martinique, here are the season’s best new ways to save. Read more

Many come to Santa Fe for the mouthwatering New Mexican cuisine, Southwestern art scene, or rich Native American and Latino culture. But with such wide-open spaces surrounding the city, it’d be a shame to visit without getting in a little outdoor adventure as well. Read more

Hollywood stars (and all the paparazzi who stalk them) will descend on the French Riviera this week for the year’s most prestigious cinema event: the Cannes Film Festival. La Croisette – the city’s Mediterranean-facing boulevard – is transformed into a veritable catwalk of stylish A-listers. And this year, the festival is highly anticipated because of the premiere of Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby. For a fleeting moment, the red carpet, rolled out in front of the Palais des Congrès, will become the most photographed event of 2013. But there’s more to glitzy Cannes than this 15 minutes 12 days of fame. Just off the coastline where Zelda and F. Scott used to party, the island of Saint-Honorat is home to a colony of Cistercian monks who tend 20 acres of vineyards. And you’re invited to pay them a visit. Read more

If you’re looking for a new activity this summer, skip the beach and head to New York City for Outdoor Rise, a week of classes, adventures, and inspirational films all dedicated to the beauty of the outdoors. Brought to you by Discover Outdoors, Outdoor Rise is weeklong program that encourages you to live a healthy life by exploring and interacting with your environment. From June 17–23, choose from a list of events and start your summer of fun. All events are free to the public and dispersed throughout the five boroughs. Read more

Though it may not seem (or feel like it from the weather), we’re already into a new quarter for 2013, which means it’s time to refresh our quarterly app guides! I’m starting this series off with the iPhone, and if you haven’t viewed our prior suggestions, you can catch up here and here. If you’re looking to use your phone as a crutch during your summer vacation planning, you’ll want to make sure the programs below are installed. Read more