The art of travel with Louis Vuitton
A new collection of travel guides by the luxury fashion house takes you to four vibrant destinations through the eyes of visiting artists. (Wallpaper)

Is there a doctor on the plane?
Several airlines are inviting medical practitioners to register their credentials in exchange for frequent flyer points. (The Independent)

Art Basel to open in Hong Kong
For its first foray into Asia, Art Basel will welcome internationally renowned artists and collectors when it kicks off in Hong Kong May 23. (Wall Street Journal)

17 of the world’s best coffee shops
We recently revealed our picks for the world’s best cafés; now see what else is brewing, from Copenhagen to Singapore. (The Culture-ist)

Test-driving travel apps in Atlanta, Georgia
With an arsenal of mobile apps to guide her, a travel writer discovers the sprawling southern U.S. city. (Washington Post)

Beyond paradise in Northern California
If reading about California olive oil peaked your interest in Marin County, learn more about the vibrant and quirky locale—and why visitors keep coming back. (T Magazine)

Got travel news? Tweet your latest finds to @FSMagazine.

I’ll admit it—I’m very picky about my bags. My requirements are few and reasonable: lightweight, quality materials inside and out, subtle details, enough—but not too many—pockets, and looks that stride the line between masculine and feminine, sporty and pretty.

So I was surprised when I found my perfect bag in equestrian lifestyle and gear purveyor Oughton Limited. The young-ish company makes totes and travel bags for riders and trainers. And while I admire horses from afar, I haven’t ridden one in years.

I have, however, fallen for the equestrian-inspired overnight bag. A thing of good looks and refinement, it’s crafted of waxed canvas and trimmed in bridle leather with bronze halter accents. The spacious interior has a pocket perfectly suited for my laptop or iPad. Oughton Limited’s handbags are made with the same polished materials and craftsmanship; and smaller totes are equally elegant, with luxe yet sturdy details such as premium canvas and contrast stitching.

The Vermont-based company was founded by Daphne Powell Markcrow, an accomplished rider who, after years of toting unwieldy trunks and cheap nylon bags, created her own bespoke carryall. Her bag inspired the envy of other riders on the show circuit, and in 2007, she launched Oughton Limited to make practical, elegant, heirloom-quality bags for riders and non-riders alike.

And who knows, this non-rider with her newfound travel bag may just be inspired to get back in the saddle.

With an eighth hotel in China just about to open in Shenzhen, Four Seasons offers prime locations in all of the country’s most important destinations. Now it’s even easier to plan a Four Seasons “grand tour” of China, or to get to know specific regions in depth.

Start exploring with the new “China by Four Seasons” offer. When you stay three paid nights at any China hotel, you’ll receive a complimentary night at your choice of any other hotel in China. The offer applies to stays booked from June 1 to September 30, 2013, with the free night up to December 31, 2013.

“Four Seasons helps to demystify China, making it easer and more approachable,” says Chris Hart, President of Hotel Operations, Four Seasons Asia Pacific. “Our guests really value the insight and special experiences that Four Seasons offers at every step of the journey. Our goal is to make each guest’s visit incomparable.”

Convenient locations for exploring China

Where to start? Hong Kong is an ideal air hub for arrival, and Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong provides an iconic experience thanks to its harbour-edge setting in the midst of luxury shopping, dining and urban buzz.

Within an hour of Hong Kong are Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou and the new Four Seasons Hotel Shenzhen, opening in mid-2013. These cities may be known more as business destinations, but they are full of surprises and worth a leisure visit—even if it’s quick—to explore local cuisine, shopping, art and architecture. You’ll find gaming and family entertainment just a one-hour ferry ride from Hong Kong at Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip®.

Travelling midway up China’s east coast, you can experience two sides of a booming metropolis: Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai is immersed in the centrally located and historic Puxi district, while Four Seasons Hotel Pudong, Shanghai, on the other side of the Huangpu River, is cutting-edge and futuristic. For a taste of tranquillity, take the 45-minute bullet train to Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou—a peaceful retreat on the shore of West Lake, surrounded by traditional Chinese gardens and temples.

Farther north, in China’s capital, Four Seasons Hotel Beijing provides the perfect home base for visiting the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, as well as experiencing the city’s fascinating mix of contemporary and traditional culture.

As Hart explains, “Our hotels help people go beyond the typical attractions and focus on their own personal interests. Those might include meeting cool fashion designers in Hong Kong, visiting artists’ ateliers in Shanghai or chatting with one of our Michelin-starred chefs. It’s such a customized experience, we’re calling it ‘China by Four Seasons’.”

The offer is only available by phone—by calling either the individual hotels or Four Seasons toll-free.

Learn more about each destination at China by Four Seasons, and find other special offers to help you make the most of your next trip.

Participating Hotels:

• Four Seasons Hotel Beijing: +86 (10) 5695 8888
• Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou: +86 20 8883 3888
• Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake: +86 (571) 8829-8888
• Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong: +(852) 3196-8888
• Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip®: +(853) 2881-8888
• Four Seasons Hotel Pudong, Shanghai: +86 21 2036 8888
• Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai: +86 (21) 6256-8888
• Four Seasons Hotel Shenzhen (opening mid-2013): accepting reservations soon

Wanderlust defines me. My love of travel was ignited at age 15, when my grandparents took me on a whistle-stop tour of Paris and London. The addiction to travel was swift and decisive, and the next year I headed to Spain for a summer exchange program. I waitressed throughout college to afford a summer of “Euro-railing,” only too delighted to lodge at seedy hostels and subsist on day-old croissants. By 25—after a post-graduate year spent in London—I was fluent in the language of Champagne, tube stations and nabbing USD 100 “courier” airline seats.

Then I got married and had kids. Far-flung getaways came to a screeching halt. Travelling—if we dared—was based on the availability of kid camps. Eventually, everything changed again. Diapers, bottles and strollers became accoutrements of the past, and international travel was at long last on the horizon.

Marvellous Mausanne: No complaining while eating escargot in Provence

When my daughters were nine and five, we rented a house in Mausanne-les-Alpilles. It was a smashing success. Everything was within walking distance of the town centre, and each day featured one major adventure followed by lunch al fresco and a leisurely afternoon by the pool. Our rules: No complaining, and adopt a must-try approach to everything—especially food.

World travellers, my husband and I told the kids, are a rare and special breed, as curious about castles as about escargot. It wasn’t always smooth sailing, but dealing with mishaps  (meals served later than the kids were used to, boredom and occasional secondhand cigarette smoke) was all part of the learning curve. At restaurants, the girls employed this “world traveller” modus operandi. Lavish praise was heaped upon the gutsy gourmand willing to dive headfirst into a foreign dish. More often than not, they loved the new foods, with soupe au pistou topping the charts. Over dinner, we rated our day, encouraging our kids to share what they found the most interesting.

City of Light delight: Following directions in Paris

For her tenth birthday, I took my eldest daughter, Isabella, to Paris. Lead researcher and navigator-in-chief were added to the world traveller concept. Isabella investigated points of interest and crafted her proposed itinerary. Each day she consulted the concierge (in French) to determine our metro route. At museums, the choice of exhibits was left in her capable hands. Superlative experience: An outing with Chloé Doutre-Roussel, one of Paris’ foremost chocolate experts.

Turning lemons into lemonade: Honing problem-solving skills in Provence

The following summer we had a hiccup. Our rented “villa” turned out to be a dilapidated, bug-infested farmhouse. A freak-out could have been in order. Instead, we opted to teach the fine art of problem solving on the fly. I connected with a Marseille based “concierge” who booked us into a series of glorious properties that we would have never found on our own.

London Calling: Planning itineraries with pint-size tour guides

Thanks to last summer’s Olympics and a Kate Middleton–enhanced royal allure, I felt London giving me the come-hither. Again, I reinforced engagement and independence by way of worksheets and allowed the kids to create our family itinerary according to their interests. On the agenda: the Rosetta Stone, Tower of London, Museum of Natural History and the hop on, hop off bus tour. Cultural activities and elegant afternoon teas are the stuff of scrapbooks. But our stay at the family-friendly Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane made the trip even more spectacular. Amenities like spun sugar Harry Potter- and Matilda-themed treats and an in-room Wii deck left my children speechless.

The kids have picked up many mementos during our family holidays, but the curiosity and lifelong quest for knowledge inspired by these trips are the most important keepsakes of all.

It’s noon at Beijing’s Noodle Loft, and half a dozen chefs are demonstrating their artistry in the restaurant’s open kitchen. One noodle maker slowly unfurls a single coiled spinach noodle, making arcs with it in the air like a fly fisherman, the 75-foot-long (23-metre-long) strand stretching into a large vat of boiling water several feet away. Another chef holds on his shoulder a massive hunk of dough on a wooden tray the size of a skateboard, carving it with a pastry knife to make long ribbons that cascade into another boiling pot. Meanwhile, two more noodle craftsmen stretch gobs of dough into noodles as thin as angel hair with their bare hands, working in unison like gold-medal synchronized swimmers.

A recent exploration of the Noodle Loft and Beijing’s other top noodle eateries convinced me that the city is one of the finest places in the world for noodles. Unlike many Asian cities and even Italian towns, Beijing hosts a variety of restaurants where chefs continue to craft noodles by hand, mostly eschewing machines and refusing to outsource their noodles to suppliers. Usually the noodles you’ll eat in China’s capital are made to order, right under your nose. And Beijing showcases a dizzying array of noodles that are formed into nearly as many shapes as Italian pasta. On a recent visit to Beijing, I watched the capital’s best noodle makers in action—and savoured the results.

The art of making noodles
At the Noodle Loft, in the affluent Wangjing suburb, the chefs’ noodle artistry is just one component of the restaurant’s distinction. Featuring the noodles of Shanxi, the province southwest of Beijing that is famous for its innovative noodle shapes, the Noodle Loft shows how variety in shapes and textures enlivens the eating experience. Ren Tiaohong, the restaurant’s manager, speculates that noodle shapes developed out of the poverty of the region—with less meat and fewer vegetables, different noodles provided variety in people’s diets. The ingredients folded into the noodles at Noodle Loft are diverse: Spinach, red sorghum, oat, buckwheat and soybeans are added to various wheat-based doughs. One noodle dish, kao lao lao, made of wheat and oat, is even more elaborate: Before being steamed, the dough is formed into wide ring-shaped bands that are pressed together in a bamboo basket to create a beehive-like design.

I enjoyed the most refined noodles at Noodle Bar, a 12-seat restaurant located in a stylish dining and nightlife complex called 1949 The Hidden City that also features Duck de Chine, one of the capital’s best restaurants for Peking duck. The tiny Noodle Bar feels Japanese, with the kitchen situated around a bar where diners eat under dim lighting. The simmered beef soup in which the restaurant’s most popular noodles are served is simple and light, like a broth from Canton, in southern China. But the noodles themselves are purely from China’s north: wispy strands as thin as hair, stretched magically by hand.

Just as delicious are the noodles served at Four Seasons Hotel Beijing, where I indulged in a bowl of savoury pork won tons and egg noodles, a dish from southern China, for breakfast at the Opus Lounge. That was followed by a late lunch at the hotel’s opulent
Cai Yi Xuan. Chef Michael Liang prepared a common Beijing dish, zhajiang mian, spaghetti-like noodles with thick soybean sauce and pork belly, enlivened by julienned cucumber and pink turnips.

Finding local flavour
Craving more local flavour, I went to the back alley neighbourhoods of Beijing called hutongs. Crescent Moon, a restaurant specializing in the cuisine of Uighurs (a Muslim ethnic minority living along China’s western border with Central Asia), serves noodles that show how the dish spans all the way into China’s west. The eatery features delicious chao mian pian, or noodle squares, that are stir-fried with tomato sauce and bits of beef and lamb, reminding me of an arrabbiata sauce. Also mouth-watering is a dish called dapanji, in which tagliatelle-like noodles are folded into a spicy chicken stew. The noodles are the perfect vehicle for absorbing the chilli-infused gravy.

A visit to Beijing would not have been complete without a meal of dumplings, a dish the city is known for. At Bao Yuan, a dumpling restaurant just around the corner from
Four Seasons Hotel Beijing, I saw half a dozen female dumpling makers wearing purple checkered aprons and shower caps. They rolled out dumpling skins made colourful with the addition of spinach, carrot or red cabbage, and stuffed them with an extensive offering of different fillings, some quite experimental. But the cooking method remains very traditional: The dumplings are only boiled, not pan-fried as they might be elsewhere in Beijing or steamed as they often are in southern China.

Ren Juxiang, the manager of Bao Yuan, said that the restaurant’s owner, Chen Zhongkai, is actually from Hong Kong, in southern China—an artist who just wanted to make a living by selling dumplings. “But now he’s committed to the art of dumpling making,” she said. “He thinks of dumplings as his children, and since he’s only been making dumplings for 16 years, they haven’t reached maturity yet. We have a long way to go.” Exactly the kind of noodle devotion that I’d hoped to find in Beijing.

Noodling the choices: Jen Lin-Liu’s top picks for Beijing’s best noodles

Bao Yuan Dumplings
Maizidian Jie 6, Chaoyang District; 86 10/6586-4967
This humble yet festive restaurant near Four Seasons Hotel Beijing features more than 100 dumpling fillings.

Black Sesame Kitchen
3 Heizhima Hutung, Dongcheng District;  86 136/9147-4408
This cooking school/restaurant was founded by Jen Lin-Liu. The most popular classes among expatriates and foreign travellers are the ones in which chefs teach the finer points of dumplings and noodles.

Cai Yi Xuan
Liang Ma Qiao Lu 48,  Chaoyang District; 86 10/5695-8888
The opulent Chinese restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Beijing serves a variety of noodle dishes.

Crescent Moon
Dongsi Liutiao 16, Dongcheng District; 86 10/6400-5281
This Uighur restaurant features noodle dishes from China’s northwest region of Xinjiang.

Noodle Bar
Gongti Bei Lu, Courtyard 4, Chaoyang District; 86 10/6501-1949
Order at this 12-seat restaurant and watch the noodle being stretched before your eyes.

Noodle Loft
Guangshun Bei Dajie 33, Chaoyang District; 86 10/8472-4700
More than a half-dozen chefs demonstrate various noodle styles in an open kitchen.

Xian’r Lao Man
Andingmen Nei Dajie 252, Dongcheng District; 86 10/6404-6944
Locals cram into this popular dumpling and pot sticker restaurant near the Lama Temple.

Jen Lin-Liu is the author of Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China. She’s currently immersed in noodle research for her next book, On the Noodle Road: From Beijing to Rome With Love and Pasta.

Discover the other seven destinations at China by Four Seasons, and find special offers to help make the most of your next trip.

When Nan Tucker McEvoy wanted to plant Tuscan olives rather than raise dairy cows on her 550-acre (222-hectare) property in Petaluma in 1991, locals had their doubts. McEvoy persisted, and now some 18,000 trees on her family ranch produce 5,548 gallons of award-winning organic oil each year.

McEvoy has a pattern of success. She previously served as the chair of the San Francisco Chronicle Publishing Company (which operated the newspaper co-founded by her grandfather Michael H. de Young in 1865). She was also an original member of the United States Peace Corps, and in the 1980s acted as chair of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. To a woman used to getting things done, transplanting an Old World crop to California never seemed impossible.

“She’s a very determined woman,” says Jill Lee, events and public relations manager at McEvoy Ranch. The ranch specializes in early harvest oils (oils produced by olives picked when they’re still green), which have peppery and grassy notes and are high in polyphenols, the antioxidants that make olive oil so beneficial to health.

McEvoy Ranch practices sustainable growing to create its California Certified Organic oils. Olives are sourced solely from the family property, milled on site and labelled with details such as harvest date and extra virginity. With California oils gaining popularity, Lee says that a major component of the brand is educating customers and visitors to the ranch about the properties and taste profiles of fresh olive oil. “In the Mediterranean, they go to their local mill, and they know what fresh oil should taste like,” Lee points out. “For decades, we’ve been receiving imported oils, and some of that might have become degraded along the way. There’s really no olive oil police to regulate.” To give people the opportunity to taste truly fresh olive oil, the ranch runs tours throughout the year, including an orchard and mill walk as well as a popular garden tour each summer that includes a sit-down lunch served in the ranch’s Victorian-style farmhouse.

McEvoy’s only bricks-and-mortar retail location is at San Francisco’s Ferry Building—a small outpost, considering the ranch is the largest producer of organic, estate-grown olive oil in the United States—but the oil has earned a solid following among the city’s chefs, many of whom include it in their menu items. The most unusual of them all: Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream, which features an ice cream flavoured with McEvoy olive oil.

In the mood for interior design? It’s time to visit New York.
The 41st annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House officially opened May 7 featuring work by 18 artists, architects and designers. The house’s five floors, with rooms ranging from minimalist interpretations to trippy colour and pattern experiments, can be viewed through June 4. Click through the gallery above to see highlights. (New York Times)

Travelling can boost your career.
Taking a career break to travel can help you recharge, learn new skills and make contacts. (The Guardian)

Mumbai’s tallest skyscraper may also be its greenest.
A proposal for Mumbai’s tallest building—the stick-thin 116-storey, 400-metre Imperial Tower—features “sky gardens” designed to lessen the effect of strong winds, among other environmentally friendly features. (The Atlantic Cities)

Shop for the guys in Paris.
Some of the city’s most stylish new boutiques are all about menswear. (Fodors)

New York debuts a new skyline.
A 408-foot (124-metre) spire was placed atop One World Trade Center in Manhattan, making it the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and the third-tallest building in the world. (CNN)

Take a chance on the new Abba museum.
Abba: the Museum, which opened in Stockholm May 7, is a high-tech tribute to the Swedish band. (The Telegraph)

Got travel news? Tweet your latest finds to @FSMagazine.

This week I’m obsessed with Totokaelo (pronounced TOH-toh-KYE-oh). From its post in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighbourhood (and about a mile away from Four Seasons Hotel Seattle), the store is known for its superbly curated selection of ready-to-wear, shoes, jewellery and accessories, along with its exceptional customer service.

The brick-and-mortar store first opened 10 years ago, but the brand has expanded to include Totokaelo Art-Object, my go-to spot for art, decorative objects, furniture, lighting, tabletop pieces and textiles. The most recent addition, TotokaeloMAN, opened its doors in March.

As I’m located in New York, I frequently shop the website. Totokaelo carries my favourite labels, including all of Rick Owens’ lines, Adina Mills and Isabel Marant. I receive the most beautifully packaged parcels—most recently one containing an Alexander Yamaguchi tank dress—with my new purchases wrapped in gorgeous paper illustrated with constellations and celestial bodies. The finishing touch: Each package is accompanied by a handwritten note thanking me for my purchase.

Visit any number of coastal locales around the globe, and you’ll find a regional crab specialty on the menu. Shanghai’s hairy crab might sound intimidating (yes, the crab legs really are hairy), but get past the “ick” factor and the reward is succulent meat and roe, traditionally eaten with vinegar and ginger on the side. Singapore’s messy chilli crab is cooked in a spicy-sweet tomato-based sauce and served with mantou, or steamed buns. Vancouver has a taste for Dungeness crab; the trusty crustacean can be prepared in many ways. And crab cakes are ubiquitous in Baltimore—it’s just a matter of whether you prefer yours broiled or fried. There’s no need to be intimidated by preparing a crab yourself. Executive Chef Oliver Beckert of Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore turns crab-picking mystery into crabmeat mastery. Click through the gallery above to see his easy steps for preparing a crab.

If thinking about these locally favoured delicacies whets your appetite, then try this recipe for Dungeness crab tacos from Ned Bell, Executive Chef at Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver. And read more about Bell’s love of Vancouver’s local foods in “Farmers’ Market Monday,” a new series on Taste.

Dungeness Crab Tacos With Radish Sprouts

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon (15 ml) miso paste
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon (15 ml) honey (maple syrup is a great substitute)
1 lemon, juice and zest
1 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons (90 ml) fresh-cooked Dungeness crab (1 tablespoon per wonton shell)
2 to 3 crispy wonton shells
1 radish, thinly shaved
1 tablespoon (15 ml) radish sprouts
1 avocado, smashed and seasoned with lemon juice, sea salt and cracked pepper

Directions:
Mix miso paste, Dijon, honey, lemon juice, lemon zest and canola oil in a blender to make the dressing. Mix some dressing into the crab meat to taste. Fill wonton shells with crabmeat mixture. Garnish with radish slices and sprouts. Spoon the seasoned avocado mixture onto a plate and place assembled tacos on top.

See this recipe and others at Taste—your stop for the best in global food and drink.

For centuries, cafés and coffee houses have been considered social hubs for intellectuals and artists gathering to discuss their latest ideas, as well as essential meeting places for would-be lovers. Even the word “café” is imbued with an inherent sense of nostalgia, a feeling that transforms from culture to culture and from person to person.

When it comes to choosing a favourite café, the decisions we make are intensely personal, often carrying with them memories of pivotal experiences, chance meetings or simply the unwavering promise of a decent cup of coffee.

For our selections, we focused on places that offered the two things that can make an everyday café into something more: good coffee and atmosphere, the tangible and the more abstract. After much deliberation, we’ve ended up with a mix of historic landmarks as well as newer destinations that are making names for themselves in the modern era of café culture.

Don’t love our picks? Here are a few other great suggestions from our friends on Facebook:

“Café Majestic, Porto, Portugal.”
—Ramiro Santos Silva

“Bitter & Zart in Frankfurt – amazing cakes, tartes, macaroons, and pralines.”
—Cat Haana

“The Bathers Pavilion Cafe, Balmoral Beach, Sydney, Australia.”
—Karen Lee Stuttle

“Café St. Eustachio in Rome!”
—Kristen Beck Walker

“Thomas Haas’ Patisserie-Chocolate Cafe in Vancouver, BC, Canada.”
—Nola Beard

“Kahve Dunyasi, (which means coffee world), İstanbul, Turkey”
—Suleyman Alaca

“Delivino in Crieff, Scotland. Fab food and cakes.”
—Arwena Glover

Holiday magazine still inspires.
Postwar Americans travelled the world with Holiday magazine, which featured a roster of high-calibre writers and a revolutionary design when it debuted in the mid-1940s. In this month’s issue of Vanity Fair, Michael Callahan takes us behind the rise and fall of the legendary publication. (Vanity Fair)

See Italy by rail.
Along the coast or through the countryside, here are five of Italy’s best train routes. (Swide)

Stephen Hawking wants to go to space, too.
Virgin Galactic launched its first rocket-powered test flight this week, and physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking wants in on that action. (The Hindu)

This might be the best travel shirt ever.
A new men’s button-down shirt from Wool&Prince doesn’t need ironing and won’t smell after multiple wears on long trips. (Mashable)

Find the happiest flight.
We’re giddy over the launch of Routehappy, a new site that helps you search for flights based on happiness factors such as leg room and in-flight entertainment. (Cool Hunting)

Designers are dressing flight crews.
Designer flight attendant uniforms are trending. Among the latest partnerships are Australia-based Qantas Airlines and designer Martin Grant (whose flight-ready shift dresses debuted at a recent fashion show), and Virgin Atlantic and Vivienne Westwood. (Daily Mail)

Got travel news? Tweet your latest finds to @FSMagazine.

Ernesto Colnago was a successful cyclist when a 1951 crash resulted in a broken leg and a hiatus from racing. He turned his efforts to building bikes and, in the process, built a name for himself that today stands as the ne plus ultra of cycles.

Here, a testament to Colnago’s endurance, is the latest in the modern classic CX-1 line—the 2013 CX-1 Evo Ultegra. For the technically minded: The bike is designed with a monocoque front triangle with polygonal cross-section tubes moulded in one piece, and the frame accepts either the Shimano Di2 electronic group or the traditional mechanical versions.

For the rest of us: The bike has won multiple stages at the Giro d’Italia, Paris-Nice and Tour de France. Yellow jersey sold separately.

In China, the number eight is viewed as particularly lucky, to the point where people are willing to pay extra to make it part of their telephone number or license plate. It’s auspicious, then, that there are now eight Four Seasons properties in China, with the newest hotel in Shenzhen scheduled to open in mid-2013. As China’s fascinating, complex and diverse landscape continues to draw greater numbers of first-time visitors, we’ve consulted each property’s concierge team to highlight its top recommendation for new travellers.

Find the best shopping in Beijing.
Discovering the design world, both for fashion and home, is one of the best ways to get your finger on the pulse of a city. In the fast-paced, fast-growing capital city of Beijing, be sure to check out emerging Chinese designers at boutique stores in areas like Gulou and the Central Business District (CBD). Standouts include Dong Liang Studio—high-quality, limited-edition fashion by hip young designers like Uma Wang and TBA, a line handpicked by Dong Liang Studio founders Charles Wang and Nan Lang. The Wuhao Curated Shop, so cool that it doesn’t have a sign, features the latest creations in furniture, lighting, jewellery, ceramics, art and fashion from more than 100 Chinese and international artists. All are changed seasonally in gallery-worthy tableaux by director Isabelle Pascal.

Discover Guangzhou’s heritage.
Understanding the true Guangzhou means exploring its port city heritage. Shamian Island, a tiny sandbank island on the city’s Pearl River, linked by bridges to the mainland, was divided into French and British concessions in the 19th century. Today, its quiet streets (very few cars are allowed) and broad boulevards are lined with massive old trees and slightly shabby but grand European-style churches, embassies and residences. The island is also a popular gathering spot for locals to practice tai chi, play the Chinese version of Hacky Sack or pose for wedding photos.

Tour Hangzhou’s tea fields.
Tea works on all levels in China—social, medical, spiritual, cultural—so be sure to visit Hangzhou’s famed Longjing or “Dragon Well” tea fields. On a tour of the leafy fields in this dreamy and beautiful part of China, you’ll learn how the premium green tea is gathered by hand and placed in wide baskets worn on the harvester’s backs. The tour also includes a visit to the National Tea Museum, which offers an astounding variety of ancient tools, pottery and ceramics, as well as daily tea ceremony demonstrations. You’ll also be invited to tea farmers’ homes to sample local specialties such as West Lake carp in sweet vinegar sauce, shrimp with Longjing tea, and West Lake water shield soup (made with a type of aquatic plant).

Eat your way through Hong Kong.
The best way to get to know the real Hong Kong is to eat and to walk, delving into traditional neighbourhoods that can still be found amid the gleaming skyscrapers. Little Adventures in Hong Kong, helmed by a group of plugged-in food, travel and lifestyle journalists and bloggers, is your go-to tour. Tours are limited to just three people and can be customized (for example, you can do a “won-ton-athon”). One offering: a waterfront tour to Shau Kei Wan at the east end of Hong Kong Island, home to an amazing outdoor market and the best fish-ball noodles in town. You’ll also make a short ferry crossing to an authentic fishing village that would be right at home in 1930.

Cook up a traditional dish in Macau.
A Portuguese colony for centuries, Macau has an exotic history perfectly encapsulated in some of the world’s first fusion cuisine. Learn how to make it yourself, guided by a Macanese private chef. Start with a shopping expedition to the Red Market, a three-storey “wet” market where fresh seafood is brought in twice a day. After you’ve chosen ultra-fresh ingredients like sole, geoduck and water spinach, return to a private kitchen to prepare local favourites like home-style minced pork or steamed catch of the day with soybean sauce.

Get artsy in Pudong, Shanghai.
Sleek, modern and vibrating with energy, it’s only fitting that the Pudong area of Shanghai has an equally exciting emerging art scene. Opened in late 2012 and housed in a massive seven-storey former power station built in 1897, the Power Station of Art (PSA) is China’s first state-run contemporary art museum. Works from both Chinese and international artists are on display and range from flying sculptures on the roof terrace to multimedia pieces to a recently opened Andy Warhol exhibit. (Bonus: no admission fee except for special exhibitions.) It’s also the new home of the citywide art festival Shanghai Biennale.

Motorcycle through Shanghai. 
Spend any time in bustling Shanghai and you’ll soon see locals on vintage motorcycles with sidecars threading their way through the streets and alleys. Through the tour company Shanghai Insiders, you can get a different perspective on the city. The fleet consists of 30 vintage bikes (gearheads will recognize them as Chang Jiang 750s, which are modelled after the Russian Ural sidecars, which are in turn replicas of 1930s BMWs) driven by professional, English-speaking drivers. Customize your tour by chatting with your driver beforehand, and you’ll see non-touristy neighbourhoods and iconic sights, all with the wind in your hair and a grin on your face.

Play golf in Shenzhen.
Shenzhen is a powerhouse for enterprise and commerce—and everyone knows that a good deal of both work and play gets done on the golf course. It’s not surprising, then, that Shenzhen is home to the world’s largest golf club, Mission Hills, where you can perfect your swing on one of seven 18-hole courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, Vijay Singh and Chinese champion Zhang Lianwei, among others.

What to know before you go: Insider tips from Four Seasons Hotel Beijing

• Fast and comfortable, China’s network of electric high-speed or “bullet” trains means navigating the huge country is that much easier. The official ticket site is Chinese-only and accepts only Chinese credit cards, so your best bet is to consult your travel agent or hotel for assistance. Tickets can be booked up to 20 days in advance.
• Download Pleco, a free translation app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Coolest feature: point your iPhone camera at a printed Chinese word to instantly look up the meaning (you don’t even have to snap a picture). Waygo, for iOS 5 devices only, is similar.
• If an item (food, drink, gift or business card) is passed to you with two hands, make sure to accept it with two hands. This is a sign of respect.

Learn more about each destination at China by Four Seasons, and find special offers to help you make the most of your next trip.

On a hairpin curve halfway up lush and misty Doi Inthanon—Thailand’s tallest mountain, some 60 kilometres (37 miles) southwest of Chiang Mai—I emerge from the thick, dewy woods with a pair of binoculars around my neck as a bus rounds the bend past me. My  local guide, Somchart, is across the road scouting out a dense thicket of brush in search  of the Ashy-throated Leaf Warbler, one of 382 avifauna species found here. It’s cold up here, about 38˚F (3˚C), much cooler than I anticipated for a steamy September visit to Thailand. I’m swaddled in a chartreuse fleece blanket I found in Somchart’s Range Rover and sporting a black baseball cap, with white gym socks around my hands in lieu of gloves. My pasty white legs poke through baggy khaki shorts and round out my cartoon field biologist look. I hear laughter erupt from the passing bus. It’s OK. I’m used to it.

A Real Bird Nerd
I have a confession to make. I’m a closet birder. A real bird nerd. While most travellers to Thailand lounge on beaches, glide through Krabi’s gin-clear waters, party in Phuket and shop Chiang Mai’s chic boutiques, I’ve come to trek through its deciduous dipterocarp forests to catch a glimpse of a few endemics. My bird nerdness runs deep. I’ve been attending Audubon Society Christmas Counts since I was in college in Vermont in the early 1990s. I regularly spend more than $300 on binoculars; I own hundreds of bird books; and I’ve downloaded dozens of bird apps. I may be a relatively young birder, but being a journalist has made me a very well travelled one. Young birders like me frequently get dismissed for mistaken sightings, so I’ve come to relish the looks on the faces of older birders when I “casually” mention the various bustards and bulbuls I’ve encountered over the years. It won’t come as a surprise to any birders that many folks find birds peculiar. And the only things more peculiar are we enthusiasts who love them.

Sometimes I totally understand why. I must have looked like a real idiot to that passing bus. And perhaps I am one. I woke up at 3:00 am to hike through tiger habitat up a mossy, mile-high tropical mountain, considered the “Gateway to the Himalayan Ranges.” It never occurred to me it might get cold. This is, after all, where visitors from Hong Kong, the Philippines and Singapore come to see snow. I should have known. It’s southern Asia’s highest summit and often home to the southernmost snow. The mist thickens like roux into dense fog as we corkscrew up the windy roads. Somchart says that we’re lucky the weather is cooperating. “Sometimes we have to turn back,” he says with a trademark Thai smile, his eyes scanning the grey horizon. “But don’t worry, beautiful birds are everywhere.”

Bird-watching: An Exercise in “Colour Nomading”
Foggy and ghostly as it is up here, flashes of colourful birds dart across the horizon every few hundred metres. For me, birdwatching is an exercise in “colour nomading.” The electric Saturn indigo of the Indian Roller and arresting cerulean of the Blue Magpie—both of which we spot at the park’s A-frame gate—offer shades of azure unlike any I’ve ever seen, a hundred times more luminous than the neon signs of Tokyo and a deeper, richer cobalt than any body of water.

We continue our way up the mountain, eventually reaching clusters of thatched-roof villages and tidy farms that gently curve over the hills. This is a slice of rural Thailand not typically seen, closer in spirit to Burma than Bangkok. In addition to the fauna and thousands of species of fragrant flora that surround us, this mountain is also home to the indigenous Hmong and Karen hill tribes. Both cultures have a profound appreciation for the birds here, which can be seen in their silver and textile work and which play a central role in their folk tales and mythologies.

The Calls of the Wild
I found and hired Somchart through a Thai bird tour agency called Thailand Bird Watching. I emailed proprietor Tony Eagle Eye himself, and we volleyed back and forth about prices until we agreed on a fair amount. There are many bird tour operations in the area, and I contacted several of them, but something about Tony’s seemed honest and good-natured. I had a hunch that it was the best. How right I was. Somchart was prompt, courteous and, more important, really into the birds. When hiring a bird guide, it’s important to get one who can ID the birds by their calls, and Somchart didn’t miss a tweet, calling out bulbuls and bushchats as we heard them.

Before we started, Somchart gave me a shortlist of what we might see, which included, of course, the Ashy-throated Leaf Warbler and the Green-tailed Sunbird, the double raison d’être of Doi Inthanon bird excursions. A few hours in, we still hadn’t seen either. We did, however, see Slaty-backed Forktails, Red-headed Trogon, Brown-throated Treecreeper, Crested Serpent Eagle, River Chat, and a beautiful stout and khaki White-crested Laughing Thrush, which has the lavender-tinged white bouffant of your grandma but the mysterious black eye mask of Zorro. Its lovable call is a melodic, bubbly R2-D2-like flute, which makes it a well- known garden species in the area. But sadly, like many other species, this rufescent-brown Old World babbler is endangered due to people who cage it as a pet and to continued habitat loss. To many here, its call is the very sound  of freedom.

Somchart and I carried on, plying up the steep road to Doi Inthanon National Park, where decaying boardwalk planks make up the Ang Ka Nature Trail, which snakes through a mossy cloud-forest swamp filled with wild and mysterious creatures, such as the rare pink peacock orchid, the crocodile salamander and blue stained fungus, also known as green elf cup. It’s also home to 10 species of rhododendron and a trio of ferns once thought to be extinct. In short, this landscape is downright primordial. Bird nerd or not, you’d be hard-pressed to be unmoved by its otherworldly quality. Doi Inthanon’s tuneful and colourful birds left a deep impression that I hadn’t anticipated. These birds aren’t just feathered show ponies; they represent the harmony of the land and the eternal vigilance that harmony requires.

The trek was coming to an end and I still hadn’t seen the two stars of the mountain. They were playing hard to get. Finally we caught sight of the Ashy-throated Leaf Warbler flitting in the moss. It’s a common bird in every sense—frequently seen, bearing a plumage of heather grey and slight yellow, and generally nondescript, some might even say generic. The Green-tailed Sunbird, however, is quite the opposite. Like the Ashy-throated Leaf Warbler, it’s entirely confined to Doi Inthanon’s summit. So I couldn’t possibly go back down the mountain without seeing it. “I’m sorry,” said Somchart, on the verge of defeat. “Sometimes they only come out in the sun.”

And just then, as if on a cue from some great bird nerd in the sky, a crack in the cloud rolled open to clear blue sky, and shafts of intense Thai light shot down on a dew-covered bush dripping with yellow trumpet flowers. A faint green glimmer at first, it stirred like a furtive mouse. Then suddenly the glimmer morphed into a shimmering ruby, sapphire and emerald bauble darting in and out of the bush like a bumblebee, seemingly adorned in a glitzy costume bought in Vegas. The Green-tailed Sunbird was extraordinary, to say the least. It’s one of those birds that even non-birders love. And it was worth both the trek and the wait. Total bird-nerd nirvana. And bragging rights to boot.

The countdown to Mother’s Day is on, but there’s no need to panic. We’ve searched high and low to find fresh ideas to surprise the women who have nurtured us along the way. Since there’s no one-size-fits-all formula for moms, we’ve narrowed this year’s list to eight unique gifts, from exquisite jewellery and quirky scarves to evocative scents and a book she won’t want to put down. So whether your mom is gadget-savvy or accessories-obsessed, her honorary day is about to get a lot more exciting.

Guest Experience Assistant Werawat Roatchanaphaphong has filled a day at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui with a variety of activities and cultural explorations. A sunrise hike with a view, landmark visits, delicious seafood and local sports round out a day of experiencing Koh Samui’s flavour.

Rise and shine with a hike.
Start your day with a sunrise hike up 1,250 steps from the beach to the Resort’s highest point for a stunning panoramic view of the ocean from 122 metres (400 feet) above sea level. Once at the top, celebrate your achievement by ringing the Thai gong. Relax and enjoy the view with breakfast at the Lan Tania restaurant, or climb back down to the beach for a private picnic.

On the edge, in the water
Koh Samui’s excellent beaches mean ample opportunities for water sports. Go wakeboarding with professional guides who will tow you over waves by a top-of-the-line Super Air Nautique 230 watercraft. If you’d rather fly over the water, the Jetlev-Flyer is the way to go. Instructors will have you airborne above the ocean in a revolutionary flying system for an exhilarating flight experience at speeds up to 47 kph (29 mph). The Jetlev-Flyer is exclusive to Koh Samui.

Rustic beaches
Rent a car to discover Thai villages and the captivating views from the island’s smaller beaches. Experience the natural beauty of Bang Kao, a rustic, undeveloped area that offers a perfect hideaway. Stop to admire the ornate Laem Sor Pagoda, which sits at the end of the beach of Bang Kao on the grounds of Wat Laem Sor. From a distance, the pagoda seems to glow, owing to its yellow tiles.

Seafood delicacies
Recommended by the Resort’s Executive Chef Alex Gares, Bang Po is a popular seafood restaurant known for its local seasonal recipes, which include fresh sea urchin, blue crabs and baby octopus. The highlight of this restaurant, however, is the unlimited serving of khoei jii, a savoury combination of grilled shrimp paste, crab meat and coconut.

A sporting time
Kick-boxing, or Muay Thai, is the national sport of Thailand. Get close to the action and watch rounds ringside at Chaweng Beach, one of the island’s most popular beaches and home to Chaweng Stadium, host to all major kick-boxing events on the island.

There’s still time to ski in Whistler.
Some slopes have shut down for the season, but Whistler’s Blackcomb Mountain will remain open for skiers until May 27. (Los Angeles Times)

Bid on business class.
Several airlines are now auctioning off upgrades to travellers in economy or premium economy cabins—you can even bid on empty middle seats. (Wall Street Journal)

Your travel-reading list just got longer.
Spring’s best new travel books range from poetry to natural history, but they all have one thing in common: A great sense of place. (National Geographic)

See the stars above Shanghai (and London and São Paulo and New York . . .).
The perpetual bright lights of big cities prevent us from seeing the starry skies above, but photographer Thierry Cohen has created a series of works that simulates them. (Web Urbanist)

Put on your walking shoes and go to Europe.
Adjacent to an illustrated story about wandering literary heroes, the New York Times published a more user-friendly guide to nine of Europe’s best walks. (New York Times)

Smile from Bangkok to Macau.
Thai Smile, a new airline under Thai Airways, is now operating two flights daily from Bangkok to Macau. (China Daily)

Get voluminous lashes from a vending machine in London.
Chanel’s first volumizing mascara will be sold via a vending machine at Selfridges in London through May 8. (Vogue UK)

I’ve been obsessed with Asprey since I stayed at Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills (A Four Seasons Hotel) for a Four Seasons Magazine fashion shoot. The bathrooms at the Hotel were stocked with the brand’s luxury bath products, which led to the following discovery: The greatest fragrance in the world is Asprey’s Purple Water. Upon my return to New York, I visited the Asprey store to supply my home with the same deliciously fragrant shampoo, conditioner and bath gel.

On my most recent trip to replenish, I fell in love with the Belgravia Darcy handbag, shown here in beautiful Cerulean Crocodile with raffia details. A combination of lambskin, patent leather and raffia is woven by hand on a wooden loom in Paris to create the simple yet elegant pattern. The handles and side panels are crocodile in a cerulean shade that inspires daydreams about the Mediterranean. Whether I go there for the season or stay close to home, I want this bag on my arm.

With the popularity of farm-to-table dining still growing as fast as the produce itself, “eat local” is now a state of mind rather than a trend. But Four Seasons Hotel Firenze has put a lusciously liquid new spin on the idea with a drink made from ingredients sourced within 100 kilometres (62 miles) of the historic Hotel.

The Tiramisù Cocktail is based, of course, on the classic Italian dessert made by dipping biscuits in coffee and layering them with a whipped mixture of egg yolks, mascarpone cheese, Marsala wine and cocoa. The cocktail version of this sweet staple was created by Luca Angeli, mixologist at the Hotel’s Atrium Bar and a former winner of the Italian Barmen Association’s Cocktail Competition. “My idea was to represent Italy through this world-famous dessert,” he says.

While you may not be a Florentine local, you can drink like one by following Angeli’s recipe, which is included here complete with distances each ingredient travelled to the Hotel.

Tiramisù Cocktail

Ingredients:
1 ½ ounces (40 ml) Vin Santo from Badia a Coltibuono, an ancient Tuscan estate producing wine since the Renaissance (61.8 km, or 38.4 miles)
¾ ounce (20 ml) cream from the local farm Il Palagiaccio, which dates back to the thirteenth century (38.3 km, or 23.7 miles)
1 ounce (30 ml) vanilla ice cream, homemade (0 km)
1 brewed espresso made from the beans at Espresso Giada, an artisanal roastery in Pistoia (49.3 km, or 30.6 miles)
1 Cantuccio di Prato Biscottificio Antonio Mattei, a typical Tuscan almond biscuit (23.3 km, or 14.4 miles)
3 coffee beans from Espresso Giada
Cocoa São Tomé powder by artisanal chocolatier Roberto Catinari in Agliana (30.5 km, or 18.9 miles)

Directions:
Turn a slightly damp martini glass on its side and place 1 tablespoon of the cocoa powder on the top inside edge. Turn the glass slowly to rim the top half of the inside of the glass with cocoa.

Pour the remaining ingredients into a martini shaker, shake well and strain into a glass.

Garnish with more cocoa and 3 espresso beans.

See this recipe and others at Taste—your stop for the best in global food and drink.

This story originally appeared April 19, 2013 on Taste.

London’s booming restaurant scene is more vibrant, exciting and delicious than ever. Here are five newcomers that are especially noteworthy.

Balthazar, 4-6 Russell Street, London WC2B 5HZ
Why go: Renowned restaurateur Keith McNally brings his venerable French brasserie and boulangerie and New York institution back to London, his birthplace, and the neighbourhood of Covent Garden.
The vibe: This outpost is outfitted with red leather banquettes, mirrored walls and brass rails for a warm, welcoming feel—much like its sister restaurant, whose décor is nearly identical.
Eat this: The fruits de mer are faultless, but it’s the meaty classics like tartare, steak frites, and C and C boeuf for two that really shine.
Drink that: Grab a big-ticket bottle of wine to match your big-flavoured meal with selections from Krug, Pig-ti, Haut-Brion and more.

Beagle, 397-400 Geffrye Street, London E2 8HZ
Why go: You can get a little bit of everything under one roof, or in this case, under three renovated railway arches: restaurant, bar and coffee shop.
The vibe: Blackened steel, wood floors made of reclaimed railway sleepers, and clean brickwork lend a casually cool feel to the space.
Eat this: Many items are fired up on a wood grill, which imparts a subtly smoky flavour and visually appealing char. Standouts include the chicken wings with romesco sauce and wild sea bass with samphire and cucumber.
Drink that: The signature hangover cocktails carry you through those mornings that follow late nights. One clever concoction is Unbeeten: ginseng liquor, beet and apple juice, and a special seasoning mix.

Coya, 118 Piccadilly, London W1J 7NW
Why go: Peruvian cuisine, the latest food craze in London, goes haute at this contemporary Latin American restaurant, which happens to be a short stroll from Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane.
The vibe: The swanky dining area, in a grand Georgian town house, is decked out in an Inca-influenced palette with metallic accents.
Eat this: If you’re in the mood for something light but packed with flavour, look no further than the ceviches. The sea bass and salmon are especially bright, citrusy and fresh.
Drink that: There’s a fully stocked pisco bar, where the spirit is housed in traditional botija mud containers. The Pisco Sour is a must.

Newman Street Tavern, 48 Newman Street, London W1T 1QQ
Why go: Because it’s much more than just a place to grab a pint. The menu, comprising British classics with a modern and seasonal twist, breathes new life into standard pub grub.
The vibe: Accented with dark wood, spruce green walls and nautically themed artwork, the handsome split-level restaurant makes a terrific casual meeting place.
Eat this: Don’t miss out on the small seafood starters such as creamy brown crab on house-made bread and the cognac-kissed crab bisque. Better yet, order several to make a complete meal.
Drink that: It makes good sense to wash all this down with a refreshing pint, so it’s a good thing local favourite Crate Brewery is on tap.

The Clove Club, Shoreditch Town Hall 380 Old Street, London EC1V 9LT
Why go: It’s one of the hottest tables in town, and the newest restaurant by the boys of the highly acclaimed restaurant Upstairs at the Ten Bells.
The vibe: Packed, lively and fun. The two-room ground-level space in historic Shoreditch Town Hall is divided into a dining area and a more casual bar area.
Eat this: This is no ordinary fried chicken. Boneless, buttermilk-marinated chunks of meat are flash-fried, doused with a pine-infused salt, and tucked into a basket of fresh pine needles and pine cones.
Drink that: For a refreshing spin on a classic cocktail, sip the Oaxacan Old Fashioned. It’s a blend of tequila, mescal, agave syrup and orange rind.