Straddling Flatbush and Canal Streets between Brooklyn and New York City is the Manhattan Bridge built in 1909. It is the last of the three suspension bridges built over the lower East River. A slow walk across is a good workout, a cultural journey, a history lesson, and a study in architecture. Grab a coffee to go, take a stroll, and stop to watch street life unfold along the banks from a birds-eye view.
Postcard from...Helsingor
About 45 minutes north of Copenhagen is the quaint town of Helsingor that boasts two must see attractions for anyone spending more than a few days in Denmark. The Maritime Museum designed by Bjarke Ingalls is housed in a repurposed dry dock and has a cafe and museum store that rivals the best independent boutiques and cafes. And the Kronborg Castle, pictured above, the inspiration for Shakespeare's Hamlet that opens to magnificent views of the the sea.
Postcard from ... Berlin
The capital city of Germany dating back to the 13th century Berlin is an veritable wonderland of culture, art, and innovation. Sitting just behind London as the second most populace city in Europe, its a city where centuries of history and the future itself can be felt at once. I was fortunate to be able to travel there for this year's Berlinale spending nearly all of my time strolling the streets and taking in their incredible art scene. The Bauhaus Archive is a must see for all of you Mies fans, as is C/O Berlin a gorgeous space dedicated to international photography. Make sure you spend some time in the areas of Mitte and Neukölln boasting great food and a down town vibe, and stroll along the East Side Gallery - an open-air gallery consisting of a series of murals painted directly on a 14,000 foot long remnant of the Berlin Wall.
Postcard from... British Columbia
I could wax poetic about Vancouver, B.C. ...the art, the food, architecture, the people, the quality of life... all world class and all noteworthy, but Capilano Suspension Bridge Park took my breath away. High pedestrian suspension bridges and boardwalks weave you through the boughs of 400-800 year old pine forests, lichen gleaming and mist on the rise, it is a sensational experience any day of the year. I trekked the treetops in teaming rain on an unusually cold day, and still the beauty eclipsed the weather.
Postcard from...Rideau Lakes, Ontario
Just over the US/Canadian border and close to the capital city Ottowa, Rideau Lakes boasts some of the most gorgeous water front, nature hikes, and towering cliffs in the region. Three hundred and ten miles of shoreline excluding the Rideau Waterway (a Unesco Heritage Site), form the backbone of the local economy where farming and tourism flourish throughout the year. An easy five hour drive from New York City and you are transported into what feels like deep wilderness one day or quaint small town living another bookending a perfect get away,
Loving...Western Massachusetts
There are few places more beautiful this time of year than New England. Western Massachusetts is my home away from home, replete with beautiful farms, long barns, gorgeous vistas, and sugar shacks. Home to artists, musicians and intellectuals of every stripe, I never quite feel so quiet and at ease as when I am walking along country roads taking in the last gasps of color before a long winter.