A perfect day in Manchester

It's official: Another Perfect Day is on the way.

Flying in a more luxurious class than economy was on my bucket list, but I couldn't afford it until I came across a deal to upgrade my flight from Manchester, England, to New York City earlier this year.

Oct 7, 2024 • 14 min read

I took my first river cruise somewhat reluctantly. It was on my mom's bucket list, and I love my mom. So I agreed to a Columbia and Snake River cruise on American Cruise Lines that would take us from Idaho through Washington to Oregon, with stops in sleepy towns ripe with Lewis and Clark history.

Oct 2, 2024 • 11 min read

If you’ve long wished to explore the Outback, but don't want to give up your job, there's a way to live out your day dream—Australia's Working Holiday visa programs are a great option for people between 18 and 30 years old (35 in a few cases) to live and work in Australia for the short-term.

Late-day sunlight bounced off the rapids in the river below. The water sang different notes as it splashed up and over rocks. As I cycled along the riverside path, heading downstream just like the current, the flowing water and the route it carved over eons along the valley floor presented an ever-changing landscape.

As a fashion industry veteran, the men’s wear designer Jesse Rowe has been to countless stores. The one he can’t stop thinking about is Marcello, a hidden shop in Fukuoka, Japan. “You walk into a nondescript building, go up a couple of flights of stairs to the rooftop, walk along a stone path, then go down a fire escape to this completely transporting clothing shop,” says Rowe. The designer has brought that spirit of discovery to Zebra Room, a boutique in Germantown, N.Y., that’s equal parts coffee shop, cabinet of curiosities and listening lounge. Housed in a converted barn, Zebra Room devotes most of its square footage to a collection of midcentury Scandinavian furniture that Rowe’s brother imports from Copenhagen (highlights include an Inca chair by Arne Norell). There are also secondhand clothes and goods, from vintage marinière shirts to handmade leather dog collars. A coffee bar (which serves everything from Mexican café de olla to cold brew tonics topped with yuzu) is set up in a cube leftover from an exhibition held by the shop’s next-door neighbors Alexander Gray Associates. Rowe and his wife, the interior designer Loren Daye, clad the plaster installation with hemlock wood to keep with the natural feel of the space, which also has a 1970s cast-iron stove and retains the barn’s bluestone dirt floors. The cube houses Rowe’s record collection and sound system, which the designer has modeled after those in Japan’s kissa cafes. He alternates between vinyl and streaming, but the shop’s soundtrack is always played through a restored vintage SunValley/Dynaco tube amplifier and Klipsch LaScala speakers; similar tube amps, turntables and speakers are also for sale. “I want it to feel like someone’s living room — you might have to yell over the music,” says Rowe.

“S cottsdale topped the list of destinations for my sister’s bachelorette,” says Alexis Vazquez. Vazquez wrapped her maid of honor duties last month. Her voice has an edge of relief as she chronicles the logistics of planning her sister Reina’s dream bachelorette in Arizona. “Planning a wedding can be a nightmare, but people underestimate how complicated it is to throw a successful multi-day bachelorette party.”

When visitors to Greece flock to the famous islands of Santorini or Mykonos, they’re overlooking the natural beauty that the northern part of the country has to offer. The island of Thassos is a perfect alternative for those seeking a more tranquil and authentic Greek experience, and Elia Stone Villas Deluxe Private Pool Villa is the ideal place to stay while you’re there.

If you’re one of the lucky ones with tickets to the Oasis reunion tour, all that remains is finding rock star-worthy digs. With the concerts coinciding with summer in the United Kingdom and Ireland, the best vacation rentals come with outdoor space or proximity to urban parks and beer gardens. These Guest Favorite Airbnbs in Manchester, London, Edinburgh, Dublin, and Cardiff are pitch perfect for the Oasis Live ’25 Tour.

Get ready to hit the road for a green adventure along the scenic byways and backroads of Vermont, where every twist and turn leads to beautiful landscapes and friendly communities. Thanks to the state’s robust EV charging network, it’s easier than ever to explore every inch of Vermont while keeping your carbon footprint in check — you’re pretty much guaranteed a worry-free drive regardless of your starting point.