Light fantastique: Paris through the eyes of the impressionists

The United States is experiencing a touch of sociopolitical instability — perhaps karma for the nation's history of interference in other countries' politics? — that is putting its people on edge.

Andrea Zelinski

There is no good way to tell visitors to Paris that the queue at the Louvre never gets any smaller and the trip itself can turn into a day spent in line. The good news is that there are plenty of other spots to visit that will let you experience the real Paris, the one known to its residents, even during the Olympic Games—many of which are centred around the city's historic bridges, terraces and waterways.

When it comes to one of the highest honors in the culinary world, the James Beard Awards lead the pack and are among the most coveted awards a restaurant and chef can receive. Today the James Beard Foundation® announced its Restaurant and Chef Awards nominees in advance of the James Beard Awards® ceremonies this Summer.

“We could combine this with a trip to Leonardo da Vinci's birthplace,” suggests Paola Donato, a shore excursion expert in Italy for Windstar Cruises. It's a January morning, and I'm standing on the tree-lined grounds of the 16th-century Villa Dianella winery in Tuscany with Donato, project manager Melissa Witsoe, and destination manager Gonzalo Mones as they choose locations for new shore excursions for their Legendary Winter in the Mediterranean sailing. This year marks the first time Windstar will sail the Med in the colder months, but the trio is already planning for 2025.

Michael and April Meyer's love affair with France began with a trip to the country five years ago to celebrate their wedding anniversary.

Within one year, I embarked on two of the longest flights of my life.

From the moment you arrive, Yosemite dazzles with its natural good looks. One of America’s most iconic national parks and its third oldest, it captivates with myriad waterfalls, sky-grazing sequoias, gemstone-hued lakes, subalpine wilderness areas and granite cliffs and buttresses, like El Capitan and Half Dome.

It’s easy to forget that there’s so much more to flight attendants’ jobs than serving passengers drinks and snacks, locating free space in the overhead bins, and passing out earbuds for the seatback entertainment. After all, much of their most important duties occur behind the scenes.

Impressionism, the movement that forever marked the history of art, is now 150 years old, almost to the day. To celebrate the anniversary, the Musee d’Orsay in Paris together with the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., just opened a very anticipated exhibition, Paris 1874 Inventing impressionism,where spectators have the chance to feel as if they were there for the movement’s birth.

A trip to the Maldives — that dreamy equatorial archipelago of white-sand beaches, swaying palms and vibrant reefs — might seem like Champagne wishes and caviar dreams. And its luxury resorts certainly offer plenty of both delicacies. However, there are also affordable all-inclusive options where you won't pay extra for a satisfying meal or a cocktail at the bar, which can be a relief after the time and money spent to reach this far-flung destination.

The business concept of a new travel company called WeatherPromise is simple, if not a little outlandish. Book a trip with them, purchase a WeatherPromise, and you'll get a refund if it rains a certain number of days during your vacation.