Avid tips

In popular imagination, France’s Fontainebleau is inextricably linked to its grand Château. But when I visit, I typically skip it entirely. Yes, the 1,500-room Château de Fontainebleau that was inhabited by French kings and emperors for eight centuries may seem the most arresting attraction in this region 37 miles south of Paris. Instead, it’s the surrounding forest that entices me to return again and again.

Beneath a row of fir trees River Shannon Aloia walks along a remote dirt road on national forest land, scanning the ground for morels.

I am a very, very avid cruiser. Last year alone, I spent 73 days on cruise ships.

I began my exploration of the countless bike paths in New York City as soon as I arrived. As a longtime cyclist in London, I knew that cycling is a satisfying way to get to know a city as a newcomer, and it’s no different in New York: you whip through neighborhoods, witnessing the landscape changing character dramatically between blocks. (My first ever bike ride took me past the copper-colored mansions of Brooklyn Heights, along the tourist-crowded cobbled streets of Dumbo, through Hasidic South Williamsburg and ended outside a crummy dive bar on Grand.) Riding a bike also requires a certain mindset, a kind of calm hyper awareness as you assess your surroundings. It means that you really notice things on a bike: potholes and perfectly flattened rats that need dodging, but also scraps of conversations, or the gauzy silhouette of the Empire State Building peeking out behind skyscrapers to signpost where you are.

Skiers are not shy about spending on the sport they love and will go to great lengths to ensure that they have the proper, most up-to-date equipment. In addition to the newest skis, which these days practically ski by themselves, along with high tech boots that fit like a glove, the proper accessories can surely enhance one’s time on the slopes. These accessories, which range from thin heated glove liners to googles that boast a retro 70s look, should be on every skier’s “must have” list.

Packing for any type of vacation can be stressful, but packing for a cruise, where you likely won’t be able to pop into a Target or schedule an Amazon delivery to replace a missing item mid-trip, only adds to the anxiety. Frequent travelers are likely to have a cruise packing list that outlines what outfits to wear in each port, swimsuits to sport at the pool, and comfortable shoes to wear around the ship, all waiting to be marked off as you place them into your suitcase.