Shopping in New York City, even for a somewhat jaded ex-New Yorker like myself, can often yield some pretty nifty surprises. A few years ago, to cite but one example, I found three spectacular wooden Catholic saints from Macau in an outdoor Chelsea antiques market that no longer exists (thanks to a new condo). What caught my eye about these saints was their distinct Asian features, something I'd never seen before, or since. The price? $90 each. Two still adorn my home in Miami; the third I…

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One of the perks of being part of the tourism-industrial complex is that you get the darndest invitations – and some, no matter how busy you are, you simply can't pass up. Case in point: last week's launch of Disney's revamped 3-D "Star Tours ~ The Adventures Continue" attraction at the Hollywood Studios theme park. Yes, I was having a mind-bending week workwise, but having… Continue

Gelato. For some, it's an obsession. For me, the word "cult" comes to mind. Now, before you go thinking I'm nuttier than pistachio, let me explain. It all started with my first trip to Italy back in 1987, where I learned that all I thought I knew about ice cream had been a lie. I still remember the moment of epiphany: standing at dusk outside a small gelateria artigianale in the town of Mariano Comense north of Milan, near Lake Como, with a local friend who…

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Some 3 1/2 hours by road from Namibia’s tidy capital of Windhoek, out in the Namib desert of the country’s southwest, you’ll find one of the world’s more impressive natural sights and experiences: its highest (up to some 280… Continue

Like many of you, I’m a big fan of Mexican cuisine. Being Cuban, I also happen to have a sweet tooth, but in my experience, original desserts aren’t exactly Mexico’s strong suit; those I have found tend to be imports from elsewhere, like flan from mother country Spain and tres leches from Nicaragua. I have also for the most part not found distinctive… Continue