I was on the hunt for a casual lunch spot. Like cartoon waves of aroma floating in the air, the appetite-stirring smell of freshly made pizza lured me to the Pizza BX restaurant across the street from my hotel in Porto, Portugal, Infante Sagres. Upon close inspection of the various pies, however, I was disappointed—they looked soggy and unremarkable. However, the rest of the menu proved to be much more appealing and rewarding. Read about it >
Tag Archives: travel
When Your College Dorm Used to Be a Hotel for the Super Rich
On my way to a wedding farther south in Florida, I stopped for a few days in St. Augustine, one of that spectacular triumvirate of architecturally grand cities in the Southeast. I had already been to Charleston, South Carolina, and I’ve been to Savannah, Georgia, three times. St. Augustine, the oldest city in the United States (founded in 1565), was the standout, and I was thrilled to finally visit it. One of its many highlights is the incredible main building of Flagler College. Formerly a majestic hotel, it now functions mostly as a dorm. It’s still so beautiful that it offers tours not only to prospective students, but to the general public, and it’s filled with an abundance of treats and secrets. Read about it >
Share my story:
Bring On Brunch!
Who doesn’t love the occasional weekend brunch? Certainly not anyone in Brooklyn Heights, New York, where I live, and where that special weekend meal brings in the crowds to any place that serves brunch, resulting in lines that spill out onto the sidewalk. No matter; I’ve enjoyed lingering over this smash-up meal in many places outside of my neighborhood, in far more appealing surroundings than, say, Atlantic Avenue. Read about the top five brunches >
Share my story:
The Best Buildings in Portland, Oregon
Known for its focus on urban planning, Portland, Oregon, takes its architecture seriously. It’s second only to Chicago in the number of LEED-accredited “green buildings” in the United States and is steadfast in preserving and repurposing older buildings. Height restrictions on new construction preserve views of Mt. Hood. But as I roamed around this likable city, I found that the most impressive buildings were those that predated the concept of urban planning. Read about the top five buildings in Portland >
Share my story:
A Hidden Gem Right Out in the Open
Don’t go to Sintra, Portugal, on the weekend—too crowded. Don’t go on Monday—too crowded. So I opted for Thursday. And? Too crowded. While the massive number of tourists at the key sites and restaurants in the heart of the city may sap your energy, you can find respite and a wonderful meal at the surprisingly uncrowded Fatto da Cláudio Coelho, just a five-minute walk from the throngs on a well-trod road. Read about it >
Share my story:
Music in the Sky: The World’s Best Bell Towers
I’ve had the opportunity to ring the bells at the Church of St. Anne Shandon in Cork, Ireland, and at the Church of the Assumption on an island in Lake Bled, Slovenia. But, for the most part, my experiences with bell towers have been restricted to admiring their vertical beauty and listening to their heavenly music, and that’s rewarding enough. No matter their purpose, from cheerful chimes on college campuses to somber tolling marking a funeral, bell towers make for striking exclamation points in a cityscape. Read about the top five bell towers >
Share my story:
California Is Golden for Many Reasons
The third-largest state in the United States—and arguably the most famed, iconic, referenced, idealized, and vilified—California has always been many things to many people, from the 300,000 indigenous people who lived here before the Europeans showed up, to miners with gold fever who flocked here in the mid-1800s, to drought-weary Okies looking for salvation during the Dust Bowl era of the 1930s. Now, even if you’re not an aspiring actress lured by the glitz of Hollywood, or a granola or surfer dude looking to live off the grid, the Golden State and its vast array of attractions will lure you here and inevitably make an indelible impression upon you. Read about the top five things to see and do in California >
Share my story:
An Architectural Adventure in Helena, Montana
Midway through Big Sky Country, between Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park, I took a little urban break in Helena. To me, the capital of Montana felt less urban than suburban. Strolling around this open, breathable city is a delight, from the pedestrian mall downtown to the spectacular Mansion District, one of the best historic districts in the United States, offering some memorable architectural surprises. Read about the top five buildings in Helena >
Share my story:
Porto’s Vogue Café Defines Taste—and Tastiness
I had been enjoying a generous breakfast spread at Infante Sagres, a luxury hotel in the heart of Porto, every morning for a week at the hotel’s Vogue Café. On my last night in town, I returned to the swanky café for dinner and was rewarded with the best meal of my entire trip to Portugal. Read about it >
Share my story:
Architectural Stars in the North Star State
I’ve been to Minnesota three times—once on a lark in late autumn when an unexpected snowstorm necessitated purchases of gloves and hats, once on a quick business trip to do a press check at a former job, and once as a starting point for a two-week romp around the Dakotas. None of them were long enough to completely immerse myself in the 12th-largest state in the United States, yet they did afford me the opportunity to check out some of the state’s more than 10,000 lakes as well as its striking architecture. Read about the top five buildings in Minnesota >
Stephen Travels 