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At the beginning of lockdown, the legendary funk bassist began posting uplifting messages to Instagram, where they found a receptive audience in drummer Adam Deitch of the band Lettuce.
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Obi-Wan Kenobi star Moses Ingram shared the hateful messages she’s received online. But why didn’t Disney do more before she got them?
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Croatia has some stunning towns and cities, but none can match Dubrovnik for tourist appeal. The only problem? Given the number of visitors to this Dalmatian port’s small and lovely old town, budget travelers can feel squeezed out.
Never fear: while Dubrovnik can be expensive, some of the finest things to do in the city are completely free. Indeed, a lot of Dubrovnik’s appeal comes down to the experience of just being there.
Stone walls surround green-shuttered houses and elegant churches. During the day, the Adriatic sparkles with sunlight, while at night the paved streets – polished smooth by thousands of wandering feet – have a shimmer of their own. Check out great paintings and colorful markets, or take a swim off rocky coves – it needn’t cost you a Croatian kuna.
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Green hills dot the city’s outer rim, providing a lovely chance to enjoy nature without leaving Dubrovnik. For the best views, hike up the Way of the Cross path to the top of 413m-high (1355ft) Srđ hill to see the old town’s terracotta roofs spread beneath you like the palm of a hand.
Across town, the hiking trails on the Petka hills lead through the cool shade of Mediterranean forests up to stunning views of the tiny Grebeni rocks and the mystical Elafiti Islands. Timing is everything: avoid the high sun and come prepared with water, sunscreen, snacks and a sunhat.
Dubrovnik’s old town stood in for the great city of King’s Landing in the epic TV series Game of Thrones, providing the setting for intrigue, murder and some dagger-sharp one-liners – it looks likely to feature in prequel House of the Dragon too.
For a free self-guided walking tour of the highlights you could start at the Jesuit stairs (near St Ignatius church), where Cersei’s infamous “walk of shame” scene was set, heading past the Pile Gate (where a crowd threw manure at Joffrey). Stroll down to the shore (King’s Landing’s harbor), and continue west past Fort Lawrence (the Red Keep) to serene Gradac Park (where Joffrey had a bad wedding experience).
Dubrovnik’s old town is the city’s greatest sight. Its twin drawbridges and mix of medieval, Renaissance and Baroque architecture give it a fairy-tale feel, and as you explore it every square becomes a stage and every view a postcard. This was once the center of a trading network that stretched from the Adriatic to the Black Sea. Rebuilt after a 1667 earthquake, its promenades and palaces feel like they’ve barely changed in centuries.
The best part for budget travelers? While there’s a fee to climb the famous walls, the streets themselves are open to anyone. You can watch tourists and locals from the stairs of St Blaise’s Church, sit on a bench in the picturesque harbor, or gaze down at swimmers at Porporela.
Churches in Dubrovnik display art by local artists and international greats. In the Baroque Cathedral, you can admire the Assumption of Mary, a three-paneled 16th-century masterpiece by Titian above the main altar. The church, like most in the city, is free, though there’s a small fee to enter the attached Treasury.
Other godly highlights include St Ignatius of Loyola Church, where stunning Baroque frescoes fill the main apse, and St Blaise’s Church, with colorful stained glass windows by renowned local painter Ivo Dulčić.
Many of the visitors who mill around cafe-packed Luža Sq don’t give the carved column in the middle a second glance. But this 1418 statue of an armored knight was once the city’s focal point. The Orlando Column shows the hero of the Song of Roland, a medieval poem that kicked off the whole idea of chivalry. Orlando was adopted by Dubrovnik as a heroic savior – and his 51.2cm (20.2in) right forearm became the city-state’s basic measurement of length, the “ell”.
The Grad Market adds a splash of vibrant color to the old town stone every morning. Many stalls stock such traditional local sweets as dried figs, arancini (Croatian candied orange peel), and bruštulani mjenduli (candied almonds), and offer a free taste before you buy. Foodies should also venture to the city’s main market in Gruž, which has its own fish market.
The 1991–92 war that followed the breakup of Yugoslavia left Dubrovnik shattered. Impressive repair work means the city’s scars are hard to spot, but if you look closely around the old town you’ll see damage from shrapnel and bullets, as well as plaques of remembrance. The ornate, 500-year-old Sponza Palace has a free Memorial Room that shows the portraits of the young men and women who died defending Dubrovnik during its seven-month siege.
The beaches are nearly impossible to privatize around Dubrovnik, so even the most popular ones, like Banje or Sveti Jakov, have room for beachgoers who prefer to put down a towel instead of renting a lounger. For sunbathing the way locals do it, head to rugged Danče or scenic Šulić; for adrenaline, dive off the rocks on Buža. For family time, venture across town to Lapad Bay, which offers pebbly shores and dramatic sunsets.
Visiting the exclusive Clara Stones Jewellery will teach you all about sumptuous red Adriatic coral. The region’s only semiprecious material is known for its shiny scarlet color – yet before craftspeople have their way with the material, it is neither shiny nor red. At the Clara Stones workshop, you can witness the magical transformation first-hand.
It’s hard to believe you can take a day trip to the islands around Dubrovnik at no cost – yet with local NGO Green Sea Safari, you’ll pay for the experience in kind, by helping the group clean up remote bits of the coast. After about an hour’s work, it’s break time, as you swim in crystal-clear waters, island-hop, explore watery caves and more. While the NGO relies on donations, these aren’t obligatory.
Each November and December (and sometimes through to March), the Dubrovnik Tourism Board throws in a freebie for the town’s low-season visitors. On Saturday mornings, free guided walking tours of the old town are followed by a folk singing and dancing performance on Luža Sq, providing insight into traditions that have nourished this gem of a city for centuries.
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Author: Daniel Fahey
Fittingly shaped like a tropical fish, St Kitts packs a lot to see and do in its lush and historical expanse. One of the Caribbean’s best stone forts dominates the north, while a string of beaches dot the south. Distinct mountain ranges – and an extinct volcano – add texture.
Besides the fortress, the island’s other unique attraction is its former sugarcane railroad, now repurposed for sightseeing. St Kitts is a major cruise-ship port, and there’s plenty to fit all budgets, from a free day on a beach to wandering the characterful streets of the main city, Basseterre.
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Whether you’re just here for a day, on a visit from neighboring Nevis or ensconced for a longer stay, you’ll find plenty of extraordinary things to see and do in St Kitts, no matter your style or mood.
St Kitts is home to one of the best stone fortresses in the western hemisphere. The British laid the first huge, black volcanic stone in 1690. Over the next centuries, the fortress was fought over by the Brits and the French, who occupied it from 1782 to 1794 after an intense siege.
Imagine invaders sailing your way as you revel in the views out to sea. Exhibits detail the harsh lives of soldiers stationed here, and the even harsher lives of the slaves forced to construct the 7ft-thick walls. If you only make one excursion to northern St Kitts, make it this Unesco-recognized fort.
The Atlantic-facing beach on the isthmus southeast of Basseterre gets pounded by waves from the open ocean for much of the year. The breakers can offer thrilling swimming, although they also demand respect and caution. Offshore reefs moderate the action slightly, but still, this is the beach to come to for pounding surf. Head to the north end away from resorts and condos to escape the crowds.
Easily walked to from its northern neighbor, this beach is better known as the Strip. It’s the focus of raucous tourist action on St Kitts and has a string of beach bars and clubs popular with revelers nearly around the clock. Not as scenic as its northern namesake, few care when they’re limbering up for another drinking contest. The protected waters offer gentle swimming for all ages.
Cheerfully billing itself as the “last railway in the West Indies,” this rattling, narrow-gauge train offers a leisurely 18-mile tour around a northern portion of St Kitts. Opened in 1926, the railway once fully circled the main part of the island and allowed intensive sugarcane production to continue until the last crop in 2005.
The trains have unusual double-deck cars with shaded, open-air top decks – an ideal perch for taking in the island’s natural beauty. The circular tours also include a 12-mile portion by bus that returns you to the terminal near the airport.
Views across St Kitts and on to nearby Nevis and even more distant Antigua are among the rewards for climbing Mt Liamuiga, the extinct 3792ft (1156m) volcano that looms over the island. The 2.5-mile (4km), 2½-hour trek to the top – the first two-thirds of which is mostly through shady, dense rainforest – is a popular excursion for athletic visitors.
The final ascent is the real challenge, with plenty of boulders and tree roots to navigate on the steep trail. Besides the sweeping views across the sea, the summit vantage point lets you peer down into the deep crater, which has a seasonal lake and active fumaroles. Treks begin in Newton Ground, and the services of a guide are highly recommended.
Few tours circle the north of the island without a pause at Romney Manor, which offers an intriguing mix of old and new attractions. The historic part of this lushly landscaped site is the partial ruin of the Wingfield Estate sugar plantation.
Dating to the 17th century, the manor house and bell tower were the hubs of a large estate that grew rich off the forced labor of hundreds of slaves. The intriguing gardens feature plants first planted in this era. A restored manor house is now home to the well-known Caribelle Batik workshop, where all manner of textiles are created using techniques imported from Indonesia.
The French and English battled for supremacy in the Caribbean for more than 200 years; however, the two historic rivals combined forces in 1626, when the Indigenous Carib people on St Kitts attacked the European colonists. More than 2000 Caribs were killed at this bleak, rocky crevice, some 4 miles northwest of Basseterre – hence the name. Signboards lay out the history, and a small concrete bridge offers an ideal perspective for reflection on the conquest of the region.
The green center of Basseterre is Independence Square. The brightly painted fountain at its center belies its horrific past as the center of the local slave trade – men, women and children kidnapped from Africa were bought and sold here well into the 19th century.
Today the landscaped gardens are a popular gathering spot. Palms soar over the periphery, and in summer, the island’s symbolic trees, poincianas, explode in a scarlet profusion of flowers. Look for bars on the basement windows of the building along the south side of the square; this was one of the fetid dungeons where slaves were held pending sale.
St Kitts’s small principal city, Basseterre, has an equally diminutive focal point known as the Circus. Although oft-repeated local lore claims it was modeled on London’s Piccadilly Circus, this Circus has little in common with its far more frenetic Commonwealth cousin. Yes, four main roads converge here, but the scale is small and the vibe relaxed.
A Victorian-era artifact, Berkeley Memorial Clock, rises from the center of traffic. Meeting in the shadow of this green-hued, gold-trimmed edifice is a local tradition. Find a seat on the terrace of a café at one of the modest surrounding buildings, which combine elements of island and Georgian style, and enjoy superb people-watching.
The same volcanic limestone blocks used to build structures great and small across St Kitts form the walls of the two-story National Museum in Basseterre, which opened in 1894 as the Treasury Building.
Exhibits here trace the island’s history, from the indigenous Carib people through the slave and plantation era and on to independence in 1983. Look for photographs from the 19th century, which unflinchingly document the lives of the workers in the sugar and rum trades. The human drama across the centuries is particularly astonishing given the island’s small size: just 68 sq miles (176 sq km).
This long, south-facing beach is a favorite of the 40,000 residents of St Kitts – the snorkeling is good right off the beach, and the swimming is excellent.
Bars popular with visitors bookend the sand, but along the middle portion you’ll find casual cafes and stalls where people unwind after work, on their days off and always on Sundays. Look for locally caught seafood like grouper served simply right off the grill. The vibe is mellow, friendly and infused with a pulsing soca beat that revolves around limin’ (hanging out, drinking and talking).
Both excursion-minded day-trippers from cruise ships and longer-term visitors will see all sorts of offers for waterborne adventures. Some tours include a stop at a beach on nearby Nevis; other excursions are timed to catch the sunset, and some feature a beach barbecue. Boats range in size from small fishing craft right up to large catamarans, where the party never stops – on and off the poop deck.
Nevis is the other half of this island nation, and its conical shape is best viewed from Cockleshell Beach, on the bay of the same name at the southern tip of St Kitts. The powdery white sand stretches for more than 2 miles (3.2km), and it’s as alluring as any in the Caribbean.
The scene can get frenetic when large cruise ships are in port, so if you prefer a more laid-back scene, pick a less-visited day. Cafes and bars of varying formality and watersports vendors offer myriad ways to enjoy your time here.
While the beaches at the south end of St Kitts justifiably get all the attention, the cove at Dieppe Bay on the northern tip offers a wonderful escape – at times, it can feel like your own private beach.
Dark, nearly black volcanic sand mixes with strands of lighter colors. The surf is gentle thanks to offshore reefs, and the vibe is the epitome of mellow, as the small village is quiet and almost tourist-free. A couple of simple cafes offer views that match their fresh local fare in appeal.
You can go snorkeling and diving in coves all around St Kitts. There are more than 25 dive sites, including several shipwrecks. Coconut Tree Reef is in excellent condition and rewards divers from 40ft to 110ft (12m to 34m) below the surface.
Just off Brimstone Hill, Sandy Point National Marine Park has reefs and sea turtles. Operators organize boat trips that cater to varying skills and interests, from those looking for a selfie with a fish to serious divers ready to explore the depths. Most beaches in the south have vendors with snorkeling gear you can use right offshore. A top choice is White House Bay, which has reefs and shipwrecks.
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Author: Maya Stanton
New York is skyscraper city, its skyline famously piercing the heavens with tall iconic towers. And yet, it wasn’t until relatively recently when some of those sky-high rooftops were finally converted into bars.
We don’t know what took so long, but at the moment, the rooftop bar scene in New York City is better than ever, with high-quality cocktails being shaken and/or stirred up to go along with awe-inducing views of this eight-million-person metropolis.
With the warm weather comes cool, refreshing cocktails, and why stick to the street to imbibe them on a hot summer evening? Reach for the rooftops and that frozen margarita or chilled negroni will taste a lot better with the view.
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You’re free to move about the bar at this singular rooftop watering hole at the TWA Hotel at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Watch the planes land and take off, trying to guess where in the world the destination might be, while sipping on aviation-themed cocktails like Jet Fuel, Vodka is My Co-Pilot, Control Tour Sour and Mile-High Margarita. Just don’t fall into the bar’s infinity pool after imbibing too many rum-based Floatation Devices—otherwise, you may need a real-life floatation device.
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Set above the McKittrick Hotel, famous for housing the interactive performance “Sleep No More,” Gallow Green is a verdant and lively spot that offers frozen rosé/vodka drinks and margarita flights, as well as an array of classic cocktails to go along with the views over Chelsea rooftops and the High Line.
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It’s only six floors up, but Bar Blondeau, located atop the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, offers a stunning view of Manhattan from across the East River. The culinary team from nearby French-Canadian hit Chez Ma Tante took over the kitchen in 2021 and turned the space into a Gallic-leaning bar. With a view like this, the food doesn’t have to be so good, but it is here.
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This charming, antique-loaded bar is only a few floors above the hipster-crammed streets of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, but what it lacks in altitude it makes up for in ambience. Take a seat on the leafy rooftop deck while sipping one of the many inventive cocktails they make here—a beet and dill vodka concoction, for example, or a bison grass vodka-infused drink with apple juice, a play on the Polish cocktail “Tatanka.” The roof deck also has a frozen margarita machine.
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Set 18 floors up in the ModernHaus SoHo hotel, Jimmy provides perfect views of the cast-iron-clad buildings that flank the cobblestone streets off SoHo. Lounge on the outdoor terrace while sipping a refreshing tequila-spiked mango slush or a strawberry-flavored Moscow mule. When it’s colder, head indoors where leather furniture, a fireplace and cocktail list gets warmer and autumnal.
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Built in 1928 in what was once a women’s-only hotel, Ophelia is about as classic New York City as they come. The Art Nouveau stylings, tall ornate cathedral windows and views of the east side Manhattan skyline from 26 floors above the street all make for an ideal venue for drinking a dirty martini, a Manhattan or one of the 14 signature cocktails that are shaken up here nightly. And if all that doesn’t make you feel like you’re king off the hill, A number one, then there’s this little fact: Frank Sinatra used to hang out here.
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Sixty-four floors up, Overstory is brought to you by the people who gave us Saga, the elegant restaurant one floor down, and Crown Shy, the elegant restaurant on the ground floor of this Downtown Manhattan skyscraper. Quaff an expertly made signature cocktail—the 212, with whisky, vermouth, cocoa nibs, Amaro and black pear, is great—or sip a classic libation and enjoy watching the verve and the sparkle of the city below. Overstory recently won Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award, voted by 220 members of North America’s 50 Best Bars Academy.
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Crowned atop the 50 Bowery hotel, this 21st-floor bar in Chinatown has an expansive roof deck with stunning views of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges—the ideal spot for nibbling on excellent pastrami-stuffed steamed buns and veggie spring rolls in between sips from that lychee martini.
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It’s like Havana-on-the-Hudson at Azul, a 200-seat, 20-story-high SoHo rooftop bar that’s bedecked with palm trees, reclaimed wood tables and teal accents where you can nurse mojitos, graze on a pork-loaded Cuban sandwich, and listen to Afro-Cuban jazz, mambo and rumba all night.
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The servers at this 34th-floor bar sport name tags that also include their favorite bad or musical artists. You might see Depeche Mode, Prince or Led Zeppelin and it ends up becoming a conversation starter. No surprise that RT60 sits atop the new Hard Rock Hotel near Times Square. You won’t find any rock star memorabilia on the outdoor terrace; just views of the surrounding towers, plates of snacks like hummus and sliders, and nicely made cocktails. The in-house Yankees-themed NYY Steak, while not on the roof, is a delicious place to retreat to when the stomach starts to rumble again.
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Located atop the Moxy in the East Village, the rooftop bar has a raucous vibe, like you just arrived, mid-party, at a friend’s backyard beer-laden bash—and if that friend had, by chance, a retractable roof and tableside coolers filled with cans of beer and bottles of wine. If you feel like starting early, the happy hour deal is a good one: $5 margaritas and $1 tacos Wednesday to Friday from 4 to 6pm and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 3pm. If you want something more substantial, head downstairs to the in-house eatery Cathedrale.
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Roosevelt Island attracts visitors for the fun cable car that floats between Second Avenue and E. 59th Street and the middle of the island. Many people get off, look around to see a somewhat drab neighborhood, and then get back on cable car to Manhattan. A few others may walk to the southern tip of the island to gawk at the 19th-century ruined hospital once used for quarantining smallpox sufferers. But now there’s another, more cheery reason to come: the Panorama Room, located 18 floors atop the Graduate hotel, lives up to its name with all-encompassing views of the east side of Manhattan, Queens, and parts of Brooklyn. Plus, there are excellent food offerings marrying low and high-brow delights, including caviar nachos and truffle fries.
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With 360-degree views of surrounding skyscrapers plus a riot of dazzling colors across the Hudson River at sunset, Skylark provides visual fireworks to go with a seasonal cocktail menu of well-shaken potent drinks. The libations here are good enough to make you think the person handing it to you should be a hipster wearing old-timey suspenders and have a waxed mustache. From 30 floors up, the bi-level rooftop bar in Midtown is tastefully designed with Art Deco touches and some semi-private nooks, making it an ideal date spot.
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Located in the Dominick Hotel in west SoHo, the seventh-floor terrace bar often changes each year, starting in May. For the past two years, it’s been El Ta’koy, a restaurant and lounge that has other outlets in Chicago and London that fuses ingredients from Mexico and Hawaii to create tantalizing pork-and-pineapple tacos and ahi poke tuna nachos, as well as plenty of fruit-based boozy concoctions to go with the views of SoHo.
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Thirty floors up in Midtown—just two blocks south of Bryant Park—sits Daintree, a sophisticated plant-laden lounge (with indoor and outdoor seating options) that puts its boozy focus on one particular drink: the martini. Choose between five options or scan down to the “Everything Else” part of the menu where you can opt for one of a handful of strong mezcal- and rum-based libations—potent enough that after a few you might squint at the Empire State Building and ask: is there a giant gorilla on that building?
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Author: Maya Stanton
After passengers share photos online of their unappetizing inflight meals, we asked aviation journalist John Walton how airplane food has changed compared with pre-pandemic times, whether there are fewer choices, and how meal standards are evolving.
What’s up with airline food? The classic standup line was echoing through my mind as I scrolled with a grimace as pictures of a particularly rough-looking airline meal, notionally a pasta bolognese, went viral on social media recently, and it wasn’t a one-off.
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Can’t even describe how bad it is and im not even fussy pic.twitter.com/wbhgCboehE— Pat (@patphelan) May 11, 2022
This time it was on a transatlantic flight aboard US-Europe powerhouse Aer Lingus, which connects a dozen North American cities with European destinations over its Dublin hub.
And it’s not the only one recently: easyJet’s sandwich provider seems to be having a bad time of things too. I understand why this dip in standards is happening — airlines and caterers are having a rough go of it at the moment as they come back from the COVID-19 pandemic — but from the traveler’s perspective, that’s not much of an excuse.
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People have a right to expect a decent meal if airlines sell it to them as part of a ticket. But that’s complicated right now. During the pandemic, pretty much every airline cut back on inflight food, and certainly on inflight service. Shorter flights often saw all meal service removed, or passengers handed a to-go bag with something like a sandwich and a little bottle of water. Longer flights usually included options like a chilled salad or, again, a sandwich, with reduced crew contact.
Every airline is bringing back its service from the pandemic at a different rate, and each of them is certainly considering what their particular “new normal” is going to be when it comes to food. That’s even more so for the full-service airlines rather than low-cost carriers.
A spokesperson from Lufthansa, one of United’s transatlantic joint venture partners, tells us that “as the pandemic fades, our meal and service offerings are currently being successively upgraded in all classes. Before the pandemic, there was a choice of meal (non-vegetarian/vegetarian) in economy class on long-haul routes. Currently, since the beginning of the pandemic, there is only one vegetarian main course.”
At Aer Lingus, a spokesperson says that the airline “offers customers traveling with us to North America with a complimentary meal. We serve a selection of meat and vegetarian dishes, such as beef bolognese with pasta, chicken with pepper sauce & rice and vegetarian chili with potato wedges, as well as special dietary options along with complimentary soft drinks and water. A full bar with alcoholic beverages and snacks from our Bia range is available to purchase throughout the flight.”
On longer flights, like the US west coast, the airline offers ice cream as a “mid-flight treat” plus a hot snack. On shorter flights, mainly the US east coast, it’s a wrap (which didn’t exactly look generous) with a “sweet treat” plus tea and coffee, with some free snacks also available.
“During COVID,” the airline explains, “the meal and drinks service were combined to reduce touchpoints. We are now getting back to our pre-Covid meal service by separating out our bar and meal service and are working towards including a greater choice of vegetarian dishes and implementing more sustainable packaging.”
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As a person with some common sense who travels with their eyes open, your initial thought might be that the changes are all about saving money. To a fairly large extent, that’s true. For most airlines, food is basically a “hygiene factor”, something that they have to offer but don’t make money on.
Most airlines that are for-profit companies — rather than government-run exercises in raising their national image overseas — are in the same boat: they know that very, very few people will choose an airline based on anything other than price and schedule, and certainly not on food. So, their incentive (unspoken or spoken) is to keep food slightly above the level of “riot on the plane”.
No airline or caterer we asked was willing to talk to us on the record about the extent to which airlines are cutting costs on food at the moment: “pricing is a confidential topic in our industry,” explains a spokesperson from caterers LSG Group, “but hybrid models become more interesting as carriers try to create a new source of revenue by selling food on board”.
That’s a model that a growing number of airlines are using, offering a basic meal plus the option to buy something more onboard. Going back to the Aer Lingus example, take a look at the PDF of their current Bia menu, which highlights the range of chocolates, cake, biscuits and bars plus porridge, hummus and savory snacks for sale on transatlantic flights in addition to the meal.
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The problem for this airline is that what it’s providing isn’t really matching what it’s advertising. Take a look at the meals it’s showing on its website, with the large pieces of roasted chicken, substantial amounts of veg, a hearty helping of potatoes and a colorful salad side that’s practically overflowing, and then compare with that unattractive pasta dish on Twitter.
There’s always a bit of a disconnect between advertising and reality, as anyone who’s ever ordered anything from a fast-food chain will know, but this seems to be taking it a bit far.
Again, it’s by no means the only one here, but airlines need to be upfront with passengers about what they’re going to get: don’t promise something nice and then fail to deliver it.
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Many airlines are also looking at the post-pandemic situation as something of a “great reset” of those passenger expectations. Whenever you see an airline’s food standards dropping, it’s not overly paranoid to wonder if they are looking to move to paid food and dipping their standards to be able to say “77% of passengers say they want better food, so we’re giving it to them with our new buy-on-board service!”.
But in a lot of different ways, post-COVID cost-cutting— and indeed other problems — might not immediately be visible.
As one example, pretty much everyone is having problems with staffing right now, and that’s certainly true for airline catering companies, airport catering staff and other workers in the complex chain of getting fresh food to your plane.
As another example, many airlines are still operating with fewer flight attendants on the aircraft than pre-pandemic, as a way to try to get themselves back in the financial black. That means there’s a balance between bringing back more complete meals, which might take more time to reheat and serve, and managing to serve everyone on the plane quickly.
Will we get back to the days of celebrity chef partnerships — even for economy food — and expansive menus? Maybe, but it’ll probably look more like the Tom Kerridge-branded sandwiches that British Airways offers for sale than the Heston Blumenthal-partnered shepherd’s pie it offered ten years ago.
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Author: Zachary Laks
From viking history to the world’s first indoor ice cave, Reykjavík’s museums are sure to satisfy curious souls, entertain people of all ages and cater to art lovers of all kind. Make sure to explore street art and outdoor sculptures – one of which doubles as a footbath with a view – and make the most of discount cards, such as the Reykjavík City Card (note that many museums have free admission for children and discounts for students and senior citizens). If you’re visiting in early June 2022, don’t miss the biennial Reykjavík Arts Festival.
Perlan, the glass dome overlooking the city from forested Öskjuhlíð, has traditionally attracted visitors with its panoramic view and the rotating restaurant on the top floor. Now they’ve added an additional attraction – Iceland’s only Nature Exploratorium.
The “Wonders of Iceland” exhibition explains the science behind the country’s natural phenomena as you explore them with all your senses. The highlight is surely the 328ft- (100m-) long authentic “Ice Cave” made with 350 tons of snow, the first of its kind in the world. You can also learn all about Iceland’s fiery volcanoes, melting glaciers, diverse plant and animal life – and don’t forget the awe-inspiring northern lights planetarium show.
Feeling daredevilish? Complete your visit with a woosh on the zipline from the viewing platform (open in summer).
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Ever wondered what Reykjavík looked like at its infancy in the late 18th century? Find the answer at Árbær Open Air Museum – one of the five Reykjavík City Museums.
Árbær itself is an old turf farm and church which has stood in that location for centuries. Around the middle of the last century, as Reykjavík developed, traditional houses were moved from downtown to Árbær where they have since been preserved with their original interiors and furniture and serving as a kind of time warp for curious visitors. Staff is dressed in period clothing and host demonstrations like traditional haymaking and folk dances.
Unsurprisingly, this museum is all about whales. Twenty-three life-sized models of the all whale species found in the waters around Iceland are suspended from the ceiling, creating the illusion of being underwater in close encounter with these giants of the deep. For an even more realistic experience, try the VR headset. Learn all about these fascinating creatures via an interactive display, and listen to their mesmerizing sounds.
This museum is best enjoyed in combination with a whale watching tour.
The stately white building on Hverfisgata, near the center of town, was built in 1909 as the first purposefully built museum in Iceland to facilitate the National Library, National Archives and National Museum. Now known as the House of Collections, it’s part of the National Gallery, exhibiting key works and shedding light on Icelandic art history.
Also visit the National Gallery and Home of an Artist, painter Ásgrímur Jónsson’s house, on the same ticket.
Do you want to face a blood-thirsty Viking warrior? Visit the incredibly life-like wax figures at the Saga Museum that represent important characters from different periods of Icelandic history. An audio guide will lead you through the different scenes, from the original settlers – Irish monks – to the reformation. Most of the scenes represent the Commonwealth Era, characters and events described in the sagas, including the Battle at Örlygsstaðir from Sturlunga saga and Freydís Eiríksdóttir standoff from Eiríks saga rauða.
Afterwards, have your picture taking in Viking gear while swinging a sword. By then you’ve probably worked up an appetite, so check out adjacent restaurant Matur og drykkur.
In beautiful Laugardalur valley stands a futuristic white dome surrounded by trees and massive sculptures. This is sculptor Ásmundur Sveinsson’s (1893-1982) former home and studio, now part of Reykjavík Art Museum. Exploring the sculpture garden with children is great fun for they are permitted to climb the statues.
Discover the work of this pioneer of Icelandic sculpture, whose abstract art – inspired by daily life, folklore and sagas – was met with some criticism at first but his art is now embraced by all. A famous example is “The Water Carrier” (1937) which for decades was not considered beautiful enough to be placed in the city center and was finally moved to the location it was designed for, the corner of Lækjargata and Bankastræti, in 2011.
Buy a ticket that also grants access to Kjarvalsstaðir and Hafnarhús.
Iceland is first and foremost a fishing nation. The Reykjavík Maritime Museum – one of the five Reykjavík City Museums – in the hip Grandi district, traces the capital’s 150 history of fisheries and provides an insight into the nation’s often dramatic relationship with the sea. Make sure to board cruise guard vessel Óðinn and learn about the Cod Wars.
If you’re visiting in early June 2022, take part in the Fishermen’s Day celebrations on June 3–5.
The post Your guide to museum hopping in Reykjavík
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Author: Sarah Stocking
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When Instagram first came out with it’s shopping feature, I didn’t think much of it. For a while, it remained a barely touched icon that I would only click on by accident when I was trying to search the explore page. Eventually the curiosity creeped up in me and I have to admit that I was too quick to judge the social media site’s take on navigating the retail market. Upon clicking the little shop icon, I was faced with a screen chockfull of products that suited my style from popular retailers like Zara and Net-a-Porter to small indie brands that I wish I had found earlier in my life.
I’m an overthinking shopper, so it usually takes me hours to sift through dozens of retailer sites and find picks that are suitable enough to not only make it to checkout, but even make it to my cart. Instagram’s shopping algorithm curates pages of fashion and beauty products from multiple brands for you based off of what you’re interacting with on the app, so it takes a lot of the work out of the shopping equation. I’m not sure why more people aren’t talking about it, because I find myself clicking on that shopping icon a lot more often now. Below, I’ve rounded up the gems that I found on the app. I don’t have the bandwith to check every sartorial option under the sun, so I definitely would’ve missed some of these picks if it weren’t for my newfound love of Instagram shopping. Once you go through my picks, you can test the feature out for yourself.
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It’s true: Not all fashion trends age like a fine wine, but some of them have indeed proven to stand the test of time. That’s something Jennifer Lopez knows a thing or two about, as she’s been wearing a handful of pieces since the ’90s and shows no signs of stopping now.
Below, I rounded up my favorite trends that Lopez consistently brings back every summer, including a specific going-out top, a super-cute matching set, a classic wardrobe basic, and an easy summer dress. Of course, I did all the hard work for you and included lots of shopping picks to go along with J.Lo’s favorite trends.
Next, This Vogue France Editor’s 3-Piece Outfit Just Went Viral on TikTok—Shop the Key Items
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