Ten days. During a normal work week, that seems like an eternity. In other circumstances, that same length of time can pass in an instant. With that in mind and a partner-in-crime in tow, I set out to make the most of a whirlwind 10-day journey, from the southern reaches of Spain up to the country’s rugged eastern coast. The goal: to see as much of the country as time would allow. The ultimate road trip. Here are 10 of the adventure’s most magical moments.

1. Picasso Museum Málaga
He’s one of the world’s most celebrated artists, so it’s only fitting that Pablo’s birthplace is also home to a notable collection of his work. This villa-like museum is, without exception, a must-see on any visit to Málaga. museopicassomalaga.org

2. La Alhambra
Spain is thought of as a Catholic country, but Granada’s La Alhambra is a symbol of a different nation. Built as a palace, a fortress and a citadel, it was the residence of the Nasrid Sultans, top government officials, and the royal guard from the 13th through 15th centuries, when the Moors ruled Spain. A striking example of Moorish architecture with equally striking views of the city and ample gardens yearning for exploration, La Alhambra could quite easily fill an afternoon with adventure. Be prepared to wait in lines, as the crowds visiting La Alhambra are plentiful and regular. alhambra-patronato.es

3. El Albaicín
Its winding, hillside streets form what’s known as the city’s Moorish quarter. Stroll the maze of streets and stop in at neighborhood bazaars and restaurants; they feel so authentic to Morocco, right down to the wares being sold, you might forget for just a few moments you’re even in Spain.

4. Maspalomas Beach
Situated at the southern tip of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, Maspalomas Beach represents one of many natural treasures located just off the coast of northern Africa. Massive sand dunes surrounding the happening, clothing-optional beach are a marvel to behold (and even more of a marvel to climb). The most dramatic effect is the sight of the beach appearing like an oasis over the dunes’ edge—the stuff that inspires movies. For the full experience, book a camel ride from a nearby vendor. How many times are you presented with the option of camel-riding before enjoying a cocktail-fueled afternoon at the beach?

5. Carnaval Las Palmas
It’s one of the oldest annual festivals held in Gran Canaria (beginning late January), and the unquestionable highlight of the festivities is the annual Drag Queen Gala. The whole island—gay, straight, trans and everything in between—comes out for what’s best described as the Super Bowl of drag. Not only is the event televised, but tickets to this extravaganza of glitter, sequins and show are so coveted that they sell out almost immediately. This show alone is reason to make a detour to paradise. lpacarnaval.com

6. Authentic Valencian paella
Did you know paella originated in Valencia? That’s but one of many facts you’ll take away from a paella cooking class at Escuela de Arroces y Paella Valenciana. Begin with a guided tour of the Mercado Central to purchase all the necessary ingredients from local vendors, and continue on to the school’s kitchen for a step-by-step lesson in the art of paella. The class is at once educational and delicious. And did I mention it’s also fun? escueladearrocesypaellas.com

7. La Roca Village
No holiday is complete without a little (or a lot of) shopping, and La Roca Village—30 minutes from the beaches of Barcelona—is a destination unto itself. One of nine Chic Outlet Shopping Villages operated across Europe, the labels of La Roca commingle upscale brands like Polo Ralph Lauren, Gucci and Moncler with luxe Spanish-born brands like Loewe, Adolfo Dominguez, El Ganso and Lottussee. This is outlet shopping on a different (more luxurious) scale. larocavillage.com

8. Costa Brava
Translated as “Rough Coast,” it’s known for rugged beaches and, depending on where you land, its unspoiled appeal. In the heart of it all is a real gem known as Sant Martí d’Empúries; stumbling upon it is akin to stepping into wonderland. Perched above the beaches, the medieval town is home to a gaggle of restaurants and small boutiques, along with the church of Sant Martí, dating back to the 16th century. Combined with a stay at nearby luxury hotel and spa Hostal Empúries, this charming town offers the ultimate escape.

9. Centre Pompidou Málaga
The only offshoot of Paris’ famed Centre Pompidou opened outside the City of Lights, the Centre Pompidou Málaga is a celebration of contemporary art wrapped in an eye-popping jeweled box, designed by Alain Sebban. Not only is it the perfect complement to Málaga’s already esteemed catalogue of museums, it’s a winning way to add culture to an afternoon spent lolling about the Costa del Sol. centrepompidou-malaga.eu

10. Skydiving in Girona
For the best view of Girona and Costa Brava, nothing beats seeing it from 13,000 feet! Skydive Empuriabrava, located just a short drive from the beach, is where active thrillseekers (or reluctant ones like myself) can book a tandem jump irrespective of any previous training. Nervous? Don’t be. Not only does Empuriabrava have a standout reputation in the world of skydiving, the team regularly participates in worldwide competitions, and the facilities (considered top-notch, for the record) have provided the stage for a number of European and world skydiving titles. skydiveempuriabrava.com

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When asked what city I consider to be quintessentially ‘American’, many people are often surprised to find that my answer is not New York, Los Angeles or even San Francisco. Instead, my response to this query is invariably Las Vegas.

Why?

Because Las Vegas is the kind of place that could only exist in America. From its bright lights to its towering buildings to its non-stop entertainments, Las Vegas is a dizzying spectacle of delights, the like of which is not to be found in any other part of the world, though many attempt to emulate it.

That fact established, there is a great deal to discover in contemporary Las Vegas. In fact, there is an entire world beyond the gaming tables and slot machines which makes having a game plan for any visit essential. With that thought in mind, I offer my own itinerary from a recent 72-hour visit to Las Vegas as a guideline for planning your own Vegas vacation.

Day 1

Check-in

My host hotel for this visit was the Tropicana Hotel, a Las Vegas legend that has recently undergone a major renovation which has craftily balanced celebrating the property’s historic early days with the contemporary travelers’ demands for modernity. The result is a fun retro-chic hotel with a decidedly South Beach vibe and a dash of kitsch thrown in for good measure. Club suites are beyond spacious and, on a sunny afternoon, the property’s lush two-acre pool area is more dreamily reminiscent of South Florida than the Nevada desert (that is, of course, if you make allowances for the pool’s terribly convenient swim up black jack tables).

After exploring the property and getting settled, it was off to a special dinner hosted for myself and my fellow cohorts at Tender, the Luxor’s signature steakhouse. To be sure, there is no shortage of steakhouses in Las Vegas proper but Tender is exceptional on all counts. Do prioritize a visit to this wonderful surprise of a restaurant. Do order the chilled seafood tower. Do try any of the dry or wet aged specialty steaks on the menu. And for the love of Liza Minelli and all things gayly sacrosanct, make it a cheat night and sample the Bananas Foster Bread Pudding for dessert.

Day 2

What would a stay in Las Vegas be without breakfast in bed on at least one morning?  Taking advantage of a little break in my itinerary, day 2 of my visit began with this required indulgence.

Midday I headed down to the Neon Museum for a complimentary walk down what might literally be considered Las Vegas’ very own memory lane. A veritable graveyard for the signs that have brought Las Vegas worldwide renown, the Neon Museum is infinitely more interesting than you might think at first glance. The guided tour lasts just under an hour and is filled with all sorts of interesting tidbits about Las Vegas history told through the story of the signs that once adorned the city’s most popular destinations. Better yet, it’s the perfect diversion for anyone wanting to dodge the gaming tables for a spell and/or give their drinking wrist a good solid rest.

Following a quick dinner back at the Tropicana’s Bacio, it was off for a spin on the 550-foot-tall High Roller Observation Wheel at the LINQ to experience some of the best views in all the city. For those not familiar with Observation Wheel, it’s basically a gigantic Ferris wheel with enclosed cabins, some of which, like ours, are even outfitted with bars. Best of all, each revolution takes a full 30 minutes so there’s ample opportunity savor the sights and the cocktails.

Views, cocktails and the lights of Las Vegas…what could recommend a thing more highly? Enough said.

To wind down the night, I was fortunate enough to be invited to Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas show at the LINQ, which shows no signs of wear and tear despite being one of the longest running shows on the Strip (Marino, for the record, is the Strip’s longest running headliner). As the name suggests, the show features a number of drag performers serving up memorable lip-sync performances to the musical stylings of legendary divas like Tina Turner, Diana Ross and Patti Labelle as well as current favorites like Britney Spears, Pink and Beyoncé. It’s 75-minutes of great fun and innumerable glitzy costume changes by Marino who deftly weaves the performances together seamlessly with bawdy humor, sequins, and what I can only imagine is an awful lot of hair spray.

Day 3

I spent the early part of day 3 strolling down the Strip and nipping into those “only in Vegas” spots that always seem to call to me. No matter how many times I visit, I am always confronted with the same sense of awe by all the options Las Vegas presents. As I wandered, I honestly wondered if there was any other place on earth with such a massive concentration of global brands and eateries in such relative proximity. My conclusion was that if there was, I had not yet discovered it.

Later that evening I was treated to the chef’s tasting menu at Sage, one of the menagerie of restaurants at the ARIA. An extravagantly expansive space, elegantly outfitted with all the trimmings of a standalone eatery, entering Sage is to enter a world unto itself from the minute guests cross the threshold of its entrance. Meanwhile, with James Beard award-winning Chef Shawn McClain at its helm, the restaurant’s nuanced menu which is laser focused on New American cuisine is more than the equal of its impressive environment. The meal began on a high note with an artfully presented starter comprised of egg yolks, topped with Kaluga caviar, crème fraiche and dill and continued rise to higher heights with each successive course. Of particular note was the Grilled Beef Ribeye Cap served alongside silky celeriac and bone marrow which was as exquisite to the eye as it was to the palate. With other favorites like Grilled Foie Gras, Venison, and Oyster Beef Tartare lining its menu, it’s little wonder that Sage remains a Las Vegas favorite.

Finally, for my last night in Vegas I was invited to check out Spiegelworld’s Absinthe show which takes place in a big top tent on the forecourt of Caesars Palace. More intimate than many Las Vegas shows, Absinthe is a thoroughly updated, wickedly sexy production that is part circus, part cabaret and part vaudeville act with just a hint of burlesque. While the outrageous stunts performed in the show keep the audience members on the edge of their seats (of which not one is bad), the show’s ringleaders keep things moving along with debauched humor well beyond the bounds of PG-13. Interestingly, not long before this trip I had lamented to a friend that it had been a while since there had been a revolutionary entertainment event in Las Vegas, but after seeing Absinthe I realized that I just hadn’t looked hard enough.

Day 4

With my trip at an end, I reflected on the previous 72 hours as my taxi pulled away from the Tropicana en route back to the airport. That old saying, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” came to mind and I wondered if it might not be time to put that statement to rest just like the signs on display at the Neon Museum. Because what one experiences in Las Vegas these days is most certainly not something that should be quietly filed away, it is instead something to shout about. Just a thought.

Find out more information on planning your Las Vegas adventure at www.lasvegas.com,

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What is summer without a little culture?

To assist in planning your spring/summer NYC travel itineraries, I reached out to award-winning art historian and art consultant Natasha Schlesinger for her advice about the hot spots that showcase New York at its artsy best.

Here are Schlesinger’s tips for exploring the cultural side of the Big Apple:

1. The Surrey Hotel. http://www.thesurrey.com/

The Surrey hotel is always a fun place to hang out at either at the Bar Pleiades or the roof garden (accessible only to members and hotel guests). This year, however, the hotel branches out to become an alternative to art gallery spaces as they present their ArtSpeak exhibit with nine emerging and established contemporary artists dispersed through the lobby and the roof garden as a prelude to the annual Frieze New York arts fair which takes place from May 5 – 8 at Randall’s Island Park. For more info about Frieze New York visit http://frieze.com/fairs/frieze-new-york. And for information about the Artspeak tours at the Surrey Hotel, click here.

2. The Highline. http://www.thehighline.org/

Spanning from Gansevoort Street to 34th street along 10th avenue, The Highline offers much more than just a walk above the city. Expect temporary art installations by well-known artists such as Barbara Kruger, Nari Ward and Spencer Finch and art events, concerts and performances put on by the Friends of the Highline. It’s also a really great place to hang out either by day or by night.

3. Park Avenue Armory. http://www.armoryonpark.org/

Though not necessarily what you might first think of as a youthful hang out, Park Avenue Armory has now become one of the hot spots to visit to explore and experience art and the historic space it occupies. Coming this summer is an experiential show by the well-known contemporary artist Martin Creed.

4. Rooftop Cafe and Martini Lounge at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. http://www.metmuseum.org/

You don’t have to always just peruse the galleries at this iconic NY institution.  Why not just enjoy a drink on a Friday or Saturday evening on the rooftop of the Met from May through the end of October. And, while you’re there, take a moment to enjoy the annual installations. This year there is a spooky, surreal partial house by the artist Cornelia Parker called Transitional Object: Psychedelic Barn.

5. Matchabar. http://matchabarnyc.com/

Brooklyn: 93 Wyeth Avenue

Chelsea: 256 West 15th street

These are among the city’s trendiest spots in which to hang out. Their moto “Matcha Fam” is all about the family that matcha bar creates and promotes. There is a daily cafe, cool events at night, great work space, artist and designer shows, pop ups and more. This summer, Matchabar will also partner with ArtMuse to create a pop-up show of emerging artists who create their art in the matcha tradition of combining positive energy that produces life’s magic.

Find out more about Natasha Schlesinger and ArtMuse tours at www.artmuseny.com.

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