Thursday, July 5, 2012

SOUTH KOREA

(does not include Seoul)

BUSAN
Hotels
Park Hyatt – 51 Marine City 1-ro (Haeundae); 011-82-51-990-1234; busan.park.hyatt.com; 200 minimalist rooms & 69 suites with floor-to-ceilings; bakery, spa & 2 restaurants.



HAPCHEON-GUN (Hapcheon County)
Sights & Sites
Haeinsa Temple – 122 Haeinsa-gil (Gaya-myeon, west of Daegu city); 011-82-55-934-3161; www.haeinsa.or.kr/home.html or english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264238; traditionally 1st settled in 802 by 2 monks (Ijeong & Suneung), who had just returned from China; name means “Temple of Reflections on Smooth Sea,” deriving from Buddhist sutra verse that compares Buddha’s wisdom to calm sea; in 13th Century, Korea at war with Mongols & Korean government, in exile on Ganghwa Island, commissioned Buddhist scripture copy in hopes of earning Buddha’s intervention; resulting Tripitaka Koreana (carved 1237-48, ancient text now stored on CD-ROM) is considered Asia’s best copy; destroyed by fire in 1817 (only Tripitaka library, built in 1488, escaped damage); rebuilt in 1818 during late Joseon (Choson) dynasty; UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1995; Janggyeong Panjeon building notable as among oldest buildings constructed specifically (in 1400s) for artifact storage; main worship hall, Daejeokkwangjeon (Great Light & Silence Hall) houses Vairocana Buddha statue, carved in 1769.



MUJU-GUN (Muju County)
Sights & Sites
Deogyusan National Park Office – 411-8 Samgong-ri (Seolcheon-myeon; 011-82-63-3223-1745; english.knps.or.kr/Knp/Deogyusan/Intro/Introduction.aspx?MenuNum=1&Submenu=Npp; based around mountain range of same name; home to over 250 animal species; incredibly scenic at any time of year, with dramatic valleys, rock formations, and numerous waterfalls (most famous being Chilyeon Waterfall, which spills down through 7 ponds); worth hiking is portion of Baekdu-Daegan trail (www.baekdu-daegan.com).



YEOSU
Hotels
MVL Hotel – 111 Odongdo-ro (332-15 Sujung-Dong (3rd Wharf District)); 011-82-61-660-5800; www.mvlhotel.com.
Restaurants
Jin Bok – near rotary, Jungang; 011-82-61-664-7555; boribop with small plates.
Sights & Sites
Dolsan Island – connected to mainland by Dolsan Bridge; mostly rural.
Hirangiram – Dolsan Island; one of Korea’s 4 Buddhist hermitages.
Odongo – camellia-covered island connected to mainland by wide walkway.

Monday, July 2, 2012

SAVANNAH

BAKERIES, COFFEE, ICE CREAM, JUICE & TEA
Paris Market – 36 West Broughton Street; 912-232-1500; theparismarket.com; serves tea at cafe bar.



BARS & NIGHTCLUBS
Circa 1875 Gastropub – 48 Whitaker Street; 912-443-1875; circa1875.com; good martinis and truffle fries.
Perch – 1110 Bull Street; 912-790-9000; local11ten.com; at Forsyth Park’s south end; tree-top bar where get get caipirinhas.



HOTELS
Avia Hotel – 14 Barnard Street; 912-233-2116 or 800-233-1234; hyatt.com/hyatt/avia/default.htm.
Azalea Inn & Gardens – 217 East Huntingdon Street; 912-236-6080; azaleainn.com; vintage gardens, southern breakfast, and 19th Century architecture; hidden garden pool; 10 rooms with private baths; some rooms also have jetted tubs or gas fireplaces; onsite parking.
Ballastone Inn – 14 East Oglethorpe Avenue; 912-236-1484; ballastone.com; former bordello decorated with antiques; gourmet breakfasts in courtyard.
Bohemian – 102 West Bay Street (Savannah Waterfront); 912-721-3800; bohemianhotelsavannah.com; 75 rooms; equal parks contemporary and traditional features; terrific roof-top pool.
Foley House Inn – 14 West Hull Street; 912-232-6622; foleyinn.com; 2 renovated historic mansions; 4-poster beds, in-room fireplaces.
Forsyth Park Inn – 102 West Hall Street; 912-233-6800; forsythparkinn.com; breakfasts, refreshing beverages and hors d’oeuvres in late afternoon, and special sweets served with coffee and herbal tea each evening after turn-down service; spacious rooms are beautifully appointed and feature architectural details such as intricate 12' pocket doors, soaring 14' ceilings, antique tile around fireplaces; rocking chairs on sweeping columned verandah.
Hamilton-Turner Inn – 330 Abercorn Street (on Lafayette Square corner); 912-233-1833; hamilton-turnerinn.com; near Flannery O’Connor’s childhood home; rooms named for famous Savannah personalities; Flannery O’Connor room comes with with whirlpool spa.
Hyatt Regency Savannah – 2 West Bay Street; 912-238-1234 or 888-591-1234; savannah.hyatt.com.
Mansion on Forsyth Park – 700 Drayton Street; 912-238-5158 or 888-213-3671; mansiononforsythpark.com; restored 19th Century brick and terra cotta Victorian mansion and odern building.
McMillan Inn – 304 East Huntingdon Street; 912-201-2128; mcmillaninn.com; lovingly restored, 1888 Italianate Revival inn; full, hot gourmet multi-course breakfast each morning; afternoon sweets and tea in parlor.
Suites on Lafayette – 201 East Charlton Street; 912-596-1506; suitesonlafayette.com; apartments and townhomes overlooking Lafayette Square; 4-poster beds and marble fireplaces; gourmet kitchens.
Catherine Ward House – 118 East Waldburg Street; 912-234-8564; catherinewardhouseinn.com; elegant bed and breakfast; 9 luxuriously appointed guestrooms with private baths and fireplaces.



RESTAURANTS
Angel’s BBQ – 21 West Oglethorpe Lane; 912-495-0902; angels-bbq.com; in addition to perhaps best barbecue in town, clean bathrooms!
Cafe Florie – 1715 Barnard Street; 912-236-3354; soul food shack in blue-collar, midtown neighborhood on historic district edge.
Circa 1875 Gastropub – 48 Whitaker Street; 912-443-1875; circa1875.com.
Elizabeth on 37th – 105 East 37th Street (Victorian District); 912-236-5547; elizabethon37th.net; elegant, turn-of-20th-Century mansion that has been feeding Savannah’s upper crust for decades; regional specialties.
Firefly Café – 321 Habersham Street (on Troup Square); 912-234-1971; fireflycafega.com; must-visit locale.
Local 11Ten – 1110 Bull Street; 912-790-9000; local11ten.com; at Forsyth Park’s south end; farm-to-table eatery; in former Savannah Bank vault.
Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room – 107 West Jones Street; 912-232-5997; mrswilkes.com; iconic fried chicken; no reservations.
Randy’s Bar-B-Q – 750 Wheaton Street; 912-358-0701; in rough part of town but worth trip.



SERVICES
Natalie von Loewenfeldt – 912-376-9835; mixed media artist and philanthropist who creates bespoke studio tours with local, blue-chip artists.
Captain Mickey Youmans – 220 East Hall Street (Savannah Production Group); 912-596-5259; native Savannah filmmaker; picks you up at nearest waterway (or even River Street); tailored tour on restored, limited edition 1970 Boston Whaler.



SHOPPING
Arc – 320 West Broughton Street; 912-234-1175; shop-arc.com; vintage-wear for men and women; also carries items by new designers.
Arcanum – 346 Whitaker Street; 912-236-6000; arcanumsavannah.com; antique and modern design items.
Papillote – 218 West Broughton Street; 912-232-1881; papillote-savannah.com; chef is veteran of 8 Michelin-starred restaurants; pret-a-picnic fare.
Paris Market – 36 West Broughton Street; 912-232-1500; theparismarket.com; artisan jewelry and local artworks.
Shop SCAD – 227 Martin Luther King Boulevard (at Savannah College of Art & Design Museum); 912-525-7191; scad.edu/museum.



SIGHTS & SITES
Lucy Armstrong Mansion – 447 Bull Street; 912-236-2491 (law firm); bouhan.com; formerly Armstrong Junior College, now Bouhan, Williams & Levy law offices; Italianate mansion.
Bonaventure Cemetery – 330 Bonaventure Road; 912-651-6843; savannahga.gov; featured in Midnight in Garden of Good and Evil; Conrad Aiken and Johnny Mercer buried here.
Historic District – officialsavannahguide.com; largest in country, consisting of 21 squares laid out by General James Oglethorpe in 1733.
Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home – 207 East Charlton Street; 912-233-6014; flanneryoconnorhome.org.
Forsyth Park – Bull Street (between Drayton, East Gaston Street & Whitaker Streets, and East Park Avenue); 912-651-6610; savannahga.gov; among colonial Savannah’s original land (1733) and former parade grounds; Savannah’s central park; 30-acre park with 1-mile perimeter; park’s north end has 1858 cast-iron fountain designed to resemble Place de la Concorde fountain in Paris (Forsyth Park Fountain exact replica resides in Cuzco, Peru); monuments to Confederate Soldier, Marine Corps Monument, Spanish-American Monument, and Fragrant Garden for Blind.
Hodgson Hall – 501 Whitaker Street; 912-651-2125; georgiahistory.com; houses Georgia Historical Society.
Magnolia Hall – 507 Whitaker Street; 912-525-5100; www2.scad.edu/savannah/visit/tour/magnoliahall.cfm; constructed in 1878 by New York architect Abraham J. Snedeker; several noted literary figures associated with the home, including Pulitzer Prize-winning poet laureate Conrad Aiken (born here in 1889); John Berendt resided here while writing New York Times bestseller Midnight in Garden of Good and Evil; SCAD guesthouse.
Savannah History Museum – 303 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard; 912-651-6825; chsgeorgia.org; among South’s oldest art museums;
Savannah College of Art & Design Museum – 227 Martin Luther King Boulevard; 912-525-7191; scad.edu/museum.
Victorian District – just south of Historic District; post-Civil War architecture.

ATLANTA

(includes Decatur)

BAKERIES, COFFEE, ICE CREAM, JUICE & TEA
Bakery at Cakes & Ale – 151 Sycamore Street (Decatur); 404-377-7960; cakesandalerestaurant.com.
High Road Craft Ice Cream & Sorbet – 2241 Perimeter Park Drive, Suite 7; 678-701-7623; highroadcraft.com; soon to move to Marietta location; try pistachio honey ricotta.
Octane Coffee Bar & Lounge – 1009-B Marietta Street NW; 404-815-9886; octanecoffee.com; try grilled PB&J.
Sublime Doughnuts – 535 10th Street; 404-897-1801; sublimedoughnuts.com; “doughnuts good enough for someone’s last meal on death row”; try A-Town Mocha.



BARS & NIGHTCLUBS
Cakes & Ale – 254 West Ponce de Leon Avenue (Decatur); 404-377-7994; cakesandalerestaurant.com; washed ebony tables and zinc bar; arancini, gougeres, and great cocktails.
Jct. Kitchen – 1198 Howell Mill Road, #18 (Westside/Home Park); 404-355-2252; jctkitchen.com; down-home gourmet cooking; slip upstairs to bar with tremendous downtown view.
Holeman & Finch Public House – 2277 Peachtree Road NE; 404-948-1175; holeman-finch.com.
Kimball House – 303 East Howard Avenue (Decatur); 404-378-3502; kimball-house.com; decent restaurant with better bar; in former train station setting.
Leon’s Full Service – 131 East Ponce de Leon Avenue (Decatur); 404-687-0500; leonsfullservice.com.
Manuel’s Tavern – 602 North Highland Avenue NE; 404-525-3447; manuelstavern.com; quintessential neighborhood bar; voted “Best Bar in Atlanta” by Atlanta Magazine, “Best Neighborhood Bar” by Creative Loafing, and among “Best Bars in US” by Esquire.
Paper Plane – 340 Church Street (Decatur); 404-377-9308; the-paper-plane.com; speak-easy-ish.
Sound Table – 483 Edgewood Avenue Southeast (old 4th Ward); 404-835-2534; thesoundtable.com; try Jaguar’s Milk Punch (hot drink with Sombra mescal, Don Diego tequila, white crème de cacao, and hot milk); “do as your told and you will have a good time”; also, tapas.



HOTELS
Mansion on Peachtree – 3376 Peachtree Road (Buckhead); 404-233-3993 or 888-767-3966; rwmansiononpeachtree.com; Rosewood hotel.
St. Regis – 88 West Paces Ferry Road NW; 404-563-7900 or 888-627-7231; stregisatlanta.com; 40K' square pool.
Stonehurst Place – 923 Piedmont Avenue NE; 404-881-0722; stonehurstplace.com; upscale bed & breakfast/boutique type place.



RESTAURANTS
Abattoir – 1170 Howell Mill Road NW; 404-352-3547; starprovisions.com; fresh, local provisions.
Atlas – 88 West Paces Ferry Road NW (at St. Regis Hotel); 404-600-6471; atlasrestaurant.com; upscale hotel restaurant serving artfully plated American food made from seasonal ingredients; tremendous art collection.
Baccanalia – 1198 Howell Mill Road NW; 404-365-0410; starprovisions.com; Atlanta’s “flagship”; international fine dining.
Bantam + Biddy – 1544 Piedmont Avenue, Suite 301; 404-907-3469; bantamandbiddy.com; rotisserie chicken.
Beautiful Restaurant – 2260 Cascade Road SW; 404-758-3883; beautifulrestaurant-atlanta.com; open since 1979; soul food.
Cakes & Ale – 254 West Ponce de Leon Avenue (Decatur); 404-377-7994; cakesandalerestaurant.com; washed ebony tables and zinc bar; chef from Chez Panisse; pork and trout featured.
Cakes & Ale – 155 Sycamore Street (Decatur); 404-377-7994; cakesandalerestaurant.com.
Dolce Italian Atlanta – 3035 Peachtree Road NE (at Shops Buckhead Atlanta); 678-686-2267; dolceitalianrestaurant.com/buckhead-atlanta; chic spot for Neapolitan pizza & classic cocktails in mid-century modern digs with terrace.
Empire State South – 999 Peachtree Street; 404-541-1105; empirestatesouth.com; location in mid-town, hotel-office complex is less than inspiring; best place for southern classics.
Eugene – 2277 Peachtree Road NE; 404-355-0321; restauranteugene.com; upscale Southern.
Farm Burger – 410 West Ponce De Leon Avenue (Decatur); 404-378-5077; farmburger.net; good fried okra.
Flip Burger Boutique – 1587 Howell Mill Road; 404-352-3547; flipburgerboutique.com; try foie gras milkshake.
Harold’s Barbecue – 171 McDonough Boulevard SE (at Lakewood Avenue); 404-627-9268; excellent Brunswick Stew (thick vegetable soup, really) and best cornbread within 100 miles; atmosphere has not changed in last 50 years; pork is slow-cooked, succulent, and tender; sauces are very good.
Heirloom Market BBQ – 2243 Akers Mill Road; 770-612-2502; heirloommarketbbq.com; run by American-Asian chef Jiyeon Lee; Korean-inspired.
Holeman & Finch Public House – 2277 Peachtree Road NE; 404-948-1175; holeman-finch.com; try buttermilk fried quail with Tabasco butter.
Hop City Craft Beer & Wine – 1000 Marietta Street, Suite 302; 404-350-9998; hopcitybeer.com; 1.5K beers.
Horseradish Grill – 4320 Powers Ferry Road; 404-255-7277; horseradishgrill.com; try pulled pork.
Jct. Kitchen – 1198 Howell Mill Road, #18 (Westside/Home Park); 404-355-2252; jctkitchen.com; down-home gourmet cooking; trendy Southern; shrimp & grits; very loud.
King + Duke – 3060 Peachtree Road Northwest (Buckhead); 404-477-3500; kinganddukeatl.com; colonial cooking, updated; modern pub look.
Il Localino – 467 North Highland Avenue Northeast; 404-222-0650; illocalino.com; freshly sourced Italian.
Miller Union – 999 Brady Avenue; 678-733-8550; millerunion.com; tweaks southern “meat & 3” tradition; fresh ingredients; try butterscotch marshmallow ice-cream sandwich or “Almond Joy” ice cream sandwich.
Miso Izakaya – 619 Edgewood Avenue SE, #101 (Old 4th Ward); 678-701-0128; miso-izakaya.xanga.com; Japanese tapas.
No. 246 – 129 East Ponce De Leon Ave (Decatur); 678-399-8246; no246.com; Italian plates prepared in wood-fired oven; hip & loud.
Octane Coffee Bar & Lounge – 1009-B Marietta Street NW; 404-815-9886; octanecoffee.com.
Optimist – 914 Howell Mill Road; 404-477-6260; theoptimistrestaurant.com; retro “fish camp” place; great seafood.
La Paz – 2950 New Paces Ferry Road SE; 770-801-0020; lapaz.com; Mexican; slightly upscale.
Paper Plane – 340 Church Street (Decatur); 404-377-9308; the-paper-plane.com; more bar than restaurant.
Pricci – 500 Pharr Road NE; 404-237-2941; buckheadrestaurants.com/pricci; upscale and for special occasions; classic Italian.
Pura Vida – 656 North Highland Avenue; 404-870-9797; puravidatapas.com; grows many of own produce from private garden; try tilapia ceviche.
St. Cecilia – 3455 Peachtree Road NE (Buckhead); 404-554-9995; stceciliaatl.com.
Sobban – 1788 Clairmont Road (Decatur, at Mason Mill Road); 678-705-4233; sobban.com; Korean-Southern diner.
Straits – 793 Juniper Street NE; 404-877-1283; straitsrestaurants.com; owned by Ludacris; Asian-Southern fusion.
Umi – 3050 Peachtree Road Northwest (Buckhead); 404-841-0040; umiatlanta.com; modern Japanese.
Victory Sandwich Bar – 280 Elizabeth Street NE; 770-676-7287; vicsandwich.com.
Wisteria – 471 North Highland Avenue NE; 404-525-3363; wisteria-atlanta.com; try Honky-Tonk Hummus (made with boiled peanuts).



SERVICES
Westside Arts District Walks – wadatlanta.org; 3rd Saturday each month.



SHOPPING
Cacao Atlanta Chocolate Co. – 2817 Peachtree Road NE (Inman Park); 404-467-4670; cacaoatlanta.com; chocolates.
Get This – 662 11th Street; 678-596-4451; getthisgallery.com; originally skateboard aesthetics, now reaching beyond.
Kiang Gallery – 1011-A Marietta Street NW; 404-892-5477; kiang-gallery.com; American and Chinese artists.
Krog Street Hall – 99 Krog Street; 770-434-2400; krogstreetmarket.com; food market.
Sid Mashburn – 1198 Howell Mill Road NW; 404-350-7135; sidmashburn.com; men’s wear.
Saltworks – 664 11th Street NW; 404-881-0411; saltworksgallery.com; art.



SIGHTS & SITES
Atlanta Contemporary Art Center – 535 Means Street NW; 404-688-1970; thecontemporary.org; West Side pioneer of modern arts; in former truck repair facility.
Fox Theatre – 660 Peachtree Street NE; 404-881-2100; foxtheatre.org; best concert venue in Atlanta.
Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site – 450 Auburn Avenue NE; 404-331-5190; nps.gov/malu; worth taking tour of well-preserved, Inman Park home where MLK grew up; excellent guides give unique perspectives on Civil Rights leader’s formative years; tours begin every hour on hour in winter & every half hour in summer (same-day reservations only).
Margaret Mitchell House – 990 Peachtree Street; 404-249-7015; margaretmitchellhouse.com; features guided tours of apartment where Margaret Mitchell wrote Gone With Wind (see her typewriter!), Gone With Wind movie exhibit, exhibit showcasing her life and times, and gift shop; throughout year, presents various programs designed to honor and preserve her legacy.
Stone Mountain Park – 1000 Robert E. Lee Boulevard (Stone Mountain); 770-498-5690; stonemountainpark.com; quartz monzonite dome monadnock; enormous Gutzon Borglum bas-relief on north face, largest in world; carving depicts 3 Confederate figures: Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, and Jefferson Davis; more than 5 miles in circumference at base; surrounded by Stone Mountain Park; summit reachable by walk-up trail on west side or Skyride aerial tram.