Editor's Picks: August Update

August Update

This Month’s Dream: Secret Lubéron

More than fifteen years after British author Peter Mayle first wrote about the Lubéron, a then little-known region in the South of France, it continues to cast a spell over those who dream of trading cityscapes for vineyards—if only for a vacation. It’s true that by now, parts of the Provencal enclave have turned into hopeless caricatures of themselves, which is why you need an insider to explore the off-the-beaten paths. Beyond well-known towns like antiquing Mecca Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, there such totally authentic, tiny villages as Banon and Cucuron to be discovered, in which life revolves around the weekly market, the best local restaurants and this year’s grape crops. Slipping into the languorous rhythm of French country life has never been this easy. Read an insider’s tips on special town and places.

Cultural Weekend: Dallas

In recent years, Dallas has emerged as a vibrant, fast-growing art destination, drawing connoisseurs who come for weekend-long pilgrimages to explore the riches. There’s the well-endowed Arts District, home to the renowned Dallas Museum of Art and the gem-like Nasher Sculpture Center, housed in a luminous Renzo Piano buildling. There are also big plans for the future, including an ambitious new Performing Art Center and contemporary art museum, both to open next year. A great new base from which to venture into the city’s art trove, is the recently opened Joule, which is centrally located, has 129 gorgeous rooms (it was designed by Adam D. Tihany) and a Charlie Palmer restaurant that has local foodies buzzing. Read our review: The Joule.

Indagare in Action: Colombia

The travel world is buzzing about Colombia’s comeback (insiders on Indagare raving about it include designer Moises Esquenazi and Surevolution founder Marcella Echavarria). From the modern capital of Bogota to the beauty of historic Cartagena and the pristine Caribbean coast, the country’s appeal continues to grow as its rocky past fades. Indagare recently collaborated with one of our favorite tour operators, Cox & Kings, on a week-long itinerary for two of our members heading to Colombia later this fall. Highlights include behind-the-scenes tours of Bogota and Cartagena as well as a sojourn at a funky eco resort in Tayrona National Park. Read about the Colombia itinerary.

In the Know: D.C.’s Newseum

Before one of our editors visited Washington D.C.’s hottest new cultural attraction—the Newseum, a museum dedicated to the news—she had heard much about it from friends, who raved about its architectural beauty (it was designed by New York architect James Polshek) and complained about the price ($20). She was not prepared, however, for the huge emotional impact it would have on her. One of the first exhibits is dedicated to 9/11, with a big, mangled piece of the antenna from the top of the Twin Towers presented like sculpture. In a short and tremendously moving documentary, journalists and photographers who covered the event talk about their experiences—the surreality, the chaos, the grief. Also simple and stunning are displays like the armored pick-up truck, its sides riddled with bullet holes, that a Time magazine photographer drove while on assignment in the former Yugoslavia and a large section of the Berlin Wall (the biggest outside Germany). Read her review: Newseum.