Since 1969, restaurant, hotel, travel & other witty reviews by a handpicked, worldwide team of discerning professionals—and your views, too.
THE LOIRE VALLEY

Mention the Loire Valley and you conjure up visions of fairytale castles set against a backdrop of green fields and rows of poplars, hillside vineyards and the swift-flowing Loire. The river, France's longest, gives the region its name; the Loire's waters nourish this land, the “garden of France,” a gentle, rolling landscape that seems to breathe peace and prosperity. The magnificent châteaux that suddenly appear on the horizon take one's breath away: these manmade wonders are surely as dramatic as any natural landscape could be. Built of “pierre de Loire”, the porous local limestone, each of the region's 300-odd châteaux played a role in French history, serving first as fortresses, later as elegant residences for aristocrats and royalty, and then as barracks or even quarries after the Revolution. Now the major châteaux have been restored and transformed into museums, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each year from all over the world. Read on...


(Updated: 03/26/08 MG)

72 HOURS IN ST. LOUIS

Former host to the World's Fair of 1904, St. Louis is a town worthy of the global stage. Offering a plethora of entertaining activities, luxurious hotels and fine restaurants, there is much to experience in this urban cityscape.

BUSINESS IN ANAHEIM

Known for its competitive baseball team and Disneyland, this Southern California city has a high-tech suburban vibe, dominating several industries, including healthcare, financial services and real estate.