Corner Social in Harlem, New York.
Travel news roundup.
New York - Beer, burgers and neighbourhood banter will be the specialty at Corner Social, a new watering hole opening that opens on May 17 in Harlem. Wrapping itself around the corner of 126th Street and Lenox Avenue, the modern-day tavern is decked with reclaimed subway tiles, a punched tin ceiling, and a six-metre bar with an 18-tap brass beer box. More than 40 brands of bottled beer complement comfort foods that include braised pork belly, meatloaf sandwich and organic burgers. The inventive weekend brunch menu features buttermilk fried chicken with pancakes and blueberry butter, and cornflake-crusted French toast stuffed with mascarpone and bananas. cornersocialnyc.com
HIDDEN GARDENS REVEALED
Paris - If you're hoping to escape the madding summertime crowds in favour of a more serene exploration, consult Hidden Gardens of Paris by Susan Cahill, a guide to the parks, squares and woodlands of the City of Light. Complete with a map and colour photos, the book is easy to navigate and lists its picks by neighbourhood. While some well-known sights make the cut (Jardin des Tuileries, Place des Vosges, Jardin de Luxembourg), the real finds are those that most tourists may not visit. If you're catching a train at Montparnasse station, for example, take a detour to Jardin Atlantique, an out-of-sight 8.5-acre roof garden that has a forest of 500 trees, tennis courts and ping-pong tables. La Vallée Suisse, on the other hand, is a more diminutive oasis with a narrow cracked stone stairway that leads to a small waterfall, rose garden and an ancient weeping beech tree. $22.99; chaptersindigo.ca
ANOTHER COPPOLA MASTERPIECE
Basilicata, Italy - Palazzo Margherita, Francis Ford Coppola's first European hotel, has opened in the southern Italian village where his grandfather was born. The Godfather director bought the 19th-century property in 2004 and, with the help of famed French designer Jacques Grange (whose past clients include Princess Caroline of Monaco, Yves Saint Laurent and Paloma Picasso) transformed it into a lavish contemporary palazzo. The nine guest rooms feature restored marble floors, Moroccan and Baroque-inspired hand-painted fresco ceilings and clawfoot tubs. Guests can laze by the swimming pool, wander through the expansive garden, or watch classic Italian movies (the vast film library was curated by Coppola himself) in the main salon. palazzomargherita.com
THE ROYAL TREATMENT
London - Regal accoutrements and rooftop tea service take centre stage at the Big British Bang as Selfridges salutes all things British. To celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Summer Olympics, the designer department store has unveiled a series of special events and Union Jack-laden pop-up displays, including a dedicated tiara shop that stocks the headpieces in all budget ranges. Pick up a simple £5 ($8) design by H&M or splurge on a Tiffany's one-of-a-kind £52,500 diamond Grace tiara. Also for sale are replicas of the sparkly wedding-day adornments worn by Lady Diana Spencer and Catherine Middleton. Find your way to the Queen Shop and peruse the exhibit of historic gloves, which includes the never-before-displayed in public Queen Elizabeth I coronation glove. Starting May 31, you can take high tea on the store's rooftop overlooking Oxford Street. selfridges.com
Special to The Globe and Mail