An artist that I keep bumping into, unwittingly, is Patrick Dougherty. Dougherty makes temporary sculptures comprised of twigs and sticks woven together to create towering, curvaceous forms. Most recently I encountered both his sculpture, and unknowingly at the time the artist himself, on a visit to Oahu. Early one morning, I was standing outside the Honolulu Museum of Art (waiting to visit Shangri La) when I came across a group of people assembling his latest sculpture, Footloose. Déjà vu. I still haven't placed it, but I'd been there before. I had seen this. Some memories float in quite clearly, for example, standing on the lawn of a university in the fall watching other assistants cut and place twigs under careful instruction. Other bits remain fuzzy, like where I was exactly and what year it might have been. The full memory hasn't returned to me, but having encountered Dougherty's work three times now, I can't shake the feeling that it wasn't just luck. Fate keeps bringing me back to his works in my travels. It just can't be by chance.

Los Angeles, California. Home to Hollywood, swimmin' pools, and movie stars. But behind the glitz and glamour, lies a city bursting at the seams with good food (enough even to forgive it for unleashing California Pizza Kitchen on the world.) The huge amount and variety of fresh, local produce available, the sheer number of different ethnic cuisines, and the rising class of new chefs all mean that Los Angeles is a food lover's paradise. If you love to hit up your local farmer's market, try out all the latest food trucks, and track down the newest craft brewers while you're at home, then a visit to the city of Angels is just what you need for your next trip.

A diminutive estate at the end of a residential drive, Shangri La sits unannounced. Here, Doris Duke, tobacco-heir turned philanthropist, created her Hawaiian home. She not only created a home for herself, but for her growing collection of Islamic art. Duke carefully curated and created a tiny jewel box full of color, lines and expressions of a culture world's away from the island of Oahu. Odd, beautiful, but out of place? It might seem so at first, but I quickly discovered that Shangri La is uniquely Hawaiian.

Happy May! This month's calendar is from a recent culture-fix trip we took to New York City. One of our favorite buildings in the world, it's hard to tire of looking at the Flatiron Building in New York. (We took you on a virtual tour of the square it sits in last month in Artsmart Roundtable: An Architectural Tour at Madison Square Park.)

And, as always, put this travel inspiration on your desktop, iPhone or e-reader, just choose the size that best fits your screen.

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Overwhelmed by the choices of where to stay in Waikiki? Me too. With so many options, price points, and locations available, it can be difficult to decide. On my last trip to Oahu, I had a chance to take peek in a variety of hotels and scope out where I might want to stay on a return visit. Whether you're looking for a high-rise efficiency, relaxed comfort, a slice of history, or a total retreat, Waikiki (and nearby) holds that for you. Keep reading to take a peek into four diverse hotels in Honolulu.

This is a spectacular photo, that we were lucky enough to capture on such a clear day, of the Basilica of Saint Anthony in Padova, Italy. Not only is it remarkable on the outside, the courtyards inside are well worth a visit, especially on a hot Italian day.

For me, there's nothing more satisfying than traveling in a nice pair of classy slip-on loafers. A perfect shoe is neither too shiny nor casual, but instead falling into the magical zone between comfort and style. Not only can you slip loafers on and off easily at security, but you can stride through the airport, knowing that you look good. Plus, when you're out and about during the day, you can blend in more easily than you would dressed in "travel" or tennis shoes. You may be on tour, but you don't have to look like the stereotypical tourist. So to help my fellow traveling males out there, I'm sharing some shoes I've found that I'd gladly take with me on any trip.

My personal favorites in my current wardrobe are my Gordon Rush 'Madison' Loafers (see above) and my black Kenneth Cole NY loafers, which are sadly no longer made. I've also been eyeing up these Allen Edmonds Soranos; they may make an appearance in my wardrobe in the near future. There's an entire world of options out there for classy mens slipons (as you can see below), so get out there and find something that works with your style...and flaunt it the next time you're flying!

More Area Forte...

I recently had the chance to go to Sedona, Arizona and take in its desert palette. This shot was taken from a helicopter ride above the Red Rocks, which is an unbelievable experience. I was there to test out Sony's line of cameras, video cameras, tablets and e-readers for the traveler and can't wait to share my thoughts on that soon. I fell in love with the cameras, including the NEX line (the photo above is shot with a NEX-5N.) I also fell in love with the natural beauty, vistas, and energy of Sedona. I came home from the beautiful L'Auberge de Sedona relaxed, rejuvenated and with a new tech obsession. More on that soon!

Ballet flats are a favorite shoe of mine at home and on the road. This spring they are also on trend appearing all over the place. Bill Cunningham caught New Yorkers wearing them a few weeks ago on the New York Times. In the shops, JCrew, alone, has an entire ballet boutique and the traveler-friendly shoe company, Toms has just launched a ballet flat line.

Why are these shoes so great for travel? They are always comfortable, versatile, cute and easily packable. All great things for when you're on your feet most of the day and still want to look in style.

I've pulled a few contenders to get you started on finding the perfect flat to add to your travel wardrobe. Happy Shoe Shopping!

More J.Crew...

Researching a trip can be overwhelming when you start. What are you going to do? Where will you find information about your destination? Just searching for the place will likely land you tons of sites wanting to sell you guides, tours, and a ton of other stuff you probably don't want or need. Local blogs, sites, and other local-centered resources are one of the best places to look, but how do you find the good ones? A regular city is difficult enough, but how do you crack a huge nut like New York City? Keep reading to check out some of the great blogs and resources that I've found, to help you have a great trip to the Big Apple, without driving yourself crazy.