The south of France is prime hunting grounds for rustic antiques and flea market treasures. The town of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, located between Avignon and Gordes in Provence, is home to one of the best weekly markets in Provence. Each Sunday it springs to life with market stands overflowing…
Recently I’ve gone to two major travel shows, one in New York and the other in Boston. The New York Times Travel Show drew a record-breaking crowd of 30,000 participants in the span of 3 days and nearly 600 exhibitors. The Boston Globe Travel Show was considerably smaller…
At the New York Times Travel Show, the theme of my session was “markets as a window into the soul of a place.” It’s my mantra. Here’s why I’ve embraced it with gusto. Markets are social hubs. Amble through almost any market and you’ll see residents going…
There’s always a surplus of things to do in Paris, including the temptation to do nothing at all. A very walkable city, Paris rewards those who travel through it at a slow pace. There is so much to see, and I’m not talking about tourist…
Over the holiday I traveled to Tulum on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. After navigating past the throng of people at the Cancun airport hawking tourist attractions, the final leg of the journey was a 1.5 hour drive south to Tulum. Jade-green waters and white sandy beaches created a…
What’s so beguiling about santons? The small figurines are pleasing to hold, even in children’s hands. Hand-painted with exquisite details, santons breathe personality into a wide range of forms. Often they are passed from generation to generation and associated with holiday memories. Santon is derived from santoùn, a Provençal…
What began as an antidote to the crushing commercialism of Black Friday has evolved into a shopping tradition of a different sort. The Basilica Farm & Flea in Hudson, New York (along the river in New York’s Hudson Valley) is held each November and May. The November…
My presentation last Friday at Farm & Coast Market in Padanaram Village in South Dartmouth gave me an opportunity to do something I’ve never done before: reflect on my research in both Paris and Provence and—I know it might seem like a strange comparison—also to…
In an earlier post I shared 5 Tips for Negotiating at French Flea Markets. Thanks to a reader’s suggestion, I’m adding another suggestion to the list: Tip #6: If you purchase an expensive item at a flea or antiques market, ask the seller for a…
Each year I take a “ride into Autumn,” driving into the kaleidoscopic crimsons, golds, and greens of fall foliage at its peak. Fresh air carries a whiff of apples and cider donuts. Pumpkins rest in fields waiting to be chosen by children giddy for Halloween. Hudson Valley’s…