CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Shaolin monks in the ancient Pagoda Forest; monks practicing kung fu; spices in the souks; a room at the Mayflower Inn.
SHAOLIN CALLING
For 1,500 years, the Buddhist monks at the Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng, China, have trained in the art of kung fu, made famous by icons like Bruce Lee. My business partner and great friend Jonathan Eubanks, a world-renowned video game producer and designer who’s working on a project with the Shaolin Temple, brought me on to photograph the monks’ visually spectacular world, which is just an hour plane ride from Shanghai. One memorable part of the trip was sitting with the abbot, who ordinarily meets only with world leaders and major celebrities. Another highlight for this self-confessed foodie: being introduced to the local cuisine, which I could never have imagined. Overall it was a thrill to shoot in Dengfeng, an extraordinary place, and get to know these lovely and gentle masters of an ancient art.—STEVE ERLE
FLOWER POWER
Just a two-hour drive from Manhattan, the Mayflower Inn and Spa in Washington, Connecticut, is the pinnacle of luxury, whether you lounge with a book under the softest Frette sheets in a grand canopied bed, feast on wild hamachi and yellowfin tartare or indulge in a Deep Blue Lavender Embrace at the restorative spa. The 58-acre resort includes hiking trails, outdoor yoga and meditation gardens and two beautiful pools. You can bike, kayak, cross-country ski, go ballooning, visit art galleries, play tennis, or take classes in fitness and Pilates–and unwind with a relaxing massage when it’s all over. Once you exchange your urban pallor for a healthy glow, and realize that you can get to this blissful escape in less time than it takes to see a movie, you may be tempted to make a habit of it.—BETH LANDMAN
OUT OF AFRICA
Although the ladies of Sex and the City 2 are supposed to be in Abu Dhabi, the crew actually filmed part of the sequel in Morocco—and with good reason. This desert oasis offers an adventure that could lure anyone away from the Big Apple. Essaouira, a beautiful seaside town just 100 miles west of Marrakech, is the perfect place to experience quintessential Morocco, minus the frenetic pace of the country’s larger locales. Set yourself up at Villa de l’Ô, a luxurious riad (traditional Moroccan manse with interior garden), where spacious suites appointed with copper claw-foot tubs and plush handwoven pillows are a testament to the talents of local craftsmen. The hotel’s rooftop restaurant offers an unbeatable aerial view of the mazelike medina below and coastline just beyond. Once you’re ready to explore, enjoy a shoppers’ paradise just outside your hotel or head to the beach, where you can ride a camel, windsurf or simply drink in the exotic world of northern Africa.—ANITA K. HENRY
