If your New Year's resolution involves cutting down on carbs, well, time to rethink that one. When I lived in London, one of my favorite places to stop and get a pastry, coffee or a heaping slice of bruschetta for lunch was Del'Aziz. Yes, it is a chain (with six locations in London) but it is hardly generic. The pastries are drool worthy and seriously enormous - it takes at least two, maybe three people to polish off one slice, depending on how polite you are. Try the meringues, fig tart or pear and banana cake. But Del'Aziz does more than just satisfy a sweet tooth. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with everything from Berber pancakes to gourmet sandwiches (try the brie, fig and date with cumin chutney) and Middle Eastern-inspired dinners (Persian chicken marinated with saffron).

­If you can't bear the ­thought of battling crowds to get your holiday shopping done, here is an altogether more civilized way to shop. This December, Orient-Express’s British Pullman will debut the inaugural "Shopping on the Rails" trip, where the venerable train will play host to some of the most luxurious retail brands in the world.

­­Want to visit the British countryside without leaving London? Check out the rooftop garden at the swanky Berkeley Hotel. The pool area has been transformed into a beautiful English garden, complete with birch trees, lavender and tweeting birds, as well as a special picnic menu featuring strawberries and cream. Also on offer is a new Green & Spring Cottage treatment room which has been designed to bring the outdoors in. For more informati­on call +44 (0)20 7201 1699. 

­Is there any point coming to Gleneagles if you don’t play golf? The answer is absolutely yes. Although this Scottish resort is synonymous with golf- it will host the Ryder Cup in 2014-- there is plenty to do for non golfers.  Think of Gleneagles as a grand, family resort in the tradition of The Greenbrier or Sea Island, where the vibe is unfussy and relaxed, and there’s something for everyone in the family.

­This spring, all eyes are on London for the Royal wedding - although all the Brits we know aren't sticking around for it. They're taking advantage of the bonus vacation days to travel. But if your travels are taking you to London, there are a handful of new places to park your bags.

­­London in late November isn’t usually considered a romantic destination. Nevertheless, that’s where we decided to spend our belated honeymoon. While my husband (for whom this was a first visit) was interested in the city’s history and tradition, I love London for its cutting edge modernism. So we decided to experience both by way of The Dorchester and One Aldwych hotels.

­I just came across the hilariously tongue in cheek design website Greece is for Lovers. The products aim to redefine the traditional views of Greece (both good and bad) and have fun with classical imagery and references, ranging from hermaphrodites and Hades to Zeus and "Athens Sucks" coffee cups (and somewhere, someone from the Athens Visitor Bureau is having a heart attack). I love this demigod tote bag which retails for 8 euros. Friends with a sense of humor might like No Sleep Til Hades cups, totes and a pillow, and there's also crocheted iPod covers which are worthy of a Greek granny.

­The latest and greatest place to stay in magical Istanbul is the newly restored Pera Palace, which has just re-opened following a two year, 23 million Euro restoration. The Pera Palace Hotel first opened in 1892 as the first luxury hotel in the Ottoman Empire, providing the last stopover in the East for passengers onboard The Orient Express.

­If you take your design cues from 'Out of Africa' and 'The English Patient' and think that life was more fun when it was tradition to embark on The Grand Tour with your servants and steamers in tow, then Fine English Company is your one stop shop. The company is continuing the tradition of fine British craftmanship along with with a hint of rebellion and eccentricity. They sell revamped furniture like a Gunroom chair upholstered in tweed (around $9,000) and a giraffe skin fire fender (about $8,900). These skull and crossbone bespoke slippers are about $562. There's even antique taxidermy (a lion from 1947, about $6,000) and a child's rocking zebra with real zebra hair.

­­Rome is one of our favorite European cities – and one of the most accessible. Where else can you spend a morning walking in the footsteps of Julius Caesar, viewing the masterpieces of Raphael and Michelangelo, and seeing the papal seat of power- followed by an afternoon of power shopping and dining on gourmet food, or downing cups of espresso standing up for a quick caffeine fix? No other city offers the same heady blend of architecture, art and vibrant street life.