Annie Fitzsimmons
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The chocolate chip cookie is about as American as it gets. Urban Insider Annie Fitzsimmons got the scoop from local luminaries around the U.S. on the must-eat cookies in their cities.
Travelers often overlook Valencia in favor of Spain’s larger cities like Madrid and Barcelona. But that may be a mistake. Annie Fitzsimmons and an in-the-know local at her favorite hotel explain why this Mediterranean port city deserves a world-class-destination designation.
For Annie Fitzsimmons, cozy doesn’t mean wearing pajamas and Uggs. It’s a place without pretense, somewhere to escape the harshness of wind and cold noses — a place where you don’t feel rushed. Here are ten of her favorite places to wait out winter in New York City.
Annie Fitzsimmons offers ten easy tips that will help keep you healthy (and sane) when you travel.
When it’s cold outside, you either want to embrace (even celebrate) it — or you want to get as far away from it as you can. Here are a few of our Urban Insider’s favorite places to spend a week in winter — from the Alps to the islands.
Urban Insider Annie Fitzsimmons previews how her favorite hotels will be ringing in the new year.
Urban Insider Annie Fitzsimmons shares five fun facts about the biggest party in Scotland: Hogmanay!
Urban Insider Annie Fitzsimmons digs up favorite holiday dishes (and recipes!) from celebrity chefs like José Andrés and Wolfgang Puck (to name just a few).
Urban Insider Annie Fitzsimmons lets the cat out of the bag about what makes San Francisco magical at this time of year.
Urban Insider Annie Fitzsimmons gives us the goods on the best microbreweries and pubs in Prague.
Urban Insider Annie Fitzsimmons shares savory and sweet treats that you can only get during the holiday season in New York City.
Urban Insider Annie Fitzsimmons delivers the best of holiday gingerbread displays from hotels around the world.
Urban Insider Annie Fitzsimmons interviews tuned-in local Hugo Legrand, chief concierge at the Sofitel in downtown Montreal, to get his take on what makes Montreal the perfect holiday destination.
Urban Insider Annie Fitzsimmons shares her recommendations on the best places to take tea in London this holiday season — from grand hotels to quaint cafes.
Urban Insider Annie Fitzsimmons takes a river boat cruise down the Danube with her sweetie just in time for the holidays.
Urban Insider Annie Fitzsimmons waxes nostalgic for the festive illuminaria traditions in the American Southwest.
Urban Insider Annie Fitzsimmons highlights the best sweet treats in Vienna — including what may be the best cake in the world.
Urban Insider Annie Fitzsimmons gets into the holiday spirit at Budapest’s famed Christmas Market.
“Thomas Jefferson said Lake George is, without comparison, the most beautiful water he ever saw.” I was on board The Morgan, a replica of a 19th-century touring boat, listening as bartender Dan Blanchard peppered our cruise with historic factoids. I have always been fascinated with Jefferson, so the statement gave me pause.
The most beautiful water he ever saw?
As a New Yorker, I knew nothing about the Gold Coast except that it had an enticing name. Turns out it’s the No. 1 vacation destination for gorgeous, gregarious Aussies.
Now I can see why.
Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating her Diamond Jubilee this year, with key events taking place the first week in June. If you’re headed to England, you’ll soak up the spirit simply by walking the streets. But if you have to settle for being an armchair spectator, there are plenty of ways to join in from abroad.
My first glimpse into life on the Isles of Scilly was a line of 10 people outside a corner shop. “They’re waiting for their newspapers that come in from the mainland each day,” Star Castle hotel owner Robert Francis said. “We don’t lock our houses, and we leave our keys in the car,” he went…
China plans to build more than 50 new airports in the next five years, and its population — with nearly 500 million Internet users and counting — is becoming more “global” each day. But to grasp what China meant and means today, you have to get out of the big cities and go rural. Nine…
By Annie Fitzsimmons “Welcome to the Wild West of China,” my guide said as we touched down in Lijiang after a 4-hour flight from Shanghai. Though I didn’t yet spot any cowboy boots, I was indeed far west in the Yunnan province, at the foothills of the Himalaya; bordered by Laos, Vietnam, and Burma. For…
Daniel Boulud’s Smoked Salmon and Caviar Crêpe “Cake” (Serves 6-8) The Crêpes: Ingredients 4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup cornstarch Pinch of sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 6 eggs 3 1/2 cups milk Directions 1. Put 3 1/2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, swirling the pan,…
