Washingtin DC in bloom: Japan isn't the only place to catch a glimpse of cherry blossom season this spring

THE EDIT • March 2020

Travel things we love

With a front-row seat at the always dazzling theatre of travel trends and hot new openings, our editors run through what’s worth your attention this month

The event
‘Tis the season for cherry blossoms, and no matter where you are in the world, there are plenty of opportunities to ogle the seasonal blooms. From mid-March, sakura spotters descend on more than 1,000 locations across Japan for hanami (viewing parties) – popular hotspots include Tokyo’s Ueno Park and Osaka Castle Park, Osaka. Further afield, Washington DC reaches peak bloom in early April, as the Tidal Basin and shoreline of East Potomac Park transform into a sea of pink and white florals, while New York’s very own Sakura Matsuri festival springs into action around the same time. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden boasts the city’s most impressive display – keep an eye on CherryWatch for the best time to visit.

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The book
Foodies and travellers alike will be pleased to know that, with the help of his long-time assistant and Appetites co-author Laurie Woolever, the late Anthony Bourdain’s book World Travel: An Irreverent Guide is now available for pre-order. The tome deep dives into some of the chef and traveller’s favourite places – from Buenos Aires to Borneo – as well as his hometown New York, citing Bourdain’s very own foodie recommendations (and condemnations). The book also includes a collection of essays by his friends, colleagues and family, as well as original illustrations by cartoonist Tony Millionaire. 

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Spy one-of-a-kind photos at the Brooklyn Museum, like this of Bianca Jagger celebrating her birthday at Studio 54. Photo by: Rose Hartman

The exhibition
New York’s most iconic nightclub, Studio 54, shut its doors for the last time 40 years ago, but visitors can still get a taste for its glory days at the Brooklyn Museum this month. From 13 March (until 5 July), Studio 54: Night Magic goes behind the velvet rope to shine a light on the history of Studio 54 via photography, film, fashion and drawing. Over on Manhattan, culture vultures can also get their fix at the Guggenheim, where Countryside, The Future is an eerily vivid snapshot of what’s to come for the world’s rural areas.

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The hotel
Spring is one of the best times to visit Tel Aviv, as temperatures hit the sweet spot in the post-winter warm-up. New kid on the block, Hotel BoBo (pictured above) is now bookable in its pre-opening phase before officially opening to the public in April. Conveniently positioned in the thick of the city’s thriving culinary and nightlife scene, it blends Parisian and bohemian influences in stylish rooms (most with panoramic views), and boasts a rooftop restaurant and pool, despite being minutes from the beach. Alongside the myriad festivities taking place in March to commemorate Purim, if you’re passing through the city, don’t miss Jeff Koons’ solo exhibition at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art (10 March to 10 October).

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The product
If you’re a regular flyer, keeping your skin happy requires a little investment. That’s why we have our eye on this busy little serum (pictured above) from Oskia, the nutritional skincare brand set up by British entrepreneur Georgie Cleeve. It’s working hard: a careful balance of 16 nutrients and bio-actives have been crafted into a light-textured serum. One of the 16 is little-known bakuchiol, a natural alternative to retinol that’ll give you a glow on the go, plus heaps of anti-wrinkle benefit.

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This article has been tagged Opinion, Travel Tips