The Emakoko is a 40-minute drive from the city.
Openings and events from around the world.
GO WILD IN NAIROBI
NairobiIf you're keen on exploring the wilder side of Kenya's capital, consider spending a couple of nights at the Emakoko. On the border of Nairobi National Park and only a 40-minute drive from the international airport, it offers a rare safari-in-the-city experience. The wilderness surrounding the luxury lodge is rich with giraffe, lions, monkeys and more, which you can discover with guides on daily game drives. Genial owners Emma and Anthony Childs are hands-on, mingling with guests, organizing day trips into the city, and advising on everything from jogging routes around the lodge to the best places to spend safari days in the Kenyan bushlands (they previously ran Elsa's Koptje near Meru National Park). Of the 10 spacious open-plan cottages, four are family-friendly and can comfortably accommodate up to two adults and two children. There's a helipad on site for travellers who want to avoid the traffic jams from and to the airport. emakoko.com
BOUTIQUE GREENWICH
New York Right away, visitors at the Jade Hotel in Greenwich Village will feel like they're staying in an elegant city home. The 113-room inn, which opens in Feburary, is housed in a Georgian-style building with plush art-deco inspired interiors. Free walking tours and a library full of New York-themed books help you navigate the neighbourhood, while a savvy concierge doubles as your in-the-know friend who can get you into the best watering holes (start with a cocktail in the hotel's own Grapevine Bar). Vintage rotary telephones, walk-out balconies with leafy garden views, and cozy 1920s Parisian-inspired decor add to the homey vibe, but you'll also be spoiled with turn down service, Bigelow bath products, and complimentary WiFi. thejadenyc.com
QUIET! I'M SHOPPING
LondonSelfridges is encouraging its shoppers to take a breather in a novel campaign called No Noise. The bustling Oxford Street department store has revived the Silence Room, an inner sanctum of quiet (leave your shoes and gadgets at the door) that was first launched in 1909 by store founder Harry Gordon Selfridge. After you've found inner peace, move on to the Quiet Shop where even brand names such as Levi's, Crème de la Mer and Heinz have muted their labels. Upcoming events include a tutorial on the pleasures of cloud spotting (Feb. 17). nonoise.selfridges.com
BOFFO BRASSERIE
ChicagoChef Ryan Poli opens Little Market Brasserie, an all-day restaurant that specializes in small plates of all-American cuisine. The native Chicagoan, who got his training at Thomas Keller's the French Laundry and Jean Banchet's Le Francais, visited cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, New Orleans and Montreal for inspiration, for a menu that is heavy on surf and turf (beef short rib, seared scallops, mahi mahi), comfort foods (mac 'n' cheese) and a surprising mix of healthy alternatives (for breakfast, try the cucumber and kale juice and an egg-white spinach omelet with goat cheese). littlemarketbrasserie.com