This Just In!

It's an unseasonably chilly Friday night in Pittsburgh, but inside the Andy Warhol Museum, a swarm of stylish 20- and 30-somethings aren't letting that stop them from imagining themselves at a Factory party. Wandering around the lobby, wine glasses in hand, they gather around Pop Art prints. The museum's theater has been temporarily turned into a concert space, and indie rockers The Mountain Goats can be heard tuning their guitars. It's part of the museum's weekly Good Fridays event; admission is slashed in half, and young folks gather from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. for drinks and special programs, such as a mixed-tape exchange, in which participants swap cassettes they've made. Among them is Rob Conroy, a 35-year-old lawyer and music writer. "The Warhol is one of my favorite things about Pittsburgh," says Conroy, a native who returned in 1996, after graduating from Widener University in Harrisburg, to practice law (and go to concerts). "I love that it exists here--despite the fact that Warhol is probably turning in his grave. He hated our city so much." The artist fled home when he was 21 and never looked back. But his legacy looms large, and thanks to developments of the last two decades--cheap rents and plenty of grant money--he'd find it far more welcoming than in the old days. "People come to Pittsburgh to visit family or college friends, and they say, 'Wow!' " says Stephanie Giuffre, who moved from San Diego two years ago. Giuffre is a cofounder of Art From Chaos, a collective that puts on avant-garde exhibits and concerts (artfromchaos.org). "Lots of people are working at making Pittsburgh more culturally recognized," Giuffre says. Next month, her nonprofit will be doing its part by staging a fashion and live-music event, called Pendulum, with video art and works by local designer Kairi Kramer that will show how fashion trends evolved between the 1920s and 1970s. One of the best of the museums on the city's North Side is the four-floor Mattress Factory, devoted to contemporary installation art. Among its holdings is James Turrell's fascinating Pleiades, a dark room in which viewers sit and wait for their eyes to adjust, revealing a purplish cube of light. Two doors down, at 408 Sampsonia Way, is House Poem, a living installation by Huang Xiang, a Chinese writer who spent 12 years in prison for defying the Communist government. Huang moved to Pittsburgh in 2004 as part of a program called City of Asylum, in which the city provides housing and funding to exiled writers. Huang has never succeeded in having a poem published in China, but he has found another outlet: his house. Visitors aren't allowed inside, but they can see parts of a dozen poems, in bold calligraphy, on the wooden walls. An inscription on the door translates to NEST OF DREAMS. "People are making the most of what was here before," says Conroy, the lawyer/ music writer. Take the Church Brew Works, a popular spot for pierogies, steaks, and Steelers talk. It's in an abandoned church--brewing tanks full of ales and lagers now stand where the altar once was. The Grand Concourse, a 500-seat restaurant where light pours in through stained-glass windows, is a former train station. It's now a Sunday-brunch mainstay, with a buffet featuring made-to-order omelets and homemade doughnuts. Even some of the best "new" hangouts are throwbacks: Hipster nightspot Kelly's Bar and Lounge was recently refurbished to look like it did during its 1940s art deco heyday. And the Prelude Wine Bar is in a historic-landmark building from 1906 that once housed offices and a nightclub in its lobby. It's since become the Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel. Lodging Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel 107 6th St., 412/562-1200, marriott.com, from $149 Food Church Brew Works 3525 Liberty Ave., 412/688-8200, pierogies $6.50 Grand Concourse 100 w. Station Square Dr., 412/261-1717, buffet $21 Activities Andy Warhol Museum 117 Sandusky St., 412/237-8300, warhol.org, $10 Mattress Factory 500 Sampsonia Way, 412/231-3169, mattress.org, $8 Nightlife Kelly's Bar 6012 Penn Circle South, 412/363-6012 Prelude Wine Bar 107 6th St., 412/562-1200

Macau, China Tiger Airways from Manila: $78 round trip, 105 minutes (tigerairways.com) A former Portuguese colony that's now part of China, Macau is becoming increasingly famous for its gambling scene. Gambling has been legal there for well over a century, but in recent years, the stakes have risen: The city's casinos raked in about $6 billion in revenue last year, just under the amount earned along the Las Vegas Strip. If you're not into gaming, you're not out of luck. The main square, Largo do Senado, is cobblestoned in a wavy mosaic and reserved for pedestrians. Colonial-era buildings house chain stores and restaurants, but the side streets still have cafés with Portuguese menus. At night, the casinos glow with neon, and the surrounding bars and discos fill up. Accommodations can be a challenge: Decent hotels are pricey, cheap ones sleazy. Taipa and Colôane, laid-back islands to the south (but still part of Macau), offer budget- and family-friendly accommodations. The new Hotel Taipa Square has a small pool and easy access to a bus that goes to the main island; in a taxi, the 15-minute ride costs $6 (Rua de Chaves, Taipa, 011-853/839-933, taipasquare.com.mo, from $65). Alternately, the Westin, on Colôane, is on the beach, with a large swimming pool (1918 Estrada de Hac Sa, Colôane, 011-853/871-111, westin-macau.com, from $160). Also on Colôane is Fernando's, an informal beachside restaurant that's popular with Western expats from Hong Kong, about an hour away via an $18 high-speed ferry (9 Praia de Hac Sa, Colôane, 011-853/882-264, dinner for two $40). Kuching, Malaysia Air Asia from Kuala Lumpur: $54 round trip, 105 minutes (airasia.com) Kuching is the capital of Sarawak, an eastern Malaysian state on the island of Borneo. It feels like Singapore--clean, green, and steamy. The compact city center is on the south bank of the Sarawak River, and a shady walkway runs along the riverfront. The narrow streets are home to 19th-century buildings spared during WWII. When the humidity gets unbearable, find respite in the air-conditioned Sarawak Museum, which has handicrafts from the region's ethnic tribes and, less expectedly, an exhibit on the petroleum industry's local activities (Jalan Tun Haji Openg, 011-60/82-244-232, free). Another way to cool off is with a lime-like kalamansi juice ($1) at the James Brooke Bistro & Café, an open-walled spot with river views (Kuching Waterfront, Main Bazaar St., 011-60/82-412-120). Follow locals into the food courts for the best fare; the third floor of Tun Jugah, a modern shopping mall, has a stand with great laksa (noodles with shredded chicken, bean sprouts, and prawns in a spicy coconut soup, $2). Trendy types in Kuching hang out at Bing!, an espresso bar with free Wi-Fi (84 Jalan Padungan, 011-60/82-421-880, latte $2.30). Stay at the Hilton Kuching, which has an ideal location downtown on the riverside (Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, 011-60/82-248-200, kuching.hilton.com, from $72). Lampang, Thailand PB Air from Bangkok: $140 round trip, 1 hour (pbair.com) In decidedly mellow Lampang, horse-drawn carriages share the road with regular traffic, and pickup trucks with benches serve as taxis. Most hotels are on the shabby side, but the Wienglakor Hotel has an elegant folk-art theme (138/25 Phaholyothin Rd., 011-66/54-224-4701, wienglakor.com, from $29). Authentic Thai massages can be had at the leafy Lampang Medicinal Plants Conservation Assembly, which also sells locally made soaps and teas (177 Moo 12 Ban Khan Mueang Rd., 011-66/54-313-128, hour-long massage $4). Lampang is home to a dozen or so temples, including the majestic Wat Phra That Lampang Luang--probably the world's best example of Lanna architecture. Another temple, Wat Phra Kaeo Don Tao, displays a mixture of influences throughout its buildings, including Lanna (flaring, layered roofs) and Burmese (filigreed woodwork, steeply tiered roofs). Things pick up at night. Bars and discos are clustered around the corner of Thakhrao Noi and Wiang Lakhon Roads, and the Assawin night market sells northern Thai snacks like moo yor (steamed, minced pork sausage). For a sit-down meal, B.B. Coffee, in front of Huen Sai Kum Village, serves seafood fried rice in a scooped-out pineapple ($2) on a sunny patio (bb-coffee.com). Twenty minutes outside Lampang is the National Elephant Institute, where elephants do entertaining things, such as play music, arrange logs, and create abstract paintings (Kilometer 28-29, Lampang-Chiang Mai Highway, 011-66/54-247-875, thailandelephant.org, $1.85). Solo, Indonesia Air Asia from Kuala Lumpur: $68 round trip, 90 minutes (airasia.com) "Solo" is what everyone calls Surakarta, a city just 40 miles from Yogyakarta, the closest big city on the island of Java. And Solo has all the rich Javanese culture without the corresponding congestion. The broad, leafy sidewalks along Jalan Slamet Riyadi find pedestrians and bicyclists coexisting happily. At Galeri Batik Kuna Danar Hadi, an outlet, museum, and factory dedicated to the art of batik, Indonesia's history can be seen through the designs (261--263 Jalan Slamet Riyadi, danarhadibatik.com, $2). Just off Jalan Slamet Riyadi is the Kasunanan Palace, a crumbling compound with architectural influences from China, the Middle East, India, and Europe. A museum in the palace has ornate, centuries-old carriages that are rare reminders of the days of Dutch colonial rule (011-62/271-641-243, 85¢). The restaurant Adem Ayem is a good place to try the Solo specialty nasi liwet, an addictive dish of rice cooked with coconut milk and served with chicken and egg (342 Jalan Slamet Riyadi, 011-62/271-716-992, dinner for two $4). The Lor In Business Resort & Spa is only a 15-minute taxi ride from the city center, but since it's surrounded by lagoons and coconut trees, it feels worlds away (47 Jalan Adi Sucipto, 011-62/271-724-500, lor-in.com, from $56). The low-fare fine print Searching: Don't bother trying to locate Asian low-fare carriers by using aggregators; they like to pretend these airlines don't exist. Online travel guide Attitude Travel maintains a useful list at attitudetravel.com/lowcostairlines/asia. Buying: The easiest way to book in advance is by purchasing tickets with a credit card directly from the airlines' websites. You'll be e-mailed an itinerary with a confirmation number. Print this out both for checking in and for getting through security. Purchases are usually nonrefundable, and making route changes, when permitted, carries a relatively hefty fine--$22 each way on Tiger Airways, for example. Flying: Flight delays and check-in hassles are par for the course. Even finding the check-in counter can be a challenge--in Bangkok, the PB Air counter is in a nearly deserted wing of the departures hall. Leave some wiggle room in your itinerary.

MENTON Hotel Napoleon On the bright blue Bay of Garavan, about a 10-minute walk from the center of town, this bit of affordable chic is just across the street from the beach--and less than a mile from the Italian border. (You can jog there on your morning run.) The entire 44-room hotel underwent a two-year renovation, completed in 2004. Colors are light; rooms are airy; and there are soft, square armchairs in the lounge, which is right next to a small pool. It's worth spending extra for a room facing the sea--you'll be rewarded with a great view and a wooden balcony with a table and chairs. A road lines the entire seafront of Menton, but once the double-paned windows are closed, the whoosh of traffic is gone. Breakfast is served on the downstairs patio, under the banana trees. For the true Riviera experience, rent a lounge chair and umbrella ($18 per day) on the private beach and have a waiter from the beach restaurant bring you a drink. The hotel even has its own ice cream parlor next to the beach. 29 Porte de France, 011-33/4-93-35-89-50, napoleon-menton.com, doubles $131-$155. ROQUEBRUNE-CAP-MARTIN Les Deux Freres Go up--past the crowds, past the noise--to the tiny cliff-top village of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. Stop to gasp at the panorama from the tiny town square, and notice the lovely dining terrace to your right. It's attached to the restaurant of the intimate Les Deux Freres, in a 19th-century stone building that was once a school. A mahogany bar fills the lobby; a narrow staircase leads up to the 10 small, pretty rooms. Each has a name indicating its theme: Provencal, African, Marine, and so on. Views range from lovely to stupendous; depending on your room's orientation, you might look out on the town square, the rugged hills, or--if you get the full frontal--the cliffs, the sea, and, in the distance, Monaco. 1 place des Deux Freres, 011-33/4-93-28-99-00, lesdeuxfreres.com, doubles $120-$132, closed late November to early December. NICE Hotel Windsor Owned by the art-loving Redolfi family, the Windsor fits somewhere between classic accommodations and an artist's loft. A massive Chinese Imperial bed frame decorates the lobby, while the elevator has a NASA-themed photo collage and a liftoff soundtrack. Twenty-four of the 57 rooms have been designed by artists: One is adorned with colorful writing, and guests are invited to record their dreams in a book; another is a bare room papered in gold leaf, with a glowing white double bed. There are other artists' rooms that are less demanding conceptually, the primary element being tropical murals. Two huge wooden Buddhas keep an eye on the fitness area on the top floor, where you can have a massage or a sauna for an extra fee. A lush garden surrounds a plunge pool. 11 rue Dalpozzo, 011-33/4-93-88-59-35, hotelwindsornice.com, doubles $132-$187. Villa La Tour Decent hotels are virtually nonexistent in the center of Old Nice, so the reopening of this one in late 2003 was a welcome event. It's in an 18th-century convent, and the new owner, from the legendary Hotel Negresco, brought with her more than a whiff of style: The 16 rooms got complete makeovers, with designer fabrics on the walls and chic lamps and lighting fixtures. The overall effect is cozy and contemporary, if a bit cramped. (For more space, opt for the "superieure" rooms, though they cost more.) Hairdryers and data ports are standard, but there's no elevator, and the hallways are very narrow. Most rooms have views of the old town, and a few have small balconies that look down on the labyrinth of streets; if your room doesn't, you can always go up to the roof garden. The flower market is a short walk away. En route, you'll pass a plethora of shops, bars, and restaurants. 4 rue de la Tour, 011-33/4-93-80-08-15, villa-la-tour.com, doubles $63-$94. VENCE Auberge des Seigneurs A former tavern and postal relay, the hotel has six large, high-ceilinged rooms for rent; they retain a feel of Ye Olde Days without being kitsch. The ancient walls are painted white, setting off the bold curtains and dark wood furniture. Oriental rugs are scattered over the tomettes, the octagonal terra-cotta tiles that cover the floors of old buildings all over Provence. There are flowers and fruit in every room, but no Internet connection, no TV, and no A/C (the thick walls make it unnecessary). Downstairs, copper bed warmers hang over a wood-manteled fireplace. Through a side door is the restaurant, in front is a flower-bedecked square, and just behind, out the back entrance, is the old city of Vence. Place du Frene, 011-33/4-93-58-04-24, doubles $83-$101, closed November--February. Hotel Le Provence A far cry from the gloomy cut-rate hotels of Nice and Cannes, this 200-year-old former private home has a flower-filled garden and cheerful rooms that get plenty of light. Most of the 16 rooms are in a separate building on the far side of the garden. They're furnished with remarkable care for a hotel at this price. Lace bedspreads and faux family heirlooms are mixed with a few modern chairs; some rooms have old-fashioned wallpaper that'll make you feel like you're in your grand-mère's house. There's no A/C, but some rooms have ceiling fans. Most have a view of the garden, and six look out to the sea, which is a 15-minute drive away. The owners and a good deal of the clientele are from Sweden, and the website is in Swedish, but you'll find the staff speaks excellent English. 9 avenue Marcellin Maurel, 011-33/4-93-58-04-21, hotelleprovence.com, doubles $55-$94. LA-COLLE-SUR-LOUP La Bastide Gourmande If you like to be near the beach but can't take crowds, La Bastide Gourmande offers a nice compromise. In the hills south of the medieval village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, but less than two miles from the beaches at Cagnes, the friendly hotel offers clean, colorful rooms; a good restaurant; and a lovely pool with a great view of the classic Provençal countryside. There's even a boulodrome, should you feel inclined to indulge in a game of petanque. It's an excellent deal, especially when you consider how much even the most basic of lodgings cost down by the water's edge. The eight rooms are a little on the small side, but each has a different theme, such as Coquelicot (with bright red poppies on the curtains), Bretagne (a life buoy on the wall), and even Disney (this is a room for kids). In summer, chirping cicadas are pretty much guaranteed. 660 route de Cagnes, 011-33/4-93-22-62-42, labastidegourmande.fr, doubles $72-$84. CAP D'ANTIBES La Jabotte Adorable is the only way to describe this one-story villa with its three bungalows clustered around a garden shaded by orange trees. Though lacking A/C and not at all luxurious, each of the 10 smallish rooms has been decorated in a manner that's usually reserved for high-class accommodations--rich colors on the walls, original artwork (including paintings by one of the owners), and imaginative choices of furniture and fixtures. Some rooms have distinct themes: birds, calligraphy, angels. Breakfast receives equal attention: The orange juice is fresh-squeezed, the jam homemade. It can be taken in the courtyard or in the entry/lobby, which resembles a cross between a living room and a crafts boutique; paintings and ceramics here are nearly all for sale. Though the hotel is in a quiet residential neighborhood, the beach is only 60 yards away, and Old Antibes is an easy walk. 13 avenue Max Maurey, 011-33/4-93-61-45-89, jabotte.com, doubles with breakfast $101-$118, closed the last three weeks of November and Christmas week. PLAN-DE-LA-TOUR Hotel le Mas des Brugassieres The most stressful thing about staying here is pronouncing the name. Once you've managed that (broo-gah-si-ehr), it's simply a matter of throwing your luggage on the hand-quilted boutis bedspread, freshening up in the large bathroom, and heading out to the hammock. Nine twisty miles inland from the glorious madness of Saint-Tropez, the low-key hotel is in the Massif des Maures, a sparsely populated region of low mountains, scrubby pine forests, and an occasional vineyard. The two-story hotel is based on a classic Provencal mas, or house; each of the 14 comfortable rooms has a private entrance and a terrace with table and chairs. All but three rooms have A/C. Take breakfast on your terrace or next to the pool shaded by olive trees. (Breakfast is mandatory in high season, which raises the rate by $10 per person.) Biking, hiking, and horseback riding are all available nearby; the beaches of Sainte-Maxime are eight kilometers away. Route de Grimaud, 011-33/4-94-55-50-55, mas-des-brugassieres.com, doubles $114, closed mid-October to late March. LE LAVANDOU Azur Hotel The hotel sits atop a hill behind the tiny beach resort of Cavaliere, and every room enjoys a view that includes Cavaliere Bay and the Hyeres Islands. The 24 rooms are very simple and bungalow-like, but cozy, and each has a private entrance and terrace. There's no A/C, but a refreshing breeze comes in off the sea. You can walk down to the beach in a matter of minutes, but the last stretch back up is a killer. Driving is an easier option--or just stay on the premises and paddle around in the pool. It'd be a shame to miss the beaches around here, however, as they're some of the best on the coast. Less frequented than the more developed areas near Cannes and Nice, this stretch of the Riviera has smaller crowds, golden beaches, and crystal-clear water. Domaine de l'Aragail, 011-33/4-94-01-54-54, lelavandou.com/azur-hotel, doubles $80-$98, closed mid-October to March. SAINT-JEAN-CAP-FERRAT Hotel Brise Marine On this terribly exclusive peninsula, where most homes have gates and names like Lotus or Mon Plaisir, a room rate that's less than your monthly salary is a true bargain. Amazingly, this gorgeous Italianate villa, just steps from town and around the corner from the prettiest beach, is relatively reasonable. Dating from 1878, the seaside mansion is encircled by a beautiful garden filled with palm, orange, and lemon trees, and bougainvillea; its various patios and terraces look out on the bright blue bay, the cliffs of the coastline, and, in the distance, Monaco and the Italian Alps. The 18 rooms are simply furnished with modern furniture and the occasional family armoire, but many share the amazing view, and a few have spacious balconies. Many of the guests have been coming here for years, some even for decades. "We've grown old together," says longtime owner Yves Maîtrehenry, who can be found on the premises with his wife, as well as various children and grandchildren. 58 avenue Jean Mermoz, 011-33/4-93-76-04-36, hotel-brisemarine.com, doubles $168-$187, closed November--January. AND IF OUR TOP CHOICES ARE ALL BOOKED UP . . . Menton Hotel Paris-Rome: A family affair. Pleasant rooms, next to the water and near beaches. A 15-minute walk into town. 011-33/4-93-35-73-45, paris-rome.com, $83-$135. Hotel Aiglon: Old mansion converted into an atmospheric, if stodgy, hotel. Lots of antiques, some frayed carpets, beautiful architectural details, and a pool. The bar/salon is right out of the belle epoque. 011-33/4-93-57-55-55, hotelaiglon.net, $123-$175. Cannes Hotel de Provence: A small hotel 110 yards from the La Croisette promenade and just behind the massive Noga Hilton. The rooms are comfortable, the beds firm, and the amenities plentiful. 011-33/4-93-38-44-35, hotel-de-provence.com,$110-$123. Saint-Raphael Ambassador Hotel: In a nice resort town, midway between Cannes and Saint-Tropez. A short walk to the beach. Relatively spacious rooms with high ceilings, wrought-iron bedsteads, and thick walls (most rooms don't have A/C). 011-33/4-98-11-82-00, $95-$110. Les Issambres Hotel les Calanques: On the edge of a calanque, a rocky cove with a small beach. Out front is the coastal highway. Colorful rooms and cute wrought-iron fixtures. Most rooms have at least a partial sea view. 011-33/4-98-11-36-36, french-riviera-hotel.com, $102-$163. Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat Hotel Clair Logis: In a residential area a 10-minute walk from town. Lush garden. Cheaper rooms are very simple; decor improves as the price goes up. 011-33/4-93-76-51-81, hotel-clair-logis.fr, $108-$228. Sainte-Maxime Hotel Montfleuri: Elegant pool surrounded by tropical foliage. Pricier rooms have terraces; there are also ones for $115 with small balconies and lovely sea views. 011-33/4-94-55-75-10, bestwestern.com, $102-$222. A FEW GENERAL TIPS ABOUT HOTELS IN THE REGION Rates: Prices shown are for a double in highest season: Some hotels distinguish between "high" and "highest" seasons, and you may see prices doubled and even tripled mid-July to August (and during the Monaco Grand Prix in May). Likewise, many properties close during winter. Rooms: A "mountain" view is often another way of saying the room looks out on the back of the hotel or onto the town. Ask for specifics. All these hotels have air-conditioned rooms, unless otherwise noted. Breakfast: It's wise--and considerate--to let the front desk know the night before if you'll be taking breakfast. Having breakfast at the hotel adds $7-$14 per person (unless otherwise noted). Taxes: They're fairly negligible--around $1.20 per person per night--and as a result, not usually included in published rates.

New itineraries A million passengers are expected to cruise Alaska this summer--twice as many as went a decade ago--and there are now 27 ships from eight major companies running along the state's southern coast. Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway remain popular ports, but new ones do get added. Whittier, a gateway to Prince William Sound, reopened in 2004 thanks to a $10 million dock reconstruction. In the last two years, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Princess, and Celebrity have tacked on Icy Strait Point, a fishing community, to some six-night itineraries. Advances in ship navigation also make it easier to maneuver larger ships into narrower waters, improving the shoreline views. Tracy Arm Fjord, a 25-mile-long inlet flanked by granite cliffs and forests, once hosted one or two ships a week; now two ships a day pass through. More excursions Every cruise line has increased its options for shore excursions. Royal Caribbean's selection has more than doubled in the past decade, from 60 to 130; Holland America, meanwhile, has gone from about 50 to 230; and Princess, which has cruised the area since 1968, adds or alters a dozen activities each year, and currently offers about 150. Since the lines generally visit the same ports, they tend to offer similar excursions at comparable prices. One of the newer activities is dogsledding. Passengers on Norwegian, for example, can hop on a helicopter from Skagway to a glacier-based dogsledding camp to learn hands-on from racing pros ($435). Cold-water snorkeling is another recent addition. Carnival passengers can don wet suits and brave Mountain Point's 55-degree water for three-hour-long trips ($99). There's plenty to keep kids occupied, too. Celebrity takes kids panning for gold at Liarsville camp ($38) and on ATV rides through the rain forest ($199); kids on Princess can watch lumberjacks compete in a series of challenges ($15). The inland experience Most major cruise lines sell what they call "land tours" or "cruisetours"--pre- and post-cruise extensions. Royal Caribbean, Holland America, and Celebrity run trips that explore Fairbanks, Anchorage, and the Kenai Peninsula, and provide lodging, some meals, and transportation on buses or trains. Princess has what it calls a Direct to the Wilderness program: a three- to eight-night tour you can add onto the beginning or the end of your cruise. After disembarking at Whittier, you're whisked via glass-ceiling train to one of five Princess-owned lodges in four areas (Denali National Park, Fairbanks, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, and the Kenai River valley). After a few days, you take a train to Fairbanks, or return to Anchorage. The prices vary based on duration and season.