Do travel boycotts really work?

A bookshelf made from hardcover books. A necklace partly strung with living flowers. A bracelet crafted from brown-mottled horn—and designed to double as a digital watch. These products combine practical purposes with fresh visual and tactile appeal, and they were all invented in Vienna. In recent years, Vienna has won renown as a global hotspot for design innovation. A centuries-old legacy of craft and an influx of creative types from eastern Europe have caused design to flourish in the Austrian capital. This October, Vienna Design Week reveals the best new design discoveries at more than 80 events in about 50 locations. All of the exhibitions are free and most are understandable to English-speakers. Ten artists will be paired with local manufacturers in workshops to create, in a week's time, clever interpretations of common items like chairs, lampshades, and soup pots. In a new twist this year, the city's tourist offices are offering do-it-yourself walking tours, grouped by theme. October 1–10, viennadesignweek.at. Happily, Vienna is one of the Top Ten Budget Travel Destinations in 2010, with hotel rates and airfares cheaper now than at any time since 2002—and much cheaper than the European capitals it's starting to rival. If you're visiting the city at another time than during Design Week, here are a few shops where you'll find the smartest designs. PARK A futuristic fashion store, done entirely in white, stocks trendy clothing along with illustrated books. Mondscheingasse 20, park.co.at. MQ Point Unusual gifts and ecclectic accessories by international designers, many exclusively for sale here. MuseumsQuartier, mqw.at. MAK Design Shop Limited editions by Austrian designers and products for sale at the gift shop for Austria's museum for the applied arts. (There's an outpost in L.A., too.) Stubenring 5, mak.at. MORE Also on Vienna's arts agenda, the Albertina will present a Pablo Picasso exhibit "Peace and Freedom" from late September and it will exhibit a collection of Michelangelo's drawings survey from October 8.

Italy and France are Europe's darlings, so Spain doesn't always get the coverage it deserves. We've picked 18 fantastic reader photos that do justice to the country's cities and varied landscapes, from rolling olive groves to palm-fringed beaches. See the slide show! MORE READER SLIDE SHOWS France | Italy | Ireland STILL IN SEARCH OF... We're now collecting your compelling portraits of locals around the globe. Upload the photos through myBudgetTravel, tag them, and check back in the coming weeks for a slide show of the best submissions.

Northern California is famous for fresh, delicious oysters, and the Bay Area is home to a plethora of oyster farms, mostly near Tomales Bay, north of the city. Just like varietals of wine from different vineyards, oysters will have a range of taste depending on where you buy them—but the universal rule is the fresher, the better. Kick off oyster season with San Francisco's annual outdoor Oyster Fest this Saturday at Fort Mason, which has views of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge. The festival features live music by Cake and the Raveonettes, as well as cooking demos, shuck-and-suck competitions, and of course, lots of oysters and beer (the perfect drink to wash down the molluscs). Fair warning, though—the $30 entrance fee makes this activity more of a splurge. But, in honor of the season, we've rounded up some more wallet-friendly ways to enjoy oysters in San Francisco. The Freshest: The Ferry Building's waterfront Hog Island Oyster Company serves oysters fresh from Hog Island farm. Monday and Thursday happy hours feature $1 oysters and $3.50 pints of beer (5-7p.m.) Come early to beat the crowds, particularly on sunny days. Even better: Take a day trip to the 160-acre working farm on Tomales Bay, where you can purchase oysters fresh from the source and grill your quarry on the BBQ for a picnic by the bay. The farm provides the picnic table, shucking tools, and even shucking lessons. (Reservations required on weekends and holidays). Call 415/663-9218 ext. 255 for more info. The Classic: Ever since 1912, the Swan Oyster Depot has been serving fresh oysters and other seafood to devoted customers at a long marble bar. San Francisco Chronicle critic Michael Bauer has called the 20 seats at the bar "some of the most coveted seats in San Francisco," drawing people from around the world for a taste of the succulent oysters. Watch the servers shuck from behind the bar (get a half-dozen oysters for $7.95), but don't expect any frills: Menu items are served plainly, with nothing to distract from the natural flavor of the seafood. There's always a long line at Swan, but this classic experience is worth the wait. Cash only. 1517 Polk St, 415/673-1101. More Happy Hours: There are no shortage of bars around the city that offer $1 oysters during happy hour; check out San Francisco Weekly's ever-updated list. Our favorite is Michelin Guide notable restaurant Yabbies, which stands out for an oyster "flight" option where you can try one of six different kinds from places like Prince Edward Island and Point Reyes California ($11). Late Night: For a late-night option, hit the award-winning Cafe Maritime in the preppie Marina district, for $3.50 beers and a dozen Hog Island Farm oysters for $13. 2417 Lombard St., 415/885-2530, 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. And One That's Free!: Enjoy free oysters every Friday with a $5 pint-sized Bloody Mary at the Mission District's El Rio. The dive bar is known for its raucous happy hours on the sunny back patio; cheap, strong drinks ($2-$3 well drinks); and live music. Stick around on Fridays for a Red Hot Burlesque show. Cash only. 3158 Mission Street, Near Cesar Chavez, 415/ 282-3325.

Clare Rojas at the Museum of Arts and Crafts The Museum of Arts and Crafts is showcasing the first solo exhibit by local artist Clare Rojas, one of the quintessential artists of the Mission School of Art, perhaps one of the defining art movements of the 20th Century. The show, entitled We They, We They, is taking over the entire museum with a patchwork collection of painted panels, all in Rojas's emblematic urban-folk style. The brightly colored images are inspired by a combination of Latino Folk art, West Coast modern art, and folklore. Tomorrow is opening night, and Rojas will perform live music under her folk-musician persona, Peggy Honeywell. 51 Yerba Buena Lane, at Mission between Third and Fourth streets, 415/ 227-4888. May 14-Aug. 22, 2010. French Impressionism at the de Young This month, the de Young museum is opening the first of two exhibits featuring works on loan from the Musee d'Orsay's permanent collection while the Paris museum undergoes a makeover for its 25 anniversary celebration (scheduled for 2011). The Birth of Impressionism show features nearly 100 pieces of art by French Impressionists such as Bouguereau, Courbet, and Degas, as well as early work by Manet, Monet, Renoir, and Sisley. Highlights include Degas's Racehorses Before the Stands and uber-famous The Dancing Lesson as well as The Swing by Renoir—works you would normally have to take a cross-Atlantic flight to see. 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, Golden Gate Park, 415/750-3600. May 22-Sept. 6, 2010. War Photography at SF Camerawork Be prepared to be emotionally moved by this month's war-related photographs on exhibit at SF CameraWork, one of the city's top contemporary photography galleries. The Theater of War, by Christopher Sims, a 2010 Baum Award Recipient for emerging American photographers, features photographs taken in mock villages used in training by the U.S. military. The images are surreal—fake mosques among the woods, Iraqi and American citizens in dramatic scenes—and offer a unique insight to the mentality behind the war. Also on exhibit are Jennifer Karady's large-format color prints that offer searing images of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans reenacting the most disturbing wartime experiences, often with family members as models. Much deserving of its New York Times rave review, this exhibit will leave you haunted. SF Camerawork, 657 Mission Street, 415/ 512-2020. Now through August 7.