From My Notebook

TGV From Paris to Barcelona

I’ve always been keen on trains. Once, it was Wagons-Lits that possessed my imagination. What could be nicer than getting on a train in Paris, eating a good dinner, retiring to bed and waking up in Italy? Nowadays, airports and airplanes are so disagreeable, I still go by train in Europe whenever possible. Which is why I felt a thrill of anticipation on learning of the new Paris-Barcelona TGV high-speed rail service. Two favorite cities, connected in just over six hours. I can already picture the ticket office at the Gare de Lyon!

London Hotels

So many hotels continue to open, I often wonder who stays in them. Take London, for instance. In 2013, I stayed in five (!) upscale properties that had debuted in time for the Olympics: 45 Park Lane; Corinthia Hotel; Dorset Square; Bulgari Hotel; and Café Royal. Before reviewing them, I decided to wait for the opening of Shangri-La Hotel at The Shard (which I am now told will not be until May). Meanwhile, the Rosewood London has opened, as has The London EDITION (where Berners Tavern is a runaway success). Help! What’s an editor to do?

Japanese Cuisine in New York

New York is currently in thrall to Japanese food. The pinnacle is the sushi at Masa in the Time Warner Center, (212) 823-9800, which commands a prix fixe that begins at $485. At Sushi Nakazawa on Commerce Street, (212) 924-2212, chef Daisuke Nakazawa, disciple of Jiro Ono (of the fascinating documentary “Jiro Dreams of Sushi”) has just earned a four-star rave from The New York Times. And Ivan Orkin, whose Tokyo ramen shop is revered as the city’s best, has opened Slurp Shop on 11th Avenue, (212) 582-7942. There, a peerless bowl of noodles is just $13.

Miami Museum

There’s something about the exuberance of Miami that I find very appealing: For example, the gusto with which the city has embraced the contemporary art scene. Art Basel Miami Beach now draws 70,000 visitors annually. To coincide with the 2013 show, the Pérez Art Museum Miami opened on December 4. Formerly the Miami Art Museum, the new building, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, was made possible by a $40 million gift from board member Jorge M. Pérez. The opening blockbuster exhibit, “Ai Weiwei: According to What?” (featured in the banner) runs until March 16.