Treasures Inside a Tunnel: Osaka’s Shark Attack

A hidden antique store in the quiet Japanese neighborhood of Nakazaki-cho, Osaka

Opened in 2013 in Japan’s Kansai region, the commercial complex of Grand Front Osaka stands just outside the Osaka train station, offering weary travelers a long list of high-end stores and restaurants (including the World Beer Museum that seats up to 700) with a hotel, office space and residential apartments located on the higher stories of the skyscrapers. Though this multi-building development is a major …

Word of Mouth: Hood River, Oregon

A picturesque mecca for sports enthusiasts and gourmands alike

Just an hour outside Portland lies Hood River, both a convenient getaway and an encapsulation of what makes this area of Oregon so great—fantastic beer and coffee, access to the Columbia River and the slopes of Mount Hood, and a vibrant outdoor scene. During summer, kiteboarders can be seen darting and swooping across the water; in winter, skis and snowboards top every car as outdoor …

California Rail Breaks Ground

The California high-speed bullet train that would connect San Francisco and Los Angeles will finally break ground this week after years of delays. While the estimated $68 billion project is still shrouded in uncertainty, and many of the legal and financial pieces of the massive undertaking are still being assembled, the project will soon begin construction on its first 29 miles in order to meet …