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FROM KIMBERLY

Speaking of French Finds, this is one of them for sure — "Le Jardin du Quai" in L'Isle sur la Sorgue. A multi storied, vine clad villa with ice blue shutters stands amidst a verdant garden with dining tables all about - it could not have been more quintessentially provencal - utterly charming. I love these easy relaxed meals where you linger between the courses after a long day and soak up the atmosphere. We would never have found this gem, hidden as it was behind a tall wall, but our wonderful hosts at Le Clos Violette, who have an eye for beauty and a taste for fine dining gave us all the best recommendations throughout the area.  Priceless!  We actually returned to "Le Jardin" the very next day for lunch and decided to eat inside - beguiled by the floor of old french tiles and vintage counter dining surrounding a grand island with an astonishing floral arrangement ringed by luscious desserts - including a regional favorite - le Tart Tropezienne. Did we indulge? Oh la la!

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FROM KIMBERLY

There is a beautiful movement in design combining natural organic elements with sleek simplicity and geometric proportions. Pictured here is a perfect example of this 21st century aesthetic, the "Hypar Pavilion" - a superbly sculptural park/restaurant called Lincoln, at Lincoln Center. It's one of my favorite under the radar spots to dine in all of NY, designed as part of the Lincoln Centers 2010 remodel, brilliantly imagined by Diller Scofidio + Renfro. A stroll through Lincoln Center, whether attending the opera, ballet, theatre (or not) is an uplifting experience; the glowing buildings, the open terraces, the grand fountain, the reflecting pool with Henry Moore sculpture, is always breathtaking. The creation of Lincoln Center was the vision of John D. Rockefeller III; he engaged Wallace Harrison (instrumental in designing Rockefeller Center) to design the master plan, as well the Metropolitan Opera House. Numerous architects including Eero Saarinen and Philip Johnson designed buildings for the center as well.