The Perfect Martini

See New York in a new light at The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel. Take a half or full-day guided tour of the Met and other nearby museums. Learn how to make the perfect martini in a daily tutorial in The Carlyle's Bemelman's Bar, named for mural artist Ludwig Bemelmans, 1898-1962. Most nights, there's live entertainment in Café Carlyle, above – it's pianist-vocalist Peter Cincotti on Mondays in April. A favourite suite, 3101, overlooks Central Park.

Tailor Made

Luca Bagnara is internationally renowned for remodelling aesthetic massages, including lymphatic drainage. Work with his tailor-made treatments to combat cellulite. Say bye-bye to water retention. He's based in Paris but crosses the Channel every Wednesday to hold court at Claridge's Spa. Prepare for your session with an Almost Bellini – Pineau des Charentes and peach liqueur – in the all-pink Painter's Room Bar.

Bookish Journey

Japan's biggest bookshop group, Tsutaya, is spreading internationally – the Shanghai branch recently held a Longchamp University pop-up. Forty years ago, Muneaki Masuda's Culture Convenience Club, CCC, launched Tsutaya in Osaka. Books in 12 languages, plus CDs, electronics, and coffee (some branches today open at 7 a.m., read over breakfast). CCC's T-point loyalty programme has 70 million members.

Lobby Lunch

Monte-Carlo's Le Francis Bacon MB Art Foundation, at 21 Bd d'Italie, has over 3,500 pieces by the late sensationalist painter (above, a 1929 gouache). 'MB' is Bacon fanatic Majid Boustany, co-owner of Le Metropole Hotel, 13 minutes' walk away. Its pool is Lagerfeld, and its lobby is Jacques Garcia Theatre. Lobby lunch could be beef tartare and fries; Monaco magnates a plenty.

Boutiques The Word

Kering, or rather its bosses, also own Ponant, the 11-ship boutique cruise company that adds a French je ne sais quoi to the at-sea experience. On Ponant's icebreaker cruises, for instance, luxuriate in onboard hot tubs as the ice breaks around you. Watch Ponant make even more waves now that the new head of the US operation is erudite Sam Chamberlain. He comes from the embryonic Four Seasons yachts, and before that, he was Mr Hilton luxury – Waldorf Astoria - for many years.

Room With A View 

Angsana is the ideal place to see Kenya's Super Tusker elephants – their tusks sometimes reach the ground. Surrounded by a Fever Tree forest in the 5,700-acre Kimana Sanctuary, the 20-person all-inclusive resort is a timeless and sustainable place, indirectly supporting 844 locals. Wake up to views of Kilimanjaro. Spend your days on patrol with rangers and animal-watch, visit Masai weavers, and soak up the atmosphere. Under four hours drive from Nairobi, all-inclusive. 

Around The Circuit 

It seems the Porsche Carrera has been a name on the motor circuit forever. Interestingly, Carrera is also used by TAG Heuer, which works with Porsche on watch launches and other events. TAG Heuer's boss is LVMH's Frédéric Arnault, who believes in collaboration and retro (TAG Heuer's Carrera Glassbox deliberately looks heritage). TAG Heuer has dropped production by 25% over the last six years to increase rarity value.