Photos originally shared on Instagram, now collected here with short write-ups about where they were taken.
The Seattle Mariners took on the Texas Rangers at T-Mobile Park in September 2024.
Mariners–Rangers games carry a bit of extra interest as both teams play in the American League West. The photos show the field and the crowd on a sunny afternoon in SoDo.
For a good view on a budget, the upper-deck seats behind home plate at T-Mobile Park give a great look at the whole field and the downtown skyline.
The Seattle Seahawks opened their 2024 season at home against the Denver Broncos at Lumen Field in September 2024.
Season openers in Seattle always bring a big crowd, and the photos show a packed Lumen Field with the downtown skyline in the background.
Lumen Field sits just south of Pioneer Square, and Link light rail stops right outside the stadium, which is by far the easiest way to get there on game days.
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A week at Finest Punta Cana in Uvero Alto, on the quieter north end of the Punta Cana coast, in August 2024. The beach was beautiful, but the real story was dinner: six nights of plated, multi-course meals at the resort’s restaurants, from a beachside dinner to a steakhouse and an Asian table grill.
Finest sits in Uvero Alto, about 40 minutes north of the main Bávaro and Punta Cana hotel strip. The grounds are green and spread out, and the beach is lined with palms and thatched palapas, which is where we spent most afternoons with a fresh coconut.
The first dinner started with warm cheese bread and three dipping sauces, followed by a green salad with grilled pineapple and a seafood starter.
Night two began with a frozen coconut cocktail and olive bread, then a layered terrine, a steak with a rich sauce and a chocolate layer cake topped with passion fruit.
A creamy soup, a filet with asparagus and a chocolate sphere for dessert, all served on heavy stoneware plates.
The steakhouse brought baked green-lipped mussels, then sliced steak sizzling on a hot stone with fries, creamed spinach and chimichurri.
The most fun dinner of the trip was a tabletop grill. The table is set with small sides and sauces, and the shrimp and meat are cooked on the grill in front of you. Dumplings and a spring roll came first and a light panna cotta-style dessert came last.
The last night was a terrine starter, a herb-crusted rack of lamb and a chocolate dessert with vanilla ice cream.
We stayed at Finest Punta Cana in Uvero Alto for six nights.
Looking for another Dominican Republic all-inclusive? See our stay at Casa Marina in Sosúa on the north coast.
Marking a 10th anniversary in August 2024 with an evening on the beach and a fire on the sand.
A simple, low-key way to celebrate a big milestone.
Dinner at The Buffet at Wynn Las Vegas, one of the Strip’s best-known upscale buffets.
The Buffet is set in a bright, flower-filled dining room and offers a wide range of stations, from seafood and carving stations to international dishes and an extensive dessert selection. The photos show a few of the plates from this visit.
Wynn is at the north end of the Strip, next to Encore and across from the Fashion Show mall. Weekend brunch and dinner can get busy, so it’s worth checking wait times or reservation options ahead of time.
Can’t decide? Read our Bacchanal vs Wynn buffet comparison, with prices and our pick.
A sandwich from Greenberg’s Deli at New York-New York Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
Greenberg’s serves New York-style deli classics such as pastrami, corned beef and Reubens, piled high on rye with a pickle on the side, as pictured here.
It’s a quick, casual option in the middle of the Strip, handy for lunch between shows or before heading next door to Park MGM or the T-Mobile Arena.
Breakfast at Blueberry Hill, a family-run Las Vegas breakfast and lunch spot with several locations around the valley.
It’s a favourite with locals for big portions at reasonable prices, well away from Strip prices. The photo shows a skillet topped with fried eggs.
If you’re staying off-Strip or have a car, a local diner like this is a great way to start a day in Vegas.
Dinner at the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace, often described as the biggest and best-known buffet in Las Vegas.
Bacchanal has hundreds of dishes spread across stations covering seafood, carved meats, Asian, Italian, Mexican and American comfort food, plus a huge dessert section. The photos show some of the plates from this visit.
It’s one of the pricier buffets on the Strip and can have long lines at peak times, so booking a time slot in advance is recommended.
The Seattle Mariners hosted the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park in July 2024, a matchup between two American League West rivals.
The photos show the view from the stands on a summer afternoon, with the roof open and the field in full sun.
Summer games at T-Mobile Park are among the best ways to spend a day in Seattle, and the ballpark’s concourses are packed with local food options.
The Culver Studios in Culver City, Los Angeles, is one of Hollywood’s historic film lots, founded by silent-film producer Thomas Ince in 1918.
The studio’s colonial-style main building is one of the most recognisable studio facades in Los Angeles, and the lot has been used for productions over more than a century, including scenes from Gone with the Wind. The photo shows the building and front lawn.
Culver City is a good base for exploring the Westside of LA, with plenty of restaurants in its walkable downtown area nearby.
