With Fourth of July around the corner, it finally feels like summer is in full swing, and we’re in a vacation state of mind here at DARA. Join us on a journey around the world as we share our staff picks for favorite travel destinations.  (more…)

Here at DARA, we are obsessed with travel, constantly dreaming about where we want to go and what we’re going to pack. This week, our team member Aydan is heading to the South of France. She’s agreed to share a few of her travel necessities so we can all live vicariously…  (more…)

Textile experts widely acknowledge Bhutanese weaving to be among the most sophisticated and time consuming in the world.

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Located on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, Cartagena has remained a popular destination for adventurous travelers, from bands of plundering pirates in the 1700s to today’s luxury-seeking tourists. With its pastel-colored Colonial houses, gourmet restaurants, and electric nightlife, the city’s burgeoning appeal is no surprise. Best of all, the flight from New York is a mere 4.5 hours. (more…)

Morocco is one of my favorite places to travel. I love wandering through Marrakech’s winding Medina and losing myself among the opulent displays of artisan wares. Moroccan craftsmanship is some of the finest in the world. I am pleased to showcase a collection of handmade Moroccan treasures at DARA with Frederic Alcantara’s colorful handwoven rugs and Jewels’ supple leather tote bags. (more…)

Two of our Brooklyn-based artisans give us the lowdown on their favorite local hot spots.

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Americans’ perception of Laos has changed dramatically since Peter Greenberg, renowned travel writer and Today Show contributor, wrote about the country in April 2008: “Laos is a true magical mystery tour. Few Americans visit. Fewer understand it.”

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Spouses Maren Beck and Josh Hirschstein co-founded Above the Fray: Hilltribe Art in 2007 to introduce the weaving traditions and cultures of hilltribe Laos and Vietnam to a worldwide audience.

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Go behind the scenes with Dan and Dara during their stay at Bhutan’s Amankora resort.

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“You can try to preserve traditions—but not culture, because it changes,” says Fritz Maurer, a native of Switzerland who settled in Bhutan 45 years ago. He’s a resolute gentleman, 74 years old, and dressed in a traditional Bhutanese Gho. His wife Rinzin Lhamo, a native of Bhutan, died five years ago. They have five children together.

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