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DON'T SLEEP TILL BROOKLYN The charm of 1930s Manhattan is alive in Brooklyn, a neighbourhood that's defined today as it was decades ago: by its pizza, its social clubs and its bocce courts.

60 minutes Sipping on a Matt's Ginger Old-fashioned-a blend of bourbon, ginger, sugar, maraschino cherries, orange and soda-at the Brooklyn Social. For 70 years, this watering hole operated as an Italian men's club under the name Società Riposto. Back then, its tuxedo-clad crowd was members-only. Black-and-white photos of guests still grace the walls (as do faded art-deco mirrors and a Rat Pack-era jukebox), but as the sign on the door states: "non-members welcome." 335 Smith St., Carroll Gardens, 718-858-7758

10 minutes Selecting the perfect bottle of Rioja from the rare-and-vintage table at Smith and Vine. The vintages at this well-stocked wine emporium are hand-picked by expert buyers and ranked on an easy-to-understand scale: one barrel = great weekday wine, two = good to go, three = getting lucky, and four = grand slam. 268 Smith St., 718-243-2864

90 minutes Savouring a slice of pepperoni pizza at Lucali. Owner and pizza maker Mark Iacono presides over this tiny neighbourhood candy store-turned-pizzeria (cash only and BYOB), offering up thin-crust, brick-oven-cooked pies on an open, wood-block counter. Beat the lineup by putting your name on the waiting list; then return to the Brooklyn Social for another Old-fashioned. 575 Henry St., Carroll Gardens, 718-858-4086

3 hours Tossing bowls down the 12-metre, red-clay bocce court at Floyd, NY. In addition to being the home of NYC's only year-round indoor bocce tournament, Floyd is also the place where you'll find "beercheese." The bar's signature snack is a blend of cheddar cheese, beer, onion, garlic and Tabasco sauce, served with Keebler TownHouse crackers. 131 Atlantic Ave., 718-858-5810

LOSE THE EXCESS BAGGAGE Those wheelie cases we all drag around the departure lounge make us look like kids running away from home for the first time. Grown-ups should carry grown-up bags. Louis Vuitton's classic leather Keepall 55 holds everything you'll need for a 48-hour trip; more importantly, it's small enough that you won't have to check it. $1,640; Louis Vuitton

TAKE THE CAKE Assuage your carbon-laden conscience with a climate-neutral travel pack from the supersweet Toronto line Cake Beauty. The eight products (including the popular Velveteen Hand Crème) are small enough to meet airport liquids guidelines, and a portion of the sale is donated to a reforestation project by Zerofootprint. $40; Cake Beauty

GET A (BETTER) ROOM There's a certain breed of globe-hopper for whom exotic wonders and local customs are only half the journey. If attentive service, great design and 400-thread-count sheets are mandatory on your trips abroad, eschew pedestrian search engines such as Expedia or Travelocity in favour of Tablethotels.com. Based on anonymous reviews and guests' input, the website ranks the world's cushiest boutique hotels. (Earning 19 out of 20 is Kowloon's opulent Peninsula, where rooms overlooking bustling Hong Kong start at $600 a night.) Before booking, browse Tablet's Top 10 lists, from most romantic to most unusual, and home in on a base for your worldly wanderings.

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