In the early 20th century, Philadelphia native William Glackens—a realist painter often called the “American Renoir”—charmed the nation with his atmospheric scenes of boisterous seaside locales, inviting cafés, and lively city streets (such as Captain’s Pier and The Little Pier), as well as more intimate still-life renderings and portraiture (including The Soda Fountain and Armenian Girl). Now, in the first comprehensive Glackens showing in decades, a collection of more than 85 of the artist’s paintings and dr…

One New York’s first power substations, which once distributed power to the subway trains below SoHo, is now one of New York’s most coveted residential rentals, located at 214 Lafayette St. It took architect Peter Guzy of Asfour Guzy Architects and the property’s current owner, Marcus Nispel—the movie director of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre—12 years to convert the circa-1890 building into a five-story, four-bedroom townhouse. Guzy kept the original beams, barrel-vaulted ceilings, skylights, and exposed redbric…

Toast a loved one with a glass of Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée and decadent chocolate truffles from Vosges. The Chicago-based chocolatier pairs a bottle of bubbly with a mix of nine exotic truffles ($295), which include examples spiced with sweet Hungarian paprika, ginger, and wasabi. (773.388.5560, www.vosgeschocolate.com)
From artisanal macaroons and flourless chocolate-hazelnut cookies to handmade marshmallows and Champagne truffles, the 12-piece Ultimate Valentine’s Box ($145) from chef Daniel Boulud’…

Tables for two are a hot commodity on February 14. These five restaurants are especially enticing, with innovative Valentine’s Day menus that engage both the heart and the mind.
Aquavit, New York Red is the theme of the evening at this modern Nordic restaurant. The four-course menu includes Maine lobster with blood oranges and sea urchin, or smoked lamb tartare with bright watermelon radishes. Scottish salmon is cured with bull’s-blood beets, and seared diver scallops are paired with red sauerkraut. $430 per …

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Cire Trudon—the 370-year-old Parisian maker of opulent candles for the royal court at Versailles—hascreated a $160 box set ofthree of its top-selling scents (Prolétaire, Ernesto, and Abd El Kader), called Odeurs Révolutionnaires. The three 3.5-ounce candles have notes of rose, grapefruit, clove, and jasmine and are sold in an elegant red-and-gold gift box. The brand is known for creating amorous scents, including one called Mademoiselle de la Vallière—inspired by the chief mis…

Nancy Gonzalez—the Colombian handbag designer known for her wide selection of precious-skin bags and accessories—has devised a welcome Valentine’s Day alternative to traditional red roses. She has adorned this decadent red crocodile clutch with a bouquet of playful, hand-sewn crocodile bougainvillea bracts. The bag is available by special order for $3,150 at Bergdorf Goodman. (888.774.2424, www.bergdorfgoodman.com) 

Following the success of last year’s 805 Maserati Edition loudspeaker, the British audio company Bowers & Wilkins has again partnered with the Italian automaker. The P5 Maserati Edition Mobile Hi-Fi headphones ($400) feature a handsome blue-leather lining for the headband and ear pads, gold-plated connector, and the same drivers as in the original P5 headphones, which use neodymium magnets and Bowers & Wilkins’ Mylar diaphragms to faithfully reproduce audio. Additional touches include detachable ear pa…

Indura Beach and Golf Resort coaxes luxury travelers to add Honduras to their Central American itineraries. 
Why Go: Although the U.S. government’s travel warning for Honduras stands, the sleepy Caribbean beach town of Tela has reportedly had no incidence of crime against tourists in several years. The 1,800-acre gated development Indura is the first of its kind in the country, encompassing an 18-hole Gary Player–designed golf course, 83 residential homesites, a 60-key beachfront hotel, a spa, and five d…

The riverfront Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto, brings a new level of luxury hotel to Japan’s former capital.
Why Go: Kyoto has been called one of Japan’s most beautiful cities. Among the city center, immaculate walled parks and temple grounds are tucked away. World War II bombings bypassed the city, leaving 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and a landscape of prewar buildings intact. But a glaring lack of upscale hotels has long plagued Kyoto—until now. The contemporary Ritz-Carlton delivers the polish of a top five-star b…

The Chinese New Year, which is based on a lunar rather than a solar calendar, fell on January 31 this year, and Ulysse Nardin celebrated the occasion with the release of the Classico Horse, the third in a series of enamel-dial watches that pay tribute to the animals of the Chinese zodiac. The watch, which is priced at $42,300 and limited to just 88 pieces, is created entirely in-house thanks to Ulysse Nardin’s 2011 acquisition of the Swiss enameler Donzé Cadrans.
According to Chinese astrology, those born dur…