See the Modern Side of Madrid

Splurge on a sophisticated stay at the Only You Hotel & Lounge Madrid (from $222), located in the stylish, gay-friendly neighborhood of Chueca. Housed in a 19th century palace, the 70-room hotel feels plucked from some Grecian shore, with crisp white and deep blue color accents throughout, from the room walls to the original floor tiles from 1862. Treat yourself to room 416 (from $307), an airy, loft-style setup with exposed beams, an oversize vintage map of Madrid standing in for shower doors, and a spiral staircase leading to your sleeping quarters. If you can pry yourself out of your room, pop down to the hotel’s GastroBar, helmed by celebrated chef Carlos Martin, for refined Spanish tapas like crispy artichokes with Parmigiano Reggiano ($12.29), followed by a gin and tonic ($17.75, all the rage in Madrid right now) sipped alongside international jet setters among the navy-velvet-walled lounge, Salón Azul. From NYMAG

All Joy and No Fun: Why Parents Hate Parenting

From New York Magazine: There was a day a few weeks ago when I found my 2½-year-old son sitting on our building doorstep, waiting for me to come home. He spotted me as I was rounding the corner, and the scene that followed was one of inexpressible loveliness, right out of the movie I’d played to myself before actually having a child, with him popping out of his babysitter’s arms and barreling down the street to greet me. This happy moment, though, was about to be cut short, and in retrospect felt more like a tranquil lull in a slasher film. When I opened our apartment door, I discovered that my son had broken part of the wooden parking garage I’d spent about an hour assembling that morning. This wouldn’t have been a problem per se, except that as I attempted to fix it, he grew impatient and began throwing its various parts at the walls, with one plank very narrowly missing my eye. I recited the rules of the house (no throwing, no hitting). He picked up another large wooden plank. I ducked. He reached for the screwdriver. The scene ended with a time-out in his crib.