Dave Shearon and Mario Castro, life partners, left the cold winters of Chicago behind when they purchased the Ashford Manor B & B in Watkinsville, Georgia. They saw the inn for the first time on New Year’s Day, 1997. Walking around the grounds and then inside, both David and Mario … Read more
Twenty years ago if you mentioned to anyone that you were going to Pittsburgh the response would’ve been “Why? Everything is covered with grit from the steel mills.” That was true then; today Pittsburgh has come a long way from its “steel city” days and is now a growing metropolis … Read more
Whether you’ve been one time or a hundred times, every jaunt to Las Vegas is different. When a city features the Eiffel Tower across from Lake Bellagio, a short distance from the Pyramid of Giza and around the corner from the Brooklyn Bridge, it’s no ordinary town. Add its ever … Read more
Standing in Germany’s Black Forest surrounded by dense canopies of dark towering evergreens, I fully expected to see Little Red Riding Hood skipping along to Grandma’s house with the big bad wolf undoubtedly lurking somewhere behind a tree. This geographically blessed region in southwest Germany’s state of Baden-Württemberg was the … Read more
From the TS Editors: I can’t help it. When I hear a new Mylene Farmer disk, I’m like a moth to a flame. At the moment her new c.d. Monkey Me has me captive. Probably unbeknownst to most stateside, Mylene epitomizes the post 80’s French disco angel … her music … Read more
Part French, part Southern and 100 percent enchanting, New Orleans is unlike any other city in the country. In this famed place where Creole tradition abounds, legendary music, superb cuisine and of course, extra special cocktails combine to create a celebratory atmosphere for the holidays. Every year during this time, … Read more
My nose led me to the oven, heavenly aromas wafting from behind its doors. Something delicious was baking and I had to have a taste. I was in Dresden at the Striezelmarkt, the city’s Christmas market, and it was Stollen, a rich buttery cake with dried fruit, nuts and spices, … Read more
Germans sure know how to throw a party. Fun festivals with oom-pah bands, beer, wine, sausages plus all sorts of tasty edibles — and plenty of gemütlichkeit. There really is no accurate translation for this word which describes the jolly ambience and lively spirit that is the essence of these … Read more
It’s no longer a secret: Germany is one of the great culinary destinations in Europe. Forget its old reputation for stodgy meat-and-potatoes fare. In Germany today you can eat very well indeed, from traditional regional dishes to the latest modern cuisine. This year German restaurants racked up a total of … Read more
“If you stand on any corner in Montreal, you can tell who’s a native and who isn’t,” I’m told by a Montrealer. “Locals are in no rush. They make eye contact; they acknowledge you and they never walk with coffee.” Java is for savoring, I’m schooled. A destination known for … Read more
“Is this real life?” Gina, my companion wondered aloud. “Or is it fantasy?” I chimed in reply. We were standing, gobsmacked, in the courtyard between our rooms of the Riad Maison Bleue hotel. The equivalent of a manor, “riad” means “garden” in Arabic, and allusions to an oasis aren’t that … Read more
I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I’ve fantasized about throwing in the towel and moving to a tropical island. You know, one of those picture-perfect beaches spread across the travel magazines, comprised of two parts sugary sand, one part bright blue sea, and 100% get-your-groove-back. I had a … Read more
It’s 9AM on a Saturday and Baked on Main Street is buzzing. Things get going early here in Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon. With more than 10 varieties of home baked scones and over a dozen kinds of coffee, Baked is the town’s indie alternative to Starbuck’s up the … Read more
The Highlands cover the upper third of the country of Scotland, some 10,000 square miles, roughly the size of Massachusetts. Undulating moors, framed by mountains and etched by rushing rivers are roamed by herds of wild Scottish deer and Highland cattle, lumbering beasts with pointy horns and shaggy coats. Driving … Read more
Few countries offer as much diversity as Peru. From the Andean mountains to the Amazon to the islands of the mountain lakes, there are endless opportunities for adventure beyond the well-known trek to Machu Picchu. I set out to explore this fascinating country with my girlfriends, all of us jungle … Read more