Beth DAddono

Vicksburg is best known to the average visitor as one particular thing: a centerpiece of Civil War history. Because of the city's strategic location on the Mississippi, the forty-seven-day siege that led to the Confederate surrender on July 4, 1863 gave the Union troops control of the Mississippi River, officially turning the tide of the war. Vicksburg was “the key,” as President Abraham Lincoln famously said, adding that “the war can never be brought to a close until that key is in our pocke...

The more than 14 million workers in the restaurant industry – 10 percent of the American workforce – are the most at risk for illicit drug and substance use disorders and the third most at risk for heavy alcohol use, muscled out of that top spot by mining and construction respectively.
These numbers, from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration are no surprise to anybody in the business. A highly charged industry fraught with peril, hospitality has long wreaked havoc on ...

Editor's Note
This article is brought to you by Vue Orleans.
The team of local experts that developed Vue Orleans, the interactive experience featuring one-of-a-kind exhibits that celebrate the confluence of cultures in New Orleans, made sure that “it’s all in the details.”
Located at “the foot of Canal,” 2 Canal Street in the former World Trade Center building that is now home to the Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans and Residences, Vue Orleans takes the visitor on a deep dive into New Orleans ...

Local favorites
A selection of housemade fresh and cured meats and condiments at Toups Meatery, known for Louisiana-inspired charcuterie, in Mid-City. | Credit: Denny Culbert
While many New Orleans restaurants depend on visitors for their bread and butter, it’s the regulars that consistently return. As to what makes a Crescent City restaurant a local’s go-to, that recipe for success is layered.
Decades-old Southern Italian recipes draw repeat diners to a family-run, fine-dining favorite in Gr...

In a city as big and vibrant as Dallas, it’s possible to miss a few things—like a giant eyeball statue or an enormous, happy robot, for example. This Texas city has a wonderfully quirky side; here are the best ways to take in its wide-ranging and often surprising arts and culture scene.
Explore
A trio of colossal robots—one waking, one at rest with his guitar, one on the move—pay tribute to the artsy Deep Ellum neighborhood just east of downtown Dallas. Born from the railroads in the late 180...

Stroll or cycle along the 2.17-mile Moments in Time Hike & Bike Trail and connect the dots between the town’s regional airport and downtown Granbury’s historic town square. Along the way, the flat trail—used for running, walking, and biking—offers a snapshot into the community’s beating heart. The tree-lined walkway passes a local school and parks dotted with soccer and ball fields. There’s a railroad track crossing, a reminder that the city of Granbury was fueled by the arrival of the railro...

Stroll or cycle along the 2.17-mile Moments in Time Hike & Bike Trail and connect the dots between the town’s regional airport and downtown Granbury’s historic town square. Along the way, the flat trail—used for running, walking, and biking—offers a snapshot into the community’s beating heart. The tree-lined walkway passes a local school and parks dotted with soccer and ball fields. There’s a railroad track crossing, a reminder that the city of Granbury was fueled by the arrival of the railro...

Palm Springs, California became famous for being a haven for the Hollywood glitterati, with stars from Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe to the Sinatra-led Rat Pack using the desert city for rambling and rejuvenation. It’s equally renowned for its desert modernism architecture inspiring the Modernism Week that celebrates its form and substance every year.
But Palm Springs is only one of nine desert cities that make up the golf course-studded oases flanked by the San Jacinto Mountains and Joshua ...

In Nola, you can “Do Whatcha Wanna,” as the city’s free-spirited unofficial anthem goes. Here’s a shortlist for your next visit.
New Orleans isn’t defined by Bourbon Street, or even the French Quarter. My favourite city in the world, which I’m lucky enough to call home, is a complex mash-up of cultures, neighbourhoods, green spaces, art, music, and food and drink scenes. Naturally, exploring the French Quarter for its architecture, lacy ironwork and hidden courtyards is a must. But wander bey...

From art to history to food, there's so much to take in
There's a lot more to visiting Phoenix than luxury spas, golf courses and fancy resorts.
As one of the largest cities in the United States, Phoenix is home to more than 4.6 million people, a number growing at an unprecedented pace. It’s also home to dozens of distinct communities, from artsy Old Town Scottsdale to a revitalized downtown district and the lake-studded area around the University of Arizona. And while some 19 million visitor...

Must book
Ora king salmon with French lentils at Chemin à la Mer | Credit: Chemin à la Mer
Although some beloved New Orleans restaurants, such as Upperline and Green Goddess, closed during the pandemic, an astonishing number of new gathering places opened, proof positive that the city’s love affair with food is everlasting. Here are six restaurant reservations to make right now, spots homey and haute, all delivering the gracious New Orleans welcome for which the city is world-renowned.
NOW OP...

A triad of alligators glide across the lake, moving perfectly in tandem with the grace of prehistoric synchronized swimmers. On the opposite shore, a great blue heron stands motionless in the water, scanning the shallows for prey, ready for a lightning strike. At every turn the lake is alive, dragonflies helicoptering along the surface and a low rumble of cicadas and frogs filling the twilight air.
Although this is a scene played over and over at lakes around the state, this particular bucoli...

By Beth D’Addono
There’s no shame in loving the water but not the beach. For the sun and sand-averse – and you know who you are – the idea of sizzling on a crowded lido, sticky with sand, is the antithesis of fun. That doesn’t mean immunity to the restorative balm of coastline views and lake vistas on the shore. Instead, drawn to the smell of salt air and water views stretching towards the horizon, this traveler just needs more. For small town charm, local eats and outdoor fun, consider these...