I knew the names Andretti, Lauda, and Fitipaldi before I could spell. And, to the chagrin of the adults, I’d sit a nose-length from the television screen to watch them zoom by. I learned of “exotic” locations like Monaco. And remember when downtown Miami, from Bayfront Park through Biscayne Boulevard, was transformed into a street circuit of the first-ever Miami Grand Prix in the early 1980s.
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Some destinations are so special that they universally find their place on every traveler’s must-visit list. Iceland holds that place…and not only because it is such an extraordinary country filled with remarkable natural wonders. Beyond the dramatic volcanoes, winding glacial rivers, cascading waterfalls, and valleys carved over thousands of years, there lies an adventure that requires nothing more than a curious palate.
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He is the “bonnie prince” of popular legend, celebrated in many songs and poems. Visit Scotland today, and you’ll find his green tartan-clad image everywhere, from T-shirts to shortbread tins, and his name on menu items from French Toast to Beef Wellington. You can even order a Bonnie Prince Charlie at the bar and enjoy a Scotch-based cocktail.
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When David Beckham unveiled the logo for Inter Miami CF, I thought it was two flamingos with their legs intertwined to make the letter M. An easy assumption to make when the colors are black and pink. I also didn’t dwell too long on it. After moving across the country (again), I was transitioning my loyalties from LA Galaxy to Atlanta United. It wasn’t that hard because it was the same year ATL won the MLS Championship with star player Josef Martínez and iconic manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino.
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It’s been a year. Three hundred and sixty-five days since I chomped down on a fish cutter. This wasn’t my first time having a fish sandwich in Barbados, but this particular sandwich from Caboose tapped into tastebuds I didn’t know I had.
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Last fall, the second season of the HBO hit series The White Lotus had me hooked with Portia’s fashion choices, Harper’s toxic spiral, and everything Tanya did and said.
Oh, but the setting. *Chef kisses*
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The southeast region of France is a land of contrasts. Its vast range of landscapes and rich culture cannot be summed up in one word, which is why it needs three: Provence-Alpes- Côte d’Azur. And what can be said about the exquisite cuisine? By last count in 2020, the region boasted a staggering 86 Michelin-starred restaurants. Additionally, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur is the 4th wine producing region in France.
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While I’ve never been a fan of the tourist phrasebook — perhaps because I have yet to find myself at a stranger’s dinner party where inquisitive locals want to know how many siblings I have — I do believe that learning key phrases enhances your travel experience.
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Scandinavia continues to be the world’s happiest region, with Finland, Iceland and Denmark firmly holding on to the top three spots in the World Happiness Report of 2020 – despite the uncertainty of the pandemic. That same year, the Finnish sauna was added to UNESCO’s Cultural Heritage list, a sign of how integral the sauna is to almost every Finn’s household.
Is there a correlation between happiness and warmth? Perhaps.
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Apologies for the pun.
As a long-time fan of the television show, Golden Girls, Sicily was at the top of my travel list even before I officially formulated a travel list. From a young age, my favorite way to start a story was, “Picture it, Sicily, 1922…” the same way the acerbic matriarch Sophia prefaced hers.
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From cunning seafarers to merciless warriors, the myths and legends of Vikings have captured the imagination for generations. It is documented that they reached faraway shores from Newfoundland to Constantinople, yet nowhere else in the world can you truly get a sense for their fascinating way of life than in Norway.
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Driving between sublime places like Florence, Siena, and Lucca, you can catch a glimpse of the mundane side of Tuscany. The strip malls, the car dealerships. The industrial parks with empty loading docks. The barren fields with crumbling structures festooned with graffiti. The red tiled roofs of homes that dot the side of the highway. Details that never make it into brochures or into the stories you’ll share with your friends when you get back home.
I, on the other hand, was desperately trying to memorize it all. Making note of landmarks and highway signs, as they zoomed by the window of my ambulance.
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a little cuban goes a long way 