Asheville, NC is a culinary farm-to-table exploration at every turn, featuring some of America’s best chefs and young stars. The question is where to start, and for a weekend journey, what to prioritize? For our girlfriends’ four-day visit, as a seasoned traveler I consulted my most reliable resources – recent books/articles about Carolinas cuisine, recommendations … Foodie Heaven in Asheville, NC READ MORE »

UPDATE – THIS EXHIBIT HAS CLOSED The Picasso exhibit at Charlotte, NC’s Mint Museum is one of two sites for Picasso Landscapes: Out of Bounds, a different lens to experience the modern painter. A relatively small but stirring group of works from private collections and international museums, the show is the first traveling museum exhibition … The Picasso Exhibit in Charlotte – A Different Lens READ MORE »

Charleston, SC dazzles – how to wrap it into four days? The choices are overwhelming! To design the perfect girlfriends reunion weekend – and get the choices we wanted – we applied a tried-and-true travel template from our years as seasoned Womentravelers: We started planning and making key decisions, such as preferred dates, accommodations and … 4 Days in Historic Charleston, SC READ MORE »

A week ago today, I packed up the remnants of my vacation condo and hit the road for home, north along the two-lane path of the Blue Ridge Parkway and down into the North Carolina Piedmont. The early morning was a pristine, still, cool and crystal clear. A series of mountain ridges stretched east, dark … Pandemic Journal: Renewal in the Blue Ridge Mountains READ MORE »

East Tennessee – Knoxville Always on the search for the best barbecue when in East Tennessee, I’m directed to two local favorites in the Knoxville area – Dead End Barbecue not far from downtown and Sweet P’s on the water on nearby Maryville Pike. Dead End Barbecue During a two-day onsite meeting, our client whisked … Traveling Tennessee for Barbecue – from East to West READ MORE »

Fifty years after Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, I had a few hours in downtown Memphis after a client meeting. This is the gift of traveling for business – seeing the world – and I had only one mission, finding the Lorraine Motel where, standing on the balcony, Dr. King was … Finding MLK Jr. in Memphis READ MORE »

There is nothing like a Miami morning in Coconut Grove when the seasons are in transition. As June unfolds, the heat and humidity from a gentle winter accumulate into hot and humid days sweetened by afternoon T-storms and dense evening air. In the fall, the cycle reverses and summer’s heat and humidity change into mild … Miami Will Always Be “Magic City” READ MORE »

It would be my luck that the one day I was able to get to Parnassus Books, which writer Ann Patchett co-owns in Nashville, the store was closed for remodeling to double its size. Good news for the locals and visitors who would be coming in three days but not for my itinerary. Nevertheless, my brief … Finding Writer Ann Patchett’s Bookstore READ MORE »

A chef I know uses coffee shops to assess what’s hot in the local food scene when he’s traveling. So in Nashville, we follow the coffee trail to two neighborhoods that are turning Music City into the next “food destination” in the South — Germantown and East Nash. Germantown We begin with dinner at Rolf & Daughters, housed in a 100-year-old brick “industrial-chic” … Nashville’s Booming Food Scene READ MORE »

The email came in – “Bonnie Raitt at the Ryman Auditorium in May?” Three words caught my attention – Bonnie, Ryman and Nashville. I responded instantly, “I’m in!” A fan for decades, I’ve never seen Bonnie Raitt perform. A longtime aficionado of Nashville, I’ve never been to the Ryman (“home of country music”). What a … Getting Ready For Bonnie Raitt at the Ryman READ MORE »

Seeing is believing in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains – particularly in autumn – and these past two years have been some of the most gorgeous fall colors ever. But what was even more surprising, after a long absence, is how Asheville, NC, has become a rich brew of regional art, food and culture – … Fall Festival in North Carolina – Finding Asheville’s Blue Ridge Beauty READ MORE »

The easy sway of Charleston, South Carolina’s “Lowcountry” beauty and Southern charm has been newly amplified by “ahas!” of its culinary creativity after our weekend “food crawl.” This is not to dismiss the broader impact of Charleston – the pungent jasmine cascades, stylish fashion boutiques, stunning 18th-19th century architecture or the majestic Arthur Revenel Jr. … Charleston, S.C., Food Crawl READ MORE »