Dutchess County, New York, is part of the Hudson Valley. In one single county, you’ll find all types of cultures: historic, scenic outdoors, indie artists, foodie, horsey set and “beautiful people.” This is the land …
January 24, 2013
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Stories by Tamar Fleishman
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Food + Art: Upstate in Dutchess County, NY
Malmö: Gateway to Sweden
Malmö is at the very southern tip of Sweden. This lively, modern-thinking international city has been around since the Middle Ages and used to be part of Denmark. In fact, to visit Malmö, you fly …
January 7, 2013
Helsingborg, Sweden
The city of Helsingborg, Sweden, is a lot more charming and laid back than you would imagine Sweden’s busiest fruit port, the place where Nicorette was invented and still made, and the headquarters for Ikea. …
December 17, 2012
Foie Gras... or Faux Pas?
Whether you're a foodie, a farmer or an animal rights’ activist, you’ll learn a lot and clear up many misconceptions by visiting Hudson Valley Foie Gras. You may have seen the episode of No Reservations …
December 3, 2012
Gothenburg, Sweden
Gothenburg, Sweden, is the country’s second-largest city, and yet it’s not on most Americans' radar. It should be! It’s an important commercial port, Volvo’s headquarters, a college town, a gourmet food destination and a fashion …
November 16, 2012
Day Trip to NYC: Art + Food
There are lots of reasons why you might like to have a handy day-trip plan for NYC. Perhaps you’re sitting bored out of your tree in one of the many cities that supports a super-discount …
November 6, 2012
Hangin' with the Colonel in Bardstown, KY
One of the most recognizable advertising logos in the world is Col. Harlan Sanders for KFC. This is pretty much the extent of what most people know about the Kentucky Colonels, though some have an …
October 22, 2012
Land of Haydn: Burgenland, Austria
Many people are largely unfamiliar with how important Franz Joseph Haydn was to classical music. He is called the “Father of the Symphony” and “Father of the String Quartet,” yet he is not as well …
October 14, 2012
Aboriginal Taiwan
Recently, I traveled to Taiwan to learn about its food. I sampled a range of delicacies, but was most struck by a culture completely unknown to me: the aborigines of Taiwan. The original settlers of …
September 27, 2012
Weird – and Luxurious – Hocking Hills, Ohio
I certainly wasn’t expecting to find European-style castles and other luxurious things in Ohio’s Hocking Hills, nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Yes, they have some of the more expected things, like biker …
September 20, 2012
Mittel Europe in Middle America: Cleveland, OH
You can immerse yourself in the culture of Central Europe without ever leaving the States by heading to Cleveland. Between the food, music and neighborhoods, there are lots of exotic pockets in the city that …
September 6, 2012
Lucca, Italy: Puccini and the Heart of Tuscany
I was invited by the Tuscan city of Lucca, Italy, to learn more about its beloved son, Giacomo Puccini. The fifth generation of famous musicians in his family, Puccini lived from 1858–1924 and was the …
August 27, 2012
Niagara Falls, Like Grandpa Used to Love
My grandfather was born in what is now the Ukraine, but was then known as Czarist Russia. When he later emigrated to the U.S. and got married to my grandmother, he wanted to go on …
August 17, 2012
Pittsburgh (Yes, Pittsburgh)
A few years ago, The Economist pointed out that Pittsburgh’s changing demographics would make for a “rosier future.” Sure enough, it’s a hot place for young people to visit. Aging baby boomers in the steel …
July 26, 2012
Down-home Door County, Wisconsin
The original French explorers and fur trappers who came upon the treacherous waters separating Washington Island from the mainland of Door County, Wisconsin, called it “Doors of Deaths.” Today, the waters do sometimes delay campers …
June 7, 2012
Go Colonial in St. Mary's City, Maryland
Three hundred seventy-eight years ago, the state of Maryland was founded in St. Mary’s County. Leonard Calvert, representing his brother – the second Lord Baltimore – started a colony that would be hospitable to Catholics …
May 29, 2012
Roanoke: Not-so-Sleepy Mountain Town
Roanoke, Virginia, is a mountain city in the South, but it’s not quiet and it’s by no means sleepy. The city has a culture of fine arts and music that permeates all of downtown. It’s …
May 15, 2012
Fun in Cleveland (Seriously)
If you want to totally immerse yourself in rock music and the rock star lifestyle, Cleveland is the place to do it. I recently got to attend the 2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame …
April 28, 2012
Birmingham, Alabama: Birthplace of a Movement
Birmingham, Alabama, was founded in 1871 – after the Civil War – but quickly caught up with other Southern cities’ cruel segregation and Jim Crow practices. Some say it bested them. Dr. Martin Luther King, …
March 27, 2012
Old-school in Wheeling, West Virginia
There was a time when Wheeling, West Virginia, had more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in the U.S. Once the capital of “newly restored” Virginia and the new state of West Virginia, it was …
February 8, 2012
Little Rock: The New Indie Music Mecca
Little Rock, Arkansas, has quietly become an indie music lover’s paradise. People who ponder going to SxSW, but worry about the expense, the hassle and its growing commercialism are discovering Arkansas’ indie musician– and audience-friendly …
November 17, 2011
Unconquerable Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma
The Chickasaw Nation, an active tribe now in the Arbuckle Mountains of Oklahoma, was once known as the “Spartans of the Lower Mississippi Valley” and the “Unconquered and Unconquerable Chickasaw.” The Chickasaw's original homeland was …
November 1, 2011
Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma
How can you stay in the U.S. and yet be in another nation? You can in Cherokee Nation, located outside Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the state's northeastern corner. The Cherokee had been based chiefly in North …
October 14, 2011
Columbus, Ohio: The New Foodie Mecca
I didn’t know until I stepped foot in Columbus, Ohio, that it had become a foodie mecca. Sure, I knew they’re near some of the most valued farmland in the US. But I didn’t realize …
August 25, 2011
Travel with Your Dog: Pelee Island, Ontario
Sometimes, my dog and I need to get away from it all – maybe a little exotic jaunt to a Canadian island. You might be wondering about the logistics of traveling with your pup and …
July 1, 2011
There's So Much More to Detroit
There’s so much more to Detroit than what’s in the foreboding Chrysler commercials. It’s taken a beating in the press with the hard times that have befallen the auto industry, but still offers a vibrant …
May 15, 2011
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
This year is an especially good time to visit Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the home of the National Civil War Museum, with interactive exhibits that let you intensely and personally experience the 150th anniversary of the war. …
April 29, 2011
Smithfield, Virginia
Paula Deen has shined a spotlight on Smithfield, the tiny Southern river town off the Chesapeake Bay. Yes, this is a real place — like the head of their visitors' bureau says, “It’s not like …