In the years that I spent as an undergraduate tour guide at the University of Virginia, I loved raving to visitors about Charlottesville’s incredible local food scene. The best restaurants in Charlottesville range from humble mom-n-pop hole-in-the-walls to world-class gems featuring globally seasoned chefs– and at the time, I used to love telling people how, […]
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The 9 Coolest Flower + Plant Shops in NYC
New York City, like the rest of the world, has become enamored with plants, flowers, and greenery in general. Whether you’re a houseplant lover or just looking to buy a fresh bouquet, below are the best, coolest shops for buying plants and flowers in NYC– a city that has no shortage of eclectic options. […]
The 12 Best Birthday Cake Bakeries in NYC (Famous Spots + Hidden Gems, Alike)
Want to experience one of the best birthday cakes in NYC? As a food critic who’s ordered countless top-notch birthday cakes in the city over the last decade, I can assure you there’s a wide variety to choose from. More importantly, New York City has no shortage of excellent bakeries. And with the advent of […]
The 5 Best Places to Get Birthday Cake in Providence, Rhode Island
If you need a birthday cake in Providence, Rhode Island, you might initially think that your only option is to go to Federal Hill, where all the best Italian bakeries are located. This is certainly a good strategy– though Rhode Island’s capital city has a much more diverse birthday cake scene (is that a scene?) […]
An Insider’s Guide to Joshua Tree, California
Joshua Tree, California is a quirky desert community in Southern California that has garnered attention as a relaxing travel destination because of its beautiful desert landscape and quirky, off-grid bohemian vibes. Specifically, people come here to visit Joshua Tree National Park– a majestic, otherworldly landscape where the Mojave and Sonoran deserts meet. This alluring […]
The 9 Best Coffee Shops in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida is a city that is often overlooked for its coffee culture because of its synonymous association with Walt Disney World, which is just outside of the city limits. The city itself, however, has emerged in recent years as a bastion of Central Florida arts and culture— especially with respect to food, mixology, recreation, […]
15 Cool Bucket List Things to Do in Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia is something of an enigma to people from outside the state. Those who don’t understand what “NoVa” means have a hard time understanding why super cultured, super liberal, beautifully landscaped Northern Virginia– aka “NoVa”– is so different from the rest of Virginia, which is much more rustic, agrarian, and pastoral by comparison. This […]
10 Cool Things to Do in Keene, New Hampshire
Keene, New Hampshire is a quaint little college town in the rolling hills of Southern New Hampshire that makes a great low-key destination for a weekend away. If you’re looking to experience historic small-town New England at an affordable and accessible pace, Keene is a great place to start. Because of its pastoral roots and […]
The 5 Best Gluten-Free Restaurants in Pittsburgh
As we wrote in our Insider’s Guide to Pittsburgh, PGH is a relatively good city for gluten-free living. In addition to a host of great gluten-free bakeries and grocery stores like Eden’s Market: A Gluten Free Emporium, Aldi, and GF wholesalers like Gluten Free Goat, there are also a number of excellent gluten-free restaurants in […]
The 7 Best Gluten-Free Restaurants in Waikiki, O’ahu
“Gluten-free Waikiki” has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? And yet, any local or regular gluten-free visitor will tell you, it is extremely hard to find trustworthy gluten-free restaurants in Waikiki and Honolulu, which is surprising given how advanced the food scene here has become over the years. However, after years of exploring and […]