This easy recipe for chestnut hummus combines cooked chestnuts with olive oil, garlic, tahini, lemon and spices to make a lovely, velvety, bean-free hummus dupe. I first became aware that chestnut hummus was “a thing” when I attended a permaculture-focused paw paw festival that espoused the power of growing and cooking with native fruit and […]
nature
This Redbud Pink Lemonade Recipe is a Delight of Antioxidants
This easy redbud pink lemonade recipe combines bright pink redbud flowers with water, citrus juice, and sugar to make a gorgeous, colorful spring drink that can be mixed with seltzer, coconut water, or any cocktail or mocktail in need of a little pizazz. The naturally-occurring anthocyanins in the petals turn this lemonade a gorgeous baby […]
5 Beautiful Places to Go Strawberry Picking in Northern Virginia (2026 Edition)
When May and June roll around, it’s strawberry-picking time in Northern Virginia. This is a great Mother’s Day and/or Father’s Day activity, depending on whether the season starts early or goes long. For two or three precious weeks in the early fruit season, picking strawberries in Northern Virginia becomes the region’s most lovely agricultural activity– […]
Redbud Olive Oil Muffin Recipe: A Delightful Way to Eat These Colorful Spring Blooms
Eastern redbud trees (Cercis canadensis) burst into beautiful magenta blooms each spring across the East Coast, Midwest, and Middle Atlantic– and yes, you can eat the flowers of this imminently recognizable tree. The redbud is a striking tree that flowers around the same time as two of my other favorite spring blooms– cherry blossom and […]
Yes, You Can Eat Magnolia Flowers— Try This Easy Magnolia Spice Cake Recipe for Spring
Yes, you can eat magnolia flowers— and they’re having a renaissance right now. Magnolia season arrives in early spring every year, and it is very short– usually lasting only two weeks, so it’s sort of like a shooting star in the realm of seasonal food (like ramps or morels, they are special in that way, […]
Experience Virginia’s Best Tulip Picking at Burnside Farms (FAQ)
Every spring the season of tulip-picking in Northern Virginia seems to go by so quickly that most people don’t even realize they can even go tulip-picking until they see pictures of it popping up online, at which point it’s usually too late to secure any U-pick tickets. Indeed, tulip season is short but splendid– so […]
An Insider’s Guide to Kennebunkport, Maine
Once known merely as the dreamy backdrop of the Bush family compound, Kennebunkport, Maine is a tiny New England town on the state’s rocky southern coast– the perfect place to have a quintessential New England beach experience. Today, however, Kennebunkport also has a hotel and restaurant scene that makes it a world-class summer travel destination. […]
Tulip Picking in Rhode Island at Wicked Tulips Flower Farm
Wicked Tulips Flower Farm is hands-down the best place to go tulip picking in Rhode Island– and likely all of New England. Every spring, you can pick tulips at this magical flower farm in Exeter, Rhode Island while strolling amongst the bright, cheerful rows of tulips with joyous, carefree abandon. It’s a lovely hidden gem […]
The 5 Best Places to See a Beautiful Sunset in Maui
Of all the Hawaiian Islands, Maui is perhaps the most family-friendly because– much like O’ahu– the island has a little bit of everything. This is particularly true when it comes to sunsets. Because Maui’s sunny South shore has over 6 miles of sandy beaches and only 10 inches of rain per year, it’s an ideal […]
An Insider’s Guide to East Hampton
Known for their fresh air, peace and quiet, and beautiful beaches, the Hamptons are a constellation of coastal villages along the East End of Long Island. This bespoke travel guide spotlights everything you need to know about the area, as well as what to do and how to get there. With an abundance of beautiful […]