Winter is the perfect time to explore the 'other Carolina'. A snow fallen Boone, Blowing Rock and Banner Elk is a quintessential Southern experience. Long drives and slow, steady trail walks are key to wander and wonder throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains, stopping ever so often for a hot cup of Joe.

In less than four hours, an Amtrak train ride out of Penn Station and “up” the Hudson River connects one from New York City to a lush, green, upstate haven that comes fully alive in August. For forty days, visitors travel to Saratoga Springs, New York for short and long stays to experience the historic Saratoga horse track as well as shop and dine its picturesque downtown.

Until 2024, I had not experienced a New England summer — its clear blue, massive skies, rocky coastline, and bustling waters — but had seen many paintings of the area, particularly Maine, by admired regional artists as Adele Lemm and internationally acclaimed artists as Edward Hopper. I grew up in the Mississippi Delta and attended Ole Miss. It wasn’t until my mid twenties while living in New York City that I heard the term, “summering.” In Manhattan that term, among my peers, meant shared summer house in the Hamptons. When I moved to Charleston “summering” reemerged and meant long week stays in the North Carolina mountains or in a quaint port town along the New England coastline, most easily accessible by sailboats from the Charleston harbor.

A short road trip connects two very different California deserts. Palm Springs, a chic mid-century architectural haven and retro playground for movie stars, such as Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra. The other, Joshua Tree, a hippy and mystic, stripped down piece of earth known as the backdrop and incubator for music projects by icons, such as Graham Parsons and U2.

Park City is the perfect mountain town. Combining its artistic vibe, culinary scene and a deep appreciation and quick access to the outdoors, Park City strikes a balance between luxury and comfort for any traveler. Whatever your daily activity may be, can easily stroll Park City's Historic Main Street for great shopping and top-notch culinary spots. Offerings for outdoor recreation are accessible, ubiquitous and diverse. The winter slopes were once featured in the Olympics, and in summer the mountains (and nearby state parks and reservoirs) transform into a hiking, mountain biking, fishing and camping mecca.   

Traveling is a prism of which we see ourselves and how we wish to experience the world.  That is to say, this blog post completely eliminates barbecue, whisky and music from an Austin, Texas experience, which in many people’s eyes, is simply sinful.  Instead, I focused on discovering wellness hubs as well as art and architectural gems, and to my surprise, there was no dearth of any of it.

Pop culture can be an interesting way to point us to new ideas. As the world shut down in 2020, I found a television series among millions of viewers entitled Yellowstone, written by Taylor Sheridan. I, personally, was taken by the scenery more than the action and set an intention to see at least a slither of America’s treasured Yellowstone National Park, 2.2 million acres and the second largest national park in the lower 48 states.

Telluride's small population and isolated positioning should not be deceiving of its history and rich culture.  Driving into town, one passes Ralph Lauren's 30 miles of fence marking his gazillion dollar estate.  It is no wonder he calls Telluride home, as it seems so much like his brand - chic, fresh, Western and classic with a modern twist.