Places to Stay: The Windsor Court Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana

Entrance courtyard at the Windsor Hotel New Orleans

By J.C. Thomas New Orleans is one of the world’s most enticing vacation destinations thanks to its totally unique heritage and culture. Formative years as a French, and briefly Spanish, colony shaped the sights and sounds of the city so profoundly that it seems any sense of generic Anglo-American-ness simply cannot, will not, take root. […]

Places to Stay: Hotel St. Pierre, New Orleans, Louisiana

collage of interior and exterior shots of Hotel St. Pierre in New Orleans, Louisiana

By J.C. Thomas There are some vacation destinations for which any decent hotel will do. You just need a clean, comfortable room in a convenient location. New Orleans, especially the French Quarter, is not one of those destinations. This is a singular place of magic and idiosyncrasy, where anything bland or unremarkable simply will not […]

Museum Monday: Moab Giants, Moab, Utah

giant T-rex replicas with a red backdrop on the Dinosaur Trail at Moab Giants in Moab, Utah
T-rexes guard the Dinosaur Trail at Moab Giants just outside Moab, Utah (Photo by California News Press)

As a popular southwest tourist destination, Moab, Utah, is best known for its proximity to Arches and Canyonlands national parks. Its red-rock desert landscape, cut through by the Colorado River, is also a spectacular playground for all kinds of outdoor adventures such as mountain biking, off-roading and thrilling jet boat rides. But there’s a whole […]

Stay at The Plaza Hotel for an Immersive Downtown Las Vegas Experience

Exterior of the Plaza Hotel in downtown Las Vegas
The Plaza Hotel and Casino in downtown Las Vegas (Photo courtesy of Plaza Hotel & Casino)

By J.C. Thomas An intriguing characteristic of Las Vegas is its compulsion for constant reinvention while always keeping a tight grip on nostalgia. The city will blithely demolish its oldest icons (RIP Tropicana, Stardust et. al.) while enticing tens of millions of annual visitors with the promise of vintage glamor. They come in pursuit of […]

At Fontainebleau Las Vegas, a Captivating Culinary Adventure Awaits 

Collage of images of Fontainebleau Las Vegas restaurants and food items

By George Christopher Thomas Las Vegas has a legendary plethora of choices for entertainment and activities. One of the most universally appealing of them is going out to eat and embracing options for the finest of fine dining. Getting dressed up, feeling a little formal and dedicating an evening to a world-class restaurant can be […]

Experience the Magic and Music of Memphis, Tennessee

A vintage neon sign reading Popular Tunes and Welcome to Memphis
(Photo by California News Press)

The city of Memphis, Tennessee, has adopted the tourist-drawing tagline “Home of the Blues,” with “Birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll” as a close runner-up. Memphis Tourism opts for an all-encompassing “Home of Blues, Soul and Rock ‘n’ Roll.” With a heritage that includes the very genesis of multiple genres, Memphis is fueled by the magic […]

Museum Monday: The National Civil Rights Museum, Memphis, Tennessee

Signage for the Lorraine Motel at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee against a gray sky

The third Monday in January is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday to honor the life and legacy of the foremost figure of the American civil rights movement. The National Civil Rights Museum, adjacent to and encompassing the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, memorializes and celebrates Dr. King all year round.  The museum […]

Museum Monday: The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, Santa Fe, New Mexico

A display of skull paintings over a cabinet with animal skulls at the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986) was born in Wisconsin, rose to fame among early modernist art circles in New York City, and traveled widely across the globe during her 98 years of life. Yet her artistic legacy is forever tied to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where O’Keeffe settled in 1949 and remained until her death. The celebrated […]