Where was the first U.S. Mardi Gras held?
February 16, 2010 ·
The merriment and mayhem of Mardi Gras comes to a climactic end on Fat Tuesday. But where did the celebration begin?
Despite the holiday’s rich history in New Orleans, Louisiana, Mayor Sam Jones of Mobile, Alabama, says the first Mardi Gras celebration in this country actually took place in his city, and most Mobile natives agree.
Fact [...]
10 great places to have a slice of National Pie Day
January 22, 2010 ·
When it’s time for dessert on Saturday, make sure to order pie. It’s National Pie Day — as if the American Pie Council really needed to give us an excuse to have a slice. Whether sweet or tart, flaky or crusty, pie is an American tradition, says Ed Levine, founder of SeriousEats, a website devoted [...]
Fantastic New Year’s Eve destinations
December 29, 2009 ·
A couple million people will hit Brazil’s Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro as the final minutes of 2009 are counted down, ready for a mix of spiritual observances, fireworks and full-tilt partying.
Thousands of miles away, a much more low-key style of New Year’s revelry will be happening on a tiny island off the coast [...]
Barack Obama’s Hawaii holiday may boost tourism
December 28, 2009 ·
Tourism officials hope images of a president celebrating a warm Christmas in Hawaii will remind mainlanders that a sunny getaway awaits them if they’d just hop on a plane and leave the frigid temperatures and mounds of snow behind.
While officials don’t expect President Barack Obama’s visit to attract tourists immediately, they hope it will provide [...]
Visiting bathhouses in Budapest, the city of spas
December 28, 2009 ·
Sometimes called the “city of spas,” Budapest is home to over a dozen thermal spas. The bathhouses make perfect destinations for weary tourists, sore backpackers, and families — as well as hung-over concert-goers.
I visited two of Budapest’s biggest and most visited baths, Szechenyi and Gellert last summer. They were filled with 20-somethings wearing bracelets from [...]
Southern skiers reveling in snow blast
December 28, 2009 ·
Skiers in North Carolina have an unusual treat this year: The Blue Ridge Mountains are dressed in winter white from an early snowstorm coating native rhododendrons in iridescent crystal ice and creating a solid base on the slopes. The ski resorts and snow guns are going full bore.
The largest and best known ski areas are [...]
Massive storm disrupts last-minute holiday travel
December 24, 2009 ·
A slow-moving storm spreading snow, sleet and rain across the nation’s midsection glazed roads and disrupted flights Thursday, making last-minute holiday travel treacherous but promising a white Christmas for some.
The National Weather Service issued blizzard warnings for parts of Oklahoma, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Texas. It cautioned that travel would be extremely [...]
