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Ana Ortiz didn’t plan on becoming a chef. Working as a server in Los Angeles at the now shuttered but well-loved restaurant Canelé, Head Chef Corina Weibel — a pioneer of the west coast farm-to-table movement — inspired everyone, especially Ortiz, with her approach to food. “It was so simple… and perfect,” she recalls. Courtesy of Ana Ortiz Courtesy of Ana Ortiz In truth, Chef Ortiz’s passion for food began in her hometown of San Juan, Puerto Rico where family dinners were filled with equal parts food and laughter....

The revolutionaries of the South Australia wine industry have started to grow up, if not exactly mellow out. Nine years ago in the Adelaide Hills, just beyond the suburbs of South Australia’s largest city, aspiring vintners Anton von Klopper, James Erskine, and Tom Shobbrock made their first wine together—a rustic sauvignon blanc that willfully ignored the best practices of modern winemaking as taught at the University of Adelaide’s renowned wine program....

It’s your turn to live like American royalty because the mansion from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is now an Airbnb hosted by Will Smith himself. “The ‘Fresh Prince’ will turn things upside down — once again — for the town where his reign began,” Airbnb said in a statement. “The actor and entrepreneur is adding Airbnb host to his long resume and opening the doors to his former ‘kingdom,’ so fans can create some memories of their own....

Labor Day Weekend is upon us. As the unofficial end of the season, it’s a popular time for people to want to get away from it all. But, because this year is, well, a little different, travelers are looking for something extra special for their end of summer adventures. According to Airbnb’s new data, travelers are seeking out more remote locations for Labor Day Weekend. The most popular search remains the “staycation” with people searching nearby stays within 300 miles from home....

Emilia-Romagna Don’t miss the graffiti scrawled on the walls by war prisoners at the 900-year-old Torre Prendiparte (from $508), in Bologna. Once home to owner Matteo Giovanardi, the single, earth-toned room has a vaulted wood ceiling and is furnished with family heirlooms. Above the suite, there’s a whitewashed kitchen where you can fix your own meals. Liguria In the Cinque Terre National Park, the nine-room La Torretta (doubles from $173) combines antique furnishings with kitschy details: light fittings crafted from antlers; bathrooms with starlit ceilings....

The tulip farmers in the Netherlands want you to know they are already thinking ahead to your 2021 visit. WILBERT BIJZITTER / Contributor / Getty Images Each year, visitors descend onto Dutch tulip farms to experience a little slice of vacation heaven, taking copious amounts of photos to share on social media along the way. But, this year, farms have shuttered their doors to visitors due to the coronavirus. However, that isn’t stopping local farmers from sharing a message with their visitors....

Despite learning to swim as a kid and always living close to a lake or ocean, I’ve never exactly been the biggest fan of water. Sure, I’ll go in for a quick dip now and then, but anything more than that makes me a) want a nap and b) feel like I’m one badly aimed kick away from sinking to the bottom. And water sports? Forget about it. Other than the occasional (terrifying) jet-ski excursion while growing up, I’ve long avoided water-based activities at all costs — for both my distaste for the sea and my serious lack of athleticism will inevitably combine in disaster....

Although COVID-19 protocols are easing in the United States and around the world, I learned firsthand that St. Thomas, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, hasn’t let up on its rules and restrictions just yet. Looking for a warm-weather vacation during what still seems like a never-ending New York winter, there was nowhere that called to me more than the Caribbean. With many flight options and the comfort of staying put on U....

When I got an email with the subject line “Crystal Bed Sessions for Travel + Leisure,” I was skeptical. Not only did I not know what crystal bed sessions were, I didn’t even know what a crystal bed was. After a little digging, I got a small bit of insight: it’s basically a bed with a set of seven quartz crystals that are meant to hang above a patient positioned on a massage table....

Editor’s Note: Those who choose to travel are strongly encouraged to check local government restrictions, rules, and safety measures related to COVID-19 and take personal comfort levels and health conditions into consideration before departure. When Club Med debuted the all-inclusive model in the 1950s it was revolutionary. The cruise industry followed suit in the 1960s. Today, the idea of lining up for a buffet or waterslide is taboo at best, dangerous at worst....

Jim Beam is about to make your driveway the coolest one on the block this holiday season. The company announced its newest offering, the one-of-a-kind “Beam Snow Globe” experience, which will allow a small group of friends and family to sip a cocktail together in the perfect social distance setting, According to the company, it will come to your home this season to set up a unique snow globe experience for a night in your front yard, backyard, or driveway so you can party with your loved ones in style....

While coronavirus has shut down pretty much all socializing, and decompressing after work now means staying in the same room you’ve been in all day anyway, the New York State Brewers Association has come to our rescue — with virtual happy hour. The association has been hosting daily happy hours with various breweries from all over the state, and anyone with a wifi connection can enjoy. izusek/Getty Images “It’s a little bit of a human connection that most of us in the beer industry finish our day with a couple of beers with a couple of friends....

After weeks of strict lockdown measures, New Zealand has started to lift restrictions, declaring COVID-19 cases effectively eliminated. The country has seen just over 1,400 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 19 deaths, per Johns Hopkins University, in recent days, New Zealand has recorded new infections in the single digits, including on Monday when they recorded just one new case, CNN reported. “It’s been nearly five weeks living and working in ways that just two months ago would have seemed impossible, but we did and we have done it together,” New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said during a news conference this week, cautioning while the country would start reopening, it was not a return to pre-COVID-19 life....

Travel will be normal again. Eventually. At least, that’s what the legendary guidebook writer Rick Steves thinks. “My spiel is, if I had to predict, we’re going to get back to a sort of normalcy,” Steves said in a recent interview with The New Yorker. “Kind of like airports after 9/11. People said travel will never be the same. Well, airports will never be the same, but they’re still airports… I think travel is still going to be travel....

Editor’s Note: Travel might be complicated right now, but use our inspirational trip ideas to plan ahead for your next bucket list adventure. Like many districts centered around transportation hubs, Esquilino — the quartiere surrounding Rome’s Termini train station — has never been much of a tourist draw, mostly home to taxi stands, drab business hotels, and fast-food joints catering to hungry commuters. Now, that’s starting to change. The station shelters the buzziest food hall in the city....

Tourists can once again leave their hearts in San Francisco, as the California city’s hotels reopen to leisure travelers starting today. “I’m so glad we can move forward earlier than expected to reopen more businesses that have been closed since March,” San Francisco Mayor London Breed said on Thursday. “These businesses have been struggling, and starting Monday, they’ll finally be able to serve customers again, with the necessary safety precautions and modifications in place....

“The serum hits all the marks. Unbelievably lightweight, yet deeply hydrating,” wrote a 53-year-old of the formula, which draws on Kashmiri saffron to lighten pigmentation, Indian madder root and turmeric to brighten, sandalwood and almond oil to soften wrinkles, and nagkesar and Indian sarsaparilla for their Ayurvedic qualities. As another enthusiast commented, “It reduces the appearance of dark spots and visible lines, especially my frown lines around my brow area.”...

When it comes to packing essentials, for curly-haired travelers, there is nothing more important than making sure you have enough hair product to last through the entirety of your trip. The last thing you want is to run out and need to resort to using the shampoo and conditioner that the hotel provides… Gasp. Not ideal. Thankfully, travelers with curly locks have come together to say they have found the solution: the Pattern Beauty On-the-Go Kit you can snag at Ulta....

Baha Mar’s SLS hotel is gearing up to host an all-star gourmet food festival set with a special performance by John Legend. The “Taste of SLS Baha Mar” will not only feature a performance by the award-winning artist but also, of course, a star-studded lineup of chefs whose restaurants are staples of the Bahamas resort. Katsuya Uechi, chef at sushi hot spot Katsuya, Dario Cecchini, chef at the hotel’s steakhouse Carna, and Sara Aqel, the executive chef of Fi’ilia, will all be present and serving up their best dishes....

Shopping for bathing suits online can be a gamble. How are you going to know it fits without trying it on, right? Plus, how can you get an idea of its fabric and quality without seeing it in person? Thankfully, there are customer reviews that can help paint a realistic picture of the swimsuits you’re interested in so you can feel confident with your purchase. To buy: amazon.com, $35 Available in 39 colors and prints, the B2Prity One-Piece Bathing Suit has something to complement everyone’s swimwear style....