When the owner and chef of six restaurants in and around Sedona, Arizona, can excel at anything from a high-end Latin restaurant to a simpler place for salads and pizza, you know you’re in good hands. So, when I received two recommendations to try Pisa Lisa, one of those restaurants owned by chef, entrepreneur, author, humanitarian, and award-winner Lisa Dahl, I acted on it without reservation—a very smart decision on my end. Read about it >
Author Archives: stephentravels
Arkansas at Its Best
I was spending an autumn vacation in Arkansas, tucked into a hotel in the heart of the historic center Hot Springs, which borders and runs through Hot Springs National Park. My focus was on outdoor activities, to take advantage of cool weather and fine fall foliage, but I wisely included urban attractions, too, in a quest to experience the state’s best. Read about the top five things to see and do in Arkansas >
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Why Daily Jam Should Become Your Daily Jam
On my way to the light-rail line in Tempe, Arizona, that was going to take me right into downtown Phoenix, I passed by Daily Jam. I liked the play on words: jam, as in a fruity breakfast spread; jam, as in something that someone particularly likes, as opposed to jam, an awkward situation. Closer inspection revealed an extensive menu, and before I knew it, I decided Phoenix would have to wait a bit while I was enjoying an excellent breakfast. Read about it >
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Bank on It
On a daily basis, there’s little need to go into a bank anymore. You can do practically everything online, and, when you need cash, you just stop at an ATM. There’s even less of a need when you’re on vacation. However, some of the most beautiful buildings I’ve been to are banks, and they deserve some special attention. If you want to be impressed by architectural beauty, visiting them is simply money in the bank. Read about the top five bank buildings >
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Brunch With Giada
If you already like celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis and her culinary creations, you’ll absolutely love her after exactly one of her brunches at her eponymous restaurant in The Cromwell Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Read about it >
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Montreal’s Manmade Marvels
Founded as a Roman Catholic colony by France in 1642, Montreal has been growing fairly steadily for nearly four centuries. The largest city in Quebec, Montreal has expanded to all points of the large island it occupies in the St. Lawrence River. Nicknamed “la ville aux cent clochers” (the city of a hundred bell towers), Montreal teems with beautiful houses of worship of various denominations, but there are plenty of other types of buildings that caught my eye while exploring the second-largest city in Canada. Read about the top five buildings in Montreal >
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New Mexico, in Arizona
Of course, when one is in Tucson, Arizona, one must have Mexican food for dinner at some point. Downtown Tucson has lost a few of these restaurants over the past year or two, but in 2024, a new arrival opened its doors. La Chingada serves up traditional Mexican dishes with a modern twist, and the husband-developer and wife-chef team have created a buzzworthy place that attracts all kinds of folks. Read about it >
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Natural History Museums That Will Rock Your World
If you have children and want to take them to a museum, chances are that the best choice is a natural history museum, filled with items that would certainly entertain and, hopefully, educate them, from giant whales to massive dinosaur skeletons to glowing minerals. And if you don’t have kids? These museums are just as fascinating for adults, and I’m never disappointed by their exhibits of every aspect of nature on Earth that exists above, beside, and below me. Read about the top five natural history museums >
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Live Like Royalty in a Hotel Owned by a Baron
When a baron and baroness own a hotel, you can much pretty rest assured that you’re going to be treated to a good deal of luxury. At Le Plaza Hotel, that comes in the form of spacious and immaculately kept rooms, a giant breakfast spread, attentive service, and architectural grandeur. And for a very affordable price, I upgraded to a junior suite in one of the last independent hotels in Brussels as well as one of its oldest and most historic. Read about it >
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Legendary Legends
What better way to spend a frigid winter day than curled up by a fire listening to a great legend? Granted, it was not a winter day when I learned about these terrific stories, nor was I seated next to a fireplace. Nevertheless, these are tales that have stuck with me for decades, tales that breathed even more life into some of the most memorable places I’ve been. Read about the world’s top five legends >
Stephen Travels 