As Easter approaches, Christianity’s most important holidays and events unfold at a breakneck pace: Jesus’ Condemnation, Crucifixion, Disposition, and Entombment (all represented in the Stations of the Cross), and Resurrection. It all starts with the Last Supper, when Jesus gathered his 12 Apostles for a final meal, called out Peter as His soon-to-be denier, and basically let Judas identify himself as His imminent betrayer. For centuries, this momentous meal has been captured in art, and I’ve seen it depicted in all kinds of media around the world. Read about the top five depictions of the Last Supper >
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Colorado’s Architectural Diversity
I was spending a lot of time outdoors in Colorado, hiking in the incomparable Rocky Mountains, driving up Pikes Peak Highway until I hit a wall of snow, and occasionally crossing paths with some animals roaming around, sniffing out lunch. When I emerged from nature into the state’s urban areas, I was equally captivated by Colorado’s architecture. From a hotel good enough for the Queen of Romania and the Beatles to a Venetian-style tower, from a Tajik teahouse to a Mayan-inspired theater, Colorado boasts an unexpected diversity in its architecture. Read about the top five buildings in Colorado >
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The Best of Florida’s Churches
Considering that Florida was claimed for the Spanish crown and received its name from “Pasqua Florida” (Easter Flower), and that the oldest continuously occupied settlement of European origin (founded in 1565, way before Plymouth Rock) was named for a Christian saint (St. Augustine), it’s no wonder that I came across plenty of beautiful churches across the state. When you’re traveling around the Sunshine State, you’ll want to duck into these structures, not only to escape the heat and humidity, but also to admire some beautiful art and architecture and to experience some very long histories. Read about the top five churches in Florida >
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British Columbia’s Best Buildings
From its rugged Pacific coastline to its dramatic Rocky Mountain spine, British Columbia is one heck of a beautiful Canadian province, ideal for athletes and nature lovers. But urbanites shouldn’t feel excluded in this vast, wild region. They’ll feel right at home in the two largest cities, Vancouver and Victoria, that teem with cultural events as well as some impressive architecture. Read about the top five buildings in British Columbia >
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Let There Be Sight
On the Feast of St. Lucy, celebrated on December 13, followers of the Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and Eastern Orthodox faiths venerate the Christian martyr who died a virgin at age 21 in 304. Patron saint of the blind and visually impaired, Lucy’s fame spread around the world, from celebratory processionals in Scandinavia to Dante’s Divine Comedy to the naming of St. Lucia in the Caribbean. I had the good fortune to view the saint’s body, enshrined in a glass-front coffin, in the Church of Sts. Jeremiah and Lucy in Venice, Italy, in 2008, but before and after that, I’ve always been intrigued by how she’s treated in art. Read about the top five artistic depictions of St. Lucy >
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Food With a Mood
Throughout my travels, I’ve eaten in a vast variety of settings. Some of them would hardly classify as formal, although the quality of what they served was shockingly good: the stand in Bergen, Norway, that peddled a delicious Jagtwurst, the street cart in Uppsala, Sweden, with the sweetest raspberries imaginable, the barbecue joint in Brooklyn with brown-paper placemats that served astoundingly tender pulled pork. But sometimes I crave something unique—a restaurant with atmosphere and an unmistakable sense of place and history that supplements the dining experience to such a degree that I’m still able to recall it fondly decades after I went here. Read about the top five atmospheric restaurants >
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Finland’s Fantastic Churches
In 1900, nearly the entire population of Finland belonged to the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Today, only about two-thirds identify with that faith. That’s not the only thing that has changed: Just under one-third have no religious affiliation at all. One thing that has not changed, however, is the beauty of the churches where Finns (although not as many) go to attend to their spiritual needs. Read about the top five churches in Finland >
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Post’s Present
George Browne Post should be a household name, but for most people, he is not. And that’s a shame. Post (1837–1913) was one of the United States’ most prolific, most creative, and most respected architects. We can curse the evil wrecking ball for shunting Post to the forgotten architects bin. If you were to scan a list of all his brilliant works, far too many would bear an asterisk with the note “demolished”: the Erie County Savings Bank in Buffalo, New York; the Cotton Exchange, Western Union Building, World Building, and Collis P. Huntington Mansion in New York City; the old Borough Hall in the Bronx, New York; the Bonner-Marquand Gymnasium at Princeton University; the Prudential Building in Newark, New Jersey; the Bank of Pittsburgh—all gone. Those that remain, however, are reminders of Post’s enviable talents that attracted such clients as Cornelius Vanderbilt, Joseph Pulitzer, and The New York Times. Read about the top five works by George Browne Post that still remain >
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R&R at the Best B&Bs
I tend to spend a good amount of time poring over websites when choosing accommodations for a trip. It’s a tricky (but tremendously fun) endeavor, with many factors coming into play: type, location, amenities, cost, convenience, reliable cheers and jeers, and, of course, gut instinct. One group that, as a whole, is guaranteed to offer a level of coziness, slow-paced relaxation, and personal touches you probably won’t find elsewhere is bed and breakfasts. You’ll meet more people, have finer morning meals, and remember the names of the owners long after you’ve returned home. Read about the top five bed and breakfasts >
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Allelujah and Amen, Atlanta!
More than one thousand churches are scattered around Atlanta, Georgia. The destruction of the Civil War did away with the oldest ones, so all of those that I was admiring were erected after 1865. It’s not uncommon to see clusters of them in, say, a two-block radius—churches built for different denominations and faiths—which makes it exceptionally convenient to cast a not-so-wide net and still visit an abundance of these beautiful buildings. Read about the top five churches in Atlanta >
Stephen Travels 