Stephen Travels

Tag Archives: United States


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Tempe Temptations

Harry's Place, Tempe, Arizona

Except for the incessant planes thundering by directly overhead, Tempe Mission Palms (in Tempe, Arizona, just about four miles from the crazy-busy Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport) is a wonderful place to stay, for several reasons—perfect location in Tempe, comfortable rooms, rooftop pool, fine service. It also offers an excellent restaurant, Harry’s Place, a great destination for dinner after you’ve been exploring Arizona for three solid weeks and still have lots of packing to do before you return home the next morning. Read about it >


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A Menu of Modern Mexican Masterpieces in Hartford

Agave Grill, Hartford, Connecticut

With a large Latino population in Hartford, Connecticut, I knew I’d be able to find some wonderful ethnic restaurants. On my first night in town, I had some flavorful Peruvian fare. Now, on my last night, I headed for Mexican food at Agave Grill, where the spirits, both literal and figurative, flow nicely. Read about it >


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Big Flavors in Little Italy

Carmelina's, Boston, Massachusetts

I had read multiple online reviews by people who asseverated that Carmelina’s is one of the best Italian restaurants in Boston. Apparently, a lot of other people had read that, too, because when I arrived at 11.44 for an early lunch on a Thursday morning, it was already standing room only. And, yes, it definitely lives up to its reputation. Read about it >


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A Lunch With a View

The Beacon Bistro, Boston, Massachusetts

High above street level in one of New England’s tallest buildings, I took my time gazing through huge windows at Boston, the Charles River, Cambridge, Boston Harbor, and beyond. The vistas are impressive, and so is the food at The Beacon Bistro, where you can enjoy a meal while savoring the best views to be had in the city. Read about it >


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Dinner Is Not a Gamble at Matteo’s

Matteo's, Las Vegas, NevadaI was expecting to lose a bit of cash when I stepped into The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, and not long after I laid some bills on the table, that expectation was met. With pockets a little lighter, I turned my attention to dinner. Within this artificial Venice, with its gondolas, canals, St. Mark’s Square, and sky-painted ceiling, I wouldn’t consider anything except Italian cuisine. I found it at Matteo’s Ristorante Italiano—a sure bet for anyone craving a fine Italian meal. Read about it >


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Taken by Macon

Cannonball House, Macon, Georgia

Located smack in the middle of Georgia, Macon developed as a state transportation center during the 1800s. Post–Civil War, it emerged as a railroad transportation and textile factory hub, and the city’s economy boomed. In those following decades, the city added some impressive structures to its eminently walkable downtown. As a result, I was rather taken by this small city of about 160,000. Read about the top five buildings in Macon, Georgia >


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Dine Outdoors Indoors

Picture someone’s backyard patio. Now move it all inside. That’s Back Deck, a Boston grill house that serves up charcoal-grilled favorites inspired by food served at casual cookouts. If you’re in the mood to eat al fresco but a chilly late-fall night in Boston quashes that idea, Back Deck is the perfect solution. Read about it >


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Epicurious About Ecuador

Barzola, Queens, New York

I was sure that I would be able to find a restaurant in the South Astoria neighborhood of Queens, New York, where I could sample a cuisine I had never had before. After all, it’s not that uncommon here to see an Egyptian hookah lounge, an Italian deli, a Greek bakery, a Thai restaurant, and an Irish bar all on the same block. So, when I spotted the Ecuadorian flag in the windows of Barzola, I knew I had located what I was searching for. Read about it >


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Raising Asian Arizona

Miss Saigon, Tucson, ArizonaWhen I saw the Miss Saigon sign on a building in downtown Tucson, Arizona, I thought, for a second or two, that I might catch a show that night that I had never seen on Broadway. But I was deceived. The building wasn’t a theater, and the Miss Saigon sign wasn’t for the musical. Rather, it was for a superb Vietnamese restaurant, and it made for an unexpectedly delicious dinner. Read about it >


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This Twain I Shall Meet

Mark Twain House, Hartford, Connecticut

Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. Two of the most well-known characters in American letters. Still, despite my Bachelor of Arts degree in English and love of classic literature, I have never read either of their adventures. In fact, I’ve read very little of Mark Twain’s works—just A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court and The Innocents Abroad. So, when I found out that Twain’s historic house was located just a mile from where I was staying in Hartford, Connecticut, at the Goodwin Hotel, I decided it was time to better familiarize myself with his canon and with his fascinating life, all of which unfolds beautifully at the Mark Twain House and Museum. Read about it >