Take a day trip to Los Angeles to eat your way through Persian Square. As a Persian-American, I loved walking through Persian Square, also called Little Persia, and having multiple Persian food options in one …

Athens, Greece, is the antidote for the bland. I was inspired by it all – the cultural sites, museums, cuisine, and congenial residents. Athenians are guardians of a rich heritage. Over two thousand years of …

Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and Santa Ynez Mountains, charming Santa Barbara exemplifies the Mediterranean lifestyle to the degree that it's often referred to as the “American Riviera.” Santa Barbara is the ultimate seaside town …

San Luis Obispo and the Central Coast epitomize California’s laid-back lifestyle. However, many San Diegans don’t consider these destinations due to the lack of direct travel options. Thankfully, Alaska Airlines offers nonstop flights from San …

Solitude (n): the quality or state of being alone or remote from society. The word “solitude” has a negative connotation, as if being alone equates to loneliness. Today’s society encourages overstimulation and overcommitment, even in …

Like most people hailing from Los Angeles, I have a healthy love-hate relationship with the city. I grew up a "valley kid" in the suburbs of the San Fernando Valley. Downtown, Santa Monica, Venice Beach, …

Editor's note: as in California and much of the country, stay-at-home orders are currently in place in New York City as of spring 2020. Wherever you are, stay safe, as we look forward to travel …

Sometimes an adventure shifts your perspective and uproots your priorities. For me, that adventure was a road trip through Portugal and Spain in September. The story begins in Lisbon, Portugal: My friends picked up me …

Portugal has a long, rich history that colors everything from its language, food and architecture. It was settled by homo sapiens 35,000 years ago and retains traces of a non–Indo European language and even DNA. …

Confession time: as a San Diego resident, it took me almost a decade to go wine tasting in Temecula. I broke the spell when my best friend celebrated her birthday at Pechanga Resort and Casino. …

I visited Wroclaw, Poland, during an interesting time in history: it was the 100th anniversary of Poland’s independence, the 100th anniversary of the Armistice and the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht. As for Wroclaw itself, it …