Explore the world with me
Welcome to a new travel community
This letter is supposed to be an introduction, but because so many of you getting this in your inbox today are Curiosity Magazine readers, it’s more of a continuation.
We hit pause on Curiosity Magazine this month, but I wanted to find a way to keep the Be a Better Traveler section alive. These are our most-read and I think most important stories, plus there are many more topics to cover. A guide to carbon offsets, why you shouldn’t trust TripAdvisor, a defense of touristy places, tips for female solo travel, how travel writers find the best places to eat, what you should know local photography laws, tipping customs, what to always have in your bag, and on and on. Now, you’ll get these articles in newsletter form every Thursday.
I’ll devote the last newsletter of each month to answering your travel and food related questions. Send them here or here. If I don’t have an answer, I’ll enlist an expert.
I also wanted a more personal format to speak with all of you. For those who don’t know, I’m a journalist currently based in Dubai, where I write for a bunch of different publications. Learning about (and eating and drinking) food and wine are my favorite pastimes, along with reading. So, you’ll get a sample of what I’m eating, drinking, and reading each week. See below. Though I’ve lived all over the place, Chicago will always be my true love. Here’s some shameless promotion to buy my guidebook to the city or read my Roads & Kingdoms guide, and if you live there and are into design, follow my Chicago Architectural Digest column.
I’d love to get to know you as well. Let’s make this a travel community! Join the first discussion here, and come back every Tuesday for a new topic.
Links I Love
This Healthyish essay about a Nashville wine shop and growing up made me cry.
How polluted is your city’s air? (This is a little scary)
Naz Riahi is a gorgeous writer, as you’ll see in her piece for Doré.
Climate change is changing wine regions. English sparkling or Michigan riesling, anyone?
As a Wisconsinite, I found myself nodding yes, yes, yes to so much of this Vine Pair article about why it’s worth it to pay more for cheese.
This CN Traveller article about river cruising through Egypt isn’t new, but is nice.
Thrillist’s new(ish) food editor Nicole Taylor is amazing and the annual ‘best of’ list proves it.
“Dark tourism” isn’t cool. Especially not in Syria. Related, should you visit Saudi Arabia?
The jury is still out on this, but can we all actually feel good about flying?
And hikers dodging border patrol to leave water for migrants on the border.
Finally, eat here if you’re in Los Cabos. Drink a Negroni and listen to this. And put Muscat on your travel list.