Julekha Dash

Roxana Saidi recalls how roasted pistachios and nougats were fixtures in wedding menus and other gatherings of her Persian family. These memories inspired her to create Táche, a line of plant-based milks and lattes made with pistachios. Sales for the brand have more than doubled in the past year.
Saidi attributes the growth to various factors, but one notable influence is the ripple effect from the viral Dubai chocolate bar, which has become known for its creamy pistachio filling. “It’s creat...

Howard County is pouring more than $150 million into flood mitigation efforts. New designs for Baltimore's Inner Harbor also incorporate the reality of rising seas and probable floods.
Editor's Note: The Baltimore Business Journal is embarking on a series of stories focused on efforts to address social and economic challenges in Greater Baltimore. "Elevate Greater Baltimore" will explore the nonprofits, people and businesses that are being creative in improving the quality of life in the regi...

Greenville, South Carolina, has established itself as one of the South’s most attractive cities, and now it has a stylish boutique luxury hotel to boot. Opened last summer, the Grand Bohemian Lodge Greenville, a part of the upscale Kessler Collection and Marriott’s Autograph Collection, stands next to the serene 32-acre Falls Park on the Reedy, and the rushing sound of waterfalls echoes across the hotel’s balconies. If that’s not enough to entice, here are four more reasons to book a stay.

Railroads and textile mills made West Greenville a prosperous neighborhood during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The area then underwent a post-industrial decline, but thanks in part to a master plan the South Carolina city drew up in 2014, it’s currently experiencing a renaissance, with artists and entrepreneurs flocking to what has become known as the Village of West Greenville.

Dive into Asian American culture and cuisine in this Maryland city
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Visitors travel to Ellicott City from other parts of Maryland and surrounding states to enjoy the smorgasbord of Korean and other Asian restaurants—a strong selling point for the county. Along Route 40, two intricate signs fashioned like hanok, a traditional Korean house, designate the area as Koreatown, while a section of the Howard County tourism website is dedicated to Korean American-owned businesses. According to...

Winter calls for these standout soup spots, where you can order a half and half to try two specialties in one.
Maryland’s love of crab shows up in many preparations. First, Marylanders have the classic way of consuming the crustacean — plucking crab meat from steamed whole crabs boiled with Old Bay or J.O. seasoning. We also devour crab cakes and pies and top everything from nachos, pretzels, and fries with a chunky portion of the crab meat, prized for its sweet rich flavor acquired while the...

Kevin Tien and Sean Richardson may operate unique restaurants in two very different markets, but both chef/owners reignited their restaurant-owning dreams in 2024 after previous ventures shuttered. Tien reopened the groundbreaking Vietnamese favorite Moon Rabbit in D.C., while Richardson launched the seasonally focused, fine-dining Rune Restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Richardson’s farm-to-fork spot, The Golden, landed him a James...
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Fitness experts say start slow and find your tribe.
Linette Teerlink recalls training one client in her Columbia gym, Progressive Athletics. In an imaging scan, the woman’s osteoporosis made her spine look much older than her sixty-something years. Teerlink knew that, with exercise, the client could build back bone. After incorporating a regular workout routine and making some nutrition shifts, the client’s bone density got much better, something the American Academy of Orthop...

Six Bank Buildings Get Reinvented as Destination-Worthy Hotels

More: Preservation Magazine

By: Julekha Dash

Dale Balzano’s foray into the hotel field began 17 years ago when he and two business partners purchased a brick building in downtown Carlsbad, New Mexico. The former First National Bank, constructed in the late 19th century, may have once stashed the cash of Sheriff Pat Garrett, who did business in the building and is known for taking out the notorious outlaw Billy the Kid.

After an ar...

Drinking at your favorite neighborhood bar before the holidays is a time-honored tradition — as essential to getting in the seasonal spirit as putting up twinkling lights or snowflake decorations. Toasting with a pint of Guinness Stout or Guinness Blonde from your favorite bartender will bring you even more yuletide joy. We’ve highlighted some of the most festive bars and restaurants in Baltimore, so you can enjoy good food and friendly service with friends and family this season. Slainte!
R...

There was a time when Baltimore’s main draw was crab—steamed crabs, crab cakes, crab dip, and crab in so many other forms. But the blossoming dining scene has evolved to embrace so much more.
One of the splashiest newish restaurants, Ammoora, features cuisine from Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon inside the waterfront Ritz-Carlton Residences. You’ll also find Eastern European fare at the nationally lauded Little Donna’s and mouthwatering chicken at Rooted Rotisserie. Of course, standout seafood is ...

A taste of Spain finds eager diners and coastal parallels in a Maryland beach town
Diners entering the bayfront Cambria Hotel Ocean City should be prepared for what awaits on the eighth floor at Spain Wine Bar. Once inside the hotel rooftop restaurant, you’re no longer in a Maryland beach town buzzing with families strolling the boardwalk, buckets of Thrasher’s fries in tow. The restaurant’s textured plaster, Spanish tiles, and exposed brick—deliberately uneven in spots—transport guests to a ...

As a woman of color who grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, Teniola Akinwuntan knows firsthand about the barriers marginalized individuals face.
“Growing up in a community where opportunities were limited fueled my passion to create a platform that provides resources for those who are underserved,” says Akinwuntan.
That personal experience motivated Akinwuntan to found Women of Valor in 2018 to lift up women facing adversity. The Catonsville nonprofit provides food, housing, child-care assistance, and...

Rooted Rotisserie | Baltimore, Maryland
Inspired by a trip to Paris where they feasted on mouthwatering roasted chicken, husband-and-wife team Joseph Burton and Amanda Ngangana opened Rooted Rotisserie across from Hollins Market in October 2023. Order a whole or half chicken with preserved lemon, garlic, and herb oil, or a French riff on the classic Baltimore codfish and potato cakes, or coddies, topped with bechamel.
The Empanada Lady | Baltimore, Maryland
Elisa Milan honors her Puerto Rican...