Veteran Maryland lifestyle and business journalist published in NYT, WSJ, Food & Wine, Afar, Travel & Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, Hemispheres, AARP and others. Reach me at juledash@gmail.com.
Cocktails Infused With Indian Herbs and Spices
South Asian restaurants across the country are showcasing essential spices in their cocktail menus. (Scroll down to read).
Follow New Mexico's State Cookie From Santa Fe to Albuquerque
Our first trip to New Mexico started in the best possible way — with cookies to fuel us up before our Airbnb Experiences walking tour of Albuquerque. Crumbly, with a hint of licorice and a dusting of cinnamon sugar, the first cookie tasted like a cross between a shortbread and a sugar cookie. Our guide informed us that these were biscochitos (sometimes spelled bizcochitos) a traditional New Mexican cookie first brought by Spanish colonists in the 16th century and influenced by Indigenous and ...
The Best Beaches Near DC for a Quick Summer Getaway
No summer is complete without at least one beach trip. And great news: Reaching the sand and shore is easy from DC, whether you want to stroll along boardwalks, bar hop, hike, or catch some rays. Some are in state parks, while others are in waterside towns offering live entertainment, museums, and shopping when you’ve wrapped up your time on the shore. Here are eight beaches within one to three hours of DC located across Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and New Jersey.
Beaches in Maryland
Ocean ...
How Former Bar and Restaurant Workers Take Over the Reins as Owners
Pouring drinks at Chicago’s Skylark always felt more like serving an extended family for Sam Mesick, who started working at the Pilsen dive bar 15 years ago. He witnessed regulars advance through various stages—from courtship and marriage to parents of toddlers who stood on chairs to reach pinball machine buttons. Other patrons brought him dinner when he worked on Thanksgiving.
When Mesick, who lives above the bar, heard...
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5 Historic General Stores Offer Old School Shopping in an Online Age
As a kid, Todd Sheets stocked shelves at Beeker’s General Store, a Pemberville, Ohio, shop built in the 1870s and beloved by customers for its history and eclectic selection of products. Sheets continued working at the store as an adult and purchased it in 1994 from former owner Mildred Beeker, enamored with its wooden floors and tin ceiling. “I’ve always liked the building. It’s magical,” Sheets says.
The store draws both locals and visitors from around the state and beyond who purchase Amis...
Ammoora
Swinging open the doors to Ammoora in Baltimore’s splashy Ritz-Carlton Residences feels like a journey to a luxurious home in the Middle East, full of rose-colored banquettes and tables sparkling with inlaid mother-of-pearl. A warm evening calls for a meal of mezze, grilled shrimp, and chicken kabobs on the serene, open-air courtyard, lined with black-and-white-striped tiles.
“We wanted it to feel like an extension of the homes here, as well for guests to be able to come in and enjoy,” says t...
The Food & Wine Guide to Sourcing and Preparing Each Type of Crab
Here's where and when to source the main crab varieties and how to serve each.
Thousands of crab species wander the depths of the oceans, bays, streams, and lakes, ranging from pea size to a dozen feet long. To devour the delicacies, you’ll find a handful of varieties in restaurants, seafood markets, and grocery stores, including king, snow, blue, stone, and Dungeness crabs. While these five types of crabs share some features, the taste and preparation methods are each unique. Here’s a breakd...
Your Stop-by-Stop Guide to Maryland’s Best Blue Crabs
As a 20-year resident of Maryland, I know one thing to be true: Our crabs are the best in the world. This simple fact was proven to me again on a recent outing in the Midwest, where a family member insisted on ordering a crab cake appetizer at a buzzy new restaurant. I dug into the thin-fried assortment that looked and tasted nothing like a Maryland crab cake, dense with chunky, jumbo lump crab browned on top from broiling.
Marylanders take much pride in the delicate, rich flavor and preparat...
A New Baltimore Chocolate Shop With a Signature Drink
Jinji Fraser wants you to rethink how you consume chocolate. In October, she and her father, Guy Fraser, opened Jinji Chocolate, a shop in Baltimore’s Waverly neighborhood that pays homage to Indigenous traditions in the Caribbean and Mesoamerica by serving seven types of drinking chocolate, both hot and cold.
A Mediterranean Maryland
One of the most surprisingly delightful bites at Ruse, a two-year-old restaurant on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, is the Galician anchovy toast. The raw bar menu item features a warm slice of baguette topped with Vermont Creamery butter, anchovy, and a piparra, a slightly spicy and tangy pepper hailing from the Basque country of Spain.
“It’s only four ingredients, so it has to be executed perfectly,” says executive chef Michael Correll. Topped with a pinch of sea salt and served with a side of le...
Dig in to Barbecue, Fish and Chips, and Chili at These Black-Owned Restaurants in the DMV
What do fish and chips, chili con carne, pulled pork, corn on the cob, and the half-smoke have in common? They’re all mouthwatering specialties made by Black-owned restaurants in the Washington, D.C., area. While some of these establishments are well-known institutions, others fly under the radar, only known to loyal regulars — until now.
PEPSI® Dig In, the brand’s platform designed to drive access, business growth, and awareness to Black-owned restaurants, is returning this August with Pepsi...
The Most Authentic Spanish Food in D.C. Gets This Certification
From the saffron-scented seafood rice to shrimp seared in sizzling garlic olive oil, dishes from Spain have won over many D.C. diners. As Spanish establishments proliferate in the nation’s capital, though, consumers are seeking restaurants that authentically highlight Spain’s diverse food and wine offerings.
So how do diners know which restaurants are the real deal? ICEX Foods and Wines From Spain has developed the Restaurants From Spain Certification program — a seal of approval that ens...
A Football Fanatic’s Weekend Itinerary in Baltimore
Tips + Trends
The excitement is palpable on Sundays during football season in Baltimore, a town where fans like to say they bleed the team colors of purple and black. Take the opportunity to enjoy Charm City’s restaurants, entertainment and attractions while in town for the football frenzy.
Planning to go to a Baltimore Ravens game? Try making a long weekend out of it and enjoying these activities that are practically tailor-made for the Ravens Flock.
As always, check for travel guidelines an...
Exploring Oslo With Kids
Winter’s here—and with it, plenty of ways to make the most of the season.
If all you wanna do during winter is hunker down and wait for spring to come, you’re not alone. Traveling during the holidays is an Olympic sport in itself. But there are some places that are extra-special in the winter, like NYC around Christmastime or Aspen after a snowstorm. Then there’s the things you can’t do any other time of year, like dog-sledding in the Laplands or ice skating in New York City's Central Park. W...
How to Spend a Weekend Museum-Hopping in DC
Home to one of the world's largest museum complexes, the Smithsonian, our nation's capital is undoubtedly one of the world's best cities for art lovers. Washington, DC, is also home to a host of lesser-known gems, showcasing everything from classical art to edgy modern creations, housed in architecturally noteworthy buildings.
Staying at the Motto by Hilton Washington DC City Center, conveniently located in the central Penn Quarter neighborhood, puts visitors within a short walk or Metro ride...