AFAR. May 2022. As guests arrive at Kasane International Airport in the northeastern corner of Botswana, a woman driver begins to load luggage onto an open-air jeep. Wearing a khaki uniform with a red and white scarf tied neatly around her neck, she helps the fresh arrivals into her vehicle and cruises through the city’s […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. May 2022. If you frequent some of the farmers markets around Atlanta, you may have had a chance to taste the fresh baked cinnamon rolls and cheddar scallion scones from Just Bakery Atlanta (JBA). Since 2017, this unique bakery has been serving customers baked goods via delivery, pickups and at the Grant Park, Morningside, […]

Indiaspora. May 2022. Hanisha Ajay Alwani is the unofficial cultural ambassador for the Indian community living in the Dutch Caribbean island of Sint Maarten. She is the driving force behind organizing community events, charitable giving and world renowned concerts. After serving the diaspora for almost three decades, Alwani is inspiring the next generation of Caribbean-Indians […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. May 2022 print. Absent a lobby, the entrance to the culinary-themed Epicurean Atlanta hotel in Midtown has an expansive leather-wrapped zinc bar against the backdrop of a bustling kitchen. The restaurant’s host stand doubles as a fridge and offers a welcome drink. You’ve arrived at the Reverence restaurant and the hotel’s check-in […]

Khabar Magazine. May 2022 print. The mixed-use State Farm building on Hammond Drive in Dunwoody has a new addition. Sankranti Indian Kitchen is a fast-casual restaurant, aspiring to deliver “Chipotle style” healthy made-to-order Indian cuisine. Walking in the modern and clean space, there are subtle hints of the restaurant’s Indian origins. Flower motifs, stenciled in […]

Atlanta Journal Constitution. May 2022. Sunday print. On a humid summer evening, the thick temperate deciduous forest is hauntingly dark. As soon as the last twilight of dusk disappears, you begin to see sparkling dots emerge from the canopies. As your eyes adjust to the darkness, more and more flashing lights become visible. Soon, there […]

Salaam Gateway. April 2022.

Khabar Magazine. April 2022 cover story. To reach Mauritius—located 1250 miles east of Africa, in the middle of the Indian Ocean—it takes six hours on a plane from India, twelve hours from Paris, and four hours from Johannesburg, where I boarded the flight. Ram Doobree, my limousine driver, meets me and my husband at the […]

Georgia Trend. April 2022. If you are planning to celebrate Easter by purchasing store-bought chocolate eggs and bunny-shaped candy, you may want to think outside the box – literally. Handmade artisan chocolate not only tastes better, it also helps local small business owners thrive and give back to the global community. Xocolatl Small Batch Chocolate, […]

Zagat. March 2022. Okan Kizilbayir is executive chef of Salt restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, one of the only 2 AAA Five Diamond rated restaurants in Florida.  Growing up, my family had a summer home in the woods an hour outside Istanbul. My dad grew vegetables, my grandfather made old Turkish style one-pot stews, and I […]

Time Out. March 2022. There’s something magical about watching hundreds of colorful balloons gently rise into the skies. Hot air balloons symbolize romance, joy, luxury and wonderment and for many a hot air balloon ride is a bucket list item. If you’re interested in this magical forrm of transportation, hot air balloon festivals across the US allow […]

Indiaspora. March 2022. Deveekaa Nijhawan is proud to call Qatar her new home. She loves the cultural authenticity and diversity that the country has to offer. In her role in public relations and communications for Qatar Tourism, Nijhawan promotes the unique destination in key markets, including India, the US, France, Germany, Turkey, Spain, and Italy, as part of […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. March 2022. Whether you’re Irish or just Irish for a day, celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by heading out to one of the pubs and restaurants around the state, or cook with your friends and family. Most Irish cuisine you’ll find today is not “traditionally Irish,” but rather mainstream as popularized by immigrants […]

Southern Living. March 2022. LaGrange is a progressive small town that offers all the amenities of a big city. Located only an hour south of Atlanta, LaGrange is home to a number of musical entertainment venues, upcoming craft breweries, one of the largest collections of Middle Eastern artifacts, and world-renowned gardens. The population of about 30,000 […]

Southern Living. March 2022. Greensboro came about as a retirement and second home lake and golf community formed by those who were looking to take a quick getaway from the big city of Atlanta. Over the past two decades, though, a boom in vacation rentals and new businesses has attracted younger families from all over the country to […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. March 2022. Located at East Atlanta Village is a new hip and casual brewery and restaurant. The exterior recalls beer gardens where you can just hang out with your two- and four-legged companions, while the cozy inside feels like the tasting room of a working brewery. With sacks of malt flour on […]

Southern Living. March 2022. Located in North Carolina’s famed “Research Triangle,” Durham is a small, atypical Southern city. A vibrant international community composed of brainy students, young technology and science entrepreneurs, and retirees from all around the world make The Bull City a progressive and creative place. Durham has a revitalized downtown that honors its […]

Paperless Post. Feb 2022. Play, laughter, and love are the essence of Holi, the Indian festival that marks the end of the dark and dreary winter and welcomes the bursting colors of spring. Each year, Holi kicks off the beginning of the spring growing season, and the festival is a chance to let loose and […]

HuffPost. Feb 2022. Chef Daryl Shular is the world’s first African American and minority chef to earn the prestigious title of certified master chef, the distinction administered by the American Culinary Federation and currently held by fewer than a hundred people. Shular has also won 12 gold medals in local and national cooking competitions, including the Culinary Olympics, […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. Feb 2022. When you dine at a trendy restaurant, you may not think of army veterans in middle Georgia. But a group of vets may have grown the heirloom tomatoes or raised the pork that’s on your plate. For them, working the land has not only helped provide quality food, but also […]

AAA. February 2022. New Orleans is agreeably one of the top tourist destinations in the country. With rich culture, world-renowned music, Creole and Cajun cuisines, and vibrant nightlife, the Big Easy is a place to celebrate any special occasion or getaway. Despite the recent pandemic and natural disasters, NOLA has returned to life with new […]

HuffPost. February 2022. Matthew Raiford is a chef, author and farmer on a mission to raise awareness of the life cycle of food, especially in the African-American community. As a sixth-generation Gullah Geechee in the coastal South, Raiford is working to pass on his ancestral and acquired knowledge of growing, cooking and preserving food, by hosting […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. January 2022. During the first few days of the new year, many of us strive to change our eating habits. But a few weeks into our resolution, we realize that following a specific diet is not conducive to our lifestyles. We still occasionally need to go out for date nights, office lunches […]

Travel+Leisure. January 2022. When you picture an “idyllic getaway,” you’re almost always imagining an island, and America’s Favorite Island® makes it abundantly clear why: Hilton Head Island is an outdoor paradise, with miles of unspoiled beaches, championship golf courses, luxurious resorts, and unique family-friendly adventures. Year-round sunshine and mild subtropical climate allow for a variety […]