ArcaMax

Two centuries ago, there were dozens of independent states in the part of Europe that was German-speaking. Today, there are only four: Germany, Austria, Switzerland ... and Liechtenstein.

I like the way tiny countries are defined so clearly by geography. Liechtenstein is a bowl in the mountains – high ridges on the east, milky baby Rhine ...Read more

Suviche, anyone? We were spending the weekend at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess and having a sunset dinner overlooking the 18th hole at Toro, the resort's newest expansive restaurant in the Clubhouse of TPC Scottsdale. Toro is a collaboration with celebrity chef Richard Sandoval, with a “...Read more

After growing up in the college town of Champaign, Illinois, “Reasonable Doubt” actor McKinley Freeman didn’t get homesick when he attended college. He chose to study finance at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “Growing up in Champaign was cool,” said the actor, who’s now based out of Los Angeles. “I still keep in touch...Read more

Getting close to one of the big icons of Western civilization – the Acropolis, the Palace of Versailles, the Colosseum – can be the spine-tingling high point of a European trip. But don’t paper over Europe’s “smaller” achievements. Many of Europe’s lasting cultural contributions are captured on dusty sheets of vellum or parchment, ...Read more

The U.S. government is warning U.S. citizens to steer clear of U.S. installations in Trinidad and Tobago, including its embassy in Port-of-Spain, amid the ongoing buildup of its military in the region and drone strikes off the coast of Venezuela.

“Due to a heightened state of alert please avoid and refrain from visiting all U.S. Government ...Read more

What was the best part? Ask three people who have shared a vacation – even in the same family – and they will each likely have a different answer.

Maybe it was a superb meal, maybe it was scoring a designer bargain at a vintage store. Maybe it was stunning scenery or doing something completely out of your comfort zone or allowing your kids ...Read more

Comedian and author JT Habersaat is a keen observer of life, which is why a lot of things he hears make their way into his stand-up shows. “I tend to pull from real life quite often,” said Habersaat, who resides in Austin. “I’m a bit of a storyteller. The constant travel of stand-up comedy lends itself well to adventure and insane ...Read more

When traveling in the Netherlands – with its canals, windmills, and tulip fields – it all seems so cute and sweet; you may find yourself exclaiming, "Everything's just so…Dutch!" But for another side of the Netherlands, visit the no-nonsense "second city" of Rotterdam.

Mighty Rotterdam has a gleaming skyline and Europe’s largest port. ...Read more

Sparkly, spooky or scary? Your preschooler may want to be Frozen’s Elsa, while The Addams Family’s Wednesday is proving a popular choice for grade-schoolers and Beetlejuice characters for teens.

Have you dusted off your witch’s hat yet? (Maybe you can be Elphaba, Wicked’s fantastic Wicked Witch of the...Read more

For cellist Derek Stein, touring is a part of his life as a member of Vitamin String Quartet. But one of his fondest memories is of traveling with his grandfather many years ago. “My maternal grandfather took me to Germany the summer between junior and senior year of high school,” Stein said in an interview from Los Angeles. “It was my ...Read more

While London sits upon an ancient Roman foundation (Londinium), today’s city was shaped in a powerful way by England’s Industrial Revolution. In 1800, London had about a million people. By 1900, its population had quadrupled to over four million, as people came from the countryside into the big city for the promise of a good job and a better...Read more

Let’s all get in the box! If you are among the more than 825,000 people in Albuquerque, NM, during the International Balloon Fiesta (this year Oct. 4 to 12), you will hear a lot about the Albuquerque Box. It’s a weather phenomenon in early October that creates ideal ballooning conditions.

The Rio ...Read more

Charlie Sexton started playing the guitar when he was four years old. Family friend Stevie Ray Vaughan babysat him, introducing him to Jimi Hendrix's music. By 11, Sexton was performing with Vaughan's brother, Jimmie. Two years later, Joe Ely picked him to play lead guitar. At 15, he toured with the Clash. And at 16, he moved by himself from ...Read more

Europe is rich in history, but its splendid castles, antique churches, and age-old ruins tell only part of the story. To dig even deeper in time – much deeper – visit a cave. Some of my favorites, in France and Slovenia, showcase 17-foot-long bulls drawn by our ancient forebears and 100-foot-high stalagmites sculpted by nature.

The world’...Read more

What are you waiting for? If you really want to enjoy fall foliage, you’ve got to get out of the car.

And that includes all of you at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the country’s most- visited national park, where so many visitors stay in their vehicles that they’ve got a special moniker – "windshield wiper tourists” because ...Read more

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump pressed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to stop buying oil from Russia and left the door open to Ankara obtaining F-35 fighter jets, as the leaders looked to resolve a number of longstanding issues that have strained ties between the NATO allies.

“I’d like to have him stop buying any oil from ...Read more

Singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop (“On and On,” “Save It for a Rainy Day,” “It Might Be You”) had a sold-out tour planned when the COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench in his plans. “Sadly, we were never able to reschedule the dates,” said Bishop, now 73. “[But lockdown did give] me time to really reflect on my career. In the end, ...Read more

Pretty, pristine, and perched on a lake, with a striking mountain panorama as a backdrop, Luzern has long been Switzerland’s tourism capital. Since the Romantic era in the 19th century, it's been a regular stop on the "Grand Tour" of Europe for the likes of Mark Twain and Queen Victoria. And with a charming old town, a pair of picture-perfect ...Read more

Congratulations! There’s no more carpooling, no more worry about teens getting home late, no more nagging about doing dishes or cleaning up their rooms.

Finally, you’re an empty nester. And whether you are a solo parent or a couple, you deserve to reward yourselves for making it this far.

Of course you don’t want to go overboard, not ...Read more

“Every audience has a regional vibe [that’s] wonderful,” said musician Dar Williams. “I've learned that in the United Kingdom, oftentimes they are laughing and appreciating a concert – on the inside. After the concert is when I find out I haven't bombed. Irish audiences have been so demonstrative and generous. I told an audience in ...Read more