Nancy Monson

From fried chicken in the Carolinas to beignets in New Orleans, the American South is known for its delicious comfort food.
Southern cooking is the very definition of comfort food: fried chicken, creamy grits, beignets, and gumbo. It is warm and welcoming. It combines influences from enslaved African Americans, Native Americans, the British, and the French, and recipes and traditions have been handed down from one generation to the next, reports Faith Rose, a food tour guide with Bulldog Tour...

Upstate New York—in particular, the Hudson Valley—has long been a top weekend getaway destination for quaint towns, farm-to-table cuisine and outdoor adventures. A respite from the hectic pace of New York City. These days, though, pampering is flowing upstream in the form of ultimate relaxation experiences. Here are 5 weekend spa getaways in Upstate New York with a wow factor.
Head north of New York City and the suburbs begin to give way to deeply forested trails, mountains and lakes. And spa...

Meet Mignon Francois—mother, baker, entrepreneur, purveyor of joy.
It’s hard not to be captivated by Mignon Francois. She’s fabulously expressive, incredibly exuberant, and relentlessly positive—and with good reason.
Now the owner of the hugely successful The Cupcake Collection, a destination bakery in Nashville’s Germantown and more recently in New Orleans’ Garden District, a little over a decade ago Francois was down and out. She, her husband, and her family of six children were always on t...

There is no shortage of artisans in the United States, which is why there are also some phenomenal craft schools — and why male and female makers like me embark on annual summer pilgrimages to gain new skills in quilting, jewelry-making, woodworking, metal work, felting, painting, silversmithing and more.
Not only do we learn from respected artists, we also bond with fellow makers. And thankfully, there are usually plentiful opportunities to work outside, as most of the schools are located in...

David L. Katz, MD, MPH, preventive medicine specialist and founder and president of True Health Initiative, a federally authorized nonprofit effort established to help convert what is known about lifestyle as medicine into what we can do to improve our health, based in New Haven, Connecticut. He is CEO and founder of Diet ID, an online diet-assessment and personalization program, and coauthor with renowned food writer Mark Bittman of How to Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered and a...

Nancy Kerns, founding editor-in-chief of Whole Dog Journal, a monthly publication offering advice on responsible dog ownership.
WholeDogJournal.com
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Most dog owners are eager to take their pets on vacation with them. It is fun to travel with Fido, and more places now allow you to bring along well-behaved dogs.
But it also can be limiting and requires planning, so it’s important to know what you’re getting into. Here are some tips from ...

It’s always a treat to visit The Lodge at Woodloch in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, and during my latest visit I was wowed by their three new spa amenities.
The Lodge’s spa is a sanctuary for the senses. Whether it’s relaxing in the co-ed Himalayan salt sauna, enjoying the Aqua Garden’s hydromassage waterwalls or experiencing aquatic bliss in the activity pool enveloped by floor to ceiling windows, you can choose to be as active or revitalized as you wish.
All spa amenities at The Lod...

The desert area around well-to-do Scottsdale, Arizona, is a hotbed of destination spas and resorts offering desert wellness activities for women, men and couples.
There’s something powerful and magical about the Sonoran Desert. Sunrises and sunsets are spectacular, thanks to the wide open spaces. And the warm, dry climate in seasons other than the summer is gentle and soothing.
Desert wellness seekers flock to the state year-round. Here are Arizona’s best spas and resorts for desert wellness ...

Most Americans eat too much,

yet still lack basic nutrition. Here are five simple ways to clean up your diet and get the vitamins and minerals you need.

It’s not every day someone serenades your shoulder. But I’m jumping ahead…
My meditative massage at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health begins, as many massages do, with the instruction to “Breathe deeply, in and out.” Be mindful. Be present. Check.
Next, I’m asked to set an intention for my massage. “This is different,” I think, but I like it because I have a very specific issue that led to my booking the treatment: I hope to find relief from some of the soreness and tension in my right bicep a...

Creativity is increasingly being recognized as a secret advantage to health and well-being. In fact, research over the past 20 years has consistently shown that losing yourself in painting, knitting, journaling, woodcarving and other hobbies can improve your mental health. And this revelation is not lost on wellness resorts and spas—many of which incorporate creative activities into their daily programs to calm the mind and inspire the heart and soul.
Here are five of our favorite wellness re...

Restrictive diets aren't a revelation, but now they come with a twist. WH examines the science behind intermittent fasting and whether playing hunger games is a dangerous fad or a time-honored way to shed pounds....

Going to a destination spa is one of the best things you can do for your mental and physical health. Not only do you receive relaxing treatments, but you spend hours in an environment that screams tranquility (albeit at a sweet whisper).
It’s almost impossible not to feel calmer after lounging in a soft recliner while sipping herbal tea and listening to the gentle sound of a bubbling water fountain.
But if you aren’t a seasoned spa-goer, it’s hard to know what to expect at a destination spa. ...

Sprawling hills and rolling green valleys? Check. A rustling wind that swirls the warmly colored autumn leaves? Check. The gentle neighing of horses breaking through the stillness? Check.
Wait—horses? At a destination spa and resort? Yes, very much yes.
Horse encounters are a core component of the “Life in Balance” philosophy at the quintessential New England-styled Miraval Resorts and Spa in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts.
A unique offering among spa destinations, the Equin...