My husband and I decided we needed to flip the script on travel last summer when our daughter told us she wanted to go to Bora Bora for her birthday — she was turning 8. I’m sure when I was her age, I couldn’t point out Bora Bora on a map, let alone think going for my birthday was a reasonable request. But not only can my daughter find the beautiful country on the globe
It’s the climb: The beauty of Dunn’s River Falls makes for a memorable excursion in Jamaica. For more Caribbean travel ideas, browse our guide. While cruising in the Caribbean last spring, my family and I booked an excursion to Dunn’s River Falls on our one-day stop in Jamaica. […]
A charming Bavarian town in North Georgia lights up for the holidays
If a trip to Germany isn’t possible this season, head to Helen, a tiny town in northwest Georgia that goes big for the holidays. It’s a 3.5-hour drive from Charlotte and attracts millions of tourists who flock to find a bit of Bavaria in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Complete with buildings designed with European facades, Helen is best known for Oktoberfest events where revelers dress in lederhosen and dirndls, dance the polka, drink beer, and feast on German food. In December, this Alpine escape hosts a tree lighting, a Christmas parade, visits with Santa, and a traditional German Christkindlmarket. Spend a weekend in this charming mountain town and check off all the festivities your family would experience in the Old Country.
STAY
Most family-owned accommodations in Helen look like Swiss chalets. Helendorf Inn sits along the Chattahoochee River and is walking distance to more than 200 souvenir shops, restaurants, and Riverside Park where the town’s tree lighting takes place. Designated rooms are pet-friendly, and all rooms have a small fridge and microwave. Grab-and-go breakfast items are available in the lobby for all guests. For those craving a more secluded experience, rent a cabin in the woods surrounding Helen or in Unicoi State Park. For luxury amenities and lodging for families with teenagers, try Vallhalla Resort offering a rooftop bar, wine cellar, and spa that is located only a few minutes away from downtown Helen.
A first look at uptown’s new French-inspired restaurant. by Krisha Chachra | photographs by Justin Driscoll True to its name, Charlotte’s new uptown restaurant Coquette — which in French means playful, coy woman — flirts with combining modern French cuisine, exotic spices and southern flavors. Mornings at Coquette begin with […]
South Charlotte resident Joy Callaway always knew she wanted to write when she grew up, but she never imagined being a full-time novelist. “My brother and I weren’t really allowed to watch TV as kids,” says Callaway. “I filled my free time with writing plays, […]
Jamaican American Cultural Association approaches 25 years of granting scholarships
South Charlotte resident Gaynor Russell moved from New York City to the Queen City over 35 years ago with her husband and infant daughter. When she did, Russell, originally from Jamaica, craved the culture and camaraderie of her homeland. “It wasn’t just the social scene and meeting other Jamaicans,” Russell explains. “I missed sharing the food, music and dancing and wanted to create a community and also give back.”
She and her husband had two more children, and she finished her undergrad degree and earned an MBA at UNC Charlotte. Although she had a career and a growing family, Russell recognized that the community was growing too. “There are many people of Jamaican and Caribbean descent in South Charlotte who are very supportive of promoting the culture, so we started a group called Friends of Jamaica.
“New people are moving here all the time,” continues Russell. “I used to know most of the Jamaican people in Charlotte, but now there are thousands.”
Friends of Jamaica evolved into the group Russell founded, the Jamaican American Cultural Association. It has three main goals: One is to share Jamaican culture. The second is to support local high school seniors with dreams of pursuing higher education — focusing on those with an African American or Afro-Caribbean background.
Lastly, Russell felt the association could help children in Jamaica by sending tablets, computers and other technological resources to Jamaican schools. Russell has made several trips to Jamaica to make deliveries to rural schools, mainly around Kingston. She and other members of JACA have a goal to donate to schools in each of Jamaica’s 14 parishes.
Hers is a story of continuous transformation: the only true way to survive. After more than 200 years of change, The Greenbrier Resort and Spa continues welcoming guests drawn by the luxury, relaxation, charm and beauty that defines her — while absorbing a rich history that made […]
After a successful career in fashion, Charlotte native Hadley Quisenberry left New York City in 2012 and returned home to raise a family and work alongside her mother, Lisa Britt, a longtime interior designer. Lisa Britt Designs rebranded to become West Trade Interiors, and by 2018, […]
After a decade working in information technology, Prajwal “Praj” Hagargi felt the call to step outside her comfort zone. Decorating and styling rooms has always been a passion of hers, so in 2016 she decided to pursue an online degree at San Francisco-based The Interior Design Institute. After two years, she achieved Council for Interior Design Accreditation.
For the chandelier, Praj chose a design called Aspra designed by Julie Neill for Visual Comfort. The pattern and glass leaves mimic the clustered flowers in the Thibaut wallpaper and petal shapes in the carpet.
Revira Interiors, previously Contrast Interior Design, is a combination of her daughter’s names, Reeva and Ira. Praj was just getting started on her new path as a business owner and a designer when the pandemic hit.
“My family gave me the courage to continue,” Praj says. “Since everyone was home in 2020, people started to look at their spaces differently.” She took on small projects and experienced the challenges of supply-chain issues and designing virtually. “I learned a lot during that time,” she says.
When visiting the homes of her clients, Praj likes to observe the colors, patterns and textures already in place and evaluate what is important to the client. However, in 2023, she decided to work on a project that was important to her. Her grandmother who lived in Karnataka, India, had recently passed and left Praj her antique armoire. “I share a spiritual connection with my grandmother and just wanted to honor her by creating a beautiful space for her armoire,” Praj says. She decided to redesign her own bedroom in her Weddington home and called the project “Ode to Love.”
It is cool to travel again — and even more cool to do it alone. Data from booking.com shows that prepandemic, only 17% of travelers were going solo. By mid-2021, that number jumped to 30%. Last year, searches for single-person flights in 2023 were up 36% over […]
Krisha Chachra served eight years on the Blacksburg Town Council was elected Vice Mayor of Blacksburg. She is a community advocate & connector and runs an event production organization that hosts the largest ongoing young and creative professionals mixer in Southwest Virginia called “Up on the Roof”. Krisha has worked with NRV Magazine (nrvmagazine.com) for a decade as the travel columnist and human-interest writer. She has visited over 45 countries in 6 continents and focuses her writing on people, culture and beautiful places. Krisha has reported and hosted shows for public radio and television and has freelanced for USA Weekend Magazine, the Honolulu Advertiser and the Roanoke Times among others. Her book about returning to Blacksburg, Homecoming Journals, may be found online or in local bookstores. Email her at kchachra@aol.com
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