I cover human interest stories in Latin America with a focus on women, urban design, food/drinks, culture and travel. Ex-Fulbright, IAPA, San Diego Union-Tribune.
How These U.S. Neighborhoods Got Their Odd Names | AFAR
If names like Cabbagetown, Goose Hollow, and Normal Heights sound bizarre, just wait until you read about how they got those monikers in the first place.
Airport Usage Is Up — But Demand to Move and Expand It Is Way Down | Voice of San Diego
Twelve years ago, proponents of a plan to relocate the San Diego International Airport had a simple pitch: way more people are going to use the airport in the coming years, and the current facility can’t accommodate it.
Since then, the number of passengers boarding plans has indeed increased as envisioned by those projections, but the airport still isn’t close to maxing out its capacity.
Last year, 11 million passengers boarded flights at San Diego Airport’s two terminals, more than ever befo...
5 restaurants where you can sample Stone Mountain’s Caribbean soul | Atlanta Magazine
Pienanny owner Tiffany Parkes takes us on a tour of her five favorite spots
10 Border Walls That Artists Have Turned Into Powerful Protests | AFAR
Donald Trump wasn’t the first politician to dream of a “big, beautiful wall,” and he won’t be the last. Whether in Cold War-era Berlin or present-day West Bank, walls have long been used to shut out people whose race, religion, economic status, or ideology have been deemed unwelcome by those in power, or simply to “keep the peace.” But wherever anti-immigration politicians see opportunity, artists see canvas.
In Mexico, Momentum Builds for Women-Only Ride-Hailing Apps | CityLab
Women-centered ridehailing apps like Laudrive gain traction in Mexico, but will they fare better than their predecessors?
Seven Tips for Drinking Mezcal | Lucky Peach
The Indiana Jones of mezcal gives us the scoop. (Originally published May 2016 in Lucky Peach, now defunct)
22 Ways to Experience Mexico City (And Where to Donate) | San Diego Magazine
The buzziest metropolis in the Americas beckons with cutting-edge food, dimly lit mezcal bars, world-class museums, and more.
Puebla’s Talavera Workshops | New Worlder
An inside peek at the colonial city's ceramics workshops.
To Combat Gentrification in Mexico City, Two Artists Invented a Patron Saint | Pacific Standard
Blessed mother, saint, and daughter
Save me from eviction, from rising rents and property tax
Save me from greedy landlords and corrupt developers
Save me from gentrification
Made in America: Trade policy in the Trump era
This hour, we'll talk about why trade was one of the biggest issues that got Donald Trump elected. What Americans stand to gain — and lose — by becoming more protectionist. And what really happened to American manufacturing jobs. We’ll also see how the rest of the world is preparing for a massive shift in US policy, from a microbrewery in Tijuana to a medical manufacturer in Berlin.
Featuring interviews with:
Edward Alden — senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations
I.M. (Mac) Destler ...
San Diego Researcher Says Naps Are New Key to Productivity | San Diego Magazine
Dr. Sara Mednick's book Take a Nap! Change Your Life outlines how readers can hack their sleep schedules to achieve results.
If you only eat three meals in Mexico City, make sure they’re at these spots | Washington Post
In the Mexican capital, ancient history is ever-present — there are Aztec ruins in the metro, for Tlaloc’s sake — and interacting with the now. Mexico City’s food scene is no exception.
Laura Osnes on the Broadway Success of 'Bandstand' | San Diego Magazine
The one-time San Diego starlet opines on the military musical's takeaways and prospect of it touring to San Diego.
In Mexico, a dazzling museum dives headlong into the Baroque period | Washington Post
Maybe it’s not surprising that there aren’t many museums devoted to the Baroque, the artistic and architectural style that’s been described as “clumsy in form and extravagant in contorted ornamentation” and whose name may derive from the Spanish word for “wart.”
Meet the Patron Saint of Resisting Gentrification | CityLab
On a street in Mexico City's Colonia Juarez, in an area bounded by muffler shops on one end and a craft beer garden/gourmet food court on the other, there exists a tiny altar. Inside is the figure of a woman, about 12 inches tall, her hands clasped in supplication.