Jackie Bryant

Franco initiated a grand economic plan designed to achieve self-sufficiency: Spain would pool its resources and centralize production. As part of this policy, quotas were enacted that outlawed milk production under 10,000 liters a day. This made small dairies and cheesemaking productions illegal. 

A sloped landscape's design creates function, beauty and more family time outside.

Things move at a different pace here in San Diego. National trends take a long time to reach us, but sometimes, we’re lucky enough to find ourselves at the cutting edge of one -- not because we’re on top of our game per se, but because we’re still enjoying it from its first incarnation. Featured in "Rum: Sailors, Pirates and Prohibition," a 2017 exhibit at the Maritime Museum of San Diego

Rather than head the half mile to the Mediterranean Sea, I drove inland to a town called Siurana, near where my mother-in-law lives, to check out what I was told is some of the best cheese in all of Spain.

With the lifting of marijuana prohibition in California, San Diegans are facing a lot of firsts. But whether it’s someone’s first or thousandth time in a dispensary, it’s always a good idea to be in the know.

Hana is a geographically isolated town under the Haleakala volcano on Maui's eastern shore, where food is essential to keeping the sense of community alive. 

Based in Marshall, California, Hog Island has become not only a day-trip destination for bivalve-loving bon vivants and a dining institution in San Francisco, but more importantly, a beacon of aquaculture sustainability.

If you go, you’ll find pristine, near-empty beaches; understated eco resorts; a varied and delicious homegrown cuisine with priority on sustainable foods; and a laid-back people who recognize you could’ve gone elsewhere, and who appreciate your efforts.

Too often, the discussion of Baja’s culinary revolution skips over the Valle de Guadalupe’s sleepier little sister, the port city of Ensenada. Flanked by desert mountains, facing the stark blue Pacific Ocean and bestowed with one of the most pleasant climates on earth, Ensenada is just 90 miles south of downtown San Diego, making it the ideal destination for a day trip.

If you’re into bubbles or Italian wines, you’re probably already well-versed in prosecco and Lambrusco. Well, there’s another Italian sparkling wine we’re geeking out over right now: Franciacorta. 

“Oh, yes. We have Under the Counter,” the waiter responded as the entire table erupted in laughter and looked towards me. He turned and sped off, presumably to grab the hooch.

Americans overlook this alpine region pocked with freshwater -- aside, maybe, from the famous Lake Como. But around Italy (and pretty much the rest of Europe) vacationers know and love these lakes between Verona and Milan, each with a distinct scene, whether that be sailing, celebrity, or simply being hidden.

It was during that low tourism period that Tijuanenses seized on opportunity and reintroduced Tijuana on their own terms, ushering in a golden age of food, drink, design and art to sustain the city. That effort has paid off; Tijuana has been rediscovered. Won 1st place in the Online International Travel category in the San Diego Press Club 2017 Excellence in Journalism Awards

Even after decades of accolades, including three Michelin stars and repeat appearances at number one on the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” list, the three Roca brothers at the helm of El Celler de Can Roca place family at the heart of what they do. Won Third Place in the Profiles category at the 2016 San Diego Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards.

After chatting with people and getting through the requisite rounds of “Congratulations on your new president!”—which was funny, but also not funny—I sought out an apfelwein tavern to drink off the jet lag.

It must be said that as Mexico's most northwestern state and one of its youngest, Baja has a newer food culture and it has only crystallized in the last 15 years or so. Though Baja’s cuisine was previously undefined, what is for sure is that there are certain dishes— some of which are taking the food world by storm right now (um, tostadas, anyone?) — that are undeniably “Baja.”

Since early October, when Hurricane Matthew devastated an already limping Haiti, refugees have been fleeing the island, with many ending up in Brazil. From there, they take buses towards the United States, where their journeys often end in Tijuana.

There’s usually one way to wake up in Baja California's Valle de Guadalupe during a normal weekender: head pounding, eyes squinting, smelling like last night’s bonfire, and desperately groping for a water bottle. But add an organized festival to those regular festivities—a festival where winemakers, chefs, and hoteliers are ready to party—and you have an entire region in full-on revelry.

If you've been paying attention at all, you'll know that Oaxaca is on the top of everyone's must-visit list these days. This southern Mexican state has made a name for itself, thanks to a strong indigenous culture, and its most famous exports are the the impressive food traditions and colorful folk art. 

Wellness vacations are a dime a dozen these days, but Cabo San Lucas’s Resort at Pedregal has gone a step beyond the usual suite of treatments. The resort’s spa offers an experience that not only gets guests back in touch with themselves, but also allows them to connect more deeply with the roots of the local culture with ancient Mexican traditions.

Do you like tequila, tacos, and fun? Congratulations! You must be a human. Are you also a human residing in America who's curious about crossing the border into Tijuana to experience said tequila, tacos, and fun? Well, you'll want to read this before you go.

Even in daylight, candles are necessary at Café No Se. The bar is a bit of a vortex: a dingy-yet-charming cave with no natural light in Antigua, Guatemala. Following the path of Café No Se’s several windowless rooms and through a crawlspace door will eventually deposit the adventurer at yet another bar, where they serve only mezcal.