Lori Rackl

Heritage wheat bread from Michigan's Ferris Organic Farm is set on the long table at an Outstanding in the Field dinner in August at Seedling Farm. OITF dinners rely heavily on local ingredients and products.

Fat Rice, Parachute chefs part of pop-up restaurant tour that includes stops in Chicago and Galena

March 6, 2020 at 2:40 p.m.

A lot of restaurants tout farm-to-table dining. The dining event company Outstanding in the Field takes that hyperlocal, seasonal approach to the next level, bringing the table to the farm....

Patrons play games and sip cocktails called Tropic Like It's Hot and Sunshine City Mules at the very Florida-feeling bar No Vacancy at 937 Central Ave.

St. Pete 2.0: This lively Florida city is having a renaissance — and it’s about to have a massive waterfront playground too

March 10, 2020 at 5:59 p.m.

Recently seen around St. Pete: A squad of 20-somethings took turns pushing pucks down a shuffleboard court, giving each other congratulatory fist bumps and dipping into their cooler to fish...

The cocktail bar Platform 18 is set in a 36-seat, Pullman-inspired rail car where the windows show video shot during a train trip in Colorado.

What’s new in Phoenix: Where to eat, stay and play in the Valley of the Sun

February 25, 2020 at 6:35 p.m.

"We put salt on our drinks, not our roads," quipped a Phoenix native, who had the misfortune of visiting Chicago on a recent frigid day when the sun was MIA....

A traveler arrives at The Peninsula in Chicago on Feb. 1, 2020. The luxury property is the third best hotel in the country and No. 2 in the city, according to U.S. News' rankings.

Chicago is home to 2 of the country’s top 3 hotels, report says

February 4, 2020 at 7:16 p.m.

Sweet home Chicago has some sweet hotels, too. The city lays claim to two of the nation's top three, according to the latest hotel rankings by U.S. News & World...

LED lights give the ice sculptures give a colorful glow at night.

Ice Castles makes its colorful debut in Lake Geneva, Wis.

February 3, 2020 at 3:42 p.m.

Better late than never: Ice Castles opened Friday, a few weeks behind schedule but with plenty of winter left ahead. Ticket-holders made their way to Geneva National Resort & Club...

The "Obama Kissing Rock" commemorates the spot where Barack and Michelle Obama first locked lips in 1989.

Chicago hotel’s new romance package inspired by a famous couple’s first kiss

January 31, 2020 at 10:03 a.m.

It started with a kiss. In this case, "it" is a new package being offered at the Sophy Hyde Park hotel. And it's inspired by a first kiss. Not just...

Native Tucsonan Joe Pagac painted this huge mural celebrating Tucson's cycling culture in 2017 after raising money for the project on Kickstarter.

Sick of Chicago’s cloudy weather? Here are 8 places to score some sun.

January 30, 2020 at 11:52 p.m.

I'm not sure what we did to deserve this, but the sun is ghosting us, Chicago. Early last week, that bright orange ball in the sky just up and left....

The travel show is a good way to learn more about potential vacation spots near and far.

It’s National Plan for Vacation Day. We’re here to help.

February 3, 2020 at 8:16 p.m.

This isn't just any old Tuesday. It's National Plan for Vacation Day. You wouldn't think we'd need a day devoted to planning vacations. Or talking like a pirate (Sept. 19),...

Constructing last year's Ice Castles on Lake Geneva's Riviera Beach was especially challenging.

Ice Castles sets opening date in Lake Geneva, Wis.

January 25, 2020 at 3:02 a.m.

A few weeks behind schedule, Ice Castles finally has a date for its winter debut in Lake Geneva, Wis. The highly Instagrammable attraction made up of tens of thousands of...

Viking cruise line is building two cutting-edge ships — and one is headed for the Great Lakes

January 21, 2020 at 8:11 p.m.

A big player in the cruise industry is diving into the Great Lakes market. Switzerland-based Viking, which built its name plying the rivers of Europe, is extending its reach into...

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