Courtney Quirin is a wildlife biologist turned environmental journalist and documentary filmmaker. She has reported for Al Jazeera America in San Francisco and for The Associated Press in Johannesburg, South Africa. Courtney's first documentary, which was her thesis at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, won the 2015 CINE Golden Eagle Award for Best Student Documentary and the Margaret & William Hearst Award for Excellence in Documentary Film.

Nature and the arts - they go hand in hand. I love outdoor theatre (especially Shakespeare) and concerts, for they combine the best of both worlds - being outside, AND the luxury of watching and listening to the arts in a special environment. And, of course, when you attend a concert outside, you bring a picnic - snacks, beverages, meals - and munch the whole time. It's glorious, and a way of life that attracts everyone. So when Gina Hyams published her latest book, The Tanglewood Picnic: Music and Outdoor Feasts in the Berkshires, I WAS IN.

Chicago artist Adam Siegel is nationally recognized for the breadth of his work as an abstract painter and photographer. Known for his large-scale works, Siegel presents a soulful refinement to the contemporary category. Influenced deeply by his time in Japan, the artist merges two distinct sensibilities—East and West—with compositions that showcase an elusive and elegant balance of both.

Let me tell you about an inspiring couple that changed their lives. And before you think, "oh, I can't do that," I suggest reading the interview (and their new book, entitled Just Go!), and then seeing how you feel.

When we travel, we always buy art and textiles from local artists. It's one of the best souvenirs (besides experiences), and really brings back your travel experiences, when you're at home. But what about when you can't always travel - or need a special gift from a place, and aren't headed there soon? I can recommend our friends Bret and Mary at Green Global Travel (you already love their site) - today they are launching a Fair Trade Boutique.

Raphaële Tolron, our photographer of the month, has a beautiful, artistic eye. Whether she's capturing landscapes that lead us to dreaming or looking deeply inside someone's eyes, she brings much to a photo. Raphaële simplifies the essence of what she sees, and beautifully conveys that to the viewer. She takes us to places and people near and far, and makes them extraordinarily vibrant. We want to meet the people she sees, travel to the places she shares. That is Raphaële's specialty - take a look...

Imagine traveling for over a year on your honeymoon - exploring family history, traveling off the tourist trail, and making a difference by volunteering long term. How would that affect your new marriage? In Sutay and Josh Berman's case, everything.

It's 1679. Place yourself in the mindset of a Portuguese ship's captain with a full cargo of port. Now, place yourself on one of the most beautiful islands of the world. No, not in the Caribbean - you're in Newfoundland, Canada, and in avoiding pirates (those rascally knaves), you've veered to St. John's and had to winter over. 

Have you ever wondered what it would REALLY be like to live in Africa? Not the Africa of tourists, or the Africa of locals (because we’re not locals), but the Africa of an expat. I have wondered about Africa, because I was an expat in Japan, which is also radically different from the US. What is it like to live in a completely different culture than your own? What cultural adjustments will you have to make, what will surprise you, and what impact will your time in Africa have, when you return home? 

Nestled just off Stratford’s main square is an artist’s cottage. It is a muted yellow with deep chocolate accents; a white portico with columns entices you in off the street. Enter through the small English cottage garden, past a sign that shows that, indeed, this is an artist’s cottage.