Author: Lina Zeldovich

Lina Zeldovich shimmied with belly dancers in Turkey, cooked a zebu stew in Madagascar, fished for piranhas in the Amazon, sipped a drink made from a venomous snake in Peru—and always lived to write the story. Along the way, she survived Siberian winter, Jordanian summer and Columbia J-School. She has written about her wanderings for NPR, Newsweek, AFAR, BBC, Atlas Obscura, The Boston Globe, Smithsonian, The Atlantic, TravelAge West, Orbitz, CheapTickets, Sierra Club, OZY, Saturday Evening Post, and in-flight magazines. She also holds several journalism awards, including NATJA’s gold and silver in the eco-travel category. She is a culture shock junkie, and she lives in New York so she can fly nonstop to almost anywhere.

Verre Pickl’: FrenchMex Fusion Restaurant in Quebec City, Canada

Chef Jérôme Gilpin of Verre Pickl’—Quebec City’s recent addition to its culinary landscape—places a wonderfully fragrant dish in front of me. “It’s scallops in aguachile, a traditional Mexican broth made with Serrano peppers, lime juice, cilantro, and tomatillo,” he tells me. As I take a sip, the spicy broth sears my lips, but the irresistible tenderness […]

The Rocky Mountaineer Train is Back on Track this April. Are You Onboard?

The American West is famous for its breathtaking beauty, with the red pinnacles of the Arches National Park rivaled only by the Rockies’ snow-capped peaks. But driving through these gorgeous gorges—often on narrow, winding roads edged on precipitous cliffs—is not for the faint of heart. Too often these scenic journeys devolve into stressful white-knuckle rides […]

Off the Beaten Path: Holiday Escapes in Puerto Rico

My SCUBA diver instructor Captain Cachi checks my gear one last time, and we start slowly descending into the waves of La Parguera Bay in Puerto Rico. This is my first dive ever, and I’m both thrilled and nervous. I have done the basic diving exercises a few dozen times while still on the boat: Learning how to […]

Love, Sex, Hollywood, and the making of Puerto Vallarta

Its weather is gorgeous. Its beaches are beautiful. Its locals are friendly and welcoming. So it’s hardly surprising that over the past 50 years Puerto Vallarta has transformed from an idyllic fishing village into a getaway spot that draws thousands of tourists a year. Yet, not every cute little beach town turns into a renowned travel attraction.