My husband and I decided we needed to flip the script on travel last summer when our daughter told us she wanted to go to Bora Bora for her birthday — she was turning 8. I’m sure when I was her age, I couldn’t point out Bora Bora on a map, let alone think going for my birthday was a reasonable request. But not only can my daughter find the beautiful country on the globe
It’s the climb: The beauty of Dunn’s River Falls makes for a memorable excursion in Jamaica. For more Caribbean travel ideas, browse our guide. While cruising in the Caribbean last spring, my family and I booked an excursion to Dunn’s River Falls on our one-day stop in Jamaica. […]
A charming Bavarian town in North Georgia lights up for the holidays
If a trip to Germany isn’t possible this season, head to Helen, a tiny town in northwest Georgia that goes big for the holidays. It’s a 3.5-hour drive from Charlotte and attracts millions of tourists who flock to find a bit of Bavaria in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Complete with buildings designed with European facades, Helen is best known for Oktoberfest events where revelers dress in lederhosen and dirndls, dance the polka, drink beer, and feast on German food. In December, this Alpine escape hosts a tree lighting, a Christmas parade, visits with Santa, and a traditional German Christkindlmarket. Spend a weekend in this charming mountain town and check off all the festivities your family would experience in the Old Country.
STAY
Most family-owned accommodations in Helen look like Swiss chalets. Helendorf Inn sits along the Chattahoochee River and is walking distance to more than 200 souvenir shops, restaurants, and Riverside Park where the town’s tree lighting takes place. Designated rooms are pet-friendly, and all rooms have a small fridge and microwave. Grab-and-go breakfast items are available in the lobby for all guests. For those craving a more secluded experience, rent a cabin in the woods surrounding Helen or in Unicoi State Park. For luxury amenities and lodging for families with teenagers, try Vallhalla Resort offering a rooftop bar, wine cellar, and spa that is located only a few minutes away from downtown Helen.
A first look at uptown’s new French-inspired restaurant. by Krisha Chachra | photographs by Justin Driscoll True to its name, Charlotte’s new uptown restaurant Coquette — which in French means playful, coy woman — flirts with combining modern French cuisine, exotic spices and southern flavors. Mornings at Coquette begin with […]
South Charlotte resident Joy Callaway always knew she wanted to write when she grew up, but she never imagined being a full-time novelist. “My brother and I weren’t really allowed to watch TV as kids,” says Callaway. “I filled my free time with writing plays, […]
Jamaican American Cultural Association approaches 25 years of granting scholarships
South Charlotte resident Gaynor Russell moved from New York City to the Queen City over 35 years ago with her husband and infant daughter. When she did, Russell, originally from Jamaica, craved the culture and camaraderie of her homeland. “It wasn’t just the social scene and meeting other Jamaicans,” Russell explains. “I missed sharing the food, music and dancing and wanted to create a community and also give back.”
She and her husband had two more children, and she finished her undergrad degree and earned an MBA at UNC Charlotte. Although she had a career and a growing family, Russell recognized that the community was growing too. “There are many people of Jamaican and Caribbean descent in South Charlotte who are very supportive of promoting the culture, so we started a group called Friends of Jamaica.
“New people are moving here all the time,” continues Russell. “I used to know most of the Jamaican people in Charlotte, but now there are thousands.”
Friends of Jamaica evolved into the group Russell founded, the Jamaican American Cultural Association. It has three main goals: One is to share Jamaican culture. The second is to support local high school seniors with dreams of pursuing higher education — focusing on those with an African American or Afro-Caribbean background.
Lastly, Russell felt the association could help children in Jamaica by sending tablets, computers and other technological resources to Jamaican schools. Russell has made several trips to Jamaica to make deliveries to rural schools, mainly around Kingston. She and other members of JACA have a goal to donate to schools in each of Jamaica’s 14 parishes.
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