Blair Knobel

4 weeks ago | vsslmag.com | Blair Knobel

Upgrade your travel style with intel from New Orleans tastemakers Jayson Seidman and Paris NeillIt only takes one trip through a busy airport to realize that while most people are merely trying to slog their way from point A to point B, some among us have turned travel into an art. Hôtelier Jayson Seidman and his wife, Paris Neill, the creative duo behind some of the South’s most stylish boutique hotels, belong to that sainted few.

1 month ago | vsslmag.com | Blair Knobel

Some chefs try to dazzle diners by sourcing obscure and expensive ingredients or purposefully making menus unintelligible. Not so with chef Jordan Rainbolt. “My approach to cooking is simple,” she says. “I do my absolute best to respect the ingredients that are available and that represent the land in the most honest way.” Her reverence shows through in her cooking, which doesn’t have to hide behind pomp.

Feb 1, 2025 | vsslmag.substack.com | Blair Knobel

By Blair KnobelTHERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THE PHYSICAL RISE of traveling to the mountains—or hiking up a trail—that delivers me from the heaviness of life. It’s as if the act of literally moving up relieves me of my troubles below. Therefore, going to Highlands, North Carolina, the rhododendron-lush, misty-peaked Blue Ridge plateau in the Nantahala National Forest, is medicine for the soul. The charming mountain town, brimming with shops and restaurants, is also not shy of hospitality.

Jan 11, 2025 | vsslmag.com | Blair Knobel |April Economides

These are just a few of our favorite spots in Appalachia’s largest city, Asheville, and nearby small towns. There are many more. The Love Asheville from Afar Initiative offers an expansive way to support hundreds of shops and artists. Chai PaniFestive and colorful restaurant serving elevated Indian street food. 32 Banks Ave. CúratePopular Spanish tapas restaurant in a renovated 1920s bus depot.