Christiana Roussel

2 months ago | ajc.com | Christiana Roussel

With scads of James Beard Foundation Award-winning chefs and restaurants, it is no secret that Birmingham, Alabama, is teeming with truly exceptional dining options. Great news for readers planning a visit to the Magic City: The hits just keep on coming, with several new high-caliber destinations simply crushing it. Plan a long weekend and pack your most forgiving pants — you’re going to be eating well.

2 months ago | shootingsportsman.com | Christiana Roussel

Descending from the clouds and touching down at the Gillette, Wyoming, airport, you can practically smell the Ponderosa-pine and sage-studded prairies that Sweetgrass at Thunderbasin calls home. From there you’re just a 45-minute drive from the ranch, where regenerative farming practices thrive alongside some of the finest bird hunting in the West. Truly an epic experience awaits lucky guests.

Feb 17, 2025 | goodgritmag.com | Christiana Roussel

Words by Christiana RousselIn the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina, where the city buzzes with innovation, commerce, and cultural dynamism, an organization is quietly shaping the future. The Carolina Youth Coalition (CYC), a nonprofit founded in 2018, has become a beacon of hope and empowerment for high-achieving, under-resourced students, helping them navigate the often-daunting path toward higher education.

Nov 7, 2024 | birminghamhomeandgarden.com | Christiana Roussel

With the arrival of the holiday season, we all seem to want to nest a little more tightly—creating spaces that nurture and fill them with the people and things that bring us joy. That often means returning to the traditional and the familiar, but it can also mean starting new traditions, like gifting locally-made works from true artisans and makers. Here are a few of our favorites for the season.

Oct 31, 2024 | birminghamhomeandgarden.com | Christiana Roussel

Taylor, Mississippi, a short jaunt from downtown Oxford is home to Wonderbird Spirits, a remarkable distillery where owners are crafting award-winning gin in the “grain-to-glass” style. There are only three gin-makers in the world using rice as their base and the other two are in Japan. Wonderbird uses rice from the Mississippi Delta and infuses their blends with botanicals, including red clover and loblolly pine from right on their property. Be sure to plan a tour and a tasting.