Jake Emen

1 week ago | insidehook.com | Jake Emen

High-end hotels throw all kinds of swag at their guests. Hats, pens, water bottles, tote bags — most of it isn’t very interesting, and I’ll normally leave it sitting on the counter where they left it out for me. Go ahead and regift these at will to the next patron, hotel. Bag tags are also common, but again, in most cases I leave them behind and hate when they presume to take the initiative of affixing it to my luggage for me. I’ll remove those suckers as soon as the bag is back in my hands.

2 weeks ago | mansionglobal.com | Jake Emen

Vacationers are heading to Western outposts in states such as Wyoming and Montana for a taste of the country and cowboy life—a big emphasis on the word “taste.”Luxury ranches are among the trendiest vacation destinations in the U.S., as the popularity of shows such as “Yellowstone” and its many spinoffs like “1923,” along with the pandemic era’s quest for fresh air and outdoor spaces spur U.S. wanderlust.

3 weeks ago | mansionglobal.com | Jake Emen

From the rooftop restaurant L40, which crowns the recently opened W São Paulo, the city’s sprawl can be seen flowing forth in every direction. Inside, Brazilian dishes are combined with Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Mediterranean flavors, a testament to the city’s sweeping range of influences and roots.

4 weeks ago | mansionglobal.com | Jake Emen

Japan is a dream destination for American travelers, and they’ve been flocking to the country in staggering numbers. Last spring, the Japan National Tourism Organization reported back-to-back months with more than 3 million inbound visitors, with Americans representing almost 10% of that total. All told in 2024, the tourism organization reported the highest-ever demand from U.S. visitors to Japan. The vast majority of these visitors traveled to the same two places: Tokyo and Kyoto.

4 weeks ago | vinepair.com | Jake Emen

It took just two words from my friend Luca for me to realize the drinks industry has a thing about big brands. By contrast, the world of food and recipes tends to be more brand-agnostic. Most bakers would agree that toll house cookies can be made with any chocolate chips, not just those from Nestlé. Ranch dressing is obviously delicious, even when it’s produced by someone other than Hidden Valley Food Products Company.