Laurel Miller, Freelance Journalist Profile

Articles

Divine Brine: Chris Ley’s Pickle Business Was Created from the Ground Up

2 weeks ago | ediblemontereybay.com | Laurel Miller

PHOTOGRAPHY BY OTIS CONKLINWhile many of us spent the early days of the pandemic hoarding toilet paper, collecting unemployment and experimenting with sourdough, Chris Ley was launching a business. It wasn’t a conscious decision, at first. But for the founder of Royal Oaks-based Freckle’s Pickles, the pandemic-driven food supply shortages sparked a desire to become more self-sufficient—and take his future into his own hands.
How to Have a Euro Trip in Texas

3 weeks ago | austinmonthly.com | Laurel Miller

Skip the flight: A replica that’s 90 percent the height and 60 percent the width of the original exists in Ingram. Made by the late Al Sheppard and his neighbor in the ’90s, the sculptures now reside at the Hill Country Arts Foundation, along with two Easter Island moai reproductions. Unlike the real Eiffel Tower, Paris, Texas’ 65-foot replica boasts a red cowboy hat.
4 Texas Beaches to Explore This Summer

3 weeks ago | austinmonthly.com | Laurel Miller

Bird-watchers, rejoice: This popular island is home to more than 380 avian species, including snowy egrets and yellow-green vireos. Comb the shore for shells and sea beans, and wake up early to get a glimpse of a sea turtle hatchling release, which typically take place from around mid-June to August. nps.gov/pais/index.htmNo vacation to Corpus Christi would be complete without a visit to this sandy stretch.
Hot Luck 2025 Highlights: Top 5 Moments From This Favorite Austin Festival

4 weeks ago | tribeza.com | Laurel Miller

Local Life The 7th annual event offered outstanding food and drink events around town By Laurel Miller May 30, 2025 Hot Luck 2025 (photo by Ismael Quintanilla III) The meat sweats have finally abated, and we’ve consulted our crumpled, sauce-stained notes and greasy cell phones.
6 Unique Hotels to Check Out in Texas This Summer

4 weeks ago | austinmonthly.com | Madeline Hollern |Laurel Miller

With two Hill Country locations within an hour of Austin, this glamping destination makes for an easy getaway. The original Wimberley resort has six climate-controlled yurts with outdoor kitchens, hot tubs, fire pits, and private decks, plus a dedicated Spa Yurt situated on 26 wooded acres. While both properties at The Yurtopian are for adults only, Dripping Springs is nearly double the size and features 10 pet-friendly yurts—in case you want to bring Fido along for the adventure.
An Austinite's Guide to Summer Travel

1 month ago | austinmonthly.com | Madeline Hollern |Laurel Miller

Curiouser and curiouser! Enter the trippy, mind-bending world of Meow Wolf Houston, which opened its doors last Halloween in the Fifth Ward. A treasure trove of Easter eggs and hidden portals, the interactive museum includes the work of more than 60 Texan artists. Don’t miss Cowboix Hevvven, a mystical honky-tonk within the exhibit that serves bites such as Frito Pie and fried bologna, and look for Houston homages like a mural with a winged DJ Screw.
Hot Luck Returns for Its Seventh Year, Bigger and Better Than Ever

Mar 17, 2025 | tribeza.com | Laurel Miller |Tribeza Intern

Local Life New venues and events, added parking, and more await attendees of Austin’s favorite homegrown food and music celebration By Laurel Miller March 17, 2025 Hot Luck, the three-day food and music festival, returns on May 22-25, featuring top chefs from across the country and live music performances at iconic Austin venues. (Photo by Dusana Risovic) If last year’s Hot Luck Fest gave you serious FOMO, now is your chance to redeem yourself.
Marfa Spirit Co Brings a Meat-Infused Liquor to Texas

Feb 12, 2025 | texashighways.com | Laurel Miller |Tyson Bird

While on an annual dove hunting trip with colleagues from the outdoor and distilling industries, Marfa Spirit Co cofounder Morgan Weber detoured to the pool at their Brownsville Airbnb to cool off. It was a sweltering afternoon in September 2022, and Weber and his friends from Duck Camp, an Austin-based apparel brand, made the executive decision that the birds could wait.
13 Essential Austin Bars, According to Industry Pros

Jan 15, 2025 | wineenthusiast.com | Laurel Miller

Austin has undergone monumental growth over the past decade. The once sleepy college town billed as the “Live Music Capital of the World” is now a tech hub and bonafide food and drink destination with a population just under one million and tens of millions of annual visitors. The laid-back city boasts its share of historic, tree-lined neighborhoods and significant green space, with 361-acre Zilker Metropolitan Park and adjacent Lady Bird Lake its crown jewels.
Seeds of Change - Edible Monterey Bay

Dec 2, 2024 | ediblemontereybay.com | Laurel Miller

Award-winning farm-to-table chef Dan Barber, whose book The Third Table provided a blueprint for the future of the food movement, is partnering with two Monterey Bay area farms to grow vegetables that are tastier and more nutritious. Barber owns two acclaimed restaurants in New York and in 2018 co-founded Row 7 Seed Co. to create new plant varieties for the wholesale market and consumers.