Home and Away
Whenever Philadelphia appears on our editorial calendar, I’m tempted to write the article, as I was born, raised and still live in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, just 30 minutes outside of Philadelphia. I always waver between crafting the article from a native’s perspective or bringing it to you from the outlook of a traveler to the region. This time I decided to give it a go myself in this month’s Neighborhoods article on page 62. Writing about the Fairmount neighborhood left me a bit nostalgic, as it included one of my favorite childhood spots: the Please Touch Museum. I wasn’t able to find the photo I had in mind, but there’s a picture of me as a pre-teen in overalls delivering a weather report in the museum’s child-sized newsroom. Today I keep that wonder alive by taking my niece and nephew, 5-year-old twins, to the museum — now in a new, bigger building — each year for their birthday. I also had another chance to highlight my hometown with this month’s Spas article, covering the spa facilities at The Rittenhouse, one of Philadelphia’s preeminent hotels, on page 30.
I’m typically asked where I’m from when I’m on my travels. Well, I’m either asked, or people assume when they hear my accent. Just ask our freelancer Kristy Alpert, also featured in this issue, who dubbed me “Philly Kim” when we met on a trip to Israel. Surprisingly enough, people are as familiar with Philadelphia as they are with Bucks County, which is chock-full of its own treasures, nature, fantastic museums and first-class dining and entertainment. It’s even home to the world’s only Sesame Place. I encourage everyone, no matter what big city might be No. 1 on your itinerary, to venture outside the city limits and see what amazing surprises await in the suburbs, as well. Our “Scenic Drives” section of our Stateside articles is a great place to start for inspiration.
Given the Philadelphia mindset I was in as we wrapped this issue, I wanted to pick a photo that embodied that spirit. Scott and I are at Eagles training camp, and there’s nothing more “Philly” than rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Covering Dracula’s Castle in Transylvania has long been an article I’ve been eager to bring you. Find Alpert’s report on Halloween in the Romanian region on page 70. There’s still plenty of time to plan your own spooky Halloween at the castle! We also bring you the second in our two-part series on diversity, equality and inclusion on page 42. Sheryl Nance-nash takes a closer look at the hotel industry this month. Katie Mcelveen’s examination of charitable travel on page 38 provides a nice tie-in. We can all use our travel opportunities to spread good in the world.
We also travel to Kraków, Gulf Shores, Copenhagen, Milan, Québec City, St. Lucia, Boston, Phuket and Guadalajara in this issue. Join us next month as we take a closer look at aviation in our annual Class Act Guide. Until then, don’t forget to vote in our GT Tested Reader Survey awards by Sept. 30. Find the ballot on page 28 for more information.