Dana McMahan

There’s more to Louisville than bourbon, of course. But in a town where bar menus come with a “Not Bourbon” section, well, we all know why we’re here. This warm and welcoming city on the Ohio has long been perfectly pleased to enjoy its own delights while sharing freely with in-the-know travelers. Then, as craft cocktails and the bourbon fueling them took off over the last dozen years or so, distilleries dotting the Bluegrass started rolling out the welcome mat, and urban bourbon experiences ...

Because, unfortunately, you can’t always take him on vacation with you

Real Simple Feb/March 2025 Pets column

When a shopkeeper went viral for bottling Seine water as an Olympic souvenir, it showed what insiders already knew: Paris' surprising treasures hide in plain sight, at least when you know where to look. While millions queue for a glimpse of the Mona Lisa or jostle for Eiffel Tower selfies, another Paris awaits beyond the crowds, a Paris where century-old carousels still spin and curiosity shops double as modern-day literary salons.

Here's where to find the City of Light’s eternal magic.

Known around the world for a particular fried fast food, Kentucky also conjures visions of bourbon flowing and gleaming horses nibbling lush bluegrass. And yes, those scenes are accurate—other than the grass not actually being blue.
But the curious traveler who peeks beyond the postcard images will find a state (technically a commonwealth, though there’s no actual difference between the two) overflowing with geologic wonders and epic outdoor recreation with more miles of running water than an...

Dana McMahan is saying goodbye to her weekly Courier Journal dining column

There's a new spin on the Motor City—and it's on two wheels. Long synonymous with American auto manufacturing (and its demise), Detroit is now home now to a scrappy start-up determined to bring handmade American bikes to the world.

THE LAST THING on your mind when you’re getting your little buddy ready for his evening walk? Potential injuries. Because he’s the goodest boy, and just look at that toofy smile!
But according to research from Johns Hopkins University, dog-walking-
related emergency room visits (for the humans) have quadrupled in the last
20 years, with women and older adults most at risk (thanks for nothing, lower
bone strength!). Pet parents get pulled too hard or trip, then suffer from sprains, fractures, and even traumatic brain injuries.

What if I told you there was a super cool city a five-and-a-half hour drive from Louisville with some of the best restaurants in the country, a booming bourbon and cocktail scene, and some of the friendliest folks you’ll ever meet?
If you’ve been, you’d know immediately I’m talking about Detroit. If the image that comes to mind when you think Detroit is still a forlorn rust belt relic, you need a re-set, and a weekend there is the way to do it.

“I'm having the most amazing dream that I'm in the most beautiful place on earth.”

I captioned a photo my husband had taken of me in the thousand-year-old medina of Marrakech, posted it to Instagram, closed my flip phone, and then my eyes.

But then my realtor told us about a cheap Victorian in need of some love in our home of Louisville, Kentucky. It was a behemoth of a house with several...

The first glimmer of the idea that became EDWINS came with Brandon Chrostowski's arrest. He was 18 years old, just a kid in Detroit, charged with fleeing when they couldn't get him on a drug dealing charge. The judge offered him a second chance–but only if he got a job.

When I moved to Paris for three months, I brought my American experience with me — including my lifelong approach to kitchens that would need serious adjustment for my rental studio, which clocks in at 320 square meters.

Paris is a playground for brilliant designers who are infusing small, chic hotels with color, whimsy, and global flavors. These spaces instigate dreaming - maybe of your own home's redesign, maybe of the life that could be your...

The room wasn’t very promising at first. With no windows, bleak drop ceilings, (admittedly cheerful) pink painted wall paneling, muddy gray-brown vinyl floor tiles, and some ‘80s style niche shelving, it didn’t exactly beckon.