For years Tommy John, son of the legendary Major League Baseball pitcher of the same name, was a personal trainer for adults with a lucrative side business: Parlaying his famous name and his own experience as a Minor League pitcher, he had become a…

"This is the worst hotel I've ever stayed in," my husband said. The guidebook had called this small inn in Lalibela, Ethiopia, "a romantic spot for budget-minded travelers." Our arrival luncheon, enjoyed under flowering trees in the courtyard, had…

Two-time Olympic gold medalist and Women’s World Cup Champion Abby Wambach famously scored 184 goals during her career, more than any other male or female player in the history of international competition. In 2012, she was named FIFA World Player of…

I’m cleaning the basement, dismantling the piles that have been collecting dust since we moved into this house almost three years ago. When I tire of wading through a container of old toys, broken crayons and stray Lego pieces, I wander over to a box…

Although I grew up in the Arizona desert, in many ways mine was a Southern childhood. After my parents’ divorce, a few plot twists worthy of a Carson McCullers novel delivered me at the age of 4 into my grandparents’ care. My Grandmother Maye,…

Growing up, I had not one, not two, but three different holiday traditions. As a result, I dreamed of a life that looked a lot like Norman Rockwell’s famous painting, Freedom from Want: Family gathered, a fat brown turkey on the table, and ideally,…

For families like mine, September doesn’t just mean back to school — it also means back to soccer. My oldest daughter, 15, adopted from India, has just begun her first season of high school ball. Although my younger son, 14, and daughter, 13, both…

We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. The history of the spice trade is a tale overflowing with adventure, violence, and greed. Once the world’s largest industry, the hunger for spices…

We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Using fresh, quality spices is one of the easiest ways to transform a good-enough dish into something exquisite. But how can you be sure that the…

If you’re an even slightly adventurous cook, chances are you’ve amassed an impressive collection of spices. And that’s great; spices are great — yay, spices! But figuring out how to organize all those little jars and tins is a perpetual…

Throughout human history, spices have been revered not just for their taste, but also for their perceived alchemical powers. Ancient Egyptians believed that spices offered a spiritual connection to the gods, while in the 1500s, Europeans’ lust for…

If you’re not thinking about your spices as perishable ingredients, it’s time to start. That jar of garam masala that’s been languishing in the crevices of your spice cupboard for the past decade? It’s likely discolored, clumpy, and doesn’t taste…

Clicking through the new website of the private school my three children attend, I landed on a close-up photo of my oldest child’s smiling face. I shouldn’t have felt jarred, but I did. The picture, accompanied by a short interview highlighting…

During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims around the world abstain from food and drink during daylight hours and spend their evenings in prayer, reflection, and shared meals. In the Arab world, Ramadan brings shortened work hours for most employees,…

Islam is the world’s fastest-growing religion, but for many non-Muslims, the month-long observance of Ramadan may still seem a little mysterious. This is particularly true in the United States, where, according to data from the Pew Research Center,…

When you’re cruising through the mall or racing to your airport gate, a sudden whiff of cinnamon smells like temptation. While nobody would ever mistake a sugary Cinnabon roll for health food, you might have heard that the spice in that decadent…

Once upon a time, my house sparkled. Mopping the floors was my favorite task: Clean your house and get an aerobic workout at the same time! I arranged the cans in the pantry in tidy rows. I organized the spices alphabetically on the rack. I told…

Against my will, I’m a soccer mom. My kids started playing recreational soccer in kindergarten, and by second grade, all three had joined competitive clubs. Now that they’re 12, 13 and 14 years old, I can say that I’ve cheered hundreds of soccer…

I didn’t always love white rice. Raised on my Southern grandmother’s cooking, I grew up thinking of rice as an “instant” food — something Grandmother Maye dumped on the plate next to my pork chop on those nights when she didn’t have time to make…

According to conventional wisdom, white rice is a tasty, versatile starch that’s bad for you, while brown rice is a good-for-you grain that tastes bad. But is the difference between the two really so straightforward? Let’s start with the basics:…