It would be remiss to write a blog highlighting the work of BIPOC artists without taking a moment to reflect on the events and conversations of the year. Propelled by the momentum of protests following the horrific deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Rayshard Brooks, and Dominique “Rem’mie” Fell, the world is protesting, watching, listening, trying, speaking out, making mistakes, and — hopefully — changing.

Until very recently, the idea of working remotely while traveling the world was the stuff of fantasies and Travel & Leisure articles. So-called younger digital nomads were out there, owning multiple passports, taking pilates classes on mountaintops, and posting laptop-by-the-ocean selfies—but they made up a small, enviable niche of the travel market. The novel coronavirus may have changed that. Along with how we shop, socialize, and attend happy hours, the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the way we work—possibly for the better, and probably forever. Now that so many of us are working remotely, employers and employees alike are realizing that a lot of our jobs can be done from anywhere. For a growing number of professionals, the digital lifestyle no longer seems so unattainable.

The film is grainy, the sound quality is flimsy, and the song is one we’ve heard before. Yet the footage of Elvis Presley singing “Hound Dog” on The Milton Berle Show remains electrifying even more than 60 years after it first aired in on April 3, 1956. Watching Elvis’ performance, you totally get why the audience goes wild, Debra Paget smooches him, and the episode went down as one of the most important moments in rock and roll history.

After years of being outshined by the cosmopolitan glow of Lisbon, Porto—Portugal’s once scrappy but now sublime second city—has been stealing the spotlight these days. Cinematic landscapes, balmy weather, and a blossoming food and wine scene have all contributed to a boom in international visitors to Portugal. The winner of European Best Destination in 2012, 2014, and 2017, Porto now draws a record number of travelers with an average of 1.6 million visitors each year. Planning to visit this incredible city in the coming year? Here’s a guide to a perfect 48 hours in Porto.

This Colombian city is reinventing itself as a vibrant, modern metropolis.

Once upon a time, way back in the '90s, the iPad hadn't been invented yet, Boy Meets World was still on the air, and interior playgrounds at fast food restaurants weren't regarded as foul dens of germs and discarded heroine needles. During this magical age, children frolicked in ball pits and slid down slides in the playscapes of restaurants like McDonald's and Burger King. Meanwhile, their parents chatted nearby, knowing their kids were fenced in and playing someplace "safe."

Music has the power to educate, inspire, empower, influence, heal, and transform. And in the summer of 1988, it just might have had the power to help bring down a wall.

As it turns out, the skills typically honed in military service can be a strong foundation for entrepreneurship. Maybe that’s why veterans start businesses at a higher rate than the rest of the population. The U.S. Small Business Administration reports that veterans are 45% more likely to be self-employed than non-veterans. Data shows that there is around one veteran-owned company for every 10 veterans and veteran-owned companies make up nearly 10% of all small businesses in the U.S. Today, you can find more than 2.5 million veteran-owned businesses (and businesses owned by military spouses) ranging from jewelry shops to coffee roasters to whiskey distilleries. Here are 30+ veteran-owned and military-family-owned businesses to support now and always:

Along with smelling freshly cut grass and finding an open parking space right in front of the grocery store, drinking beer is one of life's purest pleasures. But even our beloved beer can be tainted if mistreated. You may be surprised to learn a number of common beer-drinking behaviors can skunk, flatten, and otherwise turn your beer against you.

Legend holds that coffee was discovered by a goat herder in the ancient coffee forests of Ethiopia in the 11th century. However, the story of the four waves of coffee begins centuries later in the early 1900s. That was when the modern coffee industry first took off, and the “waves of coffee”—a phrase coined by historian Timothy Castle to describe the evolution of the industry—began.

Discover how Portugal has made an inspiring economic turnaround and why the country is poised for economic growth.