Bryce Gilmore, the chef and owner of Barley Swine in Austin, Texas, on Nov. 23, 2013. Gilmore said earning a Michelin star brought in customers in a way no other accolade had. (Ben Sklar/The New York Times) By MEGHAN MCCARRON Since leading the kitchen as chef de cuisine at Alinea in Chicago in the late 2000s, Dave Beran has had a long history with Michelin, making him an obvious fit for the new Apple TV show “Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars,” which premiered on Oct. 10. In

Cats compete in a “cat-licking” competition during the four-day Thailand International Pet Variety Exhibition in Bangkok, Oct. 10, 2025. “We don’t encourage forcing them to compete,” the emcee said, in an exhibition hall in Bangkok’s northern suburbs. “Let them be as normal as they can. We’re having fun here.” (Lauren DeCicca/The New York Times) By SUI-LEE WEE The champion competitive eater stood on a table in front of dozens of people and methodically attacked the salmon. “W

Downtown Reykjavik, as seen from the top of Hallgrimskirkja, the tallest church in Iceland, July 19, 2025. A volcanic eruption in 2010 put the island nation on millions of travelers’ maps. But is the country’s culture now at risk? (Hilary Swift/The New York Times) By STEFANO MONTALI “Sometimes it can feel like Iceland is just one big tourist attraction.” Helga Gudrun, a waiter at a family-owned restaurant in Vik, a scenic village in southern Iceland, had just placed a bowl of

The air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Va., Jan. 30, 2025. Air traffic controllers missed their first full paycheck of the shutdown on Tuesday, Oct. 28, as union leaders and the secretary of transportation warned of dire consequences if they missed another. (Maansi Srivastava/The New York Times) By KAROUN DEMIRJIAN and CHRISTINE CHUNG Air traffic controllers missed their first full paycheck of the shutdown Tuesday, as union leaders and t

An photo provided by Tom Marshall shows vintage cars on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway in West Yorkshire, England. Grape harvests, colorful foliage and local festivities make autumn a great time to take a scenic train or tram excursion. (Tom Marshall via The New York Times) By PALKO KARASZ Lazy rivers, spectacular valleys cloaked in autumn colors, windswept moors: The fall is prime time for slow, contemplative journeys on some of Europe’s most scenic rail routes. Here ar

Ben and Tim Jordan, at their vineyard on the family farm in Fort Defiance in the Shenandoah Valley, Va., May 14, 2025. They are slowly converting the vineyard to hybrid vines in an effort to farm more naturally. (Jennifer Chase/The New York Times) By ERIC ASIMOV Matt Niess is trying to do something different. Unlike almost every other grower and winemaker in California, Niess, the proprietor of North American Press in Sonoma County, is focusing squarely on hybrid grapes, cros

Make-A-Wish Puerto Rico board of directors: José Vélez Millet, Weston Martin West, Bryan Shames Kopel, Laura Femenías Jové, Miguel Otero Sobrino, Maria V. Trento Biassoni and Dr. Enrique Carrión Vargas By JUDY GORDON-CONDE and JENNIFER CONDE-POWERS Recently, Make-A-Wish Puerto Rico celebrated its annual gala, Magic Night, at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Isla Verde, marking 35 years of service on the island. During the event, elegantly dressed ladies and gentlemen enjoyed the ev

Commuter trains under Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan, Aug. 24, 2022. With the government shutdown entering its second week, airline passengers and visitors to national parks have been bracing for major disruptions. (Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times) By CHRISTINE CHUNG and GABE CASTRO-ROOT With the government shutdown entering its second week, airline passengers and visitors to national parks have been bracing for major disruptions. Nonessential federal operations ceased a

The clear waters of Arikok National Park, which covers nearly 20 percent of the island of Aruba, Feb. 29, 2020. Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, often collectively called the ABCs, sit off the coast of Venezuela, far enough south in the Caribbean Sea that hurricanes almost never reach them. (Scott Baker/The New York Times) By GABE CASTRO-ROOT Beach season doesn’t end at Labor Day. Less sizzling temperatures, thinning crowds and dropping prices — even as water temperatures stay war

No longer the secret of savvy travelers, autumn is becoming the season of choice for people looking to escape summer heat and overtourism. Hotels and tour companies are taking note. (Ryo Takemasa/The New York Times By ELAINE GLUSAC Cinque Terre, Italy, in thermal layers. Ireland in ceaseless rain. For decades, I restricted most of my European travels to fall because, whatever the weather, I enjoyed the feeling of having the hotel, trail, restaurant or cathedral — well, maybe