My Old Kentucky Home
Follow your senses to Kentucky and the heart of bluegrass country.

Sight
Catch glimpses of thoroughbreds at more than 450 horse farms around Lexington.

Sound
Hear the foghorns echo off the banks of the Ohio River on misty spring nights.

Taste
Sip a mint julep to join in a tradition almost as old as the Kentucky Derby itself—first run in 1875 at Louisville’s Churchill Downs.

Touch
Feel the rough wood of the covered bridges, more than a century old, which still dot northern Kentucky.

Smell
Savor the sweet aroma of Kentucky bourbon at one of the area’s famous distilleries.

Road Rules
If you’re from a country other than the United States and plan to operate a motor vehicle in Kentucky, you will need a valid driver’s license from your home country and an international driver’s license. The vehicle’s registration and proof of insurance must be in the vehicle at all times.

Indian food is a jigsaw puzzle,” says Sanjiv Dhar, graduate of prestigious Johnson & Wales University and owner of Kabob and Curry restaurant in Providence, Rhode Island. Dhar sees the amazing variety of Indian cuisine as the product of India’s complicated political and social history. Every area, tribe, religious group and wave of invaders has helped to shape the cuisine’s many dishes and many regional varieties. By Mark Caskie
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Temperatures heat things up, but it’s the desert’s natural beauty—rugged mountains, big blue sky, abundant wildflowers—that repeatedly draws people from all over the world for romantic weekends in Phoenix, Arizona. By Jackie Dishner
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 North of San Antonio, the Lone Star State’s ripening wine industry is centered in the Hill Country, a landscape shaped by an ancient earthquake that buckled limestone and granite into rugged hills and valleys. Today a favorite vacation getaway, the region is textured by majestic live oaks, tinted by wildflowers, and is home to parks, antiques shops and an increasing number of quality wineries. By Paris Permenter and John Bigley
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If you think chocolate is just for desserts, think again. Chef Charles Armstrong, an instructor at one of the world’s foremost culinary institutes, Johnson & Wales University, discusses its role as a key ingredient in several traditional Mexican sauces.
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In 1789, Spanish Jesuits brought olive trees to California. The trees flourished until the early 20th century. Since 1995, though, California has been riding the wave of an olive oil renaissance.  By Marlena Spieler
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Here are some of the sensory experiences that you can discover in the Mississippi Delta:

Sight
According to legend, early blues great Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil, for the ability to make music, at the crossroads of Highways 61 and 49. Today, a signpost with faux guitars marks the spot.

Sound
You can get an earful of the blues at any number of juke joints and festivals in the Mississippi Delta. Consider dropping in at Ground Zero Blues Club  in Clarksdale, owned by actor and Memphis native Morgan Freeman.

Taste
To indulge your appetite, stop by famed Lusco’s (722 Carrollton Ave., Greenwood, MS; 601-453-5365) in Greenwood for Black Angus steak or pompano grilled in vinegar sauce.

Touch
If you like the feel of cards or poker chips in your hand, then head to Tunica, where you can play a few hands at one of the town’s casinos.

Smell
In the Mississippi Delta, spring means flowers. Do as the old expression says and stop and smell some of spring’s most beautiful, fragrant creations.

Road Rules

If you’re from outside the United States and plan to operate a motor vehicle in Mississippi, you will need a copy of your driver’s license from your native country as well as an international driver’s license. An insurance card belonging to the owner of the vehicle (or rental agency) must be in the car at all times.

You may not know it, but all gumbo and jambalaya start with the holy trinity: chopped celery, green pepper and onion. Learn why these three veggies are so important to this “hot” cuisine.

 Fun Facts

 1. For any cuisine, the holy trinity is the style’s three key ingredients. 

 2. The Cajun/Creole trinity is based on mirepoix, the French trinity of celery, onion and carrot.

3. Creole cuisine is a mix of African, French and Spanish influences. Cajun combines those with Italian and American Indian flavors.

4. In the 1980s, Cajun food became trendy when chef Paul Prudhomme blackened a redfish. Not traditionally Cajun, blackening is now synonymous with the style.

5. Cajun food definitely has a bite to it, but customarily it is a heat that sneaks up on you. If a dish burns your mouth, then it has too much pepper in it.

6. The trinity is sautéed over low heat to slowly “sweat” out the natural sugars and give a dish additional seasoning and zest.

7. Throughout the centuries, celery has been used medicinally as a blood purifier. It originated as a wild plant in marshes from Sweden south throughout Europe.

8. In 1493, pepper seeds were taken from Central and South America to Spain. From there, they later spread to other European and Asian countries.

9. More calories are burned digesting a piece of celery than the piece contains.

10. The sulfuric compounds in onions are what cause your eyes to tear up. To cut down on this unpleasant side effect, chill the onion and cut into the root end last.

Kitchen Tips

• Most recipes say to sauté the trinity until the vegetables are translucent.
• To go the extra mile, cook the ingredients longer, until they are almost a paste.
• A good, basic stock for soups or stews starts with the trinity. Simmer the vegetables
  along with some garlic and parsley in water for an hour.

For all of Katrina’s dousing destruction, the floodwaters could not extinguish the bright light that is, and always will be, New Orleans. Although the city is still in recovery mode, the heart of what made it one of America’s most popular tourist attractions is still beating strong. The dining, architecture, music, nightlife, shopping—it’s all here, waiting to be rediscovered or experienced for the first time. By Beth D’Addono.
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 Here are some of the sensory experiences that are part of north Georgia:

Sight
Near Cartersville, you’ll find the Etowah Indian Mounds, which were constructed sometime between the 1300s and the 1600s.

Sound
If the day’s warm enough, consider a walk on one of the many trails that crisscross North Georgia. Once you’re in the woods, you’re likely to hear little more than the wind or the occasional bird call.

Taste
Stop by Colonel Poole’s Bar-B-Q , just south of Ellijay on Highway 515, for some tasty pork barbecue or Brunswick stew.

Touch
Feeling adventurous? Take a white water rafting trip on the Chattooga River with Southeastern Expeditions.

Smell
Near Helen, take in the smells, sights and sounds of Nora Mill Granary, where grits are ground from corn on stones that were first used in the mill in 1876.

 Road Rules

If you’re from outside the United States and visiting for less than a year, Georgia recognizes your valid driver’s license as long as it hasn’t expired. Motorists are required to carry liability insurance. Rental agencies can advise you concerning Georgia’s insurance requirements.

For Starters and Stay-Overs

Nearby cities such as Atlanta, Georgia; Huntsville, Alabama; and Chattanooga, Tennessee, make excellent starting points for exploring the towns and back roads of north Georgia.