Domestic Affairs
Western wares, southern comforts, late-night city eats.
Here’s what’s been happening over on our website, Fathom.
Montana’s Best-Looking Motel Is Worth a Pit Stop
What looks like a nondescript motel from the outside has been transformed into a modern motel inside. A big stone fireplace, stained wood paneling, giant taxidermy, and heritage plaid fabric drawn from the Field & Stream archives offer just the right whiff of naturalist nostalgia to make the place cool and functional and welcoming. While walking into most sterile motel lobbies feels sad, walking into Field & Stream sets the stage for a big adventure.
It’s a Winter Wonderland at Montana’s Luxe Triple Creek Ranch
Winter brings its own enchantment at Triple Creek Ranch, set in the Bitterroot Mountains near the Continental Divide. A four-night stay during the less busy season (from January through mid-March) is a special time to discover the magnificent landscape, low-key luxury, and warm Western hospitality of this all-inclusive, adult-only retreat. Yes, traditional ranch activities are critical to the DNA, but so are Western art (1,500 works in cabins and public areas) and superb cuisine (the ranch is a member of Relais & Châteaux).
A Horse of a Different Color: Louisville Beyond the Derby
Louisville grabs the national spotlight every May when their iconic horses and haberdashers ride into town for the Kentucky Derby. But even when it’s down time at Churchill Downs, there’s plenty to do in this historic river town. Fathom contributor Kerri Allen traveled to Louisville (pronounced “law-vill” not “loo-ee-vill”) for the completely horseless Bourbon & Beyond festival.
Eat, Drink, Caffeinate, and Shop Like a Boss in San Francisco’s North Beach
If you really want to get to know the best of a great neighborhood, ask a great local. In this case, the neighborhood is North Beach, San Francisco’s Little Italy, and the local is Ryan Pollnow, the charming pizzaiolo behind Flour + Water Pizzeria, whose Little Black Book of restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and boutiques will make you want to go west right now. (If you can’t do that but are impatient to get your hands on one of his pies, you can order pizza to be delivered.)
Great roundup. I like how this brings together very different places and atmospheres - from Western lodge nostalgia in Montana to the energy of Louisville - while still keeping the focus on the experience of the place itself. Pieces like this always remind me how much good travel writing is really about mood and context, not just the destination.