Tammy Vargas, Author at The Bloomington Star

Youngstown doesn't need to win a national championship to make the case that it is a fascinating place for pizza. Its restaurants reflect decades of Italian American cooking, working-class family meals and small businesses that built loyal followings.

Travel

One of America’s best pizza towns is a small Ohio city you’d never expect

When people talk about America’s best pizza cities, New York, Chicago and Detroit usually dominate the conversation. Debates quickly turn to thin crust versus...

Tammy VargasOctober 22, 2026

The first cool morning after a long California summer has a way of changing your weekend plans. The air finally feels comfortable enough for a sweater, leaves begin gathering around old sidewalks, and suddenly a main street with nineteenth-century storefronts sounds much more appealing than another crowded attraction.

Travel

9 Overlooked California gold country towns that are perfect for a cozy fall weekend

The first cool morning after a long California summer has a way of changing your weekend plans. The air finally feels comfortable enough for...

Tammy VargasOctober 20, 2026

Tennessee has no single rule for doing it, either. West Tennessee loves whole-hog pork and peppery sauces. Memphis has ribs, barbecue spaghetti and a style all its own.

Travel

8 Hidden Tennessee barbecue shacks where the smoke rolls out before sunrise

Before the road is busy and long before anyone is thinking seriously about lunch, somebody in Tennessee is already thinking about barbecue. Wood has...

Tammy VargasOctober 20, 2026

Wisconsin has a remarkable collection of places like that. Some sit beside broad lakes. Others hide in rolling farmland or among wooded hills. Each offers a different excuse to pack a sweater and leave the usual weekend routine behind.

Travel

10 Overlooked Wisconsin towns that are perfect for a cozy fall weekend

Sometimes the most appealing autumn getaway isn’t the one with the biggest festival or the longest list of attractions. It’s the town where the...

Tammy VargasOctober 19, 2026

Dwight Miller & Son Orchards operates in the Dummerston area of southern Vermont. Regional agricultural listings identify its farm address as 511 Miller Road in East Dummerston. The family has described an eight-generation farming history, a remarkable span across which crops, equipment and customer habits have changed. What remains consistent is the connection between the land and the food sold from it.

Travel

This Vermont farm stand has been selling fresh maple treats on the honor system for decades

The most surprising thing about an old-fashioned Vermont farm shop may be what isn’t there. No cashier waiting behind a counter. No elaborate checkout...

Tammy VargasOctober 18, 2026