By the Seashore
“Rhode Island’s Secret Coast,” by Dominique Browning [August], brought tears to my eyes. Warren’s Point, on Little Compton, was my family’s summer home for generations. I remember our car rides down from Massachusetts (where we lived the rest of the year), when my sisters and I would fight to be the first one to smell the scent of the ocean in the air out the window, and spot the water. I took sailing lessons as a teenager at the yacht club on Secconet Point, and swam at Warren’s Point Beach. I occasionally have opportunities to return to Rhode Island, but not often enough. — Nancy Lafrenaye, Chicopee, Mass.
Dominique Browning did a disservice in her description of Narragansett, R.I. The “ugly condo and shopping complexes” she describes are actually a varied selection of stores and restaurants, many independently owned. And if Browning had driven just a few blocks off Route 1, she would have seen many beautifully restored Victorian homes, several of which are now bed-and-breakfasts. Given that Rhode Island is the nation’s smallest state, it would have taken her only a few extra minutes to experience a full view of the town. — Nancy Rachman, Surfside, Fla.
Wineland Reflections
Douglas Rogers’s article, “South Africa’s Farm-to-Table Movement” [July], was frighteningly insensitive to the country’s history of apartheid. Rogers states that one generation has “liberated [the Afrikaners] from the guilt of the past.” It is sad to think that anyone could dismiss hundreds of years of painful political, economic, and social injustice so easily. — Janis Endo, Fair Lawn, N.J.
Editor’s Note:Travel + Leisure has covered South Africa’s emergence from apartheid with sensitivity in the past, and did not intend to glorify or neglect its difficult history. This article is, rather, a look at how the country’s future might incorporate certain positive aspects of traditional Afrikaner culture in the Winelands region.
Now You’re Cooking
If your mom didn’t teach you to cook, you’re left with recipe books and celebrity chefs on TV [“The Influence of TV Cooking Shows,” July]. The best way to learn is to master basic cooking methods—when you can sauté, broil, grill, and roast, you can create your own recipes from what you have on hand. Cooking saves you money, improves your health, and unites your family over dinner—plus, it’s a skill you’ll have for the rest of your life. — travelandleisure.com member Cheftoddmohr
T+L Asks: Where Do You Think People Will Be Traveling 40 Years from Now, and Why?
“The Middle East. There are so many beautiful and ancient places. I hope we can explore countries like Iran and Afghanistan without conflict.” — Brandy Alexander, via Facebook
“To the moon! With the new shuttle projects under way, it is only a matter of time.” — Carla Pablo, via Facebook
“Everything old becomes new again, so I’m voting for Cuba.” — Valerie Moyer, via Facebook
“Forty years from now, we will travel halfway around the world just for a week’s vacation. Planes and other modes of transportation will be faster and more affordable, and countries will be more travel-friendly.” — Vilija Geleziute, via Facebook
Join the Conversation. Go to: Facebook.com/TravelandLeisure or @TravlandLeisure on Twitter
Coming Next Month in T+L Asks: What is your first travel memory? Where were you and what did you do?
This Month at TravelandLeisure.com
Photo Contest Want a chance to be published in the magazine (and win other prizes)? Go to TravelandLeisure.com/photocontest.
Vacationist Discover great deals at the world’s most exclusive hotels and resorts at Vacationist.com. Use promo code TLMAG.
Your Ultimate Fall Travel Resource
Visit TravelandLeisure.com/vacation-ideas/fall-travel for seasonal getaway ideas across America, including: Best Fall Foliage Inns, Prettiest College Campuses, Most Scenic Drives, Top Pumpkin Patches, Best Beer Gardens and Cozy Inns of New England
Plus: Join our online community and upload your favorite fall foliage pictures for a chance to be featured in a Travel + Leisure slideshow!
Reader’s Find: A Rare Vintage
Last fall, my girlfriend and I visited Canard Vineyard(1016 Dunaweal Lane, Calistoga, Calif.; 707/942-1149; tastings by appointment only), a small family winery in the heart of Napa Valley. We enjoyed a platter of cheese, artisanal bread, and charcuterie with the owners, Rich and Carolyn Czapleski, while sampling their delicious wines in an incredible outdoor kitchen. We also took a walk around the vineyard, where we saw the 120-year-old vines used to make their prized Estate Zinfandel. Although it’s surrounded by larger, more commercial wineries, Canard takes you back to a time when Napa was still in its infancy—and it happens to have some of the best bottles in the valley. — Adam Fox, Mill Valley, Calif.
For more on where to stay, eat, and taste in Napa Valley, see “Best Life-Changing Trips.”
Hot Topic: Ready for Takeoff
Frequent fliers took issue with the top 15 hubs in “America’s Safest Airports” (TravelandLeisure.com, August), proving that safety is always a priority.
Detroit Manners
The TSA and U.S. customs personnel at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne Country Airport [ranked 10th] are rude and unprofessional. They can have their safety rating; I’ll pay extra to fly through another airport. — TravelandLeisure.com member Frequent_Traveler
Stop, Drop, and Roll
For the amount of traffic it handles, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport should have made the list. It also has one of the best air-rescue fire departments in the country. — TravelandLeisure.com member william1943
Philly Salute
San Diego Lindbergh Field International [ranked seventh] is unsafe because of its low final approach. With zero major accidents, the safest airport in the U.S. has to be Philadelphia International [unranked]. — TravelandLeisure.com member Michael From Seattle