Laura Kiniry

I'm a San Francisco-based freelance journalist and content specialist focusing on travel & San Francisco, food & culture (and how they intertwine), and the outdoors with 15 years of professional experience. I've written for dozens of regional, national, and international publications--both print and online--including *O-the Oprah Magazine,* *National Geographic Travel,* Smithsonianmag.com, BBC.com, CNNTravel.com, *Popular Mechanics,* *Saveur,* SeriousEats.com, NPR.com, AtlasObscura.com, *American Way,* *SilverKris,* *Hemispheres,* Shondaland.com, a variety of AAA publications, and many more. I've reviewed San Francisco hotels for the London Telegraph.com, contributes copy for high-end travel company GeographicExpeditions.com, and written and later revised *Moon Handbooks New Jersey,* a 500+ page guidebook to my birth state, complete with my own photos.

The Philly Pretzel: One Twisted Jawn

Despite Philadelphia’s reputation as the "Cheesesteak Capital of the World," there's one food that's even more ubiquitous in the City of Brotherly Love: the Philly soft pretzel. Thicker, doughier, and more elongated than your traditional soft pretzel—the ones limited to baseball-stadium concession stands, movie theaters, and food carts in most other cities—this beloved staple can be found at pretty much every corner store, local sporting event, and cafeteria in the greater Philadelphia area. Th
Smithsonian Magazine •

Could Erfurt Be Germany's Most Magical Christmas Town?

It only takes a couple of euro to bring the tale of Snow White to life in a window along Erfurt's Krämerbrücke, or Merchant's Bridge—a medieval stone arch bridge that happens to be the lengthiest continuously inhabited bridge in Europe, and the only remaining inhabited bridge north of the Alps. For several minutes, viewers get a glimpse into the life of the young maiden through the evil queen's magic mirror and a wondrous display of mechanical puppets. There's the queen disguised as an old woman

A bizarre journey beyond Earth’s borders

There's a well-known saying from Ralph Waldo Emerson that goes: ‘It's not the destination, it's the journey’. That's kind of how I was feeling, standing in the middle of the Malzfabrik – an enormous art and design centre that began as a malting plant more than a century ago – in Berlin's Tempelhof neighbourhood. I'd walked 20 minutes from the closest U-Bahn station, along wide, tree-lined streets almost vacant of other pedestrians to reach these towering red-brick buildings and their main squar
Smithsonian Magazine •

How to Tea-Taste Your Way Through Taiwan

Taiwan is known for its world-famous teas. Its tea-making tradition began centuries ago with varietals brought over from mainland China, and the island has since developed its own unique offerings—most notably its high-mountain tea. It's also responsible for the production of a large percentage of the world's oolong—semi-oxidized teas that fall somewhere between green and black varietals. From tea house ceremonies to overnight plantation stays, there are plenty of ways to experience Taiwan's va
Smithsonian Magazine •

The Most Anticipated Museum Openings of 2020

In the museum world, the new year offers a lot to be excited about. For starters, the Smithsonian Institution will be rolling out an impressive lineup of exhibitions: the Smithsonian Design Museum is hosting the first major museum exhibit exploring contemporary Muslim fashions, the Smithsonian American Art Museum is looking at how 19th century naturalist Alexander von Humboldt shaped Americans’ view of nature, the National Museum of Natural History will be showcasing artists who are reflecting o
Atlas Obscura •

In San Francisco, an East German Restaurant Is a Portal to the Past

It’s a buzzing evening in San Francisco’s Mission District, but walking through the front door of what is perhaps the only East German restaurant in the United States feels like stepping into another country, as well as the past. At Walzwerk, framed illustrations of Vladimir Lenin, Karl Marx, and Friedrich Engels share space along one of the eatery’s walls, and a large poster extolling the quality of the former East Germany’s Maxhütte steelworks hangs on another. The cozy two-room space is heav
Shondaland •

You Should Be Sleeping Outdoors

Years ago I spent a summer working at the Many Glacier Hotel in Montana's Glacier National Park. When I wasn't waiting on guests in the hotel's Ptarmigan Dining Room, I was out hiking trails, scurrying up mountainsides, and heading off into the backcountry, where my new friends and I would set up camp and unplug from the world. Some of my favorite moments were the times I spent sleeping outdoors, tucked into my sleeping bag after a long day of trekking across wildflower-laden valleys and the occ
SilverKris •

Why are celebrity chefs in San Francisco making fast food?

It’s a Sunday afternoon in late spring and the corner of San Francisco’s Oak and Franklin streets – a somewhat unremarkable spot at the confluence of the Civic Center, Theater District and Hayes Valley neighbourhoods – is buzzing. The lively atmosphere – while buoyed by the uncharacteristically sunny weather – is due largely to RT Rotisserie, one of several new fast-casual restaurants that are taking the Bay Area by storm. Families and solo diners alike pack the bright and breezy 46-seater spac
CNN •

Japanese ama divers -- quite the tourist catch

Nearly a minute has passed yet the sea in front of us remains still, save for a ring-shaped life preserver bobbing upon its surface. Inside it is a mesh net, known as a sukari, filled with red, yellow and black sea cucumbers, and in the background beyond, a jagged hillside covered with trees. Just as I start getting nervous she appears, popping her cloth-covered head out of the water and exhaling her breath with a sharp whistling sound. Back on our fishing boat, Captain Masumi Nakamura points