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Last fall, desperately in need of a vacation, I impulsively booked a trip to Mexico City, a throbbing metropolis I had visited some 12 years earlier and hadn’t been able to get out of my mind. While that long-ago trip had been somewhat of a whirlwind, this time around I decided to give Mexico’s largest city its due, spending a leisurely 10 days stalking its streets, barreling through its subway tunnels, and eating as many types of its ridiculously fresh, impeccably prepared street foods as my stomach could handle.

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Kiwi-Jalapeño Salsa

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When you think about salsa, it’s easy to jump to the classic tomato-based version. But with warmer weather (and a new selection of fresh produce) on the horizon, why not expand your options with a few brighter, bolder, sweeter flavors? Just don’t forget the chips.

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I grew up in a pristine home. I don’t mean to say that it was fancy — it wasn’t — but it was spotless from the fan blades down to the baseboards. This was no easy feat, considering our house was a century old and so had the unique ability to create dust after you had just wiped down that surface (whatever that surface happened to be).

Even still, those ugly faux-brick linoleum kitchen floors (and the blonde wood that later replaced them) were literally clean enough to eat off of — and that was all thanks to my German mother.

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I think we can all agree that Southerners know a thing or two about entertaining. Whether they’re throwing a backyard crawfish boil or a sophisticated porch party, you can almost guarantee it’s going to be a good time. And with Derby Day coming up this weekend, we thought it was a good time to find out what it is that makes to-dos so special below the Mason-Dixon.

We tapped the editors of Garden & Gun magazine, that gorgeous ode to all things Southern, for their top 10 rules of entertaining.

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Last year I spent a glorious week in Hawaii with my family, complete with a rather deluxe breakfast buffet. My husband was totally in heaven, but I typically find your average breakfast buffet a bit of a minefield. Given our allergies, I have to gently guide my daughters and myself past the sticky buns (gah!) and the bagel bar (sigh … ) as well as the line for the fluffy custom-made omelets. I’m not sure about you, but I need protein with my morning breakfast or I will be a shaking mess come noon, with snacks hanging from my every pocket.

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In honor of Mother’s Day this Sunday, and the conversations happening around the brunch table for mothers now and future, we asked one of our favorite bloggers, LaTonya Yvette, to bring us a few meditations on what she has learned about life, love, and happiness through motherhood. — Faith

Each time I’ve brought a baby home after birth it’s been different. The sounds, the air, the way my body acclimated — everything. You would think by my first statement that I’ve had about five of them; but no, only two.

But somehow, my two children have been just enough to teach me the vast difference in what I should and shouldn’t do and who I think I am and want to be. More importantly, they’ve taught me about boundaries.

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Lisa Fain, aka The Homesick Texan

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What’s not to love about Tex-Mex? The Lone Star State’s take on comfort food is saucy, cheesy, and all-around awesome — even if it is sometimes misunderstood. To help clear up what real Tex-Mex is and how to guarantee Tex-Mex success in your home kitchen, we reached out to Lisa Fain, aka The Homesick Texan.

The two-time cookbook author and James Beard Award-winning blogger is a seventh-generation Texan (even if she does call New York home) and expert on all things Tex-Mex. Here is what she had to say about this delicious, all-American cuisine.

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As far as travel destinations go, Mexico City is white hot. With insanely delicious street food, a burgeoning contemporary art scene, and vibrant, walkable neighborhoods, the capital is more popular than ever with in-the-know travelers. Having more or less overcome old, outdated stereotypes about its safety, the city is expected to welcome about 30 million tourists this year — and if you count yourself among them, then this travel guide is for you. Here’s the lowdown on what to expect when visiting Mexico City.

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