31 veterans welcomed back to New Mexico after life-changing trip to Washington DC
This moment is something that Jerome Lyndon Waat, a combat medic who served in the Vietnam War, has been waiting for for years.
'I've been having trouble to go to the Vietnam. Because of the names that I might remember. I had a real hard time,' continued Lyndon Waat.
On Wednesday, Lyndon Waat set out on the trip with his daughter, along with a veteran from World War 2, two from the Korean War, one from the Cold War, and 27 who served in Vietnam as part of the Honor Flight Program.
The organization hosts fundraisers to be able to send veterans on the trip each year, providing them with closure and an opportunity to heal from their experiences.
Lyndon Waat said the trip helped him and the 30 others to reflect and pay their respects to those they served next to.
Fernando Lucero, a veteran who served in Korea, went on the flight last year, 'I was honored to be part of that very honored.' Lucero says that for him and the many veterans on that flight, the best part was coming back home to his family.
'I have my great-grandchildren over here. They all started saying, 'USA, USA,' all of them. And they said, 'We love you, Papa, we love you,' shared Lucero.
Since the inception of the Honor Flight program in 2005, they have flown out more than 300,000 veterans across the country to Washington, DC.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Travel + Leisure
12 minutes ago
- Travel + Leisure
This Luxury Wellness Retreat in Sedona, Arizona, Is the Best Destination Spa in the U.S.—With a Crystal Grotto, Canyon Views, and an Outdoor Pool
The coveted Mii amo resort in Sedona, Arizona, recently reopened after a $40 million renovation—and was just named the No. 1 destination spa in the U.S., according to T+L's 2025 World's Best Awards. The resort's thoughtful desert-chic redesign, led by its original architect Gluckman Tang, optimized its intimacy and enhanced its wellness offerings. Guests can personalize their wellness experience by emphasizing spirituality, physical activity, or relaxation. Mii amo's exclusive location in Boynton Canyon among Sedona's stunning red rocks provides plenty of hiking opportunities right out the door. The crystal grotto, a domed space anchored by a sparkling quartz crystal, is a serene space for daily meditation. From the outside, the curved blue shape of Mii amo's domed crystal grotto stood out against Boynton Canyon's red rocks. Inside, I removed my shoes and felt the red, sandy earth on my toes as I set an intention for my stay. A massive piece of petrified wood stood at the center of the space, holding a sparkling crystal and a small fountain of gurgling water. During the welcome ritual, a practitioner explained that the four different stones lining the circular wall each represented a different phase of life, and where people choose to sit is a window into their life's journey. The grotto set the stage for the rest of my visit: quiet spirituality, relaxation, and self-exploration. Mii amo, the adults-only wellness resort and a member of Relais & Châteaux, along with its family-friendly sibling resort, Enchantment, are the only two hotels within Boynton Canyon, west of Sedona. First opened in 2001, Mii amo underwent a top-to-bottom renovation in February 2023, led by its original architecture firm Gluckman Tang, which expanded its accommodation options, added a new restaurant, and significantly increased the footprint of its wellness spaces. Since its debut, the resort has made T+L's World's Best Awards for U.S. destination spas several times, most recently ranking No. 1 in the 2025 survey. I stayed at Mii amo in the fall of 2024 with my mom and sister. It was a rare occasion when all three of us could spend time together, since my sister lives abroad. The moment we entered Boynton Canyon, I felt my shoulders relax, and when we stepped out of our car at the hotel's architectural entrance, I knew I was in for a memorable experience. Interior of a lounge area at Mii amo. Guests can opt for an à la carte stay, or book an all-inclusive Journey of three, four, seven, or 10 nights, which includes three meals a day at the on-site restaurant, unlimited non-alcoholic drinks, a daily credit that can be used at the spa or Trail House for hiking and biking excursions, and access to private lounges and locker rooms at the spa. Additionally, there's a robust daily calendar of fitness classes, workshops, and lectures that could keep anyone busy for hours. And when you need to relax, there's a beautiful new sunken living room-style lounge with a fireplace. We signed up for a three-night Journey, and while I tried to give myself over more fully to the spiritual side of things, my sister remained skeptical and focused on hiking and relaxation. My mom, a bit of a gym rat, embraced the physical and nutrition side of things. Still, all three of us felt restored, and we each had different results—a testament to Mii amo's ability to cater to different types of guests seeking different wellness experiences. The highlight for all of us, though, was our private, guided hike through the canyon, an omnipresence that we could see from nearly any room at Mii amo. While guests can join a complimentary group hike to the nearest energy vortex, which is about a 20-minute walk from the resort (my sister and I easily did it on our own), we opted to use some of our resort credit on a longer hike set up with the Trail House. Our guide, George, was an Apache Native American, whose preferred way to explore the canyon was on a mountain bike. George led us through Boynton Canyon along Deadman's Trail and then to Mescal Trail, which culminated in a sweeping view of the valley. Along the way, we learned about vortexes and hoodoos and their significance to Native Americans, the history of the canyon, and how George helped carve these trails on his mountain bike. At the lookout, he suggested we each find a spot alone and take a few moments to contemplate the nature surrounding us, our lives and the people in it, and ourselves. This was, in a nutshell, like much of the experience at Mii amo: encouragement to make time and space to evaluate our lives within the larger universe. Here's my full review of Mii amo. When my sister and I entered our intimate Casita, the standard accommodation at the resort, we were instantly drawn to the glowing beige adobe fireplace in the corner—a fantastic feature that all rooms share. Our beds were layered with modern, Southwestern-style, geometric quilts. Two terracotta-colored chairs anchored a small seating area near the fireplace, along with a curvy floor lamp and an end table made from a live-edge tree trunk. Above the desk hung a locally made textile art piece, while a few tastefully placed potted succulents provided a dash of green in a color palette dominated by black and shades of beige and brown. The spacious bathroom featured heated floors and a glass-walled rain shower looking out onto our private courtyard, a feature that guests will find in all Casitas. Ours was part of a group of recently added accommodations that brought the room count up post-renovation from 16 to 23 (the original Casitas were also fully renovated). Ranging in size between 400 and 450 square feet, this type of room category is set in small groupings that surround large courtyards with cushy seating, outdoor fireplaces, and plants, with the red cliffs looming in the background. Casitas can have either two double beds or a single king bed, with some featuring deep soaking tubs and outdoor fireplaces. Other room options include larger suites and junior suites, all with fireplaces, outdoor terraces, and soaking tubs. The one- and two-bedroom spa suites offer separate living and dining areas with a live-edge wooden table, while the luxury suites also include an outdoor whirlpool on an expansive courtyard and a private massage room. The terrace at the signature restaurant, Hummingbird. Ken Hayden/Courtesy of Mii amo Mii amo's dining program underwent a major revamp, and is now under the purview of chef Nathan Rich, who is also the culinary director of Tanzerra Resorts and the executive chef at Twin Farms in Vermont. (Mii amo, Enchantment, Twin Farms, The Cove, Eleuthera, and Virginia's the Tides Inn are all part of Tanzerra Resorts.) At Mii amo, Rich was tasked with refreshing the dining offerings, and he's done an admirable job. While the offerings have a wellness focus, guests are not deprived of indulgences or alcohol. In fact, the cocktails are excellent, with several margaritas, a Whistle Pig Old-Fashioned, a mezcal negroni, and a cucumber gimlet on the menu. At the on-site restaurant, Hummingbird, chef Zach Woodworth was promoted to executive chef in the fall of 2024. Here, he presents vegetable-forward fare that shows off the bounty of the garden just outside. Standout dishes include carrot hummus, roasted beets with ricotta, mushroom curry, and a variety of salads. However, most of the entrées have meat or fish, such as scallops with sweet potato gnocchi, Arizona Black Angus tenderloin, and Colorado rack of lamb with labneh and roasted carrots. For dinner, I found myself craving more Southwestern/locally-influenced food, and after three nights, I also wished there were more options. Given that most guests stay at least three nights, a rotating menu would seem helpful. Breakfast is a mix of classic and Southwestern offerings, and includes a canyon burrito, huevos rancheros, avocado toast, and sourdough French toast. The decadent lemon and ricotta pancakes, served with lemon curd, blueberries, and maple syrup, dispel any notion of low-calorie-only food here. Guests ordering eggs can choose between hen or duck eggs, sourced from a nearby farm where the kitchen composts their organic waste. The juice and coffee bar is the only other beverage outlet (it doubles as a wine bar in the evenings). My mom, sister, and I loved the juices, with our favorites being the Arroyo, with orange, apple, prickly pear, and ginger, as well as the Hello Honeydew, with honeydew, celery, aloe vera, parsley, lemon, and ginger. Mii amo's yoga room. Mii amo offers a robust daily schedule of complimentary classes, lectures, and experiences. Guests seeking physical activity can sign up for fitness classes like yoga, Pilates, Zumba, tennis, and water aerobics. And those who like to reconnect with nature can join group hikes in the canyon or go stargazing. Spiritual and meditative activities include sound baths, labyrinth walks, dream interpretation sessions, and discussions on chakras. I found the sound bath in the crystal grotto to be transcendent, especially with the way the sound circulates through the round space. The new movement studio, with a view of the sensory garden and the red rocks beyond, is beautiful, and I appreciated the variety of daily yoga and stretching classes. My mom wanted some high-intensity workout options, which weren't available, but she thought the fitness center was state-of-the-art. Also on the daily calendar: food and nutrition experiences, like a juicing class and nutrition lectures. We tried the chef's garden experience, which included a tour, led by chef Woodworth, followed by a lovely group lunch in the garden featuring dishes prepared with seasonal produce. In addition to what's on the calendar, guests can: schedule spa treatments; book individual coaching sessions with professional practitioners and trainers in meditation, spirituality, fitness, or nutrition; spend time by the outdoor pool or indoor saunas and steam rooms; or visit the Trail House across the road at Enchantment, where guided hikes, trail running, rock climbing, and bike rides can be booked. The entrance to the crystal grotto. Mii amo's renovated spa now includes: 26 treatment rooms and private consultation spaces: 14 single massage rooms, three facial rooms, two wet rooms, a sound lounge room, and a couple's massage room. The resort added an all-new consultation wing with a dedicated relaxation space and five consultation rooms for sessions with Mii amo's mindfulness team and seasoned therapists. Treatments range from classics such as massages, facials, and bodywork to more unconventional options, including energy clearing, sound resonance therapy, and celestial manifesting. I tried the 100-minute Ancestral Stone Massage, which incorporates hot basalt and cold marble stones in a unique take on contrast therapy that also considers Native American beliefs of the power of river rocks and the healing powers of stones. The Healthy Aging facial I had uses marine ingredients for hydration and two specialized masks that left my skin plump and supple. The array of meditative healing rituals and energy sessions, such as a medicine wheel ceremony, aura photography, past life regression session, hypnosis, and reiki, takes full advantage of local Sedona experts in these areas. Somehow, my past life regression session turned more into a therapy talk with some reiki, which I was somewhat bummed about because I had been looking forward to getting a glimpse at my past lives. Overall, though, the treatments are excellent and give the opportunity to experience new methods of healing and relaxation. Mii amo features one ADA-compliant 400-square-foot Casita, complete with a king-size bed, a roll-in shower, a tub with a permanent seat, and an accessible double vanity. Additionally, guests can book accessible hiking tours with the Trail House, such as a Grand Canyon Above the Rim tour, a trip to Red Rock State Park, and driving tours. The resort's sustainability efforts are wide-ranging. Hummingbird restaurant collaborates with local Arizona farmers and purveyors, in addition to using produce from its on-site garden. The hotel also partners with the international nonprofit organization Join the Pipe, providing each guest with a reusable water bottle made from biodegradable sugarcane that can be filled at one of the resort's several water stations. Mii amo has a private on-site wastewater treatment plant to supply reclaimed water for irrigation, while the landscaping team has phased out non-native plants to minimize water usage. All rooms are equipped with water-efficient showerheads and toilets. Finally, a portion of any Trail House excursion fee goes to the Boynton Canyon Preservation Fund. As the only hotels inside Boynton Canyon, Mii amo and its sibling resort, Enchantment, are surrounded by the towering red rocks of Sedona. So if guests want to hike the canyon, all they need to do is step outside. Boynton Canyon, a scenic box canyon, is located in West Sedona and is part of the Coconino National Forest. Sedona's downtown is a quick ten-minute drive. To get to the hotel, guests can fly into Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG), which is 34 miles away. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) offers more direct flights and connections, but is about 125 miles from the resort. Mii amo doesn't offer a dedicated loyalty program. The resort is part of American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts, offering card members perks such as 4 p.m. check-out, $100 resort credit, and early check-in, subject to availability. Nightly rates at Mii amo start from $4,600 for a three-night Journey (includes all meals, daily stipend for treatments, and full access to classes and lectures; the rate excludes alcohol). Every T+L hotel review is written by an editor or reporter who has stayed at the property, and each hotel selected aligns with our core values.
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Two Palm Beach County spots named 'Top 100 Hotel Restaurants in U.S.' by OpenTable, Kayak
Hotel restaurants are no longer just for weary travelers. They're the destination. That's the message behind a new collaboration between OpenTable and Kayak, which produced a first-of-its-kind list of the Top 100 Hotel Restaurants in America featuring two local standouts. First up: Akira Back, a modern Japanese concept inside The Ray Hotel in Delray Beach. Influenced by celebrity chef Akira Back's Korean heritage, the eponymous restaurant draws locals and visitors alike with vibrant dishes, dramatic design and a multi-sensory dining experience. 'This award reflects our passion for pushing the boundaries of Japanese cuisine, paired with world-class hospitality and an unforgettable dining experience,' said Back via email. Hotel restaurants are a Back signature: his name is on more than a dozen of them, including the Michelin-starred Dosa at London's Mandarin Oriental Mayfair. , the stylish American bistro at Via Flagler by The Breakers, a few blocks from the resort, also scored a spot. Named after the resort's founder, Henry Morrison Flagler, the restaurant blends elevated comfort food with a touch of nostalgia in a setting that's both refined and welcoming. The rankings draw from more than 10 million verified diner reviews, travel search data, and national surveys to spotlight where travelers are dining once they arrive. Bragging rights in Florida With 21 winners, Florida boasts more top hotel restaurants than any other state on this list, including 10 in Miami and Orlando. There are no numerical positions on this ranking; every winner is listed alphabetically. Other Florida winners by city include: Fort Lauderdale: Steak 954 at the W Key West: Cafe Marquesa Miami: Gianni's at the Former Versace Mansion, Il Mulino New York, Lido Restaurant at The Surf Club, Limonada Bar + Brunch, Palace, The Roof at Esmé Naples: The Grill at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples (the beach resort) Ocala: Stirrups at World Equestrian Center Orlando: A Land Remembered at Rosen Shingle Creek, BACÁN, Bull & Bear Steakhouse, Capa and Ravello at Four Seasons Orlando, Epilogue, Knife & Spoon, Nami Tampa: Lilac Culinary tourism is trending To uncover dining trends at U.S. hotel restaurants, OpenTable and Kayak analyzed over 10 million verified diner reviews, year-over-year travel search data and two national surveys of hotel diners. The list is rooted in diner insights and travel behavior, and it reflects a growing trend: travelers are planning trips around what and where they want to eat. According to OpenTable, 47% of Americans book a trip specifically to dine at a restaurant, and 38% have chosen a hotel because of its restaurant. Kayak reports a 51% year-over-year increase in the use of its 'restaurant' hotel filter, which they say is a clear sign that food is becoming a deciding factor in travel planning. Other survey findings: 73% of travelers say they'd return to a hotel because of a great on-site dining experience. 45% admit they post more about meals than monuments while traveling. 'Travelers aren't just asking, 'Where should I go?'' said Kate Williams, Kayak's chief communications officer. 'They're asking, 'What's on the menu when I get there?' Of note, Booking Holdings is the parent company of both OpenTable and Kayak. Only restaurants using the platforms were considered. If you go: Akira Back at The Ray Hotel Address: 233 NE Second Ave., Delray Beach Call: 561-739-1708 Web: Hours: Daily 5 to 10 p.m. If you go: Henry's Palm Beach at The Breakers Address: 229 Royal Poinciana Way, Palm Beach; Via Flagler by The Breakers (just a few blocks from the resort) Call: 561-206-1896 Web: Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Daily brunch until 3 p.m. Etc.: Complimentary shuttle from The Breakers available for resort guests. Diana Biederman is The Palm Beach Post's new-ish food & restaurant writer. If you have any news tips about the local dining scene, please send them to dbiederman@ Help support our journalism. Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: OpenTable, Kayak name Palm Beach County hotel restaurants best in U.S. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Delaware's 5 best summertime craft breweries to drink under the sun
Every winter, craft beer lovers either coop up with their favorite cans at home or push through the weather to gather in taprooms for drafts of the good stuff. But now with the warmth of the sun mostly reliable, it's time to bend those pasty elbows outdoors. For beer lovers, drink sessions at picnic tables in between games of cornhole is the best time of the year. And here in Delaware, we have a few stand-out spots for drinking under the sun. Here are some of them. Revelation Craft Brewing, Rehoboth Beach Revelation Brewing is perhaps undersung, as home to some of the tastiest beer in Delaware. But to beachy locals, hardly a secret. Its original Rehoboth Beach taproom is humble and out of the way, a backroad bar with a chalkboard beer list that feels made for the neighborhood. A little shack out front serves wood-fired pizza, and its beertenders justly have been voted some of the friendliest in the state. But its beers, likewise justly, have won national awards year after year. Mostly, this stems from Revelation's deftness with sour beers conditioned on unholy amounts of fresh raspberry or apricot or blackberry: beers that are balanced, light and beauteously expressive of fruit. But don't sleep on a clean and crisp Pilsner, nor a brown ale accented with on woody notes from Caribbean Mama Juana wood. Just off the Junction Breakwater Trail, its patio is a prime spot for bicyclists to mingle with other beer-drinkers under the open sky near the beach. Where to cycle: Looking for places to bicycle in Delaware? Here are 12 treks to check out Revelation also has expanded to a Georgetown brewery and taproom far from the beach, but conveniently located at a cross-section of highways for those coming in from parts south or west. 19841 Central St., near Rehoboth Beach. Visit Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton Delaware's oldest, biggest and most famous craft brewery is still worth a check-in even for locals. For out-of-towners, it's a rite of passage. Its Milton headquarters features a large outdoor area anchored by the 40-foot tall Steampunk Treehouse, also offering cornhole and patio space. Every once in a while, they also put pickleball courts in their parking lot for pickleball tournaments. Live music, picnic table seating and the buzz of beer tourists from around the country make the Milton brewery a great way to burn a weekend afternoon. And that's even before you get to their exclusive tap room tastings, offering hard-to-find pours. If you have time, a brewery tour is worth it. Choose from the $5, 25-minute "Quick Sip Tour" and the deeper dive $25, 75-minute "Off-Centered Tour," but note that you must be wearing closed-toe shoes to go into Delaware's Wonka world of beer. 6 Village Center Blvd., Milton. Visit Crooked Hammock Brewery, Middletown Crooked Hammock is a brewpub with the approximate personality of a Jimmy Buffett concert: a fun-themed Southern-beachy backyard of a place with rainbowed Adirondacks and ping-pong and an actual hammock we're not sure is crooked. And that goes for both their original Lewes and Middletown locations. The beers you should order also are the ones themed for "fun." This could be a pineapple-fruity Jungle Juice sour that tastes more sweet than sour. Or it could be a 'Joint Collaboration IPA,' infused with cannabis aromatics, which smells like a lit bong but tastes mostly mild. Especially, it should be the Hammock Light. The Hammock Light, a crystal-clear beach lager if there ever was one, is the most basic and frictionless beer you can expect to find in this world: It is low calorie, low hop, low gluten, low alcohol and low effort. It's what you'd drink in a parking lot or while thinking about mowing a lawn, the flavor of a life lived without care. A life led, we presume, mostly on a hammock. But the fun spills out into each brewery's "Backyard." At Middletown alone, they have two bocce courts, two horseshoe pits and seven cornhole sets to keep the good times rollin' at the family-friendly spot. 36707 Crooked Hammock Way, Lewes, and 316 Auto Park Drive, Middletown. Visit Thompson Island Brewing Co., Rehoboth Beach Thompson Island is the original beer outpost of Rehoboth Beach's omnipresent SoDel Concepts, the restaurant group behind well over a dozen restaurants and bars and breweries along the Delaware coastline. Thompson's better-than-usual taproom food menu shows evidence of this, from stacked smashburgers to seafood to locally famous wings. So does the minimalist white-on-white cottagecore of the restaurant's interior, whose self-consciously rough-hewn furniture looks a little like its painters left early for the day. Al fresco options: Dine outdoors at these restaurants in and around Delaware But if you're here, you're almost certainly here for the indoor-outdoor back bar, the spacious firepit patio with multiple cornhole courts, and an array of beers from a spot-on Baltic porter to No Bad Days lager that starts dry and ends with a strong noble-hop finish. Hopheads should always spend a glass with a truly excellent piney-citrusy, malt-balanced Thompson Island IPA. Some far-flung beer flavor experiments, like a maple pancake sour, might reward caution. But,a mixed-culture Brett saison, a style known for barnyard funk, scored national medals in 2024 at both of the biggest craft beer competitions in American beer. 30133 Veterans Way, near Rehoboth Beach. Visit Wilmington Brew Works, Wilmington Sure, the former site of the Harper-Thiel Electroplating Co. has a tasting room in what resembles The Alamo. But when the weather is nice, the best seats in the house move outside. The front patio is filled with tables for hoisting pints of Hazy Tang tangerine cuvée IPA or a glass of Nom de Pomme dry cider. In the back, the patio is a little more bustling with live music, food trucks and usually a kid or two running around and joining in the fun. Even though they have a solid line-up of food trucks, it's hard not to contemplate grabbing a pizza from stand-out La Pizzeria Metro in the same complex, which you can carry over to the brewery. 3129 Miller Road, Wilmington. Have a story idea? Contact Ryan Cormier of Delaware Online/The News Journal at rcormier@ or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier) and X (@ryancormier). This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Try these Delaware breweries for summer outdoor craft beer sessions Solve the daily Crossword
