2019-20 SATW Foundation Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition
104 U.S./Canada Travel ( Newspapers,Travel Magazines,Travel Coverage in General Magazines,Travel Audio-Radio,Travel Audio-Podcasts and Guides)Back
Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Matador Network Entry Title: Bars that don’t close and a Deep South cultural education in Natchez, Mississippi Entry Credit: Matthew Meltzer Judge Comment: Matthew Meltzer's ear for regional voice, his trademark conversational style and his homing instinct for characters make this the best kind of travel story. It’s chock full of information that will enhance the experience of Natchez for a visitor but also contains enough history, description and cultural background to educate the armchair traveler. Meltzer combines an eagle eye for telling detail with a nonjudgmental wit and graceful writing. He’s a perfect traveling companion.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Travel + Leisure Entry Title: All Eyes on D.C. Entry Credit: Lillian Li Judge Comment: Lillian Li composes a candid and nuanced look at non-monumental Washington, D.C. She gives readers a vivid sense of the culinary and cultural history of the nation's capital that's not in the history books. A city in transformation appears through Li’s experience with old haunts and new businesses like the four-year-old Laotian restaurant, the first in D.C., where she ate family style with the co-owners.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Peter Fish Entry Title: The Forever Magic of Big Sur Entry Credit: Peter Fish Judge Comment: This is a beautifully written story that unravels the history of an iconic American destination. It deftly combines an account of Big Sur’s past and people with the kind of practical, up-to-date information that a visitor needs to know. The writer sets out to discover if the area can still bring wonder and enlightenment, and his second-person point of view pulls readers into the excursion seamlessly.
Place Name: Honorable Mention Contestant Name: Jon Gorey Entry Title: Blue Ridge Serenade: Asheville Makes Artsy Look Easy Entry Credit: Jon Gorey Judge Comment: Jon Gorey takes readers with him as he meanders the streets and hiking paths of this mountain arts colony. From the buskers entertaining tourists on the streets to the art hanging in and outside Asheville buildings, he shows how the art abounds. He offers so many suggestions about what to do and see and eat — all so vividly and affectionately described — that it’s hard to resist the urge to book a ticket immediately.
