Elmo’s Diner stands proudly in its yellow brick building, a beloved fixture in Durham’s Ninth Street district. The green awning provides shade for those waiting outside on busy weekend mornings.

You get Okeechobee, the hidden gem nestled against Florida’s largest freshwater lake that’s quietly becoming retirement paradise without the South Florida price tag.

A round chocolate bomb cake with a sparkler on top, paired with a delicate pink heart-shaped cake decorated with roses and ...