My favorite ways to explore a new place are (1) to eat my way through it, and (2) to wander its streets in a rambling and intimate city tour… usually in search of more food. Day #11,532: When I lived in Manhattan, Stumptown Coffee Roasters had taken over the city, and New Yorkers were rapidly […]
Portlandia: A Solo Expedition
I rarely explore new cities alone. Not because I’m afraid or because I dislike being alone- frankly (shamefully perhaps), I find myself bloody entertaining- but because I don’t take pains to make it happen. Travel somehow ends up being a group sport. When I booked my flight into Portland a day ahead of Mr. M […]
A Different Point of View in the Catskills
Every once in a while, Mr. M & I used to feel Manhattan’s concrete jungle closing in on us. When we needed to break free, my favorite escape was the Catskill region in upstate New York. A ninety minute drive from this skyline… … is this one! Day #11,132: Despite getting mildly lost on the […]
To Rome, With Love
Day #10,356: Dear Rome, I really wanted to like you. You’re Rome, for goodness sake. The Eternal City! The seat of the Roman Empire! And you know how I have a soft spot for historical splendor. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to make of you at first. You came on a little strong. The honking, […]
On the Ice in New Zealand
I did not expect to find myself on top of a glacier. Glaciers are, universally speaking, fairly Epic. You really don’t need to be on top of one to appreciate it. Besides, doesn’t that sort of stunt require dangling precariously above frozen crevasses with ice picks for hands? Fox Glacier sits frozen on the west […]
Scouting for Zombies
If you’re at all surprised that Halloween Week’s post is a celebration of my favorite cemeteries across the U.S., we’re about to have that awkward talk that starts with: “I feel like you just don’t listen to me anymore.” I have a thing for cemeteries. Every time I return from a trip, there’s a random […]
The Coolest Thing I Never Thought I’d See: Kuala Lumpur
At the end of each trip we take, Mr. M & I play a question game with each other… what would you most recommend to a friend? What was the yummiest thing you ate? What one thing did you find most surprising? But my favorite question, both to ask and answer, is: What was the […]
An Autumn Weekend in Vermont
It’s impossible to complain about the weather in California. Well… it’s certainly possible to complain about the weather, but you’ll sound like an ass and will get serious side-eye from anyone living someplace where Storm Watch 3000 means something more substantial than “maybe it’ll rain.” In fact, just one year ago, Mr. M & I found […]
Cut the Talk in Washington DC
For the past two weeks, it’s been impossible to escape all the talk surrounding the government shutdown. I love my NPR as much as the next bike-riding, Wes-Anderson-loving hipster, but sometimes enough is… well… enough! The iconic locations that represent our nation seem underserved by all this talk. So Behold! (cue jazz hands) Washington DC […]
Having a Moment in Machu Picchu
With all the hype surrounding Machu Picchu, it could easily be one of those overrated places that’s frustratingly uber-disappointing in real life. Even the journey to get to Machu Picchu is slightly epic. Whether by train (as Mr. M & I did) or by 4-day hardcore trek, you have a whole lotta time to imagine and re-imagine “Machu […]