Where have I been?

New York · Long Island

Where I landed

Long Island was the arrival. My first American chapter, and all the adjusting that came with it. It's still home, too.

First visit Jun 2015 · Home

Florida · Orlando, Miami

The sun, mostly

Disney in Orlando was my first taste of Florida. Miami came later, once. I appreciate the sun. It's just not a state I feel strongly about.

First visit Jun 2015 · 2 visits

Tennessee

A road trip to family

A road trip to see a relative. Honestly, not much of it stayed with me.

First visit Jun 2015

Illinois · Champaign, Chicago

Home

Champaign came first: five years at the University of Illinois, cornfields in every direction. Then Chicago, which I came back to for the people. This one's home.

First visit Aug 2017 · Home

New Jersey

Good Indian food

Not a ton of thoughts on this one. Good Indian food, I reckon.

First visit Nov 2017

Missouri · St. Louis

One interview

I went to St. Louis for an internship interview. I've never felt the pull to go back.

First visit Mar 2019

California · San Diego

I fell for it after I left

San Diego was my first big boy job out of college. Sunsets over the Pacific, and a life built from scratch. I think I fell in love with the place after I moved away.

First visit May 2021 · 5 visits · Lived 1 year

Texas · Austin, Houston +2

My favorite city

Austin is my favorite city in the country. Great tacos, great energy. I've been to Houston, Dallas and San Antonio too, but Austin's the one.

First visit May 2021 · 5 visits

Wisconsin

Because of Gail

I owe this one to Gail. She gave me the chance to appreciate Wisconsin more than I ever would have on my own.

First visit May 2021 · 3 visits

Indiana

No story written for this one yet.

First visit Aug 2021 · 2 visits

Kentucky · Louisville

Churchill Downs

I love Churchill Downs. Someday I want to be there for the Derby.

First visit May 2022

Nevada · Las Vegas

Twelve hours in Vegas

Cheap flights from San Diego made it a quick twelve-hour trip. Playing poker at Aria is a good time.

First visit Dec 2022

Michigan · Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids

I went to Grand Rapids. Also, Detroit-style pizza doesn't get nearly the love it deserves.

First visit Aug 2023

Ohio · Cincinnati

Who Dey

WHO DEY! Graeter's ice cream is awesome, Sotto has great ambiance, and I love Paycor Stadium.

First visit Sep 2023 · 3 visits

North Carolina · Charlotte

Another universe

Charlotte is cool, with a lot of potential, but it wasn't very remarkable to me. I was still a bit of an introvert back then. In a different universe, maybe I'd have liked it more.

First visit Apr 2024

Pennsylvania

Go Birds

I probably need to spend more time out there before I have real thoughts. For now: GO BIRDS!

First visit Sep 2024

Utah · Salt Lake City

Bruce

Salt Lake City is very interesting. Bruce and I hit it off at the Hall of Fame stadium, and I wish I'd made the time to see him once more before I left.

First visit Jun 2025

Georgia · Savannah

Stay weird

Savannah, you were a fun time. Stay weird.

First visit Jan 2026

Massachusetts · Boston

Better than expected

Boston was better than I expected. Good Will Hunting was a nice highlight, and the food was pretty decent. I'm grateful for my doctors and the institutions there.

First visit Feb 2026 · 2 visits

Kansas · Wichita

A rollercoaster

Oh boy. Wichita was a rollercoaster of a trip, and a lot of fun stories came out of it.

First visit May 2026

Louisiana · New Orleans

Geaux Tigers

I appreciated New Orleans more than I expected. I love the people. Not a ton of great food for me, personally. Geaux Tigers!

First visit Jul 2026

Arkansas · Little Rock

Eddie and Tiffany

I still can't decide if I like Little Rock. But Eddie, working security at the Clinton Library, and Tiffany, my Lyft driver to the airport, left an impression that'll stay with me for a long time.

First visit Aug 2026

Oklahoma · Oklahoma City

The cowboy museum

I went with my dear friend Eric. The cowboy museum is one of my favorite museums of all time. Flight delays on the way back, but it could've been worse.

First visit Aug 2026

North Dakota · Bismarck

Someday, maybe

Bismarck is unlike anything I've ever seen. I don't know if I belong there, but I can see myself living there someday. Very kind people. My Lyft driver, Mary, told me about her life, and I left with the sense that most people there work hard and live disciplined lives.

First visit Sep 2026

West Virginia · Charleston

Never thought I'd say it

Pretty, unique, and old, maybe very old. The people were nicer than I expected, and I enjoyed my time there very much. I never thought I'd say this, but I can see myself living there.

First visit Sep 2026

Virginia · Arlington

Two days in Arlington

Two days at a hotel in Arlington, and I didn't see much of Virginia. The coffee was nice, and I learned that FedEx charges $4 to ship from a hotel location. DC was pretty, and the Lincoln Memorial at night was very peaceful. I found a cozy, nice bar called Press Club, and finally made it to the Smithsonian space museum I'd been meaning to visit for a while.

First visit Oct 2026

Maryland · Baltimore

Gloomy, as pictured

Baltimore was gloomy, which is exactly how I always pictured it. The harbor was nice. I had some good food from the weirdest ghost kitchen, inside a university.

First visit Oct 2026

Connecticut · New Haven

Sally's, not Pepe's

I finally tried New Haven-style pizza. In store, Sally's was much better. Frank Pepe, delivered, wasn't good at all. I want to give them some leeway for delivery, but even then I can't picture it being very good in store. The Beinecke rare manuscript library on the Yale campus was pretty nice.

First visit Oct 2026

Rhode Island · Newport, Providence

Pretty chill

Rhode Island was pretty chill, and I walked a ton. In Newport I checked out the International Tennis Hall of Fame museum and the White Horse Tavern, the oldest bar in the US. Providence has a weird vibe for a metro city. I can't put my finger on exactly what.

First visit Oct 2026