Where are you based?

New York City 

What topics and places do you cover?

I cover travel, wine and spirits, men's fashion, and restaurants. Occasionally, I write one-off stories about Stoicism or Greek mythology. 

What outlets do you usually pitch (and write for)?

CNN, Paste, BBC, Matador, The Daily Beast, InsideHook, TimeOut

Are you in-house or freelance (or both)?

Freelance 

What is your approach to press trips?

I love them! I am grateful for every press trip invitation I get. Some of the best ones have been surprises—small towns in the West; tiny Caribbean nations; and music festivals in the Midwest come to mind. 

What are your professional pet peeves?

Losing money on press trips is a biggie. This job is wonderful—awfully close to my dream job—but I live right on the edge financially speaking. My only real professional pet peeve is when I lose unexpected money on a press trip, say, for Uber rides, random hotel fees, or suchike. On the editorial side, I get annoyed when an editor takes weeks or months longer than expected to publish my story. Those small irritations notwithstanding, I adore the freebooting travel writer lifestyle. 

In your past professional life, you were …

A teacher: world religions. 

Where would you like to return to?

Brasil!  

What's on your bucket list?

The Himalayas. Madagascar. 

Where do you travel for fun?

Back to DC to see my folks. I love going to Europe for fun, too. 

Your funniest (or most harrowing) travel story is …

Funniest: Got slapped across the dome by a bartender last week in Sturgis, South Dakota after ordering a "Hurricane Shot." There is a good video of it somewhere and it seemed cathartic to watch for many. 

Many harrowing stories from traveling in my 20s. When I was 23 I hitchhiked through Colombia's Zona Roja for four days, sleeping in churches and walking through roadblocks operated by guerrilla groups. At one point during that awful trip, I got caught in a firefight between the Colombian military and a rebel group. That's one that I am lucky to have made it out of. 

What advice would you give your younger professional self?

Write as much as you can, about a range of topics. Take more humanities classes. Read all the classics. Accept that you're not cut out for a traditional job. 

What nugget would you like to add that we haven't touched on?

Nuggets! I am getting hungry, ha...Hmm, writing is a stranger career than most. One day I feel like a prince—jet-setting to Asia or Europe and living it up; then, the next day I might feel like a pauper—sans health insurance, struggling to pay rent. It's a roller coaster.  

How best should people contact you?

You can find me on TravMedia Instagram and Twitter (X).