I am what is known as a late adopter. (Fine. It’s not strictly one of the technology cycles but much preferable to being called a “laggard“.) I didn’t climb aboard the iPhone bandwagon as much as I was chloroformed-into-a-moving-van onto it by a friend who had an...
In a twisted hobby, I’ve been known to go on job interviews for positions I wasn’t truly interested in. I also like taking tests. One job I went for actually had me do an IQ test as part of the selection process. Best. Interview. Ever. And I...
I kind of like to imagine myself as a photographer.But I’m not. Yeah, I did make it to the top 25 finalists in last year’s Conde Naste Traveler Photo contest, so close to the $25,000 grand prize I could almost taste it. And NBC News may have...
I’ve never been a big fan of ballet. Surprising, I know, considering I’m such a huge snob supporter of the arts. But when I got a chance to sit in on the final rehearsal of Cinderella at the Saigon Opera House, I didn’t refuse (mostly because I...
Why do I spend irresponsibly on travel when I’m so responsible in every other facet of my life? One week only sale to Nepal? Book it! Last minute 14-day cruise for $499? I’m there! Go camping for two months straight? Sure! Why do I love getting lost...
I have a confession. I’m a bit fancy. There. I said it. I just spent $100 on a water cooler just so that I don’t have to drink water from a jug in the fridge like a plebe. People who come over always remark on how many...
Brigitte Bardot in St. Tropez. Beyonce in St. Barth’s. George Clooney on Lake Como. There’s a reason celebrities flock to these destinations. They’re exclusive. They’re gorgeous. They’re either hard or expensive to get to or sometimes even both. They’re an unreal slice of the luxe life where...
Money spoils everything. It’s at once an evil that changes everyone it touches and yet we all need it in order to travel to these far flung magical places, so beautifully illustrated in glossy magazines. I’m always a little sad to visit “minority villages”. They’re inevitably a...
With no glitzy malls or sparkling beaches to call its own like neighboring Thailand, and without the cache of traveling to Vietnam, Laos just might be one of the most underappreciated countries on what is known as the Banana Pancake Trail. After my recent trip, though, I’m...
Part of the allure of travel is losing yourself, both literally and figuratively. Who of us hasn’t relished the challenge of driving on the wrong side of the street or getting hopelessly lost in a market with mental directions like, “Turn left at the spice shop with...