One thing I started just before the pandemic, in early 2020, was to reframe the kinds of stories I wrote about. It was always flattering when someone said that I was a prolific writer, but focusing on the sheer number made me feel like something was missing. Instead of pitching stories to get work, I decided to pitch pieces that I genuinely cared about.
Here are a few recent examples:
In Polynesia, tattoos are more than skin deep for National Geographic. As we consider the difference between honoring and appropriating a culture, how should travelers who aren’t part of that culture get a tattoo respectfully?
Three Perfect Days: The Islands of Tahiti for Hemispheres. Trying to write a 3-day guide to Tahiti travel was challenging, but I’d do it again in a second.
A Grammy-nominated New Orleans Trumpet Player Talks Mardi Gras, and What Music Means to the Crescent City for Travel + Leisure. Right before Mardi Gras, I talked with Branden Lewis about one of my favorite cities in the world.
Redwood National and State Parks Guide: The Best Tree-Lined Hikes, Camping, and Cycling Routes for Conde Nast Traveler. Together, these four parks protect nearly half of the world’s old-growth coast redwoods.
British Columbia’s Best-Kept Secret for AAA Explorer. Slowing down to appreciate nature and Nuxalk culture in the Bella Coola Valley—a remote region in Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest.
In book news, I co-authored Gordon Ramsay’s Uncharted: A Culinary Adventure with 60 Recipes from Around the World. Gordon and his team wrote the recipes and I wrote all the rest. The book was published in April.
Stay tuned for more article and book news soon!