Writer, Photographer, Adventurer
Protecting 32,733 acres on the windward slopes of Mauna Kea on Hawaiʻi Island, Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1985 by the US Fish and Wildlife Service with the support of The Nature Conservancy. It became the first national wildlife refuge to encompass rainforest as well as the first to be set aside for native forest birds, and it’s the only place in the state where native bird populations are stable or increasing. Want to learn more? Read my story for Sierra.
Showcasing the beauty of traditional Samoan cuisine and heritage, Tala was opened in Auckland in 2023 by Chef Henry Onesemo and his wife Debby. The award-winning restaurant has helped pave the way for more culturally specific dining in New Zealand, earning praise across Oceania for its singular focus. Rather than choosing to represent a combination Pasifika cuisine style, Onesemo positions Samoan food not as a subset of something broader, but as a cuisine that deserves to stand on its own.
Tala was chosen to be in TIME’s The World’s Greatest Places 2026. Click through to read my short article on the restaurant.
Across the United States this year, people are making plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. While much of the focus on site-specific celebrations will be on the East Coast, there’s an important West Coast connection to 1776. Spain also established El Presidio de San Francisco in 1776 to guard San Francisco Bay from British, Russian, and French incursions into Alta California, a province comprising modern-day California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, and parts of Arizona. Want to learn more? Read my story for National Geographic.
At the end of each year, I’m usually out of breath from a full schedule of travel, work, and family. While 2025 included plenty of stressful national news, it also had a Goldilocks-inspired “just right” amount of work and travel, allowing me to enjoy being at home, as well.
I’m happy to announce that I have a new book out!
Recently published by National Geographic, The Traveler’s Atlas of the World covers every country in the world, includes 250 illustrated maps to inspire your travels, and offers expert advice for must-see sights and experiences. I was lucky enough to be among the 47 writers who contributed to this behemoth coffee-table book, and the 18 countries I covered range from Finland to Honduras. Get one for yourself, and gift another to a traveling friend.
Before 2025 ends, here is a list of my most recent articles, in case you missed them when they first came out:
For National Geographic: I talked with Antoni Porowski of Queer Eye fame about his belief that food can tell a person about who they are, and his new travel series, No Taste Like Home. It’s worth catching on Disney+ and Hulu if you’re looking for some culinary travel inspiration.
For Condé Nast Traveler: I reviewed some excellent places to stay near Redwood National and State Parks. The Coast Redwood landscape in California is among my favorite landscapes in the world. If you haven’t experienced this region, put it on your list for 2026.
For Sierra: I covered the strand-feeding behavior of Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins in South Carolina’s Lowcountry region, and what people are doing to keep the population safe from human disturbance.
For the Saturday Evening Post: I talked with acclaimed South Carolina quiltmaker Cookie Washington about her artistic journey, her preference for repurposed material, and what inspired her to help keep the craft of Gullah Geechee rag quilting alive.
For the Nob Hill Gazette: I revisited my family’s Alaska summer trip to Tutka Bay Lodge. The lodge, about a 30-minute boat ride from the fishing town of Homer, is a luxurious home base deep within the wild with incredible gourmet dinners and an ideal launching point for adventures.
Here’s to a new year with positive inspiration, the comfort of family and friends, and the opportunity for adventures both near and far.
I’ve hiked hundreds of miles on national park trails in the United States, but have biked in far fewer parks because often the only option is to share crowded roads with vehicles. On Acadia National Park’s carriage roads, cyclists can enjoy the serenity of nature away from the noise of cars, and get a little history thrown in for good measure. Want to learn more? Read my story for National Geographic.