Places

I travel, but I’m not a travel writer. What I want to know about a place is how it holds together. Who works there. What it makes. What it has to bring in. Why some places keep their character and others turn into the same place as everywhere else.

Then & Now

The Hockey Sticks on the Wall

Sher-Wood, Titan, CCM, Reebok. Somebody built a bench out of a graveyard.

May 30, 2026 4 min read

The Place I Don't Have to Think About

Rainbow roll, miso soup. Every time.

February 18, 2026 3 min read

How Things Work

The Curiosity Order

Wake and Late, West Hollywood. I added a second burrito to the order for no reason except to know.

February 15, 2026 3 min read

Workshop

Budget Coffee Setup for Your Rivian: Café Quality for Under $75

Complete guide to making pour-over coffee in your Rivian R1T or R1S. Budget-friendly electric kettle setup with full gear list and Amazon links. Perfect for EV camping and road trips.

November 1, 2025 6 min read

Workshop

The Travel Router That Finally Fixed My Hotel Wi-Fi Headaches

After years of frustration with hotel Wi-Fi, I finally found a travel router that solved my connection problems. Here's how the GL.iNet Slate AX (GL-AXT1800) made my travel life easier — and why you might want one too.

October 10, 2025 3 min read

Exploring the Starbucks Reserve Roastery on Pike Street in Capitol Hill

The Starbucks Reserve Roastery on Pike Street closed for good on 25 September 2025. This was written while it was open, and is kept as it was.

January 11, 2025 4 min read

How Things Work

Trying to Break a Guinness World Record at the Saratoga Library

The record is easy. Getting a thousand people to do the easy thing at the same moment is not.

September 10, 2014 3 min readVideo