Welcome! This page outlines the information in my city guides, including the best time to visit, the best places to stay, and a mini-itinerary to get you out and exploring.
These guides feature cities I love around the world that keep calling me back, whether they were once places I called home or cities that have inspired me.
I am excited to note that eighty percent of my recommendations in the guides are for small businesses! I want to give you the local feel of each city and encourage you to have memorable experiences—whether chatting with a local restaurant owner in Bilbao about his love for American Westerns of the 1950s or bringing a bottle of wine home from a local enoteca.
Read the information or use this table of contents to skip to the destination you want to travel to.
What you will find in my guides
The 411
Named after the numbers you used to call for information assistance about local restaurants, shops, and other businesses. This list gives you essential information about a location. I will include the airports and train stations, currency used, languages spoken, and helpful hints like apps to download before your trip. Most importantly, I list how much an average hotel room costs in each city.
City itineraries
If I were to spend a day or two in a location, this is how I would spend it. All itineraries will have a theme based on one of the budget levels below.
This leads me to the Three Bs.
The three Bs
I love mixing high/low when I travel, and my guides will give you a wide range of things to do, see, places to stay, and eat in a given location. No matter your budget, I want to inform you of the best experience, no matter the cost. (I’ve also done amazing things for no cost at all.)
In each guide, I will note the three Bs–budget, bonus, and bougie. (I like to keep it memorable.)
Budget
This is for those who want to enjoy a location without worrying about credit card interest or getting a second job when the trip ends. You also don’t want to miss out on the fantastic things a location offers.
Budget: Free museums, great cheap eats, and budget-friendly but not shabby hotels.
Pictured: The Broad is a free museum in Los Angeles
Bonus
For those of you who can spend a little more and splurge on the really important things, but also want to enjoy a $20 lunch special. Think of it this way: you just got a bonus and want to spend a little more on once-in-a-lifetime sights, sounds, and eats. You are sprinkling worth-it experiences on top of a budget vacation.
Bonus: Paid entry to museums and interactive installations, craft cocktails, boutique hotels, and a splurge-worthy meal or two
Pictured: Habitat 67 in Montreal
Bougie
This is your once-in-a-lifetime trip, or for those who don’t have to think about the tab at dinner.
Bougie: Five-star hotels, private drivers, Michelin Stars and Keys, and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.
Pictured: Asparagus cheesecake from private chef @Nicky_BrianOfficial based in Rome.
published city guides
The Los Angeles guide
This guide features the city I call home. Here, I share my local expertise to show you some great hidden gems and LAX alternatives.
Included is an itinerary for exploring downtown Los Angeles on a budget.
The Minneapolis Guide
In my opinion, Minneapolis is flying too far under the radar. It is a great food city, full of nature, and was voted the happiest city in the U.S. in 2024.
This guide provides all the information you need to visit this city, along with an itinerary.
The San Diego Guide
I recommend adding this southern beach town to your California travel plans. It is a fantastic road trip—or train trip—to see the Pacific Coast. If you are a beer lover, this is a great town to visit.
This guide provides all of the information you need to know about visiting this city. Newsletter subscribers get a special foodie road trip as part of their subscription.
Did you know I gave My Newsletter subscribers a foodie road trip?
All Out of Office Curated subscribers received access to a private, subscriber-only site that includes a map and detailed information about a foodie road trip I took from San Diego to Los Angeles.
The Montreal Guide
If I didn’t live in Los Angeles, I would love to live in Montreal. There are many reasons it is in my top five favorite cities. It has a great art and food scene. It is a pedestrian city with excellent public transit.
This guide provides all of the information you need to know about visiting this city.
The London Guide
Our time together has been too brief. In this guide I give you some tips and tricks for getting to or transiting through this city. It includes a long-layover guide/
The Barcelona Guide
Barcelona is one of the oldest cities in Europe and has been an active trade center since before the Roman Empire. It is a city full of art and architecture, from ancient ruins to the fantastical creations of Antoni Gaudí. It is also one of the best food cities in the world, where students of molecular gastronomy have come to shine. I hope The Barcelona Guide helps you get a glimpse of one of my favorite cities in the world.
The Rome Guide
A guide for Rome from a first-timer in Rome. Get all of the tips and tricks for getting into the city from FCO, plus my recommendations for hotels and restaurants.
The Porto Ercole Guide
Porto Ercole, located in Tuscany, is a great mix of seaside vistas and wine region—here you don’t have to choose. It is a popular weekend getaway for Italians, but it is also gaining attention from travelers from around the world. Its hotel La Roqqa was a top hotel by Conde Nast Traveller in 2024. The other well-known hotel, Il Pelicano, has been a top destination for luxury travelers from around the world since 1965. If you thought Tuscany was all rolling hills and wineries, I hope this Porto Ercole Guide introduces you to your next favorite vacation.
Want to know when more guides are published?
City guides: Coming soon
- Copenhagen
- Ottawa