Hello! I was born and raised in a small town in Connecticut but consider the South to be my true home. I've lived in Atlanta, San Antonio, and now am happy to be in Raleigh. Travel is a pretty significant portion of my job but that doesn't stop me from wanting to go all over the world in my free time. I have been to 49 states and over 15 countries with many more to go. My favorite things to do when I visit a new place are try the local food, drink the beer, and hike all over the place. When I am at home, I absolutely love to cook and do some patio drinking with my friends. Yoga is a recent interest of mine and I am hoping to turn it into a serious passion. I'm also an avid fan of comedy and have performed stand up and improv for a few years! And as my career most likely gave away, golf is a big part of my life. I love to share experiences with others and am a firm believer in "shared joy is double joy".

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I have many friends who have been recommending Couchsurfing to me for years so I am finally deciding to give it a try! The only way to truly experience a location is through the eyes of a local and that is what I am seeking to find on here. On the flip side, I've always loved hosting people and showing off the city that I live in. I want people to have as much fun as possible when they stay with me and always aim to provide the most hospitable experience possible!

Interests

• documentaries
• concerts
• cooking
• beer
• yoga
• video games
• hiking
• camping
• baseball
• golf
• mountains
• travel
• food
• craft beer
• whiskey
• stand up comedy
• improv
• comedy
• rollercoasters
• saxophone
• the office

Music, Movies, and Books

Music - Minus the Bear, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, The Strokes, Two Door Cinema Club, fun., The Format, Vulfpeck, Cory Wong, Theo Katzman, Bruno Mars, Jukebox the Ghost, Hippo Campus, The Decemberists, Saves The Day, Born Ruffians

Movies - Whiplash, Inglourious Basterds, Up, Gone Girl, Schindler's List, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Guardians of the Galaxy, Ex Machina, Three Identical Strangers, Se7en, American Beauty, Kingsman, Baby Driver

Books - I'm not very into traditional literature, but love to read cookbooks. Some of my favorites - Salt Fat Acid Heat, Authentic Mexican by Rick Bayless, The Food Lab, Noma Guide to Fermentation, Flour Water Salt Yeast,

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

The single best trip of my life was nine days in Peru. I went by myself and spent a day in Lima, a day in Cusco, did a four day trek from Cusco to Machu Picchu on the Salkantay Trail, and then a couple more days in Cusco. It was my first ever trip by myself and I loved it more than I ever thought I would. I was able to do everything I wanted to and met some incredible people along the way. The 13 people I did the trek with were some of the nicest people I've ever met and they really made the whole experience something special. The trek itself was the most physically challenging thing I had done to that point; being able to conquer it was a great feeling. The whole trip was something I will never forget and I would love to take one of the other trails to Machu Picchu some day.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you all about cooking. I've been learning techniques for several years now and love to share them with others. Cooking with and for people is always the best way to do it!
I can teach you about comedy and how to best perform/write jokes. It is something that scares people right away but once you get comfortable with it, it can be very therapeutic and relaxing.
I can teach you about the saxophone as I played competitively through high school. Maybe you can bring your instrument and we can jam out!
I can teach English. When I studied abroad in Austria, I was heavily involved in the English teaching program.
I'd love to learn about the foods you like, whether they are regional to where you grew up/live or not.
I'd love to learn about where you are from and the culture you are a part of. If you aren't trying to do that, why are you traveling?!
I want to share stories, culture, and food with people all around the world!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Food, beer, stories, and lots of laughs! I am a very simple person when it comes to what makes me happy. There is no better way to spend the night (or day) than having a good meal, throwing back a few drinks at a quiet bar, and talking about anything that comes up. I can share some of my favorite jokes from my times performing comedy. I have a deep collection of good movies, documentaries, and TV shows that I love to introduce people do. And as I mentioned probably too many times, I have loads of recipes that I can teach and make with my hosts!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Puerto Rico, Slovakia, United States, Virgin Islands, U.S.

Countries I’ve Lived In

Austria, United States