I’m easygoing and love meeting new people. I laugh a lot. I'm obsessed with cooking, bread-baking, craft beer, and music. Recently, I've been focused on dog training, and have been actively fostering through a local rescue.

I. Love. Food. I could talk about food forever. If you're in need of recommendations, please don't hesitate to ask. I'd be more than happy to point you in the right direction.

I joined Couchsurfing because I wanted to connect with others who are passionate about travel—but I could not have possibly prepared myself for the incredible friendships I've made by hosting, surfing, and meeting up for social events. I hope to be able to repay the kindness this community has shown me, one day. In the meantime, I'll keep hosting as much as I can!

My boyfriend Andy and I live in a small 100+ year old house only 2 miles from downtown Grand Rapids. My sister, Kristen, lives with us as well. We have a vegetable garden and bake homemade sourdough bread just about every Sunday morning.

We also have a very sweet but nervous rescue dog named Mabel. If you stay with us, beware that she will definitely bark at you, at first! New people are really scary for her, so she really appreciates it when surfers are willing to sit down for a while and let her get to know you. (String cheese also helps to win her over, so we will provide that!) Thank you for helping us help her feel safe.

LONG-TERM STAYS: We generally will not accept requests for stays longer than one week. If you need a place to stay for weeks at a time, Airbnb is a better option. :) Thank you for understanding!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is awesome! It's a great way to learn about other cultures, meet incredible people, and make new friends... and because of this, I continue my involvement by hosting others, participating in local CS events, and (occasionally) traveling. Some of my very best friends are people I initially met through Couchsurfing.

Interests

Bread-baking, dog-training, writing, reading, craft beer, foraging, fermenting, cooking (and eating, of course), hiking, and trying new things!

• animals
• arts
• writing
• dining
• cooking
• recipes
• beer
• reading
• traveling
• music
• hiking
• scuba diving
• snorkeling
• swimming
• lakes
• foraging
• bread baking

Music, Movies, and Books

I'm a huge fan of indie music (Geographer, Alt-J, Phantogram, Wild Beasts, Hot Chip, Purity Ring, Miike Snow, Yeasayer, Portugal. The Man), as well as creative nonfiction and poetry. I love Miranda July and Sandra Beasley.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Snorkeled with an Oceanic Whitetip Shark in the open ocean.

Teach, Learn, Share

My boyfriend and I are open-minded and easygoing. We also love to cook, so we're always open to cooking together and learning or teaching new recipes. Andy has a craft beer "cellar" with something for everyone (sours, stouts, IPAs, you name it), and he's also currently obsessed with making the perfect cup of pour over coffee.

I'm also a naturally leavened bread baker, and I've been teaching myself for the last several years. I'd be happy to pass along what I've learned, share some freshly baked bread, and/or part with some of my sourdough starter.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Food, bread, coffee, dog training tips, and craft beer! I would be happy to cook or teach hosts a few recipes, and we always have plenty of Michigan beer to share.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Denmark, England, Ireland, Jamaica, Northern Ireland, Scotland, South Korea, Sweden, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States