Where we've been

After packing up and cleaning out both of our apartments in Pittsburgh, we drove a moving truck the 867 miles to Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was tough to say goodbye to the steel city, which was our home for 3.5 years (Ryan) and 4.5 years (Ali). We’ll never forget the beautiful bridges, exciting hockey games, long walks exploring the city, and great people that we met there.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Getting some rest along the way at Ali’s aunt & uncle’s house in Chagrin Falls, OH

• Visiting friends and toasting the start of our journey in Chicago, IL

• Touring Taliesen, Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous architecture complex along the way

• Stopping by UW-Stout in Menomonie, WI to see Ali’s college stomping grounds

We arrived in Minnesota pretty exhausted from the big move. After unloading the moving truck and storing Ali’s stuff, we got some rest before going back to work as 100% remote employees, working from co-working space in the North Loop & downtown Minneapolis. Ryan headed to our next destination after one week, with Ali shortly behind following some vacation time with her family.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Ryan’s first visit to the Twin Cities!

• Working from the North Loop neighborhood got us to a Twins game, a crayfish festival, a few near-by breweries, and the beautiful Mississippi riverfront

• Seeing a wonderful, colorful production of West Side Story at the Guthrie Theatre

• Biking after work across the city and around the chain of lakes 

• Checking out the Walker Art Center, sculpture garden, and Uptown Art Fair

We were lucky that Ryan's family from Phoenix and Hong Kong were meeting in Hawaii, because we were able to tag along on their trip. We worked the early shift (starting at 3am!) to connect with our team in Pittsburgh and then spent the rest of the day snorkeling and watching sunsets over the beach. While we were there, Hurricane Lane threatened to make a direct hit with Waikoloa, where we were staying. Thankfully, the storm changed course and most of the big island was spared any major damage!

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Zip-lining between the tall trees of the Kohala forest and hiking to a black sand beach

• Visiting a cloud forest coffee farm and sampling beers at Kona brewing company

• Driving across the big island to several historic sites, near a somewhat active volcano, lots of island villages, a beautiful waterfall, and the Mount Mauna Kea observatory

• Eating fresh passion fruit, dragon fruit, rambutan, mangos, and macadamia nuts

• Getting to see and spend time with Ryan’s family who lives in Hong Kong. We especially loved swimming and boogie boarding with his niece and nephew

We somewhat reluctantly bid adieu to beautiful Hawaii and had a quick jaunt in Seattle during a long layover. We were in “the emerald city” long enough to say hi to the impressive public library, Space Needle park, and of course, Pike’s Place Market. From there, we spent a short week working from and exploring interesting and mountainous Salt Lake City. While we were there, we went to the Utah State Fair rodeo and got a free guided tour of Mormon Temple Square.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Riding scooters around the city to our Airbnb, co-working space, and a hiking trail

• Learning more about the unique world of Mormon culture, headquartered in the area

• Sitting in the front row at the rodeo, extremely close to the action

• Browsing several amazing antique and book stores in downtown Salt Lake

• Catching up and enjoying a home-cooked dinner with our friends Colin & Jazmyne

• Picking up our wonderful campervan to kick off our week-long road trip vacation

After our week in Salt Lake City, we rented a campervan and set off to see as many National Parks as we could our way to Denver. We made it to "the mighty five" (Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Zion), as well Antelope Canyon, Mesa Verde, Four Corners, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and several other sites across nearly 2,000 miles.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Cooking, sleeping, and living out of our camper van (aka “Vincent Van Gogh”)

• Spending our first sunset under Partition Arch at Arches National Park

• Walking along the cliff edge at mesmerizing Canyonlands National Park

• Camping on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land at Capitol Reef National Park

• Hiking the Peek-a-boo Loop trail at Bryce Canyon National Park

• Driving on the winding and somewhat terrifying ‘Million Dollar Highway’

• Wading through the chilly waters of the Narrows hike at Zion National Park

• Challenging ourselves on Zion’s zig-zagging 8-mile Observation Point hike

• Learning about Navajo history and culture from our guide at Antelope Canyon

• Cleaning off in the cool waters of Lake Powell after many days of not showering

• Walking through the Ancestral Puebloan ‘Cliff Palace’ at Mesa Verde

• Meeting some fascinating locals over drinks & dinner in Mancos, Colorado

• Seeing the brilliant fall colors while driving through Colorado to Denver

Following our week of hiking, we headed to Denver to return our campervan. After missing our bus and striking out with Sunday night rental car options, we ended up taking a Lyft for nearly two hours to meet Ryan’s parent’s in Vail (it was somehow the cheapest and simplest way). We spent a wonderful week with them, exploring the ski town and getting some extra rest. The following weekend, we all went to visit Ryan’s brother Spencer in Grand Junction, Colorado.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Seeing the bright gold fall leaves in the mountains

• Playing a challenging mini-golf course and Ali learning how to play Pickle Ball

• Spending some quality time with Ryan’s delightful parents, Bill & Susie

Next, we took the train back to Denver, where Ryan grew up and lived until he moved to Pittsburgh in 2015. We worked from a co-working space downtown and ended up staying in a somewhat seedy hostel for the week. It was great to be back in the city (we went there together in 2017), but it was such a quick visit that we’re already looking forward to the next one.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Going to a Colorado Rocky’s game with Ryan’s friend and Denverite, Ryan Gerni

• Seeing the great collection at the Clyfford Still museum

• Meeting up for a happy hour with some of Ryan’s old co-workers in Boulder, Colorado

• Playing nightly ping pong games in the basement of our seedy hostel

We traded the mountains for the bay and were grateful to be able to stay with Ali’s Aunt and Uncle in Oakland. Ryan enjoyed a few days of vacation and we both did some scootering, exploring, and sightseeing. Each of us has traveled to San Fransisco a few times, but it was really nice to be there together for the first time and have the chance to share some of our favorite spots.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Going to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) 

• Getting to go to a conference at Google in San Francisco, extremely last minute

• Doing a few great audio walking tours of the Mission, China Town, and Market Street

• Biking across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito & taking the ferry back to the city

• Taking an exhilarating cable car ride up and down the steep streets after dark

• Meeting up with Ali’s sister Lui and her husband William for a day of sightseeing

• Climbing up to the iconic Coit Tower to catch a great panoramic view

• Exploring the Muir woods with Ali’s sister Jenica & her family on our way out of town

Next, we drove to Napa Valley for Ali’s cousin’s wedding. We enjoyed a few whirlwind days of seeing Ali’s family and drinking wine. After enjoying the beautiful rolling hills and serene landscape, we were heartbroken to hear about the devastating wildfires in several neighboring towns just a few months after our time in Napa.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Learning how to make sourdough bread, ricotta cheese, French omelets, and tartines with Lui & William during an Airbnb experience in a former chef’s Sonoma home

• Trying delicious wines at a few wineries across Napa Valley

• Seeing much of the Riehle family for the rehearsal dinner and at the wedding

Since we have both always dreamed of visiting Montreal, we decided to spend our first month-long stint there. We immediately fell in love with the city and the lifestyles of the Quebecois. Neither of us speaks very much French, but we decided to stay in a mostly French-speaking neighborhood, which was great! We continue to reminisce about this part of the journey, and Montreal is on the top of our list of places to return to (or maybe even move to!) someday.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Celebrating Ali’s 30th birthday at Bouillon Bilk with one of the best meals of our lives

• Seeing the very inspiring Kimya Dawson open up for an AJJ show

• Going to an energy-filled Montreal Canadiens vs. Pittsburgh Penguins hockey game

• Enjoying a special meal at Damas, a really great Syrian restaurant

• Experiencing a chilly night at a glittering light-filled exhibit at the botanic gardens

• Exploring the impressive grounds of the 1967 World Expo

To celebrate Ali’s Birthday and our anniversary, we took the train north from Montreal to spend a weekend in Quebec City. It was brutally cold and we had a hard time imagining how people make it through the long winter days, which on average are -0.4 ° F (-18° C). We enjoyed a slow weekend of wandering the city streets and popping into cute art galleries & antique stores.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Learning how Canada is honoring the often forgotten first nations, or, native people

• Stopping to warm up with a piping hot bowl of “Quebec’s best French onion soup”

• Having an anniversary dinner at Le Château Frontenac, as a gift from Ryan’s parents

• Taking a walking tour to learn about the city's old fortifications

We've both always wanted to live in New York City and were thrilled to have the opportunity to spend a month living like locals. We stayed in a small apartment in Bushwick, a vibrant & busy multi-cultural neighborhood. We spent most of our time going on long walks in as many areas of the city as we could. Since it’s one of our favorite places in the world, no matter where we travel we love to find things that remind us of New York’s diversity, creativity, and energy.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Commuting to our co-working spaces in Brooklyn & Manhattan on the subway system

• Going to Harlem for the first time and learning about the neighborhood’s rich history

• Seeing an Andy Warhol show at The Whitney Museum that reminded us of Pittsburgh

• Taking a walk on the Highline, which is one of our favorite ways to see the city

• Meeting up with our friends Katie & Ata for dinner in Jackson Heights, Queens

• Being able to witness the iconic & playful Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade

• Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge and marveling at how it balances being both beautiful and functional, supporting drivers, subway commuters, and thousands of pedestrians each day

Taking a little break from the cold, we went to Phoenix to celebrate an early Christmas with Ryan's parents and his brother, Spencer. After maxing out our days while in New York, it was great to have some time to rest and recover. We also spent a weekend in Prescott, Arizona, which we used as a base for a quick day trip to the Grand Canyon.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Spending quality time with Ryan’s parents and his brother, Spencer

• Seeing the beautiful Kachina dolls and Native art at the Heard Museum

• Going to a dazzling light show at the Desert Botanic Gardens

• Walking along the South Rim at the massive and breathtaking Grand Canyon

• Golf cart caroling to spread holiday cheer in the Pebble Creek retirement community

After spending about four months away from the office, we headed back to Pittsburgh for some quality time with friends and coworkers. It was great to catch up with people and fill them in on our journey thus far. We enjoyed going back to some of our favorite spots and checking out a few new places that we hadn’t gone to together when we lived there.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Visiting our friends Mike & Carrie, and their amazing little 1-year-old, Loie

• Seeing the Carnegie International exhibition at the Carnegie Museum of Art

• Catching up and hanging out with co-workers at a wild, casino-themed holiday party

• Making an obligatory pit-stop at Primanti Bros for a delicious French-fry-filled-sammy

• Living with our friends Steph & Levi for an entire, fun-filled week

To close out the year, we went back to where our journey began to spend some time with Ali's family & friends during the holidays. We really enjoyed the face time and being able to go to lots of family gatherings & birthday celebrations. It was great having a few weeks at a single home base to plan and prepare for our exciting next chapter in Europe. 

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Spending lots of time with Ali’s niece & nephews, Briar (3), Beckett (5), & Boden (2)

• Winning at trivia with “Team Runamuck” (Lui, William, and Ali’s Dad, Joe)

• Having a spontaneous snowball fight with Ali’s sisters, cousins, and brothers-in-law following a successful escape room adventure and family dinner

• Volunteering at Feed My Starving Children with Ali’s Dad and his partner, Mary

• Ringing in the New Year with lots of cooking and watching the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Minnesota Wild hockey game

Our first month in Europe was truly a delight. We used Madrid as our home base, exploring nearby cities & towns by train and bus on weekends. We ate lots of new and delicious Spanish food and explored a huge portion of the city on foot. We started our love affair with Flamenco and did our best to learn/re-learn some helpful Spanish words and phrases.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Spending our Sunday mornings at the Rastro Flea Market looking for antiques: postage stamps & cameras (Ali) and tobacco tins & currency (Ryan)

• Exploring Toledo, Segovia, Avila, and Salamanca on jam-packed weekend side trips

• Seeing world-class art at the Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza, and Reina Sofia museums

• Experiencing a very moving Auschwitz exhibit at the Arte Canal Exhibition Center

• Going to our first breathtaking Flamenco show

• Tasting and learning about delicious jamón ibérico (very high-quality Spanish ham) with a delightful third-generation butcher

• Learning Spain’s rich history: the Inquisition, Civil war, and the country’s role in WWII

Heading south from Madrid, we spent a fantastic week living in the steep hills and narrow lanes of the historic Albayzin neighborhood of Granada. We explored the remarkable Alhambra, got pampered in a fancy Hammam, ate lots of free-with-a-drink tapas, tasting delicious local olive oil, and saw incredible flamenco performances in the Albayzin and cave district of Sacramonte.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Trying a luxurious Hammam experience in a 13-14th century Moorish bath

• Seeing a Gypsy Flamenco performance in an ancient cave

• Spending a morning exploring Spain’s olive oil production, quality levels, and flavors

• Stumbling upon a hilarious and jovial “Tuna band” (a kind of historic, roaming university music group) while out on the town one evening

• Spending hours at the Alhambra, marveling at its scale, stories, and tile patterns

Next, we went west to spend a few weeks in Seville. Our apartment was a bit away from the historic city center, so we spent a lot of time speeding around on the remarkable network of bike lanes. We saw more wonderful flamenco (at this point we were completely hooked), visited the gorgeous Alcazar, went on a special tour of the massive cathedral's rooftops, and squeezed in a day trip to nearby Córdoba to see the incredible La Mesquita (Mosque). 

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Going on an excellent walking tour and learning the history of the old Jewish quarter

• Seeing the royal chambers, gardens, and grounds of the Royal Alcazar

• Navigating winding streets, squares, and bridges on a whirlwind bike tour

• Marveling at the Plaza de España (and taking a few planet Naboo inspired photos)

• Meeting up with Ryan’s good friend, Ryan Gerni, to kick off vacation time in Andelucia

We were joined by Ryan's long-time friend Ryan Gerni for a week of vacation driving around the Andalusia region in southern Spain. We had an action-packed week of vacation together exploring stunning white hill towns, driving across gorgeous groves and farmland, eating delicious tapas, and trying lots of wonderful Spanish wines.
 

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Poking around Roman ruins in Italica and enjoying a great meal at a nearby bodega

• Stumbling upon and celebrating a raucous Carnaval in fun-loving Cádiz

• Tasting deliciously complex and well-aged sherry at Bodegas Osborne in Jerez

• Trekking along a cliff face at Caminito del Rey

• Walking the streets and seeing the Picasso Museum in metropolitan Málaga

• Ali experiencing an allergic reaction to shellfish, forgetting to put the car in park so it almost rolled away, and losing her mind trying to ship a box of souvenirs to the U.S.

• Taking a cable car up to the Rock of Gibraltar and hiking back down

• Tasting our last tapas of Spain in Tarifa the night before taking the ferry to Africa

We started in Tangier, where we said goodbye to Gerni, who sadly had to return back home to the US. We finished our two-week vacation by exploring some of Morocco's best cities and towns: the blue city of Chefchouen, the mind-boggling Medina of Fes, the calm capital of Rabat, bustling Casablanca, and lovely seaside Essaouira.

​

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Experiencing a sunrise call to prayer on our first morning in Tangier, Morocco 

• Going to a tiny bar called ‘Hole in the Wall’ and an old haunt of Anthony Bourdain

• Witnessing sunset rituals in Chefchouen with music, singing, and dancing

• Taking a terrifying bus to Fes that almost made us get out and walk

• Stopping to take in the exterior of the massive Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca

• Trying to find our lodging on our own in the winding Fes Medina after dark

• Getting misleading directions from kids in the Medina trying to confuse us tourists

• Walking along the leather-dyeing vats of the Chouara tannery in Fes

• Drinking lots of incredibly sweet Moroccan mint tea and eating delicious tagines

• Touring the port of Essaouira with a seasoned, friendly fisherman

Our vacation came to a close in Marrakech, where we spent a week working from a charming co-working space alongside locals and other digital nomads. We still had plenty of time to explore the old medina and our cosmopolitan neighborhood of Gueliz.

​

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Going on a walking tour of the Marrakech Medina with a local guide

• Experiencing Jemaa el-Fna square, complete with tricksters selling over-priced food

• Getting ingredients from the market and taking a cooking class with two local women

While living in Paris we both got brutally sick for a few weeks. Also, the Notre Dame caught on fire. Despite all that, we still managed to have a wonderful time! We took a great cooking class, had an amazing behind-the-scenes tour of a Paris market, ate delicious food, visited tons of epic museums, and walked our little feet off.

​

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:​

• Eating crepes (from Happy Café) in the Tuileries gardens near the Louvre

• Walking through the macabre Catacombs (worth waiting in line for 2+ hours)

• Exploring the Pere Lachaise cemetery near our Airbnb by the Gambetta metro stop

• Experiencing the wild crowd at the PUP concert in the Pigalle neighborhood

• Wandering around the grounds of the impressive Rodin Museum

• Gazing at the city from the top of the Eiffel Tower (and using the toilet up there too!)

We decided to go to Stockholm for a week on our way to Copenhagen. We explored its endlessly charming waterfront neighborhoods by bike, ferry, and on foot, and had fantastic meals with plenty of reindeer, meatballs, lingonberries, and buttery potatoes. We also enjoyed saying "Hej hej!" every time we met someone.

​

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Stayed in a cozy studio apartment with a lofted bed, fresh flowers, and great light 

• Seeing the wonderful photography exhibits at Fotografiska

• Witnessing the changing of the guard in front of the Royal Palace

• Going to Skansen, the largest open-air museum in the world

We felt right at home in the capital of all things ‘Hygge’ (meaning cozy or convivial in Danish). During our month in Copenhagen, we saw great art and ate the best food while biking around the city as much as possible. By the time we left for London, we were already dreaming about our next trip to Scandinavia.

​

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Meeting new friends and trying amazing beers at the Mikkeller Beer Celebration

• Going on a boat ride with a guide to an old abandoned sea fort

• Ali beginning a year-long obsession with porridge due to many great meals at GRÖD 

• Spending a full day at the Tivoli Gardens amusement park with our friend Daniel

• Riding rental bikes alongside all the locals in our lovely neighborhood of Nörrebro

• Sampling truly amazing dishes at the AMASS restaurant (Friends of Noma…)

• Witnessing the lifestyle and counter-culture of Freetown Christiana

• Taking a quick side trip to Kronberg (the “Hamlet castle”)

• Going to the impressive Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

Living in London was on both of our bucket lists, so we were overjoyed to have an extended stay. We loved our apartment in Bethnal Green and walked or took ‘the tube’ to see sites and landmarks. A few of our favorite activities in London were going to see live performances, exploring public markets, and visiting the city’s top-notch museums.

​

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Walking through the bustling and colorful Colombia flower market from our flat

• Experiencing art at the Tate Modern & Tate Britain, Victoria & Albert Museum, The National Portrait Gallery, and the Serpentine, Saatchi, and Whitechapel galleries

• Diving into WWII history at the Churchill War Rooms and Imperial War Museum

• Visiting some of the world’s greatest treasures at The British Museum

• Traveling on the Thames by Ferry to Greenwich to stand on the Prime Meridian

• Eating the most delicious Indian brunch at Dishoom

• Perusing food and flea markets: Brick Lane, Spitalfields, and Portabello Road

• Taking a walking tour to learn about the dark history and sites of the WWII “Blitz”

• Going to see Broadway productions of The Book of Mormon and Come From Away

• Seeing Bon Iver, The Tallest Man on Earth, Julien Baker, and other artists at the All Points East music festival in Victoria park

• Ali visiting the London neighborhood where her Great-Grandmother grew up

After a few weeks in the big, bustling city, we were both ready for some R&R in Bath. We stayed in a cozy 17th-century ‘dye house’ that was once used to process wool. It was fun to step back in time and visualize the city as the center of Roman riches and relaxation. We even experienced a quick soak in the mineral-rich pools ourselves at a modern spa. Needless to say, we drank the Bathwater!

Additional details coming soon...

Additional details coming soon...

Additional details coming soon...

Additional details coming soon...

Additional details coming soon...

Additional details coming soon...

Additional details coming soon...