ORD to Anywhere

After several years of rather aggressive travel, I often like to think of myself as a seasoned traveler. There's very little on the road that can frazzle me at this point in my life. Canceled flights? Long security lines? Pubic hair in the hotel bathtub drain? I'm unbothered! Been there, done that, dodged those bullets. I often cruise through the travel experience like a boss bitch. Except that's not true at all. No matter how often you're on the road or how many plac

Travel is Like Dessert Your hand reaches up with a napkin and you dab the thick white cotton across your face, mopping up tomato sauce and the slightest glistening afterglow of olive oil from your sated, happy lips. Around the table the gesture is mirrored by your friends as they wrap up their meals. As you push your plate away the server approaches your table with a smile and says those magic words - "Can I offer anyone dessert?" An extended menu, a polite acceptance. Yo

While I feel I could do a much better job of getting off the beaten path and seeing some far-flung and exotic destinations, I’ve certainly been to my fair share of places that your average traveler might be a bit wary of traveling to and experiencing with an open mind. When I mention some of the places I’ve visited over the year, inevitably people feel the need to steer the conversation into a rather awkward place by asking one of my most hated travel questions – “Did you ge