

Out Of Office: A Travel Podcast
A Travel Podcast
Out of Office is a travel podcast hosted by us, Ryan Davis and Kiernan Schmitt. From early childhood, we were each infected with a serious case of wanderlust (among other things.)
We define travel broadly, from local day trips to high-flyin’ overseas adventures. Every episode, we dig into one topic—ranging from the serious to the silly, the practical to the outlandish—and give advice on how to get out there and explore the world.
We define travel broadly, from local day trips to high-flyin’ overseas adventures. Every episode, we dig into one topic—ranging from the serious to the silly, the practical to the outlandish—and give advice on how to get out there and explore the world.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 17, 2019 • 1h 7min
Morocco
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, the boys take us through one of their patented destination guides. This time, Kiernan heads to Morocco and discusses the must-sees and maybe-misses in Casablanca, Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains, Fes, Chefchaouen, and Volubilis. From epic mosques to ancient universities to Roman ruins, this week’s episode will have you booking your tickets to Morocco ASAP. Things we talked about in today’s podcast: Morrocan robe Djellaba or Jellaba https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djellaba Casablanca: Hassan II Mosque https://www.mosquee-hassan2.com/en/ Marrakech: Jemaa el-Fnaa https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jemaa_el-Fnaa Marrakech: Kutubiyya Mosque https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kutubiyya_Mosque Marrakech: Saadian Tombs https://www.morocco.com/attractions/saadian-tombs/ Marrakech: El Badi Palace https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Badi_Palace Marrakech: Bahia Palace https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahia_Palace Marrakech: Le Jardin Secret https://www.lejardinsecretmarrakech.com/en/ Marrakech: Jardin Majorelle https://jardinmajorelle.com/ang/ Marrakech: Riad L’Orangeraie http://www.riadorangeraie.com/ Atlas Mountains: Toubkal National Park https://visitmarrakech.com/discover-marrakech/gardens/toubkal-national-park Toubkal Peaks Trekking Company http://toubkal-peaks.com/ Fes: Chouara Tanneries https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chouara_Tannery Fes: University of al-Qarawiyyin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_al-Qarawiyyin Fes: Riad Laaroussa https://riad-laaroussa.com/ Chefchaouen: The Blue City https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/04/travel/a-stroll-by-the-casbah-in-northern-morocco.html Volubilis: Roman ruins https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/836/ Paul Rand Minute Man Poster http://blog.baselinemagazine.com/events/paul-rand-pioneer-by-design/ Listen to past episodes at: https://outofofficepod.com/ Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/ooopodcast/

Dec 10, 2019 • 54min
Bookstores Worth Traveling For
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, the boys talk through a dramatic update on The Quest for Rick Steves, then recommend their favorite bookstores in New York City, Boston, Portland, Denver, CDMX, and London. Plus, Kiernan skips dinner with Ryan! Things we talked about in today’s podcast: New York: The Strand https://www.strandbooks.com/ New York: Housing Works https://www.housingworks.org/locations/bookstore-cafe New York: Idlewild https://www.idlewildbooks.com/ New York: Molasses Books https://www.facebook.com/MolassesBooks/ Boston: Porter Square Books https://www.portersquarebooks.com/ Boston: Harvard Book Store http://www.harvard.com/ Boston: Brattle Book Shop http://www.brattlebookshop.com/ Portland: Powell’s City of Book https://www.powells.com/locations/powells-city-of-books Denver: Tattered Cover https://www.tatteredcover.com/ Mexico City: Cafebrería El Péndulo https://pendulo.com/ London: Gay’s the Word https://www.facebook.com/gaystheword/ London: Daunt Books https://dauntbooks.co.uk/ Cannonballing Cross Country https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a30085091/these-guys-just-drove-an-e63-amg-across-america-in-a-record-27-hours-25-minutes/?utm_source=digg&utm_medium=email Hue, Vietnam https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hu%E1%BA%BF Food of Hue at Van Da https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/05/27/van-das-tour-of-vietnamese-delicacies - Listen to past episodes at: https://outofofficepod.com/ - Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/ooopodcast/

Dec 3, 2019 • 54min
Nashville
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast the boys put on their best boots and head to Music City USA. They cover what to eat, where to visit, and why you should head to Tennessee if you want to check out the Parthenon. Things we talked about in today’s podcast: Parthenonhttps://www.nashville.gov/Parks-and-Recreation/Parthenon.aspx Prince’s Hot Chicken: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/02/04/the-family-business-that-put-nashville-hot-chicken-on-the-map The Hermitagehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hermitage_(Nashville,_Tennessee) Polk Tombhttps://www.atlasobscura.com/places/james-k-polk-tomb Country Music Hall of Famehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hermitage_(Nashville,_Tennessee) Lower Broadway https://www.nashvilledowntown.com/go/broadway Robert's Western Worldhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert%27s_Western_World Grand Old Opryhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Ole_Opry#Grand_Ole_Opry_House Ryman Auditoriumhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryman_Auditorium Reagan’s Childhood Homehttps://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2019/11/23/ronald-reagan-childhood-home-072935 - Listen to past episodes at: https://outofofficepod.com/ - Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/ooopodcast/

Nov 26, 2019 • 60min
NYT Travel Advice Columnist Sarah Firshein
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Kiernan interviews Sarah Firshein, the new travel advice columnist for the New York Times. They discuss how Sarah’s column combines intense research and advocacy on behalf of wronged travelers. Sarah then tackles calls for help from Out of Office listeners. Things we talked about in today’s podcast: Switzerland and the European Union https://www.americanswiss.org/resources_and_publications/switzerland-and-the-european-union/ “Tripped Up” on New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/15/reader-center/travel-sarah-firshein-tripped-up-columnist.html The Montreal Convention https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Convention Chase Sapphire Reserve Travel Benefits https://www.chase.com/card-benefits/sapphirereserve/travel Privatizing the Parks https://www.outsideonline.com/2404058/interior-department-privatizing-campgrounds-plan Jason Polan’s American Museum of Natural History https://20x200.com/collections/jason-polan - Listen to past episodes at: https://outofofficepod.com/ - Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/ooopodcast/

Nov 19, 2019 • 48min
Dark Skies and Stargazing with Valerie Stimac
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Kiernan interviews Valerie Stimac, the author of Lonely Planet’s newest guide “Dark Skies: A Practical Guide to Astrotourism.” We learn about dark sky certifications, the best places on earth to study the stars, and why everyone has to make time to see the Milky Way. Plus, Ryan goes to Florida. Things we talked about in today’s podcast: “Dark Skies: A Practical Guide to Astrotourism” https://shop.lonelyplanet.com/products/dark-skies-1 International Dark Sky Association https://www.darksky.org/ Valerie & Valise https://www.valisemag.com/ Space Tourism Guide https://spacetourismguide.com/ “The Universe” https://shop.lonelyplanet.com/products/the-universe-1 The Dali Museum https://thedali.org/ UM Libraries “Cleared to Land: The Records of Pan American Airways, Inc.” https://scholar.library.miami.edu/digital/exhibits/show/panamerican/digitization - Listen to past episodes at: https://outofofficepod.com/ - Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/ooopodcast/

Nov 12, 2019 • 58min
How to Pack a Suitcase
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, the boys debate the best ways to pack a suitcase, including how to choose and organize the right wardrobe, where your toiletries belong, and why you could put a horse in the overheard storage of an Amtrak if you were strong enough. Plus, Ryan comes out as an “always-check”! Things we talked about in today’s podcast: OOO Episode 19: Luggage Throwdown https://outofofficepod.com/podcast/episode-19-luggage-throwdown/ TSA Liquid, Lotion, and Tincture Rules https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/liquids-rule “Parks” by Brian Kelley https://standardsmanual.com/products/parks Hartford’s Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art https://www.thewadsworth.org/ - Listen to past episodes at: https://outofofficepod.com/ - Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/ooopodcast/

Nov 5, 2019 • 46min
What Makes a Perfect Restaurant with Time Out’s Bao Ong
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Ryan talks to Time Out Food and Drink Editor Bao Ong about what it takes to make a restaurant great, how he puts together “Best of” lists, and then gets some recommendations for great places in New York City and beyond. Plus, our longest Recalculating yet! Things we talked about in today’s podcast: - Bao Ong https://www.timeout.com/profile/UMTtSr53SqyIKETBUC1uNeQ==/ - NYT on why a volcano boosted Iceland tourism https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/17/world/europe/reykjavik-iceland-tourism.html - Japantowns in the US https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japantown - Tommy Wallach’s The Ladder: A Choice-Driven, Fully Replayable Escape Room https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1447182103/the-ladder-the-worlds-first-truly-replayable-escape-room/description - Bao’s 100 Best Restaurants in NYC Right Now https://www.timeout.com/newyork/restaurants/100-best-new-york-restaurants Restaurant Mention: Via Carota http://www.viacarota.com/ Restaurant Mention: Superiority Burger http://www.superiorityburger.com/ Restaurant Mention: Olmstead http://www.olmstednyc.com/ Restaurant Rec: Maison Yaki http://www.maisonyaki.com/ Restaurant Rec: Crown Shy https://www.crownshy.nyc/ Restaurant Rec: Khe-Yo https://www.kheyo.com/ Restaurant Rec: Pata Paplean https://www.facebook.com/patapapleannyc/ Restaurant Rec: Dallas’s Laotian Khao Noodle Shop https://www.dallasnews.com/food/2019/09/17/khao-noodle-shop-is-bon-appetit-s-no-2-best-new-restaurant-in-america/ Restaurant Rec: Saint Paul’s In Bloom https://www.inbloomstp.com/ Natural Wines in Spain https://culinarybackstreets.com/cities-category/barcelona/2019/wine-harvest-2019-4/ Restaurant Rec: Boston’s Japanese-Peruvian Ruka https://www.rukarestobar.com/ Restaurant Rec: Detroit’s Lebanese Ollie’s http://www.olliescuisine.com/ “Joker” stairs in the Bronx https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2482891/see-how-crowded-jokers-stairs-are-now-that-theyre-a-tourist-trap Boston Harbor Now https://www.bostonharbornow.org/ - Listen to past episodes at: https://outofofficepod.com/ - Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/ooopodcast/

Oct 29, 2019 • 36min
From Industrial Eyesore to Public Park
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, the boys talk about some of their favorite parks built from old industrial infrastructure. New York’s High Line reignited interest in this type of urban rejuvenation, which preserves and celebrates companies, factories, and lives long gone. Plus, more WOW Air! Things we talked about in today’s podcast: New York’s High Line https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line Friends of the High Line https://www.thehighline.org/ Paris’s Promenade Plantee http://www.goodmorningparis.fr/walks/la-promenade-plantee-a-green-and-unusual-walk-in-paris/ New York’s Domino Park https://www.dominopark.com/ Seattle’s Gas Works Park https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_Works_Park#Early_history New Orleans’s Crescent Park ttps://www.archdaily.com/897501/crescent-park-eskew-plus-dumez-plus-ripple DC’s Meridian Hill Park https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meridian_Hill_Park The Indicator’s WOW Air episode https://www.npr.org/2019/10/02/766609057/the-rise-and-fall-of-icelands-wow-air - Listen to past episodes at: https://outofofficepod.com/ - Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/ooopodcast/

Oct 22, 2019 • 1h 2min
Travel Book Publisher Thomas Jonglez
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Kiernan interviews Thomas Jonglez, the creator of his favorite travel guide series and an extraordinarily well-traveled gentleman. Thomas talks about breaking into the competitive travel industry, his offbeat approach to researching, and why the key to adventurous travel is asking for help. Plus, Ryan talks about Halloween immersive experiences. Things we talked about in today’s podcast: Yale and Peru https://news.yale.edu/2015/06/04/peru-yale-partnership-future-machu-picchu-artifacts Jonglez Publishing https://jonglezpublishing.com Jonglez Secret Guides https://jonglezpublishing.com/product-category/secret-guides/ Jonglez Soul of Guides https://jonglezpublishing.com/product-category/soul-of-guides/ Bradt Guides https://www.bradtguides.com/shop.html Footprint Guides https://www.footprinttravelguides.com/ Insight Guides https://www.insightguides.com/destinations I Can’t See https://nightmarenyc.com/ Blood Manor https://www.bloodmanor.com/ - Listen to past episodes at: https://outofofficepod.com/ - Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/ooopodcast/

Oct 15, 2019 • 1h 1min
Travel Visas
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Kiernan and Ryan talk through the ins and outs of travel visas. Knowing how to navigate overly complex state bureaucracies is an essential skills for an international traveler. Do not fear: Kiernan has a framework to help. Plus, Ryan shares a truly shocking anecdote about his abandoned trip to Brazil. Things we talked about in today’s podcast: Rick Steves was pickpocketed! - https://blog.ricksteves.com/blog/pickpocketed-paris/ Rick Steves on outsmarting pickpockets - https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/theft-scams/outsmarting-pickpockets US State Department travel website - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html Allied Passport and Visa - http://alliedpassport.com/ CIBT Visas - https://cibtvisas.com/ VisaCentral - https://visacentral.com/ UN report on air travel emissions - https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/climate/air-travel-emissions.html New Yorker’s “Who Speaks for Crazy Horse?” - https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/09/23/who-speaks-for-crazy-horse - Listen to past episodes at: https://outofofficepod.com/ - Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/ooopodcast/