

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

Jun 11, 2019 • 55min
Passport 102: Inside the Good Book
This week on Out of Office, the boys talk about the all-American quotes and iconography inside the US passport. Plus, how Kiernan nearly dishonored Saint Francis until Saint Anthony helped a brother out. Listen to Passports 101: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/passports-101/id1438098925?i=1000423757975 Things we talked about in today’s podcast: http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/02/nyc-real-estate-living-in-a-turret.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/26/world/asia/mount-everest-deaths.html https://www.passportindex.org/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_of_Assisi

Jun 4, 2019 • 55min
Historic Houses in America Part 2
This week on Out of Office, the boys talk about more American historic houses they love and why Mark Twain had to decamp to Europe when he made a bad investment. Plus, how you can now pay money to sleep in Ryan’s childhood bed. Things we talked about in today’s podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/historic-houses-in-america/id1438098925?i=1000422839996 https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/04/08/the-hidden-air-pollution-in-our-homes https://marktwainhouse.org/ https://www.motownmuseum.org/about-the-museum/the-collection/hitsville-u-s-a/ http://www.sewardhouse.org/ http://www.californiacuriosities.com/halloween-house/ https://www.paulreverehouse.org/ https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/04/29

May 28, 2019 • 47min
Gaudí’s Barcelona
This week on Out Of Office, the boys talk about the famous architect Antoni Gaudí and his many iconic buildings in Barcelona. They also discuss why La Sagrada Familia is the perfect antidote to Cathedral Fatigue. Things we talked about in today’s podcast: https://sagradafamilia.org/en/home https://parkguell.barcelona/en/home-en http://www.lapedrera.com/en https://www.casabatllo.es/en/ https://casavicens.org/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museo_de_Arte_Popular https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alebrije https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/21/greathomesanddestinations/gaudi-home-to-become-a-museum.html https://www.mfa.org/exhibitions/frida-kahlo-and-arte-popular

May 21, 2019 • 53min
Driving Overseas
This week on Out Of Office, the boys talk about the ups and downs of hitting the road in a foreign country, including unfamiliar traffic laws, unexpected tolls, and the importance of a trusty co-pilot. Plus, a tribute to astronaut Michael Collins—a guy who didn’t walk on the moon. Things we talked about in today’s podcast: https://www.aaa.com/vacation/idpf.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_11_(2019_film)

May 14, 2019 • 43min
Smithsonian National Postal Museum with Director Elliot Gruber
This week on Out Of Office, Kiernan talks to Elliot Gruber, the director of the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. The boys nerd out about philately (that’s no adverb) and taxidermied mail dogs (okay just the one.) Plus, Peru’s best restaurant. Things we talked about in today’s podcast: https://postalmuseum.si.edu/ https://postalmuseumblog.si.edu/2012/11/delivering-the-hope-diamond.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owney_(dog) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_White_Crow https://milcentro.pe/

May 7, 2019 • 52min
Obscure London Museums Part 1
This week on Out Of Office, resident Anglophile Kiernan reveals 6 of his favorite off-the-beaten-path museums to visit in London. You’ll learn about England’s Roman past, quirky craftsmen guilds, and far more than you’d expect about windmills. Things we talked about in today’s podcast: London’s Roman Amphitheatrehttps://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/amphitheatre Sir John Soane’s Museumhttps://www.soane.org Clockmakers’ Museumhttp://www.clockmakers.org Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeologyhttps://www.ucl.ac.uk/culture/petrie-museum Wimbledon Windmill Museumhttps://www.wimbledonwindmill.org.uk Grant Museum of Zoology and Comparative Anatomyhttps://www.ucl.ac.uk/culture/grant-museum-zoology https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2019/world-between-empires-art-and-identity-ancient-middle-east

Apr 30, 2019 • 47min
Notre Dame
This week on Out Of Office, the boys reflect on the history, recent fire, and future of Notre Dame. Not surprisingly, Ryan theorizes that he might have been able to prevent the blaze were he in town, and Kiernan geeks out on saint stories. Plus, we learn about the Spanish-speaking world’s answer to the Tooth Fairy. Subscribe to Out Of Office: A Travel Podcast -https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/out-of-office-a-travel-podcast/id1438098925?mt=2 Things we talked about in today’s episode: https://www.fastcompany.com/90333740/reclining-seats-can-make-flying-miserable-so-one-airline-is-getting-rid-of-them https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/04/17/world/europe/notre-dame-cathedral-fire-spread.html https://www.businessinsider.com/notre-dame-cathedral-assassins-creed-2019-4?utm_content=buffer59542&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer-ti&fbclid=IwAR3niqLZqQphay-l47fxlZwbhAMTH9UlqDiB4B-iGeawI5X1fOVXFnvDmdY https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/04/laser-scans-could-help-rebuild-notre-dame-cathedral/587230/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2019/04/19/notre-dame-cathedral-fire-bees-alive-beekeeper-says/3518151002/ https://ny.spacastleusa.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratoncito_P%C3%A9rez

Apr 23, 2019 • 1h 10min
Writer Anissa Helou on Food of the Islamic World
This week on Out Of Office, Kiernan talks to writer Anissa Helou about her book “Feast: Food of the Islamic World.” “Feast” is uniquely compelling for the culturally curious: it’s a travelogue, cookbook, and memoir in one volume. Anissa talks about her research across Muslim-majority countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia—plus the best place to get falafel in London. Things we talked about in today’s episode: http://www.anissas.com/ https://www.instagram.com/anissahelou/?hl=en https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062363039/feast/ https://www.alwaharestaurant.com/ http://www.alinelebanesekitchen.com/

Apr 16, 2019 • 46min
A Love Letter to Rick Steves
This week the boys fawn over Rick Steves, travel visionary and guidebook writer extraordinaire. Plus, they discuss the relaunch of WOW Airlines and launch a new Quest. Things we talked about in today’s episode: https://www.ricksteves.com/ https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/03/20/magazine/rick-steves-travel-world.html https://simpleflying.com/wow-air-relaunch/ https://www.amazon.com/Free-Solo-Dierdre-Wolownick/dp/B07HMMSQ5Z https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/jan/09/flat-earth-cruise-nautical-navigation

Apr 9, 2019 • 55min
Lesser-Known National Parks
This week Kiernan talks about 5 of his favorite lesser-known national parks, including one of the largest cave systems in the world. Plus, the boys mourn the death of WOW Airlines. Things we talked about in today’s episode: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_defunct_airlines_of_the_United_States https://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm https://www.nps.gov/cany/index.htm https://www.nps.gov/grsa/index.htm https://www.nps.gov/kefj/index.htm https://www.nps.gov/wica/index.htm http://www.clydz.com/ https://www.stnj.org/ https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-09-18/little-known-story-vietnamese-communist-leader-ho-chi-minh-s-admiration-us