On this week’s episode of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, the Travel Editor of the New York Times Amy Virshup returns to talk about this year’s “52 Places” list. With Covid still making travel unpredictable, this year’s list brings us standout stories of communities that are innovating solutions to overtourism, climate change, and other environmental threats. Things we talked about in today’s podcast: NYT’s “52 Places for a Changed World” https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/travel/52-places-travel-2022.html  Amy Virshup’s article describing this year’s list: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/10/travel/a-different-kind-of-52.html  Rock cairns in the National Parks https://www.nps.gov/articles/rockcairns.htm 

On this week’s episode of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Kiernan offers some hard-won tips on how to increase your chances of seeing wildlife when traveling to wild places—and how to mitigate your disappointment if you don’t get to spot that elusive bear, moose, or gorilla. Be forewarned: somehow it boils down to taking an interest in poop. Things we talked about in today’s podcast: Sample National Park Wildlife List https://www.nps.gov/glac/learn/nature/upload/Mammal-Checklist-2016-web.pdf  Illinois Woman Charged in Yellowstone https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/news/211007.htm  “The Rescue” Documentary https://films.nationalgeographic.com/the-rescue  Wilderness Press “Walking” Series https://shop.adventurewithkeen.com/?s=walking&post_type=product 

On this week’s episode of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Kiernan and Ryan each share 3 travel-related New Year’s resolutions in reverse order of ambition. Plus, an analysis of a new Rick Steves’s interview about the Great Europeans Outdoors! Things we talked about in today’s podcast: “How Rick Steves Got Hooked on Hiking” in Outside Magazine https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/hiking-and-backpacking/rick-steves-hiking-mont-blanc/  National capitals https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_capitals  New River Gorge https://www.nps.gov/neri/index.htm  Jonglez “Secret” guides https://jonglezpublishing.com/product-category/secret-guides/  “Unsettling Truth about the ‘Mostly Harmless’ Hiker” in WIRED https://www.wired.com/story/unsettling-truth-mostly-harmless-hiker/  “Pompeii Still Has Buried Secrets” in the New Yorker https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/11/29/pompeii-still-has-buried-secrets?source=search_google_dsa_paid&gclid=Cj0KCQiA_c-OBhDFARIsAIFg3exm9hMVCb-4PWiMylwJ7nVJjve_WwCEnq5nJ5lRchfjrZOdadO59YwaAn8gEALw_wcB 

 On this year’s Christmas Spectacular episode of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Kiernan and Ryan make themselves merry exploring Victorian Christmas traditions, why pet dogs get stockings and pet cats don’t, and whether fireplaces are integral to Christmas celebrations. Plus, Ryan talks about two Hudson River Valley historic home tours and the boys wrap things up with their annual Ugly Christmas Ornament Exchange. Things we talked about in today’s podcast: Glenview Historic Home https://www.hrm.org/glenview/  Armour-Stiner Octagon House https://www.armourstiner.com/  Tomie DePaola’s Christmas Tree Book https://www.amazon.com/Tomie-dePaolas-Christmas-Tree-Book/dp/0823442381  Rent’s “Christmas Bells” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nVcUkol3Eg  Banu Gibson’s “I’d Like to Hitch a Ride with Santa Claus” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZBpJOd9iY4  Ryan’s ornament https://www.etsy.com/listing/1096328209/penis-snowflake-ornament?source=aw&utm_source=affiliate_window&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=us_location_buyer&utm_content=652045&awc=6220_1639615067_263b2ecb8085222918f9e35a0534832c&utm_term=0  Kiernan’s ornament https://oldworldchristmas.com/products/santa-with-face-mask-ornament?gclid=Cj0KCQiA5OuNBhCRARIsACgaiqXlQPMrfRgOUO_OWa_F2Mt9MBTX5Zj72WNC3Thdbt4z1mMPxOqyagoaAur9EALw_wcB

On this episode of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Ryan makes his first return trip to Mexico City in nearly 2 years and shares his top new restaurants, bars, and Covid decontamination chambers. Plus, Titian! Previous CDMX episodes: Numero Unohttps://outofofficepod.com/podcast/episode-18-ryans-12-favorite-mexico-city-spots/ Numero Doshttps://outofofficepod.com/podcast/episode-52-mexico-city-part-dos/ Elena Reygadas - Queen of CDMX Dining Scene  Her Personal Insta: https://www.instagram.com/elena_reygadas Salon Rosetta: https://www.instagram.com/salonrosetta/ Pizzeria Lardo: https://www.instagram.com/pizzeria_lardo/ Brunch at Lardo: https://lardo.mx/ Maximo Bistrot  https://www.maximobistrot.com.mx/ Galanga (Galanga Thai House) https://galangathai.mx/ The Prom https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Video-First-Look-at-THE-PROM-Spanish-Language-Production-in-Mxico-20211109 Em  https://www.itsemilia.rest/ Anónimo Don’t go to the one in Polanco!  https://www.instagram.com/anonimo.rest/ Taverna  http://taverna.mx/ New Order: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Order_(film) Titian: Women, Myth, and Power: https://www.gardnermuseum.org/calendar/exhibition/women-myth-power   

On this episode of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Kiernan and Ryan really Catholic it up talking about the art and architecture of Europe’s Gothic Cathedrals. The boys talk through what features distinguish Gothic architecture, how the Church taught the catechism to the illiterate, and how many groin vaults Ryan has buttressed. Things we talked about in today’s podcast: Rick Steves in the NYT https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/30/travel/rick-steves-europe-tours.html  Gothic Architecture https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_architecture  San-Chapelle in Paris http://www.sainte-chapelle.fr/en/#  The Blood Relic in Bruges, Belgium https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_the_Holy_Blood  The Last Duel https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/the-last-duel  Tomie DePaola https://www.tomie.com/ 

On this episode of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Kiernan gets into the Halloween spirit with a guide to Salem, MA, a town famous for its 1692 witch trials. Today, you can visit lots of attractions tied to this tragic history, as well as majestic old homes, National Park-protected maritime areas, sites tied to Nathaniel Hawthorne, and a statue erected by TV Land commemorating the classic sitcom “Bewitched.” In its mixture of dark history and kitschy fun, Salem is a unique must-visit. Things we talked about in today’s podcast: Day of the Dead episode https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/day-of-the-dead-d%C3%ADa-de-los-muertos/id1438098925?i=1000496703513  Peabody Essex Museum https://www.pem.org/  Salem Heritage Trail https://www.salem.org/blog/heritage-trail/  Salem Maritime National Historic Site https://www.nps.gov/sama/index.htm  Witch History Museum https://salemwitchmuseum.com/  Witch Dungeon Museum http://www.witchdungeon.com/witchdungeon.html  Bewitched Statue https://www.salem.org/listing/bewitched-statue/  Witch House/Corwin House https://www.thewitchhouse.org/  McIntire Historic District and the Ropes Mansion https://www.pem.org/visit/historic-houses/mcintire-historic-district  Hamilton Hall https://www.hamiltonhall.org/  Old Burying Point Cemetery https://www.salem.org/listing/charter-street-cemetery/  Salem Witch Trials Memorial https://salemwitchmuseum.com/locations/witch-trials-memorial/  Proctor’s Ledge Memorial https://salemwitchmuseum.com/locations/proctors-ledge-memorial/  House of the Seven Gables https://7gables.org/  Salem Common https://www.salem.org/listing/salem-common/  Roger Conant Statue https://digitalheritage.noblenet.org/salem/items/show/29  Catland Witch Shop in Bushwick NYC https://www.catlandbooks.com/  The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO https://www.stanleyhotel.com/ 

On this episode of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, the boys return to discussing one of Ryan’s personal heroes: the landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. They discuss Olmsted’s signature style, how his family cashed in on the family name, and 8 top Olmsted designs outside of the world famous Central Park.  Things we talked about in today’s podcast: Ryan’s interview with a renowned Olmsted biographer https://outofofficepod.com/podcast/episode-101-the-travels-of-frederick-law-olmsted/ Olmsted 200 https://olmsted200.org/ Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site https://www.nps.gov/frla/learn/management/index.htm  Biltmore in Asheville, NC https://www.biltmore.com/blog/olmsteds-deliberate-approach/ Back Bay Fens in Boston, MA https://www.emeraldnecklace.org/park-overview/back-bay-fens/  US Capitol Grounds in Washington D.C. https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-campus/buildings-grounds/capitol-building/capitol-grounds Hubbard Park in Meriden, CT https://www.myrecordjournal.com/Archive/2015/11/ColumnJWK-rj-111315  Prospect Park in Brooklyn https://www.prospectpark.org/learn-more/park-history-slideshow/  Belle Isle in Detroit, MI https://www.modeldmedia.com/features/belle-isle-olmsted-legacy-041816.aspx  Congress Park in Saratoga Springs, NY https://www.saratoga.com/hotspots/congress-park/  Olmsted NYC Restaurant http://olmstednyc.com/  Rick Steves Interview in the New Yorker https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/rick-steves-says-hold-on-to-your-travel-dreams 

On this episode of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Ryan brings us back to Quebec City and Montreal in our first ever follow-up travel guide episode. Ryan recommends great new bars and restaurants, along with some old standbys and natural wonders. And don’t worry: there’s plenty of French names to be massacred.  Montreal Episode:  https://outofofficepod.com/podcast/episode-69-montreal/ Quebec City Episode:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/qu%C3%A9bec-city/id1438098925?i=1000463905461 Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec https://www.mnbaq.org/ Lévis Forts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9vis_Forts Montmorency Fallshttps://www.sepaq.com/destinations/parc-chute-montmorency/ Little Burgundy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Burgundy September Cafe   https://www.septembersurf.com/ -  Vin Mon Lapin  Until November - The Infinite:  https://phi.ca/en/exhibitions/the-infinite-montreal/ Lachine Canal National Historic Site https://www.pc.gc.ca/fr/lhn-nhs/qc/canallachine Sam Knight’s “New Yorker” article on the British National Trust and its grappling with a history of slavery and empire https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/08/23/britains-idyllic-country-houses-reveal-a-darker-history   

On this episode of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Kiernan talks about his favorite New England neighbor: Portland, Maine! Portland offers gorgeous seaside walks, standout restaurants, and plenty of historical and cultural must-dos. Portland is also heaven for the discerning beer-enthusiast. Plus, National Park conspiracies! Things We Talked About:  Quebec City podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/qu%C3%A9bec-city/id1438098925?i=1000463905461  Smithsonian National Postal Museum interview https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smithsonian-national-postal-museum-with-director/id1438098925?i=1000438061317  Holy Donut https://theholydonut.com/  Duckfat https://www.duckfat.com/  Hugo’s https://www.hugosmaine.com/  Eventide https://www.eventideoysterco.com/  Eventide Cookbook https://www.eventideoysterco.com/shop/eventide-cookbook  The Honey Paw https://www.thehoneypaw.com/  Izakaya Minato https://www.izakayaminato.com/  Nura https://www.nuraportland.com/  Longfellow Books https://www.longfellowbooks.com/  Allagash Brewing Company https://www.allagash.com/  Bissell Brothers https://bissellbrothers.com/  Oxbow Blending and Bottling https://oxbowbeer.com/  Austin Street Brewery https://www.austinstreetbrewery.com/  Lone Pine Brewing Company https://lonepinebrewery.com/  Goodfire Brewing https://www.goodfirebrewing.com/  Breakwater Lighthouse/Bug Light https://www.visitportland.com/blog/2020/03/11/bug-light-park/  Choragic Monument of Lysicrates https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choragic_Monument_of_Lysicrates  Portland Freedom Trail https://www.mainehistory.org/PDF/walkingtourmap.pdf  Eastern Promenade https://easternpromenade.org/the-eastern-promenade  Eastern Promenade Olmsted plan https://www.portlandmaine.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3377/Eastern-Promenade-Master-Plan  Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad https://mainenarrowgauge.org/   West End https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_End_(Portland,_Maine)  Peak’s Island ferry https://www.cascobaylines.com/schedules/peaks-island-schedule/  Peak’s Island https://www.cascobaylines.com/islands/peaks-island-maine/  Casco Bay Mail Boat https://www.cascobaylines.com/maine-boat-tours/specialty-cruises/mailboat/  The Missing 411 National Park conspiracy episode https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4794  Milk Street’s Sweet Corn Cake https://www.177milkstreet.com/recipes/mexican-sweet-corn-cake