A guide to the art of the conversation — New York City’s Bryant Park is an oasis of green surrounded by a desert of grey concrete buildings. I sat on a dark green chair underneath a dark green umbrella overlooking a square of bright green grass. “So how important is luck?” a voice inquired next to me. I turned…

Some names are hot. Other names are named after U.S. Presidents. — I was supposed to be born on July 4th. Eager to fit into a country they just immigrated to, my parents named me after America’s first president. So I became a “George.” Growing up, I liked my name. It’s recognizable without being overly common. I never had to compete with…

A semi-serious guide to modern dating — You met him on an app. Tumble or Hinder or Binge. One of them. All of them. You forget which. You swiped right based off a picture and a 25 word bio — he loves dogs and traveling. Now you’re at a trendy coffee shop/restaurant/bar. He’s talking about his recent…

And why the “local” experience is overrated — If I polled a handful of friends about their favorite activities, “traveling” would fall somewhere between breathing and bottomless brunch. Judging by the number of articles, blogs, and Instagram accounts dedicated to traveling, my friends aren’t alone in their wanderlust. The “millennial” generation travels far more than any other previous…

And why you should never make decisions when hungry — I, like most red blooded Americans, love Costco. It’s like Disneyland for adults except instead of marveling at fantastical rides, you marvel at Costco’s ridiculously cheap prices — where else can you buy enough bulk-sized containers of peanut butter to last you for the next 3 years? One of the…

Or at least reconsider asking someone to take our photo — After standing in line for 30 minutes at what felt like a ride to Disney World, the doors finally opened and my group was ushered into a cavernous room. Painted directly on the wall in front of me was the Da Vinci masterpiece, The Last Supper. It’s a surreal experience…