I was born and raised in Washington, D.C., so naturally, the USA is the first country I ever knew. My parents were from New York and Michigan, but I don't know their hometowns well and don't have too many close relationships with my extended family. I was, however, lucky enough to also grow up with a Peruvian family that taught me to speak Spanish, eat spicy food, and take a more worldly view of life.
I was also raised in a bubble of international education, so even though I lived in the heart of the country's capital the kind of USA you see on TV and in movies felt very foreign to me. That is, until I went to college in upstate New York and had the greatest culture shock of my life! Life at preppy Union College in Schenectady really didn't do it for me, so over the next four years I found every chance to escape on exchange programs to China, where I studied the language, explored new foods, and discovered exotic places I could never have imagined.
For the next two decades I settled into life as an expat, bouncing between China, Thailand, the UK, Afghanistan and Turkey, before finally coming back to the US to care for my elderly parents who had retired in Santa Fe, New Mexico. As I'm writing this, I've been here for about 4 years and its certainly been a different kind of adventure! My family obligations recently ended so I'm looking forward to going back overseas, but I'll keep on posting photos from my travels around the US while I figure that next step out! Enjoy :)
Well, that's my take on the USA as it currently stands, being 40 something years old but having spent about half of my life overseas. I think we'll be in the USA for the next few years as we work on building a family, so I'm sure I'll keep adding to this post! Cheers for now!
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New Year's Eve 2019 - New York City
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| Washington, D.C., 2012 |
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| Taos Pueblo, NM, 2016 |
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Nobody does chile rellenos like New Mexico, and these from Orlando's in Taos are the best! 2016
 | | New York City, 2013 |
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Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness, NM, 2023
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| Every true Washingtonian grew up eating kitfo, doro wat, and injera! Mama Ayesha, 2012 |
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Union College in winter, Schenectady, NY, 2000
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El Pollo Rico, Peruvian roast chicken, is another iconic meal every true Washingtonian loves! 2012
 | And, although it's a contentious issue, I'm going to say it: the best alfajores are Peruvian!
El Pollo Rico, Virginia, 2012
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Katz's Delicatessen - New York City, 2012
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The world's best reuben! Katz's Delicatessen - New York City, 2012
Rosé all day at Duck Pond! Burning Man, 2017
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| Pizza slice - New York City, 2016 |
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21 Bar, New York City, 2020
 | Canyonlands National Park, UT, 2024
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 | 锅贴 // Potstickers, Double Dragon - Santa Fe, NM, 2018
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| 火锅，小肥羊 // Hot pot, Xiao Fei Yang - New York City, 2019 |
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Bodega cat - Washington Heights, New York City, 2019
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Wonton Noodle Garden, New York City, 2019
 | 烤鸭馄饨面汤 // Roast duck wonton noodle soup - Wonton Noodle Garden, New York City
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Adriana and Anthony's Wedding - New York City, 2012
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| Cookie shot with Madagascar vanilla milk - Dominique Ansel Bakery, New York City, 2019 |
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| Patitas de cerdo y pernil con gallo pinto - Washington Heights, New York City, 2019 |
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| Nancy and me - Washington, D.C., early 1980s |
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| Desperate times during the pandemic: supermarket sushi - Fine Fare, New York City, 2020 |
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| 虾饺 // Har gao - Dim Sum Palace, New York City, 2020 |
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| Shoyu ramen with pork and extra nori - Tampopo Ramen, Washington Heights, New York City, 2019 |
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| Shiprock, NM, 2023 |
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Steak frites, Dr. Field Good's - Santa Fe, NM, 2019
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Green chile cheeseburger - Sugar's BBQ, NM, 2019
 | | Racing Lobsters! Washington, D.C., early 1980s |
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| Agedashi tofu, Izmi Sushi Bar- Santa Fe, NM, 2019 |
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Nearly 20 years later and we still look the same, kinda ;) New York City, 2019
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| Seared scallops, Prospect Restaurant - San Francisco, CA, 2017 |
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| Freemont Street, Last Vegas, NV, 2018 |
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| Reno, NV, 2017 |
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| $9.99 steak and lobster dinner! El Dorado Casino - Reno, NV, 2017 |
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| El Dorado Casino - Reno, NV, 2017 |
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| Chả giò - Turtle Tower, San Francisco, CA, 2017 |
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| Korean BBQ pork - Cho Dang Gol, New York City, 2020 |
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| Dim Sum - Yank Sing, San Francisco, CA, 2015 |
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| Outrageous $22 broiled bass - 100% delicious! Yank Sing, San Francisco, CA, 2015 |
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Monument Valley, UT, 2023
 | Hopi Hot Beef: corn fry bread topped with slices of roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy,
fried onions and roasted green chile - Second Mesa, Hopi Reservation, 2023
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| Frijoles con caviar y oro - Californios SF, San Francisco, California |
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| Jitomates - Californios SF, San Francisco, California |
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| Lobster taco - Californios SF, San Francisco, CA, 2017 |
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Entering the Oklahoma panhandle, on the way to Guymon, OK, 2024
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| Nam Prik Num - Saap Ver, San Francisco, CA, 2017 |
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| Somtam pu - Saap Ver, San Francisco, CA, 2023 |
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| Lazy Bear Restaurant, San Francisco, CA, 2017 |
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| Stone fruit and cheesecake mousse - Lazy Bear, San Francisco, CA, 2017 |
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| Geoduck, melon, cucumber, avocado - Lazy Bear, San Francisco, CA, 2017 |
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| Navajo Nation, Four Corners - Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Colorado, 2024 |
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| Hog Island, CA, 2017 |
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| Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park, WY, 2024 |
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| 干煸四季豆 // dry-fried green beans - Z&Y Restaurant, San Francisco, CA, 2017 |
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| 辣子鸡丁 // Spicy chicken - Z&Y Restaurant, San Francisco, CA, 2017 |
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Meow Wolf, Santa Fe, NM, 2016
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| Cioppino - Hog Island Oyster Co., San Francisco, CA, 2016 |
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| Oysters - Hog Island Oyster Co., San Francisco, CA, 2017 |
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| Grand Teton National Park, WY, 2024 |
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| Cioppino - Hog Island Oyster Co., San Francisco, CA, 2017 |
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| Moules frites - Hog Island Oyster Co., San Francisco, CA, 2017 |
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| $4.99/lb lobster - Belfast, ME, 2020 |
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Broiled bacon-wrapped scallops - Owl's Head, ME, 2020
 | | Heart Six Ranch, Grand Teton National Park, WY, 2024 |
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| Lobster pasta - Belfast, ME, 2020 |
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| What a beauty! Young's Lonster Pound, Belfast, ME, 2020 |
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| Lobster roll - Young's Lobster Pound, Belfast, ME, 2020 |
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Enid, OK, 2023
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The Grand Canyon, AZ, 2023
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| Chicken and Waffles - Red Rooster, Harlem, New York City, 2020 |
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| Camping with Janet - Bozeman, MT, 2024 |
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| BBQ pork sandwich - Roli Roti Gourmet Rotisserie, San Francisco, CA, 2016 |
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| Ten Thousand Waves - Santa Fe, NM, 2016 |
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| Belly lox and bagels - Zabar's Delicatessen, New York City, 2016 |
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| 抄手 // Sichuan spicy chile dumplings - Dim Sum Palace, New York City, 2019 |
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| Taos Pueblo, New Mexico |
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The amazing JJ Burger, Boom-a-rang Diner - Enid, OK, 2023
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| Meow Wolf, Santa Fe, NM, 2016 |
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| Flautas de pollo, Mucho Gusto Restaurant, Santa Fe, NM, 2016 |
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| Smithsonian Natural History Museum, Washington, D.C., 2015 |
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| Cebiche co concha y cangrejo - La Mar, San Francisco, CA, 2015 |
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| Mayan chocolate: 100% cacao, herbs, flowers, nuts, red chile, coconut sugar - Kakawa Chocolate House, Santa Fe, NM |
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| Whitefish - Zabaar's Delicatessen, New York City, 2020 |
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| Lucky Goat, Santa Fe, NM, 2020 |
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| Janet and a burger at a reststop somewhere in Ohio, 2024 |
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