Your last trip was to Hawaii and Oregon. They’re so different. What did you like about each?
Each of their landscapes was beautiful and really different from each other. In Oregon, we spent time on the Columbia River Gorge—the trees are so massive and old, and the land was lush and green. The Big Island in Hawaii was very diverse—the vegetation can go from jungle to desert to black fields of lava rock, then back to jungle again. It was amazing that all these different landscapes exist in one place. Also, in Hawaii, I loved all the fresh fruit and macadamia nuts. We ate them right off the trees at our Airbnb.
What kind of dog do you have, and what’s her craziest habit?
It’s actually my girlfriend’s dog, and she’s a 10-year-old, 35-pound brindle-looking mutt. I don’t know if this is common—she’s my first dog—but she makes a lot of crying sounds when she’s happy. She also welcomes us home by grabbing a toy in her mouth and walking around crying with happiness. She will do the same thing when she comes home.
What is the latest book you’ve read?
The Year of the Horses by Courtney Maum was amazing. It’s a memoir about a woman in her late 30s who is depressed and doesn’t know why. To reconnect with herself, she rediscovers her childhood passions—one of which is horseback riding. This transformative process improves her marriage, parenting, and relationships. Reading the book prompted me to sign up for horseback riding lessons, something I used to do when I was younger.
If you could invite three people to lunch, who would they be and why?
I would invite my mom and two sisters who are my favorite people. We all live in different cities, so It’s difficult for the four of us to spend a lot of time together.
If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be?
Self-reflective.