Stay ConnectedOut 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.
On this special Halloween episode of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Ryan sits down with iconic Latin American horror writer Mariana Enriquez to discuss her travel book, Somebody Is Walking on Your Grave: My Cemetery Journeys, and her decades-long fascination with cemeteries, from the spooky to the historical.
Books by Mariana:
Somebody Is Walking on Your Grave: My Cemetery Journeys
Things We Lost in the Fire: Four Graphic Stories
Our Share of Night
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/538697/our-share-of-night-by-mariana-enriquez/
Past Halloween Episodes:
Salem, MA and the Witch Trials
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/salem-ma-and-the-witch-trials/id1438098925?i=1000539992422
Haunted Places
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/haunted-places/id1438098925?i=1000584472529
The Last Stop:
Ryan: Rick Steves Casually Reviews Dangerous Fantasy Locations
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/rick-steves-casually-reviews-dangerous-fantasy-locations
Kiernan: C Is for Chupacabra
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948066831?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
Ryan takes us on his first trip to São Paulo, Brazil sharing the restaurants, coffee shops, and museums, that make the city. From mortadella sandwiches at the Mercado Municipal and dinner at A Casa do Porco to MASP, the Pinacoteca, and the historic Centro, he breaks down the places worth building a first visit around. Along the way, he dives into São Paulo's food culture, modern art, history, and sprawling urban energy.
CoffeeCoffeeTaste, República https://www.instagram.com/coffeetaste.republica_sp/
1908 Coffee Station https://www.instagram.com/1908coffee.station/
A2 Café Especial https://www.instagram.com/a2caffee/
Santuário do Café https://www.instagram.com/santuario.docafe/
A Casa do Porco Bar https://acasadoporco.com.br/
CoffeeTaste, República is nearby for pre-dinner coffee.
Shin-Zushi 新寿司 https://www.instagram.com/shinzushioficial/
Clementina Bar de Vinhos https://www.instagram.com/clementina___sp/
Mercado Municipal de São Paulo https://www.instagram.com/mercadaospoficial/
Bar do Mané https://bardomane.com.br/
Epic fucking mortadella sandwich.
Pastel de camarão com Catupiry: a giant fried pastry stuffed with shrimp and creamy Brazilian cheese.
Mocotó Vila Medeiros https://mocoto.com.br/
Dadinhos de tapioca (dah-JEEN-yos jeh tah-pee-OH-kah): Fried cubes made from tapioca and queijo coalho, usually served with a sweet-spicy sauce.
Baião-de-dois (bye-OWN jeh DOYS): A Northeastern Brazilian rice-and-beans dish with rice, black-eyed peas, carne-seca, sausage, and queijo coalho. Mocotó's fuller version can also include bacon and extra meat.
Caldo de mocotó (KAHL-doo jeh moh-koh-TOH): A rich broth made from cow's foot, cooked down until gelatinous and deeply savory. It's the dish that gives the restaurant its name.
Nelita Restaurant https://nelitarestaurante.com.br/
LITA Wine Bar https://winelita.com/
Pinacoteca de São Paulo https://pinacoteca.org.br/
MASP, Museu de Arte de São Paulo https://masp.org.br/
Instituto Tomie Ohtake https://www.institutotomieohtake.org.br/
Beco do Batman https://prefeitura.sp.gov.br/web/turismo/w/conhe%C3%A7a-o-beco-do-batman-reduto-de-arte-urbana-da-cidade-com-o-turistou-tarifa-zero
Galeria Alma da Rua https://www.galeriaalmadarua.com.br/
Memorial da Resistência https://memorialdaresistenciasp.org.br/
Museu do Ipiranga https://museudoipiranga.org.br/
Parque da Independência https://prefeitura.sp.gov.br/meio_ambiente/w/parques/regiao_sul/5747
Casa do Grito https://www.museudacidade.prefeitura.sp.gov.br/sobre-mcsp/casa-do-grito/
Monumento à Independência https://prefeitura.sp.gov.br/web/cultura/w/patrimonio_historico/noticias/13064
Tosto Café https://www.instagram.com/tosto.cafe/
Mosteiro de São Bento https://www.mosteirodesaobentosp.com.br/
Farol Santander https://www.farolsantander.com.br/sp
Praça do Patriarca https://prefeitura.sp.gov.br/web/obras/w/prefeitura-de-s%C3%A3o-paulo-avan%C3%A7a-na-revitaliza%C3%A7%C3%A3o-da-pra%C3%A7a-do-patriarca-e-viaduto-do-ch%C3%A1-1
Viaduto do Chá https://www.sp.gov.br/sp/conheca-sp/pontos-turisticos
Theatro Municipal de São Paulo https://theatromunicipal.org.br/
Edifício Copan https://www.copansp.com.br/
Ryan: 100 Best Soups in the World, TasteAtlas https://www.tasteatlas.com/best-rated-soups-in-the-world
This week on "Out of Office: A Travel Podcast," Kiernan and his family head to Chicago to explore playgrounds, kid-friendly museums, hot dogs, and Presidential Centers (okay, just one Presidential Center.) Plus, Pope Leo is a looker!
Things We Talked About:
First Trip to Chicago Episode
https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/first-trip-to-chicago/id1438098925?i=1000662387126
Devil Dawgs
Williams Inn
https://www.williamsinnpizza.com/
Giordano's
Firecakes Donuts
Doughnut Vault
https://www.doughnutvault.com/
Maggie Daley Park
https://www.maggiedaleypark.com/things-to-do-see/play-garden
Lincoln Park Zoo
Field Museum
https://www.fieldmuseum.org/blog/sue-t-rex
Mold-a-Rama
Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
The U-Boat
https://www.griffinmsi.org/exhibits/u-505-submarine
Swiss Jollyball
https://www.griffinmsi.org/exhibits/swiss-jolly-ball
606 Trail
https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/606
Bird Eyes Art on The 606
https://www.wpr.org/shows/to-the-best-of-our-knowledge/100-bird-eyes-are-watching-you
Obama Presidential Center
Pope Leo's Birthday Statue
https://www.americamagazine.org/news/2026/09/08/tallest-statue-pope-leo-peru/
Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
This week on "Out of Office: A Travel Podcast," Ryan heads to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil! He takes in the city's beaches, mountains, museums, historic sites, restaurants, natural wine bars, and more, with everything you need to know for your first trip to Rio.
Things We Talked About:
History BookBrazil: A Biography https://www.amazon.com/dp/0374280495
Attractions + CultureParque Bondinho Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf) https://bondinho.com.br/
Christ the Redeemer + Corcovado Train https://www.tremdocorcovado.rio/
Cais do Valongo https://www.rio.rj.gov.br/web/muhcab/cais-do-valongo-patrimonio-mundial
Real Gabinete Português de Leitura https://www.realgabinete.com.br/
Paço Imperial http://www.pacoimperial.com.br/
Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro https://www.gov.br/jbrj/pt-br
MuseumsMAM Rio https://mam.rio/
Museu da República — Palácio do Catete https://www.gov.br/museus/pt-br/museus-ibram/museu-da-republica
Museu Nacional https://museunacional.ufrj.br/
RestaurantsTalho Café https://talhocapixaba.com.br/
Casa do Chef Jota https://www.casadochefjota.com.br/
Artigiano https://restauranteartigiano.com/
Quinta da Henriqueta https://www.instagram.com/quintadahenriqueta/
Haru Sushi Bar https://haruichiban.com.br/
Mocellin Steak https://www.mocellinsteak.com.br/
OCYÁ Ilha (Taking a Boat!) https://ocya.com.br/
WineVirtuoso Vinho https://www.instagram.com/virtuosovinho/
Casa Tão Longe, Tão Perto (Botafogo) https://www.instagram.com/casatltp.botafogo/
Belisco Bar de Vinhos (Botafogo) https://www.instagram.com/belisco.rj/
CocktailsBabbo Osteria https://www.instagram.com/babboosteria/
ÊTTA Bar https://www.instagram.com/etta_bar/
CoffeeCoffee Five https://coffeefive.com.br/
LAB Café https://www.instagram.com/labcafe.rio/
The Last StopRyan: Dolly Parton + Great Smoky Mountains https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/knoxville-the-great-smoky-mountains/id1438098925?i=1000495407828
Kiernan: Rick Steves Purchases Edmonds Theater https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/movies/rick-steves-purchases-edmonds-theater-moviehouse/
This week on "Out of Office: A Travel Podcast," Kiernan heads back to London for the first time post-COVID—with his mother! The two revisit old standbys, new attractions, and musicals, musicals, musicals!
Things We Talked About:
Harbor Country in Michigan
Benjamin Pollock's Toy Shop
https://www.pollocks-coventgarden.co.uk/
Oliver
Six
https://sixthemusical.com/london/
Operation Mincemeat
https://operationmincemeat.com/
Churchill War Rooms
https://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/churchill-war-rooms
V&A East Storehouse
https://www.vam.ac.uk/east/storehouse/visit#things-to-see-and-do
LIDAR podcast
Big Bend Construction
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/us/big-bend-border-wall-texas-construction.html
This week on the pod, the boys talk about New York State's Odyssey, from Troy to Ithaca in about two hours. Also, Ryan interviews historian Daniel Koch about why so many upstate towns have classical names.
Things Talked About on the pod: Land of the Oneidas: Central New York State and the Creation of America, from Prehistory to the Present https://a.co/d/0i15zgNN
Classical Place-Names and the American Frontier
https://antigonejournal.com/2021/10/classical-place-names-america/
"Coming Into the Country" by John McPhee
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0374522871?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback Greek cities of the South https://www.weirdsouth.com/post/greek-cities-of-the-south Mr. Peanut Novel https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307454908?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallbackThis week on the pod, the boys talk The Odyssey, and Ryan speaks with Laura Coffey about her Homeric travels chronicled in her book, Enchanted Islands: Travels Through Myth & Magic, Love & Loss.
Things We Talked About:
Enchanted Islands: Travels Through Myth & Magic, Love & Loss https://a.co/d/0e1iMY8Z
MAP - The Odyssey: A Mythical Journey through The Real World https://a.co/d/0hOUJ8Cf
Laura Coffey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/l_j_coffey/
This week on "Out of Office: A Travel Podcast," Kiernan takes us through the history and artistry of Parkitecture—the architectural design of America's National Parks! Plus, Ryan researches the ideal number of days to go on vacation.
Things We Talked About in This Episode:
Colombia's Literary World Cup shirt
https://sports.yahoo.com/article/magical-realism-colombia-unveil-world-155300778.html
Insight Guides
https://www.insightguides.com/
Parkitecture
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/architecture/parkitecture.htm
President Truman tickling those rustic ivories
https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/photograph-records/63-1333
"Park and Recreation Structures"
https://archive.org/details/parkrecreationst00good/page/n237/mode/2up
Ideal Vacation Length
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10902-012-9345-3
Conor Knighton is a Patriot
https://www.instagram.com/conorknighton/reel/DaYM4m6OtQQ/?hl=en
This week on the pod, the boys talk about their favorite subject: sports. The World Cup is captivating everyone, and the many visitors to the USA are soaking up all the Americana. Ryan chats with NPR's Ava Berger about what's captivating them.
Things We Talked About in This Episode:
This week on "Out of Office: A Travel Podcast," Kiernan chats with one of our all-time favorite guests—food writer and researcher Anissa Helou. She's just published "Lebanon: Cooking the Foods of My Homeland" and spills the secrets of tabbouleh, falafel, skewered meat, hummus, labneh, and many other Lebanese specialities.
Things We Talk About in This Episode:
Anissa's last interview with us
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/out-of-office-a-travel-podcast/id1438098925
"Lebanon: Cooking the Foods of My Homeland"
Pope Leo at the Sagrada Familia
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/10/world/europe/pope-leo-sagrada-familia-barcelona-visit.html
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