The story of Toronto’s St. James Town

The story of Toronto’s St. James Town

When we first moved to Toronto, I quickly became fascinated by St. James Town. While most of Toronto’s highrises are brand new, these ones hailed from an earlier age. Clearly one that didn’t catch on. The low prices and easy subway access were pretty tempting, but...
The toxic history of Niagara Falls, NY

The toxic history of Niagara Falls, NY

Niagara Falls has millions of visitors every year, yet the cities it connects are full of poverty, crime, and desperation. Most people want to hear about the falls themselves, death defying adventures and amazing engineering. Or they want to know the best spot to eat...
When you could take a year off – with pay

When you could take a year off – with pay

A friend of mine in Brussels casually mentioned how she’d wanted to take a sabbatical, but the new government had changed the program. She’d hoped to take some time off to work on personal projects, but she worried about what would happen to people who relied on a...
Canada’s Federal Government

Canada’s Federal Government

As capital, Ottawa is the seat of Canada’s government. Canada has a Westminster style federal parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy. It has one of the most stable democracies in the world and one of the most democratic nations. The provinces of Canada...
Abandoned Camp Evans, NJ

Abandoned Camp Evans, NJ

Growing up, everyone has that place they always wonder about. It lies unknown, forbidden, behind a stone wall or closed doors. Camp Evans was that place for me, a semi-abandoned military base behind a barbed wire fence and guards. There were signs warning of patrol...
Abandoned Fort Tilden

Abandoned Fort Tilden

If you’re at the Flatbush Junction Target, you’re right at the start of the Q35 bus route. Take it to the end and you’ll find yourself at the entrance to what was once Fort Tilden. This old military base is now part of Gateway National Recreation...
Hudson River State Hospital

Hudson River State Hospital

We went to Poughkeepsie to go to the Walkway Over the Hudson. That picture is from below because we never made it. Or, rather, we kept walking. While on the train up, we realized we would be so close to Hudson River State Hospital, so we may as well take a look. Even...
Our afternoon in Gary, Indiana

Our afternoon in Gary, Indiana

Gary, Indiana isn’t really known for being a nice place. I didn’t want to go to Gary just for ruin porn. I knew of it as a symbol of what happened to company towns when the company goes bust. I’m fascinated by the idea of an era when company...
The Queen of Religious Resorts

The Queen of Religious Resorts

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We tend to forget about it, but New York is a beach town. Coney Island is hardly the only beach New Yorkers can easily get to without a car.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Ocean Grove is one...
Obsession

Obsession

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When Casey and I met, I proposed we walk to all of the wastewater treatment plants in the five boroughs. She agreed for the novelty of it, but quickly became just as obsessed with it as I was. There aren’t that many, but...