This past summer, I was blessed enough to secure a Graduate Hotels Hall Pass, which allows holders to stay at any Graduate Hotels property free for all of July 2021.*
With the support of my two wonderful housemates, I took my work-from-home summer on the road, and reporting back from college towns across the United States.
This was especially neat for me, as an adjunct feature journalism professor who is teaching on campus for the very first time. My Hall Pass provided a special opportunity for me to engage with different students, teachers, campuses, and minds across the United States, and to get a direct perspective of what’s most important to discuss in my classroom.
Oh, and there were some quality work sessions (and beers!) along the way.
THE GRADUATE HOTELS TOUR
- July 1-3: Iowa City, Iowa
- July 3-6: Madison, Wi.
- July 6-10: Evanston, Ill.
- July 11-13: Bloomington, In.
- July 13-15: Nashville, Tenn.
- July 15-18: Knoxville, Tenn.
- July 18-20: Columbia, S.C.
- July 20-22: Chapel Hill, N.C.
- July 22-25: Richmond, Va.
- July 25-27: Charlottesville, Va.
- July 27-29: Columbus, Ohio
- July 29-Aug. 1: Cincinnati, Ohio
-Moose
- The Great Road Ahead (or, “31 Days in July”)
So. Here’s where the real fun begins. The very worst thing a blog can be is mundane. The last thing I really expect that anyone would want to read from my (or any) vanity website is more depression fodder about “How the Pandemic Changed Our Lives, Part 718,” or a long list of celebrities we… Read more: The Great Road Ahead (or, “31 Days in July”) - Road Trip Eve
Tomorrow, I hit the open road for 31 consecutive days. All of July — that’s the plan. Admittedly, I’m pretty nervous about this whole Graduate Hotels “Hall Pass” experiment shebang. And I’m a pretty good planner when it comes to long-term travel — my previous records away from home were 11 and 21 days, respectively.… Read more: Road Trip Eve - IOWA CITY, Part 1: Hoosier Hospitality
Kids, put your shoes on, we’re here! I’m writing this post to you live from the top floor of the Graduate Hotel in Iowa City, in a cute suite tucked away in the furthest corner from the escalator. After more than 7 windy hours on the highway — driving a light pickup with no cruise… Read more: IOWA CITY, Part 1: Hoosier Hospitality - IOWA CITY, Part 2: Golden Hour
There’s tremendous anxiety in traveling, I find, to make sure you see it all. “See it all” so the trip isn’t wasted — that you experience every single pleasure and cram each piece of knowledge you can fit into your brain in a short period of time. That’s a fine and valid approach, but allow… Read more: IOWA CITY, Part 2: Golden Hour - VIDEO: Breakdancers in Iowa CityBefore I hit the road today for Madison (check-out is in 15 minutes), I wanted to share this video I recorded of some breakdancers performing in Iowa City’s pedestrian mall on Friday, July 2, 2021, just a few blocks north of the city’s annual Jazz Fest.
- IOWA CITY, Wrap-up: ‘Point Blank’
Photo description: The aquarium at The Dublin Underground (Rory’s bar) has some interesting admission requirements. Or elderly fish. IOWA CITY — Good afternoon! I’ve made it safely to scenic Madison, Wisconsin, for Independence Day weekend after wrapping up a breezy 39 hours in Iowa City. Speaking of which: Due to the whiplash of my travel… Read more: IOWA CITY, Wrap-up: ‘Point Blank’ - MADISON, Part 1: Mad-house
MADISON, Wisc. — The alternate headline for this entry, as suggested by my loyal housemate Miranda, is “Say, Do Any of You Guys Know How to Madison?” A dance proposal in “Rocky Horror Picture Show” delivered by the cluelessly straight-laced Brad Majors (“asshole!”), the cheap one-off line could very well describe my ethos in coming… Read more: MADISON, Part 1: Mad-house - MADISON, Part 2: Look Around You
MADISON, Wisc. — I underestimated the power of the sun up here. While I was warned by a local postman on Saturday afternoon that “we’re in for a scorcher” at 89 degrees, I waved it off as something any Hoosier could manage. I was wrong. The sun bounces off the lakes. The lake-light bounces against… Read more: MADISON, Part 2: Look Around You - MAILBAG MONDAY: Lots to Digest
Q: “What’s the leading road trip snack right now?” — Cheese A: If I were to answer honestly, the thing I’ve put the most of in my body during the past 48 hours has been Wisconsin’s own New Glarus beers — specifically, “Spotted Cow.” Like heaven in a bottle. But the holiday is over and… Read more: MAILBAG MONDAY: Lots to Digest - MADISON, Part 3: ‘Simon Says’
MADISON, Wisc. — The pleasure principle of the trip is thus: I watch my dollars and sense on the first few days in each city, then I treat myself to something special on the last night in town. And tonight, for my swan song in Madison, between Lakes Monona and Mendota — I can almost… Read more: MADISON, Part 3: ‘Simon Says’ - MADISON, Wrap-Up: ‘Through the Looking Glass(es)’
EVANSTON, Ill. — I’ve arrived safely into the friendly confines of the Windy City (well, the Northwestern part of it), but leaving Madison was rougher than I’d like to admit. After my all-evening chicken-binge at The Vintage, I had my worst night of sleep at the Madison Graduate. I had shrugged off the warning upon… Read more: MADISON, Wrap-Up: ‘Through the Looking Glass(es)’ - EVANSTON, Part 1: ‘What’s Your Fancy?’
EVANSTON, Ill. — Once in a blue moon, I step foot into a city that’s somehow, someway, just too damn fancy for me to relate to. Evanston is one of them. Without again dwelling too long on my rural upbringing, I spent most of my childhood in a log cabin home — a quarter-mile off… Read more: EVANSTON, Part 1: ‘What’s Your Fancy?’ - EVANSTON, Part 2: Life’s a Beach
EVANSTON, Ill. — Contrary to my feelings of inadequacy by staying in an upper-class, expensive city, I’m finding great pleasure in exploring Evanston’s cheap thrills. Specifically, I spent two days this week exploring Evanston’s natural diversity, including a picturesque day at the beach and a moody visit to a historic lighthouse. Clark Street Beach After… Read more: EVANSTON, Part 2: Life’s a Beach - EVANSTON, Wrap-Up: Off the Rails
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The past 48 hours, including my departure from Illinois to Indiana, have been a whirlwind, and I’ve barely had the time I’ve wanted to chronicle my adventures here on Ye Olde WordPress. Alas, I’ve been making incredible memories on the road, with best friends and strangers alike, and I hope to spend… Read more: EVANSTON, Wrap-Up: Off the Rails - BLOOMINGTON, Part 1: ‘Back Home Again in Indiana’
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — It was a weird 31st birthday. But what else could I expect from a bizarre trip like this? You know, thirty-one is a prime number, and I’d like to think I’m having a pretty prime birthday! (No? Okay. Sorry.) Here’s the rundown of what I’ve been up to since I arrived back… Read more: BLOOMINGTON, Part 1: ‘Back Home Again in Indiana’ - BLOOMINGTON, Wrap-Up: ‘An Honest Review’
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Since the whole point of this Hall Pass journey has been to travel to new places, explore the campus/city, and report back with my findings, what exactly am I supposed to say about spending a weekend in my hometown of Bloomington, Ind.? With most of these destinations, I’m staying 48 or 72… Read more: BLOOMINGTON, Wrap-Up: ‘An Honest Review’ - NASHVILLE, Part 1: ‘Beg Your Parton’
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Greetings from The Volunteer State. I’m back on the road. Between checking into the hotel approximately one-hour late into my 43-hour stay, leaving me a solid 42 to “see it all.” And then I wrote yesterday’s departure of a piece, where I flipped the tables on Bloomington and grilled its ugly side.… Read more: NASHVILLE, Part 1: ‘Beg Your Parton’ - NASHVILLE, Part 2: ‘Ticket to Ride’
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — One of the unfortunate downsides about cramming so much travel into my schedule is that I frequently find myself pinched on time to actually “see” each location — especially the bigger cities. So on Wednesday, when I only had about a few spare hours with which to actually get out of my… Read more: NASHVILLE, Part 2: ‘Ticket to Ride’ - NASHVILLE, Wrap-up: ‘Imaginary Q and A’
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Before I start making new memories here in Volunteer Land, I still have a few more thoughts on Nashville I want to get out. They don’t have any particular theme or commonality, so I’ve decided to address all my final thoughts in the form of an imaginary interview with myself. Like such:… Read more: NASHVILLE, Wrap-up: ‘Imaginary Q and A’ - KNOXVILLE, Part 1: ‘Raising Kane’
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Anywhere I go, whether it be down the block from my bedroom or miles far away from home, I usually end up talking about one of the things I love best: professional wrestling. So when a polite couple invited me to join their patio table last night at Cool Beans Bar &… Read more: KNOXVILLE, Part 1: ‘Raising Kane’ - KNOXVILLE, Part 2: All the World’s a FairCOLUMBIA, S.C. — When Knoxville, Tenn., hosted the World’s Fair in 1982, more than 90,000 people attended the opening ceremonies, including President Reagan. The six-month celebration was designed to be a cultural boom time for the city, hopefully raising it to the economic status level of nearby powerhouses Atlanta and Charlotte as well. The fair’s… Read more: KNOXVILLE, Part 2: All the World’s a Fair
- KNOXVILLE, Wrap-Up/Mailbag Monday
Photo Caption: Marion Greenwood’s “The History of Tennessee” mural hangs in the Knoxville Museum of Art on Saturday, July 17. The painting has been a flashpoint of conversation and controversy as to the depiction of African Americans and their contributions to Tennessee history. COLUMBIA, S.C. — Before I get started with this next post, I… Read more: KNOXVILLE, Wrap-Up/Mailbag Monday - COLUMBIA, Part 1: ‘159-0’
COLUMBIA, S.C. — I’m having a really hard time finding the words I want to say about Columbia. So let’s jump right into it: Columbia, South Carolina, was the early heart of the Confederacy — a period of American history (or treason) I look back on with much contempt. - COLUMBIA, Wrap-Up: ‘Peachy-Keen’
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Now that I’ve made my peace with Columbia, S.C.’s 19th Century history, I wanted to say a few kind and redeeming things about the stay — because the two days I had there were genuinely a sweet and charming time. When I rolled into Columbia, I knew jack-nothing of its history.… Read more: COLUMBIA, Wrap-Up: ‘Peachy-Keen’ - CHAPEL HILL: ‘Old School’
RICHMOND, Va. — It’s been a minute since I put pen to paper (or fingers to keys) to share about my travels, so I hope you will forgive my delay in writing about Chapel Hill — I needed a few extra days to comprehend it. Chapel Hill, home of the University of North Carolina —… Read more: CHAPEL HILL: ‘Old School’ - RICHMOND, Part 1: ‘Heroes’
RICHMOND, Va. — How do you pick your heroes? Much like my experiences in Columbia, S.C., showed me, Richmond is a city that has long had to reckon with its own heroes, especially with a past rooted in the Confederacy. Perhaps “rooted” isn’t strong enough: This place was the literal capital of the Confederacy (moved… Read more: RICHMOND, Part 1: ‘Heroes’ - RICHMOND, Part 2: ‘Strangeways Here We Come’
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — On Friday night, I was given a local’s tour of the city by a good-natured Virginian. My buddy David, who I grew to chat with more and more during the pandemic, is an adjunct instructor (like me!) at Virginia Commonwealth University, just about a few blocks from where I was staying in… Read more: RICHMOND, Part 2: ‘Strangeways Here We Come’ - CHARLOTTESVILLE, Part 1: ‘The White Spot’
COLUMBUS, Ohio — If you find yourself at the corner of the University of Virginia campus and the UVA Hospital, be sure to tuck under the elevated railroad tracks at 14th and Main streets and check out a little hole-in-the-wall burger joint called “The White Spot.” Go ahead and take your best guess as to… Read more: CHARLOTTESVILLE, Part 1: ‘The White Spot’ - CHARLOTTESVILLE, Part 2: ‘Heather Heyer Way’
COLUMBUS, Ohio — From the very minute I booked my stay in Charlottesville, Va., I knew exactly where I would eventually end up. These days, the tragedy is synonymous with “Charlottesville” itself, much like “Waco” or “Oklahoma City.” On August 12, 2017, James Fields Jr. drove his car into a crowd of people counter-protesting the… Read more: CHARLOTTESVILLE, Part 2: ‘Heather Heyer Way’ - COLUMBUS, Ohio: ‘Dotting the I’
CINCINNATI — Columbus, Ohio, is the city outside of Indiana that I’ve visited the very most, both on this trip and anytime else in my life. I’ve been making the drive across I-70 and back for close to 15 years, seeing friends and spending late nights in anime/arcade game conventions alike. So in lieu of… Read more: COLUMBUS, Ohio: ‘Dotting the I’ - Checking Out: A Review of 12 Graduate Hotels
Now that I’m back home with plenty of time and energy to write again, I’d like to touch upon each of the hotels I stayed at and offer some feedback, in case any of you were considering visiting a city or property I otherwise touched on with my blogging. The trip wasn’t about the hotels… Read more: Checking Out: A Review of 12 Graduate Hotels
Moose On the Loose 