The Research Never Stops.
July 20, 2026
Most people start planning a vacation by searching for flights.
I usually start with a restaurant.
Or maybe it’s a cocktail bar I’ve been reading about for months. Sometimes it’s a Formula 1 race. Other times it’s a luxury hotel that everyone swears is worth the money—or isn’t.
Whatever it is, that’s where the obsession begins.
What starts as a simple weekend away quickly turns into dozens of browser tabs, Google Maps pins, restaurant menus, YouTube videos, Reddit threads, and enough research to write a travel guide before I’ve even packed my suitcase.
Normal?
Probably not.
Worth it?
Usually.
Travel Isn’t About Checking Boxes
I’ve never been interested in collecting passport stamps just to say I’ve been somewhere.
I’d rather spend three days getting to know one neighborhood than race across an entire city trying to hit every attraction.
The best memories rarely come from standing in line for the most famous landmark.
They come from the bartender who tells you about a hidden cocktail bar.
The chef who recommends another restaurant across town.
The concierge who sends you somewhere tourists never think to visit.
Or the walk between two reservations where you accidentally discover your favorite street in the city.
Those are the moments I remember.
Every Trip Starts With One Thing
Every trip has a reason.
Barcelona started with Formula 1.
New York started with restaurants I’d been trying to book for years.
São Paulo began with Interlagos but quickly became about its incredible dining scene, cocktail bars, and neighborhoods.
Once I have that one reason to go, everything else starts falling into place.
I build my days around experiences that make sense together.
A bakery in the morning.
A museum or neighborhood to explore.
An afternoon cocktail.
Dinner somewhere I’ve spent months trying to reserve.
Late-night drinks recommended by the bartender from dinner.
The itinerary almost creates itself.
I Research Everything
I’ll read menus months before I arrive.
I’ll compare hotels until I understand which ones actually deliver value instead of just charging luxury prices.
I’ll spend hours reading reviews—not looking at star ratings, but looking for patterns.
What do locals love?
What disappoints experienced travelers?
Is a restaurant famous because it’s genuinely exceptional, or because it’s all over Instagram?
The internet gives everyone the same recommendations.
I spend my time trying to find the ones it doesn’t.
Luxury Isn’t About Spending the Most
People often mistake luxury for expensive.
I don’t.
Luxury is attention to detail.
It’s flawless service.
It’s a perfectly balanced cocktail.
It’s a hotel that makes your stay effortless.
Sometimes that’s a Michelin-starred tasting menu.
Sometimes it’s a neighborhood wine bar with twelve seats.
Price doesn’t impress me.
Quality does.
Why I Started This Website
Friends constantly ask me where they should eat.
Which hotel I’d book.
Whether a restaurant actually deserves the hype.
Or what they shouldn’t waste their money on.
Eventually I realized I’d already spent thousands of hours doing this research for myself.
Why not share it?
Everything you’ll read here comes from firsthand experience.
No sponsored rankings.
No recycled lists.
No recommendations based on someone else’s opinion.
If I tell you a restaurant is worth visiting, I’ve eaten there.
If I recommend a hotel, I’ve slept there.
If I rave about a cocktail bar, there’s a good chance I spent half the night talking to the bartender.
The Research Never Stops
Every trip teaches me something.
A better restaurant.
A better hotel.
A hidden cocktail bar.
A neighborhood I never expected to love.
The list keeps growing.
So does the curiosity.
This website is where I document that journey.
If it helps you find one unforgettable meal, one incredible hotel, one perfect cocktail, or one destination that changes the way you travel, then every hour of research was time well spent.
Usually.
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