I Could Live Here

Is Tampa one of America's most overlooked cities? Dive into everything it has to offer in this fun recap of Denise's recent visit. She shares her eye opening experience visiting a listener and Tampa for the first time and discovering the city's rich culture, architecture, cuisine and more. From the historic Ybor City neighborhood to catching a glimpse of Tom Brady's former home, Denise was pleasan...

This week is James' recap of the 10--yes, 10!--places he checked out in Connecticut this Fall: Danbury, Sherman, New Milford, New Fairfield, Brookfield, Newtown, New London, Madison, Branford and Denise's favorite, Guilford. For 10 days, the picturesque small towns and idyllic waterfront living across Connecticut continued to impress. We discuss the hometown advantages of colonial homes, autumn le...

Thinking of booking a trip to Orlando, Florida? While the theme parks are certainly a popular draw, there’s so much more to experience in the city if you want to live like a local for a few days. Today we have a Central Florida enthusiast who joins us to dish out her favorite places to eat, drink, explore, and make the most of your time there. Check out our YouTube channel here . Find us on social...

This week, we reminisce about the famous 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, where the epic game of hockey known as as the "Miracle on Ice" took place. We reset the political climate of the Cold War era and how national tensions manifested in Olympic hockey leading up to the famous USA vs USSR grudge match. We debunk some common misconceptions about the game, as well as the Kurt Russell...

This week, we're bringing the Thanksgiving thunder 🦃 and a summary on Plymouth, Massachusetts where it ALL began. We dive into the chaotic world of Thanksgiving travel with insane stats and stories. Do planes really only get delayed 15 minutes? And how far would you drive before admitting defeat? We’re also dishing about Thanksgiving food fails, tasty traditions, and sharing our own picks for bes...

We loved Montreal so much we swore we’re returning in 2024, but it was time to go deeper into Canada than we’ve ever been. Here’s your Quebec City, Canada recap! We were instantly met with a motley crew, but soon we discovered the true, old world European charm of the city, with its cobblestone streets and fortified walls. The Upper City and Citadel are over 400 years old (but don’t look a day ove...

This week is all about Montreal, Canada and the French-influenced culture just North of the Border. We tagged along on our friend Patrick's ( see Episode 66 for more info ) vacation and were transported into Europe when we were met by Old Montreal's historic architecture. We were in for quite the twist when we found an underground city with 20 miles of shops, restaurants, transit - a fully functio...

When Denise was in Texas, listener Sandra invited her to Boerne to see the house she and husband Nik were having built. Denise was intrigued, but then Sandra told her it was the FIFTH time they were constructing a new home... we had to get to the bottom of why they're such huge fans of starting from scratch. While we were in Boerne this summer, we sat down with Sandra and Nik to hear how they parl...

One of the greatest aspects of our last year of travel has been meeting new people and FINALLY having the freedom to visit all the old friends and family we've been "meaning to" over the years. This week, we sit down with James' college buddy and Gordon family fixture, Patrick Mason, in his Jersey City crib. You've heard us mention how he always calls to correct our grammar and fact-check us... al...

While wandering around Connecticut, Denise planned a haircut in Guilford with a friend-of-a-friend at her salon. What happened next was not in the plan, however. Her new stylist, Stephanie, transformed into an all-day tour guide, instead. Denise returned to the hotel with her hair looking the same and full of excitement over everything she's going to do when we MOVE TO GUILFORD? That's right. Half...

Hartford was a bust, but New Haven's got a little spring in its step! We explored this coastal city on a whim and are so freaking glad we did. From its bold claims of being the birthplace of the burger AND American pizza, the food game in this town is solid. Coffee game? Also on point. Pair that with Nathan Hale being a crappy spy and all of the mystique and intrigue that a certain Ivy League scho...

If you listened to our episode last week, you know that Denise has spent a lot of time in Colorado lately. It hasn't just been family business, however. On her last trip, she got a good look around Castle Rock--and found that what used to be a stop-off city between Denver and Colorado Springs has now expanded FAR beyond a day of shopping at outlet malls. James also made the most recent trip to the...

After a summer of fun, it was finally time to head up to Connecticut to get Ellie settled into her new school. Frankly, it was a move we thought we'd never have to make again, but we were eager to get our youngest into a better environment. After 2 days of driving, James finally joined Denise and Ellie for move-in day. We thought we'd be vibing in a whole new city, but Hartford had other plans. Fi...

The Prodigal has returned. Lake Milton is a beautiful State Park in Northeastern Ohio where fishing, water skiing and boating are plenty. It's also the hometown of @SkiptownJames and the subject of today's episode. We explore what made growing up in Lake Milton great, the hard times it's endured and what this gorgeous locale needs most... residents. We have tons of content on our YouTube Channel y...

Denise has been maxed out on James, people and well, everything lately. So when Lisa--and Eastern Wisconsin--rang the phone, Denise answered the call. Before she knew it, she was ditching all responsibility and heading for Milwaukee! This is the recap of her trip to the Brew City, Appleton, Lambeau Field and even a taste of Door County. The snow is a factor, but this recounting is all James needed...

The conclusion of Bill & James' Excellent Adventure in the Jordan starts off with lost luggage and ends with an escape from a desert hut. With no air conditioning, an inexperienced driver and only 3 tires, our Dynamic Duo still managed to clinch an amazing time halfway around the world. They also crossed off another "world wonder" in Petra, which has sparked a lot of talk about trying to see t...

While James was slagging off in Egypt somewhere, Denise was making inroads with more Texans and expanding our map in the Lone Star State. A trip up to San Antonio turned into a meet-and-greet with one of our listeners, and that lunch meeting ended with an invite to "Come to Boerne sometime!" Boerne? Never heard of it. Why is it pronounced "bur-nie" rather than Boerne? Well, we didn't have time to...

Guys trip recap! James shares his extraordinary adventure through Egypt while traveling with his friend Bill. The journey begins in Cairo, where he experiences the 24/7 energy of this 28-million-person metropolis, enjoying luxury accommodations at the Fairmont Nile City Hotel with its five-star restaurants and stunning river views. James details his exploration of the Egyptian Museum and the chall...

We were grinding our way through Texas when James was hit with an interesting proposition from his friend, Bill. Insiders call him "Billy Goat." Okay, only James calls him that. At any rate, Bill had a friend drop out on a planned trip to Egypt, Jordan and Israel and called James off the bench to be the next man up. With all the Hollywood strikes about to pop off, James realized he'd have some tim...

For tons of STAS content you can't see here, subscribe to us on YouTube! It's been a pretty interesting time here in South Texas. For starters, we've been borderline couch surfing at our daughter's new home... mostly because her new couch is more comfortable than the guest bed. She flew our coop over 6 years ago, so getting reaquainted with Parker has been mostly amazing but sometimes very surreal...

When Denise caught wind of a nature preserve in a little town called Kingsville less than an hour south of Corpus Christi, her ears perked up. When James found out that said nature preserve had real-life raptor birds ready to put on a show and devour piles of meat, he brought every lens in the camera bag! From El Potrero Ranch to the 106-year old Harrell's Kingsville Pharmacy, the neighborly vibes...

In the Northeastern part of Louisiana sits the 3rd oldest city in the US, and is best-known for 2 things. The first is that its name, Natchitoches, sounds nothing like its pronunciation, " nack-a-tish ." The second is it's the town where the true story of Steel Magnolias is based. Turns out Denise has seen the movie 12 times and cried every single time. Conversely, it's like ambien to James. He's...

For someone who never watches HGTV, Denise sure knows A LOT about the hosts of their shows. James knew nothing about Laurel, Mississippi or the show " Home Town, " but you best believe he knew Erin and Ben Napier's names by heart by the time we left! Our first night in this growing town was overshadowed by a grungy hotel in a not-so-great area, but charming Downtown Laurel awaited us the next morn...

We started a brand new journey and are hitting 3 towns as we ramble toward Corpus Christi . The first stop? Auburn, AL. Denise was angling for the prestige of The Laurel Hotel , and scored even bigger when she landed the Presidential Suite at The Hotel at Auburn University . We got to experience the best in AU's culinary arts program and landed an interview with a big fish in the Auburn real estat...

Ever since our visit to Savannah and Fox Hollow Realty , we've been percolating on the idea that we should pursue a starter home for our oldest daughter, Parker. If you remember, she graduated and moved to that shining--alright, oily--beacon on the Texas Riviera, Corpus Christi. It was just shy of a year ago that she r olled up to the Lone Star State , looking to launch a career and make her mark....