I did my first cooking school in Positano, Italy in 2011. Though I was lucky enough to travel all over the world throughout my life, this trip was particularly meaningful as it was my first truly culinary-centric journey. And a journey it was. I stayed in Positano but made my way (ate my way?) up and down the Amalfi coast. I cooked in a local restaurant in the hills of Positano, Il Ritrovo, and spent my mornings in the kitchen and my afternoons on the beach. I absolutely fell in love with the Amalfi Coast but Positano in particular. This trip not only fueled my love of cooking, but it transformed my relationship with food in general and my appreciation for the impact food has on culture and everyday life. My impending job search became focused on the food industry, which I've now been working in for five years and loving it.

Why Mile 4413? The distance from New York to Positano is 4,413 miles. Given its significance in my life, I wanted it to play a role in the journey of this blog. It has certainly impacted subsequent trips, which are, more often than not, focused around food. In my opinion, there's no better way to experience the culture of a new destination than through its food. Thus, I'll share my journeys along the way, some near and some far, and whatever recommendations I come across as I go.

Each post, of course, includes food recommendations but will also include hotels, activities, etc. All of my eventual picks undergo a very thorough "cross-referencing" system. Furthermore, whenever I travel, I always try to find a local blog. I don't want to go where everyone else goes or the first restaurant that comes up in a search of "best of." I want to eat where the locals eat, shop where the locals shop and immerse myself as much as possible into the culture of a new (or old) place.