Meet the Leisure-ist
Mike Macdonald
/Publisher
Favorite Netflix show: I don’t have the attention span to devote to a full series, so I just pick and choose amongst past favorites based on mood. Most common choice these days is Scrubs (why that show isn’t syndicated everywhere is beyond me), followed by The Office, Cheers, and Frasier.
Drink you have after a rough day: I start with a few sips of Deleon Platinum—just to cleanse the palate—so I can properly drink my Corralejo margarita.
Favorite vacation spot: The deck of a cruise ship chugging through the Caribbean. Wherever we stop works for me.
Place you need to visit next: Don’t know if it’ll be next, but gotta hit Fiji at some point. Oh, and I need to bring my mom and family to Italy soon.
Worst food of all time: I would say Olive Garden, but since what they serve isn’t actually food, I’ll go with Goober Grape. My wife grew up with that crap because it was easier to take a jar when they went boating. Why does it even exist?! Seriously, people, is it that friggin’ hard to stick a knife in two jars?!
Brian Ledtke/Managing editor
Favorite Netflix show: Parks and Recreation, though I’m also way too in love with Lost.
Drink you have after a rough day: Hendricks Gin and tonic, or a bottle of wine. Or both. Depends on the day.
Favorite vacation spot: Thailand, or anywhere with a beach, hammock and an adult beverage.
Place you need to visit next: Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Iceland, Norway…I could go on and on if you’d like.
Worst food of all time: Vegetables. Is there anything that ruins a delicious meal more than a big pile of smelly veggies waiting on your plate?
Kathryn Kyle/Marketing director
Favorite Netflix show: Peaky Blinders
Drink you have after a rough day: Moscow Mule
Favorite vacation spot: Outer Banks, NC
Place you need to visit next: Cuba
Worst food of all time: Haggis
Alex Sampedro/Account manager
Favorite Netflix show: Arrested Development
Drink you have after a rough day: Protein shake
Favorite vacation Spot: Cuba
Worst food of all time: Pickles
Stephanie Banfield/Contributing editor
Favorite Netflix show: I’ve got to go with binge-watching past seasons of Shameless (because I’ve got a girl crush on Fiona, and who doesn’t love a hammered Frank Gallagher?) and Chelsea with Chelsea Handler.
Drink you have after a rough day: It really depends on my mood—and how “rough” the day was. I don’t think I’ve ever met a cocktail I didn’t like, but my faves are a solid, strong margarita on the rocks or essentially anything citrusy made with rum. I’m also a bit of a craft beer snob with an affinity for everything from wheat ales and IPAs to kolches and hefeweizens.
Favorite vacation spot: My backyard. No, for real: my backyard. I grew up spending two days in the car driving from Iowa to North Carolina to vacation on the Outer Banks every summer with my family, and in 2013 I moved to Raleigh to be closer to the beach. Turns out the City of Oaks wasn’t quite close enough. In late 2015 I moved from Raleigh to the OBX to live on the barrier islands. I’m stoked to say I’m no longer landlocked and can now see (and hear!) the ocean from my house in Kitty Hawk.
Place you need to visit next: I’ve been to most states in the continental U.S., but one I haven’t made it to yet that I’d love to visit is Oregon—I hear they’ve got an awesome coastline and some great breweries. And although I’ve visited Florida several times, I’m hoping to take a trip this year to visit the Florida Keys for the first time—beaches and booze, what’s not to love with that combo?
Worst food of all time: Hands down, sloppy Joes, despite the fact that this disgusting dish apparently originated in my Iowa homeland. There’s just something so unimaginative about piling flavorless, loose ground beef on a bun. The fact that we were also forced to eat these monstrosities like once a week throughout elementary school also ruined any hope of me actually enjoying the concoction.
Marissa Flanagan/Copy editor
Favorite Netflix show: It really depends on my mood, but I’m always down for The Great British Baking Show. I’ve also recently been into Jane the Virgin, which is just so fun to watch.
Drink you have after a rough day: I’m a wine drinker, so, depending on how I’m feeling, a nice red or a glass of Duplin wine is always a great way to wind down after a rough day.
Favorite vacation spot: By far, Maine.
Place you need to visit next: Well, I haven’t been out of the country yet, so Canada is next on my list, and then Ireland.
Worst food of all time: Brussels sprouts! I don’t care how they’re cooked or who cooks them, you’ll never be able to convince me they’re anything other than disgusting.