Untapped is about discovering the city anew. The lens is photography, the writing is historical, architectural, witty and hip. We show you not only what is there, but also what once was. We take you to places rumored and places true, locales abandoned and avenues prosaic; but always—cool.
Interested in writing or taking pictures for Untapped? Get in touch and see our opportunities here.
New York | Paris | San Francisco | Global
Michelle Young, founder: Michelle is a graduate student in urban planning at Columbia University, holds a B.A. from Harvard in the History of Art & Architecture, and is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music. She can usually be found in New York (where she grew up), Paris, backpacking in South America or Southeast Asia, or in-transit between. She’s traveled to 35 countries, has an obsession with buses and shoots with a Nikon SLR camera. She is an author of 100 Ways to Make History, published by the New York Public Library. Follow her on Twitter @untappedmich
Alley Lyles, managing editor: Alley is an Austonian–a Houston and Austin hybrid. She now resides in New York City after traveling throughout Europe. Alley is a first year graduate student in Columbia University’s urban planning program on scholarship and works at NYC Digital. In her spare time, she listens to jazz and big band in Brooklyn, watches old movies and thinks the subway train is an awesome cheap rollercoaster. Follow her on Twitter @UntappedAlley
Ann Lam, editor-San Francisco: Originally from Baltimore, Ann enjoys taking long walks to nowhere in particular, and has a penchant for hosting dinner parties and discussing punctuation. She has served on the editorial staff at Carnegie Hall and other nonprofit arts organizations in New York City. When not writing for Untapped, Ann teaches yoga and performs solo violin or with various bands in the San Francisco Bay Area. Follower her on Twitter @annylam81
Suraj Patel, business director: Suraj was raised in Middle America, so he still has a wide-eyed wonder for all things New York even after five years. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Stanford and a J.D. from NYU School of Law. Instead of lawyering, he has a penchant for starting companies, working on political campaigns and traveling around the world juggling five projects at a time so he doesn’t get bored. Most prized possessions: his Passport and Twitter Feed.
Augustin Pasquet, marketing: Augustin is from Paris, has lived in Nigeria, Switzerland and Thailand and recently fell in love with New York City. He has a master degree in marketing from ESSCA Business School and spends his off-time traveling, taking pictures with a Nikon SLR camera or his rapidly increasing Lomo collection. He has traveled to 25 countries, including Cuba, Madagascar and Bolivia. He currently works for L’Oréal USA.
Laura Itzkowitz, arts editor: Laura was born and raised in the Boston area, but has always felt like a New Yorker at heart. She has a B.A. in French from Smith College and has studied in Paris, but has most recently been living in Rome. She decided to return to this side of the pond in order to write a book which she is currently testing out on her fellow MFA students at Columbia University’s School of the Arts.
Benjamin Waldman, content editor: Benjamin is an attorney, tour guide, and freelance writer who has been living in New York City since college. An American History major, Benjamin is interested in all things New York and spends his free time wandering around the City. In his free time, he works as a tour guide for the Lower East Side Jewish Conservancy. He has written articles for The New York Times, The Columbia Magazine, and Curbed.
Sivan Askayo, Urban Camera columnist,: Originally from Israel, Sivan is a New York-based travel photographer. She traveled throughout Europe, North and South America, Alaska and China, always looking for the complex, aesthetic and layers of a place and its people. She loves everything that has to do with graffiti and urban art. She also writes for the Huffington Post and travel, life style and design magazines in Israel.
Luke Kingma, Sunday in Chinatown columnist: By day, Luke Kingma, a University of Pittsburgh graduate, is a copywriter for Big Fuel Communications, the nation’s largest pure play social media marketing agency based in New York City. By night and by weekend, Luke is a photographer, writer, traveler and professional beer glass stealer whose thirst for adventure, great stories and, of course, delicious beer, is never quenched.
Alix MacKenzie, Intern – Filipino/German/Scottish, born in Hong Kong, living in London but studying Art History in St Andrews, Scotland. Often found not on her tiny island, but escaping to Europe looking for bigger and better things. Favorite past times include cafés, cakes and people watching…and weather permitting sometimes polo player and dancer. She started travelling as an infant (first destination…VEGAS BABY!) and never quite stopped…
Andrea Marpillero-Colomina, Transit Talk columnist: Andrea grew up in downtown Manhattan, where she spent decades developing a passionate dislike of pigeons. She has a Master’s in Urban Planning from Columbia, which she mostly uses as cred whilst politely informing people about neighborhood names and boundaries. She loves old maps, bridges, and public transit drama. Read her sometimes grouchy blog. Follow her on Twitter: @urbandrea
Bernadette Moke, Downtown Doodler columnist: Bernadette was born and raised in New Jersey, escaping to New York frequently. While attending New Jersey Institute of Technology, she finished three-tenths of an Architecture degree before completing a B.S. in Multimedia and Graphic Design. She is a professional napper, amateur photographer, crime show nut, book hoarder, mac & cheese connoisseur and is never far from a sharpie. You can find her work here.
Elizabeth Abbarno, events columnist: Born in Buffalo, Elizabeth grew up in Dallas, Texas and identifies strongly as Texan. She holds a B.A. in Art History from The University of Oklahoma and a masters in Museum Studies from New York University. Elizabeth works at a major museum in New York City and spends her spare time hunting for bargains, staring at art, looking for something to eat and drinking tea.
Lauren Bloomberg, Dine by Design columnist - Lauren Bloomberg was born with a passion for food, wine and entertaining. A former restaurant line cook, she has enjoyed dim sum in China, cheeses in France, learned about wine in Napa, and shopped the markets of Spain, but some of her favorite finds are right in her hometown, Manhattan. She has lent her voice to publications including Grub Street, Time Out New York, Fork in the Road, Zagat, Insatiable Critic, Restaurant Girl and Food Republic. She posts recipes and photos at www.laurenbloomberg.com.
Rembert Browne, writer: Rembert is a graduate student in urban planning at Columbia University, holds a B.A. from Dartmouth in Sociology, Geography & Public Policy and has a disgusting obsession with his home of Atlanta. He documents cities by way of a back-pocket moleskin notebook and an iPhone4 camera. He is a writer for Grantland and writes daily for his blog, 500 Days Asunder, where he attempts to actually write about everything.
Maria Gorshin, writer: Maria is a born and raised Upper West Sider with an unrelenting fascination with all things New York. Writing takes her around the globe, but her obsessions remain the quirks, history and architecture of Manhattan. She is the lead writer on an archaeology-based animation series for children, studies taiko and gets lost, camera in hand, at every opportunity.
Matt Lambros, photographer: Matt is an architectural photographer who began photographing abandoned buildings ten years ago. A graduate of Boston University’s digital imaging and photojournalism programs, Matt has since been documenting the decay of America’s abandoned theatres in the hope of shedding light on these forgotten buildings and the efforts to re-purpose them. Matt’s work can be viewed online at www.afterthefinalcurtain.net and www.mlambrosphotography.com.
Chuck Lau, photographer: Chuck is a New York portrait and lifestyle photographer. He loves pizza, beer, ramen, hot pockets and roaming the Dinosaur Hall at the American Museum of Natural History. He has studied at the International Center for Photography and considers Bruce Davidson and Elliot Erwitt as his favorite photographers. When not photographing, the Brooklyn native and NYU graduate can be found biking around the city and seeking his next misadventure. Check out his work at chucklauphotography.com and follow his latest projects at chucklau.tumblr.com.
Albert José-Antonio López, writer: Originally from Los Angeles, Albert is a Cuban-American living in New York while studying Architectural History and Theory at Columbia University GSAPP. A lifelong interest in folk music and transportation (trains, specifically) merged over the past few months to produce his newest project, the “Subway Series” for Untapped. He also just completed a whirlwind trip around the world, taking him from Delhi to Havana.
Sheila Marikar, writer: Born in New Jersey, Sheila started exploring the city as a teenager, trolling ska/punk record stores and the then-exotic Urban Outfitters. After graduating from Cornell she settled in Manhattan and discovered that the city’s virtues extend beyond mass marketed pseudo hipster clothing. She’s an entertainment reporter for ABC News; her work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Huffington Post and Mashable.
Janos Marton, writer: Janos was born and raised in Manhattan, where he excelled at backyard wrestling and Chinese handball. At Dartmouth he became the college’s first two-term student body president and began his fascination with the road. Now back in New York City as an attorney, Janos roots for the Knicks, mourns political fiascoes and expects that tomorrow will be a good day. He documents his movements on LivingtheDream.org.
Charmaine Poh, intern: Charmaine is an undergraduate at Tufts University, studying International Relations and Mass Communications. Born and raised in Singapore, she has had the opportunity to travel around various countries in Asia and doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. Her post-graduation goal is to travel along the Silk Road. She writes, takes photographs and loves seeing how creativity can be used for social good.
Jake Schabas, writer: Born in Toronto, Jake is a graduate student of urban planning at Columbia University and holds a B.A. from the University of King’s College. He is increasingly entranced by New York City where he currently lives, especially its transportation. Jake is the co-founder of Spacing Atlantic, a contributing editor to Spacing Magazine, and is the editor of URBAN Magazine, Columbia University’s planning program magazine.
Isabelle Yisak, intern: A native Chicagolander with the accent to boot, she is currently studying Architectural Studies and International Relations at Brown University. Isabelle is a self-proclaimed “dabbler” in various pursuits such as photography, origami, and foreign languages. Discovering hidden treasures in marketplaces and bazaars is another delight she enjoys, as is, oddly enough, spending time in airports. Follow her on Twitter: @iyisak
Monique Zamir, writer: Monique was born and raised in the New York City/Long Island area, but considers herself a closet Long Islander. She graduated from Binghamton University as a double major with her B.A. in English and History. She is an avid traveler, explorer and all around adventurer and loves the excitement of boarding a plane. She is a writer, amateur photographer, lover of cheese and an extrovert in disguise.
Samantha Choudhury, writer-Paris/Melbourne: Sam is from Melbourne, Australia and has been living in New York and Paris whilst in a graduate program at Columbia University. Her background is in Urban Planning and she has a masters in International Development from the University of Melbourne. She has worked in local and state government agencies, non-profits, the UN and as a consultant for the place-making firm Village Well.
Meg Gagnard, writer:Meg is a Denver native gone Parisian. As a digital ad gal kicking off her professional life in the city of lights, she fills up her free time roaming new streets, taking pictures of lovely things and tasting all things that look delicious. She loves vintage kitchenware, old-fashioned photobooths, marzipan and postcards. You can check out more loveliness through her lens on her blog De Quelle Planète Es-Tu?
Kate Kelly, writer-Paris/New York: Kate has been listening to Edith Piaf and championing nautical stripes since early childhood, and time has only refined her passion. Now armed with a degree in French Literature, Language and Culture from Syracuse University, she enjoys acquiring esoteric facts for Untapped and her own blog, www.fauxfrench.com. Don’t let this nerdy exterior fool you – she also enjoys a good dance party. Reach her @mllefauxfrench
Noelle Stout, writer: Noelle has a B.S. in Journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communciations. She spent the last five years working in advertising in New York City for Time Out New York and O Magazine. She now lives in Paris with her fiance, where her passions for food, fashion and emulating Ernest Hemingway will be well served. Needless to say, she is a big fan of Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris.
Hernando Buitrago, writer: Raised in Caracas, Venezuela, Hernando is a musician and music educator currently living in San Francisco. A coffee lover transitioning to tea who loves to photograph 18-wheelers, Hernando favors the raw and the real. He prefers the things that “just happen” over those that are thoroughly planned. His priorities include attending live music shows every week and weeding the backyard.
Cindy Casey, photographer/writer: A traveling fanatic and ski addict, Cindy is a fifth-generation Californian, and loves the history of her state and the inanity of her town. Cindy left the University of California with a degree in landscape architecture and never did anything with it. She wanders the streets of the world with her camera seeing what others do not. You can find her thoughts on art and architecture on her blog.
Jennifer L. Chan, managing editor: Three of Jennifer’s four grandparents grew up in San Francisco, making her an almost-native San Franciscan. She is also a writer, yogi, dog walker, change artist and professor of Ethnic Studies. She holds a PhD from NYU’s Department of Performance Studies, where she was managing editor for the MIT Press journal TDR: The Drama Review.
Vanessa Chan, writer: Born in Malaysia and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Vanessa lives in San Francisco and makes a yearly pilgrimage to visit her restaurateur family in Melbourne, Australia. Vanessa moonlights as a dancer, an off-key karaoke singer and a documentarian of provocative human exploits. On off nights, she can be found sipping a gin and tonic in a Tenderloin bar or curled up in bed with Somerset Maugham.
Faern, photographer: Faern’s deft understanding of dreams and shadows influence her photography, mixed media and oil painting. Her studio art training and cultural anthropology studies inform her perspective of her ever-changing relationship with her environment; this inspires and liberates her work. If you’ve seen photographs of a yoga teacher or healer in the Bay Area, chances are you know her work. To enter Faern’s world, visit her website.
Kathleen Fritz, writer: A student at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Kathleen is a feminist and future Catholic religion teacher with a passion for discovering how to live freely and love fully. The Bay Area is her third “home,” after Maryland, where she grew up; and Lima, Peru, where she served as a mission volunteer for two years. Writing, singing, yoga, and community make her glad to be alive!
Jeff Jacoby, sound artist: Jeff arrived in San Francisco in 2006, for which he is profoundly grateful. He is married to Untapped Cities contributor Sharon Steuer, for which he is also profoundly grateful. After nearly 30 years in the media production world as a sound designer, director, performer, writer and radio producer, he now teaches audio and radio at San Francisco State University. For more information, visit jeffjacoby.net.
Brion Johnson, intern: Hailing from San Diego County, a.k.a. “The Mother Ship,” 21-year-old Brion is a Southern California native transplanted to Northern California. Currently a full-time student at California State University, Sacramento, Brion is learning the Chinese language and majoring in International Business. Brion proudly enjoys his many adventures and tomfoolery throughout San Francisco and the rest of Northern California.
Shannon Little, writer: Shannon was shocked to realize how long she has lived in San Francisco, since she still feels like a newbie. She is constantly finding a new vista, character, or perfect cup of coffee to appreciate. Shannon likes to travel through the city on bicycle or foot so that she can take it all in. She likes to think she has settled in here for the long-haul, but is always open to new adventures.
Devin McCutchen, writer: Devin was raised on the edge of suburbia in the rural hinterlands of the Bay Area. While at UC Berkeley he took up studying San Francisco history and playing the banjo, thus sabotaging all conversational competency with people younger than 140. These days he finds himself in begrudging exile from The City, commuting through orange groves and sprawl en route to UCLA, where he’s a MA/PhD student of California history.
Ali Miller, writer: Ali lives in San Francisco and works as a product manager in Silicon Valley. Originally from Santa Cruz County, Ali bought her first real winter coat when she left for college at Harvard. She graduated with a B.A. in History in 2005 and returned to her favorite coast. While not at her day job or exploring SF, Ali moonlights as a violinist in the Oakland East Bay Symphony.
Joanna Miller, events columnist: Joanna hails from the Midwest but has always harbored a love of coastal cities. She holds a B.A. in Romance Languages & Literatures from Harvard University. Off the clock you can find her marveling at the beauty of the Bay, exercising her passport, browsing the stacks of the Chinatown library or on one of SF’s many dance floors. Follow her thoughts on Twitter (@jomillie) and digital ephemera on Pinterest.
Miya Peard, writer: Miya is intuitively logical or, perhaps, logically intuitive. She’s at once a left-brained lawyer living more creatively and a right-brained yoga teacher working more analytically. She enjoys thoughtful discussions, lively debates and general silliness. Raised in the Bay Area, San Francisco is the City she’s happy to come home to…though New Orleans is the town that she likes to go out on the town with and Paris is the city that she gets dolled up for.
Ricky Qi,
photographer-Global/SF: Born in the Spring City of Kunming in Yunnan Province, Ricky moved to the U.S. at the age of two. After graduating with a B.A. in International Studies from UCSD, Ricky moved to China for a year where he documented the Shanghai jazz revival, started a commercial photo studio and subsisted off a combination of good will, street food and on occasion, his photo work. You can find his latest projects here and here.
Michael Scagliotti, cartoonist: Creator of Oddly Gone Comix, Michael takes epic strolls, has two cats, does yoga, plays guitar and bagpipes, eats like a champ, and asks the infrequent penetrating question. A devotee of noncommercial radio and books with pictures, he discovered the Who and the Stones at an early age, then hardcore punk, then new wave, then hippie music, then art noise and exquisite kitsch.
Sharon Steuer, writer: Sharon is an artist and author specializing in the merging of traditional and digital art forms. When she’s not painting, doing yoga or writing about digital imaging, she can be found walking around her new city, enjoying beautiful vistas and eating fresh, healthy food. She lives in Bernal Heights with her husband (and Untapped collaborator), Jeff Jacoby. Learn about her art and writings at ssteuer.com and on Facebook.
Kate Shay, photographer/writer: A Creative Director and iPhoneographer living in San Francisco, Kate has a small addiction to iPhoneography and traveling. You can usually find her cruising around the city on her motorcycle—with iPhone readily at hand. Follow Kate’s adventures on Twitter and Instagram: @justthegritty. For more information on Kate, visit her website.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin, writer: An avid baker and cookbook junkie since the age of five, Alanna holds a degree in baking and pastry from Tante Marie’s Culinary School of San Francisco. When she isn’t making postres for Destino, a nuevo latino restaurant in the Duboce Triangle, she can be found editing her blog, The Bojon Gourmet, rocking downward dog, or playing the ukulele. Find her own Twitter @alannaTT
Clio Tilton, writer: Clio is a violist based in San Francisco. In her travels around the world as a musician, writing about her experiences has always been a natural part of exploring new places. A new-comer to San Francisco, she looks forward to sharing her discoveries on Untapped. You can hear her online at www.cliotilton.com or follow her on twitter @clio_t.
Victoria Cen, writer-Singapore: Victoria is a cake artist and pastry chef at Numily Creations. Her hometown, New York City, turned her into an adventurous eater whether served on fine linens or street-side. Currently in Singapore, she plans to eat up the country as she discovers it. You’ll find Victoria at the latest food event, farmer’s market, or chatting up the chefs at her favorite restaurants.
Amrit Chima, writer-Budapest: Born in San Francisco, Amrit is a chronically hard-working, continent-hopping bohemian determined that someone will publish her first—and completed—novel. She loves Vandana Shiva, spicy hot chocolate, and believes there can be life without toxic plastics. You can find an excerpt of her novel, as well as her blog chronicling her life as a resident of Budapest at www.amritchima.com.
Christina Chou, writer/photographer-LA: Christina is a Chicago transplant residing in LA; she doesn’t elongate her vowels. She’s worked in talent management, various embassies, on international film/concert tours, and recently documented tsunami relief work in Japan. Her dual B.A. in Economics/Political Science from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign just assures she’s literate. She enjoys her Canon DSLR, obscure items on menus, and damn good coffee.
Heinz von Eckartsberg, writer-Melbourne: Heinz grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and has a master’s degree in urban design from Columbia University. He previously worked with the New York Department of City Planning Brooklyn Office and the Urban Design Lab at Columbia University. A fast walker, he has travelled extensively, from the megablocks of China to a tiny village in Ghana.
William Feuerman, writer-Sydney: Billy is a “New Yorker” via Los Angeles and San Francisco, who is currently living in Sydney, Australia. Billy has his own design practice, Office Feuerman, and is faculty at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). He received a Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University and a Bachelors of Architecture from the California College of the Arts. He has taught in architecture programs at Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania and Pratt Institute.
Seijin Jung, writer – Seoul: Seijin is a rather unusual globalist living in Seoul. He has studied English and management in Seoul and in Los Angeles. Obsession with inspirational music, films, books, and soccer games has motivated him to trot around the globe and to learn English, French, and Japanese. He is currently working as a full-time marketing strategist in Seoul.
Theodore Lin, writer-Singapore: Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio and a graduate of Georgetown University, Ted has been living in Singapore since working in the aviation finance industry. He devotes his free time to scouring antique shops for the perfect aviation memorabilia and checking out all things historical, architectural and quirky. He believes the best way to get to know a city is to get lost and wander around aimlessly.
Daniel Morales, editor-New Orleans: Daniel was born and raised in Uptown New Orleans by two transplants to the city from Dallas. He has a B.A. from Harvard in Modern Japanese Literature and spent the past ten years living in Japan teaching English on the JET Program and working as a translation coordinator at a video game translation company in Tokyo. He moved back to New Orleans in 2010 to pursue an MFA in Fiction at the University of New Orleans.
Candy Singhakowin, writer – Singapore: Candy graduated from Dartmouth College with a B.A. in Asian and Middle Eastern studies. Originally from Bangkok, Thailand, she has lived in five different countries around the world. For now she can be found (mainly) in Singapore where she produces documentaries and TV shows for a living and spends the rest of her time cooking, eating and thinking about food.
Andrea Valentini, writer – Tokyo: Andrea was born and raised in Northern Italy, from which he tried to escape as soon as possible. He now resides in Tokyo, after living in London, Lisbon, and Cairo. He has an academic background in economics and journalism, and works as a freelance business writer and researcher. When not traveling he enjoys getting lost in obscure parts of Tokyo, and is currently navigating Japan’s booming craft beer scene.
Don Wong, writer-Singapore: Don is a 6 year old Golden Retriever from Brisbane and muse-pseudonym for Peter and Michelle Wong. The dog-loving duo with a passion for spatial and communications design has seeded ventures ranging from Fronterra in sports marketing to Stratosfund in private fund management. Peter studied Economics at Michigan, Ann Arbor and met Michelle in Melbourne when they were in banking. They live in Singapore.
Simon Wong, writer-Singapore: British-born, Simon is a freelance photojournalist and has contributed to various inflight and travel publications including SmilE, Mandala, Frequent Traveller, CityScoops travel guides as well as exhibited work at The Arts House and Sculpture Square. He’s a partner in the award winning design agency Chemistry. His thirst for travel started back in 1981 during his first trip to Hong Kong and he decided to call Singapore home in 1999.
Lynnette Woo, writer- LA: Lynnette is an Orange County native with an affinity for vibrant big cities like London and Hong Kong, despite being a self-proclaimed “California girl.” She graduated with a B.A. in English (writing emphasis) and a minor in business from Biola University. She survives on English breakfast tea and rose milk tea to fuel her writing, and enjoys experiencing cafes anywhere in the world she may venture to. She permanently craves Penang cuisine.
Min Yong, editor-Singapore: Min is a financial journalist and incognito tree-hugging travel buff. Raised in Melbourne, Australia and currently living in Singapore, she has country-hopped the globe, from Bermuda to Paris, to the Dead Sea and beyond. She has a hound’s nose for coffee and is always on the hunt for the perfect brew. Min also previously freelanced for publications like The Big Issue and Melbourne’s City Weekly.
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