What’s your historical San Francisco and New York connection?
I was born in New York and lived there until I was about 8. I’ve been on the west coast ever since except for a summer internship in NYC. After college and a year as a consultant in LA, I moved to SF to join an ed-tech company, LearnSprout, as an early employee. I can’t seem to move away from the west coast but NY will always have my heart.

Describe your experience in SF and your experience in NYC.
The time that I’ve spent in NYC was during the years when I was still figuring out what I wanted. I loved that the city was always active but lonely in a way that no one would bother or judge you. On the contrary, SF has been a career choice. It’s great for techies but sometimes I miss getting to interact with people in other industries and of various backgrounds.

What was the biggest challenge of moving between NYC and SF?
The lack of a subway system in SF, transportation in the city is significantly harder. There is no parking and the buses are always late but Uber and Lyft have made life a little bit easier!

How can NYC and SF best engage with each other?
I’m currently working on a startup called Pawprint to digitalize pet medical records . After doing a soft launch in SF, I plan to launch in NYC as one of the first cities we serve. I hope that over time, there will be a strong network between SF and NYC to make this process easier for other startups as well since SF and NYC are arguably 2 of the largest markets in the US.

Favorite SF secret spot
Hack Reactor just created some new hacker spaces for alumni complete with a curved TV, pool table, bar and extra monitors for coding. It’s awesome for hanging out or getting some work done with fellow hackers. You need an insider to get you in (there’s an eye scanner protecting the room) but they are a friendly bunch!

Favorite NYC secret spot
Milk & Honey: there’s a crazy reservation system to keep it exclusive and secret but it’s totally worth it! It’s this tiny bar with barely enough space for anyone with some old society house rules and the bartenders recommend drinks based on your preferences. They are rarely wrong and it’s got a great ambiance that brings back fond memories of one of my first winters in New York as an adult.

If you were not where you are now, what would you be doing?
Traveling the world doing contract work and spending way to much in some dance studio. My favorite in SF is Alonzo Line’s on 7th and Market. They have a great variety of classes for all levels and the teachers are incredibly welcoming. Come dance with us!

Roadtrip Entertainment: tell us what song/album, TV show, podcast, or web videos you’ve been watching lately.
NPR for podcast. Suits, So You Think You Can Dance, and Shark Tank for TV. I have Jubel by Klingande on repeat, it’s upbeat and there are no lyrics which helps my productivity.

From the 2905 Miles newsletter: connecting NEW YORK CITY + SAN FRANCISCO