I'm Jake. I'm a New York-based actor, and I work mostly in non-profit theatre. In my next life, I'm going to be a chef in a restaurant connected to an urban farm. I love reading, music, dance, adventuring, and watching feel-good movies, preferably ones made in the nineties (the nostalgia gets me every time).

I'm a domestic at heart--I cook, sew, knit, crochet--basically, I'm a grandmother trapped in the body of a young guy.

My two promises: 1. I'm a neat guest, and I will treat your home with the same respect I would mine. 2. If I have time to cook, I'll make your kitchen smell amazing!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I grew up an hour north of New York City and moved to the city for college; being in one region all my life has made me travel-hungry. I try to travel a few times a year without going totally broke! I also love the idea of meeting new people, getting to know a place through the insight and hospitality of locals, and ESPECIALLY learning about all the best secret hikes, waterfalls, swimming holes...

Interests

I love music--if you have a guitar or piano and want to play with me, that's a surefire way to my heart. I'm a big reader with diverse interests, though I'm a sucker for really beautifully written and socially engaged literature. Other loves: meeting interesting new people, seeing good art (movies, theatre, dance, visual art), cooking, hiking, swimming, yoga, korean spas (or really anywhere with a sauna).

• arts
• literature
• acting
• spas
• dancing
• cooking
• yoga
• sauna
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• crochet
• knitting
• music
• guitar
• piano
• hiking
• swimming
• history
• mathematics

Music, Movies, and Books

I have pretty eclectic music taste, but there are certain artists I come back to again and again: Joni Mitchell, Laura Marling, Bjork, and Nina Simone, among others. Movies: I see a lot and like a lot. Away We Go, anything by Charlie Kaufman, Lars von Trier (when I have the stomach for it), Richard Linklater, 90s feel good movies with strong female leads. Books!! J.D. Salinger, Salman Rushdie, Virginia Woolf, E.M. Forster, Marguerite Duras, The Color Purple, and tons more that I'm sure I'm forgetting.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

It's in process...I'm taking my mother's oral history, which is an incredibly intense and rewarding experience.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach: cooking, knitting, sewing, yoga, English, French......math (though I doubt that would come up!)

There is an endless list of things I'd love to learn!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share my enthusiasm, smile, cooking skills, and love of campfire songs.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Cayman Islands, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, France, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States