Michael has made no secret of his passion for food and traveling. Whether local or abroad, Michael's photos have amassed over 300 million views and provided extra details on every dish, with reviews to match. Michael has helped support local businesses and their patrons with photographs that detail the architecture and storefront accessibility.

Michael credits their growth as a Local Guide to weekly conversations with other Local Guides from around the world.

What is your favorite place, experience, photo or video you contributed to Google Maps this year?
My favorite contribution in the last year would be my public list for New Castle, PA. I created the list to celebrate my birthday and I really like waterfalls and good food, so it has plenty of both! It was my first time traveling to the region and I've revisited the area three times since creating the list.

What advice do you have for other Local Guides?
Our goal is to provide quality, relatable content that will benefit those who utilize Google Maps and Connect. I'm passionate about food and traveling and I think that's obvious to anyone that visits my profile! I also think that's why I have a fairly high number of featured restaurant photos and reviews. If you like what you're doing, it will be obvious to others that come across your posts, photos, and reviews.

What do you like most about the Local Guides community?
I enjoy connecting with other Local Guides from all over the globe to share photos, stories, and tips. I have conversations with Local Guides from Australia, India, Germany, Canada, and Italy on a weekly basis. It's a wonderful community and I encourage everyone to explore it!

What makes a place or experience worth rating/reviewing?
I prefer to post positive ratings and reviews for places that stand apart from the crowd. It could be the architecture, the food, the service, the product selection or the landscape. If it's good quality or different, I'm inclined to review. However, there are instances where multiple negative occurrences happen and I will leave appropriate and detailed comments.

What is your favorite feature of Google Maps?
Reviews. I utilize the reviews on Google Maps for almost any new place I plan to visit — whether it's dining, shopping, accommodations or travel interests. I can feel confident about a place without ever setting foot in there, because I know there are trusted Local Guides leaving reviews that will help me decide.

Want to learn more about this incredible Local Guide? Check out their contributions on Google Maps and follow them on Connect.