Being present is harder than driving 2,500 kilometres in winter, but it is far more rewarding.46
KELOWNA, CANADA
Words · Photographs · HospitalityJames
McCullough.
I’m James, a writer, photographer, and hospitality consultant in Kelowna. A winter drive, a crowded Bangkok street, a meal shared with someone I love: these are the things I return to in my writing and photographs. My working days are spent helping independent hotels.
A few ways inDIFFERENT SIDES, SAME PERSON
Follow what interests you.Writing
I’ve been writing at Four Sides since 2011, following my curiosity across everyday life, books, culture, technology, and travel. The subjects change, but the essays often begin with something close at hand: a conversation, a road trip, a meal, or a question I can’t quite leave alone.
Recent writing explores Bangkok’s streets, the practice of meditation, and what it means to show up for the people closest to me. I write to understand my own experience and leave room for yours.
Photography
Photography is another way I spend time with a place. My photographs follow me through Kelowna and the Okanagan, along northern highways, out to the coast, and into the streets of cities further from home. Some become part of an essay; others stand on their own.
I’m an amateur photographer, drawn to the details that make somewhere feel particular: the light, the landscape, and the way people have shaped their surroundings. The gallery brings these journeys together. You can also find my photographs on Pixelfed.
Photographs by James McCullough
Consulting

Through Four Sides Hospitality Consulting, I work directly with independent hotels and motels on pricing, booking channels, and the daily routines behind a guest’s stay. My experience spans nearly fifteen years with independent properties across North America, connecting the numbers with the practical work of running a hotel.
An engagement might involve reviewing rates, improving how rooms are presented online, documenting procedures, or supporting a system change. I start with the property as it is and help put agreed changes into practice, with clear responsibilities and routines the team can maintain.
I’m James McCullough, a writer, amateur photographer, and hospitality consultant living in Kelowna, British Columbia. I’m also a father, a partner, and someone who rarely gets far into the day without coffee. My interests wander between books, culture, technology, and the places I find myself in. Four Sides is where those different parts of my life meet.
My background is in technical theatre; much of my working life has been in hotels. Away from work, there are books to read, streets to wander, and meals worth taking my time over. Sometimes I write about them. Sometimes I bring a camera. I’m trying to get better at enjoying what’s in front of me, especially when it’s time with someone I love.
FROM THE NOTEBOOK
A few words
to spend time with.
Some cities impress you. Bangkok lingers.Bangkok: Sawasdee Khrap
Meditation, for example, is not something to succeed at. It is something I need to return to.A Meditation on the New Year
FRESH FROM FOUR SIDES
Recent writing.
Recent posts from my personal blog.
Mabuhay, Day 14: Kicks at the IMAX
A rainy dinner in Pampanga leads to an IMAX screening of The Odyssey, where the loudest review comes from an unexpected third critic.
Mabuhay, Day 13: Rain and Matcha
A rainy afternoon in Clark leads to Maison Matcha, warm drinks, a quiet seat outside, and one café worth returning to.
Mabuhay, Day 12: Skewers in the Rain
A rainy evening of street food in the Philippines, from chicken inasal and octopus tempura to daily pandesal, isaw, and one Betamax still left to try.
BOOKS, FILM & OTHER COMPANY
Favourites.

The Obstacle Is the Way
Ryan Holiday

Shōgun
James Clavell

The Fifth Column

The Godfather

Birth of the Cool
Miles Davis
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