A year ago today Eryn & I were just starting our whirlwind tour of India (Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Udaipur - Mumbai), trying to decide what would be more powerful: jet lag or excitement. Excitement won out (of course!). . . 📷: @partyoferyn A love song in marble. About a year ago I was anticipating what it would be like to see the Taj Mahal in person & once I saw it last September I couldn’t tear my eyes away. It’s spectacular. . . . Random thought: I have NO idea how so many instagrammers seem to be able to get photos without a ton of people in the background. We went twice (sunset & sunrise) & it was crawling with visitors. Maybe they’re better photo editors than me? Stunning regardless. 💜 I always want the window seat. . . . 📷: @franks_whiskey_ 🚂: @belmondhirambingham 📍: Cusco— Aguascalientes, Peru 🇵🇪 Reading my story (“Quintessential Quito”) in JWM Magazine from the balcony of the JW Marriott Cusco (researching for a future article). Nice symmetry, I think! 📷: @franks__whiskey_ However awe-inspiring Machu Picchu was in my dreams, the reality was even better. Some days you’re in your home office, grinding out a ton of copy projects. On others, one of your favorite media clients asks you to go on a last-minute trip to tour with a band for a couple days to produce a story & video with a super-talented crew. . . It’s been a crazy few days, but I wouldn’t trade it! It’s never too early to start planning your next brunch! Researching these for @cntraveler was a tough job but somebody’s gotta do it. 😂🤷🏻‍♀️ What’s your favorite brunch spot? {link in profile} So glad she was born this week 13 years ago... My world is brighter with her in it. Happy birthday, Elle Marie! 💜 🎁 🎈 June 13, 2011 started like any other day: I woke up, drove to my marketing job & desperately wished to be a full-time writer, after freelancing “on the side” for almost 3 years. Except, it wasn’t like any other day. Within an hour of settling in, I was laid off. . . . Of course, I cried. Life as I knew it was over - the place I’d spent my professional years was no longer my work home. But two days later I landed my highest paying editorial assignment to date, within a month I’d signed on as a stringer with @people & things grew from there. A freelance career I never knew was possible started happening. . . . It definitely hasn’t always been easy & being self-employed can be tough (who else can relate to being a tougher boss to ourselves than anyone else would dare?), but I’m so grateful. It feels almost poetic that this month I’ve got THREE stories in @deltaskymag, including the cover feature on designer @zacposen & his new @delta uniforms. If you’re flying this month, I hope you’ll check it out (& my piece on @theellenshow & some ND business luminaries). Here’s to 7 years. ❤️ Best day fishing with Jeremy from Angler’s West. I’ve fished a bunch in N. Ga, but this was my first actual catch & couldn’t have asked for a better experience. . . . Funny story: was on a wine tasting tour in Tuscany in April & met a sweet woman from NY who mentioned she has a son who guides fly fishing trips. Turns out he lives in Emigrant (where Mountain Sky is). So we connected and hired him for the day. Gotta love travel serendipity. ❤️ 🎣 If you’re near Buckhead, Brookhaven or Sandy Springs, pick up a copy of the latest Simply Buckhead, with my 6-page cover story (“Food Scene from A to Z”). I can almost guarantee you’ll be hungry by the time you finish. . . . . Not only was it fun to research / write, but I got to help dream up & style the cover (shot at St. Cecilia’s brunch, 📷: Sara Hanna). I love how it turned out! “Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go.” I agree, Truman Capote. . . . . #venice #italia #simplyadventure #skypainters #girlsthatwander #girlvsglobe #wanderingwomen #travelgirlscollective #walkingthestreets #explorergecity #justtravel #girlsabroad So proud to have my work featured in JWM Magazine. It’s edited by the extraordinarily lovely @karastud (her first issue as EIC!). Scroll over for my stories on #Shanghai & Functional Elixirs (featuring @upbeet CEO Erik Maier). If you’re staying in one of the @jwmarriotthotels worldwide this season, I hope you’ll check it out in person! . . . . . #simplyadventure #skypainters #wanderingwomen #travelgirlscollective #explorergecity #justtravel #girlsabroad #postcardplaces #globelletravels #shewhowanders #postcardplaces #beautifulmatters #vinegarshots #healthytravel #travelwriters I sort of forgot to post anything (other than in instastories!) when I was in #Quito, #Ecuador a few weeks ago. Though it was an last-minute assignment, it doubled as a magical trip with one of my dearest friends. PLUS, I was struck by how infrequently I truly discover a place - with no preconceived notions about what's a "must see" or "must do." It felt like the purest kind of exploration. Next time, I'll stay longer than 4 days & tack on a trip to the islands or Amazon, for sure! 📷: @kathryn_arden . . . . . #simplyadventure #skypainters #girlsthatwander #girlvsglobe #wanderingwomen #travelgirlscollective #walkingthestreets #explorergecity #justtravel #girlsabroad #postcardplaces #globelletravels #shewhowanders #postcardplaces #beautifulmatters #travelgirlscollective I’ve let myself get weirdly insecure about posting on Instagram. Is this photo #instaworthy enough? My caption sufficiently pithy (“Jennifer, you’re a writer...you should be good at this!”). . . . Something that’s supposed to be fun has turned into another thing on which to be judged (How many likes? How many comments? Good “engagement”? What does that even mean?). . . . So today I’m posting this pic just because it’s pretty... & that’s enough. ❤️