The Upside of 'Going Rogue'
Plus, springtime in Savannah, a quick Netherlands recap, a few story leads, and so much more.
I was planning to kick off this month’s newsletter by waxing poetic on the beauty and benefits of Spring/shoulder season travel, but as the zeitgeist continues to sieve through all the Kate Middleton drama — and all roads and group text convos seem to lead to the whereabouts of England’s future queen — I feel compelled to weigh in.
What is it about #kategate that has gripped our collective consciousness? I think we can all agree that the memes and gifs are the gifts that keep on giving, but there’s something else at play here. Discussing the subject via text with a friend the other day, she said something that struck a chord: ‘Don’t underestimate the upside of going rogue,” she wrote. Bingo.
According to Merriam Webster, the modern day interpretation of ‘going rogue’ is defined as “someone displaying some degree of independence or failing to follow an expected script.” Urban Dictionary has quite a different definition of the phrase, but I’ll let you look that one up for yourself.
When it comes to travel, the word rogue typically carries a negative connotation. A rogue wave: pretty grim. A rogue stampede of elephants: not ideal.
I’ve been ‘going rogue’ both personally (hello, we bought a house and moved to Beaufort sight unseen) and professionally (way too many things to count) for as long as I can remember. More often than not, things have worked out.
More recently, I’ve been going rogue when I travel, forfeiting an over scheduled itinerary in favor of off the cuff, spontaneous experiences. Seeing Taylor Swift, and spending three blissful days just winging it solo in Tokyo was a spiritual awakening. Recently, Parker and I spent three drizzly, wonderful days wandering around Amsterdam. While we had a general game-plan, with scant activities and only one restaurant reservation booked before we arrived, we could not have had a better time.
We’ll see how this whole royal melodrama plays out. Kate will be fine. I mean, I’m pretty sure she’ll be fine. I stand with Kate and all the rogue queens out there. Don’t underestimate the upside of going rogue. Embrace it. Take the power back. Here’s to a Spring that’s sprinkled with impromptu moments and going off-script more often.
Recent Musings
Spring has sprung in Savannah
I’ve been working on a slew of southern-centric stories for Fodor’s Travel lately, including this story about the best time of year to visit Charleston. I stand by what I wrote when I said there’s really never bad time to visit, although if I had to pick a favorite, I would say Springtime in the South is the most magical season of all.
I experienced a piece of that magic on one of those life-affirming walks through Forsyth Park in Savannah last week. I love an impromptu flâneur around town moment, and Savannah provides no shortage of deliciously walkable streets and scenic squares to soak it all up in.
It didn’t hurt that my home base for my southern sojourn was the newly opened Hotel Bardo. Set just off of the park, the hotel opened in February and you’ll be able to read all about it in my forthcoming story in the summer issue of Elite Traveler (coming soon!)
Spoiler alert: the hotel is spectacular. I absolutely loved every square inch of the design, from the Georgia peach interiors and pink crystal chandeliers to the ethereal members-only Club Bardo and coastal-Italian vibes and cabana-flanked pool just off my ground floor suite. The hotel also has an incredible Italian restaurant called Saint Bibiana, and a spa and wellness program that is hands down the best in town. If you find yourself at the spa, I recommend booking the Alchemist Facial with Anabel. You won’t regret it.
Latest and Greatest
A quick Netherlands recap
Speaking of magical destinations, Parker and I spent what can only be described as a postcard perfect week in the Netherlands last month. I was on assignment for Robb Report covering a 17th century chateau that just opened as a luxury hotel in Maastricht and while I think it must have rained everyday while we were there, we couldn’t have cared less. That’s the thing about off-season travel, sometimes you just have to roll with it. I’m lucky to have a travel partner that doesn’t let a little rain get in the way of a good time.
Since it was Parker’s first time in Amsterdam, we wanted to infuse some touristy attractions into our very loose itinerary. I’ve been making a concerted effort to be more spontaneous on these trips, and honestly, this whole going rogue business has produced some spectacular results. OK, so we couldn’t get into Pancakehouse Upstairs. NBD, we pivoted and still managed to stuff ourselves full of sweet and savory crepes at Dutch Pancake Masters.
On a particularly drizzly morning, we made our way via tram to the Museum Quarter and spent some time with Van Gogh before heading across the street where Banksy, Basquiat, Warhol and some interesting NFT art were on display at MOCO. Other highlights that I would highly recommend you bookmark on your next trip was lunch at Blue Amsterdam, an impromptu jenever tasting at Proeflokaal, a stop by Happy Bookieman, and a traditional Dutch dinner at Restaurant ‘t Zwaantje.
My family is headed on a cruise that departs out of Amsterdam in June, so I’m excited to head back in a few months and am working on building out a broader Amsterdam story for a later newsletter, so stay tuned!
What’s On The Horizon
Story leads
Dear Readers: Have you ever booked a trip somewhere based on a really great book? If so, I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to email me @ michelle.sylvia.gross@gmail.com or drop a comment here:
To my PR friendlies:
Do you work with a destination, hotel, or tour operator that offers literary inspired trips or experiences? Please get in touch!
What are the best sustainable hotels/destinations in 2024? HMU!
I’m also looking to connect with wine somms and whiskey experts to weigh in on a branded content piece.
Seeking tips/recommendations for Southern Peru (April), Turks and Caicos (May), and San Diego (current/ongoing) for a travel series I’m working on.
I’m also starting to map out summer travel plans/stories so please get in touch. The more unique/newsworthy the better!
Thanks so much for reading! I’ve had a number of fun stories run lately, if you’d like to give them a click, you can find them HERE. I the meantime, go rogue beloved readers, and I’ll see you back here in April. XO.
Michelle / The Beau Yorker