Stylish travel guides, the latest hotel intel, travel questions answered, plus conversations with fashion brands whose identity is defined by travel and place are all at the core of Monica Mendal’s ‘So there's this place…’ substack. A regular contributor to magazines such as Vogue, the New York Times T Magazine and Architectural Digest, Mendal who lives in Paris, was born to Colombian parents and grew up in a beach town outside Boston. She studied at WashU in St Louis before decamping to New York where she started her career in fashion, working across Vogue, GQ and Glamour for nigh on a decade, ‘Travel journalism during the time that I was working in fashion in the mid 2010s felt very one note to me,’ she says about her decision to branch out into travel and lifestyle writing.

Since moving to Paris, Mendal likes to frequently visit St. Moritz - one of her favourite spots in the Alps, where she likes to ski. On a recent trip her itinerary including a stay at Baur au Lac in Zurich before moving onto Survetta House and Kulm Hotel. Other highlights were dining at the newly opened Chesa Marchetta in Sils Maria and visiting the Nomad Circle art fair. Though Mendal is also a fan of 'forgetting to book reservations and letting that good light at the fork in the road determine which path you take.’

1. How would you explain your rituals, process and practise?

As a travel writer, my process is a bit unconventional. You’d think that with how often I’m on the road, I’d have to be comfortable writing anywhere in order to keep up with deadlines (i.e. hotel lobbies, trains, airport lounges). But that’s never been my practice. And I’ve never missed a deadline.

Being fully present is essential to how I work. When I’m traveling, I don’t want deadlines or half-formed sentences lingering in the back of my mind. I want to experience a place in its entirety. Even if I have downtime, I don’t use it to work. I let myself be there without the stress or constant reminder of work pulling me out of the moment or interrupting the reality I’m in.

When I return home, I’m very disciplined. I work full, uninterrupted days at my co-working office in Paris between trips. Separating the experience from the writing allows me to travel without pressure, stay fully immersed, and protect the integrity of the experience itself.

2. What are the things you yearn for or excite you most when you travel?

I’ve realised that what I love most about travel is how it makes me feel like a kid again. Watching my little nieces and nephews experience the world for the first time makes this so clear. Every small moment feels big and thrilling to them because everything is still so new! That sense of wonder is contagious.

We slowly lose that curiosity as we get older. Routine keeps us on a hamster wheel, expectations harden, and we become jaded without even noticing. The heaviness of the world can definitely overshadow the beauty, but there’s still so much beauty in everyday life!

Travel opens you back up to that. You feel curious again. Your expectations are stripped away by the unfamiliarity of a new place. Everything feels more sensory—the settings, landscapes, food, and culture. It’s all so new and exciting! Full of surprise and awe! That’s the feeling I crave, and travel always delivers.

3. How do you relax?

Yoga, reading, writing (for myself), or rewatching my comfort shows on a loop. Add in uninterrupted time with family or belly laughs with friends, and I’m reset.

4. Is there a quote or particular philosophy you live by?

When it comes to travel, one of my personal philosophies is letting go of the need to extract value from every moment. Not every hour has to be productive, optimised, or Instagram-worthy to count. There’s really no need to worry about whether you packed enough into the day or if you booked every reservation your friend recommended ahead of the trip. Every moment in your day-to-day life is planned or controlled in some way, travel is your opportunity to escape all of that. Let go!

5. How would you define beauty?

What a question! I'll keep it simple: authenticity.