Well, helloooo. It’s been a bit! I’ve been nonstop the last couple of months, and I’ll have loads to share soon, but for now, I’m coming in hot with a quick turnaround request for ideas surrounding the upcoming 100th anniversary of Route 66 AND food (obviously).

I’m working on a piece for TIME OUT, highlighting the best budget eats along Route 66, and I’m hoping for some stand-out ideas!

This food-centric guide will be perfect for roadtrippers along Route 66 who want to eat well, without breaking the bank. I’m curating the best budget eats across more than 2,000 miles, with enough suggestions (and what to try there) so readers can use it as a resource for short or long sections. These recommendations will be backed by local insight, and the more specific the better (if you're suggesting a diner, tell me what to order there! If it's a gas station, which item is the stand-out grub, particularly for roadtrippers?)

I'm looking for fairly quick and affordable stops along the route (or very, very close to the route) that don't sacrifice on taste.

For ease: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California

I have a pretty quick turnaround, so ideally, it’d be great to have some ideas asap, latest by Monday morning, 10am EST.

As always, please e-mail me directly: girlwanderlist@gmail.com

Stay tuned…lots more to come about my recent travels and published pieces, + upcoming editorial requests. Thanks!

But really, this isn’t the whole kit + caboodle, just a quick little pop-in to your inbox, with a media request for those “wild wellness” ideas I mentioned in the first one. I’m going full-throttle on this now, and I need to curate a larger list by EOD MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9th.

What am I looking for?

Destinations, activities, or hotels with special programs that are embracing + fit into the larger term of “wild wellness” as a trend. Worldwide!

Think: wellness experiences in far-flung wilderness settings, where it's more intimate, quiet, and removed from everyday life: nature as the luxury. The more unique, less mainstream, creative, the better. (They don’t necessarily need to include robes.)

• remote saunas

• forest bathing

• yoga in remote places

• hot springs

• spa treatments in the middle of nowhere

• anything fresh that’s redefining or expanding the meaning of “wellness” as it pertains to nature and evolves past the traditional concept

Please e-mail me directly: girlwanderlist@gmail.com

Thanks!

Cheese,

Lauren

Hi!

I'm an Upstate New York based freelance travel writer, photographer, and content creator with a focus on off-the-beaten-path adventures, remote destinations, outdoor exploits, unique stays, quirky festivals, and authentic cultural + culinary experiences. I thrive on grilled cheese, sunrise missions, wildlife photography, and dive bars. I contribute to a variety of publications in print and digital, including National Geographic, BBC Travel, Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, Lonely Planet, Fodor's, AFAR, Thrillist, and more.

I’m random. I like to write stories about the unexpected. I’m open to, and actively looking to work with tourism boards, hotels, tour companies, and brands on the photography + content creation side of things. If interested and a fit, email me, and I’ll send over my rate list.

Here’s a photo of me and my best girl, Scout.

This substack will remain free, and serve as a semi-regular (once a month? whenever something comes up?) update on current editorial project needs, where I’m headed next, and any other tidbits.

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CURRENT UNDERTAKINGS / MEDIA REQUESTS:

• A HUGE guide to the USA, highlighting the top comfort food in every state. I’m not necessarily looking for ICONIC foods, rather, a dish that a local would crave when away from home; something nostalgic, and perhaps something that the rest of the country wouldn’t know about.

**This is for a top-tier publication, and I’m taking suggestions until 6 pm EST Thursday, January 29th.

Please email me directly: girlwanderlist@gmail.com.

You can also participate in (and share please!) this poll: Comfort Food Survey

• Looking for ideas/destinations/activities surrounding the ‘wild wellness’ trend: going remote in nature as a form of wellness and what that looks like (saunas, etc.)

UPCOMING TRAVELS:

• Saratoga Springs, NY

• Sarasota/Siesta Key, FL

RECENTLY PUBLISHED PIECES:

Hotels Above Par

Condé Nast Traveler

Travel + Leisure

AFAR

Thanks for coming to my TED Talk.

Cheese,

Lauren

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