theViatrix | Stephanie Dosch
Insider planning tips, hidden gems, and luxury intel for transformative travel experiences. Drawing from almost 20 years of award-winning expertise, I help you explore more meaningfully. Subscribe to theVialist for curated cultural guides and destination insights.
Postcard from Granada
Hola Reader - This week got busy and now I'm in Spain, so just a quick update today! I remembered to take a selfie! On the docket for this visit: Evening visit to the Alhambra (got our tickets EARLY!) A couple of restaurants that have been on my list Time with friends Visiting some lesser-visited sites like the Monasterio de San Jerónimo Hopefully staying out of the rain ☹️ Ciao for now! P.O. Box 40073, Bellevue, Washington 98015Unsubscribe · Preferences
Why You Don't Actually Want Local Recommendations When You Travel
I’ve been working on Part 2 of my New York trip report, but having a hard time deciding what to include and what to leave out. That trip was a little unusual, because I felt like both a local and a visitor at the same time. A former resident who knows the city well, but there for a specific reason and a limited amount of time. Which got me stuck on something I've been thinking about for a while: What makes a good recommendation? Because sometimes I see "local recommendations" and it's stuff...
NYC trip report, part 1: The hotels
Hey Reader, Since I’ve mentioned my New York trip in the last couple of newsletters, I thought it was time for a trip report. This week, I’m sharing the five hotels I visited. Of course, there are a ton of luxury hotels in Manhattan, and I already have a list of hotels to visit on my next trip. But for this first foray, I chose a mix of price points, vibes, and neighborhoods. Here are a few thoughts and impressions on each, in the hopes that this gets you started if you’re planning a trip to...
What is luxury, really?
I’ve got the apartment to myself this week while Iñigo is away with his family in Holland and Belgium (I’m giving him all my insider recs and also making him do recon for me). Because he isn’t here to take care of me, I’m working through my post-New York jet lag with too many snacks and some ill-advised late-night TV binges. Me at 1:30am So reentry could be going better, but being in New York was more than worth this week’s energy dips and self-care snafus. Between hotel inspections, my...
Postcard from New York
Being in New York is making me simultaneously so happy and so homesick. I spent the last three days at a mastermind retreat and writing workshop with the fabulous Laura Belgray, and I’m feeling so lit up after connecting with other entrepreneurs—and with my inner writer. I’ll be spending the next few days visiting hotels, working, and catching up with a few friends (if I don’t have time to see you, I’m sorry! And I’ll be back in November!). Hopefully I’ll have time to sneak in a few cultural...
5 places I can't stop thinking about
A couple of weeks ago, I shared Part 1 of my travel bucket list—the countries I haven’t been to yet that I’m dying to visit. (Read it here if you missed it.) Well, I wasn’t done. Here’s Part 2. Argentina Llao Llao Hotel in Bariloche I visited Buenos Aires for a couple days when I was in high school, but haven’t seen any of the rest of the country, so it’s on the list. And what a country: Buenos Aires has the tango and café culture, famous futbol teams, interesting neighborhoods like Palermo,...
Where I'm headed in 2026
Today is my birthday! (Pisces sun, Aquarius moon, Taurus rising, in case you're wondering.) To celebrate, we’re taking a quick day trip to London this weekend. We’ll see the marquee Marie Antoinette exhibition at the V&A, have a nice lunch, spend the afternoon walking around, then jump on the Eurostar back home. The ability to take trips like this is maybe my favorite thing about living in Paris. (That and the baguettes. On Monday, we stopped to grab one on our way home from French class, and...
Apparently, I have a type
Hey Reader, In last week’s newsletter, I shared a list of some of my favorite cultural destinations around the world (you can see it here). As I was creating it, I realized that those destinations all have a lot in common: a variety of landscapes or experiences, culture that feels really alive, incredible food, wonderful crafts, interesting architecture … And that got me thinking about the countries I haven’t been to yet, which, I think, are pulling me for all the same reasons. My bucket list...
Redemption.
Last week, I told you the embarrassing story of blanking on my favorite cultural destinations in my French class. (If you missed it, you can read about it here.) Of course, for the rest of that class, I was half distracted as destination after destination came flooding back to me. So, to continue my redemption, here’s what I wish I had said—I hope you find some inspiration for any upcoming travels you may be planning: Japan Just a normal day in Kyoto ©Stephanie Dosch The culture here is so...
Embarrassing.
Last night in French class (!), we were reviewing how to talk about vacations. The teacher asked us whether we prefer mountains, beach, or cultural travel—and I jumped in immediately: cultural travel, obviously! Before I knew it, he was asking me to talk about my favorite destinations for cultural travel, and Reader, I blanked. I can’t even blame it on “French Brain,” which is when my language skills fail me and my brain and my mouth completely disconnect. In my broken French, I said...
Insider planning tips, hidden gems, and luxury intel for transformative travel experiences. Drawing from almost 20 years of award-winning expertise, I help you explore more meaningfully. Subscribe to theVialist for curated cultural guides and destination insights.