How I’m Preparing for My Travel Writing Trip to New York City (winter edition!)
Article Published for The Reinvention Series — Written by Our Editorial Director, Casey J. Balon
Photo by Mathilde Langevin
My travel writing trip to New York City lands in the midst of winter this year, and I couldn’t be more invigorated to share my experience with packing (and preparing!) for this adventure.
This article is for my fellow creative writers, travel bloggers, and travel journalists, but it’s also well-suited for anyone curious about taking a creative approach to planning their next solo trip. I truly believe the way we desire to travel the world is just as unique as the travel destinations themselves.
Written by Casey Balon
(click here to read about Casey)
Welcome to The Reinvention Series.
New York is one of those places that has been on my heart for as long as I can remember. I’ve yearned to immerse myself in the West Village coffee shops. (I’ve even dreamt of getting engaged on the Brooklynn Bridge.) To me, New York City does not feel like a tourist destination; it is a place beckoning me to become a local.
This winter, I’m pairing my trip to The City That Never Sleeps with my dream creative vacation.
From a creative entrepreneur’s vantage point, is there any better way to honour the call to explore New York than to merge it with one’s creative work?
Photo by Joseph Pearson
Here is what we’re covering in this article:
*click below to navigate directly to the section you wish to read
3. Creative career essentials: my writing tools & tech packing checklist
5. Connecting with local friends
7. Purchasing tickets for writing workshops, concerts, or that appetizing Hamilton show
8. Bookshop list, newspaper offices, film studios (dare I say more?)
Photo by Paul Campbell
The clothing — checking in with my core desires for the trip:
which outfits make the NY cut? *here are the 3 intuitive pre-travel considerations I make prior to departure, as well as the 5 exact questions I ask myself before packing*
For me, the most helpful way to approach choosing which pieces of clothing meet the exclusive — and potentially elusive — suitcase criteria begins with tuning into 3 elements:
1. how I would love to feel during my travels (consciously noting my desired internal experience)
2. what I would really like to do during my time there
3. the logistical elements I will need to consider (suitcase weights, my mobility once I arrive, and other items I will be taking with me)
Photo by Lance Reis
Prior to packing, I’m also creating a moment to inquire:
1. What are the types of activities I want to engage in while I am at this location?
2. Which outfits will support me to feel absolutely incredible once I am there?
3. What is the climate and temperature forecast for the area? (Are there additional environmental factors that will impact my garment and fabric choices? This may include ecological changes, pollution, UV index, insects, disease, etc.)
4. Are there any cultural elements that may influence how I will dress while I am in this location? (For example, in New York, I may choose outfits that represent my authentic style and expression more deeply than other locations around the world, even Canada.)
5. Duration: How long is my trip, and what phase(s) of my menstrual cycle will I be on?
Photo by Mitchell Trotter
My New York City winter packing guide & outfit details:
the aesthetic: something boujee, something elegant, something active and flexible, something cozy — all of it a signature representation of my current style.
While I’m in the lively city, I’m going to be attending an upscale event, commuting and gathering creative assets outdoors (to collect multimedia clips, photos, story details, inspiration, etc.), moving my body at the local Pilates studio, and spending plenty of time writing my book and magazine articles in cafés.
1) For a Night Out:
I’ll be packing at least 2-3 dresses (a knit sweater dress and a silk slip dress), an ankle-length satin skirt, a cashmere sweater, a knit sweater, balconette bra and matching weightless underwear, heels, and a few elegant tops I can wear solo or layer under the sweaters.
Photo by Mathilde Langevin
2) For Active Wear, as well as Magazine and Book Writing:
For the days I’m spending writing in coffee shops or attending a movement class, I’ll be packing 3 pairs of leggings (likely 2 Lululemon Aligns and a pair of alos) a few long-sleeve cotton jersey shirts, a classic polo utility button-up, 2 pairs of my favourite jeans, a Poppy Barley belt, white sneakers, done-up loafers (or Oxfords), and my favourite Anine Bing sweatshirt.
3) For Walking, Commuting, & Gathering Creative Assets Outdoors:
In terms of choosing my outer wear, this year’s weather is a little different than most winters. Originally I planned to take a long wool winter coat, scarf, mitts, and tuque, but this month is forecasted to stay quite warm this year (around 4°C during the day), so I’m going to focus on having layers available to put under a few lighter jackets. I’m packing a short bomber, long figure coat (somewhat of a homage to quiet luxury), and a cute fleece zip up. With the milder weather, I’ll also be forgoing my Chelsea boots for my sneakers and loafers. For snowier conditions, I would replace packing the heels with the boots (3 pairs of shoes feels perfect for this trip).
Photo by Laura Chouette
The gear: writing tools & tech packing list:
the endearing creative career essentials.
Pre-Travel Tech Checklist:
ensuring my phone and camera memory cards are loaded onto my computer or online storage
double checking all my chargers are accounted for (including battery chargers)
making sure I have extra SD cards and charged batteries in my camera bag, as well as the necessary card readers and connections to upload to my computer
lap top, mouse, and any external components (additional lens, tripod, charging brick, etc.)
Writing Tools:
lap top and mouse
personal journal, book notes journal, and day planner
day bag to carry supplies (equipped with pencil case)
Photo by Chad Peltola
Creative assets inventory:
loosely sketching out what I will be creating in New York for the 3 projects I am working on: including a large secret project, a magazine assignment, and an in-house piece for Casey Jacque.
This is where I put on my eminent journalist hat to look through the lens of Creative Development.
I use the following 5 inquiries — prior to departure — to sketch out what Creative Goods I will gather once I am at my location:
1. My Locus: What are my internal and external themes and points of focus for this trip?
2. Notes: What pre-travel notes, research, or reporting will support the development of these creative pieces?
3. Guidance: How can I play with the structure, create a loose outline of the story arc, or identify the anchor points of the project in a way that will guide me once I arrive?
4. The Pulse of Each Project: What is the nature of each article, writing collection, or creative project?
5. The Creative Assets: What story content, photos, audio or video clips, and materials will I need to gather? and What would be “bonus” or “nice-to-haves”? (What preparation is needed for these? Do any interviews need to be booked? Will any permits or passes need to be purchased to access specific locations?)
**To dive into this concept further, you can find our in-depth article on how to gather creative goods according to your senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, smell, and feeling sense) here:
Photo by Zach Miles
Connecting with my local friends:
the joy of gathering.
This one is simple. I would venture to suggest that aligned connection (with both newfound soul friends and longtime companions) holds the potential to be one of the most deeply nourishing activities in existence.
In part due to my years spent in the creative mentorship space, I have established friendships with people from all over the world (some of whom I’ve yet to meet in person). As I travel to New York for this writing venture, one of my top priorities is to create space to meet a dear, dear friend I met in a business mastermind in 2019.
Photo by Miltiadis Fragkidis
In the name of allocation and scheduling:
creating the appropriate structure to guide, direct, and protect my intuitive, visionary creative heart.
In an effort to ease the tension between my solo adventuring and creative tasks, i.e., writing, filming, reporting, and editorial direction-based tasks, I set an intention for how many days (and approximately how many hours each day) I will be setting aside space to create.
Writing, daily embodiment practices, and creative work are so deeply ingrained into my daily habit stack, so my ability to “show up for the work” is not a concern for me. (It’s an integral aspect of my life; it’s a key facet of what propels me to live and breathe in the vital way that I do.) Yet, my intuitive visionary qualities thrive with the safety of a loose structure and deliberate intention. This is to say, I will not be time blocking ahead of time on this trip; however, each day (particularly once I arrive at my hotel and start getting into the groove and pace of the city), I will be setting intentions for cozy coffee shop writing and insular time in my hotel.
Photo by Diane Picchiottino
A note on tickets: concerts, creative workshops, and that Broadway show:
Sweeney Todd, anyone?
If The Eras Tour taught us anything, it was that scoring tickets to a coveted show can be life-altering (cue: the use of hyperbole that makes you realize I have a Leo sun sign).
I have found that a wee bit of research and prep time in advance can save me from the inevitable disappointment that comes with not being able to attend the events that are calling me. Additional pro tip: I do a quick search on the writing workshops (even creative connection events) in the area to see if anything piques my interest.
Photo by Brooke Cagle
bookshop list, film studios, newspaper offices, and magnificent writer’s rooms:
as creatives, we’re more than a little literary-focused.
No extraordinary library, bookshop, film studio, writer’s room, or famous newspaper office shall be left unseen (just ask my younger brothers about how I stood in awe in the writer’s room for forty-five minutes during the infamous Warner Brothers studio tour of 2017).
Again, my ethos with this is this:
Make a short list (The Strand, Rizzoli, The New York Public Library)
Prioritize the places that are most important to me, and take the action to explore them.
If its not a full-body level of curiosity, I’m likely not going to go. If I can’t see a place I really wanted to see, I surrender it — because I’m not going to make myself suffer twice.
Pilates studios:
my movement practice is a high priority.
Scoping out the local Pilates studios and booking a class ahead of time is the precise structure my body craves. I typically would rely on daytime walking and nightly stretching for physical activity while away, but being that it’s wintertime, I desire to move my body in a way that keeps me warm AND creates internal vibrancy for me during this creative-focused voyage.
Photo by Fleur Kaan
The extra things I’m doing:
the art of tying up loose ends.
Here is a sneak preview of the extra tasks I’ve taken care of in advance:
getting my winter coat tailored at the local shop (p.s. if you’re a Saskatoon resident looking for a genius seamstress, I’ll hook you up)
making sure I have refreshed and stocked up on my favourite beauty and skin products (running out while on a holiday is so not the vibe)
getting a suitable pair of warm pajamas (unless we’re heading to Hawaii in August or enjoying a Texas summer, I am not a naked sleeper)
Alluring as it is to leave packing for this New York City adventure to the last minute, these days, I prefer to experience a balance of preparation and spontaneity for my travel writing adventures — especially with this many creative projects on the go. Truly, what an absolute honour it is to be able to do this work, and to live this life.
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Photo by Nicole Romanoff
Article Written by Casey Balon, Editorial Director of Casey Jacque
Casey is a writer & creative director based outside of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. With a heart for literary journalism, an appetite for adventure, and a spark for creating dynamic — and deeply collaborative — environments, her aim is to bring Genuine Voices back to the Creative Table. When she’s not carrying out an interview, or writing about Creative Vitality through the lens of the body, you can find her hiking with her dogs, regenerating with her fiancé, diving deep with dear friends, or exploring a new country.
Let’s Connect: Instagram @iamcaseybalon, e-mail casey@caseyjacque.com
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