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Thanks for the Party, Andaz 5th Avenue!
I’ll tell you a secret: A few months ago when I was still at Condé Nast Traveler—feeling perturbed that new management had laid off so many of my respected-journalist colleagues and had ended The Perrin Report (my consumer-friendly print column of 17 years), and trying to formulate an escape plan—James Boyd told me to consider going out on my own. James is a longtime friend and the VP of Public Relations for Singapore Airlines. He was hardly the first person to tell me I should start my own site. But he was the first to tell me that, if I did, he’d throw me a party.
And that’s exactly what happened. On Friday night. He and Megan Montenaro, another longtime friend—Megan is the Director of Communications for Hyatt’s two Andaz properties in New York and several years ago worked at Condé Nast Traveler as its Communications Manager—orchestrated a lovely shindig at the Andaz 5th Avenue. Not only did I get to reunite with some of my fellow Condé Nast Traveler refugees—including former editor-in-chief Klara Glowczewska, who was scooped up by Town & Country to edit its upcoming new travel magazine—but I also got to catch up with friends from all over the travel publishing world, including Airfarewatchdog founder George Hobica, mileage guru Gary Leff of View From the Wing, airline expert Scott Mayerowitz of the Associated Press, and Travel Weekly editor in chief Arnie Weissmann. You can check out the party photos here.
As you can imagine, I got a lot of questions about my new role as TripAdvisor’s first-ever Travel Advocate—questions that I answered the same way I did in this Q&A with Skift and this one with TODAY newspaper. I assured everyone that I have big plans for wendyperrin.com (plans that I hinted at in this interview with Travel Weekly). Given that I’m splitting my time between TripAdvisor and a start-up, I need a few weeks before I can set those plans in motion, but when I’m ready to reveal them, I promise you’ll be the first to know. Stay tuned.
I’d like to thank one more person without whom the evening would not have been possible: Cornelia Samara, the Andaz 5th Avenue’s lovely general manager. Thank you too, Cornelia!
The New York Public Library, just across the street from the Andaz 5th Avenue, on the night of the party, Friday, May 16, 2014.
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Wendy, just discovered your exciting changes when I began to do research for an upcoming trip to Myanmar. I have long admired your travel writing and always read your column first in
Conde Nast…….Thanks for all the ideas I have used in the past for myself and my family. I’ll continue to follow you as you explore new horizons
I wish I knew where you were before. Have been a follower for a long, long time through the other magazine.Repeating some of the readers, I am too at a loss with the direction this magazine is taking and do not care for it at all. I finally found you!!!!
It’s a shame since you were one of the first articles I would look for every month. Nowadays, rehashing of the same articles you wrote is occurring in that website.
I could have asked you recommendations for Kusadasi, the Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento area, and some other places I can’t recall we visited just recently.
Keep up the good work and best of luck in your new venture. Please don’t leave us your fans dry of your witty comments, insights into travel, and new discoveries.
Best of luck, Wendy
sooooo glad i found you here! as per Susan W. your column was generally the first one I read, in print and online. Your tips and tricks (as some may say) were invaluable and got me thinking of different ways to do things (i.e. packing for a 22 day Tahiti to Vanc. cruise!), see things and go places. As per Kelly I may also be redirecting my subscription to CNT as I have noticed the definite change in the magazine and was wondering what was going on. I must confess, as I divide my time between two cities, I don’t always read my magazines right away (or that month!). Congratulations on starting up this site — and now over to TripAdviso to check you out there.
Wendy, As a father of two who just returned from 24 days in Europe with my partner and our kids in tow, I was crushed when we returned home to learn you’re no longer at CNT. Crushed! I’ll deeply miss your Perrin report and given other notable changes, may redirect my reading efforts elsewhere, such as your new website and TA. I learned so much from you re: traveling with kids and we’ve put together some amazing experiences for our own, thanks in no small part to you! Keep it up and glad you struck out on your own – go for it! All the best wishes and hope you achieve success for what it means for you!
Just want to wish you all the best, while I am sorry to see you and your stories leave Conde Nast, as I thoroughly enjoyed them, especially your annual top travel specialists list. I am sure you will be continuing your top notch stories through your own site. So best of luck to you and many years of success ahead
Wendy, welcome to a whole new generation who read Trip Advisor. I was brought up on it from backpacker to now Europe summer resident. They have a great reputation, hugely loyal readers, and know how to treat good talent. I wish you the best and will be reading you here and there. Keep smiling!
Your column was one of the best things in Conde Nast Traveler, and the piece I always read first. I wrote to them telling them how perturbed I was that it had ended. Can we hope for something along the same lines on your website?
Thanks for your kind words, Susan. I’ll do my best to cover the same sorts of topics on my site! Hopefully I can devise a business model to support that. If there are particular topics you’d like me to cover and advise on, always feel free to email me at wp@wendyperrin.com.
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I’m sorry I missed it! I will be in NYC later this week if you are around let me know.
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