Want to know how to travel in style, just like the pros? We check in with frequent fliers to find out how often they fly, their favorite destinations and what they never leave home without.
Name: Michelle Williams
Occupation: Food And Lifestyle Blogger/Influencer
Hometown: New York City
Residence: New York City
College: Undergrad: Wheaton College | Grad: NYU
College major: Undergrad: Fine Arts And English | Grad: Digital Imaging And Design: 2D Motion Graphics
Website: coffeeandchampagne.com
Twitter: @coffeeandchamps
Facebook: Coffee and Champagne
Instagram: @coffeeandchampagne
Pinterest: Coffee And Champagne
Short bio: Michelle Williams is the founder and voice behind the trending food and lifestyle website Coffee And Champagne. She explores the NYC food scene, going behind the scenes with chefs and restaurateurs to share her unique experiences with her engaged readers and followers. Inspired by her learnings, she gets back into the kitchen and creates fun recipes to give her out-of-town readers a way to get a taste of what’s cooking in this ever-evolving city!
How often do you fly? About once or twice a month.
How many countries have you been to? About 15.
How many continents have you been to? 3
Earliest travel memory: Sitting in the back of a car going from Manhattan to somewhere in Upstate New York where there were flower fields and being so inexperienced with travel that I told my parents, “I know where we are.”
“Where, Michelle” they said, super impressed by my awareness at such a young age.
“Central Park.” I said proudly. (God, I’m such a New Yorker.)
Favorite American city: Aside from New York, Austin Texas. Love the laid-back feel and the food truck food scene.
Favorite international city: Amsterdam. There is so much history. So much beauty that is juxtaposed to gritty seediness. It’s exciting to explore!
Country with the meanest immigration officers: I want to say Switzerland but it’s just a way of life there. It wasn’t so much that they were mean, it was more that they were unwavering on timing. I watched them close the doors to a train as a woman pulled her baby’s stroller up to it to climb on. The clock hit the hour. The doors closed. That’s just how the rules go. No exceptions. It was the last train of the day, so that was pretty aggressive.
Favorite airline: United. But I’m biased. My stepmother worked for them for over two decades.
Aisle or window: Right window. It’s perfect for napping, cloud watching and taking timelapse videos.
Favorite U.S. airport: Denver. The white tented outside alone that reflects the look of its mountainous ranges is gorgeous!
Favorite international airport: If I’m remembering correctly, the airport in Amsterdam had sleeping pods, pet rest areas, lots of food options, and incredibly clean bathrooms. Love it!
Favorite hotel: Old No. 77 in New Orleans. It’s built in what was once a coffee roastery. The not-so-inner coffee addict in me is obsessed with that history.
Favorite island: The Canary Islands. It is so diverse. With black sand beaches, volcanic red rocks, banana plantations, and incredible hiking views, it’s like living in a dream.
Favorite fancy restaurant: Chefs Club. With it’s revolving chefs that take over the space and upscale vibe, it’s always exciting to go back.
Favorite hole-in-the-wall: Italian Village Pizzeria. Old school by-the-slice pizza will forever speak to me. I’ve been going to this one my entire life! It never gets old. The block they’ve resided on forever just got bought out so a new building can be built. That means they are moving a block over. I can’t wait to see how they revamp.
Favorite bar: Hmm. This is tough. I love a swanky rooftop bar like the Refinery Hotel Rooftop but I’m also a Barcade kinda girl—love playing games! If I could have amazing champagne while playing Pac-Man, that would be the place I would want to be.
Favorite fruit: Persimmon, hands down.
Favorite food: Eggs, they make everything better. (Is that cheating? Sorry, not sorry.)
Drink of choice (in the air and on the ground): Pol Roger Champagne.
Favorite travel movie(s): Are we talking kind of movie I’d watch while traveling or movie about travel? While traveling, I’m a sucker for any really in-depth drama or too-dumb-to-go-to-the-theaters comedy.
As for movie that incorporates travel, love a good Bond movie or something in the vein of Catch Me If You Can.
Right now I am reading: Roughly five books that I have partially started and paused. I’ve been listening to a ton of podcasts though. Really into “How I Built This.”
Top 3 favorite travel newsletters/magazines/blogs: Travel + Leisure, Eater, Conde Nast.
5 things you bring on a plane: Phone, phone charger, computer, headphones, a vat of coffee from a shop in the airport.
What do you always seem to forget? My neck pillow.
What do you like least about travel? Waiting to get off of the plane.
What do you want your loved one to buy you from an airport Duty-Free store? Bubbly and perfume.
Most embarrassing travel moment: When my girlfriend (who will remain nameless) got on the flight in the middle seat hungover and threw up several times into the bag full of unopened snacks she had just bought in the airport. Once I knew she was ok, it became a funny antic of ours but, man, the poor woman in the aisle seat…I felt so bad for her. Though, at least she didn’t get stuck on the window side. Whew.
I’m embarrassed I haven’t been to: Greece.
Worst travel moment: Getting to the airport and realizing I didn’t have my puppy’s paperwork. Awful.
What’s your dream destination? Thailand.
Best travel tip: If you also travel with a pet. Don’t bring their food in a can, it will get thrown at security (I learned that the hard way). Instead, scoop it out into a Tupperware container so it looks like your own food.
By the slice pizza would hit the spot right now. Pass me two slices!