Where in the World Are You, Valerie Conners?

Travel Blog  •  World Hum  •  07.22.08 | 5:17 PM ET

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The subject of our latest up-to-the-minute interview with a traveler somewhere in the world: a new addition to the World Hum editorial team, Valerie Conners.

Where in the World Are You?

Camped out on a chaise lounge at my apartment building’s rooftop pool in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood of Philadelphia.

What are you doing there?

Taking my lunch break—mmm, heirloom tomato and cucumber salad, and catching up on the news online—or I will be, after I write for a bit. I love my apartment and my apartment building, but above all I love Philly, and am perpetually grateful that working occasionally from the “Philly office” as I like to refer to my living room, allows me to take lunch breaks outdoors, 32 floors above the city. I moved back to the area two years ago after a few years spent living in Boston, New York and North Jersey, with some intermittent spells in Malaga, Spain, and Cagli, Italy. Philly is a happy home base.

What do you see around you?

The roof may have spectacular skyline views, but the décor leaves much to be desired—think painted mauve floors, and incredibly silly faux frescoes on the surrounding walls designed to look like columns through which fields of flowers (even more mauve) appear. A slew of turquoise deck chairs and outdoor tables are spread across the deck. Enormous, heavy pots of cascading flowers are scattered about, and only four other people are sunbathing nearby—peace and quiet pervade weekday afternoons up here. The pool isn’t large, but it’s the perfect urban respite. If only I had my pool noodles with me ...

Got a pic?

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What did you have last night for dinner and where?

After working in New York City for the day, I made it back to my apartment too tired to cook from scratch and defrosted a frozen container of homemade pasta sauce with Italian sausage. I had bought a fresh ciabatta role at the Union Square farmers’ market in New York earlier that afternoon and made myself a sausage sandwich.

What are you listening to these days?

I usually keep Wilco on a pretty steady rotation, but lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Ray LaMontagne’s album, “Trouble.” Also, after hearing a snippet played between NPR programs the other day, I can’t stop listening to or singing Joe Jackson’s “Steppin’ Out.” GOOD song. Catchy as hell. Maybe because I’ve been spending far more time than usual in NYC, I’ve had “Arthur’s Theme” on loop in my head (“If you get caught between the moon and New York City…”). Does what’s playing in my head count as something I’m listening to?

What are you reading?

Finally bought Fieldwork by Mischa Berlinski after seeing it at the bookstore for the past few months and thinking it looked interesting. It’s actually fantastic—he’s an amazing storyteller and incredibly witty. The story unravels a murder mystery involving an anthropologist, a missionary family and the hill tribes of Thailand and Burma.

What did you experience in the last 24 hours that you’d recommend?

Farmers’ markets. Yesterday I was at the Union Square market as mentioned above where I bought my roll and a whole grain oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, and this morning I prowled around Philly’s Rittenhouse Square farmers’ market, where I bought the heirloom tomatoes and cucumber that comprised my lunch, and some giant, juicy blackberries. I’ve been enjoying my local farmers’ markets more than usual this summer. Maybe I’ve just been cooking with more fruits and veggies. But there is truly something special about grabbing a bunch of berries or cherries, still warm from the sun, or dusting the dirt from a freshly picked zucchini. And even finding a few bugs on my basil is a relief, knowing pesticides haven’t killed them.

Where in the world are you headed next?

In three weeks I’m heading to Maui, looking forward to some volcano sunrises, horseback riding in the rainforest, postcard-perfect beaches and wine-filled sunsets.



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