Editions

Jessica Keller

Jessica is the Managing Editor and resident grammar fiend at Amex Essentials. Originally from South Carolina, she’s currently enjoying la vie française in Toulouse and spends most of her time with her laptop, her dog, her 2 cats and her husband – more or less in that order.

 

You mostly write about travel and events for amexessentials.com, what inspires you about those subjects?
Stepping out of the ordinary. Whether you’re taking a trip around the world or attending a local food festival, both offer the chance to expand your horizons, meet new people and experience something new. When you take a break – however big or small – from your ‘regularly scheduled programming’, you almost always learn something about the world around you, and about yourself.

 

What website do you check first every day?
Facebook. News, updates from friends and family, funny animal videos – what else do you need to start the day off right?

 

How do you relax?
With a cat in my lap.

 

Film or TV?
TV. You get to spend more time with the characters and almost feel like you know them personally. Game of Thrones, Shameless and The OA are some of my recent obsessions.

 

Books or ebooks?
Books will always be my first love, but my Kindle can do something ‘real’ books can’t: translate words directly from a foreign-language novel. It’s been indispensable in helping me improve my French.

 

Wine or beer?
Wine, preferably of the sparkling variety.

 

Street food or fine dining?
Can I have both? I like getting spiffied up for a night of good food, wine and atmosphere, but I’ve also been known to get chin-deep in a greasy falafel sandwich – extra garlic sauce.

 

Travel essentials?
Hydration, preparation, orientation. In other words: a water bottle, a well-researched understanding of the local culture, and a good map.

 

Favourite place?
I love to travel, but at the end of the day I’m a Dorothy: there’s no place like home. Nowadays ‘home’ is where my husband and my pets are, wherever that may be.