Travel is about experiencing the new in encounters that range from the mundane to the sublime—and that are sometimes both. For the cover of the Travel Issue, the artist Cannaday Chapman visits New Orleans, portraying one of the city’s iconic pleasures: a cup of chicory coffee and a plate of fresh beignets.
New Orleans is one of your favorite cities. What attracts you to the Big Easy?
I went on a trip there some years ago with my best friend. I loved the food and how friendly the people were. I ate the best shrimp and grits there that I’ve ever had in my life!
When you travel, do you like to visit all the attractions, or do you prefer to explore one area in depth?
I like to do things the way the locals do them, to pretend that I live there. I might have breakfast at the neighborhood coffee shop, explore markets, or attend a local event. Of course, there are times when I want to see a famous tourist attraction, but mostly I seek to experience what everyday life in a new place feels like.
You grew up in upstate New York and are now based in Berlin. When did you realize that you had transitioned from tourist to expat?
I knew I was no longer a tourist when I began speaking German. You don’t need to know German to get around Berlin, but, if you decide to live here, it’s beneficial to know the language. I still don’t understand everything people say to me, but I’m enjoying being able to converse in another language for the first time.
What are the top three things that someone visiting Berlin should do, or see, or eat?
If you’re coming from the U.S., you should definitely try the ice cream, pizza, and Middle Eastern cuisine here. The ice cream is a lot cheaper and fresher than most of what is available back home, the pizza is on par with what you can get in Italy, and the Middle Eastern food is probably the tastiest and healthiest food you can get in Berlin at an affordable price.
If you could pack your bags and go anywhere tomorrow, where would you go?
Bucharest. I’ve really wanted to visit Romania for some time now. One of the benefits of living in Europe is that I can easily visit other cities on the continent without having to endure an eight-to-ten-hour-long flight. I plan to do a lot more travelling in the near future!
See below for more covers that celebrate travel:
Find Cannaday Chapman’s covers, cartoons, and more at the Condé Nast Store.