You may have seen Danielle Cooper as Wanda on the most recent season of Pose on FX, a drama series about queer ballroom culture in 1980s New York, but she’s been busy long before that with her popular gender non-conforming fashion blog, She’s a Gent. 

“As a content creator, activist, and actor, I am constantly on the go,” she says. “At any moment, one or all of my careers can land me in a different city, country, or set location.” 

Cooper travels most frequently to New York, London, Barbados, Las Vegas, and especially now, as a highly sought-after actress, to Los Angeles. 

Naturally, she’s picked up some business travel tips along the way, and knows the best places to get things done in her adopted cities. Below, how Danielle Cooper gets it done on a business trip to LA. 

Go-to breakfast spot to start the day:

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, so my go-to list is pretty long. In Los Angeles, I live for a fresh acai bowl at Backyard Bowls on Beverly Blvd.  

For lunch meetings: 

Gracias Madre, a plant-based Mexican spot in West Hollywood. 

Happy hours: 

The Line Hotel in Koreatown. 

Client dinners: 

I’m an early bird, so client meetings always happen before 2 p.m.

Best place to get work done: 

Verve Coffee on Melrose Ave—the outdoor patio decor is peaceful and relaxing. 

Blow off steam: 

If I’m on the West Coast, I’m definitely going to the beach or pool. 

Keep it together: 

It can be really challenging to turn off during work trips, especially as a creative, because I can be inspired at any moment. Not to mention, as somewhat of an overachiever, I always think that I could be doing more.

There are two things that I try to stick to when traveling: First, work out and eat clean whenever possible. I feel most energized when I’m hitting the gym or even doing a short yoga routine in my hotel room followed by a balanced breakfast. Second, unless I need to wrap up some edits or practice my lines, I don’t work after 7 p.m. After 7 p.m., I unwind, watch the news, FaceTime my fiancé, and listen to meditation music until I fall asleep.

Never leave home without: 

I never leave without my camera and laptop. As a creative and business person, it’s almost impossible to get all of the things that I need done without those two devices. Who knows when I’ll feel inspired and want to capture something with my camera. My computer is where I bring everything to life from research and storytelling, to business deals.

Pass the time in transit: 

I never leave without a book. You know, I believe that we are all slaves to what we don’t know. One of the best ways to set ourselves up for success is to educate ourselves so that we can be prepared for the next opportunity.  

“One of the best ways to set ourselves up for success is to educate ourselves.”

I read a book while listening to rhythm and blues, jazz. It’s the little bit of time that I don’t have to work, but instead, I get tune out the world, learn, and grow in a really fundamental way. 

Set boundaries: 

I highly recommend setting boundaries and using your calendar to block out time for yourself. Our time and energy is important. Make sure that you are allocating time throughout the day to accomplish all that you need to. I carve out a few hours a day to go to the gym, as well as focus on authentic storytelling. I reply to emails and messages as needed. I only stop working when there’s an emergency or response that is needed ASAP.