Who and What is "Rove and Frolic?"

Short Answer:

The Who is Brielle Whittington.

The What is Rove and Frolic is a creative outlet where The Who (Brielle) can share all her favourite travel-related tips, tricks, itineraries, and recommendations while creating events and trips that allow women to connect and find community (and have fun, of course).

Long(er) version:

The Who: Hi, I'm Brielle, a born and raised Tennessean with a diluted southern accent (except for when I'm on the phone with my family) who moved to London 3 years ago because I adored this city (and I wanted a Master's degree).

Before London, I grew up counting the airplanes that flew over my house while wishing I could fly away to see all the corners of the world. My bedroom walls were covered with posters of Paris and London and quotes from famous British authors like Charlotte Brontë and Virginia Woolf.

“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”

- Charlotte Brontë

One time, my dad walked into my room, turned and pointed to that quote I had taped to my wall and said: Yup, that's you. Then just walked out. Though, I am pretty sure he was thinking of boys as the net while I was thinking of Tennessee as the net. My invisible string was, from the very beginning, always attached to the beautiful, energetic and exciting London, and I am so thankful for that. As much as I love Tennessee, I felt a calling to be elsewhere.

I first moved to London in 2018 for four months during a study abroad programme. That's where my love for London really blossomed. Once the programme ended, I then spent the next 2 years praying to move back. I got the opportunity when I was accepted for a Master's programme at the University of Roehampton. I've now been here for 3 years. (That's a really quick summary of some pretty massive life decisions, but I plan to explain this in more detail in a later post.)

Broadway in Nashville, TN. I grew up just an hour away from here.

I have wrestled a lot with guilt about moving so far away from family and the life I knew as I was growing up. It's not that I hate my hometown (as several have suggested) or don't want to be near family, but when you feel a pull so strongly, fighting it can often hurt you more than just surrendering to it. I outgrew the plant pot I was raised in, so I was uprooted and moved into something a little bit bigger with room to grow. Yet, the saying remains true: there's no place quite like home.

But there's just something about London I've not quite felt anywhere else. What's most unique about London, is that I feel like the impossible things are possible here. I'm inspired by this city and the life that pulses through it. I credit my courage to pursue Rove and Frolic to God and London (oh, and my husband, Caleb, who never fails to cheer me on and support my wildest dreams).

The What: Rove and Frolic is first and foremost a creative outlet and hobby. I like to travel, write, take photographs and create and design things, so I thought, "Hmm, a website merges all of those interests. Let's give it a go." It was only ever going to be a blog where I could post some itineraries for trips I had done and share some recommendations with others. I already spent hours of my free time researching cities and creating itineraries. So, I figured I might as well share them.

But then I realised there was an even larger calling for Rove and Frolic. Not only did I want to find the best spots and share them through pretty posts on a blog, but I wanted to create community amongst women while taking them to these places I loved. Especially in a city like a London, it's far too easy to feel lonely and isolated, and it's hard to make meaningful friendships. For me, my female friendships are so important. Like, you know that feeling of empowerment you get as a woman listening to that opening line of Shania's famous "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" song? That's the same feeling I get when I am with my best friends. I just feel so insanely proud to be a woman (whether Shania is playing in the background or not), but I feel even more empowered with my girls by my side. So, I decided I would host events and trips at these places I discovered with the goal of helping women feel a little less lonely and a lot more empowered, encouraged and accepted.

Girl's night out with my best friend to get tattooed in Norway. The kind of special memories I want to help other women create with their friends.

I have a lot of plans for Rove and Frolic, but I am trying not to run before I learn how to walk. There's so much to learn, and there are so many people already doing what I am trying to do. I struggle not to feel inadequate, unprepared or insecure about this endeavour. It's actually hard being yourself (especially in a world where we're able to curate our image online), but for me, it's harder living a lie. It's hard being honest about what your dreams are and putting in the effort to watch them become reality, but it's harder to stay silent, never try and always wonder "what if?".

There is no guarantee I'll succeed. There is no promise I'll have the acceptance of the masses. Will anyone come to my events? People may never read what I write, or if they do, maybe it's only to make fun of it. But that's exactly why I have to do it. I have spent too much of life doing only the things I think I will be good at or succeed in. I don't want to wonder how much of life I missed out on because I was afraid to fail or couldn't handle rejection. And I don't want to miss out on all the sweet friendships that could be made through Rove and Frolic. I feel a bit rebellious taking this leap of faith (but I always secretly loved a little rebellion hehe).

I do always say that Rove and Frolic was born out of rebellion; I was rebelling against the voice in my head that said nothing I did mattered if an audience wasn't there to agree that it did. I was rebelling against the doubt that dared me not to pursue my wildest dreams. I was rebelling against my insecurities of not being cool or interesting enough for anyone. I was rebelling against the fear of failure and rejection.

I want Rove and Frolic to be a space where not only I feel like I can fully be myself but so too can other women. I want it to be a space where I can share all my favourite spots around the globe, tell you about my worst mistakes while traveling, and create opportunities for women to connect and find true friends.

So, that's my introduction to who I am and what Rove and Frolic is, but I hope, as you continue to follow along, you'll get to know me more, and hopefully I'll get to know you, too.

(Some personality pictures to wrap this post up with.)