Today we’d like to introduce you to Anya Remy.
Hi Anya, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always loved discovering places and sharing experiences with other people. My content journey really started with travel. I was very active in travel communities on Facebook, where I would share photos, recommendations and stories from my trips. People began responding to my content and asking questions about the places I visited, and I realized how much I enjoyed helping others discover somewhere new.
In 2017, I created Savory Sundays because I had fallen in love with food photography and the artistry behind a beautifully presented plate. At first, it was simply a place to share food I enjoyed. Over the last few years, however, food content became a much bigger part of what I do. I began incorporating more storytelling, video and my own point of view rather than simply showing a beautiful meal.
OutsideWithAnya grew from that same love of discovery and now allows me to share travel, food and lifestyle experiences throughout Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and beyond. One of my proudest early moments was being featured by Travel Noire for my perspective on travel and taking reasonable risks while exploring the world.
Today, some of my favorite content is actually the content closest to home. I grew up in the Takoma Park, Langley Park and Silver Spring area, so I love finding both longtime neighborhood favorites and newer hidden gems and introducing them to people who may have driven past them countless times without realizing what was inside.
The best part is when someone tells me, “I went because I saw your video.” Whether it’s an island thousands of miles away or a restaurant ten minutes from home, knowing that my storytelling inspired someone to experience something new is what keeps me creating.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road. One of my biggest challenges has been balancing content creation with a full-time professional career and family life. Social media can make content creation look effortless, but there is so much work happening behind the scenes—planning, filming, editing, writing, pitching and building relationships with brands and businesses.
Another challenge has been learning not to measure my value solely by numbers or opportunities. Social media changes constantly, and sometimes content you expect to perform well doesn’t, while something completely unexpected takes off. I’ve learned to focus more on creating content that feels authentic to me and useful to my audience.
I’ve also learned that growth doesn’t have to happen overnight. My pages have evolved with me, and I think allowing myself to grow naturally has helped me develop a voice that feels like my own.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a DMV-based travel, food and lifestyle creator behind OutsideWithAnya and Savory Sundays. I specialize in experience-driven storytelling—showing people not only what a restaurant, hotel or destination looks like, but what it actually feels like to experience it.
Food has become a major part of my work. I love everything from beautiful fine-dining experiences to the small neighborhood restaurant tucked into a shopping center that someone might otherwise overlook. I’m especially passionate about highlighting hidden gems throughout the DMV, including the Takoma Park, Langley Park and Silver Spring communities where I grew up.
Some of those neighborhood features have reached large audiences and even gone viral, but what I find most interesting is what happens in the comments. The community often shows up to champion these businesses—sharing their own memories, favorite dishes and reasons why other people should visit. To me, that demonstrates how powerful local storytelling can be. I may introduce the restaurant through my lens, but then the community helps tell the rest of its story.
I’ve also been part of the Yelp Elite community for the past three years, which aligns naturally with my love of discovering restaurants and sharing experiences. I enjoy attending the annual RAMMY Awards as a guest because I love seeing restaurants and hospitality professionals throughout the DMV celebrated for their work. It is especially exciting when restaurants from communities close to home receive that kind of regional recognition.
What sets my content apart is that I don’t believe an experience has to be expensive, trendy or located in downtown DC to be worth sharing. Sometimes the best story is sitting right in your own neighborhood.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Community and representation matter most to me.
I grew up in the Takoma Park, Langley Park and Silver Spring area, and my connection to this community goes back long before social media. As a teenager, I was involved in community efforts in the Long Branch area, including advocating for funding to bring computers and technology resources to the Long Branch Community Center. That experience taught me early that communities thrive when people are willing to speak up for them, participate in them and invest in them.
That same idea carries into my work today in a different way. I love being able to use my platform to shine a light on local restaurants, entrepreneurs and hidden gems that deserve to be seen.
I’ve traveled around the world and love sharing those experiences, but there is something particularly meaningful about showing people that discovery can happen right in their own backyard. When someone visits a local restaurant because of something I shared—and especially when the community joins the conversation to support that business—that means a lot to me.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/outsidewithanya
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/QzAjieKLPV
- Other: https://Instagram.com/savory_sundays
