thesecrettoadventure

[thesecrettoadventure]

Investing into 25

Another year, another blog post...

The clock is about to strike midnight here in Charlotte, North Carolina and I just wrapped up an incredibly inspiring day with my superiors indulging us with advice and stories of how they made it to where they are. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity and will look back on this for years to come.

Twenty five, a great year to come; graced by 24, which brought me to 7 amazing countries. I’m back in the United States and in no surprise whatsoever I am on the move again. 

Every year I choose a word to define and work toward, this year I chose the word investing. 

Investing in every aspect of my life:

My Career

Health

Friendships

My Appearance

Finding Love

My Financial Future

My Future

My Education

My Confidence

This year and for years to come, I’m building a team, my people around me to build each other up. I can’t do this alone and I wouldn't want to, I look forward to meeting people that I can learn from and who want to see me grow. So if you weren’t already, keep an eye out for me because I’m coming!

In short a few things 24 taught me:

Career:  Work towards what you’re passionate about and build a team to help you get to where you want to be, don’t knock them down to get where you want to be. Don’t ever stop learning.

Love: I’m intimidating and there’s no sign of that stopping so I’m still looking for someone who can support the work ethic I continue to carry into my everyday life and relationships.

Life: It only gets harder from here and I could start self managing more productively by taking more time off, even just a moment to smell the flowers, in the end it makes me more productive.

I look forward to seeing how I keep myself accountable and how investing into my life will benefit my future and perspective in life, it’s going to be a great year!

[thesecrettoadventure]

23 and me

And what a year of ambition it was. On my birthday last year I was becoming a NYC real estate agent and now one year later I’m working for the New Zealand government. In between that I’ve helped open 3 cafes, worked at many more establishments, began the process of becoming a Canadian and Australian citizen, moved across the world and began a healthier lifestyle.  

Beginning the year of 23 in the best city of the world becoming a real estate agent, at the height of its lucrativeness and excitement. I joined one of the top firms in the city, and damn did I learn so much. Commission is so very much about consistency and perception, there is no such thing as an easy client. Also, this isn’t the business of playing nice, a lot of the aggression and hustle that I carry now is from telling landlords, building managers and other agents how I wanted things done. My managers told me things I didn’t want to hear everyday that I was in the office, I wasn’t in the office everyday because I was also opening NY’s latest gluten free and vegan cafe and working at one of LES’s best cocktail bars that was mentioned as one of the worlds best bars more than once. A lot on my plate, a lot of ambition, a lot of good ideas. 

Not too much later, 20 days into being 23 I was walking to the newest Australian owned cafe in the Financial District with my utmost supportive housemate Morgan, and it was there under the scaffolding when I heard the *swoosh* of an incoming email, that email was from Australian immigration. My heart rushed, we walked a little faster to the cafe, was sat down to a beautiful sunlit corner booth and just some of the best waitstaff. We rushed to order coffee and connect to wifi to read further on the email from immigration. It read: your invitation to apply for permanent residency has been granted. When the coffee arrived to the table so did the tears, so there I was explaining my two year battle with Australian immigration to the waitstaff, my new found friends. The call to dad and mom were made, it was happening! A call to my immigration lawyer later that week and so so many happy tears later reared an ugly truth...this was all a false alarm. Without boring you with the details about Australian visa and every legal term there was a false approval with one of the steps necessary to apply for the permanent residency visa. Instead of being absolutely crushed(as I previously have been, it’s been a damn journey) I decided to take it and keep pushing, I’m now well on my way to good news from Australian Immigration! 

I spent the summer experiencing NY between the moments I had between the countless jobs. The sunshine brought my first trip to the Hamptons, and a little pep in my step. Working at a world class bar, opening a gluten free, vegan cafe and dabbling into the newest Australian cafe that the Upper East Side has been gifted with. If not too much, way too much time inside of clubs with reeling hangovers the next day to be greeted with the bagel guy at our front door that we wisely ordered our second drink into the evening. Real estate was kicking my ass and teaching me things I never thought I’d learn. I’d gained so much weight that I was at my heaviest ever. Relationships if that’s what you want to call them came just as fast as they went. And somewhere among all of that I saw an opportunity to move to New Zealand, a mate of mine who I had lived with in Melbourne had recommended it and there I was after work(not sure which job) around 3am had me applying for my Working Holiday Visa for New Zealand, big breath in and hit apply. And there I sat and waited. But not for long.... 

Another Australian duo approached me to come and help their cafe in the Financial District, they heard about my work from the first project I worked on in New York. So, if you know me at all, you know what I told them. I told them yes, I’d love to help but I applied for a visa to move to New Zealand so I’ll be here until the end of August and that’s it. So we opened a cafe, I saw the first month of the project & I met another bunch of personalities and ran into new problems with opening cafes, yet so so rewarding. Emotions run so high when opening a new business and its cut throat out in NYC. But I left the venture to see the world knowing that Australia was well along the way for me and NYC got to have a taste of Australian coffee and cuisine.

A drunken taxi ride to Mexico, I had a very teary final evening in NY with my closest friends and from there I took a car to the airport with a few drinks in me and strings of goodbye texts that only lead to more tears. The plane that I boarded that night landed in Guadalajara, Mexico the next morning with my dad and his new retirement smile plastered on his face. When I left NY I packed all of my belongings but also knowing I’d be in Mexico for the first month, let me tell you that was an experience in its own and I have no advice for it. But from there dad and I toured many cities of Mexico preparing him for the long haul of retirement, we saw, we ate, we shook with the earthquakes, we drank, we beached, attempted fishing and we damn well conquered, I fell in love with Mexico City, its officially on the list of places I’d live, its bigger than NYC and its got a pulse and a hunger, the city does sleep unlike NYC, or should I say siésta! But I felt ready to get back to civilization and take a big breath before plunging into another hemisphere. A quick layover in LA included a Soulcycle class, Bouchon Bistro Beverly Hills and a drive down PCH to Laguna Beach, a trip that took me back and truly made me appreciate where I’m from, California is truly a slice of heaven.

New Zealand is called Middle Earth for a lot of reasons, I’m going to use it for the term being between the 20th and 21st century, they have Internet here, but it’s not far off from dial up, the Apple products are behind and some buses only come once an hour. My NYC pulse and plan of action got me settled within the first 24 hours, signing up for the gym, getting a library card, grocery shopping, having a phone plan, a tax file number and a bank account. But after that, my life came to an absolute halt with the pace that they move here, amount of breaks and minimum customer service my life had changed and it is very different than the life I lived a year ago. I’ve learned so much from being here about relaxing but found much frustration in it at the same time. I began working as a temporary chef, a new location everyday and different hours everyday, honestly it was perfect for me I’m not one for routine so it was great and I learned so much about the hospitality food scene at the same time. The food scene still to this day 6 months later has been uninspiring so far, so I’m still looking for innovation here but who knows where it’ll come from, I’ll keep looking and keep you posted. 

As long as my parents have been divorced, which is as long as I can remember. They always call me within 5 mins apart, text me at the same time, if I’m on the phone with one, the other will call. Even when in separate countries, all three of us! In January I received those two calls that no one wants to hear. My mom called me to let me know my grandmother passed away, we weren't expecting this at all and I was shocked. A heavy heart and teary eyes I texted dad while mom was on speaker to let him know I’d be stateside and the second call came in...my other grandmother in Canada was at this point in palliative care now with a brain bleed and not much life to spare. Broken is the only way I can describe that moment, I got those phone calls around lunch time and I was on a plane home before sunset that day, even surrounded by my closest friends in New Zealand theres no where else I wanted to be than home. Being surrounded by family and old friends patched my heart up the most it could. I left one funeral in my black dress and flew to Canada directly after to catch the red eye to make it on time for the next funeral. My heart still hurts, but I have so much strength instilled in me from both of them, I am so lucky to have known them for my 23 years. But I am still healing and grief is a part of me now, I take it as it comes, it’s usually a lot but the good memories keep me going.

I came back to a windy Wellington with a clear mind. I decided to stop cooking food I’m not proud of and working for businesses who’s operation I don’t find to be up to standard. So I sold out and got an office job, but you know what? I love it. I’m well aware that’s the unpopular opinion, but know I have a structured life(and paycheck!), I can make it to the gym everyday on my lunch and I am fully capable of managing office stress from all that I’ve been through in kitchens. Although I know I’ll be back in kitchens when Im in Australia for the time being It’s great, my mind, body and soul thank me. I have so much time to cook at home, work on personal projects and stay healthy. So now I work for a temporary office work agency that places me on assignments for a few weeks at a time, I’ve worked in private asset managing previously and now I work for the New Zealand government, so I’d say it’s been a fuckin’ year of ambition. 

In short, 23 taught me:

CAREER: Work smarter, not harder.

LOVE: The right time will come, it can not be predicted or planned.

LIFE: Don’t stop traveling 

So, what’s in store of the 24th year? This is the year of SUCCESS

success - /səkˈsɛs/ noun: the accomplishment of an aim or purpose

Stay tuned.....

[thesecrettoadventure]

Another Day, Another Hemisphere

I lost 3 days in the process and had a layover in Fiji, but I’ve made it!

Wellington, New Zealand....where do I start? Let me start by saying, I’m pretty sure that more people lived in my apartment building in NYC than this city. So there’s that....but there’s also an obscene amount of sushi here and I only have positive things to say about that. 

I was told before arriving that Kiwi’s(nickname for native NZ’ers) are more nice than Canadians, and that is one hell of a statement! So I unfortunately found this out the hard way by being told that I was rude at the market(oops!) 

So to be brutally honest, I hated this city the first few weeks, the people are actually so nice it’s irritating, there’s no pressure here, clocks and watches are never running on time and its ‘no worries mate’. Getting things done in an efficient manner is just not an option here, I still haven’t walked into the bank and spent less than 30 mins in one. Even just standing in line and getting a print out of your statement will take 30 mins, no it’s not busy, it’s just that the tellers care about the customers and have so much small talk and the next thing you know the tellers are comparing what food they feed their dogs and you’re about to lose it in line knowing that this could have taken just a few minutes but you’ve lost half an hour, due to over politeness. Coming from NY, it was all about how to cram 25 hours of things in 24 hours. And this may sound silly, but crossing the road even takes longer here, not a single soul here walks against the light. They are so polite they will always wait their turn to cross the road, it blows my mind, and to make it even worse the lights don’t line up terribly with the crosswalk signals so you could be waiting 3 minutes to cross the road. I can’t help but be defiant and go for it when it’s clear, I’ve got places to be! But once the first few weeks were behind me and the sunshine came out and hit my skin it started to turn around. I’ve decided to turn the negative features of Wellington and use them to my advantage, using my mentality I learned from New York I will run laps around the city and accomplish as much as I can, sleeping less and using a harsh business mentality. On that note, under cutting the hospitality market isn’t much of a bad idea either(stay tuned!)

  The Brain Drain & Traveler’s Trouble:

Something that shocked me when arriving to Wellington is how much of a traveler and student city it is. With that being said students go to the wonderful universities here, get their degrees and go ahead to the States, Europe or Australia to get paid more and use that degree to more of their advantage. So NZ is flooded with young people during their college years and then they’re gone. And the travelers, usually picking up hospitality jobs has completely jaded restaurant owners and managers with constant trouble of unlimited options. They come to this wonderful city, go ahead and say they are ready to dedicate 3, 6, or maybe 12 months to an establishment and then 2 months in at the drop of a hat they come to work and mention that they are traveling the South Island with some mates from the hostel and they won’t be coming in tomorrow or the day after. And with that being said, that completely screws the roster and straining the managers, which effectively trickles down to the other staff. With the vicious cycle that occurs with travelers it leaves the talented and dedicated locals(or travelers looking to stay) with no opportunity to earn a rightful wage & being taken advantage of in the end. I’ve been on many interviews and trials(working interviews) and I have yet to be offered a decent wage due to this jaded industry. I was once working at an event and someone so seriously told me, “Stop working so hard, you’re making us all look bad & no one will like you.”. I couldn’t believe it, the work ethic here is nothing that I am used to, work is hardly done properly and efficiently and it drives me crazy. I am still on the search for a restaurant filled with passionate workers and satisfied diners. But things are looking up, this is one of the things about traveling that isn’t talked about much, it isn’t always roses and daisies adapting to a city. I am not meshing well with Wellingtonians but it’s getting better day by day. So stay tuned for a (hopefully)growing love story with New Zealand! 

Also side note: Kiwi’s drink orange juice with every meal here, even dinner, strange!

[thesecrettoadventure]

Blast from the past

As I packed everything up out of my NY apartment for my move to Wellington, New Zealand I came across a pretty old journal, although it only had a few pages of words I reread it and it really brought me back to my beginning to this beautiful world of food & cooking. So here is the full version; unedited.

August 15th, 2012

I thought today would be an appropriate day to start recording my journey through culinary school, Julia Child’s 100th birthday. I’ve been waiting by the phone all day for a phone call from a man by the name of Jonathan Clarke. He’s the owner of a high end restaurant in the town of Lake Oswego. It’s a husband & wife team, and I want in, Jonathan hasn’t called yet. But maybe tomorrow, fingers crossed.

It being Julia Child’s 100th, it makes me wish I even know she was when she was still here on Earth. The first time I really started to get to know her was on a couch in a basement in Canada watching Julia & Julie, when I’m guessing many others heard her name for the first time too. She sparked something in me, inspiration. She revolutionized cooking for Americans. I describe her as the Oscar de la Renta of cooking. My dad bought me the ‘Mastering the Art of French Cooking’ I knew something began then and there. It started with a spinach quiche, no mis en plac what so ever. But me and my dad got through de-veining 1 pound of spinach in about an hour. Little did we know we were far from a finished product. But it was an adventure I’ll never forget, thank you Julia. I’m still waiting by the phone.

Goodnight

menu for tomorrow: dry rub chicken, wet rub chicken, cornish game hen

September 8th,2014

Wow, it’s been a while.

So much for writing about culinary school. I’ve been graduated for over a year now. I have to be at work in three hours but I can’t sleep because I just applied or a working holiday visa to Australia. I’m realizing how big this world is. If this visa goes through, which I pray it does, I vow to never move back to the states after going to Australia. I catch myself telling people:’if your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough’, I’m scared. I can’t sleep because there is a monster under my bed scared. I know I can do it that’s the only thing that’s not stopping me. I’ve gained confidence in my skills with everything I’ve done and been through. But I couldn’t & won’t be able to do this alone, all of the people around me inspire me as well as teaching me who I am and eventually who I want to be. I just decided that I won’t look back on old entries in this journal until the end, I’m sure I’ll cheat but it’s worth a shot. I’m going to try & sleep, but I’m so excited, nervous and scared.

tomorrow’s menu: pretzel’s, potato hamburger buns, tart shells, almond cakes, plum küchen, chocolate terrine

October 25th, 2013

I’m feeling ready to leave the states. I just got back from a trip to Toronto & Montreal, it’s so refreshing to be in a new country, well not new but another. My dad’s side of the family is so supportive, it’s really nice, touching really. A game changer really; none of them questioned me or even doubted me. Maybe it’s because they just know I’m ambitious & put my money where my mouth is. Toronto is such a tall city, we went up to the CN tower, Canada is so lush, the fall colours were in full swing. Some of the colours were like nothing I’ve seen in nature, neon, pastel and just plain vibrant. The wine in Ontario is different too, along with Canada’s gun laws. The wine has this smell, I can smell when it was raining, when the fog was rolling in, when the sun peaked through the clouds. It’s almost mossy, the colour of the wine is also more muted than what I am used to. Everyone is so kind & hospitable, I think that’s where I get my hospitality. Talking with my grandma, still not realizing it’s probably the last time I’ll ever see her. Being 82 a’int easy. Not to mention birthing & raising 11 kids. Still blows my mind, they’ve all grown to be loving, fun, loud & people to look up to. She was telling me what she used to buy from the store every week: 20 loaves of bread, 3 bushels of apples & 75 pounds of potatoes. EVERY WEEK. Working in a restaurant that amazes me. That’s what inspires me though. She does it out of love, and I’m sure to feed all the hungry mouths asking, “Mom, when’s dinner going to be ready?”. She’s strong internally & externally. I’ve only met the woman 3 times & I can’t believe this may be the last. One of my first memories of cooking and thinking to myself “I want to be a cook”, was when me & my dad were making her lasagna/spaghetti sauce recipe. I’m pretty sure I was standing on a chair for a stool over a simmering pot of tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, garlic, thyme and a little nutmeg and a lot of love stirred in throughout the day. The steam warming my freckled cheeks, as I make mini meatballs, my dad making closer to normal sized. I remember trying to convince my dad to make one giant meatball and getting it to work. Being a family of two, as much as we wanted to we couldn’t eat all of the lasagna we were about to make so we usually invited someone over, as a single dad and only child this is pretty exciting, my dad’s once coworker and long time friend Walt watched is layer sauce, noodles & cheese. While that’s in the oven we converse what I’m going to cook up for dessert, they bet something so sweet to rattle their teeth out of their skulls, I can’t say they were wrong! But night’s like this were such a big deal because it was a break from our usual Mac n’ Cheese dinner nights, which I’ve had my fair share being a picky eater. I guess what I’m trying to say is that my grandma’s cooking is really admirable.

tomorrow’s menu: nothing! yay for days off!

Today, October, 25th 2017

Oh what an amazing 5 years it’s been! And now I’m in Wellington, New Zealand. Stay tuned on my version of this city!

[thesecrettoadventure]

fun playlist I made to keep me movin’ while in Mexico! 

[thesecrettoadventure]

THE LAST BITE OF A COURSE

I will further explain my period of absence and fill you in.  

But until then..

I don’t celebrate the ‘New Year’ on the 1st of the year like most, I being new journeys & paths on my birthday because that is truly my ‘New Year”. Let’s begin with the last few minutes of 2016, there I was, dead asleep. On my couch, a quesadilla in my belly, Snickers if not in my hand, wrapper on the floor, and I’m sure I was falling asleep to Criminal Minds. I was awoken by fireworks around one. It’s just not my holiday, if I’m not on the couch asleep I’m probably working & that is where I also feel at home. Which brings me to my goal of the twenty second year of life:   BEING SELFISH   This was the year I was to be focusing on myself, learn what I love, what it is that I hate, rid that of my life and focus on myself. There are many things I love about myself and one of the biggest traits I love is my big, helpful, endearing and patient heart. I found myself sacrificing me for others that I barely knew, my sense of self, heart, wallet, and time were sacrificed although I wouldn’t trade a moment for any of it, I yearned to know what it was like to be selfish and genuinely taking care of myself, mentally and physically. Little did I know I’d be going through heart break in every way possible this year in my life. My first few days of 22, incredible sense of yearn to be back in Australia, but putting on a brave face for my awaiting visa results. Then I received an unexpected phone call from NY with an Aussie accent on the other end....just waiting on a visa, the world was my oyster for the next few weeks. 6 days later there I was in NYC, it felt like I blinked and all of a sudden I was surrounded by skyscrapers, rather than Oregon trees. I was deep within my element, incredible amount of hours, new, exciting and heaps of learning all in a new city, as this new business venture became more successful, I became worse, I became completely selfless and imprisoned to the business ignoring what my body and mind needed which was some attention. June came around and I received a letter bearing news I never wanted to hear, my visa was denied to gain permanent residency in Australia. The heartbreak is indescribable, I fell in love with so much in Australia, the geography, the lifestyle, the people, the kitchens, my happiness and a significant other. With the denial of my visa, my relationship became a victim of the circumstance and there was an end. At this point, I was not looking forward to my future, which is a feeling I never want to feel again. I cut off ties to most of my family to be selfish and mentally overhaul what support I am looking for in the people that surround me in this hard time. Lost, unappreciative of where I physically was, unable to see the beauty around me and the day that it was the worst of this feeling I decided to run along the East River and over the Brooklyn Bridge. I started to feel a little better about myself and where I was. I really opened my eyes and realized I was in New fuckin’ York City. I am not in just an ole city in the United States, I am in a major city of this world and I need to figure out how to conquer it. I chose selfishness. I chose MY happiness, I had to put everything aside and think of me in that moment. I have grown heaps this year, I stand by my motto more and more everyday: “you are not in my life unless you: support, inspire and/or love me”. With all the heartbreak I’ve encountered this year I can’t help but think about as well as thank from the bottom of my heart for the friends that picked up the shattered pieces of my heart, glued them back together with superglue & then filled my heart with love. This year my heart with be overflowing with love!

In short, 22 taught me:

CAREER: I have the ability to do really well, I still need to believe in myself more.

LOVE: It’s a bit early in life to be thinking about something so big and long term.

LIFE: It’s to be lived to MY expectations and I will not allow anyone to take me away from the path I want from myself.

So, whats in store for the 23rd year? This is the year of AMBITION

ambition - /amˈbiSH(ə)n/ noun, desire and determination to achieve success.

This is the year that all the business plans I’ve drawn up will come to life. My work ethic will continue to shine , but I will work smarter this year. I will make decisions that will build my career up. I will grow and see projects to the end. This is my year to focus on my success and create foundations that will build me tall and strong. I am ready to conquer. 

                                     Stay tuned......

So, tonight on my last night of being 22 I will have not only a slice but a whole humble pie and digest what is to come. Ambition is about making choices and not looking back. 

Cheers!

[thesecrettoadventure]

Tulips 

[thesecrettoadventure]

[thesecrettoadventure]

I get by with a little help from my friends

When I get down, people ask me if I miss home. No, I don’t miss home, I never really had a ‘home’ due to the fact that I moved so much & continue to do so. If I would call anywhere home it would be Portland, there will always be a piece of me there. What I really miss is my friends, they are wonderful & I know I’ll make more like them here in Australia. I just don’t think anyone I know in Australia would take a bullet for me yet, whereas I know my friends in North America would without hesitating(okay maybe not a fatal shot, but somewhere like the leg or arm). They practically do that already by picking up the phone when I call them at 3am their time. What’s the best really is to talk to someone without an accent and really feel comfortable with someone who understands my sarcasm and humor as well as puts up with my bullshit. But you also realize who your true friends are when you try & call at those odd hours, and I’m happy that they all pick up the phone. The hour long Skype sessions, the random texts with fun filled memories, the drunken snapchats at bars that I once did the same, the emails, Facebook posts, and postcards make it easier to miss you all less. So please don’t stop sending them, calling, or Skyping me. Yes Portland, I miss your one way streets, miniature ‘city blocks’, and romantic rain but it’s my friends who I’m really missing. So this is a big thank you to my friends who hold me together & support me as I continue to embark on this adventure!

[thesecrettoadventure]

The Queen Vic Market, a place where my heart will lie eternally. When I die please spread my ashes here. XO

[thesecrettoadventure]

Oh, Australia

Has anyone told you that you’re wonderful today? Well I’m telling you now, Australia. You’re treating me well & I can’t stand the thought of me leaving you. I’m doing everything in my power to devise a plan so we can stay together forever. 

Your people

The wonderful, oh so wonderful people that I wish I’ve known longer. And take no offense to this North America, you hold some of my closest & best kept friends. The people I’ve met are nothing but a joy! Also so overwhelmingly blunt, open and cutthebullshit-gettothepoint people. Which if you know me, is the true reason that I adore Australia. I’m from this little(3.1 mil.) place called “The Orange Curtain”. I’m kidding, sort of, Orange County, California. You may have heard about it on the show ‘Laguna Beach’ or ‘OC’ or even as a beautiful place filled with beautiful people. Yes that is true, beautiful all on the outside. Everyone is like a shiny coin two sides to everyone you meet. You just never know who is going to be your friend day to day, one day they are your best friend & the next you’re getting stabbed in the back. This place raises people with trust issues, I know I have my fair share from growing up in Orange County. We were raised to question everything, to ask ourselves, “what does this person want from me?”. It’s a sad way of life but that’s the way it is. Also, if you’re not a size 0, with a thigh gap, flawless skin with the car & house then don’t expect to fit in the cookie cutter of Orange Curtain. It’s a shame but it’s the way of life. But I think what I’m trying to say(still trying to work on the cut-the-shit-and-get-to-the-point attitude) is that everyone I’ve met in this country I have basically idolized because of their persona. They never seize to amaze me with the amount of joy & enthusiasm that they constantly carry so gracefully. Aussies intentions are simple, 1) they don’t care 2) they want to have a good time 3) they will have a good time. 

Your food

Well.....the whole draw of Australia was the produce, Quay by Peter Gilmore was the sole reason I moved here. If you think I’m crazy for moving across the world because of a cook book, you’re right. But I couldn’t be happier, actually someone recently told me “they don’t believe in happiness”, I couldn’t agree more. If you’re not happy, change it; it’s truly that simple. What’s making me happy is seeing Mexican Midget tomatoes & kangaroo on menus. Having authentic Thai, Chinese & Greek food 10 minutes away from my stomach. I’m in heaven, who wouldn’t be? I know why so many mazing chefs are coming out of Melbourne, hopefully I’ll be one in a few years. Lot’s more hard work & research first though. I find my palate happier & amazed every time I go out to eat, I’m never disappointed and I’m not sure I will ever be. It’s still so surreal that I’m actually here, the ever so thick accents are becoming to sound like everyday voices to me but I’m usually snapped back to reality when someone spots my accent practically before I even open my mouth and asks where I’m from. I’ll soon be in a professional kitchen again and getting my hands where they belong: burnt, sliced, callused and blistered. I don’t recognize a single varietal of oyster or hardly any seafood & that’s why I’m here, to learn. I’m so thrilled to get in there and touch the produce & learn all about how to cook it and combine it with the knowledge of flavors that is home to me. 

& just about everything else

How sincerely polite everyone is. Driving on the left side on the road. Ordering a flat white instead of a latté. The coffee, oh my god, the coffee. The street art. The unforgiving, constantly changing weather. Breaky. How the eggs are kept out of refrigeration in the grocery stores. The open air markets. The slang, which still is mystifying me. How it’s legal to drink on the streets. How educated the children are. The metric system. How the tax is calculated into the price. The healthcare system. Melbourne’s Chinatown. The true melting pot culture. How chocolate is practically a god. Perfect portions. A non-GMO country. The tall buildings. The transport system. The gardens. The wine. The fashion. The fact that bars are called pubs. I could go on forever.

Australia I love you,

[thesecrettoadventure]

The Magical Miracle Fruit

No, it has no effects such as the little blue pill. But it will leave you f***ed.

When I heard that the Melbourne food & wine festival was going on when I got into town, I knew I had to be a part of it. With everything going on when moving to a new country, I sort of dropped the ball. But I managed to get a ticket to a 4 course meal with the ‘Miracle Fruit’. Sold. It was at Bohemian’s Bar & Grill on the wharf, so worst comes to worse at least I’ll have a nice view. I sat alone, but the GM was a very good friend to discuss each course. So the plan was we were to have a three course dinner, with your normal tastebuds & then you’ll have the magical fruit, to follow that will be ‘dessert’ of goat cheese & tomatoes. If you don’t know much, or anything about Miracle Fruit I’ll fill you in, it’s a small berry about the size of your thumbnail that switches your tastebuds to turn off the bitter sensation. Essentially giving you the ability to bite into a lemon & not pucker up but also have it taste sweet.

The First Course

Delicious, I love goats cheese so I was excited from the start. Grilled watermelon was an idea that I really enjoyed as well. Balsamic vinegar, red peppers & goat cheese come into play again later in the game.

I also had a glass of rosé that was wonderful, Australia has pleasantly surprised me with the amazing wine so far.

The Second Course

Seared Duck, poached apples, radicchio, tomatoes, and sour cream. The radicchio was oh so very bitter, for the sake of the experiment I understand. But still, very bitter. The sour cream & the liquid from the poached apples really tied everything together and made it all make sense. Chipotle isn’t the only one to use sour cream as a garnish, who’da thunk! 

My wine was gone, I was thinking about what beverage I was going to order for the Magical Fruit. I’m not the biggest beer drinker in the world because it fills me up, as well as the bitterness can be off putting to me sometimes. So I went with the house beer to see the magic happen

I was given a pill comprised of the contents of one freeze-dried Magical Fruit. It sits in your mouth & dissolves, juggling it in your mouth anticipation kills. I looked around the room and everyone had the same look on their faces, excitement & nervousness. I couldn’t stop smiling for some reason. It really is magic.

The Tasting Platter

After it dissolved I sipped on my beer, immediately freaked out. I took four more sips out of pure disbelief. Magical it was. Confusion and joy hit me like a wall. This will last for one hour. I felt like I only had one hour to see the sunshine again. I wanted to taste anything and everything. And that’s when the platter hit my table. 

Strawberry- so extremely sweet, the acidity was gone. It tasted artificial, not pleasant. Not what I expected either. 

Everything smells the same, why does it taste so different

Sour Cream- holy guacamole. I can’t get enough. I never will. Its out of this world amazing. Explicit, even. One of my favorite things, ever. If I could replace whipped cream on pancakes, ice cream, cake, root beer floats, I would every time. It’s much more refreshing without the pinch on the inside of your cheeks. I can’t explain it very well but it is not the sour cream you know & love.

Apple- tastes the same to me, I am not the biggest fan of apples raw to start with. This experiment is to take away acidity/bitterness to show how much natural sugar lies underneath. This wasn’t that great of a difference for me 

Pickled Onions- I love em’ already, but now I love em’ even more. Onions are sweet, if you bit into one raw you wouldn’t believe me. If I slowly sweated them with neutral oil you would understand. They are sweet as candy for me, at this point I’m ready to garnish a chocolate cake with them

Lemon- this was my biggest curiosity throughout the dinner, before after & during too. All I have to say: it’s unreal. You must do this before you die unreal. I took a bite out of a lemon & it was sweeter than sweet tea from the South. Kid you not. I asked for more lemon wedges it was that phenomenal. There was no sourness to be presented in the lemon, none at all. This was beyond just sweet. I’m a true believer in the Magical Fruit

Balsamic Vinegar- my tastebuds allow me to drink this faster than whiskey without an awful look on my face after. I learned balsamic is so smokey, much deeper than a sweet vinegar. I think about this with seafood. Sounds crazy, but so is the fact that I can drink vinegar, no chase no face.

How this affects me as a Cook

I haven’t eaten since the experiment & I’m not ready. A whole new world really has opened up for me. I never knew that sour cream was that luscious, it can be more than a tangy topping. I’m thinking of things to pair that I’ve never thought of before. Goats cheese has such a beautiful profile I feel as if I’ve ruined it’s integrity until now. This has shown me a side of ingredients that I’ll never forget. I am forever changed & forever grateful.

[thesecrettoadventure]

Head Over Heels

People ask me how I like Australia, all I can say is I love it. But why?, There I was walking home from an amazing Italian meal off of Lygon Street and there were fireworks strong enough, explosive enough, to light up the entire sky. Lygon Street is a street filled with food establishments only back to back where the host will stand outside & bargain with you to eat with them. They'll offer you a bottle of wine, as you start to walk away to consider another restaurant all of a sudden they would love to offer your party 2 bottles of wine. And just like that their spaghetti sounds more delicious than anyone else's. Where else in the world do restaurants bargain with you to eat with them?? And of course it's delicious, everything here is. So yes, I like Australia so far. I'll be honest I haven't been myself since I've been here because there is simply so much to do upon arrival & it's overwhelming to be simply on my own as far away as possible from people that I know. But theres been a switched turned on inside me that is igniting the fire inside me. If you know me, you know that my fire burns bright & that there is big things coming. So please stay in touch because I want you to be a part of it all  

[thesecrettoadventure]

Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of [eight] thousand miles must begin with a single step. Lao Tzu

Moving to a new country isn't easy, but it sure is fun! There is so much to do when you arrive, it's overwhelming. I basically don't recommend anyone do this alone. I'm a strong kid, but this is a lot to take on. I have my game face on & I can't wait for the real fun to begin. 

Things I've learned

Everything is different, I mean everything. The light switches aren't even the same here. I can't track down an Australian accent because this is a melting pot, sorry America you can no longer use that phrase. They drive on the left side of the road for god's sake. Melbourne is the fashion/food capital of Australia. So yes, the women constantly look as if they are walking down the runway in high fashion. Don't worry I've been shopping. What I've had of the food is good, the drinks great, the coffee is mind blowing. And no, it's not cheap. Like at all. It's $4.00 for a kg of bananas, thats about $2.00 for a pound of bananas!? I'm heartbroken about that one. But other things such as strawberries are more reasonable. They also don't tip here, which is something to consider when eating out. It may be $11 for lasagna & a drink, but you don't tip...So isn't that what I would be paying already? I will always be putting 50% of my paycheck towards dining out so it doesn't bother me. It's so beautiful here, a city consisting of 4 million, it seems odd to me that there isn't smog. I may only be noticing this because I left from LAX, but damn Melbourne. The buildings are tall, really tall. There is the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere here & word on the street is we're building one even taller! The even crazier thing? That 100 story building is residential, could you imagine waiting for that elevator? I'm staying in a 45 story building & the wait can take a while. The people are not nearly as friendly as the ones in Portland(I'm not surprised). No one here on the streets has their headphones in, they are always walking & talking with another person that they are with. An American accent is also anyway to catch anyones attention within ear shot. Even though the thing I've probably said the most while being here is, "May I please have a latte?". I'll have to get to the coffee in another post. 

I suppose this post was all one run-on sentence but I'm not sure where to start when there's so much to explain. I promise I'll get better at writing!

[thesecrettoadventure]

I bought four pairs of shoes & a hat before 11am. I am about to get a massage, it feels so good to finally treat myself