Whether you remember Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia - or maybe, like me, you remember the movie staring Julia Roberts - there really is something magical about eating, praying, and loving your way through different experiences across the world. Ironically, that's kind of been my own mantra through traversing more countries and cities than I can even count.
So, naturally, during this summer of self-discovery, reflection, and re-calibration, I had to engage all of my senses in something unique. And despite my love for trekking across the globe, I was surprised that some of my most meaningful adventures happened right around home...
Destination: Michigan
After a long and somewhat discouraging semester, I started my journey of self-discovery (and frankly, a real holiday) with a trip to my home state of Michigan.
What better way to start my journey First Class style....
...where they fed me real food too!
Destination: Virginia
After only a few days home, I took a mini-trip to Charlottesville and Richmond, Virginia to focus on expressing love to members of my incredible family, starting with a trip to my little cousin's graduation. During the trip, I discovered (and re-disovered) several things including ...
A history lesson through stumbling upon the school where the "Charlottesville 12" were the first black students to enroll in an all-white school following the legal provisions for integration;
My long neglected interest in beer tasting, as I tried a flight of four locally brewed beverages;
A little bluegrass music, some whiskey from an extensive collection...
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| A wall of whiskey! |
...and a good ol' Southern fish fry.
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| Fried local trout with asparagus |
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| My mom's order of southern fried chicken |
I indulged my sweet tooth, tasting a range of truffles from a beloved Richmond chocolate house.
And, of course, I got to spend some quality time with just my mom.
Destination: Michigan
My next stop was to head back to Michigan to engage in the "eat" part of my journey. I felt inspired to eat more healthily, and more mindfully, and wanted to experiment with food in a way I don't have time to in everyday Boston life.
I whipped up unique plates and salad bowls daily, like this kale, sweet potato, and couscous salad with roasted yellow peppers, asparagus, and organic tomatoes...
Or this organic greens and berry salad topped with homemade smoked whitefish cakes and roasted cinnamon and cayenne plantains...
Or my little party-platter-for-one with salsa and egg salad, complete with a good glass of wine.
And I enjoyed cooking family dinner most nights, putting a healthy twist onto some of our family favorites.
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| Meatloaf with garlic roasted baby red tomatoes, baby carrots, and kale |
I laughed more than I have in a long time and got to hang out with my parents, just like old times.
And, of course, I found my way to little gems of restaurants I never knew existed, enjoying every bite of the different spots Michigan has to offer.
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| I love food but couldn't even finish half of philly steak and egg plate! |
Destination: Southern Michigan
My love for family took me down to the southern part of the state, where I watched my youngest brother jam away on percussion in the 2015 Blue Lake Southern Wind's first stop on their international tour.
I had actually forgotten how much I love classical musical - I played the French horn and piano years ago - and I found myself smiling and humming along.
Destination: Grand Rapids, Michigan
To break up the monotony of staying in my hometown a little, I took a few other trips out of the city. One stop along the way: Grand Rapids, Michigan: home to several microbreweries and voted as "Best Beer Town."
In my willingness to "go with the flow," I found my way to my first-ever comic convention (yes, seriously).
Despite the judgement I came in with, and poor logistics on the part of the expo, I learned a lot through the convention and found myself enjoying the event. We listened to a Ferris State University alumnus talk about his experience achieving his dream of working in the comic industry for the world-renowned Marvel Comics company. I learned that comic books are developed by a team of writers, sketch artists, color experts, and the works.
We learned about an interesting initiative called The 100 Tables Project, where students in Zeeland Public Schools volunteer time to make comic-inspired tables, learn about running a business and marketing, and then sell the products to raise money for local families in need.
And - for those who know anything about conventions - I wasn't wearing a costume but promise that a picture of me with the Ghostbusters crew I discovered is coming soon...
I can't say that I'll be back at GRASP next year but I did try something completely new.
Destination: the Tastes of Thailand
As I realized my time home was coming to a close, I wanted to do something special that had been on my "bucket list," so to speak. Since I couldn't make it over to the Thailand, I brought the flavors of the country over to me.
One of my favorite comfort foods is Pad Thai, and I decided the time was right to prepare it from scratch, on my own.
I started with chopped garlic and scallions, two of several ingredients I'd purchased specially for this beloved (American) Thai dish.
I used the traditional method of cooking the noodles through soaking them in warm water. But since I've never followed a recipe from start to finish, I had to put my signature on the dish by adding a few special ingredients.
I scrambled the egg on the side of the pan, and added some garlic shrimp into the dish.
I mixed ingredients to make the perfect sweet, tangy homemade Pad Thai sauce, added a lime...
...and voila! Pad Thai, as it really should be, is served.
Destination: Boston
What felt, to me, like going around the world eventually had to come to close, and so I headed back to the grind of life in Boston. But I took my renewed passion for food, spiritual in-the-moment awakening, and love for the really special people and moments in my life back with me!
Whether going to see the Newsies musical with a friend from college...
...Or having a familiar face from Burundi to spend hours with chatting over charcuterie boards and fine French cuisine in Boston....
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| This man!! |
...Or even just getting creative and whipping up the most gourmet leftovers ever...
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| Muscles and frites in a creamy paramasean sauce with cherry tomatos and organic greens. Yum! |
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