Anthony Bourdain was, and still is, my hero and greatest inspiration. He didn’t just write books and make television, he opened my eyes and millions of others’ to food, culture, travel and different outlooks on life. From Kitchen Confidential to No Reservations to, my favorite TV show of all time, Parts Unknown, Tony showed us … Continue reading Anthony Bourdain: Leaving Something Good Behind
Music is so important when you travel, especially when traveling solo. I constantly have music playing and the headphones don't stay home when I get on a plane for a new adventure. Nothing beats walking through the streets of a new city to a self-curated soundtrack to the movie that could be your life. In … Continue reading My 2017 Travel Playlist
There’s nothing quite like a four-hour hike up a mountain to remind you how out of shape you are. One month ago I boarded a bus for a six-hour journey to the city of Huangshan, where I would spend my weekend hiking the infamous Yellow Mountain. Growing up in a sparsely populated place like Nebraska, … Continue reading Hiking Huangshan
You’ve never known true disappointment until you’ve been bamboozled by a red bean bun. In many East Asian cuisines, the red bean, or adzuki bean as it is also known, will be boiled and mashed into a paste and then sweetened with honey or sugar. This paste is then used in various ways, including partnered … Continue reading The Legume Laden Liar
The Taj Mahal. One of the world’s grandest, most romantic gestures and one of the new seven wonders of the world. I set off for Agra, the site of the Taj Mahal, on an early morning express train from Delhi. Normally I am more of a headphones and daydream out the window kind of girl … Continue reading Agra and the Taj Mahal
It's not always possible to hop on a plane and explore a new destination, so sometimes traveling from the comfort of your couch is the next best thing. Here are my top 10 travel movies to inspire or satiate that longing to travel the world. 10. Tracks (2013) Travels to: Australia Stars: Mia Wasikowska, Adam … Continue reading My Top 10 Favorite Travel Movies (Fiction)
There comes a moment when living abroad stops being an exotic adventure and just becomes every day life. You get into a work routine, you establish a group of friends, you join a weekly dodgeball league (just me?) and things start to feel normal. It’s still an adventure in a sense, but you’re no longer … Continue reading Adjusting.
I've been back in America for almost a week now and it's not at all what I expected. I thought I would have some kind of "reverse culture shock" that we had been warned of, but instead it's just life as usual. I loved my time in Africa. I didn't kiss the ground when I got … Continue reading One Last Thing
My relationship with Rwandan and Ugandan food is best described as an emotional rollercoaster. From the honeymoon phase where I fell in love with the delicious fried bananas, fresh from the earth tomatoes, and the ever present mystery vegetable sauces to the fall out that occurred somewhere around my fifteenth serving of boiled cassava leaves. … Continue reading Bananas, Beans and Rice: A Tumultuous Love Story
Tomorrow’s the day! Just a hop to Chicago, a skip to Istanbul, and a jump to Kigali and I’m in the heart of Africa for the next two months. I know that my time in Africa will change me but it’s up to the land, the people, and all of my new experiences to decide … Continue reading The Beginning
Nowhere To Go But Everywhere 