All posts tagged: foodie

Confessions of a Jetsetter w/ Anya Peters

Published by Confessions of a Jetsetter

“There was a moment, in Marrakech, Morocco, that reassured and amplified my philosophy of feasting… One year ago, my sister and I went to work at the carpet shop she takes pictures for – measuring and documenting the thousands of carpets that are sold there. It was a long afternoon of holding up rugs while learning Darija (Moroccan Arabic dialect). We went in for lunch for a home cooked meal by Zoubida. We all settled into a small room lined with brightly colored, subdued and rich carpets on the floors, walls and rolled into stacks against the stairwells. A low round table was set out and my sister and I sat cross-legged on the floor with a bunch of Moroccan businessmen and merchants talking politics and agriculture, flowing in and out of Arabic to ask our opinions. Zoubida set before us the biggest tagine I’ve ever seen that smelled so divine. Loaves of semolina bread were broken and passed around the cipher. We dunked our piece of bread into the stewed tomatoes and they let us choose first which part …

A Moveable Feast: 4 Hearty Lessons from Food Book Fair

Published by Khadijat Oseni

If the age-old phrase that “you are what you eat” manifests itself literally, I’d be one giant avocado rolling around the streets of New York City #deadsexy. All jokes aside, many of us don’t take the time out to recognize just how much food and the art of dining shape our collective identities, memories and social politics apart from the obvious physical implications food has on our waistlines. I got a quick reminder of just how significant each bite lends to food for thought when I accompanied the motley crew at Ace Hotel New York as they hosted this year’s Food Book Fair. Here are 4 hearty lessons I learned from foodies & bookworms alike: 1) “Come to the table with an empty stomach and leave with a full heart.” ~ Warren Bobrow aka “The Cocktail Whisper”  On opening night of the Food Book Fair, Warren Bobrow discussed his latest book, The Craft Cocktail Compendium, which encompasses a mixture of contemporary apothecary cocktails and silent nods to Robert Louis Stevenson.  I later struck up a …

Confessions of a Jetsetter w/ Andrea Wien

Published by Confessions of a Jetsetter

“Stepping off the plane in a new city, I inhale, searching already for the closest food stalls or local markets. In the same way people travel to gawk at the Great Pyramids or to climb the tallest mountains, I travel for the cuisine. A city can lie its way into a traveler’s heart, but in back alleys down winding, brick-laid roads, the bubbling curries or crispy delicacies are beacons of pure honesty.   Food teaches me about the mundane, the beautiful, the oppression, the squalor and the extravagance of a place in a way that nothing else can. A people’s history lives on my fork, dances across my taste buds and nourishes my soul as it warms its way through my body.  For me, inspiration comes in the form of turmeric and paprika, galangal and ginger. It weaves a path past city squares, ducks behind bright doorways, moves to the rhythms of a tea kettle and explodes in color over the rice paddies, bringing me back to where it all started, and gathering strength for where it has …

24 Hours: Luxembourg City

Published by Khadijat Oseni

“Where are you headed next?” “Luxembourg!” “Oh cool…silly question, where is that again? Switzerland?” “No, but close, there’s a “Little Switzerland” in Luxembourg!” “Wait, I thought Luxembourg was a capital city in another country?” “Yeah, Luxembourg City IS the capital of Luxembourg!” “Oh jeez, get out of here before you drive me nuts!” “Haha, love ya!” Typical conversations that surrounded my recent trip to Luxembourg always seemed to either begin and end in a cloud of confusion as to where Luxembourg is, or garner disbelief as to how I spent an entire weekend there without electing to hop over to popular neighboring cities like Brussels, Paris and Cologne. However, during my summer in London, I decided to zip over and find out what the local sensibility of this city full of drifters is, with 60% of its population being expats and having 170,000 people commute back and forth each day. Outside of having well-paid jobs particularly in the EU and financial sectors, what is the draw to life in Luxembourg City? Upon arrival, I quickly …

Confessions of a Jetsetter w/ Michael Elegbede

Published by Confessions of a Jetsetter

“Experiencing the indigenous cuisines of the places I travel have unlocked the secrets behind Time Travel…My first bite is the teleportation device immediately taking me to the remote time, place, conditions that must have manifested to create the complexities in the flavors, textures and presentation of the foods I am eating or drinking…As a Chef, this always brings a renewed sense of appreciation for the place, people, and culture…” – Michael Elegbede // @michael.elegbede   052/100 of #100DaysofConfessions Instagram Project

KO-Austin City Limits-Jetsetterproblems.com

Say Yes To Austin City Limits!

Published by Khadijat Oseni

Being a kindred “analogue girl in a digital world” like Texas native, Erykah Badu, visiting Austin struck a chord with me since it’s a city that literally revolves around music boasting festivals eleven months out of the year. Last October, I flew out to Austin City Limits, aka ACL, and highly recommend a pilgrimage for fellow music lovers alike. Here’s why! TWO THREE-DAY WEEKEND OPTIONS IN A PHENOMENAL CITY ACL has two separate weekends for concertgoers to choose from with dates typically falling around Columbus Day. This is a huge bonus for crowd control and the line-ups for both weekends are synonymous with the exception of a few acts. Options allow for purchasing either: early bird specials, which are three-day passes issued prior to line-up announcements for $225, regular three-day passes at $250 or single day passes at $100 each. I chose the latter since my main focus was seeing Outkast who kicked off the first night of the weekend I attended. I spent the rest of my time soaking up Austin, which translated to …

Confessions Of A Jetsetter w/ Peter Nguyen

Published by Confessions of a Jetsetter

“My favorite place has been my most recently far journey to Bologna, Italy. It was so laid back, it really made me reconsider how I want to approach life and my work. It propelled me to want to be a lot more independent, where I can take a long lunch and have wine and chill out with no worries… A funny encounter in Bologna was when my girlfriend and I kept dining at this restaurant called Diana, which is Mario Batali’s favorite place to eat. They do the classic tagliatelle Bolognese perfect. It was probably our 3rd time there in one week and we went right as they opened… We asked for some wine, our waiter didn’t speak English well, so we pointed to a drink list and he came out with an entire bottle. He was about to open it and said “no cancel?” We said fuck it and got drunk after we finished the whole bottle. It was 10am.” – Peter Nguyen // @theessentialman   009/100 of #100DaysofConfessions Instagram Project

24 Hours: Savannah, GA

Published by Khadijat Oseni

The haunting beauty and charm of Savannah, Georgia is not meant to be reduced to a day. From its sweeping oaks adorned with garland-like Spanish moss to its immaculately squared off patches of history and legends scattered about as points of reflection throughout the city, the air of Savannah is one that thickly lingers long after you’ve departed. With only 24 hours to explore due to a spur of the moment road trip from Atlanta, I attempted to ingest Savannah’s allure in one hardy sitting and was pleasantly surprised at how much there is to do in this small town and how deeply I long to return for more. Come take a nostalgic stroll through some of the many highlights during my 24 hours as a first-time drifter in Savannah… Exploring Savannah Streets & Architecture The streets of Savannah are pristine and picturesque with rich architecture and amazing landscaping that it’s hard not to go around make-believe house hunting and fantasizing what décor may lie behind each door. I highly recommend staying at one of …

The Perfect Staycation For A Francophile

Published by Khadijat Oseni

As the famous words often attributed to Audrey Hepburn go, “Paris is always a good idea.” Being the self-professed Francophile that I am, I constantly have a daily dose of wanderlust for Paris, which is one of my absolute favorite cities in the world. However, the luxury of time or budget isn’t always on my side to plot a getaway. It’s in these instances that I become creative and have mini escapes throughout my day that fondly remind me of Paris. Come join me on une journée Parisienne à New York (a Parisian Day in New York). Le Petit Déjeuner Chez Ladurée (Breakfast at Ladurée) Ladurée, one of the most popular bakeries and tea salons in Paris established since 1862, has two locations in Manhattan – a storefront on Madison Avenue in the Upper East Side and a full tea salon in SoHo and their macarons are my kryptonite! For this reason, I skip the typical breakfast fare and head straight to dessert. My favorite flavor is pétale de rose (rose petal), but you can’t …

Afternoons at Café Angelina

Published by Khadijat Oseni

I always have a delectable ritual whenever I’m in Paris regardless of what district I’m staying in. And, this ritual simply includes always having to make a quickie at Café Angelina after visiting the Louvre for their divinely rich cup of hot chocolate – the perfect blend of a bitter/sweet symphony for true chocolate lovers. It seems this tradition doesn’t only run deep with me but also with my fellow Jetsetter Problems crew members. Here’s a glimpse at us all up to the same old habits during separate visits to Paris…vive le chocolat!!! Cesarin eagerly anticipating his cup of bliss to descend from the heavens… The second coming is upon us, the one & only Angelina hot chocolate! Let’s all take a moment to relish in its deliciousness before going h.a.m! Too rich and thick to gobble all at once, it must be savored with a spoon which lends equal points to keeping it classy and playing fake French…Oui, Mademoiselle V!! Umm take a cue from Mel, attempting to interrupt this euphoria is a negative! But having …