Whether it’s making my own masterpieces, finding the tastiest local eats, or geeking out on gastronomy, food has been and always will be a major source of happiness to me. It’s tough to say where this passion stemmed. Maybe it was my godfather, a writer for Saveur, instilling a desire to try different cuisines. Perhaps, it was my time cooking at the Four Diamond restaurant La Caille. Regardless, my interest for food continues to grow today.

Creation

I’ve spent many restless nights contemplating dropping everything to attend the Institute of Culinary Education. Until that day happens, the following books have temporarily satisfied my curiosity to learn everything from the intricacies of the Maillard Reaction to perfecting the primary knife cuts.

DiscoverY

My friends have granted me the title of ‘foodie’ due to my absolute obsession in finding the best places to eat. The fascination for me is discovering delicious food and directing people towards it because we only get so many meals in a lifetime. The rise of cooking and travel shows have only intensified this interest. Thanks, Netflix.

Countless hours have been put into developing these restaurant lists for the above cities that I want you to enjoy and these others as well. Be sure to allow all the locations to load when opening the link by scrolling down!

Quality

There are a few master chefs that I look up to just how a young athlete would idolize hall-of-fame legends. The quality and innovation of these chefs inspire me to keep practicing this craft to the point that I can bring others that same joy. My passion for gastronomy has led me to visit some of their restaurants as well as other world renowned restaurants including Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, Akelarre, Pujol, Eleven Madison Park, Pierre Gagnaire, Arpège, Patagonia Sur, and Don Julio.

My go-to prescription. There’s something indescribably fulfilling about immersing yourself in a new culture and unknown surroundings. We can all afford to broaden our views to a more global level and have some fun getting a little lost on the way. Here are the parts of the world that I’ve made it to thus far.

Have an itch to get out and travel but not sure where? Take a look at my travel bucket list and let’s go so I can put these Skymiles to use!

Chances are you’ve heard this exact conversation within the past month. With technology allowing us to listen to any song we want within seconds, I feel that we’re able to emotionally connect with music now more than ever. This is definitely a common thread within my music library along with playlist titles that make no sense. Nevertheless, I love sharing so give me a follow!

LIVE SHOWS

There’s listening to music during a boring, daily commute or there’s the rush of excitement being blasted away by the speakers at a live show. Coordinating concerts along with years of working AV and DJing gave me a huge appreciation for what it takes to put on a solid concert. I got to work with headliners like B.o.B., Three Six Mafia, MC Hammer, and Vanilla Ice doing my fair share of reviewing riders and coordinating security. You’ll see from the photos of my favorite performances that I still don’t shy from getting as close to the stage as possible!

There’s still a lot of boxes to check off on my bucket list and staying in shape enables me to make sure I get to all of them. Being overweight for most of my childhood and all the emotions that came with it was a catalyst to my newfound hobby. High school sports kicked off my journey to fitness, then a year of trying out a vegetarianism, and most recently, working a corporate job in the nutrition industry. I know there’s a lot of soundbites out there about the magic formula for getting in shape, but here’s what worked for me:

• Determining the ‘why’ and making sure it’s good enough to last. Compliance is the main reason workout plans don’t work so winning the mental game was key. I wanted a lifestyle change not a quick fix.

• Reading up and getting educated. In the US, weight-loss products are a $60 billion industry. If products that were guaranteed to work and last existed, America would not be one of the most obese countries in the world. Read books and read labels.

• Trying and trying again. I knew it would be a process because it’s an investment. Everybody is different and every body is different so I had to really get to know how mine responds after plenty of failures. 

One of my first reads from a trusted resource. Still relevant today!