People often see me as that girl who travels a lot—which is not a lie. And once they do, I get those “next trip bareng yuk!” messages. But here’s my honest PSA: don’t travel with me unless you’re ready for a food-fueled, hyper-curated, beverage-hopping itinerary that revolves around… well, restaurants and drinks.
Let me break it down:
My trips don’t start with “where’s the best view?” but “which chef is doing something cool there?” I deep-dive. I Google-stalk. I read up on ingredient sourcing, indigenous flavors, restaurant philosophy, even the color of their restaurant (no, seriously). For example, who the hell chooses to go to Guadalajara—known to many only from Narcos episodes? Me. Why? Because of Alcalde and Xokol. Not on the top 10 of the World’s 50 Best list (yet), but the way they celebrate ancestral Mexican cuisine? Freakin’ poetic. The chefs? Pure passion. The food? Not just Instagram-worthy—soul-worthy. Bonus: Xokol personally helped me adjust my birthday dinner menu when I was flying solo. Alcalde even made a mini tasting menu just for my picky +1. Hospitality: 100/10.
And don’t even get me started on native beverages. You think I’d skip a visit to the birthplace of tequila while in Jalisco? Please. Azul who? I’m in line at Arette, Los Abuelos, Cava de Oro, Fortaleza. Learning, sipping, nerding out on agave. Nothing beats tasting spirits at the origin, talking to the people behind the craft, and getting a little buzzed the educational way.
So no, I’m not your “let’s collect passport stamps” kinda girl. I dig deeper. I ask, “What’s the story here?” And if the story involves rubbia gallega steak in Spain, sipping port in Porto, or finally getting a table at Asador Etxebarri in San Sebastián (aka the Beyoncé of all food pilgrimages)—then yes, I’m going. Currently in my study phase for that one. Stay tuned.
