Life is beautiful and the true beauty lies in the sheer truth that it is full of the unexpected…
In other words, le vita e bella!
While I get some Reviews together and begin my 3 new Pages, I wanted to take a moment and do something I typically haven’t. Just write. There is something simply beautiful in remembering why we do what we do. For me, “A Taste of Dawn” is about discovering those things that have yet to be discovered, learning (and telling) the real story behind the chefs that prepare such exquisite dishes, finding artists that place their soul before you, and finding unique Hotels to not only rest my head but entice me with something entirely unexpected. While I continue this wonderfully enlivening adventure, I appreciate every little moment, savor every bite (even the ones that are hard to swallow), indulge in every creation, but above all, hope that what I find is quality, innovation, passion, and soul.
When I go out to eat, to grab a latte, or even sip on a glass of wine, I have a certain level of expectation. The same is true when I leave the comfort of home to spend some time away at a Hotel. That is not to say a $6 Food Truck Lobsticle isn’t as tasty as a $60 plate serving me a little Surf with my Turf (because it is!) or a Hotel that is small and unknown isn’t going to blow my mind. It is simply that no one, in spite of cost or notoriety should forget why they do what they do. Anyone in the service industry should walk away if they can’t find the love in what they do. It shows from top to bottom when that love, that devotion, that insatiable appetite for quality – dims. There are fewer more intimate things in life than the food we happily ingest, the pillow in which we rest our heads, or the art we welcome into our lives. Each piece plays a vital role in how we see and experience life. My aim as a writer, as a lover of fare, as a critical judge of Hotels, and as a woman who thrives to find art that doesn’t treat it’s viewer with callous thoughtlessness – is to share these gems with the world. Share YOU with the world.
I’ve said this before – I write and tell your story because I believe there is a story to tell. In terms of chefs and Restaurants, there is a process one must go through that is not only entirely exhausting but also equally exposing. For a chef to look at ingredients, spices, and flavors and be able to conceptualize a dish – that is art. Sometimes they fail miserably and sometimes they can surprise even themselves. While not every chef sees the artist within him or herself, the perfectly wonderful gift they share with us and our awaiting palates is remarkable. I strive to find those chefs who feed their passion to fill our tummies and in doing so, understand and truly embrace the wonder that people open their mouths to devour what is placed before them. No Chef can get too inflated as to forget that they do what they do because they find joy in curing our hunger just as much as we find joy in them curing it. As for me coming in to dine and taste everything they create, I believe there are surprises in every dish. My hope is to find them.
As for Hotels, I believe every Hotel whether large or small, should treat every single guest with respect and humble appreciation. Granted, guests need to also appreciate the beauty of being able to sleep somewhere different and experience service that is solely based on catering to them. Hotels and Guests have a very rare relationship; perhaps one of the more rare. It is a relationship based on trust and discretion, customer service, and attentiveness. That said, it is often the one thing Hotels dismiss all too easily. Quality and value, above all else, matter. In an ever-evolving economy, I often wonder if those running these establishments somehow forget that a “Hotel” really is an escape. It is an integral part of vacation or a place to find some solace or excitement, depending on where you go and how you’re feeling. A Hotel is not merely a place you go to for a business trip, it’s the place you go to relax, to rest, to shower, to remember, to forget, to laugh, to cry, but above all – it’s the place you go to when you aren’t at home. There is something rather magical about that. My goal is to find Hotels that appeal to our most basic needs. Hotels that think outside the box, place importance on quality service, decor, ambiance, and above all – an all-encompassing experience. My hope is to find those Boutique AND authentic Hotels that treat guests like they matter AND engage our desire to want to stay.
As for Art, well like everything, it is subjective. Subjective, however, does not mean without heart. Even if an Artist isn’t necessarily “My Style”, the goal isn’t to find what I deem “Me”, it is to find Art that has a pulse. Art that comes from the heart. An artist by every definition is someone that allows themselves to see a world that may seem transparent to most but somehow, through whatever medium they deem appropriate, allow us a glimpse into a world far more alive. Artists show us all a new way to see things. They aren’t limited by the confines of the every day. Sometimes that art is honest, sometimes it’s brutal, sometimes it’s sweet, sometimes it’s simple, sometimes it’s real, sometimes it’s beautiful, sometimes it’s complex, sometimes it’s overwhelming – but whatever it is to you, Art must be emotional. In fact, it is emotional. My hope is to discover Artists that let the light filter in and give us all something to enjoy.
So there you have it, a “Non-Review” just for the sake of writing. This is a journey I am honored to share with all of you. Thank you again for being the best part of it. Without those of you willing to experience something new, this endeavor would never have been possible…
