Sweet dreaming

I had a most interesting conversation yesterday with food writer Crystyl Mo. Those in Shanghai may recognize her name as the dining columnist for the popular City Weekend magazine. But as I found out in our coffee chat, she’s not only a writer extraordinaire but the wife of an ex-chef / now Shanghai restaurateur (who coincidentally opened one of the restaurants featured here in my blog – Hamilton House.) It was our first encounter, but as two food enthusiasts, we were far from at want of an interesting conversation topic, talking excitedly about everything from favorite Shanghai restaurants to real food sustainability … and even touching upon love stores in the kitchen!

I left the conversation on a high, feeling sublimely refreshed, excited, and inspired. Here is a woman who pursued her passion for food in a region for which she had an intense curiosity but in which she had no prior experience. And in her adventures, she has gained expertise in her personal passion, fluency in a new language, and what I, of course, consider best of all, her partner in crime and love of her life …

Reflecting on my own life, I certainly have no regrets and rather can’t imagine feeling more content or appreciative about my present situation … But the encounter got me thinking … dreaming really … Wouldn’t it be fun to enroll in the Cordon Bleu Paris and learn how to make a perfect macaron, supplementing my education with daily tastings of Pierre Herme’s own creations? Wouldn’t it be satisfying to join the real food movement and expand artisanal farmers markets from select California communities to the rest of the country? Wouldn’t it be thrilling (and utterly indulgent) to spend next summer as a budding brand manager for a gourmet chocolatier, brainstorming new campaigns while sampling the sublime taste that is a rich dark chocolate ganache in a freshly made truffle?

It’s fun … exciting to dream … to devise how I can indulge in my utter obsession with food. But to take a lesson from Crystyl’s life, there’s no rush to figure it out. Enjoy life, appreciate the sweet moments, and trust that with passion and love, you will take the right turns, open (and close) the right doors, and choose the right person to share in your adventures with you.

And on that note, I’ll end with one of my favorite pictures … one that I find fitting for this entry in multiple ways … it’s a carefully designed, wonderfully executed sweet ending in a beautiful wedding of one of the most inspirational couples I know.