What Makes The Gastronomad Experience So Special?

I'm writing this while sitting in the living room of our friends' home in Sydney, Australia. Mike and I feel so blessed for getting to meet so many incredibly genuine, intelligent, kind and beautiful human beings during each and every Gastronomad Experience. In fact, that's where we met our friends hosting us here in Australia.

Those of you who have joined us on a Gastronomad Experience know exactly what I'm talking about. You encounter wonderful people and forge deep and genuine friendships that will last a lifetime. Our family of friends keeps growing. And we're overwhelmed with gratitude for this remarkable and exceptional Gastronomad community.

The good fortune to meet so many kindred spirits who share the same passion for delicious food, exquisite wine, real culture and unique culinary travel adventures is the best kind of serendipity. That is the common thread of our connection during every Gastronomad Experience.

The gift of these friendships is not our doing, but yours. You're the gift to us — and to each other. The Gastronomad Experiences' guests are self-selected, and always turn out to be kindred spirits.

To sign up for a culinary travel experience, where the details are kept secret and every activity is a surprise, on the other side of the world takes a rare combination of courage, trust and a driving obsession with good food and wine.

Your trust in us and in our secret itineraries speaks volumes about your open mind, trusting soul and true sense of adventure. And your passion for gastronomic discovery is what inspires us to create the most beautiful, delicious, dreamy and enchanting culinary travel experiences in the world. It's a true honor for us to welcome you as friends in our most favorite corners of the world where we feel proud to introduce you to our local visionary artisan friends who also become your friends.

And as I return to finish writing this journal, we're now in Tasmania where we're glowing from all the natural beauty, textures, scents and tastes we've enjoyed thanks to the hospitality of our wonderful friends.

Having seen a bit of Australia and some of Tasmania, I can unequivocally say that I find myself enamored of the warmth of the people we've met and the natural beauty of these landscapes.

Traveling to new and unique places fill us with awe and wonder. It drives us to create ever more magical experiences that foster human connection, inspire joy and nourish the soul.

When we gather around a table in a beautiful place to celebrate the joy of living, enjoying delicious food and exquisite wine with kindred spirits — that's when we understand and discover how good and sweet life can be. It’s you and your trusting nature that makes The Gastronomad Experience extraordinary!

Whether you’re one of our Gastronomad friends, or a future Gastronomad, please let me know if you'd like to join us for one of our Gastronomad Experiences in 2024. We have a handful of spots available this year. You’re always welcome at our table!

Joy and adventure,

Amira

2023: The Good, the Sad and the Beautiful

Reflecting on the state of the world in general and my life in particular (as one is often inclined to do this time of the year) I have to say that 2023 has been a year of extremes — extremely joyful and extremely sad.

I’m still grieving the loss of my mother, whom I lost in January. I feel heartbroken for the inordinate suffering by those I love. I cry tears of sadness when I see people on the streets without a home, without privacy or dignity or even heat to keep them warm. I feel distraught over the many innocent children, women and men around the world who suffer because of the actions of terrible people who make war and commit unspeakable crimes against others. I feel terrible for people killed and those affected by the devastation of the natural disasters that occurred this year around the world. I worry about the planet that our younger generations will inherit after all the damage we continue to do. It’s been sad to witness the many negative changes in the world and in our humanity since Covid.

There are endless things to feel sad and worry about. But there are also endless reasons to celebrate life and culture and the beauty we can find all around the world.

I feel profoundly grateful and beyond lucky that Mike and I get to live an adventurous and meaningful life doing our favorite things. My heart rejoices deeply for all the magical travel adventures and the enormous privilege of doing work that doesn't feel like work and the infinite joy of loving and being loved unconditionally by my favorite people. And I’m endlessly grateful that all the joy I get to experience nourishes my heart and soul so profoundly that, in spite of the sadness I carry with me, I continue to feel hopeful for a brighter future.

And with another year about to end, I’m reminded that our time on this planet is not only finite but brief. The present moment is the only time that truly counts. It’s the reason I try to enjoy the experience of living each and every day as if it were my last.

I know that I cannot let the troubles of the world consume my life. And I know that I cannot fix them personally. But I believe that we can make a difference by each doing our part as individuals within our families, our communities and wherever in the world we find ourselves.

And with this last Gastronomad Journal of 2023, Mike and I would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for joining us on this journey — whether you’ve done it in person or vicariously by following us through our writings and photos. We appreciate your support and trust more than words can say.

Sending you and yours our heartfelt wishes for joy, love, health, prosperity and peace on Earth in the new year.

Joy and adventure,

Amira

Merry Everything!

Mike and I would like to express our deepest gratitude for your trust and support this year. We are grateful to have you as part of our gastronomad family of friends. Thank you!

For those of you who joined us this year: Our shared travel adventures and culinary gatherings, along with the memories we've created together, have made this past year a very happy one for us.

May this Christmas and holiday season fill your home with light, peace, love, laughter, delicious food, joy and cherished moments.

Wishing you a joyful holiday season, and looking forward to new culinary adventures in the new year.

Love,

Amira and Mike

The Ultimate Valentine

Tens of millions of tourists see Venice each year. But hardly anyone knows about the heaven-on-Earth Prosecco Road less than one hour North.

And yet this may be the most beautiful wine country in the world, with a fantastic and wildly underappreciated culture.

While everyone is familiar with the City of Venice, the islands and lagoon, the culture of medieval Venice responsible for that city was part of the larger "Serenìsima Repùblega Vèneta," which means "Most Serene Republic of Venice" in the Venetian language. The "country" of Venice extended all the way up to the Prosecco Road to the mountains beyond.

During our incredible Prosecco Experience, we explore the wonders of Venetian culture — the incredible food, wine, architecture and history — which lasted for a thousand years.

The Prosecco Road itself connects the beautiful towns of Conegliano and Valdobbidene and all the charming villages between, winding over brilliant green vineyards and forests. The landscape is breathtaking and picture-perfect.

The castles, abbeys, historic towns and incredible beauty of the Prosecco Hills should be well known to every Europe-loving traveler. But the tourist masses haven't found this idyllic spot yet, and so the Prosecco Road is one of the last undiscovered wine countries.

Which is just how we like it. We don't do tourism. The Prosecco Experience is not a tour. It's an immersive exploration of an incredible place and wonderful culture with our brilliant and visionary local food and wine friends. (We can’t give you the details; every exclusive gathering, meal, activity and location is a secret.)

But if you guess we’ll be drinking some incredible wine — well, that’s a very good guess. The Prosecco Hills is a wine country without equal — you're always surrounded by vineyards on rolling hills. We'll wake up and go to bed surrounded by vineyards.

And while everyone is familiar with the kind of prosecco this region exports abroad, the best prosecco can be tasted only in the Prosecco Hills. This Experience will transform your relationship with prosecco. We'll also enjoy a wide range of other incredible, astonishing red and white wines made only in the region. We’ll enjoy this wine with the winemakers themselves.

And the food — the food!! — so amazing. We can’t wait to show you this magical, undiscovered gastronomic paradise.

We have just one room available for our next Prosecco Experience, which happens May 23 through 28, 2022. Book now and make it yours. You deserve this!

Creating the Cava Barcelona Gastronomad Experience is an act of joy and love

We’re hard at work planning our upcoming Cava Barcelona Gastronomad Experience! It looks like a lot of fun, but in fact it’s really a lot of fun. The planning is an act of joy, because of the beautiful, brilliant people we get to be with. And it’s an act of love, because we love the culture of Catalonia.

We’re meeting with old friends and new, and Amira is working with our food visionary friends to hand-craft magical gatherings and delicious experiences. We’re tasting everything, scouting locations and planning the deepest, most authentic and most life-changing exploration of Catalonia’s mind-blowing food and wine culture.

During this adventure, our small gang of gastronomads will learn how to cook, drink and party Catalonian style. We’ll explore the amazing foodie city of Barcelona with the both deep traditionalists and new-school innovators who make Barcelona’s food scene unlike any other in the world.

Join us!

A gathering of farmers and nomads in Morocco

Visiting our wonderful and dear friends Omar and Kenza, the dynamic duo behind Marrakesh Organics, we enjoyed a magical stay on their organic permaculture farm. Returning to their home, which is a Moroccan oasis just outside the hustle and bustle of Marrakech, was even more wonderful than we had imagined.

Omar and Kenza are extraordinary people with fascinating upbringings and life stories. They’re true humanitarians and stewards of the land in Morocco. They’re devoting their lives to educating others on how to grow their own food and develop sustainable farming practices as well as preserve the art of ancient building skills. And they’re true kindred spirits — they love and care about much of what we love and care about. In the end, no matter what country we’re from, we all want the same things in life and we’re more alike than different.

During our visit, we had the pleasure of meeting two of Omar’s and Kenza’s friends with whom we got to share a couple of meals. One was a permaculture expert who spends a lot of time in India heading an organization devoted to helping farmers develop sustainable farming practices, especially women farmers. The other friend is working on his PhD and doing interesting research on ancient cultivation practices around sustainable farming. The six of us talked for hours as we shared a delicious dinner prepared by Kenza. We had fascinating discussions about many topics revolving around travel, food, nutrition and farming. It was our nirvana.

During our last meal at the farm with Omar and Kenza, the four of us got into a profound conversation about living meaningful lives with a sense of purpose, fulfillment and belonging. We even talked about what we all might do someday when we "retire." They said they might travel like us; we said we might farm like them.

We actually like the idea of establishing a permanent home, growing food, building a nest with a kitchen full of wonderful cooking stuff and a pantry full of grains, beans, nuts and seeds as we listen to our sauerkraut gurgling next to our sourdough starter. We've encountered a hundred places that would be ideal for permanent living.

There's just one problem: To embrace any one place is to give up every other place. And that we don't want to do. Our love for travel is stronger and far more powerful than anything else.

Of course, it would be nice have it all. Yes, we lived "residentially" in Sonoma country for two years -- one year surrounded by vineyards and olive groves and the other at an organic farm. We still crave gardening and homesteading.

But we also feel deeply compelled to keep moving, exploring and discovering.

Life is about living today. Yes, plan for tomorrow but live your best life today. The past is a memory; the future mere anticipation. The present moment is all we have and all we’ll ever have. Life is too short to not live each day to the fullest. And for us, living to the fullest means to keep doing what we’re doing, which means to travel and explore other cultures and keep meeting awesome people like Omar and Kenza.

For now, our motto continues to be: The world is too big to stay in one place. It’s a conviction driven by our desire to belong everywhere and settle nowhere.

Perhaps it’s because nothing makes us happier or brings us more joy than freely exploring this beautiful planet. Or maybe it’s because our lifestyle during these past 13 years has not only been a dream come true but also because it’s been deeply fulfilling and rewarding giving us a sense belonging everywhere we happen to be.

We're in Morocco now. We feel at home here, too. This country is mesmerizing. We're constantly encountering artisans whose skills come down to them from many generations -- maybe a thousand years back. They handcraft their goods with the same tools and in the same way their ancestors did. To witness these crafts in Morocco's ancient medinas is like traveling through time.

We're also enthralled by the love and knowledge that people like Omar and Kenza bring to everything they do. Paradoxically, to restore heritage and revive ancient skills and wisdom -- to embrace tradition -- takes boundless creativity and a spirit of innovation as well as resilience and passion. (For example, when building their guest houses and walls, they make their own bricks from scratch -- not easy!)

What a joy to take farm-grown, home-made, traditional meals with such wonderful people we're so lucky to call friends.

Our palates rejoice in the intricate flavors and deliciousness of beautiful traditional lamb and barley couscous Kenza prepared -- part of their Friday tradition. We enjoyed this meal out of a communal bowl on their beautiful terrace overlooking their hundreds of olive trees while enjoying the sounds of birds singing all around us.

Saying goodbye is always hard. And talking about it made Kenza and me shed a few tears. And for me, those tears and that tender moment together is the greatest gift of love and friendship and something I cherish with all my heart, even when we’re thousands of miles apart and oceans away.

Experiencing traditional culture lovingly and skillfully prepared on a farm bursting with life in the embrace of such beautiful people nourishes our souls and fills us with profound gratitude and boundless joy.

These are the moments that make the fabric from which the our Gastronomad Experiences are made. We want you and others to have, see, feel, touch, savor and cherish the world that Mike and I have had the privilege of experiencing in our 13 years of Gastronomad exploration. And I’m beyond grateful to Kenza and Omar for also opening their farm doors to, and sharing their farm table with, our Gastronomads during The Morocco Experience. - Amira