A cooks reality...

The truth is, I get bored pretty easily of a mundane and stagnant lifestyle. If my brain isn't juggling 20 different things at once and I'm not pushing my body on a daily basis, I look for the next step. As I return from Bali, that is exactly what happens. 

I have landed a job at restaurant called Pure South dining. The menu is mainly focused on fresh Tasmanian ingredients and produce that can be found around the suburbs of Melbourne. I fell in love with this concept in my first day of my trial. The food is simple, clean and to the point. If it isn't fresh, it isn't served. I am hooked. 

One of the great parts about this restaurant is we as the cooks are provided opportunity to be creative. Every day, we create dishes for a lunch menu special. Whether it is a vegetarian dish, a soup or a derivative of a previous dish, we have the reins while chef is has the final say. 

This is exactly the place I need to be in. It is a transitional step between two kitchen jobs. From cook to chef. I am still a cook and always will be. However, a door will open eventually and I will be walking through it whole heartedly and aware. These opportunities are important stepping stones along that path. 

If you would like to see some of the lunch specials I have created, feel free to look my Instagram @ezaghaza. I look forward to sharing more dishes with you. 

Sidetrack to Bali...

It's a rare thing to be able to work for one week, then take a week hiyatis to a paradise island. It was not a part o my work plan,  but who needs a plan when traveling? Just let the experiences happen. So, with that said, let's go to Bali!

My hostel, which was right next to the biggest club in Kuta, was a paradise in itself. We had 2 pools, a bar with activities, a restaurant patio and private rooms. There could not have been a better place for me to stay. Plus, it was a 10 minute walk to the beach. Talk about paradise. 

Every single day, there was a new adventure around the corner. Whether it was looking for the best nasi goreng, finding a secret beach, hangin out with monkeys or drinking the fabled Kopi Lewac. Even getting "lost" on a motor bike in Ubud was an incredible adventure. 

But for me, the most incredible thing todo was to go watch the sunset every night with some locals and fellow hostel mates. We would go to this setup on the beach where this guy Leo would take care of us. He would sit down and drink a bin tang and talk story about his ambitions. Next to us, at monkeys, there were some theta who would do the same. It was really a surreal experience to be in someone's else's lives and have such an impact on them. Everyone who knows what I am talking about knows very well that hey sure have an impact on our lives. 

Melbourne Begins...

Melbourne, named the most livable city in the world, is more inviting than ever. The streets are clean, beards are a "thing", there is a beautiful mix between metropolitan and rural and you have to wear actual shoes to go out in the evenings. Here, it reminds me of a new age, clean and quiet NYC. The culture mainly consists of native Australians, many Chinese and a large handful of working holiday travelers from all over the world. It is a very eclectic mix that adds to the allure of this fine city.

As I begin to get settled here, exploring around the outskirts of Melbourne comes naturally. a majority of the time is spent walking through the streets and parks. I see people siting in the shade of the trees eating lunch and a group of people running around the pitch for a warm up. It is exciting to see people doing something with their days. However, the weather here is very inconsistent. The days vary from hot to cold and windy still. Even now in their summer, the atmosphere changes daily. And of course, when walking around the city centers, going indoor bouldering and going to night time noodle markets gets boring, there is only one thing to do, and that is work.

Hitchhikers Guide to Australia...

One of the age old ways to travel from point A to point B is to stand on the road with a sign and your thumb in the air. It has been a part of life for as long as any type of transportation had been around... Even with horses. So, what is my best option for traveling from west to east of Australia? You guessed it; I stuck my thumb out and started dancing in the road.

From Perth to Melbourne, I was able to hitch 2 rides. The first was a quick hour ride to Dunbury. I got picked up by this guy, let's call him Andy. As I put my bags in the bed of his ute, he comes around back with a case of beer. We end up driving an hour or so drinking along the way. This is something I would not have ever imagined doing. What a great experience. 

The next and most interesting ride was from Dunbury to Melbourne. I met this guy on gumtree, Craigslist for Australia, and we ended up driving the remainder of the trip to Melbourne. But this was no uneventful road trip. On the way, we got stuck in Esperance for 2.5 days, hit two kangaroos before crossing the border into south Australia, got pulled over for speeding and got hit by a car that almost flipped us. This all happens in a span of 1.5 days and we still manage to make it to Melbourne in the same car. Try saying that in one breath. 

All in all, I would have to say that hitchhiking across a country the same size as the US is quite a feat. It has really opened my eyes to a different world and level of trust. Five years ago, I most likely would not have even thought about hitchhiking or picking up hikers. Now, after experiencing the wait with your thumb out and trusting my personal effects with other people, I am able to read a person and their intentions a bit more effectively. Plus, i can say i played the longest game of kangaroo golf in all Australia. This is a win. 

Exploring Margaret River...

As it goes with new world wines, Australia is high up on the list with the best. Specifically speaking, Margaret River is right on top with smooth and dry whites, powerful and full bodied reds and the newly popularized orange wine. Not only do the vineyards scattering the south western coast of Australia follow the traditional European techniques, they are prideful of them. 

Meeting with my friend from Hawaii, we explored many different vineyards and breweries looking for 2 things; a few bottles of wine to drink at home and to get drunk for free all day off great wine. Driving around the trellaced fields of young grapes growing on old vines, I became reminiscent of time spent in the Italian wine country. 

By of course, one of the defining characteristics of Margaret River wines is the alight brininess, or the natural salt factor. This is due to the expansive ocean that is so close to all the vineyards. Swimming in this freezing, crystal clear water was a great way to wash away any subconscious doubts or worries about the world. This was such a peaceful place and it was comfortably quiet. A perfect place to find yourself. 

Barbie at Kings Park...

There is a well known phrase that the rest of the world affiliates with Australia: let's put some shrimp on the barbie. It turns out, there is a multitude of barbies all around Perth. If you go to the beaches, people will have coolers filled with beer and grillables. When you are tossing a ball around in the park, more likely than not, there will be a bunch of people with sausages or roo patties grilling away. It is truly a cultural experience and I am a strong advocate of it.

Lets not be fooled, these are not the common barbecue we know and love in the US, Instead of charcoal or propane burning beneath steel grates, there is a solid, concave metal plate that has a drainage hole in the center. To heat the plate, the only thing necessary to do is press and hold a green button until it beeps and begins to electronically heat itself. there are no heat settings, only on and off. The simplicity of the entire production is incredibly enticing. So please, I urge you, go out and barbecue with some friends or loved ones. Make it a communal "thing". What else in this world is more important than friends and family?

The Beaches of Perth...

Someone once told me that one of the most incredible things to do in Perth is to sit on the beach in the middle of the night and try to find the separation between land and sea. This was, by far, one of the most grounding experiences I have had. Sitting on the cusp of falling off the earth, listening to the waves beat the ground was indeed humbling. 

These beautiful white sand beaches with freezing crystal clear water are more than breathtaking. You can swim out until you can't touch the ground anymore and still see the sand below you. It proves that with a little bit of care towards the earth, we can have such beautiful sights to reward us. I sincerely hope and will work towards maintaining this scene for many years to come.