lost in translation | creative mornings

In November of last year, I had the pleasure of taking the stage at Creative Mornings in Denver as part of their “Audience Takes the Stage” event. In short, I had to apply to present a 5 minute talk on the theme of “lost,” and was thrilled to have been chosen as one of the five finalists.

I used the opportunity to share how my experiences living overseas and learning foreign languages have influenced my work as a writer and storytelling strategist. My hypothesis? Translation isn’t just an art practiced by linguists. When we learn to listen with more context and generosity, we can all begin to understand not just what someone is literally saying, but also what they might be trying to say.

Click here to watch my 5 minute talk.

denver coffee tour | tasting the evolution of colorado's coffee scene

“With a supposed ‘300 days of sunshine’ and easy access to the mountains, you might think that Denverites simply jump out of bed in the morning—no coffee required. But as anyone who has recently visited the Mile High City can attest, this increasingly cosmopolitan capital is becoming a respected destination for more than just winter sports.

Photo Credit: Lauren DeFilippo

With some of the best craft beer in the country, James Beard award-winning cocktail bars and restaurants that rank in Bon Appetit’s ‘Hot 10’, Denver’s rapidly growing culinary scene is becoming one of the most compelling reasons to book a trip to Colorado. This explosion of noteworthy food and drink reflects the city’s evolution on a larger scale, as Denver repeatedly ranks among the fastest-growing big cities—and economies—in America.

The city’s coffee scene has also kept pace with the city’s growing population of creatives and entrepreneurs—with many of the most noteworthy shops opening in just the past five years. So if you haven’t visited Denver since the early aughts—or at least stopped through on your way to the ski slopes—here are six shops that illustrate the evolution of the city’s coffee culture…”

Read more on the La Marzocco Home Blog

what it means when israeli cuisine goes mainstream

“Tahini. Labneh. Matzoh. Za’atar. If you’ve tasted any of these ingredients in a restaurant—or tried cooking with them at home—it’s safe to say you’ve been exposed to the growing American interest in Israeli cuisine. Yet if the United States is considered an adolescent in the context of world history, then Israel is, comparatively, an infant, having only been recognized as an independent country in 1948.

Photo Credit: Lauren DeFilippo

How does a young nation, establishing itself in a region with centuries of history, develop a robust, delicious and recognizable cuisine? What does it mean when Jerusalem-born chef Yotam Ottolenghi becomes not only a best-selling author, but also a household name? What happens when we can order Israeli shakshuka for breakfast at Marriott and Hilton hotels—or even buy a starter kit for the dish in the freezer aisle of Trader Joe’s? To begin to answer these questions, we sat down with Chef Alon Shaya: the Israel-born, Philadelphia-raised, James Beard Award-winning owner of Saba and Safta (in New Orleans and Denver, respectively).” 

Keep reading at LifeandThyme.com