Bite-Sized Travel Stories

Food and travel go well together because they both create and evoke memories. There is something about that dish you can’t forget because it felt like the best thing you’ve ever had. Every time that you think about it, you wish you were right back there enjoying it again as if it was the first time. For a long time, I have loved to travel, experience new things, and make new memories. Traveling is a great way to see the world, meet new people, and eat good food! I have been lucky enough to do all of the above! I want to share some of my favourite food and travel memories with you here.

Prosecco and Spaghetti Bolognese: Cinque Terre, Italy

A Town in Cinque Terre, Italy. Photo: Holden Dahlerbruch

I went to Cinque Terre for the first time last year. It is such a beautiful part of Italy, which I hadn’t been to before, so I felt lucky to experience each different town. I recommend spending the day there because we saw the blues of the water and the sky melt away and turn into the pink and yellow of sunset to match the candy-coloured houses dotted along the sea. You can take the train that connects the five towns or the hiking trails. I am generally not a hiker (at all), but I was on vacation, so I figured I would follow the path from Monterosso into the next town of Vernazza. I am happy that I did. It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky; the whole time, we had views of the water below, and we could see glimpses of the multicolored village of Vernazza even before it was fully in view. At the end of the hike, there is a lookout point where you can see the town below you. That view made the whole hike worth it for me. When you enter the town, you can walk to the harbor and stare into the sea. The blue of the water is so inviting (I went in March, so it would have been cold). Then I turned around to see the restaurants lined up in a row and started walking that way when I spotted my friends sitting there, so I joined them for lunch. I sat down and almost immediately ordered a glass of prosecco and a plate of Spaghetti Bolognese to go with it. Bolognese is not from this region, but it was on the menu and sounded terrific after a personally off-brand hike. Next time I go on a hike I need to make sure that my meal afterwards is as good as it was that day in Vernazza!

Melting Gelato: Rome, Italy.  

Tessa recreating the famous Roman Holiday scene on the Spanish Steps. Photo: Holden Dahlerbruch and Tessa Bryant

I was in Rome last year with a travel group called Contiki. I had told my friend that I wanted to recreate the scene in “Roman Holiday,” where Audrey Hepburn is sitting on the Spanish Steps with gelato in her hand. It should have been easy for us to take the picture. All we needed was gelato and me sitting on the Spanish Steps, right? We were looking for gelato for twenty minutes. When we finally found it, we were the only tourists inside the shop, where middle-aged men smoked cigarettes on the patio, yelling about espresso. The fancy Gelateria had silver lids covering the gelato, so we couldn’t see what we were ordering. I believe I ended up with vanilla, though it is all a blur in my memory, as the primary goal was getting back to the steps before it started melting. Finally, back at the steps, having dreaded each minute of the walk as my gelato dripped down my arm, my friend started taking the picture. Luckily, the picture turned out and look close (enough) to Audrey Hepburn in the movie. Now, I have sticky gelato down my arm and have to find somewhere to wash it off. I walk toward what I think is a restaurant and wash my hands. On my way back outside, I walk past a display case, then double back and realize there is gelato inside. I got back to the group and told them that we only had to walk two minutes away from the steps. We would have saved so much time. Audrey Hepburn didn’t have this problem with her gelato!

Harp Beer on tap and Fish & Chips: Dublin, Ireland.

Tessa and Sean outside the Jameson Distillery in Dublin. Photo: A Stranger

My brother and I went to Ireland for the first time a few months ago. To spend four days exploring a new city with my brother was so much fun! We visited museums, libraries, pubs, and even a Garth Brooks concert! On our second day, after having a tour of the Jameson distillery, we enjoyed our drinks, and both realized that we were hungry. Still, we didn’t know where to go. My brother, Sean, literally types “food” into his Google search. What comes up is a pub called The Brazen Head; it was only a ten-minute walk, but it seemed a lot farther after spending three hours at the distillery (considering I am not a whiskey person). We arrive to find no space inside, so I’m looking out on the patio and find space in the back corner. Sean is at the bar ordering our food and drinks. I’m not too fond of whiskey and am not a beer drinker (and Sean knows this), but he ordered me a beer he thought I might like. I tried it, and after only a few sips, I gave it to him to drink. I reach for his Harp instead… I actually liked it! It doesn’t happen often, but if I see a Harp on tap, I might order it. Our food came shortly, and I ordered the fish & chips. I have had fish & chips before, but not that often, and they have never been that memorable. But these are definitely the best I’ve ever had! They were so flaky and buttery, and I finished them so fast that I wished I could order them and have them all over again. This was our first trip together, and I want to go to more places and experience new things with my brother.

Greasy late-night burgers and a Shake: Las Vegas, Nevada. USA

The Inside of Tao Restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: Tessa Bryant

I was lucky to go on a mini getaway to Las Vegas this past March. I went with my friends to see Taylor Swift!! I have loved Taylor since I was eight. It was a whirlwind 3 days but a wonderful 3 days. We went shopping, saw Cirque du Soleil, and spent quality time with friends. We had a lot of good food there, but Tao (the Asian restaurant in the Venetian), our pre-concert meal, really stood out for me. It was my first time in a big, grand, fancy restaurant like that. The food was wonderful. We ordered a few plates, and each got to try something different. This whole trip was filled with unique experiences, but the Taylor concert on the last day topped it all. Seeing her on this tour was so magical; she played all ten albums in three hours! We ended the night by walking to New York, New York. Our feet were sore, and our throats hurt from scream-singing every word to every song (ok, that was mostly me). When we reached the hotel, we went straight to Shake Shack and ended this crazy perfect trip with greasy burgers and shakes! These meals described here are very different from each other. In some ways, that is the beauty of a place like Las Vegas. You can have beautiful and delicious food at a restaurant like Tao, or you can get greasy fast food at Shake Shack. Both times I was surrounded by the great company of my friends. And isn’t that what matters most?

Assorted Cakes, Scones, and a Strong Cup of Coffee, London, England

The Great Clock of Westminster (Big Ben) in London, England. Photo: Tessa Bryant

I saved London for last because it is the city where I currently am. The above travel stories that I have shared are some of my favourite memories from my travels. Now, I am living and working in London. I have been here for two months and love this city so much! It has been so wonderful getting to explore and experience the city like I never have. I have walked so much, getting closer to figuring out the Tube, and gone to museums and through parks and different neighborhoods I haven’t been to before. Everywhere I’ve been has been so busy getting from one place to the next. I have been to Pret numerous times and even Shake Shack to bask in the memory of the night in Vegas. Still, the hidden cafes or bakeries I have found when I am trying to find coffee and a place to read have stuck out for me. In a city as busy as this, you sometimes only want an excellent reading place. For me, that place is the English Rose. It is a small café with fantastic cake and scones, and I have already been quite a few times since I found it. Give them a week, and I will have a little “reserved for Tessa” plaque on my table. These past months have brought so much change, and it hasn’t gone the way I planned, but nothing ever does; that’s life. Where I am now, I am happy and grateful to have the job I do in the West End!