Washington DC and Kansas City in 5 minutes

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I had the opportunity to experience my first Thanksgiving ever with the most awesome bunch of people on this earth in a beautiful town called Kansas City.
I absolutely loved Kansas City, everything from the food, the people and its industries, which includes world-class-specialty-grade coffee roasters and craft beer breweries.
Not to mention the amazing restaurants, jazz bars and cafés - this place is my idea of paradise.


Also, I spent my birthday weekend in the capital, Washington DC with the most amazing Mallette (whom you've probably read about before in my previous blog entry 'Why Diabetes?') which was absolutely wonderful.
Fun filled with amazing scenery, great food, good coffee, and fun activities like salsa dancing, ice skating and intense games of chess, also including a cute puppy and an espresso machine.

But, instead of words, let me give you a quick preview of my Birthday weekend and Thanksgiving via a YouTube video montage.
Enjoy!

Land of the free

It's two degrees Celsius outside, I'll be seeing Jason Mraz at 8pm, but before then I'll be having dinner with my cousin at this amazing restaurant called Mercadito on Kinzie street, a couple of blocks away from the famous North Michigan Avenue, aka the Magnificent Mile.

I'm actually inside Ghirardelli Chocolate Company having one of the best hot chocolates I've ever experienced. 

I'm happy. I can't explain this feeling, but it feels like I'm at ease. I'm rested. I'm stable. 

Everything makes me smile. Everytime the wind blows and I'm freezing my ass off, I chuckle. When I see a yellow school bus drive pass, I imagine having children of my own. 

Even when I hear the train announcements, I feel as if I'm heading home.

Now don't get me wrong, I love Australia, a lot.
I gave Australia everything in my twenty-five years of service there. I've worked so hard for the land that's girt by sea, and I still have so much more to give. I've had great experiences there, and I've had bad experiences there - Just like anywhere.

It's just that at this very moment, in the land of the free, I'm at ease - my mind, body and soul. 

I don't wake up in physical pain anymore from working so hard to keep the bills paid and the Australian tax office happy. I'm not stressed all the time wondering how I'm going to take my business into the next level so I can stay of top of my game to satisfy my staff and customers, and I'm not caught up in the rat race for once. 

For once, I can be a twenty-something year old, (even though I just turned thirty-one) and I feel like I have so much to catch up on.

So as you could already tell, America is my escape - and it's tempting to just keep running.

I have family here. I have friends here, but most importantly, I have a clean slate here.
I'm a different person here. I'm someone whom I've always wanted to be; relaxed, disciplined, and motivated to build something new. 

Although as romantic as everything may sound, I still have huge responsibilities back in Australia, 

but let me live my fantasy for another two months. 

My feet will touch the ground again soon.

With love and respect.

Do not focus on the finger or you will miss all the heavenly glory - Coffee edition.

I love American coffee.
Yes, you read correctly - I love American coffee (that includes Canada as well).

Give me a Latte if I see you rocking an espresso machine.
Give me a house blend with Irish cream if I'm at the train station.
Give me a double-double if I'm in Canada.
Give me a freshly brewed if I'm at Starbucks (best believe I do have a Starbucks reward card as well).
Give me a medium roast with creamer if I'm at the local diner.
Give me a filter coffee if I'm at the restaurant.
Give me coffee, just give me coffee and I will enjoy every drop of it.

Why Duke? But aren't you into coffee? Then why are you drinking such horrible coffee?
(FYI - Australians love telling the world how terrible American coffee is).

My answer is: I love coffee - unconditionally.

Coffee has more meaning to me than which notes I'm tasting on my palette, or which estate, or origin it came from. Obviously, those are very important if you're passionate about coffee, but why not allow yourself to see more than what's in the cup?

Perfect coffee not only requires the perfect crop, science, chemistry, equipment and the Barista behind it, but it also needs a time and place to complete the experience.

I'd happily take a drip coffee with half and half while I taking in the beautiful scenery of downtown Chicago, or a pot brewed, hand-ground coffee made at a village on the mountains of northern Thailand, rather than drinking a latte made with fully washed, AA grade single origin beans from a Kenyan micro lot farm while I stare at garbage bins lined up on some dirty laneway in Marrickville, Sydney.

Sorry if you don't agree with my ideologies, but life is too short to be a snob. Open up your mind and the world will open up to you.

Otherwise, what Bruce Lee said in 'Enter the Dragon':
"It is like a finger pointing away to the moon, but do not focus on the finger or you will miss all the heavenly glory."


In conclusion, why not come in to Duke's Lounge at 153 Avoca Street, Randwick 2031 NSW Australia for a 360 degrees coffee experience. We have a nice dining room to enjoy your speciality grade coffee in, we use only A2 milk, we have great music and the barista is also decent looking.

It all started in Chicago

Chicago is a beautiful city rich in history, diversity and culture.
The people are friendly, the restaurants are world class and the infrastructure is incredible.
It's been a month already and I still have plenty to do and see.

My family in Illinois, even though most aren't blood related to me, have taken care of me like their own child/brother/cousin and friend. Never in my life have I felt so loved and welcomed.

The other pieces of my heart that beats further north across the great lakes - Toronto and Mississauga.
I feel an incredible bond towards the North. I'm absolutely head over heels in love with everything up there. From the Tim Hortons to the loonies and toonies.
Rachel, her gorgeous sister and most beautiful mum took me in like family, and their friends made me felt like I've always grew up with them. Since I've been back in Chicago, I always think about them all the time. It makes me feel loved.

The rest of my soul is spread across the US, with beautiful people like Tara who took me on an amazing journey in Kansas City through all the things I'm passionate about; coffee, food and music.
And her wonderful family who've organized for me my first ever Thanksgiving, and taking me to my first NFL game. It was an experience I'd never forget.

Mallette and her gorgeous parents, having me over to celebrate my 31st birthday in Washington DC. Taking me around town, dancing and ice skating. We even finished a chess game we had started in Sydney at this gorgeous coffee shop in Chevy Chase - It was all so perfect. Although, the greatest birthday gift of all was Mrs. Asmuth's counsel and guidance in which made me the Realtor I am today - Forever grateful.

...and of course spending the week before christmas with Chris and Bunge down in New Orleans, they reminded me of what it means to love what you do and live life with passion. But most importantly, being able to keep a promise Chris and I made together when our paths met in Sydney was something so magical.

Thank you.
I love every one of you with all my heart.


So, besides being a tourist, visitor and researcher here, I've discovered that there's more to this journey;

I grew up with very little family - my childhood was a bit of a mess to be honest.
But, I feel like I've been given a second chance to redo this 'family' thing. This gift that I've received is more valuable than anything I could ever wish for. I didn't even realize how important this missing piece of my life was until I landed here - fallen into the arms of these amazing people I will forever call family.
I now have brothers and sisters - I have everything here that I missed out on as a kid.
I've found a missing link in my life I never knew was broken until now.
Never in my life have I been so welcomed, accepted and embraced - For once, I feel whole.

I'm forever grateful to have this opportunity to rediscover myself.

... And it all started in Chicago.

Update:
As of May 2015, I've since travelled back to Bangkok and found my sister - meeting her for the first time after 20 years at a surprise birthday dinner we've had planned for our dad nonetheless!

We always knew about each other, but through changing circumstances of my life I had completely lost contact with my dad, which meant I lost her too. It wasn't until a few years ago after I opened up my café that my dad found me again through my website and contact me via email.
...I guess he never stopped searching.

American coffee at first sight

Where do I start?

Is it the autumn leaves? 

Is it the amazing restaurants and bars?

Or is it the beautiful architecture?

Lets start with coffee.

Just like the coffee culture in Australia, coffee means more than just coffee here.

As Australians, we fuss about the quality of our coffee, and so we should when our cafés greet us at the door with career baristas piloting espresso machines that cost more than ten thousand dollars.

But here, a host will greet you at the door and take you to a table instead. Service comes first in America, and let me tell you, it's extremely refreshing to have career waiters and waitresses who take their job seriously, bringing the highest standard of customer service to each and every table. That's why people here will travel out of their way to patronage certain diners and restaurants. 

Because let's face it, Aussies can be lazy. To be fair, we're quite spoilt by the choices of good cafés we have directly and immediately around us. I'm willing to bet that every town and suburb in Australia (well, at least in Sydney and Melbourne) will have one decent place that serves a good coffee and probably a decent meal to pair it with. 

Therefore (and quite rightly so) It's in our nature as Aussies to always demand quality coffee, and judge those who can't produce a good cup logically because the bar has been raised high in the industry, which became what is now the norm.  

However, what I've noticed here in America is that everything starts with comforts; 

comfort food, comfort service, comfort price, and obviously - comfort coffee. 

Coffees representation here in America is a warm mug of familiarity, with a side of cream. In an establishment where you will be taken care of well, share a conversation with the server or even the table next to you and enjoy nonstop refills until you've had enough. It's hospitality at it's finest.

Some places do a better brew than others, but otherwise it's not about where the coffee came from or where it was roasted, but where it's served and the experience around it. 

In conclusion, it's unfair to say that Americans have no coffee culture - something a lot of Australians like to mention to those who are traveling to the US. The truth is, all cultures are different and you should never compare yours to anyone else's. 

I personally accept all coffee cultures and I see the beauty in all. 

As well as being a hospitality professional myself, I really do appreciate a high level of customer service being delivered to me and, in all honestly, I would rather have the bad coffee with the great service rather than the reverse any day.

Next, I will start writing about the American espresso café culture, which I feel is different to the American coffee culture, but until then - Welcome to the American coffee world!

Fourteen hours of flight time - Hello Dubai!

That must've been the longest plane ride I've taken so far. Fourteen hours straight. I normally go as far as Bangkok, but this time I had another five hours added on top. 

Luckily, I had two seats to myself in the brand new, most gorgeous A380 thanks to Emirates airlines, and since I'm only a little guy, I had all the space to sleep and move around as I pleased. 

So here I am at Dubai Airport. Yes, I took the long way 'round to get to Chicago, but I'm glad I chose my connecting flight here because this place makes a great stop over. Apart from being an amazing airport in general, it also allowed me the chance to take a break and adjust to a new timeline and without question, I hunted down a place to have my first coffee. Judging by their espresso machine and the person behind it, I chose a place called Giraffe. 

The coffee itself isn't bad per se, but the winner here was the organic fruit and nuts bowl; with Greek yoghurt, almonds and pistachios for breakfast. For some reason, fruit always taste better overseas. 

In saying that, the water here tastes and smells funny. Filtered water is bearable, but tap water has a really odd smell to it. Hmm..

I have a hotel room waiting for me on the way back so I won't write too much about Dubai airport this time 'round. 

So,

Thirty minutes till my flight to O'Hare airport in Chicago now. I've regulated my water consumption well, and got myself some cold and flu tablets for the flight. Hopefully I won't be sneezing every fifteen minutes this time. 

Another fourteen hours ahead. 

Onwards! 

Finally here. Hello Chicago!

Wow - what a plane ride!

Believe it or not, I had the whole row to myself. I could literally lay down and have a proper nap in economy class! I mean, the first leg of the journey had me having two seats to myself, and I thought that was lucky, but this is something else. Emirates airlines, you're pretty amazing. 

So, I'm here! After thirty four hours of being in transit, but I loved every second of it. 

Reunited with my cousin again after five years and it felt like we never left.

First stop was an epic meal at a Chinese restaurant in Chicago's Chinatown square. What I couldn't get my head around was how cheap it was. The meal we had came to just under fifty dollars. If we had the equivalent in Sydney, we would've paid a minimum of eighty dollars. Easily.

Arrived at my cousins house, hung out with the family, had a well needed shower and as a night cap I brewed some Nicaraguan coffee through an Aeropress - Already it feels like home.