Hello Reader,

As the year draws to a close, I wanted to share some highlights from my recent travels since the previous newsletter.

It’s been a year of discovery, filled with unforgettable experiences and mouth-watering flavors. Here's the table of contents:

Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas
The Bahamas
Turkey
Las Vegas + more
Recipes
Happy Holidays (from 4 versions of me)!

A Taste of Texas

My journey began in the heart of Texas, Dallas and Fort Worth, together forming one of the United States' largest and fastest-growing metropolitan areas with a unique blend of modernity and heritage.

Dallas is known for its vibrant art, music scene, and delectable southern cuisines.

Fort Worth, known as the city of cowboys and culture, boasts a rich Western heritage, evident in its daily cattle drives and cowboy culture.

Full cowboy mode at the Fort Worth Stockyards

Aside from exploring the best things to do in DFW, I embarked on a BBQ food tour trying the smoky, savory flavors of Texas BBQ that made the Texas Monthly's Top 10 (and 50) BBQ in Texas:

Goldee’s BBQ (Current No. 1 Best BBQ in Texas)
Cattleack BBQ (Current No. 6)
Panther City BBQ (Current No. 10)
Heim BBQ, known for Bacon Burnt Ends (in the previous Top 50)
Slow Bone BBQ (in the current Top 50)

Full DFW Trip on Instagram here.

Island Life in The Bahamas

Next, I found myself in Nassau, The Bahamas, for the first time. The beautiful island’s vibrant scenery and culture is matched by its culinary offerings.

From the refreshing tropical conch salad (my video went viral with 1.5M views!) to the sweet, moist rum cake, these dishes were a testament to the island’s rich culinary heritage.

The local Fish Fry and the intriguingly named Fire Engine (steamed corned beef on rice) were other highlights of my Bahamian gastronomic journey.

An EPIC Turkey Trip

After The Bahamas, I flew to Turkey for a month-long solo trip. This marked my first time travelling this long by myself in a foreign country .

Starting from the bustling and gastronomic city of Istanbul, my culinary experiences focused on a mix of local foods (like Doner, Pide, Balik Durum, Baklava, etc) and Michelin dining experiences (Turk Fatih Tutak [2*], Neolokal [1*], Matbah Restaurant, Tugra Restaurant and Alaf).

Full Instagram Stories on Istanbul here.

Trekked close to an hour to try some amazing pide from a Pide Master

I then flew to Cappadocia in awe of the rock formations all around and to check off a bucket list item - a hot air balloon ride. The view from the balloon was nothing short of magical. But let's not forget Cappadocia's iconic food, Testi Kebab, flavourful kebab stew cooked in a claypot and cracked open at your table.

This Turkish adventure continued with a road trip along the coast, starting from Antalya and then driving to Kas, Marmaris, Bodrum, Selcuk, and Izmir. Each seaside city offered a unique blend of history, culture, and local cuisine.

Travelling during low season in Turkey meant less tourists, and I even got to have the ancient city of Ephesus to myself at some parts.

Full Instagram Stories on the rest of the Turkey trip (after Istanbul) here.

My Turkey travel series on YouTube has started (with 3 vlogs already available) so be sure to subscribe to find out when new videos are published!

Holiday Cheer in Las Vegas

Currently, I’m wrapping up the year in Las Vegas, spending the holidays with family.

We’re looking forward to a Mexican Riviera cruise during Christmas week. As we sail into the new year, I’m excited about the new adventures that await.