Like a horse with blinders on...🐎

I don't do____ & a nostalgic chicken recipe

Welcome to A standing reservation! Thanks for reserving your table. If you’ve found your way here via pure luck and haven’t already reserved your standing reservation, pencil yourself in the book and we’ll be sure to serve you up something good:

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My suitcases sit in the living room collecting dust and staring at me as if to say, “why the hell aren’t we rolling out of here.” And by gosh, they usually ask to slow it down. But as of late, it’s been 3 months of waiting, scrounging together odd jobs and trying to keep my mind at bay from thoughts of failure and questions of doubt. Each day I say to myself, with the utmost optimism, “today’s the day my passport and visa are returned”. But each day comes and goes with no passport or visa in sight. In January, I handed my passport over along with an application for a visa to work in Italy. Since January, the Italian authorities have been pondering over my application, clearly with much consideration. Or clearly with lack thereof. The job in question finishes mid-July and as we enter May, I’ve received a letter that my application has been suspended for another 30 days to top up the 90 days that have already passed. Another 30 days with no passport and even more questions. 

I realize that I’ve let something out of my control take hold of my life. It has become the driver of the vehicle and I’ve taken the back seat. We let these drivers sneak in and grab hold of the wheel when we have a passion and a desire that’s stronger than us. Like a horse in a race, we put our blinders on so that it’s hard to see the bigger picture surrounding ourselves - tunnel vision with only one goal in mind, to succeed and win the race you’ve been running in circles for for so long. Unfortunately, my odds have proved to be slim out of the gate. So in these days, I’m making more of a conscious effort to jump back into the front seat. To speak my mind. To tell people how I feel without thinking about their comfort first (this only applies to talk about the visa - I care about your comfort, truly, I do!). To take the job that’s next week instead of turning it down with hopes that my visa will “surely be here by then”.

I recently listened to a talk given by Marie Forleo. For those of you who don’t know who Marie is, I highly recommend you take a closer look. She wrote a book called Everything is Figureoutable and runs a business school called B-School. She’s a tough cookie and just so happens to be a fellow Jersey girl. During the event she said, “Roadblocks play a critical and positive role in our path to more - admitting that we need a red light can be the first step in catching our next level green.” Once I heard this, I pressed the rewind button and listened to it again. And again. And again. Until I realized…this is my roadblock. Not having my passport and not being able to work at this job that I've worked so hard to get, put so much energy, time and passion into - this is my roadblock. She also posed a question; she asked, “are you a victim of your own success? Have you ever worked so hard to create something, achieve something and build something and then, when it finally happens you hit a wall or a literal roadblock which leaves you lost and trying to figure out where to turn.” My answer? Yes. I’ve been working so hard for so long to win this position that it felt deserved. That this roadblock I’m in could never happen to me because I worked too hard for too long to get here. But that thinking is wrong and outdated. The more I tell myself this, the more I hurt myself with stress and anxiety of why things aren’t going my way. Instead I’ve decided to look at this roadblock as my fast track to catching my next level green light.

So, how is this roadblock getting me to my next level green? Well, we’re still workshopping the idea but I believe it has something to do with starting to write again - especially starting up this newsletter and connecting with you, dear readers. Having time to work on my business plan. Having the time to create our first experience through tavolotwelve - yes, you heard that right - experiences coming as soon as this September. I’ve had so many ideas and moments over the years (especially over these past 3 months) of doubt, imposter syndrome, wanting to give up; but, I’m deciding to shift the narrative mentally. Instead, I've decided to take away an exercise from Marie’s talk. She says to find the pattern that’s holding you back, the words you’re telling yourself that hold you back from more, from achieving that next level green light. Find that pattern and fill in the blank to the sentence “I don’t do…” The brain simply believes whatever you tell it most. And, so, with that in mind, I’ll tell my brain, “I don’t do…giving up on dreams”. 

House hunting in Italy last year.

With that said and all the laundry out to dry…I decided that, although I can’t go home (no passport here), I needed a little piece of home. What comforts me when I can’t be home is eating dishes that stir up nostalgia. My mother isn’t the best cook and I think she would admit that (sorry, mom). Although, she does have a few dishes up her sleeve that she cooks with the upmost of confidence; so, allow me to retract that statement. It’s not that she’s not a good cook, it’s that her rolodex of recipes isn’t chock full. My dad is the cook in the house. But some of my favorite dishes growing up were, in fact, cooked by my mom. So, last night, in an effort to bring my nostalgic childhood kitchen to life in our small London flat, I made my mom’s one pot chicken thighs with parsley and onion. It’s a hard dish to describe or even give a name to, but it’s so simple, quick and warming - especially great for a rainy London night. The water from the onions and the flavor from the parsley create a broth that’s poured over a bowl of rice and spooned up gluttonously until the last bite.

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One Pot Chicken and Rice

Measurements are just a guide. I encourage you to decide whether or not you like more or less of something - for instance, not big into onions? Use less and add an extra splash of water to make up for liquid loss. I encourage you to take off your blinders and cook with intuition.

Ingredients

• 6-8 pieces of bone-in, skin on, chicken thighs

• 1 large bunch of parsley roughly chopped (if it’s a small bunch, use 2 bunches)

• 2 medium onions, diced or roughly chopped

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 3 Tbsp soy sauce

• 1 cup of water

• Salt and pepper to taste

To serve

• Steamed rice of your choice

Method

In a large pot, place chicken thighs skin side up. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Pour about 1 cup of water over the thighs. Place onions and parsley on top of the chicken and top with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Place on medium heat and allow to come to a simmer. Cover with a lid and leave the lid slightly ajar to allow some steam to escape. Cook for about 45 minutes, turning the chicken mid way through the cooking. The onions should begin to melt and release their liquid. If you see there’s not enough liquid in the pot at the midway cooking point, add another 1/2 cup of water or enough liquid to your liking. After about 35 minutes and once the chicken is cooked, add the soy sauce and cook for the remaining 10 minutes. Serve the chicken and its brothy liquid over a bowl of rice and enjoy.

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Until next time at a standing reservation…

With love & snacks,

Paige

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Let’s chat!

Have you tried the recipe? Let me know in the comments below or share with me on Instagram. Would love to chat.

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Need a happy moment?

I think we all do after that hefty visa chit chat. A few weeks ago, in the midst of Ramadan, I went to a local shop to ship a package. It’s a global shipping store sat right next to the entrance of the bustling Shepherds Bush market and the many fabric shops that line Goldhawk Road. I walked in and, apparently, unbeknownst to me, I was smiling at the shop owner. Normal, right? He said, “You’re different than the others. Where are you from?” I told him I’m from American but lived just down the road. He said, “Ah, that’s why you smile and make me feel welcome.” I thought, “Isn’t it normal to smile when you walk into someone else’s shop?” It’s true that Americans get a reputation abroad for being overly friendly, I, for one, am guilty. What can I say, I enjoy smiling, smiling’s my favorite! (bonus points if you know the movie reference!). He asked me if I had a moment to stay and chat. I said I did and what was supposed to be a small errand turned into a 45 minute sit down conversation about food and life. He’s from Syria and was fasting for Ramadan. We looked through pictures of Syrian food on his phone and he invited me for dinner to try his favorite dishes from his home country. We come from two very different parts of the world yet somehow we’ve ended up sitting across from each other talking, in mixed languages, about something that feels so familiar for us both. Food. He told me how, being Syrian, he cannot travel normally like others. He’s put on lists and pulled aside in lines for his background and the home country he comes from. I feel for him and the many people like him who are kind, honorable and simply human, but treated with bias. So, when you have a moment, take the time to sit down and have conversations with strangers. You never know what interesting story or dinner party you might be invited to next.

New produce in at my Syrian grocery store.