Where Would You Do Your Eat, Pray & Love?

Siiri
Jun 2
3 min read

Updated: Jun 3

Dearest reader,

If you have been reading my blog lately, you know that I have been learning French cooking with Julia Child's cookbook, and while I have been busy doing just that, I have also entertained myself with a little mind game. Namely, I feel like I am on the verge of some kind of self discovery with my food journey and having watched Eat, Pray, Love last month – which includes a food focused section in Rome – I cannot help but wonder: if I was to embark a real life adventure with three plane tickets to anywhere in the world, where would I go. Where would I choose to nurish my body, spirit and soul?

In the movie or book Eat, Pray, Love written by Elizabeth Gilbert in 2007, as a personal memoire of her midlife crisis, she travels to Rome to eat for pleasure, to an ashram in India to seek peace over her personal strugless and, finally, to Bali to find balance and unexpexted love.

Now, I cannot know for sure how you are suppose to choose those three places but I guess with a little help from intuition we should arrive at suitable choices. So, if you are interested in knowning where I would travel keep on reading!

I would go...

to eat

Paris, France

It's SO obvious, but of course I would do my eating in Paris, France. I would cerntaily feel like a fraud if I didn't now that I am learning French cooking! Moreover, I truly believe that French food is the best kind of food in the world because it's not just about eating but also enjoying life and the beauty of dinner time. In France food is considered a craft and each dish is a work of art no matter how simple. There is just so much joy to be found in the French way of cooking because with a little bit of effort you can have the most delicious meal of your life. And not only on a special occassion, but single everyday. What fun!

A girl in Paris in front of the Eiffel Tower — Paris is the only city on my eat, pray, love list that I have visited previously in October 2023 and in 2012.

to pray

Kyoto, Japan

Apparently, Kyoto is the religious and philosophical center of Japan where Shinto, Buddhism and Christianity coexist in an unique ancient town once the imperial capital of Japan. In Kyoto one could experience festivals, tempels, meditation and surrounding nature as well as historical traditions in a setting that shows peace and respect between religions is possible and actually enriches everybodies lives. To me, that sounds like an ideal place for a spiritual awakening.

to love

Edinburgh, Scotland

This one was the most difficult to pin down because I clearly have no idea about love. But, I have always wanted to go to Edinburgh, Scotland, so why not include it on my journey of eat, pray and love. After all, its another ancient city and I do so love history. Besides, everything about Edinburgh sounds so romantical: there are castles, a botanical garden, sea views and, of course, a sprinkle of centuries old royal drama.

So those are the places I would travel to eat, pray and love. All there's left to do now is to actually go there some day. Until then I will continue this mind game while cooking my French meals.

Yours Truly,

Siiri

P.S if you liked to post tap the heart below, so I know to make more like this