#mimithor

I collect cookbooks... but only from specific chefs because food is personal. For me to have you on my bookshelf would mean I stand by your philosophy in cooking, life, and that basically I want your life, damnit! 

- A Kitchen in France by Mimi Thorisson

- French Country Cooking by Mimi Thorisson

- On the Table at Home by Danielle Pieta Graham

- Kristen Kish Cooking | Recipes and Techniques 

- Cravings by Chrissy Teigen

- Kimchi Chronicles by Marja Vongerichten 

Location: Sitting on guitar case at Duisberg station, Germany, surrounded by my ‘life’ . ( laptop + suitcase + guitar case) and a surprisingly not-bad Starbucks flat white… ( don’t tell anyone I said that ) Time: 06:48am Date: Wednesday 8th July 2015

My attempt to say, ‘hello’.

   It is an attempt because, it’s very overwhelming! There are potentially a lot of people out there who might read this… And if I was talking to one person who reads my blog (more posts soon...), we might talk about different things than if I was speaking with another person, so I don’t know which angle to take… And then there’s the worry of having to fill in the gaps since I last wrote, which was… When I released Wah Ha at the end of last year… And that’s impossible, so never mind about that. And I apologise in advance if there seems to be a lack of ‘point’… Perhaps one day I will wake-up and know what the meaning of all this is, but for now, and I hope it’s ok with you, I just feel to share a little of my thoughts with you, in the hope of reaching out and connecting us all a little more…

I’m going to make the authoritative decision to stop thinking so much and just write:

   A quiet + forceful exhale escapes my mouth and I begin, the German countryside racing past me as we whir toward Berlin. Last night I spent a sleepless night in a Mercure Hotel in Duisberg ( I still have only half an idea of where that is) due to a very unhelpful ‘helpful platform attendant’ pointing me towards the wrong train in Amsterdam. Very unhelpful. So, I made it through the night despite a very sure feeling at 3:30am that the hotel used to be a hospital… My mind flashed up images of the hallways as I had walked to my room… Yes, they were large and wider than the average hotel.. In the lift on the way down to check-out in the morning I noticed that the elevator would definitely fit a trolley bed… My dad works in a hospital so unfortunately for me at 3:30am it’s hard to brush off these ideas as total fiction..! (sigh)

   To quickly take you through my small sleepless drama; terror was doing it’s lurky thing and my heart rate was escalating, so I tried to be mature and do some ‘breathing exercises’, ( slowly in and out ) and I repeat ‘I am safe… I am relaxed…’ in my mind, but I tire of this after 10 minutes and not much result and begrudgingly surrender to being awake. I turn on the light, open the window and take comfort in the ‘2015 magazine’, Instagram. My go-to pick-me-ups are always; Heidi Apples, Mimi Thor + Whole Larder Love… ( yes, click on those links, you’re welcome) But failing to lull myself into a state that resembles sleep, I meditated and at 6am put on my new op-shop overalls to cheer me up and headed to the station an hour early in the hope of something edible and coffee-like…

The cool thing about my friends is that they tend to travel a lot… So I have ended up with couches all over the place…! In Berlin, I will stay with my Australian friend, Micaela Nisbet, a FOH engineer and tour manager who I’ve had the pleasure of touring the UK & Aus with in the past, before I make my way down to Rome to spend the weekend with a dear friend, eating good pasta, drinking good wine and spending the days walking the Summery streets of Rome…

Does it sound like I’m having a good time?! I am! It’s been so long since I’ve let myself ‘explore’, so I am really just getting into the swing of it again!

Travelling alone has always been one of my favourite things to do… I suppose it lets me feel into a new ( or an old favourite ) place really honestly and simply… I am the kind of person who goes to films and plays and gigs by themselves though… I love the vulnerability of being alone, it can be so savoury and scary and stimulating and uncomfortable and real… I always make friends that way as well…

Well, I’m getting tired now from my random night. I hope I haven’t rambled too much! By the way, we just finished our European tour, Tim Harvey ( who was playing in my band) and I - hence why I am still here - it was fantastic! It was so thrilling to see the faces in each city… It inspires me to continue to evolve my performance, to create an experience for you that is truly unique and both a safe solace and a moving place of possibility and ideas, not that I can control that…

From my alone-time to yours, and I promise to keep…. attempting… ; )

Lisa x

Just in case you’re interested:

Currently reading: Anastasia: Book 1 of the Ringing Cedar Series, Vladimir Meger Dread: The Dizziness of Freedom, Juha van’t Zelfide. Brain Pickings blog

Currently watching: Chef’s Table ( Oh god. obsessed.) on Netflix