Curiosity made the women travel

Join the women of WTAF this week as they chat about where they're taking WTAF next, maxing out job capacity, letting go of other's opinions of your work, how curiosity impacts the work that we do.

WTAF is a production of Alice Riot.

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Hello and welcome to things that make you go WTF. A podcast that brings you the unvarnished banter behind the scenes of our YouTube series women travel, art and food. I'm Kelly brailler, CEO of fine art licensing agency Ellis riot and co host of WTF. Join me, Diana Ogilvie and our guests each week for straight talk of how we manage our careers, entrepreneurial endeavors and personal lives as we seek out exceptional food and art experiences around the world. Is it worth the effort? fuck around and find out. So Diana, I was just saying to Corinne that when I saw the text message about a job interview, I thought that she had a job interview. And I was like, how many jobs can happen out tap and up? You're about to get on a road, Jamaica status, right? You need like, ultimate side hustler for days is not one to make that has one job. There's always a side hustle. Is that a cultural thing? Yes. Absolutely. I think a lot of cookie jars, you know, yeah, you're gonna have a chocolate chip and the oatmeal. Yes. Because you know, sometimes the dream is to go back and build a big house on a hill. So you need multiple jobs when you're here and all that to do that, you know, earrings are great. Thank you. Those are terrific. Thank you are terrific. So hey, so I'm going to be in New York, the week of April 10. And I'm very excited for it. So I'm speaking at NFT NYC, decided we needed to bring someone a little bit more, a little bit more mature, experienced into the room to talk about adoption curves when it comes to technology. So I'll be on a on a panel on Thursday the 13th talking about adoption curves with web three, but then also hosting an event at I'm so excited about this the Diane Von Furstenberg flagship. So if you see some of the footage that we had from our first episode, it wound up in the social cuts. It's not in the full episode. But Hall Rockefeller from the less than half salon and I are standing outside the art gallery that's adjacent to the DVF flagship store. And the artist Ashley long shore had a collection of powerful women in that gallery at the time. And that same gallery is where we're going to be hosting a panel discussion the evening of April 11. So very, very thrilled that DDF has given us permission to use that space. And I'm stoked for it we're bringing, we're going to have artists who have only just dip their toe into the water on digital art, all the way through to full blown, Metaverse, fashion runway, developers and all of it, the whole theme around it is this next wave of web three, and really how women need to be front and center on the adoption curve as we go. So I'm really excited. And I love how it's full circle. Similar to that that New York episode, Diana, that first one we did was magic, because there are now two points in that episode that are coming to bear for us in different ways. The first one is there's a shot of me looking down this street West 26th Street. And a few months after we shot that is when Femi market analysis Riot did an NF T NYC event last year at the Juneteenth event at Calum Gallery, which is down that same street that's in the shot. So that was just like magical. And now we're doing this TVF event, which is just magical that we were standing outside of it a year ago. And now here we are a panel discussion and networking event for women in both web three and art and fashion. And so I'm really stoked. And the here's the third element that hopefully is magic, is that Chef Missy might show up for the event. And so chef Nazim was also featured in episode one of WTF nisi Amala. Connie is the chef and owner of Silfra, which I'm so thrilled for her. She is a finalist for the James Beard award in the best restaurant in New York category. I believe. She has a book coming out. And she was just a guest chef at the White House. Well, this past month. I am so so happy for her. I'm just humbled to be in her orbit. Like the fact that I can like send her a text message and say yay, and she's like, thank you. So I'm so thrilled for her. She the one deserves a Michelin star already. It's like come on, give her the star. And the James Beard NOD is significant and meaningful. And I'm just kind of fangirling right now on chef Newseum, because again, this is a woman who was 60 years old, when she started this with opening up her own restaurant and bringing forward her I really inherited and Persian Cuisine and the whole notion of sofa being the table and sit at the table. And she deserves every single accolade. And, and of course, I tried, I can't get a table itself or when I'm in New York, Ah, it's so hard. Before even more, so now, even more so no, but um, I mean, well deserved. A couple of the things that, you know, stood out for me when we were, you know, talking to her was that story of just just traveling and going off the beaten path then, where she was somewhere in India, and this woman made a meal for her. And it was like, some of the best food that she's ever had. It was like a simple egg. And like Japan at one of those, you know, breads, and there was an herb on top. And she's like, What is this herb? What is this herb and a woman took her hand because they didn't speak any. They didn't speak the same language, you know, Korean. So the woman took her hand and they went out to the back. And Herb was going with growing through a pile of Cowdog Oh, I remember. Watching that episode, though, was super engaging Her background was fascinating. And you just kind of follow the storyline, you know, to your point of, and it's what we talked about last week, you know, you're never too late to the game, you know, right passion rings through and I think that, that really shined in that first episode that I found captivating and just kind of hair bringing heritage and passion and, you know, food and bringing all these people together in sharing culture. It's really what it was. Yeah, I mean, for sure if there was ever a story that says it's never too late, piggybacking on, you know, our last episode, it's that like, 60 years old, and she's like, Yeah, I want to do this. No. We're giving it a go, go. Go. You know, the other part of her story too was when she was talking about the Iranian aunties who she was just so nervous about cooking for them because she know that you know, they can be very, you know, judgmental and the fact that her food got their approval, but it was a point of giving up she said when she stopped caring about you know, the, the aunties opinions, that's when her food shone through and the cooking just came together for her so I'm just really excited to see her journey just ascend. And as you say, Kelly, I definitely want to see that Michelin star for Oh, definitely. And I think that lesson of when you stop caring what other people think that's when things really start to take off. And I think we can all relate to those voices and opinions that have come through in our lives in our career. I you know, I still I still go back around to our best spy days. And I distinctly recall one boss saying to me on more than one occasion, you're not quite ready for that. And that I cannot tell you how much that can feed into even today my imposter syndrome on am I am I worthy to be here? Can I do this? Am I ready for this? Like oh my god, what? If not now When? Like of course I'm ready for this. It's time let's go let's fucking go like yeah, it's time. Yep. And I when people say those things that always boggles me because I think we can give ourselves a million excuses not to do something but when we're ready. People like us we're ready to rock. It's not dip our toe in the water. We're ready to run. We're ready to activate and do cool stuff and bring cool shit in the forefront. Sam, Sam Oh, Mike, my allergies are killing me man. This season. I know it's And what's crazy is to it's like yeah, hey, high end of March. It's March 31. Today, let's have another snowstorm in Minnesota at the same time that our allergies are kicking in because spring is supposed to be coming this is like this is the period of time that I enjoy the least in the state. I I will take 100 degree humid days. I will take 30 below winter. This transition from winter to spring though is just a niche. It's like Mother Nature dangling the carrot of like hey, oh, I know here. We're almost here. Not quite. Just kidding. You might be around the corner. You So winter, so winter, so, so d what's going on down in Atlanta was gone. I mean, the pollen is ridiculous. But I was told that I won't have any allergies until I've been here for another couple of years. So I'm fine with that. But it tells us good, it tells us good. I am going to a Congolese supper club. Very excited. Yeah. Because, you know, I'm still trying to learn my way around this new city, this new home. And I was just like it, the idea just came to me. So I should look into some supper clubs. You know, let's sit down with some people I'm fine with. I'm not one of those that need people to go out. You know, I'll eat by myself. I go to the movies by myself. I'm totally fine with that. I really don't care about those social hangups. So yeah, I checked out this thing called Charles society, and they have this email list that they put together. And I'm really excited about trying Congolese food for the first time looking at the menu. You know, it's like they have Jamaica has some kind of meal like that, like their rice looks like, oh, rice and peas. They have fried fish. They have what, you know, the escabeche sauce. And the only thing that we don't do, it's a peanut sauce, which I'm really excited to try. Yeah, so really cool. Yeah. So just looking at other things to do things that are up my alley, going up by myself exploring the art, food and culture. So you hear in the A, I think there's such power in doing things on your own. So yesterday, I had a meeting with Chef and Ahmed, who is here in Minneapolis. She operates lab 14 Kullu. Oh, yes, yes, yes. And has a new restaurant now that she's opening up soon. And so I had a meeting with her and an artist yesterday. And on my way back, I had some time. And so I went to Quan, which is a it's a Vietnamese restaurant, here in the Twin Cities and sat down to a gargantuan bowl of FDA and credible, and it was by myself. But what's really interesting was looking around the room, there were at least four other women eating solo, having lunch, enjoying their fall, you know, reading or looking at their phones or you know, doing whatever. And I'm like, I like seeing this, oh, and more women who are just not afraid to go out on their own and grab lunch by themselves. And they don't need to be with somebody. And I think that that's, that's so fantastic. You're doing that day, because you're going to you know, your curiosity and how you discover will be incredible. And now I'm just like going back to 2019. I went by myself to London for five days. It was it was a it was my birthday weekend, right before my birthday. And it happened to be a case where our son was still in high school at the time playing baseball. And there was some winter baseball tournament weekend taking place over in Menominee, Wisconsin. And, you know, my husband was like, Hey, we should go and make a weekend out of it. And I was like, No, I don't want to go to Menominee, Wisconsin. Many instead in some like over coronated hotel hot tub and go watch indoor baseball and like no. And I was like, you know, I'd like to go to London. And Ollie was like, well, that's awesome. So he and he injected the baseball weekend, I flew to London for five days. It was like the most incredible experience, give the whole idea of just go and explore jump on the tube, go. You know, I went up to Hampstead and walked into some pub, and it was like, owned by two men who were married to each other. And both of their families were like, in the place because it was like Wales versus England playing rugby. Oh, big, right into the middle of this thing. And they're all like, here's a stool. Here's a Guinness. Do you have any questions? I'm like, well, his knee went down. And they're like, this isn't American football lady. Like it's rugby. Like, I don't get it. But this is awesome. Those are the those are the kinds of experiences that make everything so much richer, and you want to go back and see these places again. So what has been so far in Atlanta though, the thing that you've enjoyed the most? Definitely the art scene. The art scene here is amazing. And in particular, the street art I could go down to Cabbagetown anywhere downtown. It's every time I drive down there, there's just like a resurgence of street art. And there's more and when there's more so really like in that. And there's another thing that is happening that I'm going to call on Underground Atlanta where it's the first Friday of every month. And they take over like these warehouses and turn them into different rooms. So this room you'll have portrayed and the next room, you'll see some art. And then there's dancing like Silent headphones, this silent disco kind of vibe. So I'm excited about that one too. So I'm trying to get him a little social butterfly thing going on, you know? They'll wonder like, Yeah, I'm wondering, no wonder. So Korean, How about how about Florida? What are you? What are you enjoying down in your new digs? today? Yeah, I'm in Minnesota. A couple of minutes, Noda, and but yeah, it's nice to break away. But Florida, we and I really enjoyed there's a lot of Caribbean and Guatemalan food down there. I really, you know, I always like, like UD, just breaking away and kind of immersing myself I haven't been with the amount of free time I'd like to go start wandering. But I've been tracking a lot of female chefs and pastry chefs and owners down there. There's a bigger scene than I think one might imagine for, you know, a reasonably small city and just, it's very up and coming. It reminds me of where Minneapolis was maybe 10 years ago, Kelly, just as a benchmark were lining up and coming here like this. This place is about to be a scene. We're getting there. But what else have I been up to? I spent a birthday weekend last weekend at the beach, getting a little bit of color, trying at least. And I didn't try a really great restaurant was plant based it with the vegan restaurants and just trying to focus on some wellness down there. So keeping it easy, soft live softlight taking it easy taken in that self care. And you know, like, in Florida, I was overwhelmed by the amount of Spring Breakers coming down there. You know, in theory, you know it's coming, but you don't know what it feels like. It's traffic's nuts. This is crazy. But all in all, it's the it offered a little good energy for a couple of weeks. So back to the grinds. Have you Has anyone here started receiving AARP membership cards? Okay, I don't even open the envelope. I use them because you can. I'm gonna use them because you can get discounts off like I appreciate the discounts. But there's a part of me that I'm sorry, I'm perpetually 16 years old. And I'm like, No, not yet. And you got Martha Quinn from the old MTV days, like shuttling for your band. I just like no. I'm taking it. If you're giving it up taking it. Maybe I'll open up the next envelope. They've now sent me three membership cards. And each one I'm just like in the trash. Boutrous Yeah. I'm like at least 10 years from qualifying. But I'll take you send it to me. I'm taking it. Not ready for that yet. Not ready for summer like now's the time people started thinking about summer travel. And you're thinking I can about where we're going next for WTF. Yeah. Where we go, Andy, I know, I know. When we were in Jamaica, you said South Africa would be on the list. Yeah, it's more and more looking like Ghana, for I would really love to make gotta happen for August. There's some big art festivals happening out there. One called cello one T. And there's a balloon festival. And these are monumental art Express experiences that I've been reading about for years and watching videos like I want to go there. So those happen at the end of August. And just the fact that I've never been to Africa before. So there's that it's the only continent I've not touched in all my travels. So it's huge. It's huge. Huge. Definitely want to start in Accra, because I have connections there. And also the you know, the historical link between Jamaica and Accra. Everyone who's visited both countries say Kingston looks like Accra girl looks like Kingston. It's like, you know, so I want to see that for myself. I I just keep thinking about August on the equator and how hot but it's hot all the time on the equator. That's the whole point of the equator. It's like doesn't have like a low season. It's just full blast hot the whole time. I'd be down for that though. That'd be terrific. Yeah, There's some talk with one of my clients about possibly Singapore in June. And we'll have to see about that. Honestly, I'm going to be in New York once a month over the next three months. Okay stuff for April. Going to go back in May. For A Weekend. There is a an art space called Berkshire house. Oh, yeah. And and that's right. That's upstate. And, actually, it's right across the border into Massachusetts. Okay. And so, gonna go out there for a weekend, check out their open house. And then a couple of weeks after that, our son turns 21. And we're taking him to New York for the weekend with one of his buddies. And it's one of those like, I'm hearing it as I say it out loud. I'm like, Why the hell would a kid want to spend his 21st birthday with his parents? And the whole point with New York is, that's his gift from us. Yeah, that will include a one dinner. We're gonna take him to Peter Luger Steakhouse. Oh, no. And he's gonna watch us and Jerry. I know, I can't wait. But then and then we're gonna go to the Red Sox are in town playing the Yankees that weekend. And so we're gonna get just some some standing only seats, some tickets. But then my point to ollie was we don't hang out with him all weekend, like, go do your thing. You guys go do your thing. We're gonna go do our thing. And so I'm looking forward to it. But it's just like, boom, boom, boom. Right now with the travel, which I love. Yeah, but I love when that happens. Yeah, so I still you know, I I have so many places I want to get to like, if Singapore happens, that is going to be immediately after the trip to New York, which will just be a grind, but it'll be it'd be worth it. And then I have a single Germany who wants me to get over to see her there. And I'd love to try to make a long weekend out of that. So I'm trying to like, stack things up. Yeah, terms of what works. Singapore is great. I can't do it for more than four days though. Because when I lived in Indonesia, Singapore was like my Miami when I wanted some city vibes that and Kuala Lumpur. I could honestly to this day, I could still live in Kuala Lumpur. Singapore. I got bored after a while the food is fan tastic don't get me wrong, the food is fantastic. But I just think culturally there wasn't much to stimulate me. It's very expat rich. So yeah. Go ahead. No, I was gonna say that was gonna be my recommendation for Kelly if with extra time I lived in kale for a year or a month. And a lot of literally, our food culture people I go spend a couple of days there if you've got time cow. Yeah. Singapore is Asia like to say it's an introduction into like Southeast Asia. So you know, go there for a couple of days and then you like go on your Asian adventure. Thanks for stepping inside our heads this week. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow W TAF women travel art and food on Instagram and Tiktok things that make you go WTF is a production of Alice riot LLC. We connect brands and contemporary women artists. Drop us a line at Hello at Alice riot.com