Virtual Adventures, Artistic Transformations, and Travel Realities

Welcome to an episode where the ladies at WTAF talk about a whirlwind journey through travel realities, spiced up with a dash of history and a sprinkle of virtual escapades. 

First things first, let's peel back the layers of those glossy travel brochures and get real about what exploring the world is actually like – no filters, just raw truths. Ever wondered about James Beard's legacy? Hold onto your hats as we unearth the colonial roots behind the scenes. 

Now, here's the twist – buckle up for a wild ride into virtual adventures that'll make you question the boundaries of reality itself. 

We're turning the spotlight on the remarkable women over 40 who are rewriting the travel rulebook and showing the world how it's done. So, whether you're commuting or kicking back with a cuppa, tune in as the ladies at WTAF dish out an unfiltered, unabashed conversation that might just change the way you see the world – and travel in it!

Transcript

Kelly Groehler: 0:06

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 Telugu trailer 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 Miss you both terribly. It's summer. It's a Cruel Summer. No, so you just said you were just coming off of being sick? Correct?

Karin: 0:43

Yeah, yeah, we can have a travel three stops and just came home. I was, you know, at the tail end of the trip, ready to just be home. And I'm like, what I didn't want to do is be coming home sick. So I'm hanging in there. It's the weekends, I'm ready to recharge. self care is important. All of the above. That's what happens when you try to do all the things.

Kelly Groehler: 1:03

Try to do all the things. Well, I already informed D that I'm hungover this morning. Oh, would you do last night? Oh my gosh, I am. In fact that I am actually having such techno stress today. I did this great real on Instagram about it. And I put music to it. But I think because of music licensing. It was a song by Prince and I don't think you can fuck with Prince's music. So then the reel went out with no sound at all. And I'm like, No, that's not right. So I had to like pull it down and I rewriting it and it's just like, ah, the technology just isn't my friend today. But anyway, last night. There is a new business here in the Twin Cities. Essentially, I was able to sit at the front row last night. Not literally but I was at the birth of a new lifestyle brand that's launching out of the Twin Cities. Tell me more. Oh, you're gonna like this current. It's called st and it is co founded by any a Jamba and Mark Huskins linger. They are the co founders of MN for mn which is like fashion, etc. It's been around since like the mid teens. And they're coming like this is their post pandemic reemergence, if you will. But what they've done is built a business model that delivers very, very swank cocktail lounge pop up experiences. And so last night was their first event, you know, it's like they're testing their product. And it was that glass house in Minneapolis. Ladies, this was like frieze la Art Basel, Miami level stuff. It was gorgeous. So you have the whole you know, the whole cocktail experience in the premium spirits. Really great non alcoholic options as well. An art gallery as a part of it. And the the artist who was there. Ariana Zagar is here in the Twin Cities and she's now moving soon to Miami. She does these gorgeous, like metal crochet pieces. They're sculptures and suspended from the ceilings. So you look like you're looking at a dress, but it's all made out of like, it looks like chain, you know, chainmail but but really delicate and beautiful and flowing. And there was a woman last night there Marley who who works with REM was wearing one of REM sculptures as like a like as a vest over her outfit. So cool. Oh, great, great sets from the DJs it was so much fun. And I was there with kitty Fahey who is a good friend of mine. She's an investor in Broadway shows. And it was there was so much good energy there. They even had a photo booth that was a confessional. Like playing on this whole theme of and then on top of it. Little Home Goods Corinne he's making candles and I got somebody Jack my idea I don't think it's a jack of your idea. In fact I think it's something that as you like to be such a serial entrepreneur you in any should talk about these things since you've done that before. But these candles he made I bought one it's called indulgence. It puts anything that goop is doing to total shame it oh my god is like it's almost inappropriate to say what how it makes me feel when when I smell this candle, it is sexy as fuck. And so it was just but it was just it was like watching this and going, Wow, I haven't had this type of experience in Minneapolis for sure. And you know, and then the whole idea of the model is that you can hire them to do like events but like leveled up to this whole idea of the the cocktail lounge, the art experience the music experience. It's just, it was it was so fun. And I got I fell asleep at 2am. And here we are,

Unknown: 5:04

what a bad. Go on with your bed. So

Kelly Groehler: 5:07

I took a lot of bourbon last night. It was good. Elijah Craig, it was delicious. But it is and it was just great talking with, you know, Ariana and Marley. These two women who work for an apparel brand that's relocating its headquarters from Minneapolis to Miami. And so she's gonna, you know, Ariana is gonna be able to take her art practice down there. She's going to be doing an event during New York Fashion Week in September. Diana, Jackie, Jackie grieves monda. Also has a cookbook. She's participating in a cookbook that is launching in September and she was like, Are you going to be in New York, you should come to the party at my place for the cookbook launch. And like, if these dates all line up, you might have to just stop in New York on your way back from Ghana. And, you know, she's like, No,

Diana O'Gilvie: 5:55

no, I'll be I'll be back. Yeah, I'm going to that party. So I'll be back. I'm sweet the first week in September, so I will be swinging by that party.

Kelly Groehler: 6:09

So yeah, but did

Unknown: 6:11

you guys make it? Good? I was just like, you guys make it down this way to Miami. That's a bright line down comes deal with a quickness.

Kelly Groehler: 6:20

Well, yeah. And I listen, those conversations were happening last night. Really, really good stuff. I'm like, got a little stuff in the pipeline. And I'm gonna smoke it. It's going to be great. Yeah, so So really good things unfolding. And yeah, reasons. Literally last night. I'm like making plans to go to Miami and go to New York. And I'm like, I need to talk with Korean and Diana about this. So. Um, no, it was great, though. Like, seriously to watch something on. It's like, essentially, I'm like, this is your minimum viable product guys, with a pop up. And then you want companies and private events to hire you to stage these. I'm like, What a great business model allows. So, so yeah, so hats off to any Amber who also by the way, is the VP of Product Design and Development at Furbo mill, and is a an Alice right client. And we will be making an announcement in August about faerber mill that we're very excited about. So it's gonna be gonna be good. So, so yeah, there's my barf up of everything that I was doing last night without barfing. So, that's good. I'm hungover, but I'm okay.

Unknown: 7:32

But you're here for it. You still showed up? For you for us, listeners.

Diana O'Gilvie: 7:38

Well, where have you been traveling to the Caribbean? Let me live vicariously through Oh boy.

Unknown: 7:44

Yeah, I didn't know I didn't travel circuit and this is just the start of it. So I was in Orlando, two conferences one in Orlando flew from Orlando to Nashville, another conference there. Definitely got my fill of all vegan Nashville food which was great and non vegan national food, a lot of food that of dancing a lot of good stuff down there and then went out to San Diego to visit the new brand that I'm working with. And so we just had a massive client events out there and then flew back here so i for the first time in seven weeks, I'm stationary for more than I guess I've been traveling every week for the last seven weeks is what I should say. So now I've got three weeks off the off the road before I do it again before I go back to San Diego and then I'm making a shortstop through Minneapolis so that's the radar in my hands. Yeah, yeah, a lot of good stuff. I when we were in Nashville, I found this really cool Miro. It's it's tickets, concert tickets, kind of like have kelia you have behind you. And there was one of prints. I took a little fun photo there. I was like, gotta represent Minneapolis, even on the road. Good times. See, now,

Kelly Groehler: 8:59

that would be cool. If the if those tickets if you were to hold your phone up to that ticket, and you were able to buy more tickets.

Unknown: 9:06

It's funny you say that I was thinking about, I literally was standing in front of that experience, because they had everything from poop letters to print and all these past tickets. And I was like, what kind of experience could you put behind this as a workable piece of art? Right? Like it could be interactive, and I think there's the How fun is that? Right? Great Minds.

Kelly Groehler: 9:28

It's really fun. I mean, we're you know, we're still working on our stuff with super world and you know, when you we want you to have that little virtual reality experience standing in emancipation park and I want there to be like Pokeyman style tokens floating around and you can click on one and hey, you go to miss T's kitchen, Murphy hill and you make a reservation or you go to Sky gallery and you buy a piece of artwork from from there. And so those are those are the really cool potential things that are coming.

Unknown: 9:58

Interesting to show Old people how those come to life. And what that translates to, because I think there's still a big audience. I've had a couple conversations around the WTF podcast specifically and what we talked about, and people are still trying to get their heads around. Okay, I get the concept. But what is the visual behind that? And I think bringing that to life is going to be a really interesting thing for us. Absolutely. Absolutely. For sure. Yeah. They're gonna have to deal with you. I feel like you're in in the in the new scene. What's happening over there? Oh,

Diana O'Gilvie: 10:32

yes. You haven't even.

Unknown: 10:36

I'm better than living

Diana O'Gilvie: 10:37

out of the loop. Yeah. Well, I have a new nine to five. So yeah, I'm currently in my office.

Kelly Groehler: 10:45

Yeah, congrats.

Diana O'Gilvie: 10:47

Thank you working as a communication specialist. So right now I'm in the midst of editing videos and creating some really cool graphics to, to go with it. So yeah, it's been good. It's my second week. Second week. Wow. So it's been good. I've been learning the new ropes, you know, back to corporate, here we go. But it's been fine. It's been fine so far, and the people are good. I'm learning a lot. And yeah, let's just keep going from here.

Kelly Groehler: 11:21

Oh, definitely. And we need to keep going in all of our stuff, too. So thank you for for joining us from your office. In Georgia. So um, you know, you know, we've talked previously about guests that we want to start hosting on this podcast. And, Diane, I know you've been copied on the flurry of invitations. And we have a pretty cool set of guests that are going to start joining us here, probably with our next recording after this one. And having conversations with chefs and artists and business leaders and entrepreneurs, and just really excited to start talking with them. really tapping into the existing network that I know a lot of them are part of my network. Diana, you know, I certainly want us to continue to tap into yours as well, to bring guests forward. But right now we are sitting at 1011 interviews we're going to do between now and the end of 2023 for this. Yes, it really is. And I think the one that I'm probably the most jazzed about right now. Well, there's a couple of them. So there's an artist, and art curator, her name is Hilda Lin, and she is an artist and podcaster. She's the one who created the parody account on Instagram called Jerry Gaussian, which is a play on Jerry Saltz, the art critic, and Larry Gagosian, the owner of the world's largest art gallery network, poking fun at all the problems in the art world. It's hilarious, and she's going to be joining us for an episode. So looking forward to that.

Diana O'Gilvie: 13:16

I saw Yeah, there was something about her once it I don't know if it was a Netflix documentary, it was something that I saw. And, you know, it started out as a spoof. And then someone discovered her, discovered that it was her. And there was Yeah, a bit of a backlash for that. So they'll be very interesting to get her perspective and the fact that it was a woman and how dare she when they found out that it was a woman? There we go, like another bunch of problems again, because How dare a woman poke fun at the art

Kelly Groehler: 13:49

world? Oh, my God, wait till they find out that bank sees a woman. Folks, we don't have the full detail on that. That is not that is speculation, just being clear. But what it was so nice, so nice. But I tell you what, I think that the the guest I am most excited to speak with is a woman by the name of Deborah Ives. And she is a blogger and travel curator who lives in London. And a few years ago, she launched a Facebook group called solo InStyle. And it is where women are going to share conversation and ideas and experiences with each other about solo travel around the world. The Facebook group has 370,000 followers and participants

Unknown: 14:41

to that I that when you said her name Kelly I paused and said like that sounds familiar. I think I belong to her group honorably.

Kelly Groehler: 14:49

See, I think we're all in there. And yeah, she you know, we're just so incredibly grateful because, you know, we have, you know, all of these people who's just said, Absolutely, we'd love to come on and talk with you. So this is just going to be a total blast as we as we start to bring in more people for the conversations. So, and we even had one inbound, we have a chef in South Carolina, Mariam ghaznavi She owns the only two Pakistani restaurants in that state. And so, Chef, we hear you, and we're going to be looking at a conversation with you in 2024. So stay tuned, but it's, it's gonna be fun. It's gonna be some fun, fun discussions. Yeah. So you know, we have a great slate and we have one guy. So rash little Kira from Super world is going to be joining us for an episode and we'll be talking about virtual reality experiences for travel and where things are going with that. But you know, I think before we even get into the virtual world, Diana, do you think that the US government will start publishing no travel lists for virtual reality travel?

Diana O'Gilvie: 15:56

Mm hmm. Kelly Nolan greyleigh Don't started

Kelly Groehler: 16:02

trying to get you started. Conde Nast Traveler came out now this week. So you know last time we were talking about travel and leisure having its list of dangerous places not to visit and our beloved James make is on that list. And it's like, fuck off. You know, stuff at the fear mongering. But then now we have Conde Nast Traveler telling us what are the safest places in the world to travel? Is it any surprise that nine out of 10 on that list are in Europe? You know, it's

Diana O'Gilvie: 16:34

actually seven because I counted.

Kelly Groehler: 16:37

stats for keeping me honest. Yeah, seven out

Diana O'Gilvie: 16:39

of 10 are in Europe. Japan is one of them. And Singapore was on the list. New Zealand and Singapore. So those are the only three outside of Europe. Japan, Singapore and New Zealand. Thanks so much. So no country in the quote unquote, developing third world. No Latin America. No Caribbean, no Africa. Nowhere.

Kelly Groehler: 17:05

No us either. Yeah, no, you

Diana O'Gilvie: 17:07

see there, deservedly. So we know exactly. We know that. Yeah. So

Kelly Groehler: 17:12

we have burned? Yes. Just

Diana O'Gilvie: 17:14

yeah. I mean, it's, it's just skewed. So you know, I made that post on my personal page as well. And a couple of my friends went in as well on how it just seems like it's just so skewed towards against developing countries. And I, you know, I have my air quotes up because it's, you know, third world and it's developing countries. The these these names that mean, fuck all, quite frankly. It's just so skewed against us in terms of travel. And it's no surprise that the people in these quote unquote, developing countries are brown are black. And so here we are, again, perpetuating this myth that we're not state where we live are unsafe, where we live, where you vacation, that's not safe. So these are things that is just really perplexing to me. It's really disturbing. And I just want to say, I'm tired of it. I'm sick of it. I just want us to climb out of that rut. And you know, on top of that, too, and I'm totally Switching gears, but not totally. So I started watching the show. It's a British show called five star chefs. Right? Yeah. And one of the contestants is Jamaican heritage, you know, he kept saying Caribbean, but then probably by like episode seven, I realized that oh, this dude is Jamaican because he was doing this. This fish called Hell Shire fish. And hell Shire is in Jamaica, that's where we go for our fried fish and Bambi and seafood and festival and all things, seafood. But he kept getting the comment, you know, all your food isn't refined enough. It's not five star enough. And I'm like, these fucking colonialists need to stop because what do we have to show? What do we have to do to say that our food is is irrelevant? Our food is timely, our food is historical. And he kept getting that comment your food isn't your food isn't five star, it's not refined. And that just so rubbed me the wrong way. And again, you know, we're looking at these lens of products and people were and where we live, has not being refined. And I want us to climb out of that colonial lens. You know, like, what is James Beard? What are these things that are markers of excellence that exclude us?

Kelly Groehler: 19:48

You know, I mean, Michelin just came out with its list of of stars for 2023 for California, and I was looking back over that list and comparing it to where you and I went, you know, and Chris into where we went when we were in LA. But also looking, you know, we've been looking at like, you know, making an episode in San Francisco, looking at the restaurants there. And you have a handful of women. You have Nancy Silverton. You have who by the way, the bearish where we had dinner is not a Michelin star restaurant. But Nancy Silverton the founder of it that Chef chef Silverton is, you know, most of us 30 months I believe is the name of the restaurant that has stars now, I think it has two stars now so, yeah. And so you know, you have it you know, you have Chef Nancy Silverton, you have Chef Dominique Crenn these are certainly the chef's that have elevated up to more celebrity status, you know, but but still, you know, vast majority of them are, you know, men, you know, made

Diana O'Gilvie: 20:48

things made thing sauces needs to need be on that Michelin star list.

Kelly Groehler: 20:52

Oh my gosh, that ties on exactly. was probably not refined enough for you know, not not refining what I mean? Yeah, but, um, so have you had Have either of you caught up on season two of the bear? Yet?

Unknown: 21:06

Yes. Halfway through season one.

Diana O'Gilvie: 21:09

I'm still like,

Kelly Groehler: 21:10

Okay, well, three,

Diana O'Gilvie: 21:12

this show gives me Arjuna I can't, it's too much. And I was watching it right before bedtime last night. I'm like, My anxiety is so high. I cannot go to bed. Like I had to like meditate the evening, why

Kelly Groehler: 21:28

not an evening watch? Saturday afternoon on a rainy day. That's when you should watch it. So first of all the show, I just want to quickly comment. I mean, as you both know, my son works in a in a James Beard setting with with his his his work with the travail collective. And he doesn't watch the show because he's like, that's what works like, you know, it's when it's not. And it's not even like, as I mean, obviously, for drama. It's very broken in the show, but that whole sense of repetition and perfection. And yes, Chef and the culture of it. What was really interesting is with Season Two coming out, which blows season one out of the water, it's so fantastic. And, and they're bringing in now big time guest stars who are joining, you know, and and it's, you know, it's terrific. There's an actor who's in season two, Will Poulter, he's a, he's a British actor, and he was recently doing an interview. And, you know, obviously, because he's on the bear, you know, he's getting more attention. And he took it as an opportunity to complain about the fact that there are not more African, you know, restaurants that have African roots, even in London or elsewhere that are winning any Michelin stars. And he's like, oh, there's a lot. There's a problem here, you know, and I'm glad to see, frankly, a white British man saying that, that it's like, you know, at the same time chef Rick Bayless, who is a Michelin star chef, he went out after the second season aired, and he's like, this is terrible. We don't need this reputation for the restaurant industry. I thought, bla bla, and I'm like, dude, Anthony Bourdain did this 20 years ago when he wrote Kitchen Confidential and he shared all your dirty secrets. So

Diana O'Gilvie: 23:24

yeah, that's looking it's looking in the mirror and you know, you know, going back to to your point about no African restaurants that are you know, I just want us to come out of that lens where we have to be refined or we have to mute our food and flavors down to fit into the colonialists. Hallett eat the pepper they're all so much coconut oil on that shit. Okay, I want this jerk I want this curry. I want this umami. Let us not do that anymore. I don't want us to dumb down our cuisine to fit into this this box because of quote unquote refined and you know for sophisticated palates. Your palate is not sophisticated until you eat a Jamaican party. Your palate is not sophisticated until you eat a bowl of ramen. Your palate is not sophisticated until you eat that green curry is not sophisticated until you eat that random from Indonesia. Come on. Enough. See great luck. You got me going.

Kelly Groehler: 24:35

I love it. I want this is what I do. I like to. I like to sprinkle a little salt there and be like, go D go. Well, no, but to your point. I was again, the trip to Jamaica last year for our episode was my first time ever in the Caribbean full stop. had never been to a Caribbean island before. And I had you know we talked about In the episode, you know, I always viewed Caribbean through the lens of all inclusive resort, and, frankly bought into the narrative when I was younger that if you go to a place like Jamaica, you got to stay on the compound you it's not safe, because they're on the list. Right. And so that that blew me away, of course, in terms of discovering how absolutely beautiful and friendly and warm the culture is in Jamaica, and how dare I hold that sort of belief about about this place in this gorgeous country and its people. So but the other thing I was afraid of back to sophisticated palates is I would watch the shows where you would see these big oil barrels and the jerk chicken and I was terrified, my mouth is going to fall off my face, my lips are going to be black from being burned from how hot that food is. That was the most delicious chicken in my entire life. And it wasn't and I loved the the jerk chicken that we had at Miss T's kitchen on Murphy hill. But the one that you took me to Diana, the dude who's been running that for, like, 40, some years, and he literally just grabbed the chicken. Yeah, and he has the hatchet. he chops it up, and he grabs that piece of aluminum, and He scoops it up, and he puts more Scotch bonnets on top and hands it to you. Yeah, I didn't, I crave I crave. I would eat it every day, if I could.

Unknown: 26:25

I'll tell you why. One of the things I look forward to most when I travel is the food, specifically street food. And so often we're told, don't eat the street food, you'll get sick. Don't eat this because it you know, right. And so I think about all the meat on a stick that I eat that I've eaten in Asia and just all these very unique, authentic, non dumbed down foods presented as they should be. Not to please anybody have been the best experiences of my of my dining around around the globe here. And I'll tell you why it might be too hot for my personal liking. But that doesn't mean it should be changed. Does it mean at all? I'll eat it all the time. But you don't know until you try and I'll tell you what, it's a very eye opening experience when you have something that is presented with the cultural spin that it should be in the first place. Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. I'm hungry.

Kelly Groehler: 27:21

My my hangover is craving some street food right now.

Diana O'Gilvie: 27:25

Yeah. Oh my goodness. Not when I'm hungover. I crave like my palate is bougie we're talking about sophisticated when I'm hungover. I want is truffle french fries.

Unknown: 27:38

Oh, that's yummy.

Kelly Groehler: 27:42

Okay. Mine's even worse. I actually crave McDonald's. Eat I crave McDonald's breakfast. depends on the time of day. If breakfast is still being served. I want egg muffins and I want breakfast burritos. And I want hashbrowns and I want to put a hash brown on top of the burrito and eat it together. And it's awful and it's delicious. But if it's the afternoon, give me MC chicken sandwiches all day long. The $1 MC chicken sandwich. Yeah, I know. It's like so bad for you. And it's so what about your current?

Diana O'Gilvie: 28:21

What's your I know you're sober. Curious. But

Unknown: 28:25

yeah, I mean, still. Nachos. Were always a good go to you just kind of pick up them over time and right. So not just it was either nachos or just a good old box of mac and cheese. Oh, yeah. Old school with the powder.

Kelly Groehler: 28:45

Bright orange tan colored powder. Yeah.

Unknown: 28:48

About that. So and yeah, that's cool. Yeah,

Kelly Groehler: 28:53

I can taste it right now. Like I actually, I don't keep it in. I don't keep that kind of stuff in the house. So I'm sitting around going. Haley would you run to the store for me, babe? Yeah, yeah. Oh, gosh. You know,

Unknown: 29:11

I was spoiled. This week. I gotta give a shout out to the boyfriend because I came home from travels. And he's like, we gotta get some good vitamins. And he goes, I'm gonna take a stab at making homemade dumplings, homemade potstickers videos that he went to the Asian markets. He's like, I'm gonna try this out. I'll text you guys a picture later. But he got all these fresh Asian vegetables and made the best homemade dumpling which is far surpassed some of the stuff that I've been served, you know, just just that we go out and eat. And I was like, we got an at home chef at home so I'm gonna get no, but that made me smile this week. And I bring that up because I'm thinking about cultural cooking. And this is better than some of what I've had at different restaurants.

Diana O'Gilvie: 29:52

Oh, my gosh. So I went out to Douglasville, Georgia, which is probably an hour outside of of Atlanta. And I had some of the blunders Chinese food. I don't even know if those two words belong in a sentence bland and Chinese food. But here I am putting them together. Some of the bland is Chinese food ever in life. I was so disappointed. And I almost shed a tear. Because, you know, like when you had this craving like I just wanted, you know, I just wanted like some garlic chicken with you know, the snow peas and some broccoli and just Yeah, and I saw this place and the name should have what was the name was? Yeah, like a cricket. China walk. Yeah. And I was just, you know, eating bad food. I just have no tolerance for it. I get really sad. I should not be sad when I eat food. I'm one of those people that dances for her food. I get really happy with a full plate of food in front of me. I took two bites and I had to throw that thing away. I felt really bad. Yeah, it was terrible, bland Chinese food Korea. But ya

Kelly Groehler: 31:10

know, that's, that's the kind of stuff like back to what you were saying, you know, current, you know, you have people who will travel and they only eat in the hotel, because it feels safe to them, no matter where they're on the world. And you know, get you both know how I feel about this where I'm like, do not expect someone to provide you with ketchup or ranch dressing. If you're traveling overseas. Oh, American. That's not your responsibility to yourself as part of your life is to step out of that comfort zone and go try something new. By the way, I have a new kitchen.

Unknown: 31:44

I was that. Oh, fly. Oh, I

Kelly Groehler: 31:47

thought you were like, like, it's something I was saying. I'm like, oh, it's look like just you lie. So I ended up buying a new kitchen pan after LA. And I'm going to learn how to make the little I bought about a round pen that has the little for the coconut. Yeah,

Unknown: 32:09

yeah. A little coconut. Like patties? Yes. Oh,

Diana O'Gilvie: 32:14

you're gonna make the coconut pancakes.

Kelly Groehler: 32:17

I'm gonna try.

Diana O'Gilvie: 32:19

Yeah, you have to you have to share you have to share.

Kelly Groehler: 32:22

Oh, you know I will and

Diana O'Gilvie: 32:25

yeah, yet whether or not and you know what? Yeah, I did want a new pan as well. Look at us. I bought my first cast iron pot.

Kelly Groehler: 32:33

Congratulations. Welcome to the party.

Diana O'Gilvie: 32:37

My first cast iron pot. So I'm looking forward to cracking.

Kelly Groehler: 32:40

What brand did you end up with?

Diana O'Gilvie: 32:42

You know, I don't know, because I got it at a at an antique market. Which means it's probably awesome. Like $30

Kelly Groehler: 32:50

I have a itty bitty tiny cast iron pan that's maybe six inches across eight inches across. So it's really small. actually more like, like four to six inches. I mean, this thing is tiny. And it was like over 100 years old. And I bought it in at a tag sale. And that thing is so great to like put a piece of Fontina cheese in it and Drizzle olive oil and herbs and put it in the oven and bake it and then you just pull that little pan out and you can use dunk your bread in it. It's like Oh, nice. One of those perfect like, from the oven to the table as a serving dish. I love cast iron cast iron is like phenomenal for cooking.

Diana O'Gilvie: 33:31

Yeah, I'm just looking forward to fried chicken and it bigger is probably like 13 inches across so I could try to get some pieces in there.

Kelly Groehler: 33:41

That's what I'm craving right now. I was I was gonna say that like with this hangover. I was like, oh my god, I could go for the coconut pancakes. But it's the Korean fried chicken and Adonit from grandma from Grand Central Market in LA. That's right now I want that chicken. That's damn good.

Diana O'Gilvie: 34:02

Oh, but I'm probably just gonna do a podcast at lunchtime

Kelly Groehler: 34:09

because this is the time of day y'all said you were available. So that's why we do it at this time. It's lunch I

Unknown: 34:15

get to eat before we record next time. I think that's my problem because now my stomach's now feed me.

Kelly Groehler: 34:21

And now I'm like,

Diana O'Gilvie: 34:22

Yeah, well, I'm thinking of like, what's close to here?

Kelly Groehler: 34:26

And listen, I got to McDonald's a mile away from here and I'm like, literally holding myself back. I'm not doing it.

Unknown: 34:33

We don't want to stop you.

Kelly Groehler: 34:35

Nope, I'm going to just like do some ginger lemon water some hot water. I am going to finish my cup of coffee. Yeah,

Diana O'Gilvie: 34:43

I might dog nap.

Kelly Groehler: 34:45

We'll see. We'll see that but but yes. So So D. Let's talk a little bit here about ocra and how the plans are coming together for the next episode. Oh and What are you going? What are you excited to eat when you're over there?

Diana O'Gilvie: 35:03

So I'm really excited to eat. So yeah, I've never had it. But I've always seen pictures. And again, it's just meat on a stick. But it's with different spices. So I'm really excited to try so yeah, I mean, get me meat on a stick and I'm happy, right?

Kelly Groehler: 35:21

I am gonna get her I am going to get her to the state fair, by the way, that someday? D we're bringing you to the Minnesota State Fair where

Diana O'Gilvie: 35:29

I will be my first state fair will be my first state.

Kelly Groehler: 35:32

I know. But it won't be until 2024. Because you're going to be in Ghana when it's taking place.

Unknown: 35:37

Here. Oh. pads at the State Fair this year. Kelly?

Kelly Groehler: 35:41

Let's do it. Let's do it. I would love that. Oh, that would be great. We could go live on oil. Yes. And eat some things. And Tom Diana for not being with us.

Diana O'Gilvie: 35:52

I think I'll be all right. Sure, you will pick up your right.

Kelly Groehler: 35:57

Like I see your puny little Minnesota State. I raised it I love it. Love it. What else you got to eat when you're there.

Diana O'Gilvie: 36:11

Um, so football, which is pounded yams, and it's very sticky. I'm looking forward to eating with my hands. Again. I used to when I lived in Southeast Asia and I missed that visceral role. That connection between your hand on your food. I didn't realize how much I had missed that. Until last week, I packed my lunch but I did not pack a knife and fork or a spoon with my hands. And I was totally fine. I was like, Oh, I miss this. I miss eating with my

Kelly Groehler: 36:47

Did you have any colleagues walked by and go what are you doing?

Diana O'Gilvie: 36:51

Yes, look, whatever. Probably more than half of the world will eat with their hands. So yeah,

Unknown: 37:01

I enjoyed it as well. We I did banana leaf experiences. And I've done that with Ethiopian food and it's just, it's different. It's fun. You experience food in a different way. You pay attention differently.

Diana O'Gilvie: 37:14

And then you Yeah, then you start you know, forming your hands and using your thumb to push the food into your mouth off your fingers. Like you develop your own little technique. You know.

Kelly Groehler: 37:27

So what is what's the typical beverage or beverages like they serve so you know how like you know I'm a coffee person have to have my coffee first thing in the day. But what is it? Is it more tea based? Is it coffee based? Is it something else? What what are the typical Oh averages,

Diana O'Gilvie: 37:43

I don't know, I know palm wine is a is a thing, which is naturally distilled wine made from the palm tree. So I'm looking forward to that. It's I liken that to maybe say moonshine but I could be wrong I won't know until I get there which is the whole point of travel you know to find out these questions and they based on what I've you know, I've gone on a couple of YouTube rabbit holes beer is popular and I think because yeah, come on, because it's so hot anyway. So as much nothing when a nice cold beer on a hot day. You've experienced that with you. That's right.

Kelly Groehler: 38:25

You know, I experienced that with Budweiser up at the lake and so yeah,

Diana O'Gilvie: 38:31

yeah, so yeah, that's pretty much it. Plans are coming on really well excited to talk to some really dope artists who are doing some amazing work out there. And just make an episode be the best that WTF has so far. Honestly. I feel like that's my monitoring. I'll make each episode I want it to be like better than the last better than the last.

Unknown: 38:56

Yeah. I'm excited to see what you come back with.

Diana O'Gilvie: 39:01

Man, listen, first of all, I feel like I'm gonna get a palette and fill it with art and sculptures and put it on a slow boat to Georgia.

Kelly Groehler: 39:12

Are you gonna end up staying there? And we're gonna have to like come see you.

Diana O'Gilvie: 39:17

You're probably like the third person seriously to say that to me. Really? What is it about me that makes you think I'm just gonna leave and stay? I might I have done it in the past but I'm just saying

Kelly Groehler: 39:31

you well in technology makes it possible. You can be anywhere in the world and we can do this D so Exactly. Yeah,

Diana O'Gilvie: 39:37

yeah. Yeah. That's kind of the whole point.

Unknown: 39:41

I'm just taking a nap and just chillin.

Diana O'Gilvie: 39:46

Nice. I'm gonna do a bit of shopping because it's time to start my shopping for Ghana. So just going to look for some lightweight clothing and some footwear and Yeah, nothing too crazy. But yeah, shopping

Kelly Groehler: 40:02

Well, I'm going to nurse my hangover. Tonight we're going to dinner for my sister in law's birthday. So have that family commitment. And then this weekend, we're actually talking about parking our asses in a movie theater, I want to see Barbie, I want to see Oppenheimer. And I know there are a lot of Tom Cruise haters out there, but I love the Mission Impossible series. And so there's a new mission impossible, and I want to go catch that, too. So I think the, you know, it's gonna be interesting to looking ahead to our guests. We're going to have one of our guests on, Christy Thornton, who comes out of television production, worked at MTV, now has her own production company called good show. And we're gonna spend a little bit time with her talking about the impact of the writers strike in the actor strike on food and travel programming, in general, it doesn't have an effect, are they what are they doing with this? And it's one of those things where, when I look at the arguments that the especially the actors have around AI, and how that will, you know, displace hundreds 1000s and 1000s of working actors by essentially selling way their likeness. i My wish every actor in the world is they find a benefactor who will help them create a smart contract on the blockchain to protect their likeness protect their works, and set up rules for royalties into perpetuity. It's like they need some leverage against these big studios. And I just I think that the blockchain could be a solution to that. But it takes money to mint on the blockchain. So message out there to any billionaires instead of buying new social media or buying social media platforms and ruining them, how about you invest in help other people, like actors and writers, as the technologies emerge? So there's my little PSA on that, but but I am struggling, and I'd love your thoughts on this. It's going to happen. But of course, there are going to be artificial, they're going to use AI to create places in the world, where they're going to be able to create a virtual emancipation park based on everything that's out there. So they wouldn't have to send a camera crew to film it. I don't think though, that the technology is going to displace creativity like that. I think it'll try. But I really do I have faith in the human race that we want real experiences, that we don't want things that are artificial fed to us. Maybe Maybe I'm being too Pollyanna about this.

Unknown: 42:46

No, I think there's no, yeah, I think there's, well, I just think you're gonna have people that once they see it, they're gonna go, this is awesome. But I think you're always gonna have the persona that says, I want something with humanity behind it something that has true heart soul, deep meaningful experience that is well thought out that is beyond a capability of an AI, you know, bot of any sort. Agreed?

Diana O'Gilvie: 43:14

Totally, totally agree. I mean, we can't get rid of that human touch that human element. Try as you might, you know, and they keep saying technology's meant to aid humanity. And I'm a firm believer of that, you know, so, yeah, might be Pollyanna as well. But I want well,

Kelly Groehler: 43:33

gee, if it's Pollyanna then let's go back to Kingston to the Pollyanna center and have a party.

Diana O'Gilvie: 43:39

I know you got a kick out of that

Kelly Groehler: 43:41

I got totally got a kick out of it. Because what Pollyanna means in the US and here you know, it's the Pollyanna wedding center, and Event Center and I'm like, Oh, is she being is she being a little too optimistic about her forthcoming marriage? I know it it was it was in the translation if you will, but Well, on that note, I am also probably this weekend going to drop our friends at Super wrote a little message and say let's mint everything about WTF on the blockchain. So we are protecting our asses and our assets as we continue to grow this because I don't want anybody thinking that they're going to just come in here and grab our content and use it fuck that pay me bitch. So alright,

Unknown: 44:28

we're gonna get understandable to you guys.

Kelly Groehler: 44:31

Yay.

Diana O'Gilvie: 44:34

Thanks for stepping inside our heads this week. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow WT AF women travel art and food on Instagram and Tiktok things that make you go WTF is a production of Alice riot MLC. We connect brands and contemporary women artists. Drop us a line at Hello at Alice riot dot hump