Boise “BITES” the good one!

Hi there!

Welcome to Boise!!!!  (Insert Smile Here)!

(Quick interuption)–

It was brought to my attention by my dear friend that this post is too long and I said: “NO it’s not!!!!” —but in the spirit of BLOGGINESS…… I would like to inform anyone who has A.D.D. or the attention span of a knat, to look away, quick, before you get too involved. Just kidding!!!! This is the first post and IT IS longer than I intend my future posts to be simply because I am introducing myself and my blog for the first time. I hope you will engage and read on……..

Ok….so where were we??

AH! YES!

Hi there!

Welcome to Boise!!!!  (Insert Smile Here)!

I have heard this expression so many lovely times since I moved here just a month ago, and it puts a smile on my face each and every time!!

After living in a city as large as Los Angeles for nearly a decade, my experience at times was not always void of some unpleasant circumstances or encounters. For example: I would be lucky and blessed to the gills if a person sharing a short elevator ride with me would dare to make eye contact or for that matter look up from their cell phone for a small second to acknowledge someone else was actually standing next to them and simply say hello. “Do I have 3 heads or something?” …. (I would ask myself)…..”I’m a friendly gal and approachable–for sure!”…. (I would confirm to myself)……..”Do I smell or something??”, (hee hee)…….(wondering to myself).

I finally came to the conclusion that in a city this big, and with so much to do and so much information coming at everyone, from every direction, all the time………well.…….sometimes  a simple hello was not on the top of the priority list for some.  It’s sad, but true. You are but a needle in haystack when living “The Big City Life.”

Sometimes, if I got the feeling to strike up a conversation or just simply say hello to a stranger, I was often met with a surprised look as if I was asking for their first born child! In my attempt to be social and engaging, I might get a mumble or grumble if I was lucky and then said person would speedily depart from the scene being strategic not to commit or start a dialogue. I guess it is somewhat of an epidemic these days since we all have infinite access to so much fangled technology and communications; so having said that, this behavior is not indigenous to Los Angeles; but there is a strong concentration of it there.

Don’t get me wrong, Los Angeles, is one hell of a city, full of incredible places to dine, drink, dance, and explore. Despite it’s somewhat abundant superficiality; there is also a very connected, spiritual, talented, savvy, fun-loving, open and intelligent group of the population that I truly love and appreciate. I made some of the best friends I will ever have in my life there and I am grateful for the opportunity to have lived in such a dynamic and beautiful city, but it was time to leave.

When I first got to Los Angeles I had made the decision to work for a medium sized real estate company in the illustrious City of Beverly Hills for a cool decade and although grateful for the knowledge that I gained, the experience that will always benefit me and the beautiful apartment that came with the job (that was ridiculously overpriced by the way), I have made a solid promise to myself to never EVER sacrifice my inner peace by working in that type of high stress environment for people who didn’t appreciate my dedication and worth.  I also promised myself that I would do work that contributed to society in a positive way (even if it was just to make someone smile and feel good)- VOID of greed driven bosses and the thanklessness that came with very, long hours of constant work that never seemed to end and to top it off; was no fun at all (all of my own doing–I KNOW, but thankfully we are all given more than one chance to get it right!) I promised myself that I would be sure to LOVE what I do from now on, even if it pays less.

This blog is a part of that deal I made with myself. I love to write and I am very excited to share my experiences while I explore this fresh, youthful city full of life!

Let me properly introduce myself. My name is Nikki. I’m an Italian-French-Canadian American transplant now living in Boise Idaho, and born and raised in a loud, fun, vivacious, kooky, household full of love and energy in the beautiful, coastal city of New Haven Connecticut.

I am a FOODIE, HOME CHEF, WINE LOVER/EDUCATOR, MUSICIAN, PHOTOGRAPHER, ARTIST & WRITER with A CURIOUS NATURE, A FEROCIOUS APPETITE FOR ANYTHING YUMMY and an ADVENTUROUS SOUL who appreciates all things CREATIVE.  

I will share with you my BOISE Food and Wine adventures here in this blog and I might even sneak in some bits about art, music or travel too,  so hold on to your horses! It’s going to be a fun ride!

I am excited about calling Boise (or Boy-See as the natives pronounce it) my new home. I have lived in many places throughout the nation and in many parts of Europe when I served in the U.S. Air Force. It’s funny, but for my first military base assignment, they gave me………….YOU GUESSED IT:  MOUNTAIN HOME IDAHO. I cried. I cried like a baby when I read that order. I didn’t even know where Mountain Home was to be honest!!! I desperately searched for a way out of my first base assignment!! I did find someone who was willing to do just that, so we switched and the rest is history. He went to Mountain Home instead (since it was closer to his family who lived in Washington State) and I marched my silly ass to Washington D.C.

I was happy.

I could take the train to visit my friends and family in Connecticut, so it was a good choice, and my life might have been REALLY different had I not switched assignments that day. As they say, everything happens as it “should” and I don’t regret one decision. Having said that, I NEVER thought that Idaho would be on the list of places I would ultimately land.  I never thought it would come up on my radar again…… but here I am; surrounded by the beauty of the high desert, with mountains all around me, the smell of fresh air, gorgeous rivers and lakes,  the feeling of community that was often times lacking in Los Angeles, and a sense of prosperity, growth and possibility.

Once I wrote (whilst scribbling in my personal journal) how I questioned whether there was “Room for Me” in Los Angeles. I questioned whether everything was “done” or “taken” in what I believed to be a very over-saturated market and wondered if there would ever be any way I would be able to make an impact or be heard or seen at all. I had some notoriety at times and I definitely made my mark in the social media arena with my photography efforts and my inspired scribblings, but I always felt so overwhelmed and ungrounded living there and that made it difficult for me to focus. I believe that Boise is a place where it will be possible for me and anyone else who is willing to give this sparkling city a second glance, a chance to prosper. People are nice here–REALLY NICE (which really helps and keeps the intimidation factor at bay!!) and maybe it’s because they are not scuttling for the last parking space at the grocery store, standing in line for a half hour to pay for a gallon of milk (which probably cost them $6.00), spending their last dollar on gasoline in hopes they have enough left over to buy dog food, or driving 4.1 miles only to discover it took them one hour to arrive at their destination. Needless to say, I am blessed that I do not to have those scenarios as part of my daily existence anymore, and I am really excited about being in a place where I can find my center again. I am eager to explore this awesome city……………….SO LET’S GET ON WITH IT!

Puissiez-vous avoir beaucoup de repas heureux ( et je ne parle pas de McDonald’s) – pleins de famille, les amis , le vin délicieux , la nourriture et bien sûr ; AMOUR !

May you have many happy meals (and I don’t mean from McDonald’s)- full of family, friends, delicious wine, food and of course; LOVE!

Bon Appetite and Salute to you!