From Travel Pleasures To Gastronomic Pleasures

When I was chatting with a work friend from the Philippines a couple of years ago, he told me that I should consider writing about something that never really crossed my mind. I got curious about his reason. I’ve always admired his brilliance. We’re both into writing but there’s a big difference between him and me. He writes for a living; it’s his passion ever since. I, on the other hand, blogs for fun and to break the monotony of my routine; it’s my accidental passion.

I was about to ask him why but another message popped up. The message complimented my photos and writing style but part of it shook my creative juices: “Your blog will never be complete though without food stories.” I gave it a long careful thought. For a blogger who’s become quite comfortable with travel stories, making a sudden turn was a real challenge. It took me two months before I finally posted my first food review, “A Perfect Estival Treat” last June 18, 2014.

Piatto, Exit 5, Al Masif, along North Ring Road, Riyadh

Prior to that I actually had an innumerable trial posts, which I didn’t publish. The reason being was I didn’t know if they were okay. Work is still my priority at the end of the day which makes it harder for me to make time for the new endeavor. I hadn’t much time at all actually. But it was sort of journey of a thousand miles; I needed to make the first step. The posts I came up with were a lot similar to my first travel blog stories that came in the form of notes or two-liner comments. At least I came up with something, but I didn’t hit the publish button like I said. I figured out  how to make a better food blog post as I went along. Two months later, I published another one, “Heaven On A Plate“, on August 13, 2014.

Java Time, Al Izdihar, Riyadh

The blog’s content has always revolved around my stories. Rather than concentrating on making a technical review, I did personal approach. Nothing is as powerful as the instinct; it told me to write from the heart. From then on I settled to what I do best just like how I wrote my kind of travel stories. I told about how I came across the place; narrated what I did upon entering or while waiting for the food, what I felt when I was eating, what captured my optical organs inside the restaurant, who I was or were with during that moment; and shared the memories and realizations a food or restaurant evokes. These reveal a lot about my enthusiasm towards food and disposition towards life. The pleasure I get from feasting on it more so blogging about it made me realize just how much readers love being me in all of the posts.

Steak House, Granada Center, Exit 9, Riyadh

When I started the blog in 2010, I named it “A Tunnel to My Murmurs: Desultory Thoughts Spoken and Unspoken”. I wasn’t much of a reader and researcher during that time. I juggled from one topic to another. I didn’t know a lot about direction and consistency. It took me two years to find my niche. I owed this to one of the Philippines most decorated travel bloggers, Ms. Jona Branzuela Bering of Backpacking with a Book“, for believing in me. In April 2012, she recommended me to become a member of Pinoy Travel Bloggers: a group comprising the Philippines’ most elite travel bloggers. My first attempt was a daunting experience. I got rejected by the group’s Administrator because my blog failed to meet the criteria. I was advised to write more articles about travel. I then worked my ass off for three months and I was formally welcomed to the group in July 2012.

Piatto, Exit 5, Al Masif, along North Ring Road, Riyadh

Eventually, the food stories got tied to restaurant’s. Both of which officially entered the scene two years later or when I was looking for a solid complementary stories as opposed to occasional grammar articles. It’s still surreal to me how I managed to make a separate section for these food and restaurant stories up to now.

Piatto, Exit 5, Al Masif, along North Ring Road, Riyadh

Being a photography enthusiast is a prerequisite of being a food enthusiast. One good thing about it is that I find it hard to say no to capturing a frame-worthy scene or moment when it presents itself, especially inside a restaurant or any food establishment. In 2015, I wrote seven food and restaurant stories. I only have three (four after this) so far in the current year and I’m planning to beat last year’s total.

Java Time, Al Izdihar, Riyadh

I’d like to believe that this humble success come from each of the posts that I’ve already blogged and will blog about. There’s no blogger out there who has my exact level of skills and knowledge as well as my kind of life and work experience. I’m aware as well of the fact that there’s a multitude of bloggers out there who are way better at what I do. This endeavor asseverated that blogging is a very personal thing. My comments or opinions are essential to my every blog post. I’ve turned subscribers into loyal readers primarily because I’ve shared my very thoughts and what’s keeping me busy, with them. The secondary part comes from the inspiration and pleasure they get from this passion and their idea of learning something new. The latter is actually the part I’m still fervently wishing were true.

We’re all a work in progress. This section of the blog may have now been established but I know that there’s still a multitude of things to work on. Until then, I’ll push on pitching relevant stories to give a gastronomic pleasure to you dear followers—my major inspiration—to satisfy your visual hunger.

Bob, it’s certainly a pleasure yielding to your suggestion! To the owner of the two of the photos (i.e., the first and the fourth) in this post, thank you for letting me use them.

#piatto #steakhouse #javatime #foodreviews #restaurantreviews #riyadh #ksa #pleasure

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