Living and loving and loving living all together. 30 years old, pastry chef, food fanatic, adventure seeking hedonist with a conscience.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

In just a few short months, I'll complete a move from Portland, Oregon to Asheville, North Carolina. This is something like wish-fulfillment, as I've always flirted with moving out east after a lifetime of West Coast living. In the meantime, I am downsizing as much as I can so I can see as much of my favorite parts of home before I leave, and hope to surf out of Portland. I'll be going back and forth between the two cities, and surfing makes it possible for me to go wherever I want. Oh, how exciting!

Interests

Biking, light hiking (hey, I broke my foot, go easy on me), road trips, hot springs, mountains and trees, excellent books and music and shows, food, good food, food culture, food politics, health vs. wealth, the environment.... Pie.

• culture
• books
• environment
• dining
• cooking
• desserts
• baking
• politics
• music
• cycling
• hiking
• surfing
• road trips
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

I love Tom Waits like a doting uncle. I love old school R&B, blues, soul, and jazz. I love good punk rock and garage rock and rock and indie rock and all the rest. Not a lot of love for modern country, but I do listen to Johnny and the rest. I am Cajun, so, you know, I like zydeco and Cajun music, too (Balfa Bros for life!). I don't discriminate by genre. I listen to a little of it all.

Mark Kurlansky is my favorite food author, but I love to read Marquez and Sherman Alexie and Murakame and loads and loads of others, I just simply haven't read enough!

I like the movin' pictures. I haven't seen a lot of things most people have seen. I love movie nights. They are full of new experiences for me.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I got to see the Grand Canyon at age 8. I flew alone for the first time that year, too. I held the hand of my great grandmother because she didn't speak English and I didn't speak French. Or any other language, really. But I have the photo to prove it. I was landed on by a lamp post 3.5 years ago (July 4th, 2012), and I didn't even lose consciousness. I did break a bunch of bones and stuff, and was out of work for 6 months, but overall I'd say I won that fight.

Teach, Learn, Share

I am a culinary school grad from 2010, with a specialty in Patisserie and Baking. I am passionate about the cultures that inspires what we eat and how we eat it, and am a huge proponent for understanding the how's and why's of cooking: I am so happy to talk to you about it and more than willing to show you a thing or two, if you're interested in stuff like that. Everyone's specialty is a bit different. I have been in pie for the last year but also focused on pastries and desserts, especially custards. Oh man, custards.

I love to learn new things about the places that capture my imagination: Basque country, Europe, Russia, Japan, India, etc. I keep my ear to the ground for rumblings about new techniques and novel ingredients, and I also just love to hear a good story.

If you like cooking, and want a hand in the kitchen, I'm a willing and capable sous.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can cook you a meal you'll not soon forget.

Countries I’ve Visited

Mexico

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States