Welcome to our blog
There’s no roadmap for a life spent chasing the next great meal. You stumble into it—sometimes in the back of a dive bar, sometimes at a family table where the recipe’s older than the country you’re in. I’m Julie Harris—chef, pub owner, cookbook author, and unapologetic eater. I’ve burned my hands in too many kitchens, spilled too many drinks behind the bar, and still, I keep coming back for more. Because food isn’t just food—it’s history, people, and the stories we tell over the last bite on the plate. From the late-night fry-ups in my pub to the smoky backstreets of Asia, this is where we get our hands greasy, our bellies full, and our passports stamped in sauce. Welcome to the journey.
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Day 11/12: Of sacred shrines, sneezing fits, and the most life-changing McDonald’s hack ever
They say the journey matters more than the destination. But those people have clearly never taken a perfectly good bus to the Kumano Nachi-Taisha Shrine. Yes,…
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The end of the road (sort of): a Kumano Kodo epilogue
I woke up this morning, and every cell in my body screamed, “YOU. ARE. DONE.” Not in a poetic, enlightened way—more like a “you just got…
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Day 9 in Japan: The day I cheated (twice), fought a mountain, and got betrayed by my own bladder
Morning in Japan is starting to feel like a religious experience. Another amazing breakfast, this time handcrafted by Aki, my guesthouse host Guest House Kiyohime—eggs cooked…
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Day 8: Kumano Kodo—Lies, steep hills, and the art of not pissing yourself
I’m a 50+ year-old with a backside so rotund it could have its own postal code, body held together by enough K-tape to mummify a small…
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Day 7: Kumano Kodo – Nakahechi Route — Sweat, sushi, and the sacred womb of shame
Woke up leisurely — because I’m on pilgrimage, not parole — packed my suitcase, and shipped it ahead like a dignified traveler who refuses to carry…
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Day 5 & 6 – Tanabe: Beef, battles, and bathroom victories
Buying a train ticket in Japan is an adventure in itself — three different colour-coded machines, each seemingly requiring a degree in cryptography. After a bit…