I'm a chef and restaurateur at Michelin-rated establishments in New York City, truly blessed to be doing every day what I love most and, in a nutshell, living in the best foodie city in the world. With the demands that come with this rewarding yet often stressful and intense profession, I try to keep a balance. and whenever I look forward to a number of antidotes, including a walk or bicycle ride in Central Park (I do love my city bike also for transportation as well), cooking at home, or a motorcycle ride on the back roads of the countryside. But most importantly, I cherish my personal quiet time, looking at and appreciating old buildings, exploring new and familiar cities, and, mostly, being surrounded by nature as much as possible. These are my happy moments and happy places.
When I embarked on a search for a retreat for the colder months, it had to include lots of sun, sand, and nature. For a couple of years, I looked at dozens of properties from Miami to Jupiter Beach, this apartment being the last. When my broker took me across the bridge into Singer Island, I was in awe of the natural beauty and serenity. Upon touring a couple of other units on the island, we finally saw this one unit. I thought the views and natural light were incredible, and it has a very cool and unique layout. Among my hobbies (and for work as well), I enjoy architecture and interior design, so I thought this truly checked every box! Could this be the place we dreamed of? Keeping my cool, I questioned my broker about why I wasnât brought here sooner. Her reply was: a) this is a new listing as of this morning, but also I thought the island was too secluded and too quiet for you. My reply was, "This is exactly what Iâm looking for." In an instant, I visualized what the place would look like.
So, this happy place is my refuge, and whenever I can, I will squeeze in a few days for a shot of my antidote and an extension of what I do and love living for.