Style 395: People, Places, and Things With Grand Style: AROUND THE WORLD WITH ANTHONY BOURDAIN

AROUND THE WORLD WITH ANTHONY BOURDAIN

If you are a fan of my blog, you have realized how important travel is to me. A dream job for me is having to travel the world to eat and drink cultural delights; dance to ethnic music; shop for exquisite clothing; and see and experience contemporary landmarks and historical artifacts. Why if such a job existed, you would find me in line waiting to be interviewed.

Remarkably so, there is one person who gets to live my fancy and enjoy such a phenomenal job on the world stage. He is Anthony Bourdain, the CNN correspondent, who has spent his life on the road on every continent, visiting every country and enjoying every city.

He’s spent 4 years and 10 television seasons doing exactly what I dream of doing. Anthony Bourdain is fearless. He has made befriending the world an art form. His courage in meeting strangers and fitting into foreign environments is no less Herculean. He’s untouched by the strange or the exotic. He’s captivated by the different and the familiar. And he’s a role model for the many cultural explorers like myself.

Coming to us from around the world each week in his one-hour show, Anthony Bourdain gives us renewed breath and excitement. Through his show entitled, Parts Unknown, you can hear him sometimes attempting to speak with locals in their native tongues. During the Emmy award-winning show, from distant lands such as Singapore, Dubai or Cuba, you will find the Peabody award winner Bourdain globe-trotting from one crevice of the Earth to another. He’s is no stranger to this planet.

Some might even call him Earth’s Ambassador.

Once, I was so mesmerized by his ability to be unnervingly relaxed, even when interviewing President Obama—not in the White House though--in a casual eatery in a popular joint in Hanoi, Vietnam. Both gentlemen behaved as if they had such a meal regularly. They were almost oblivious to the curious stares of residents and the flashing bulbs of tourists’ cameras. For them, it was a friendly, engaging chat and a meal between “buds.” Of course, one buddy was actually the President of the United States of America. Who can stay that calm but Anthony Bourdain??

In fact, you never know where Anthony will end up next. According to the Parts Unknown website on CNN, he has traveled to 50 destinations, just on the television show. Think about it, he constantly has to pack, get on planes, trains and travel in various vehicles or on animals to arrive at his desired locales. He has to have someone to wash, dry, dry clean and iron his clothes. When does he shop for deodorant or toothpaste? And where does he get the time just to go to a barber shop or hang out with family or friends for the holidays? After all, he is a father of one daughter. Further, he was married twice. The first time was for 20 years. So ironically, he is a rather grounded family man.

I simply can’t imagine how he has maintained a private life.

What I do imagine though is the freedom he has to choose his next adventure and to decide what he’s doing and with whom. What a magical life he must lead.

Sure, most of his show is dedicated to eating and cooking. He is a well-known chef. His prior much acclaimed television show on the Travel Channel was “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.”

And yes, I loved that show as well. He is so entertaining!

Anthony Bourdain is a great example of one of my lauded “Grand People.” It has truly been an honor to witness his many episodes of life on this planet.

During this holiday season as you and your family and friends sit to have a warm festive meal, remember all the other people on this planet who need your bright and shining spirit. Say a prayer for us all!