Origin Story

It's early November in the year 2004. I'm sitting in a restaurant on Mulberry Street in New York City. I'm in my early twenties, and I say with certainty that I was one person when I walked through the doors of " Casa Bella" and a different person when I walked out. Perhaps the appropriate word here is 'changed.'

What happened? Was it the comforting aromas of peppers, garlic, sausage, and basil? Was it the first and then several bites of Pollo Scarpariello? Or perhaps it was the classic New York Cheesecake? All of these elements probably helped, but it wasn't that.

I was a discouraged youth pastor in his early twenties. I was pouring my life and effort into a community and felt like a misunderstood outsider. When you're discouraged, you feel boxed in and trapped. I had a perspective on life, and it was limited. I felt like I was going nowhere slowly.

Classic American Italian cuisine did not fix any of this. Still, there was something about a friendly server asking if he could make me a cappuccino to start the experience. Next, it was another staff member telling me about her uncle's recipes. Finally, it was friends asking me about my life and taking an interest in it. I was experiencing hospitality. Suddenly the world became bigger.

When I returned home, I promptly resigned from my position as a youth pastor. I had been considering it for some time, but now I felt excited about life. So I moved back to Edmonton and started working as a front desk agent at a large hotel in the west end. And so began my journey of learning about the power of hospitality and its ability to unlock possibilities.

My hope for this website and blog is that I can encourage you with the things I've learned and perhaps help you become excited about the world outside your doors. Here you'll find my thoughts on hospitality, leadership, faith, and a variety of other very geeky subjects. The world is big enough and full of possibilities; may you find your space and see the world with new eyes.