Welcome food, wine, and beer lovers (and spirits, we also like cocktails here) to Bon Vivant Wayfarer! My name is Kristen and I grew up in Northern Virginia around George Washington’s Mount Vernon but moved away after college. After nearly 6 years in Japan, I’m currently based out of the District of Columbia.

When I’m not checking out the local beer and wine scene (with weekend jaunts around as well), I’m completely enthralled with writing about Japan over at Kristen Abroad (if you’re looking for travel ideas or want to learn about Japan’s fascinating culture, don’t hesitate to check it out!). So why another blog?

I was originally inspired by my parent’s quest to go to every one of the 300+ wineries in Virginia. But also because I love wine and beer and the experience of getting something local and craft.

And let’s face it, I love to write and inspire others to get out and see things. This is actually the second iteration of this endeavor, much like Kristen Abroad sprung up from the ashes of its original creation. So what’s in a name?

What does Bon Vivant mean?

In French, bon vivant is simply “who enjoys life”.

There is a really interesting article in Psychology Today that was first written in 2006 (ack, are we all that old? That’s over 15 years ago!) about this concept of “bon vivant”. This is more than just a “gourmand” or what now seems to be referred to as a “foodie”. This is living the good life, baby. And regardless, it sounds much more classy in French.

We’re pleasure hunters and risk takers, and love being around people. Or so the article infers. And while I don’t know I agree with its sentiment that you may only know a few, it is, at least in my mind, something to strive for. Because what is life, if not for living?

Bottom line: A bon vivant seeks out experiences with food, drink, and travel.

What does Bon Vivant mean in English?

Just for funsies – what about in English? Is it the same as in French? We get wordier when we describe “bon vivant”.

Dictionary.com defines bon vivant as “a person who lives luxuriously and enjoys good food and drink.”

Cambridge Dictionary is slightly more illustrative “a person who enjoys good food and wines and likes going to restaurants and parties”

Merriam-Webster even more so with “a sociable person who has cultivated and refined tastes, especially with respect to food and drink”.

Which do you prefer?

Why Wayfarer?

This gets me to the wayfarer part of who we are. Consider yourself forewarned, there will be Disney adventures told here (a quick shout-out to my Club D3 friends). And it doesn’t help that “Wayfarer” conjures scenes of “Moana” in my minds-eye. That’s however, not what the dictionary describes it. Wayfarer to the lovely tome means a traveler who likes to WALK. I can’t think of anything that could make me happier. I don’t have a car, after all, I walk everywhere. (Or train or fly, which we’ll also be getting into utilizing!).

So why should you listen to me? This little idea of mine started out with my local scene but has the propensity to dash quickly to faraway lands (hence the wayfarer portion of our tale). I’m pushing 100+ local (DC, Maryland, and Virginia) wineries and what feels like countless breweries and cideries. I’ve been to over 35 countries and a big part of my exploring, besides checking out awe-inspiring cultural tomes and architecture is to check out the local craft beverage establishments.

I don’t like to sit still (unless I’m writing!). Even getting to wine country from DC results in some wayfaring but we’ll also be leaning on other experiences both in America and abroad to get you out for a weekend, a week, or more.

My goal is to inspire and let you learn something new. Please don’t ever hesitate to reach out, I love making new friends!

I’ll leave you with this one quote from my wine school (more on that later too!). Wine critic and writer Michael Broadbent, MW once said that “Drinking good wine with good food in good company is one of life’s most civilized pleasures.”