Isle of Olive

Our Story

I currently live overseas with my husband and our two fun-loving kids. My husband and I have both cherished our passion for international travel and photography long before we ever met each other. It was fun to initially share our unique travel stories and experiences with each other and eventually embark on exciting trips together. Although the way we travel has inevitably changed since becoming parents, we still like to get out there and explore new places; ensuring that they are kid-friendly, safe, and enjoyable for our whole family.

I started this blog during Covid 2020 with the idea of sharing it with our children so they can reminisce on the fun adventures we’ve had together. Fast forward to 2025, I realized my recipes are saved in the most random places, and decided it makes more sense to note them in my blog. I will be populating a Recipes section where I will share an array of tasty ethnic recipes that my family loves, our weekly go-to's, and most importantly, the treasured recipes of my mom’s delicious dishes that my siblings and I grew up with.

This collection will not only celebrate the culinary delights that have been passed down through generations but also serve as a heartfelt tribute to the memories created around our kitchen table, where laughter and stories intertwined with the aroma of homemade meals. I come from Armenian parents who were born and raised in Iraq in the 1940s & 50s. This unique cultural combination was always reflected in my Mom's cooking and is still my favorite cuisine (close tie with Indian!) Iraqi / Middle Eastern spices and flavors are hard to beat!

We hope our travel photography and international recipes can help inspire you to step outside your element and discover more of what our beautiful world has to offer.