Hello & Welcome! My name is Alexandra Gregori. I am a blogger, an historian, an erstwhile trailing spouse and the mother of three grown up and gorgeous Third Culture Kids. I am also a graduate of Adelaide University, with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a Master of Arts in Gastronomy. Last year, I returned to my other passion, and completed an Honors History thesis at Flinders University, in South Australia, and have now started a PhD.
Over the past three decades my husband and I have moved our family around the planet on a regular basis. We have lived and worked wherever the wind has blown us: Thailand and Malaysia, the Czech Republic and Ireland, England, Australia and the Philippines. This peripatetic lifestyle has led to an eclectic career in hospitality, retail, editing and freelance writing.
From November 2010 until December 2016, we lived in Manila, where I wrote for various local magazines, such as Cook, HealthToday and Sans Rival, and the food and literature Magazine Chop Soy. I also wrote for and edited several expatriate magazines, worked as a copy writer for Enderun Colleges, and as an International Mobility Consultant for Crown Relocations. In my spare time, I kept a regular food and travel blog. ‘She Gathers No Moss‘ is designed to share my experiences of a nomadic life, the ups & downs, the tastes & textures and the abiding sense of adventure it has always inspired.
In August 2016, I published a book with Bookmark Inc., which was launched in Manila, Adelaide and Guangzhou. “Songs on the Wind” is an eclectic collection of essays, articles, reviews and poems on eating and drinking, travel, local culture and expatriate life.
At the beginning of 2017, my husband and I relocated to Luxembourg, where I became focused on European food and travel. Two years later, we enjoyed a six month sabbatical on the Isle of Wight in southern England, before returning to our home town in South Australia towards the end of 2019 – and in the nick of time, as COVID created global panic and our passports gathered dust. Now that the world is opening up again, we still have a base on the Fleurieu Peninsula, but our suitcases are ever ready by the front door…
The content and photography featured on this site are owned by Alexandra Gregori, unless otherwise stated, and are subject to copyright protection ©.
Wonderful start! Keep the blogs coming. Inspirational and real life – a great combination.
Congratulations Ali, can’t wait to have a quiet moment to read it all. Nic xxx
Thanks Nic. And Its proving not only a good way to hone my writing skills, but a good way to record our lives.
loving the site, well done x
Thanks so much Dunc! I am loving being back behind a pen… well a keyboard! And Manila is providing plenty of inspiration. X
Hey Milney…. Lovely to while away some time and be in your company this way…. Well done! Looking forward to the continuing adventures… X
Thanks Pearl. Appreciate the positive feedback. xx
Great site and love your latest post – makes me want to go out for Indian … tonight!
Thanks Rachel, I am really enjoying writing again! Love reading your post too – although now you have drawn my attention to it, I haven’t been getting emails as I used to – better check that out. Slipped off your mailing list somehow…
It certainly sounds like you’ve been getting about the globe at an incredible pace though. Time for a visit to Manila…?
Jeepneys are looking good!
Thank you! A bit brighter then Lake Taal…
This is a great find.
Thank you!
hi Alexandra.Nice to see a blog of an Aussie living in Manila. I was born and raised in Manila but am now living in Australia, Western Sydney in particular.
Your blog entry about Tagaytay brought me to your website. It is one of my most-visited city aside from Manila because it is near my father’s hometown.
Hope you are enjoying your stay in the Philippines. How do you find my country and Manila in particular? It is busy and sometimes traffic can drive you mad, but the people are great. I miss it already.
Dear Alexandra,
I’m editor of the Dutch travel magazine Columbus Magazine and saw your blog. I’m writing an article about expats who are living on an island. Could you send me your e-mail, if you like it, so I can ask you about the experience.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Regards,
Eline van Dam
Columbus Magazine
Thanks Eline, would be happy to chat. Can I contact you via your website? Alexandra
Hi Alex
I’m in Oz right now settling Harry into Year 11 back in Canberra, and am enjoying the riotous morning screeches of cockatoos as I write. I loved your post about Australia Day, our very own awkwardly-celebrated occasion. Great writing. Thanks! (Natasha van den Brink sent it on to me.)
Hope to connect with you about ECPAT (the trafficked girls’ shelter) when I get back.
Cheers,
L
Thanks Linda! I heard you were in Oz – saw Graham at the A Day do at the Pen. Good luck, and say hi to the cockatoos for me!
Hi Alexandra!
My name is Logan and I work at a boutique brand strategy firm in Manhattan. We are looking for someone to do some freelance partnership work in Manila, and think you could be a great fit.
We are looking for an english speaker living in Manila to help find consumers and experts to help with a packaged food branding project. If you are available and interested, or know of anyone else who might be, please let me know as soon as you can.
Thanks, and look forward to speaking with you.
Thanks Logan for the offer, but I know nothing about marketing. I will keep an ear out in case I hear of someone who does.
Hi Alexandra,
I wanted to thank you for your great blog! Im currently located in the USA, but might have an opportunity to move to Manila, with my fiance, as an expat and so was doing some of my own research. Its been really hard to get a final feel on this opportunity as there are some positive and negative reviews out there and a lot of factors to consider..
I was wondering if you would be willing to share your experience with us? We just want to talk with someone that has gone through the experience and share with us the do’s and dont’s when considering our move. Would you be able to skype?
We would really appreciate to talk further with you on this topic and learn more from you. Please feel free to email me ([email protected]) or add me on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/roberto.a.jardim)
Hoping to hear back from you.
Dear Alexandra,
My name is Julia and I came across your blog- she gathers no moss in the last couple of days. I really like your articles and especially the way you write your reviews.
A bit about myself, I work for an online food delivery website called foodpanda: http://www.foodpanda.ph/. It is a fairly new start-up which was recently launched in the Philippines, specializing in food delivery from a wide range of restaurants to homes and offices, currently, in 17 cities in the Philippines including Manila, Pasig, Makati, Quezon City, etc.
foodpanda is the fastest growing food-delivery start-up worldwide with a reach into 45 countries in less than two years. Currently we are in the process of growing our Philippines website and are constantly adding restaurants and cuisine types. At the moment you can find 300+ restaurants and about 30 types of cuisines, however, those numbers grow on a daily basis.
I think your readers, as lifestyle and food news lovers, will find our service very interesting and exciting as one of the most trendy and current online food delivery services in the Philippines with great plans and potential for the future.
Please let me know how you find our website and whether you see a possibility of writing about us, the content of the piece is totally up to you. I would suggest that we offer you the option to try out our service and you could then write a review about your experience.
Further, we can agree on a form of compensation for your contribution.
I am looking forward to your reply and a possible future collaboration.
Kind regards,
Julia Karpovsky
Online Marketing Department
foodpanda | hellofood
http://www.foodpanda.com
http://www.hellofood.com
Mail | [email protected]
Skype | JuliaKarpovsky
Foodpanda GmbH | Johannisstr. 20 | 10117 Berlin | Germany
Headquarters | Berlin, AG Charlottenburg
HRB 138224 B
USt-ID-Nr | DE 283789080
Managing directors | Benjamin Bauer, Ralf Wenzel
Dear Alexandra,
My name is Joyce and I work for ExpatFinder.com.
ExpatFinder.com is a free one stop website for people preparing to move or working and living overseas. We provide a myriad of services for expatriates and we have over 2,000 articles to help and support the people moving around the world and we are now creating an interview section to help the expats with real life experiences!
We quite enjoy your blog about living in Manila, it is very interesting and informative. Would it be possible to interview you to further share some of your tips and feature some of your first hand experience as an Expat and your interview will be published on our Expat Interview section as a guide for our expat readers. The questions are mainly about the day to day lifestyle of an expat. If it would be possible, could you also send some photographs that we can use?
Of course, if you accept, we can add a link to your blog or some of your website.
The questions are enclosed, feel free to respond freely. You can return the doc with your answers if you accept this invitation.
Thanks in advance and do let me know if you prefer other means to conduct this interview and we would be happy to accommodate your terms.
Best regards,
Joyce
Thanks Joyce for your kind invitation. I am certainly happy to have a look at your site, and your questions, but I did not get the attachment. Alexandra
Hi Alexandra,
I came across your blog while searching for details about the Cheese Club of the Philippines. I head up the sales and marketing efforts with Wine by Chris Urbano – we supply high grade wines from boutique wineries in Australia to the Philippines exclusively. Our managing director and chief sommelier is an Australian who now lives in Manila with his family( who you might have acquaintances with). We have a store online, and we supply wine to weddings, occasions, and events and help individuals/groups with charities to raise funds as well. If this is of interest, please send me an email or reply with your email so I can get in touch. You can check our website and Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/winebychrisurbano
Thanks and warm regards.
Hi
My name is Joyce, I am a marketing executive at expatfinder.com which is a leading expat information and services website.
I saw on your blog that you are and expat. I wish to interview you to further share some of your tips. The questions are mainly about the housing, the daily life etc.
It just takes 5 minutes (or more depending if you have lots to say 🙂
Of course, if you accept we can add a link to your blog or some of your website.
If you are interested to participate at this project, please send me an email at [email protected].
Hi Alex!
I’m Hillaria, I work with Lyndsey in the Alumni Department in Le Cordon Bleu. We met at the reunion & book launch last September.
Currently we’re working on a social media content on the alumni portal – every Friday in 2017 we’ll feature one book authored by a Le Cordon Bleu alumnus, and we would like to feature your book “Songs of the Wind”!
I was just wondering if you’re alright with it?
Kind regards,
Hillaria hello! Sorry for the delay in n responding. We have been moving from the Philippines to Europe and I have been too distracted to attend to my blog this month. Of course I would be delighted if my book were to feature in the LCB portal next year. Thank you! All the best and a happy new year. Alexandra
Bon anniversaire talented girl……..your gift for painting life with your words and warmth is pure joy.
Congrats on the move……still treasure memories of a too brief stay in Luxembourg …..sadly Eric can never return…..still hasn’t paid his parking ticket from 1981.
Xx
Hi,
I came across your blog and I really enjoy reading your posts. I particular liked your post about Expat where you mentioned how to Expatriate.
Being a content writer myself, I can feel the passion and the dedication that you possess.
Having said this, I am happy to announce that for this year, you are being included for the Top 20 Expat Blogs 2017: https://promocode.com.ph/top-20-most-interesting-expat-blogs-2017 on our website.
Our team has been on the hunt for the best blogs and we have decided to include you on the list. And to better promote your blog, we have created a badge that you can post on your blog: https://promocode.com.ph/banners/top-20-expat-blogs-2017
If this interests you, you can send me a message and I am more than willing to answer your queries.
Thank you and I hope to hear from you soon!
Sincerely,
Lisa Kok
Junior Project Manager
PromoCode.com.ph
URL: http://promocode.com.ph
Thanks for this Lisa, I am delighted that you enjoyed my blog. Sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner, but I have been on the move for the past couple of months and only found this today. Please explain your badge and how I can use it effectively. Alexandra
Great read – I also write – sometimes about the Philippines and my time with ADB 1984 – 1991 and there may be things that you might enjoy on my website e.g. one of my poems :
MERIENDA ON BUENDIA
As she is transferring to HQ on Roxas
There will be merienda today for Rosa.
There will be ukoy and ube-macapuno cake
And the boss Dr Dhoni will make a speech.
He will be charming and diplomatic
And tell of Rosa’s many talents,
Avoiding reference to her penchant
For bunking off and cultivating seedy affairs
With senior expatriate staffers who should know better.
And the office girls will giggle
As they load their Pancit noodles
Onto paper plates and sip Mountain Dew
Or take another slice of Sans Rival cake
Saying ‘Sir’ in their sexiest voice
And the professionals will ponder
Nervously the beauties that beset them
And talk seriously about interest rates,
Country statistics and trade finance
And the necessity of buying a generator.
And then as it always does
The conversation will drift
To the best deal on duty-free cars
And which model has the highest resale value.
After which mention will be made
Of the Swiss man from the WHO
Whose car was shunted at the traffic lights
On Ayala and who unwisely got out and shouted
At the Pinoy who had stopped short –
Only to have his windscreen shot out by the accused.
But Chris who is new from Australia
Will flirt dangerously with Baby –
She with the shone jet eyelids and
Slinky in oh-so tight silk skirts
And he with the sweaty hairline acne
Getting goose-bumps from the aircon.
He whose young wife is at home gated
In Dasmariñas Village isolated – sat sobbing
Under the paddle-fan on the lanai.
And nobody will remember
The young labourer from Bohol
Who I saw being carried limp
Off the building site
After he had fallen from
The bamboo scaffolding
On the ninth floor
Blood at the corner of his mouth
His eyes already distant and opaque .
Hi Alexandra, I read your piece on Stangate House with great interest just minutes ago. As a, fairly recent, volunteer with National Trust SA, I became interested in Stangate House and the original owners and so, with the Trust’s permission, have tried to find out more about them, particularly Florence or Gwen as she more familiarly seems to be referred to. There seems so little of their personalities left, apart from their wonderful heritage for the people of Adelaide in Stangate House, and we know more about her husband than we do about her. So I was particularly excited to read that she was an ancestor of yours. I wonder if you do know much about her and if so, whether you would be willing to share this with me (and the Trust) or maybe you know someone who can help fill in some of the many gaps? Or you may have spoken to someone already when you were partaking of camelias and scones!
I would so appreciate your response
Thanks so much for your feedback Robbie. Unfortunately, I know very little that is not easily available on the internet – and was very surprised to learn about the family connection. But I will be asking around…