If there is one overarching theme that EyeSwoon has presented to me time and time again, it’s that we are never alone on our path. Even when we might feel otherwise, the truth is that there are many swooners on parallel paths. Swooners who love food as much as you do, have similar beliefs, and (let’s be honest) love to geek out about the discovery of new beautiful, delicious, natural, and all-around swoon-worthy things. When I get the chance to engage with someone who shares my excitement and curiosity about life, not only do I feel connected to them, my hope is that you do too. Sharing my discoveries and connections with you is exactly why EyeSwoon was created. Funny enough, a similar reason led Meghan Markle to create her amazing site, The Tig.
I met Meghan at a runway show during fashion week and a five-minute chat about food and fashion resulted in a full-on swoon-fest. Not only is this native Californian an actress and writer, but she’s also a UN advocate, passionate activist, travel enthusiast, and fellow lifestyle editor. We immediately started talking about creating something together and Meghan knew it had to be an acai bowl. Perfect for this Cali girl!
On the day we got together, giggles were in abundance, and we discovered you can tell a lot about a person based on what’s in their kitchen drawers! So what if Meghan snooped a slice of cake hiding in a drawer? So what if it makes my husband crazy that everything gets swept into a drawer when I have a shoot? It was a leftover from my little guy’s birthday! That discovery quickly set the tone for a day that was a kooky, no-holds-barred, playful time. The kitchen and the act of breaking bread together (or acai in our case) are the connective tissues of friendship and family and it comes with a true release, love, and vulnerability.
What I learned about Meghan is that she has a pure love for food, travel, and beauty. And like me, she’s a sharer of her own joys and discoveries, which is what inspired her to create The Tig. In her own words, Meghan describes The Tig as “any moment at its finest.” The impetus of the name comes from a wine called Tignanello. A sip of that wine was her initial understanding of the nuances people described while tasting wine—the notes, the layers. Soon after the nickname ‘Tig’ was born – something that came to stand for those moments of just getting it. As Meghan says, “it’s discovery and excitement all rolled into one.”
As someone who always loved travel and prided herself on being a go-to for hidden foodie recommendations, Meghan started to think about how to share those little aha moments on a larger scale. And she felt compelled to include fashion and beauty on her site because for her redefining beauty is important.
Even as a woman on the go, always traveling and constantly busy filming for her current show, Suits, Meghan tends to be uber-healthy. Acai bowls, green juices, chopped salads, fresh sushi, and grilled fish tacos are her go-to’s. Californian produce and a love for simple ingredients prepared her well for being able to bring her super fresh philosophy on the road.
I have to admit to having a ‘Tig’ moment when I discovered Meghan’s slice of Californian heaven. And since then I have shared my aha acai-tiggery with Jivan and Victor, and an acai bowl has become a Calderone family breakfast routine. It truly captures a sense of connectivity and discovery. Exactly the reasons why Meghan and I started our sties—to seek and share and grow in the process. We all know we must be connected, and it’s amazing when you find someone that proves it!
Photography by Winnie Au. Originally shared on April 4th, 2015, and has since been updated.
