COOKING about kate's first pickleball doubles gold, hong kong, & visa problems

Anna Bright: Hey everyone, welcome back to episode two of Let Her Cook. We had so much fun last week. We're back for more. It's me, Anna Bright, and Miss Birthday Queen, double gold medalist, Kate Fahy.

Kate: Thank you. Thank you for having me, Anna.

Anna Bright: my gosh, thank you so much for being here on your big day. Everyone, I know when you listen to this, it's not actively Kate's birthday, but you should all know and be thankful that Kate's taking the time to record with us on her birthday.

Kate: Yeah, no worries. I also love how I posted that it was like rate the people that I was staying with in the Airbnb did like the happy birthday balloons and you literally called me out. You were like, You re you posted this so people would know it's your birthday. I'm like, period. Duh.

Anna Bright: No, I I did. I was like, she is literally telling everyone to get ready. Get the typing

Kate: No, I know.

Anna Bright: fingers ready, get the photos queued up, and be ready to tell me happy birthday.

Kate: I was like early birthday. Fed texted me like happy birthday. I literally said read Fed. It says early.

Anna Bright: Well, we know Federico doesn't read. We we know Federico doesn't read,

Kate: Yeah.

Anna Bright: doesn't plan ahead, doesn't do anything. We'll we'll get into that. He does it. We'll we'll

Kate: He doesn't read applications either for visas.

Anna Bright: get into that. But I feel like Kate deserves her moment at the start of the podcast. Kate, why aren't you wearing your medals right now?

Kate: Honestly, that's so true. I I I love when people wear medals around the tournament, it's so good. I should have. One one on each side. Does he?

Anna Bright: Christian is the main person who does that, who I've seen do that. Thank you. One on each. He used to. He used to. And it was

Kate: No

Anna Bright: so funny. You'd see him kind of wearing it for a while.

Kate: I actually love that so much.

Anna Bright: The problem with the double medal. You are a double medal queen now. yeah. Okay. Yes. No, it's not sad. It's not sad. Be fucking happy. I was literally.

Kate: First, first doubles gold, which is like a little sad, but like worth slaying. No, it's not. I'm happy.

Anna Bright: I didn't want to like troll this and say this in the shock chat or like say this to you because we're like happy. It's like a good vibe. You know, I didn't want to like not sour it, but I didn't want to. But I was thinking how funny, like, remember when you and Gabe went like two and nineteen, year one of the shock. It's like how far we've come. How far we're a mixed

Kate: my god. Yes. Yes. How could I forget? Or

Anna Bright: doubles champion.

Kate: Or when The Shock posted that like like carousel of everybody getting medals, Gabe didn't. And I got like a silver in singles. And he literally commented publicly, Yeah, 'cause women's singles is like what everyone really cares about. Or it's like literally I was like, I was so mad.

Anna Bright: And just hurt. Like just genuinely hurt.

Kate: It hurt. He says things and I'm like Gabe. But now it's like and now I like brush it off. But I think like it was definitely some insecurity too. And I was and I cried. But he's gotten better. Yeah, I cried.

Anna Bright: you cried. Did he text you happy birthday?

Kate: no, neither did Hayden. So no. They have

Anna Bright: Gay they both didn't or well, they still have a few hours. They still have a few hours.

Kate: a few hours. I'm pretty sure they didn't. No. No they didn't.

Anna Bright: You literally told them to get ready. You told them two days prior.

Kate: I told everybody to get ready. I literally told everybody get ready. I literally made like a list.

Anna Bright: Okay, and now

Kate: That's what I feel like when people I used to cry at my birthday and I was like, It's probably because I haven't just like set expectations. Like it's my birthday and this is what I want. I know I do. I'm like, Charlie, I want breakfast

Anna Bright: Good.

Kate: in bed. I want balloons and I want presents.

Anna Bright: That's amazing. And you got them all?

Kate: He's like Yeah. Mm. Charlie's a king. Thank you. Thank you.

Anna Bright: I love that for you. I love that for you. I feel like that is part of growing up. Obviously, I haven't been in like a serious relationship in a while, but you know, we're working towards it. That that's like the

Kate: We are.

Anna Bright: end all be all right now of my life. Right now, I've actually been doing pretty well with men.

Kate: We've got some things in drafts.

Anna Bright: I've I yes, Kim Bacala has been telling me to collect and select. That's been like her whole

Kate: Ooh.

Anna Bright: thing. So we're tr we're trying. We're trying. But yeah.

Kate: We're in like the hunting gathering process right now and then we'll select later.

Anna Bright: Yes, yes, yes. But it's like people aren't mind readers. And men

Kate: No.

Anna Bright: especially are not they just don't think like us. They're just a little bit different. And sometimes I think I have to get better and I have gotten better at just saying W2F I want, which is important. So kudos to you, Queen. give

Kate: Thank you.

Anna Bright: us a little the highlight reel of your of your, you know, singles, golds. Mixed doubles gold. Being down eight two. You were down eight two, right? Tell us about that comeback.

Kate: Yeah, I was down A2. I literally think I went down, it was a really good comeback. We were down A2. I think it to go down A2, I served a counter or I like hit a counter right in into Riley's forehand, which is obviously like the spot to go to. and he blasted it back at me. And then poor Ryan, I literally look at him and I go, see, this is what I do. I I try to be aggressive and this is what happens. Cause he was like, You need to

Anna Bright: This is your fault, Ryan.

Kate: be, yeah, this is this is your fault, Ryan. He was like, You need to take more balls out of the air. You need to be more aggressive. And I was like, just did that. And we lost the point. No. But I think it was like a mixture of like Eric playing a little bit bigger, being I mean, he like he's like literally eight feet tall in the court. Like he moves like

Anna Bright: He can be.

Kate: it's crazy how much he moves. and then like a mixture of me finally going behind Riley with some of my speed ups. but I mean

Anna Bright: Yes, Queen.

Kate: they played really well. I'm like really, really proud of us. I think Eric and I had really good chemistry. First time playing together. he's just like super positive and just like a really, really good player. I really, really enjoyed my time with him. And we had the Queen Rachel cheering us on on the sideline, so that was great.

Anna Bright: Yes, that's that's a major bonus. I have to say, I did really enjoy playing with Eric, but what you just said about him is so like basic. You're like, he's just so positive and he's just a really great player.

Kate: But I honestly I have nothing negative. Like, I think if we were to play

Anna Bright: No

Kate: together for like a year, I probably w we would probably have some, you know, like lows, but like just few titles.

Anna Bright: Like a few titles though, also.

Kate: Lows, but also highs.

Anna Bright: Is King Federico in trouble? I have to ask the questions that everyone wants to know.

Kate: I I hope he's like a little bit on his toes. Like he's like, Okay, like she goes off without me and wins a title and I just I cherish him, but like

Anna Bright: You gotta keep these men on their toes. I'm playing Daytona with Christian. You gotta on and off court. On and off court. You gotta you don't have me. I mean, and t even when you have the ring, y

Kate: You don't have me. It's not a given.

Anna Bright: what is it? It's like don't let your boyfriend stop you from finding your husband.

Kate: Ooh yes. Is that like don't let your don't let your mixed partner stop you from finding gold?

Anna Bright: Exactly. Exactly. You know?

Kate: Period.

Anna Bright: So that's Federico better step up. I mean, you can't even play international tournaments with Federico. He's he's a freaking liability. So if you

Kate: No. You can't. He he'll say he'll play with you, but he can't. Is Federico

Anna Bright: He'll say he

Kate: in Hong Kong? That's the question. Is he playing Hong Kong?

Anna Bright: Federico is in Hong Kong. He is a Hong Kong local at this point. Fed so many problems getting to Australia obviously didn't they were not solved. He did not get to Australia. But

Kate: R I P.

Anna Bright: in yeah, R E P in Chicago, one day, like I'm getting breakfast with like Fed, Juan, Hayden, Kim, like Selena's there, and We're talking about Australia and H is like, you're not getting in, bro. And Fed's like, I applied for the visa. I'm good. He applied for the visa like two days prior. And Selena's like giving him crap. And Selena's like, you never listen. Like, I told you, I told you. And Fed's like, it's not my fault. Let me try let try to do Spanish accent. He's like, it's not my fault. Everyone said it's easy. And it's like, we are American. You

Kate: I know.

Anna Bright: have a weak passport. King, like it's I'm sorry, but it's different for you. Like you you are not one of us.

Kate: He also applied a week before he was supposed to go. I'm like not only

Anna Bright: A week before.

Kate: like I'm like you applied, but like if something happens you wanna give it a few months, dog. Like

Anna Bright: Yeah, or something. Like, you know, the PPA will do what they can, but like there's bureaucracy, like things take time. And then this is the kicker. So he tells me from Chicago they won't let him get on the plane, to like the first leg to San Francisco and then eventually to here. And he applied for a visa, like a set like an emergency visa. So it's so funny

Kate: To Australia.

Anna Bright: though. So he applied for two visas. And here it's like you talk to him about how he can't get into he didn't get into Osha. He just goes, He's like, It's so messed up. I applied twice. And they didn't they denied me twice. It's like, Fed, you applyed once one week before and once like one day before. Like, it's not Australia's fault. It's not Austr this this is your fault, King. This is your fault. So

Kate: So messed up. It's on them. It's on them. Do you remember it w in the Yola Titans tour, we literally he literally went to Vietnam without a visa. And then and then on the way back, we literally had to have like police come escort him because he his passport expired within expired within six months. He was like, What's from? He's like, Why are they like this?

Anna Bright: What's a pro and then yeah, and he he had to go like either straight to Argentina or he was in the US for like a day and he had go had to go to Argentina to fix it. I cannot imagine being that unbothered.

Kate: No. Unbothered king. He's like everything will work out. He just trusts the process.

Anna Bright: And it it doesn't always work out, but he he trusts and love him. So he texted me Wednesday in the in the USA Wednesday. He's like, hey, let's practice when you're in Hong Kong. And I'm like, What are you doing in Hong Kong already? He was like, I could.

Kate: Just confused why he like just flew to Hong Kong.

Anna Bright: Yeah. Selena like flew 20 plus hour travel day, lands in Australia. Fed can't get to Australia. Girlie gets on a flight to Hong Kong. That's true love.

Kate: She should she should have stayed in Australia. She should have like, Okay, see ya. Good luck.

Anna Bright: Had a few like three, two, three fun days in Brisbane. Like that would have

Kate: Percent.

Anna Bright: been fun. But they've been in Hong Kong, so Fed texts me and I finally get here. He's like, I'm a local, I can show you around. I know every corner of the city. Yeah. He's like, I speak Mandarin.

Kate: Local. It's so good. Did you guys end up doing the photo booth?

Anna Bright: No, we didn't do a photo booth, but Fed and I have been practicing together because we were both here pretty early. So I feel kind of like Fed and I might be best friends. And he finally learned what a Le Ping is. That was a big question for him. Yeah,

Kate: If you want to share the definition with us, yeah.

Anna Bright: a Le Ping is just what I come from. Like that's what birthed me. And it's that that one screenshot I shared is so funny because he's literally like, who can we play with? Anna mom, Le Ping.

Kate: Yeah.

Anna Bright: WTF is Laping. Like he was genuinely frustrated and confused. And he knows my

Kate: He was pissed at you.

Anna Bright: he knows my mother. He literally like has helped her with carrying her bags before. And my mom told me and she was like, Federico is so nice. we talked so long. Like, no, no idea.

Kate: It's giving when Le Pengue didn't remember who Hayden was.

Anna Bright: That had me cackling. That had me cackling. Yeah, so

Kate: Same energy. You have to tell the story.

Anna Bright: this is MLP Orlando, and we are finishing up an event at a Pickler shock. I think we played the Black Bears or something. It's pretty hectic. It's pretty chaotic. A lot of people turned up. We're walking out as Laping Bright is walking in and she is in full like pickle peacock mode. She wants to sell. She's like, people here are fans of the shock. They're fans of Anna. She's like hounding me to sign a few paddles for her, but I was in a phase of not wanting to sign for her because she'd been having me sign so much I felt like I was getting taken advantage of. But Hayden goes, like, I didn't see this. Eric Lang and H like reported this to us. Eric Lang was dying laughing. And Hayden apparently goes, like, Hey Le Ping. She goes, Nice to meet you. Like, you want, you want a shirt?

Kate: You want Anna to sign something for you?

Anna Bright: I got you. I got you. So

Kate: He was so rattled.

Anna Bright: genuinely rattled. He's like, I meant that little to you, Luping. Like

Kate: Okay, just like circling back to my double goal just like one more time. and the iconic weekend at Virginia Beach, I felt like it was honestly a really fun tournament because a lot of like the goats were not there. Quoting someone on the kitchen on Facebook, it was the JV squad. but I feel like it made it kind of interesting. Like it really was just like a lot of the semifinal like featured Players that you wouldn't necessarily see. And I think that made it exciting. It was like kinda like who's gonna win, like, which I thought was cool.

Anna Bright: I agree. I agree. I thought it was fun and novel. And it was exciting for me to wake up and like check match day and kind of just like WTF has been happening in Virginia Beach. Like Lane Sleet is

Kate: What are you saying?

Anna Bright: like in her semifinal bag and Elliot Shupp's in

Kate: Mm-hmm.

Anna Bright: the final. And I'm so happy for like King Jiaume. I didn't Xiaomi has like so many silver medals and so happy for him to finally kind of get over the hump.

Kate: I didn't either.

Anna Bright: Yeah, I had no. No idea. It's like he's solid. And I feel like he's one of those guys who kind of brings out the best in his partners too. You know, Noe went really far.

Kate: That's true.

Anna Bright: I'm a huge fan of Noe. We love Noe. Noe watched our last episode and texted me about it. Yeah.

Kate: He did? What did he say?

Anna Bright: Do you do you remember what we said about Noe? He wasn't heavily

Kate: Is that we

Anna Bright: featured. We just meant we were talking about how that guy Bruno shorts were short and then we just mentioned how Noe's were short too.

Kate: Yep. Yeah, I remember that.

Anna Bright: And he he texted me like what's wrong with my shorts?

Kate: He was like, What are you talking about? They're a normal length. I literally have a photo of him in Chicago and the shorts are short, which like go off. He was also sporting a tank tank this week. Love that for him on center court. Full tank. Yep. Yeah.

Anna Bright: Go off, no. Ooh. I I do love that for him. I love that for him. I I feel I wish he had gotten a gold, because I do

Kate: I know.

Anna Bright: really like him. my gosh. Okay, we can just transition into talking about Noe here. I told him I would talk about him. I had a crazy encounter in Target. I texted you about this. I this is goes back

Kate: yes.

Anna Bright: to like men collect and select. So I'm like getting ready. I leave for Hong Kong the next day. This is Wednesday night for me. I go to the gym. I don't look cute. Hair's up, no makeup, been working all day. I have a call with Noah for brighter pickleball things at 8 PM. I finish workout, 7 30. I'm like, I have time to go to Target and then I'll go back. I'll do my call with Noe. In Target. Man. Cold approaches me. I'm looking at like power banks. He approaches me. He was pretty. That was a pretty boy right there. A very, a very attractive

Kate: Mm-hmm.

Anna Bright: man. And he just he just opens up straight up. He's like, hi, you look so nice. Let me let me get my sexy man voice on that like rizz me up. He goes,

Kate: Get really close to the mic.

Anna Bright: Yeah, he's like, Hey, you looked so nice. I just had to come talk to you. And then my brain, I'm like, Do you think I'm an employee? Like, I look nice. Like what? And then he's like, You're you

Kate: You look nice in your target shirt.

Anna Bright: look nice, girl. It wasn't in red. So I was a little confused at first. And this also just doesn't happen to me that much. I'll get into why I think it happened. But it's like, you have the most beautiful eyes and you are just my type. What's your name beautiful? And then we're

Kate: That is crazy.

Anna Bright: it was crazy work. So then we're kind of talking and I'm really rattled. And he's like, I would love to take you out. I would love to, you know, even just hang out with you tonight if you have time. And I was kind of like, too much. I was like, I'm actually leaving tomorrow, but thank you. and he was like, where are you going? And I was like, Hong Kong

Kate: China. Next question.

Anna Bright: Yeah, ch just just China and he definitely thought I was lying. He's like, What do you do? Like for work? And I was like, Whenever I get asked this in random situations, do you say pickleball? I never know what to say.

Kate: No, I say I work at AMX. It's so funny. Like, especially in Ubers.

Anna Bright: Ugh, I need to start doing that.

Kate: I'm like, I'm like, I'm a product manager. And then they're like, boring. Next. I'm like, thanks.

Anna Bright: Yeah, I need to start doing that because I like took down and I go pickleball. And then

Kate: Pegaba. Peg a bar.

Anna Bright: that that opens a whole new line of questioning. But he was really nice. He was like, Can I get your number? And I was like, You can give me yours. And then he like I had to like text him from my phone. So then there was that. And then he texted me that night. But then it was like a sweet interaction. I was actually thinking I would see him when I got home from like my month away, maybe. But then he texted me that night and the vibe was really horny. He was like, Are you sure I can't see you tonight? And I was like, Yes, I'm sure. Done with this.

Kate: It's like it's like what are you doing right now? And you're like getting in the shower and he's like, Without me? It's giving that.

Anna Bright: It was and I was like, He's a volume shooter. Like it was very sweet. It was very flattering. But the whole reason I think that this happened is because I was in spandex.

Kate: One hundred percent. We are

Anna Bright: I don't wear spandex a lot, but

Kate: Was it short spandex? yeah, yeah, yeah, not leggings.

Anna Bright: Yeah. yeah. Yeah. Like not not like not like insanely short, but no, it was not leggings. It was it was some spandex.

Kate: Wait, why did I think he knew who you were? He like literally didn't know who you were and just was like going up to you. Just like cold approach.

Anna Bright: No, he no, he didn't know. It was a cold approach, but then when I was waiting in line at Target, I did actually like someone did recognize me. And I was a it

Kate: Okay.

Anna Bright: that was they were asking me tough questions too. It was not like a casual like, hi. They were asking me if me and Rachel were friends and questions about like Hayden and Annalie, and I was just like

Kate: No. Too much. No.

Anna Bright: I'm not in the mood for this. Like I just got approached by a hot man. I am texting Kate about it. I don't wanna answer those questions right now.

Kate: That's a lot for like just like a casual target run at night. Like I would have freaked out. If a man just

Anna Bright: It was. But the

Kate: like approached me, I would have been like, I would have sh probably shit my pants. That's crazy.

Anna Bright: So so I text Noe, like Noe, I'm so sorry, I'm running late. I got approached by a hot man at Target. And he was like, Really? I was like, I couldn't lie and come up to you with this.

Kate: No. No, he's like, I don't believe you.

Anna Bright: Yeah. He's like, No, I see what you look like at tournaments. Absolutely no chance. And I told him I was in Spandex and

Kate: Cap.

Anna Bright: he was, he was like, okay. And I was like, it's like you wearing your and then he said it's like me wearing my short shorts. And I was like, yes.

Kate: Same same thing. Same vibe. His short shorts.

Anna Bright: Same energy, same energy.

Kate: He when he was wearing the tanky was his shorts like a longer length. So I feel like it's either one or the other.

Anna Bright: No, though that's that you can't go double tight. You can't go double tight. And I love Noe. Noe like loved hearing my Noe kind of loves hearing my tea. Like we talk about brighter pickleball for like 20 minutes and then we're just talking about tea in the tournament. Maybe Noe should be a guest. He I think so too. It

Kate: Noah is so funny. I feel like he thinks we're like crazy. Which is like so fair. Yeah.

Anna Bright: is really fair. I think a lot of people probably think we're crazy, but okay, another

Kate: Hundred percent.

Anna Bright: thing on Virginia Beach, if like we've kind of touched on it, we have to talk about your women's partner. Queen Leia

Kate: My God.

Anna Bright: Janssen playing on one leg.

Kate: God is a woman. Like I like the amount of pain that Leia was probably in. So for context, I played with Leia. We played women's doubles and we won a match and then we lost a tight one to Lane and Alex. They played really well. but she has a torn quad a fully torn quad and a fractured patella. And I didn't know this, but the patella just means kneecap, which is like literally fractured her kneecap. Apparently she's had the fractured kneecap for a long time, but then because of that, she then tore her quad. like the amount of pain I just like can't even imagine. Like she was on pain meds like consistently throughout the day, like and she just flew in for women's doubles, and I just can't even believe she played. and I think it just goes to show you how fucking tough she is, and it's not a coincidence that she's a woman.

Anna Bright: That's insane 'cause

Kate: Gonna drop that.

Anna Bright: I knew about the fractured patella, I heard that. I didn't know she also tore the quad.

Kate: Yep. Yep. She literally like couldn't put pressure on her left foot. Like she was like, anything to my left side, like you're gonna have to come over there. And I'm like, I can do my best impression of Ben John's right now, which like didn't go that well for us, but I tried.

Anna Bright: No, you want a match. That's impressive. And it was close against Landon Alex. I was talking to Ben yesterday and I I told him 'cause he he we were talking about the tournament and I was like, Kate was playing like Ben Johns. Kate was doing her best Ben Johns in front.

Kate: I was doing my best friend Johnson, but I like coming over to take a four in in the net. I was like, this is hard. I was like, no wonder he's goaded.

Anna Bright: No, it's it's insane to do it that consistently. But I was I was so impressed and I just like Leo was literally in tears in Chicago. She was like I I think multiple people saw her crying, like crying while playing. I I honestly I think I'm quite tough, but I do not think I would play through that.

Kate: I don't think I could. I l I didn't

Anna Bright: Like I don't think I would

Kate: think she would. And then, like, she literally got her MRI results, and I was like, okay, like, no worries. Like, please, like, don't play. Like, it's totally fine. And then she literally texted me, like, I think we played Wednesday. She texted me Tuesday night. She's I'm playing. I was like, What? It's like crazy that she even like went on, got on a plane, like, and she was like warming up with

Anna Bright: It is.

Kate: me, warming up with Ryan. Like, she was ready to go and she played well.

Anna Bright: Taking it serious.

Kate: Like She played well and she literally could not put pressure on her leg. Like, I don't even know how she

Anna Bright: It's insane.

Kate: got from the baseline to the kitchen.

Anna Bright: It was painful to watch. I tried to watch some of you guys' your guys' match and I I struggled to watch it. Honestly, I it was tough watching her struggle so much, but major kudos, major respect, and just brings me back to AJ Kohler's famous comment to Rafa Hewitt when I think Rafa was complaining about something and I think AJ said to him, like, Does your labia hurt? And I don't

Kate: It's like top five quotes.

Anna Bright: It's such a good quote in pickleball. I think a lot of at least I don't know, I feel like I say it a decent amount. I don't know if a lot of people do, but I feel like in our group we we kind of we like this quote a lot. But I feel like it should be some male body part that's used instead because women are tough AF.

Kate: Women are tough AF. It should be like screwed did you my god

Anna Bright: Like does your scrotum hurt? Why did we both say the same thing?

Kate: With that niche body.

Anna Bright: Well we can't s like you can't say like balls, do your balls hurt? 'Cause if if your balls hurt,

Kate: No sack.

Anna Bright: like does your sack hurt? We both pull scrotum.

Kate: Yeah. Does your sac I actually have one of one of my friends literally cracked his nutsack in baseball. So that's actually an injury.

Anna Bright: I those things freak me out. Those things freak me out. They're so weird. We don't need to this is not meant to be a raunchy

Kate: Like yeah we're not even gonna mention them. No, no.

Anna Bright: podcast. We don't need to go any further.

Kate: We'll leave it at scrotum. But yeah, literally did you tear

Anna Bright: We'll leave it at Scrotum.

Kate: your scrotum? Because labia is just your ex women are too tough for that. So

Anna Bright: I don't even know how you like hurt. You can cut it. Okay. Next, next topic.

Kate: No. You could cut it out.

Anna Bright: Next topic. three, two, one. I guess we can talk about pickleball in Asia. You know, we we gotta get on something quick. It's really cool.

Kate: Yeah. I'm getting FOMO. Can you explain like what you've been doing throughout the day? Yeah. I can

Anna Bright: Honestly

Kate: live vicariously through you.

Anna Bright: I've been working so hard over here. They don't mess around.

Kate: You always work hard, so for you to say you work you've been working hard is like must mean a lot.

Anna Bright: I mean, you've got me on here recording at 5 30 AM. Like Kate's adding to my workload. This is not work though. This is not work. Literally texted Kate last night as we

Kate: Break from work.

Anna Bright: were coming up with a time. It's like this is just a catch up. This is FaceTime.

Kate: It's literally we haven't like talked on the phone, so this is literally our catch up time.

Anna Bright: Yeah, no, it's great. So, but so many people want a piece of us when we're here and it's very flattering, but it is a lot. I had to sit down and just spend like 15 minutes putting everything in my Google Calendar because like YOLA has things for us to do, the PPA Asia has things for us to do. the World Pickleball Summit. That's just me and Ben, but that's a good number of events. But it's been really cool to be in rooms with people who are actually at the forefront of the game at the international level. It's kind of eye opening that. Pickleball is a lot more than, you know, just the tournaments that we play on the PPA and everything in the US. It's like I was sitting at dinner with people from like the South Korean Pickleball Federation, like pickleball Dubai, like

Kate: That's sick.

Anna Bright: South Africa. And it's actually so interesting. There's two competing international pickleball federations. There's like the Global Pickleball Federation and the World Pickleball Federation or something. And at this summit, they literally have to let both presidents speak.

Kate: No way.

Anna Bright: So it's pretty fragmented. And some of these countries also have two federations too. So the goal of this whole summit is to move towards consolidation. And I've heard good things.

Kate: My god.

Anna Bright: And I think that's actually very important for the Olympics and, you know, same standards internationally. So it's been really cool to be in those rooms, but it is a lot. and then also partners. No, no.

Kate: And that has nothing to do with UPA. Like those two federations. Wow.

Anna Bright: It doesn't. It doesn't have anything to do with

Kate: That's crazy.

Anna Bright: it. Yeah. So it's it is really, really interesting. I'm speaking at a panel today in like a few hours, me and Ben, I do kind of just feel like the entertainment a little bit because it's like I'm around and people want photos with me and I'm not partaking in any particularly hard hitting discussions. And sometimes I'm just like, I can do more than like sign, like I have a brain.

Kate: I got a college degree, excuse me. do you feel like you're more

Anna Bright: I have a podcast.

Kate: have you heard of Letter Cook? Thank you. I actually got a lot of questions

Anna Bright: Yeah, have you?

Kate: about Letter Cook in Virginia Beach, which was exciting.

Anna Bright: Did you see, did you see on my story? Yesterday I was literally at an event in Hong Kong and people had made a cutout of my face and they had a s cute sign that

Kate: yeah.

Anna Bright: said, Let her cook.

Kate: It's so nice. I know a lot of people said they liked it, which is really nice. So thank you guys for listening.

Anna Bright: I yeah, thank you guys so much. You warmed our heart. And I don't know if this it feels like this for you, Kate, but for me, I've been so kind of fired up and like kind of passionate about this because I knew it would be fun. I knew it'd be something we'd enjoy. I knew it'd something that we could crush, but it feels more important than I thought it would.

Kate: Yeah. Yeah. Like a lot of people that were like, I love what you and Anna are doing. Like it's like it's made me feel like really confident and like that's all we want. Like is to make an impact. And like if we can make one or two people feel more confident to be themselves, then we're doing a good thing.

Anna Bright: Period. Like it feels, yeah, the it feeling important is something that I I didn't expect in a way. And I feel like pickleball is so special with how women are kind of on the same like level as men. So why don't we have more female podcasts? Question mark.

Kate: Question mark, question mark, not at anyone.

Anna Bright: Not at anyone, but thank you. We're here. We've arrived. But

Kate: Thank you.

Anna Bright: back to Asia. What was I saying? yeah. It's just it's so cool here. I love it. I love it. But getting worked really, really hard and trying to find little pockets of time when I can to both practice. It's funny, Annalie and I, Annalee got here a couple days ago. She hasn't even texted me about practicing. Like girly's working hard. Devil works hard, Analy works harder. Yeah, we we

Kate: She looks like she's working really hard too. Holy crap.

Anna Bright: have to we have to get into her Malaysia event, but Just finding like little pockets of time I can to explore the city. And it's been really fun and sweet to actually have my mom here. Gonna get a little hashtag emo. But the doc partners, the doc crew really wanted to follow me around and I was kind of aggravated. It's not their fault, but eventually I was like, You can follow me around, but you have to provide the transportation. I want to go get a pineapple bun with my mom. And then

Kate: Period.

Anna Bright: they were like, When do you wanna get picked up? I was 6 a.m. They're like, Really? I was like, Yes. You wanna film me?

Kate: Not a second later.

Anna Bright: We're taking Le Ping Bright. We're going to get pineapple buns 30 minutes away. And you're picking me up at 6 a.m. What is a Le Ping? They knew. Federico didn't know, but they knew. but

Kate: They knew.

Anna Bright: having my mom here, because my mom is obviously from China, and they kept trying to get me to to they kept asking me questions about her, and they were asking me about what it's like to have her at these tournaments and have her support. And having at the tournaments is fun, but my mom is really autonomous. Like having her on my bench doesn't do much. For me. Like I don't really care too much in that regard. But the way that it is really special and means a lot to me is that I feel so lucky that I've gotten to see more of the US, of course, and now more of the world through pickleball. And it's like it's her first time in Hong Kong too. So it's really sweet that she

Kate: Really? Aww.

Anna Bright: gets to see more of the world also and, you know, gets to go home for a few days and visit, you know, my grandma and her

Kate: So nice.

Anna Bright: siblings and that that made it makes like means a lot to me. And yeah, I was feeling a little emo about that yesterday. But Asia's great. Pickleball

Kate: That is really special.

Anna Bright: in Asia's great. The f there's no fanaticism like fanaticism in Asia. The fans in Hong Kong are they want a signature, but it's a little it's a little bit more, I would say, like Western and so international here. But in Malaysia, we have to talk about Annalee's event. That looked crazy.

Kate: my god. Wait, I was gonna ask you, do you feel like you're more famous and sought after in Vietnam or like China?

Anna Bright: Is bigger in Vietnam.

Kate: Yeah.

Anna Bright: But I have to say that it does. I did this event yesterday. I've only done one event with like a lot of fans. And it was just me. It was me and Ben and Jack, or like Hong Kit Wong, and this girl Nikita,

Kate: yeah.

Anna Bright: who is, I think, the Hong Kong number one woman. Frances Chi was also there. Francis was so cute. He asked me, Am I gonna be in the vlog? And I was like, yes, but I'm not. I'm not recording right now because we were literally on court when he asked me this. So now my phone I was like, but then he he had to go early. So I have to get Francis in the next vlog. It was the sweetest thing I have to. So

Kate: You have to.

Anna Bright: but I felt like I was pretty on par with Ben yesterday in in Hong Kong, which

Kate: That's awesome.

Anna Bright: at that event, which was cool. And we're competitive people. Like I I clock that, I care about that. Richard and Gordon and Tom are in the crowd.

Kate: Did you call it out to Ben?

Anna Bright: No, I wouldn't say it to Ben, but Richard, Gordon, and Tom

Kate: Right. Right. No, no.

Anna Bright: are there. And I'm like, you guys, you noticing? Are you

Kate: You see in this? You see in this?

Anna Bright: are you noticing that they are chanting Anna? You know? do you they're not, they're

Kate: Not B E N

Anna Bright: not, they're not Ben. They're Jayo, Anna. Thank you. And I I'm of course in full like flirt mode, like I'm walking on the court, like, thank you, thank you, everyone. And Ben is like, Ben, but Ben was in a great mood yesterday. When Ben is in a good mood, he is very fun to talk to. We were nerding the F out about pickleball on our drive back, like talking about the intricacies

Kate: What were we gonna talk about?

Anna Bright: of the intrica you guys don't want to hear, you guys don't want to hear this. This is not a pickleball, like straight puck wad.

Kate: Weighted paddles.

Anna Bright: Dude, we were talking about the intricacies of sitting forehand and sitting backhand and getting the ball down and one-handed counters and like diff it was so freaking nerdy. It was so nerdy. And the guy who was driving us around from who's like part of the World Pickleball Summit, I could just feel that he wanted to like interject and be a part of the conversation so bad. Yeah. I mean, it

Kate: Kudos to him for not. Kudos to him for not. That takes a lot of self control.

Anna Bright: it would have been fine, but you know, I was kind of I kind of felt bad about it, but I was like, this is a pretty cool conversation to just be a part of or to just like listen to even. So then I was like, yeah, I'm not gonna. Me and Ben are flowing. We're flowing, we're nerding out.

Kate: That is really cool.

Anna Bright: And it was kind of it was special. It was a special moment between Ben Johns and I. Ben,

Kate: Two goats.

Anna Bright: sure. I'm a baby goat. I'm baby goat. Thank you, Queen. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Okay, let's talk about Malaysia though. Let's talk about Anna Lee's

Kate: I said what I said. I said what I said. Yes.

Anna Bright: event in Malaysia.

Kate: I think I saw first I saw a Franklin statement and I was like, What are they talking about? And then I like saw clips of people literally talking about their experience and how it was like such a letdown and disappointment. I don't know if they oversold it or one, they sold too many tickets, or two, they like promised things that just didn't happen. I don't know. Yeah.

Anna Bright: I think it's both. I I haven't read a ton on it. Like, you know, and there's so many different sides and everyone had a different experience, of course. But it seems like they oversold tickets and they really mess up when it comes to VIPs. Like

Kate: Yeah.

Anna Bright: promising you get a paddle, you get a specific paddle, you get a specific shirt, you're gonna meet Anna Lee, you're gonna get a nice seat. And it seems like that was a flop.

Kate: And that was really expensive. Like VIP tickets to that event.

Anna Bright: For sure. I bet and I think some people flew from other countries to see her too. I I I read that and then and also just the I'm sure a lot of those people do have, you know, more money, but for a lot of people this was probably a pr like proportionally way more income than it would be to

Kate: Yeah.

Anna Bright: us in the US to to participate in a in an event like this. So

Kate: That's brutal. I wonder if they got their like a refund or anything like that. I don't know.

Anna Bright: I really hope they do. They're being loud about it, so

Kate: I know.

Anna Bright: good for them. It's good that social media can kind of this is a good part of it. You can call out brands.

Kate: Yeah. Yeah.

Anna Bright: What do you think about Yola pushing about the Titans tour immediately after?

Kate: I think I saw that and I was like I didn't clock it at first and then I was like, Okay, we're standing on business right now. Okay.

Anna Bright: Sassy, sassy brand. Lots of

Kate: Sassy.

Anna Bright: attitude. Lots of attitude.

Kate: Thank you. Thank you for coming. I I honestly kind of loved it. I love the pettiness. I'm all for it.

Anna Bright: I was kind of like, that's a lot. I was like, that's a lot. Cause I didn't see it myself. Fed and Tyson. I was with them. They told me about it. And I was like, Yola did that? That's crazy work. But

Kate: I know. It was like subtle, but like it was almost like if you know, you know, and then you were like, shoot.

Anna Bright: It was a major, if you know, you know just the timing of it was was pretty pretty insane. And I have really liked Kale. I think I've been there twice. And you you were there, yeah. You were to the Titan

Kate: yeah.

Anna Bright: store. Can you do your best? Okay, let's both say that phrase that we heard again. It was like Malaysia, we're making history or something

Kate: yeah.

Anna Bright: like that. You you do it first.

Kate: Malaysia, we're making history. No, I gotta think we gotta cut that foot.

Anna Bright: Not it. That was not it. That was not it. No, we have to okay. You can try again though. Let me go, let me go. Then you can kind of you gotta get in the persona. So at the Titan

Kate: gonna be cancelled. You go, you go, you go. I know

Anna Bright: store, this that we had this woman and her English, like she definitely went to like a British boarding school and she just kept saying, talk about how we're making history because we did make history there, of course. But she goes, Every time I do this, Fed laughs. It's a hundred percent. Fed loves when I do it. It goes, Malaysia, we are here to make history. We will light up the night sky to celebrate the Titans tour.

Kate: I think this was all like our 10th hour, and we were all just like, what is going on? It was so funny.

Anna Bright: Yeah. The there we played at like the second tallest building in the world, set a Guinness World Record, so she's talking about history there and then we're lighting up the Malaysia skyline. It's like a ten minute long drone show and it's like all our necks are just like Do we have to keep watching?

Kate: Like we're like l we're like looking up and then like I started like recording on my phone and then looking at my phone 'cause I couldn't look up.

Anna Bright: Yeah, we all start just like craning the phone up and like looking at the phone because our necks were hurting so bad. And there the fanfare, the drama in Asia, like everything has an opening ceremony, everything has a closing ceremony.

Kate: Yes.

Anna Bright: For that drone show, we all like put our paddles into a stone.

Kate: yeah. That was so good. I hope we do something like that again. Titan store. Yeah.

Anna Bright: I'm sure we will. I don't I don't it was the Legends tour, then it was the Titans tour. What are they gonna call it next year? If you had to guess, what's

Kate: yeah. I don't know. Let

Anna Bright: another like godlike deity? Maybe just the gods tour.

Kate: Spartans tour, the gods tour, can you imagine? Lioness tour, the lion's tour.

Anna Bright: I don't know what they'll do. They'll come up with something good though.

Kate: They will.

Anna Bright: They might have to go into like synonyms. Synonyms for legend. Synonym for Titan.

Kate: Chad chat. What are the synonyms for legend?

Anna Bright: Yeah. It might be just like the dragon tour or something, just the the not Franklin Malaysia tour.

Kate: The n Anything but the Franklin event tour.

Anna Bright: I yeah, I am I am glad that doesn't seem like people are I'm sure Annalie and her team are getting a ton of messages about this, like please help me, please help me. But I'm glad that it doesn't seem like people are finding her at fault because it's not her fault.

Kate: so f Sophia literally said that she was getting messages on her Instagram being like like like what's why are you with Franklin? Like they're horrible. Like she was getting like mess like DMs and like messages and she obviously had nothing

Anna Bright: That's crazy.

Kate: to do with it, but like like you're a bad person for being with Franklin after that and she's like, What? I know. 'Cause it's not Annalie's fault

Anna Bright: Mm. That's ups that's absurd. No, it's a it's like it's a miss.

Kate: either.

Anna Bright: No, it's not. And it it's a miss from Franklin, but it's largely on the the local team there that kind of was tasked with running the event and everything.

Kate: Yeah.

Anna Bright: And it's funny, I'm actually going to the Philippines for two days after Hong Kong before I head I'm heading like straight to Dallas. And YOLA is like really Like we cannot oversell anything. They sent me like this long three page document with logistics. And it's like a very simple event I'm doing. I'm doing like a kind of a lottery clinic for 20 people. And it's like a three page document outlining like how people are gonna get selected, the number of fans. And they were like, Anna, can you please approve this? And I saw it was three pages long and I said, Looks good. Did not read it.

Kate: Perfect. No notes. No notes. Are you doing it with Ben or is it just you?

Anna Bright: Just me, solamente me, because

Kate: Just you. Just you the Queen. That's cool. I've never been to the Philippines.

Anna Bright: You've gotta get over here and see see more. I'm very curious about the Philippines

Kate: I know.

Anna Bright: because I get so many DMs from the Philippines and

Kate: Same.

Anna Bright: it's crazy.

Kate: I posted the my my carousel today. I put a song by the cranberries, which was so random. But she literally someone someone DM'd me and was like, This is like our theme song in the Philippines right now. I was like, Amazing. I love that for you, Queen. And then they're like, When

Anna Bright: Amazing. Amazing. I'm gonna

Kate: are you coming to the Philippines? And like, I don't know, maybe soon. I don't know.

Anna Bright: Yeah. I should just walk when I land in the airport, just like dreams by the cranberries. Theme song. My people.

Kate: People People are gonna be like, Why is she playing this? That'll be so good. They're gonna love you there.

Anna Bright: No, they'll love it. They'll love it. My

Kate: my god.

Anna Bright: it'll be fun, it'll be fun. My my vlog editor, her name is Nicole, and she is from the Philippines. And before the trip was confirmed, because it came together super last minute, because I basically told Tom at Yola, like, hey, I'm so close to the Philippines, I want to go to the Philippines. So this is like my my doing. Yeah.

Kate: good for you. Yeah.

Anna Bright: but long before anything was confirmed, because this was so last minute, she was getting people reaching out, like, Anna's coming, Anna's coming. Anna's coming. And she was like,

Kate: How did they find out?

Anna Bright: I don't know. I don't know. But

Kate: my god.

Anna Bright: yeah, I'm I think I think it gets announced like today or tomorrow, the the events I'm doing. And I'm it'll be interesting. I'm very, I'm very excited. I'm gonna be I need to have like a shortened version of my signature. Not that my signature takes a while, but I need a shorter version for Asia. Need Yeah, I need to Yeah.

Kate: yeah. You kinda do. Sometimes I do initials when we're getting like shoot off the court and like calf, calf, calf.

Anna Bright: You know, whose signature I think whose signature do you think probably takes the longest to do?

Kate: I heard Collins like really he like goes really slow. I heard he's like for some reason like people just go even like Gabe when he's doing his GT, it's like G T and I'm like I saw Yates and it's like beautiful. It's like handcrafted, like gorgeous, which is like not a surprise for Marking, but I don't know who's take the yeah.

Anna Bright: How does it compare to Hunter's? I Hunter's is beautiful, but I have to say, unfortunately, I don't think I've actually seen Yates' signature.

Kate: I I feel like it's very similar to Hunter's. It's just like

Anna Bright: Okay.

Kate: very beautiful cursive and I'm like, wow.

Anna Bright: Hunters is gorgeous. Hunter's might be my favorite. I th Colin Johns is probably takes the cake for slowest. I think Paris's is also very slow. Watching her put the bow on the on the P,

Kate: Is it? gosh.

Anna Bright: it's like

Kate: I just like you gotta scribble at that point. You gotta be like quick.

Anna Bright: Yeah. Yeah, you gotta you gotta keep it moving. Or people who have extra like it. Doesn't Brooke do like a smiley face?

Kate: Yes, she does a smiley face. It's two

Anna Bright: That's that's too many pickups of the pen for me.

Kate: yes, you gotta do one one foul swoop. You're good. You're like a machine.

Anna Bright: Yeah.

Kate: You're like

Anna Bright: Yeah. My Anna Bright is one and then I just like cross the I cross the T, the I and the T there.

Kate: that's good. Yeah.

Anna Bright: That and then I I keep it I keep it pushing. All right, guys. it's Kate's birthday, so I don't wanna hold her up for too long. So Kate, what are you doing with the rest of your of your evening?

Kate: so my king Charlie is making me like my favorite dish, which is like this lemon pasta. I'm just gonna be like passenger princess on the couch and wait for him to feed me, which I'm so excited for. but I did film my day with my favorite activity, which is literally just shopping by myself. Like it actually is my favorite activity.

Anna Bright: Amazing.

Kate: I just like went to all my favorite stores and just bopped around and I bought some things.

Anna Bright: How much did you spend?

Kate: Like three hundred? Not horrible.

Anna Bright: did you get yourself the the big birthday gift? Have you done that? Are you thinking about it? Mmm.

Kate: No, no, I haven't gotten that. I like keep like changing my mind. I know I wanted to like, if anybody has any ideas, I wanted to get myself like a timeless, like turn thirty, like a watch, but then I'm like, I don't wear a watch. I'm really into jewelry, so I've been trying to like really encapsulate that. Maybe like diamond studs, but that's like basic. I'm like, I don't know.

Anna Bright: I don't know. I'm no help for you here. It was funny on the shock when 'cause Kate and I can talk about a lot of things. We can talk about makeup, we can talk about clothes, we can talk about a lot, but when she gets into jewelry, like her person is Hayden Patrick Wynn.

Kate: Yeah. We literally relate to each other. But he spent more money on jewelry for sure than me. For sure. Honestly, Gabe too.

Anna Bright: for sure.

Kate: Like that GT necklace, I'm like, Sir. Period.

Anna Bright: Yeah, they they like the diamonds and the the rollies, but we would congratulate

Kate: Please.

Anna Bright: them for their performance in Australia and their gold and gapes, double gold, and also Tyre had a great tournament as well, but they haven't wished Kate Happy Birthday. So

Kate: No. They haven't wish me a happy birthday. They might still be out in Hong Kong with Hayden Shepherd, so

Anna Bright: Ha ha ha ha ha The boys go to Hong Kong.

Kate: Honestly, honestly like

Anna Bright: What if they they might go to Macau? Macau is kind of like Vegas and it's so close. It's

Kate: yeah, I heard that.

Anna Bright: not tough to get to.

Kate: Do you think you and Hayden Shepard will like reunite

Anna Bright: I would not be shocked if they end up in Macau.

Kate: as friends?

Anna Bright: No, I don't think either of us want that. I think we're both very fine with the status quo.

Kate: It's so funny. What'd you call him again?

Anna Bright: You guys don't even know who he I called him a groupie. Not the the craze the reason why it hurt for him so bad is cause I wasn't even trying to be mean. It was like genuine confusion from me. It's like when

Kate: No, you were just like yeah, you were

Anna Bright: it's like when a child insults you. Like that's kind of the vibe of it, because it was an innocent question. I was like, it's his like second or third tournament in a row, staying like on sleeping on like Gabor Hayden's couch. And I was just like, What are you doing here? Like, are you a groupie? Just in my normal way.

Kate: Was this in person?

Anna Bright: It was in person. And like Fed

Kate: I didn't realize it was in person.

Anna Bright: and Fed was around and Fed kinda latched onto it too because Fed always loves, you know. I think we were p practicing against Fed and Tina because it was the PPA finals. And Fed kinda loved it. And then later in the tournament Fed he's like, I had to stop saying it. He hates it so much.

Kate: Like Fed even feds like I had to stop. When Fed stops, that's when you know.

Anna Bright: if Fed's like, yeah, when Fed stops, you freaking know. So thank you everyone for listening to episode two of Let Her Cook. And please follow us. Please listen. Please tell your friends. We'll we'll have more for you guys next week. Yes, our besties. We need to start

Kate: We always have so much fun on FaceTime with you guys. Tune in for next week. Love you guys.

Anna Bright: doing a segment that like incorporates our fans. We have to start thinking about that.

Kate: I know, so they can like or or they could like w for the top comments or whatever, they can send in comments. Or no.

Anna Bright: Yeah. We have to w we'll we'll think about it. You guys can comment on YouTube or Instagram your ideas there. But we I wanna start doing that for sure. We need to. We can't only talk about our haters.

Kate: Or we could do like a call in. We could like call someone in.

Anna Bright: I think we I think operationally we need to get some things moving smoothly before we're doing that. But yes.

Kate: I'm like, I don't even know how to do that, but we could call someone in.

Anna Bright: Kate's like Anna, get to work.

Kate: Anna, come on! Anna, why do you not do that already? No, that's so fair. yeah, if you guys want us to talk about anything, let us know. Piping hot tea.

Anna Bright: Hugs and kisses everyone. Keep cooking. Thank you.

Kate: Kisses. Bye.