Fine Dining, but a Wings and Beer Kind of Girl

  

May I Offer You a Drink to Start With?

I have missed all of you so much! I can’t believe it’s been almost 3 years since my last blog post…ouch! One thing is for sure, Big Momma hasn't missed any meals or one beat.

I must admit I am feeling a bit rusty so please bear with me. Be kind because I'm an Artist and I am sensitive about my shhhh!# (Eryka Badu voice)

First, allow me to fast forward you all into my life as of January 2016.  I moved back to Connecticut from Philly…I know I know, booooooo, but it's home and God dragged me back so I'm just going to park it and have several seats.

 

                                                            I had a little girl Summer 2013!!!

She’s the joy of my life, my reason and also my pain in the butt.

Wait, let’s pause here on this whole motherhood journey. Ummm, why didn’t someone warn me about the aches, nausea and changes my body would endure, including that I now wear Shaquille O’Neal size 10 shoe! My baby is now 2 years old and I'm still trying to snap back. Like what metabolism?! I can't use the "I just had a baby" excuse anymore.

As I digress, now that she’s here, every day I am realizing that God truly has a sense of humor because she definitely acts just like me. Lord help us all!  When she's acting like a terror, I blame her Dad, but seriously, she’s super smart, creative, wise, funny and a boss just like me

                                                                

  (this pic pretty much sums us up)

                                                                                    

Appetizer

Next, I tapped into my love of cooking and started a business called Breakfast Belle. I create “southern style belly filling favorites” and serve Sunday Brunch from 10:30am-3pm  at Mac It - 8 Main St., Norwalk, CT 06851 ::Shameless plug::

The idea stemmed from my event management company Lady Fancy Events, LLC. Food can seriously make or break and event and living in the North in the elite and bougie area we called Fairfield County, there aren’t too many places that can reallllllllllly throw down southern style, so Big Momma is whipping up belly filling dishes such as, Chicken & Waffles, Fish & Grits, Salmon Cakes, Shrimp & Grits, Lobster Rolls and more!

This journey has absolutely been a wonderful experience, good and bad. I have learned so much about the food industry and more importantly myself throughout this grueling yet rewarding process.

Entrée

Carrie Bradshaw, Fine Dining

There are days I want to put on something nice, wear my MAC Ruby Woo lipstick and pretend like I’m in an episode of Sex in the City...the black version. In this case, I decided to visit one of favorites spots in my hometown...

                      SPREAD

    70 North Main Street, Norwalk, CT

In the heart of Downtown, Norwalk aka SONO, Spread serves a delicious menu of small to large plates including, watermelon salad, seared scallops, flank steak, octopus, brussel sprouts, kale salad, guacamole and more.

I love the fact their menu changes “upon the season and culinary curiosities.”

When you first walk in they clearly set the mood of fine dining mixed with a rustic, hip NYC SOHO feel. The vertical garden located in their main dining area immediately grabs your attention. The staff from the bartenders, waiters and host are friendly and super knowledgeable about the menu. You would think that they were the Chefs.

I no longer eat pork, but the first time I went I had the pork belly bites, flank steak and a cocktail called Tico Juice.

The food was amazing, but my cocktail really did it for me. Maybe I had a long day and need a libation, but this yummy mix of pyrat rum, grand marnier and  passion fruit is to die for.

Note: They also have an amazing happy hour menu during the week.

The tab for my Din-Her partner and I came to about $110 for 4 drinks, 2 appetizers, two entrees and a shared dessert.

 I frequent here and highly recommend this place.

Momma June from Honey Boo-boo, Wings and Beer Dining

I love fine establishments like The Spread, but when I want to throw on some jeans and sweatshirt, put my hair in a ponytail and catch a DUKE basketball game (yes, I’m a Blue Devil fan) and guarantee myself that the food will be great, I take the 25 minute drive to...

               
               DEW DROP INN

      25 North Avenue, Derby, CT

A good friend of mine introduced me to this place and I will admit when we first pulled up I felt like I was in Waco, TX. When you pull up there’s usually at least 5 motorcycles or more parked outside.

When you enter there’s a big guy at the door checking ID’s. The establishment is humble in size, but their food portions are anything but. They're famous for offering over 50 flavors of wings and a ton of craft beers. I love that they batter and fry their wings.  My personal favorite sauces are Honey BBQ, Wasabi, Parm Butter Bacon, Bayou and Mango Pineapple Habanero. They absolutely give Buffalo Wild Wings a total run for their money.

They also give Outback Steakhouse a run for their money. On Thursday nights they offer this perfectly, well seasoned rib-eye steak with their honey carrots and homemade mash potatoes. It literally took me 2 days to finish it all.

I don't have pictures, but their chili cheese curly fries are something 1/2 heaven and 1/2 unreal. They areeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee soooooooooooo gooooooooooood! I can't even begin to explain it, but they are must have!

The service is so/so, especially on a busy night, but overall I definitely recommend trying this spot.

Dessert

Next week's blog post will include one of my new favorite places to dine and also my favorite flavor ice cream, as I'll be relating to a juicy topic that many women can relate to.

Bon Appetit,
Chef Tori 

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed your Din-HER experience!

Hi,

My love for cooking and dining out has soared to new heights since my last piece in 2012 (ouch!).

Well, I look forward to sharing my love of food and cooking as it relates to my oh so eventful, sassy, fun, emotional, GOAL digging, almost reality show worthy life on January 10th.

If you're new, be sure to catch up by reading my pervious pieces.

Thanks and I hope you'll enjoy the new Din-HER Club experience!

You Are What You Eat... Cleaning Out Your Pantry

May I Offer You A Drink To Start With?
Greeting, Din-HERs!!! Yes, yes, yes.... I know it has been a longgggggg while since my last post.
So much has changed in such a short matter of time, but trust me I still found time to dine around and stuff my face.

          

Bon Appetit!

Eat, Pray, Love....and be HEALTHY

May I Offer You A Drink To Start With?

This morning while doing my mile run Rihanna's song Cake came on and all I could think about was the red velvet cake I had from Cake Man Raven's Bakery  and Momma Barnes' "melt in your mouth and slap a baby" pound cake.  As I started to run faster I heard people clapping and cheering me on, only to realize it was my thighs rubbing together and my booty clapping.  Ugh, the horror!  So I scrolled up to Beyonce's Move Your Body  tune and went for the gold.

Bon Appetit!

 

                                                             Appetizer

Although I love to dine out and cook, finding a healthy balance and fitting exercise into my schedule is also very important to me and my fellow Din-HER Club girls.  I gained my freshman 15lbs at 26 years old instead and although my metabolism wasn't in agreement with my new fitness and eating promise, I went for it!   I love to eat and I will never be my college size 4 again, but I will not let myself go either.

 

Side Note:  Congratulations to my favorite TV Cooking Queen, Mrs. Paul Deen on her recent 30lbs weight loss! Although her battle of diabetes made her tighten up, it was better late than never that she decided to take off the weight and started exercising and making healthier choices for HER. So if she can do it at 50 something, so can I!

#inspiration #motivation #go-girl!

 Like many I have tried all types of dieting from; The Lemonade/Master Cleanse, Sadkins, Acupressure and simply eating just air.  None of these have worked for me and if I did lose a pound or two from it, I gained it right back times three when I started eating normal again.  So I learned to come up with realistic healthy meal choices and exercises that work for ME.

I indulge and stuff my face twice a week, which is usually on the weekend, but Monday through Friday I stay away from certain carbs like pasta, white rice, bread etc.,  I also stay away from fried foods, red meat and the skin on chicken.  I add flax seeds to my oatmeal or my egg white omelet.   I use olive oil to cook with, purchased a Foreman grill and drink lots of water.  I use a great app on my phone called My Fitness Pal  to help me keep track of my calorie intake and weight loss progress.

 I love workouts like spinning, cardio kickboxing, zumba and other high intensity cardio workouts. When I do not feel like going to the gym, I either run a mile and do some burpees and squats or pop in my favorite workout DVD that I have a serious love/hate relationship with...INSANITY.   I love the Insanity workout because unlike other workout DVD'S,  this 12 piece set is not boring and you feel like the Instructor Sean T is literally in your living room yelling and motivating you.  You do not need any equipment or weights because you use your own body weight.  The workouts are gruesome and hard! You would think it would get easier over time, but it doesn't! Although you build up your endurance, you still sweat like a pig and pass out like a drunken frat boy when it is over.

 
 

Entree

Outside of my regular diet, I have recently decided to do a  fast 5 out of 7 days, every week until my birthday in August. There a different variations of fasting, but this one is MINE.  It is also partly spiritual for me as well to sacrifice some things and pray more throughout the day.

I start with a saltwater flush when I wake up in the morning.  This process helps me to eliminate any waste and toxins in my body and BOYYYYY DOES IT WORK!  I cussed out my friend Marissa for not warning me how fast this process works. I will not go into any details, but just don't plan on going anywhere for a hour.

Salt Water Flush Instructions: 2 Bottles of Purified Water, 1tbsp Sea Salt, and 1 tsp of Lemon Juice. 

Mix it, shake it all up and drink!  I am not going to lie, the taste is horrible from the sea salt, so I chase it with a shot of my mango smoothie (don't judge me).  They say for better results to lay on your right side for a few minutes after drinking the mix.

Then throughout the day I will drink water, green tea with honey, make fresh smoothies (no protein powder) or drink the premade Bolthouse  brand smoothies (in moderation).  It is a challenge so if I do crave a solid I will eat a banana or my infamous black bean and corn guacamole, since it is mushy and easily digestible. (Hey, it's better than the Five Guys burger I was craving yesterday). WARNING: when you decide to stop any detox or fast be sure to gradually reintroduce your body to normal/processed foods, by eating soup, salads and yogurt and fish or else your stomach will do flips.

 Tori's Black Bean & Corn Guacamole Recipe (copyright) : 3 Avocados, Fresh Cilantro, 1/2 of a Red Onion, 1 Lime, 2 Plum Tomatoes, Can of Goya Black Beans,  Mini can of Corn, 2/3 tsp Minced garlic, Sea salt,  Honey, 1 tbsp Chardonnay Wine .  

- Blend or mash up the avocados.  Dice up the onion, cilantro, black beans & tomatoes. Mix everything together then add the minced garlic. Sprinkle in the sea salt and Chardonnay (to your taste). Squeeze in some lime juice, add a little honey & mix it all up again.

  

Dessert

While my Din-HER friend Shawniel is the one in the group with the diamond encrusted halo and caution sign AND I'm the friend of the group with the black liquid spandex yelling "YOLO " (You only live once).  I promise I mean well!  I just like to have some good wholesome fun and be spontaneous, but like many, especially my belated grandmother my goal is to become a servant of God and be more like him. 

So during my detox I sacrifice my wants and focus on my needs.  For instance; I need to eat, but I do not need a burger or cupcake, although I want it, a banana will do me just fine.  God gave up so much for us so it is only right that we try and do the same.  I won't go into the details, but in the Bible  fasting is a way of doing so.  I also spend more time praying and simply having talks with God, read inspirational quotes (God Promises Daily Devotional) and do some bible reading on the word. 

I know religion is touchy for some and not everyone believes in God like me, but if you're just a spiritual person, you can enjoy the beauty of nature while taking a jog, doing yoga or reflecting at the beach like I do.

I am only on day 4 and although my patience has only gone from only a 0 to 2.5,  I am absolutely more in tune with myself , peaceful and thankful. 

Like I mentioned in my latest blog, I have had a few rough weeks recently, but yet  I have this internal peace of mind and since of trust that everything will be just fine.

My two friends said it best:   

Bryan Deliz  in his recent blog:  " Though at times I lose it for a day.  I wake up and every morning it’s like God places it right back into my soul.  I still wonder, plan, and hope. However, I find myself questioning my life a little less and less and feel myself living it more and more.  Just living, loving, embracing, forgiving, and discovering a path full of righteousness and fulfillment.  Walking towards freedom and purpose, without questioning the journey."

Adwoa A. - God Promises Daily Devotional:  "God did not promise that we would not grow tried and frustrated as we strive to reach our heavenly goal.  Nor did he promise we would not experience setbacks or failure.  He promised to give us an eagle's strength and to rise above our circumstances and go the distance."

Cited Links: 

1. June 2012/Bryan Deliz - http://bdeliz.tumblr.com/post/25799881218/the-truth-about-me-is

2. 2012/Adwoa E. Ansah -  God Promises Daily Devotional

http://www.amazon.com/God-Promises-Daily-Devotional-ebook/dp/B007WZTI18/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340917207&sr=8-1&keywords=god+promises+daily+devotional

"Special Water", Special Times

May I Offer You A Drink To Start With?

This blog is dedicated to my Din-HER Club girlies. The past few weeks have been a little difficult and rough for me, but my girlies always know how to turn my frown into Chuck E Cheese smile.  The past few weekends with them has been amazing and super spontaneous. I love them because we just go with the flow, don't partake in drama and make the best out of everything and anything.

I can't help but laugh because this subtitle alone draws up a memory of me sneaking in and spiking everyone's drink with the special water at our last Din-HER Club outing.

 Bon Appetit!

Appetizer

Last weekend we all decided that we needed to get out, leave the kids and boyfriends/hubbies home and just have a good time. We decided we were all going to wear dresses or as I would say " mission big butts in skirts", have dinner and dance the night away.  All of us in our own way are very much homebodies and don't club or party often, so this was absolutely like going to the prom for many of us.

  

      The Official Din-HER Club Divas

 

Shawniel...excuse me, I mean "Chaneeeeel" (her alias) picked the restaurant this time.  She selected a sushi buffet place in Hamden, CT called Sushi Palace.  Now, for those that know me, know I dislike buffets (except for Shoney's down south).  Call me prissy or boogie, but I just don't like everyone picking over the food or  lil' Billy or Emma coughing over the meat station while trying to reach for a chicken finger (yuck). Although, I was skeptical and attempted to change the location several times, I sucked it up and ended up just going with the flow.

Sushi Palace

Cuisine: Japanese

1473 Dixwell Ave.,Hamden, CT

                                                             

Price:$$($20 all you can eat)

Since I attended undergrad out there, I was familiar with the area and knew there was going to be trouble finding parking.  The place has a very small parking lot and is in front of a busy street, so some of us had to park elsewhere.  We walked in and to my surprise it was a little cute restaurant WITH NO BUFFET STATIONS! Our reservation was for 7:30pm, but our table wasn't ready (like the reviews on Yelp indicated), which was a good thing for our Din-HER Club member Coco, who is ALWAYS LATE...I swear she'd miss her future child's birth if her vagina...... you get the point!   Anyway, we finally sat down and our server handed us these sheets of paper that listed the menu items on them and next to each item you had to select your desired quantity. 

For example:

__1_ Godzilla Roll            __2__ Miso Soup         __2__ Spring Rolls        __3__ Pink Lady Rolls

 I was elated because I was dreading fighting, pushing and knocking down someones six year old trying to get to the spring rolls. Our friend Esther must have ordered two of everything on the menu. It was so funny because we swear we saw the sushi chef give us a dirty look once our server handed him our order slip.

I packed some special water (rum & vodka) I had left over from a BBQ I hosted (ghetto, I know) and our cranberry juices went from a maroon red to a blush pink color. Our appetizers came out and we were a little confused at first because instead of them giving us our own individual orders on single plates, they served everything family style on a large plates, so we had figure out who's was who. I had the flavorful seafood undon soup, while all the other ladies had miso soup, the ginger and crab salad, calamari and spring rolls. Next to Jamaican and Soul food, my third favorite cuisine is Japanese, so I was actually very surprised and delighted at how yummy, fresh and authentic the food was. 

  Crab Salad, Ginger Salad & Miso Soup

   

 Sushi, spring rolls and chicken teriyaki

Once our large plates of sushi came, all we saw and heard were chopsticks clicking and lips smacking. The sushi was pretty, colorful and so good! Our fellow Din-HER Jen who hates to try anything new, ordered boring chicken teriyaki, BUT as always I forced her to try a piece of sushi. Mind you, she sort of cheated because she only tried a sweet potato roll and not the raw pieces, but you would have sworn she was eating a live octopus by the way we all had to coach and convince this sushi virgin into eating the sweet potato roll. 

Look at Jen's face at the bottom.... Epic!

After the many laughs and talks of B12 (insider) and other nonsense we discussed, we headed to a little spot downtown Bridgeport called Metric Grill & Bar. Metric specializes in awesome Haitian cuisine (which I will feature another day), but after dining hours are over they turn their main dining area into a dance party. 

Before we went in, Terri and I practiced this new line dance/step called the Co-Sign  so we could show off our new moves on the dance floor....and that we DID!  Because as soon as the DJ played it, we were the only two on the dance floor that actually knew the dance.lol  (Look it up and practice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAp4gyipmAE&feature=related). 
Between DJ Juan Coon keeping the crowd rocking, dancing in 4 + inch heels, running into old boyfriends, pouring more special water etc., we had a great time! We always have fun together, but we really had a great time that night....just the girls!

Overall, I would give Sushi Palace a rating of 4 out 5. 

You can't beat the price for the quality all you can eat sushi and although I think the waitstaff was talking about us in Japanese, they were very attentive and quick.

The Cheese-steak Factory aka Philadelphia

 May I Offer You A Drink To Start With?

Hi Din-HERS I am back and I hope you all had an amazing weekend! Mine was VERY eventful, fun and I tried a new restaurant with my Din-HER Club girls, but I will blog about that on Thursday.

I am sooooooooo super excited to be heading back to Philadelphia this coming Saturday for the Jill Scott concert.  I miss living out there so much!  Socially and entertainment wise it was a happy medium between slow moving CT and fast paced NYC for me.  It was new, exciting, scary and fun all in one, but the most important part was learning so much about myself and just enjoying ME. 
Bon Appetit!

Side Note: This blog is dedicated to my belated friend Elie Joseph

Appetizer

I moved to the Philadelphia/South NJ area last spring for a year.  I'm an only child, super close to my family and friends, but as sociable and in the mix as I may seem and my career requires me to be, I am truly a homebody and anti-social at times, so making the move to Philly was different for me. It's almost like trying a new restaurant for the first time, picking a location, scanning the menu and finally taking the first bite.

Two years ago when I was 26 I had been working at a major non profit organization as the Lead Special Events Coordinator for our chapter for three years, I experienced my first major breakup, loss my grandmother to pancreatic cancer and some other stuff.  Although I loved my career and was doing well for my age, I wanted a change in my life...I wanted to hit the refresh button for some reason.  I didn't know what type of change, but I knew with prayer and patience God would help me find what I was looking for.

I come from a long and deep rooted family of entrepreneurs/self employed business owners, so it was only natural that I'd get the entrepreneurial itch too, so since I already had the professional experience I started freelancing and consulting as an Event/Wedding Planner in 2009.  Although my business picked up it still wasn't the change I was looking for.  I always played with the idea of moving out of state from CT, but like I said I was the only child and super close to my family and friends, so being scared would have been an understatement to describe how I felt.

Over that next year I talked to a few of my undergrad buddies that moved away from CT after college and I loved hearing about how they made the decision to move, how liberating it was and how it was the best decision they had ever made.  My good friend Chauncey who has moved to Ohio and now lives in the DC area told me, "Tori, you're still young, no kids, no real obligations so if you move away and don't like it you can always come back to CT."  I hate to admit when he's right, but to admit he was right in a public setting like my blog is another story (waves hello).  As I digress...so one day I started looking at jobs in the south New Jersey and Philadelphia area and out of all the jobs in my field I could have applied for, I only applied to one.  Subconsciously I did it that because
1. I didn't think I would land a government sector job so easily
2. I figured the distance and relocating me from CT would deter employers
Basically, I wanted excuses so I wouldn't have to face my fear of moving away, BUT of course they called, I did the interview, got the job and within 3 weeks I had to find a place, pack up the Uhaul and all my shoes and move south. Everything happened so fast, but I am a firm believer that when GOd gives you the answer or green light on something you have prayed for, you GO!

Luckily, I had a friend (Mr. Bentley) that lived out there already and was able to show me around the area and the ins and outs. I should include him into the Din-HER Club because we would dine around often (Welcome to the club Mr. Bentley! lol).  Anyway,  I started the job and loved being able to travel, work with various government higher ups from NASA, DOD, NIH, DOE etc. planning their conferences and meetings and going to different security bases and labs.   I loved my apartment because it was right in beautiful Cherry Hill, NJ and 7 minutes away from downtown Philadelphia. My place was cute, cozy and had so much character (so did my neighbor's kid...little Emma was a riot .lol).  At first I was home sick and would come  to CT every other weekend, but that stopped especially when toll rates went up. lol.  Outside of the no left turns and silly jug handle turns, I loved it...I was home!!!

Entree

My cousin and friend heard of my move and introduced me to their friends that also lived in Philly (Ashley and Elie).  I first met Elie at Tinto Wine Bar in the lovely Rittenhouse Square area of Philadelphia.  I watch wayyyy too much Criminal Minds and Law and Order, so being single, living in a totally different area alone and meeting new people was a little scary to me at first, but Elie ended that notion quick.  He was super tall, poised and funny.  The big bonus was that he was a Personal Chef for a well known celebrity family in Philly.  Of course I was excited because we both shared a common love for food.  He was shocked at how cultured and into food I was (rolls eyes).  Even though he's Black/Haitian, he felt like a lot of black women were scared to try different foods, but boy did I prove him wrong (team black women 3 points lol)!  Elie knew the head chef at Tinto so we indulged and ate aged manchego cheese, tuna tar tare, duck, wrapped figs, almond gazpacho and sipped various red and white wines.  Since that day we became good friends and he took me to the Market Place where all the chefs and real foodies go to buy fresh food, the infamous South Street strip and all the hot restaurants like: Cuba Libre, Warm Daddy's, Distrito, Relish, Pattaya and more.  Although he was a Professional Chef, he actually hated cooking on his personal time ( I totally understand because I hate planning my own personal events) so he really enjoyed critiquing others food and dining around.

Elie was truly a good guy and blessing, but unfortunately he passed away.  His passing truly hurt my heart, but I am so very fortunate, honored and blessed he was a character in my life story. He helped teach me how to really enjoy life and not feel guilty for liking the finer things in life.
 #missu #gentlegiant #gucci #bestbrowniesonearth

 

 Elie (R.I.P) and his wonderful creations

 My "Philly Wife" (Ashley) was/is my Thelma. I remember us first meeting at Ms. Toosties Soul Food restaurant for happy hour.  Her southern accent she picked up from attending undergrad in ATL with her Cali born swag was refreshing.  Ashely is an old soul just like me so we hit it off instantly! This little woman is a bag full of fun, tricks and Ashly-isms ...No, really she has her signature phrases, like:

"Child please"

"Point, Blank and to the Period"

"I need to lay my burdens downs"

"I know that's right"

Ashley loved to shop and also dine around and cook. We would just walk around in Old City when it was nice out and talk, enjoy the nightlife, go to lunch at Devon's Seafood on Sundays and alternate cooking for our girls nights.  She loved my green curry mussels and shrimp dish, but Ashley makes a serious, jaw dropping cajun seafood alfredo...so good!  From our man issues, taking road trips, having our cars towed/ticketed and housewarmings, this little lady is also and still is a blessing from God, especially during that new period/journey in my life.   #ihearther #finnatodo #sweetred #youtheone...lol

 My "Philly Wife" Ash and I                                              Road trip to DC

       Lunch at Devon's Seafood                                       My Thai green curry mussels & shrimp dish

 I have lived alone before, but something about living alone out there was exactly what I needed.

I loved the artsy; boho-chic and eccentric culture out in Philly, I cooked all the time and tried new dishes, loved washing clothes, I liked adventuring out and getting lost and finding my way around the city, walking around my place naked (tmi), going to the King of Prussia and Cherry Hill mall, having my CT girls visit, meeting new people, dating, the Amish market, lunch with my co-workers (Tara and Lauren), curling up on my couch watching reality TV or reading a book with a glass of wine and being interrogated by my neighbors 7 year old daughter Emma about where I was going when she would see walking to my car all dressed up. My mother and I were already close, but for some reason when I moved we became closer and I actual shared my dating and relationship stories with her.

Geno's Cheese Steak (Nasty)                                   Jim's Cheese Steaks (Awesome)

El Vez (Mexican Restaurant - Good)                                    My neighbor's nosy daughter Emma

     My CT Din-HER  girlies came to visit (Pod Restaurant)                Pole Dancing  Aerobics #fail

 

  The cherry blossom trees on my street                                         Day trip to Atlantic City

 Dessert

All that time I knew God would help me find what I was looking for, but what I didn't expect is that the thing I would be finding was ME!  Of course, I thought I knew it all before the move and was doing pretty well for 26 back in CT, but I really didn't know myself as well as I thought. It's not that I didn't know anything about me at all, but I became even more aware and confident in who I am (LOVE it or LEAVE it), realized the things I won't settle for, I became more forgiving and easy going and I learned to take a break from being so heavily involved with various activities and focus more on me and give back again later.  Instead of group retreats, I learned to go on ME-Treats and treat/spend time with myself.

I think it's very important, especially for women to find, explore and know themselves. There is nothing more freeing and attractive than a woman who is confident, God fearing, knows where she's going and how to get there in 4inch heels and has her own life outside of her man, family and/or girlfriends.  Although I recently moved back to CT for business purposes, if I could go back to Philly I would!  But I know things happen for a reason and since my trust is in God, I am sure he will reveal to me the real reason I was called back home.

I'm not saying moving away is the answer to everything, but if you have the urge and opportunity to move, Do it! Like I was told back then and now able to testify to "You can always come back home if needed."

A Few Of My Favorite Philly Restaurants:

 PYT, Farmicia, The Wine Bar, Honeys, The Continental, El Vez, Carabas, Ms Tootsie, Devons Seafood, Silk City Diner, Cantina Dos Segundo, Relish, Blu2o, Barclay Pho, Pattaya, Milk Bar, Pinsetters, Fat Nygoya Sushi, Tuesdays, Jim's, Emerald Fish, Vango, Maggianos, North Bowl, Copa Banana and more.

                                                             Brunch dishes at Farmicia

 Caraba's Brownie (Yum)                 Cabana's Ice Water                                      Pho (Vietnamese food)