An Evening with Girlfriends
As our hostess and ultimate gourmet gal put it, "The Joys of Being Vaccinated" --so lovely. Thank you, Jill, for having (most of) our Foodie Night gang on your gorgeous patio last night. The weather was cooperative, the food was outstanding, and the company was divine. We began with a champagne toast to Science, worked our way through this beautiful tray of goodies, feasted on one of the best salads I've had --jam-packed with goodness and dressed in so much flavor (we didn't have the linked Kale Caesar --but the dressing was VERY similar and should literally be served on almost everything), then we finished with Jill's insane (not hyperbole) cookies. Bliss.
My Early Mother's Day Gift
Swoon. I'm in love with my Operetta crossbody that arrived this week. It's a splurge, for sure, but as you can see, it pairs great with my Target t-shirt and linen skirt! Balance, people. Balance.
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| "Am I doing this right?" |
Polish
It's certainly not the first time I've blogged about this Sally Hansen Insta-Dri polish. It always goes on in one coat and I love it (because that's all I ever carve out time for). I picked up a new shade for spring at the grocery store last week. This one is called Hail Cherry and it's a cheerful orangey-red.
Garden Surprises
Looky looky! Our first babies from the garden have made an appearance. We planted 4 tomato starts this year and hope to have even half the harvest we enjoyed last year. So long as we can keep the squirrels and raccoons at bay, we might have a chance. I'll keep you posted because, as you know, I'm basically a farmer now.
Virtual Community Potluck
My friend, Anne, texted a couple weeks ago, "I'm going to host this interesting dinner thing via Zoom. It's a community potluck, but there will just be four of us around my actual table. Do you and Greg want to come?" Me, "YES. Sounds confusing and fun. We'll be there." Fixa-Plate is the brainchild of Kathren Martin, a theatre professor, who came up with the concept: a community potluck to come together around the virtual kitchen table in order to share recipes and talk about the past and the future of Charlotte. There are several steps that come together to create the event. Participants create a "pod" (invite a few friends to their home for the dinner), choose a favorite recipe to share with the larger community group (in advance), and for the meal each "pod" makes a meaningful main dish (and perhaps 1-2 side dishes). In addition, your pod prepares one of the community members' side dish (that you've been "assigned" in advance --another pod is cooking and eating the favorite dish you shared earlier). Everyone enjoys their meals with Gran's biscuits that Martin has delivered to your door (it's her great-grandmother's recipe). Dinner is served in tandem across the community as each pod logs-on to the virtual experience. You're able to see other groups of friends and family as they sit around dining tables that stretch across Charlotte. Martin was an exceptional facilitator! She effortlessly and thoughtfully lead us through discussions around social justice, economic disparity, gentrification, and the history of Charlotte --all the while making us feel warm, welcomed, and a valuable part of the conversation. There was a nominal fee to participate (Martin allocates 40% of the proceeds to local nonprofits and charities) --but I'm so sorry to report that the event dates have passed. You missed it --or at least, this part of "It." Martin plans to build out the created and shared content of these dinners (in addition to other components) into an artistic production by Fall 2021. I look forward to seeing where she and her team takes us. While you missed participating in one of these unique dinners, you can watch the process unfold on Instagram by following the hashtag #fixaplate. If we're all very lucky, her concept will catch on and more of these events will be offered in the future --perhaps not only here in Charlotte, but elsewhere as well. In the meantime, follow @MixedMetaphorsProductions for more community engagement opportunities in Charlotte and to possibly become a part of the finished piece!
