Lilies and Love

So Sunday, my sweet man took me out to brunch. As much as I love the food at TreeHouse, I could only eat a little of their artichoke dip I love so much. My appetite is still hit-or-miss after all my recent medical difficulties. He enjoyed his huevos rancheros muchly, and we had a nice brunch on the whole.

However, he worries and thinks about me when I haven't been able to eat and a bit after he took me home from our repast, he showed back up . . . with dinner for me (my fave mozzarella pasta from Whole Foods - that good kind with the smoked mozz, penne and sundried tomato - tenderloin, and veggies). And Calla Lilies. My absolute favorite flower ever.

So sweet, and much appreciated. Food and flowers - even if I only eat the food bits at a time these days, I always grin like a Cheshire cat at fleurs - they so make this girl happy. And I love him even more for knowing how to make me smile, even when I don't really feel like it.

It's the little things that are so big.

Yours,
Love Bites,
Carrie Neal

Leavin' On a Jet Plane . . .

So my sweetie is gone for an important business trip, and I miss him muchly. Ok, ok, it's not for that long, just today til the weekend. He even stopped by to say a quick good morning and give me a kiss before his flight. (Girl chorus, "awww"). But I'm so used to  - we're so used to - seeing each other every day, and usually over one or two meals or at least a quick drink after work or a morning hello before our days begin that it feels weird to think "huh, what am I going to do for lunch??" Or dinner. Or even breakfast as we've been known to have all three together some days. Yes, we're that couple. We give each other schmoopy cards (he even came up with a Chinese Panda pen pal, "Peter Panda," who writes to Luke - how sweet is that??) and I get flowers and he gets homemade goodies brought to the office when he pulls an all-nighter, and we write each other emails and send quotes that make one of us think of the other . . . that kind of stuff. Yes, we text each other good night and good morning every day. It works for us.

So today, I did make my own breakfast (toast with avocado and swiss, yum) and lunch was solved when a dear friend of mine had me write some copy for him for his upcoming photography show (he needed help with his Artist Bio) and bought me lunch at Jalisco (I'm still supposed to eat fairly "bland" so chicken soup worked). Now I'm getting prettified at my dear hairdresser's . . . and contemplating what to do for dinner. Cook at home? Might be a nice change. I am sure I actually do have some good stuff I could rustle up. Go to one of our regular spots so it kinda feels like he's here? Hmm, maybe a little too co-dependent, or just either routine or not-the-same. Try someplace new (I have no problems going places solo, don't get me wrong)? Hmmm. . . decisions, decisions.

He has a business dinner and I'll figure it out here - I'm sure we'd rather be at one of our regular spots instead - but it's kind of nice to miss someone you love, and look forward to your next meal together. I'm just sorry he'll miss my 'do looking it's best tonight - but that's what cell phone pics you text your boy are for, right?

I hope you have someone you love to connect with over good food, whether it's eats at one of the Food Truck lunches or dinners, take-out Chinese from your favorite place, bar food at that favorite neighborhood spot where they all know you, or fancier digs and dishes from a favorite place like Paul's (see pic from last night's dinner!) . . . and if you miss a few meals together, take care of yourself and look forward to picking things back up when you're reunited. And maybe have a sweet or silly card on hand for your beloved.

That's how we roll, anyway, and it's pretty sweet, and savory.

Yours,
Love Bites,
Carrie Neal

He wanted Surf 'n I wanted Turf - Paul's had the perfect combination (plus veggies and fries and all kinds of sauces!).

Wheat Belly

Wheat Belly

So, I am absolutely FASCINATED by this topic: wheat. Bear with me (and check out this book summary my sweet and clever friend Kim shared on FB - go to The Healing Project- Wheat Belly) . . .

The author of Wheat Belly, William Davis, MD, posits that it is wheat that is responsible for . . . well, a lot of our physical (and emotional/psychological!!) ailments. Could this be true?? I don't think I eat a lot of wheat but reading the facts about its impact on glucose/insulin levels alone was enough to give me pause about what I DO eat, wheat-wise . . . and with my recent health scare (an e-coli based kidney infection) and associated symptoms from my experience, many of which rang true with examples Dr. Davis gave of what wheat can do and cause in your body, it's got me thinking . . .

Eggs - no increase in blood sugar levels. Full-fat cheese and good fats like avocado - excellent. Wheat-based products, particularly in the most "modern" versions, which have changed substantially in the last century, to the products (muffins, bagels, etc - did you know that the Average American, based on studies, consumes almost the equivalent, in wheat volume, of a loaf of bread a day??? I was shocked.) we now know and commonly eat . . . more glucose than a Snickers!! Wow.
.
I am going to have to mull this over - I mean, I love my pizza and my quesadilla habits, but what if cutting out wheat (ie, following the recommended diet suggestions in Chapter 14) totally changed how my body feels, looks, operates . . . it is a fascinating concept.

Read it and let me know what YOU think! Food for thought, indeed, to me.

Yours,
Love Bites,
Carrie Neal

Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD

The Sweetest Thing

The Sweetest Thing

See, he and I met over food. A local place that we both went, often, near his office and back in my very early days of writing food reviews, etc. This was about six+ years ago. Occasional happenstance on encountering each other turned into a friendship; it developed over the years.

Oh, he heard all my tales and travails - from "he's a nice guy, but..." to "OMG, he is totally crazy (note: that was definitely not an embellishment)"  . . . we knew each other well, let's say.

Then - something changed - spring, the air, too-good of a pizza that day we met for lunch . . . and it was on. And over the last five months - I've realized I'm in love with my best friend. This man knows me. He knows the good - the bad - the . . .everything. We're weirdly dorky in the same ways (he has this habit of telling stories where he mentions people's names with first and last; we both use words like "rubbish" . . . that sort of thing) and we are "foodie" in the same way - we can order something to share or split, decide on a dish, get  eat-in or to-go . . .it's seamless, the way we are about food - which is especially meaningful to me, given both my food history (he knows all my weird proclivities and past experience) and my love of "good stuff." We have one to three meals most days, together, and whether it's eggs or pizza or a good steak  - it just works.

I love him.

I love that he gets me, and I love that alot of our relationship is spent contemplating each other (and tackling the world's problems) over food. He's like my dad - stands up from the table, has me order first, always asks what I want- and either decides for us when he knows I want him to, or acquiesces to what I want . . . whether it's a grilled artichoke, a filet, or sushi  . . . or chicken fingers . . . whether it's food or love, it all works for me.

Maybe I got it right this time??

Yours,
Love Bites,
Carrie Neal

Oh, Yelp-y Love!

Oh, Yelp-y Love!

I have so many thoughts in my head right now, but one of the most recurring themes is the fantabulous dinner I had last night at Briza - with some of my most favorite "foodie" friends.

See, I'm a dork about certain things. Like vocabulary words and shoes . . . and good food. And my love for writing and chronicling "everything" met its match when I discovered Yelp five (!!! Time flies!!!) years back. As an "Elite" reviewer, I get lots of perks- special events, fun functions, the general "credibility" of having an opinion that means something (and I have loved reviewing on Yelp as an adjacent act to my paid writing reviews, whether resto or other. . . ) but last night . . . Was. Special.

Those of us who are "Elite"for five years or more get "Gold" status and last night there was a very, very, very (can I just say "wow"??) special dinner for the OG's (Original Golds, Atlanta Version) at Briza.

It was amazing. The service was exceptional - the company (we Yelpers think we're pretty cool but the 16 of us that were there - yeah, we rocked) was even better - and the food was excellent. We had a four-course, wine-paired dinner and it was just . . . awesome. I tend to dislike "fixed" menus in general because when there isn't a choice, usually what's up for one or more courses is not something I would order- this was the total opposite. Honestly? I'd order every dish they picked for me on a next-visit (and I plan to, because it was all so good AND because we got a gift certificate as part of our thank-you-goodie-bag!!) A starter of ahi tuna (meaty but small, perfectly sized, with kale chips!), a delicious pumpkin soup (creamy, yummy. and served in this cool mason jar with a flip-top lid) and a NY strip with a baked potato ("serrated" not "fluffed" and with a piece of bacon between each "slice"- OMG!) . . . I foisted my dessert off on my dining neighbor, not having much of a sweet tooth and being so happy with what I'd had.

Food + Friends = Fun. Simple equation, proven true (yet again) last night. Some people don't understand my relationship with Yelp - but if you've met the people I have through this site, and become friends online and in real-life, and you get to experience the kind of events I do as an Elite Yelper - you know what I mean about FFF.

I'm so glad my relationship with food has evolved through the years (no more anorexic teen eating an apple a day or melting fat-free cheese on a bagel- harrumph!), and that I have the privilege of writing about my dining escapades (on Yelp and other sites, some paid!!) and living out this passion I have . . . Because food is love - especially when in good company. And sharing the "tale" of it, well, that's a savory feeling to me.

Yours,
Love Bites,
Carrie Neal

Briza: a Midtown spot you must try!

Nugget Love

I'm gonna come out and say it loud and proud: I support Chick-Fil-A. As a business, for their right to exercise "philosophy" as they see fit (as long as they follow legal and ethical standards) and for their generous donations to a lot of people and organizations in our country.

However, I was disturbed today by two things: 1) all the posts on FB, etc about the "reversal" of position on organizations CFA supports/doesn't, and the whole "internal memo" discussion, and 2) the behavior I witnessed by a manager at one of my local CFA stores.

It was about 4:30 today, and I needed a snack since I'd only had half a bagel with cheese and avocado about 10:30, so I stopped at this particular Chick-Fil-A; it's one I've gone to over the years, and it's always been typically consistent (ie, busy, nice staff, great product). Nuggets and a diet Lemonade sounded perfect.

There were only four of us in line/at the register at the time - three young, black, dreadlocked guys and me. One of the guys totally smelled like pot. They all had kind of an awkward time ordering. Assumptions (reasonably made, I think) aside, I found the manager's behavior to be . . . over-eager. A tad too inquiring and, actually, patronizing. Repeated questions to the guys - "Was that a Chick-Fil-A sauce you wanted, or honey mustard?" and "Did you want a small lemonade or a medium?," etc - and then to me, "Ma'am, if you'll step over here, Allyce will be with you shortly" - duh, there were only four of us there, so I assumed she'd get to me in just a minute. The weird thing was - it wasn't like he was being racist or sexist or anything - except overcompensating - as if there had been some CFA manager conference call this morning and everyone was told to cow-tow to whomever came in the door and take it to the mattresses, so to speak.

Again, I fully support Chick-Fil-A as a business. But they need to make their business practices about what they've always been about- great food and superb service - and not listen to the "noise" out there, and serve people of every color, creed, gender-orientation, etc with equanimity and aplomb. I think that's possible- I think that's the kind of organization CFA really is. We shall see how they decide to (continue to) do business . . .

Yours,
Love Bites,
Carrie Neal

Ahh, love me some Chick-Fil-A nuggets!

Happy heart, Happy tummy . . .

I got out of the hospital a little over a week ago (Sunday the 9th) and as I've mentioned, so many people dear to me have tended to me in every way that I can never thank them enough.

Groceries brought - thank you, darling Godmother - house cleaned and supplies like water and diet Sprite and such supplied - thank you, sweet Mother - and friends who took me out for lunch or dinner.  All kinds of good souls checking in on me to make sure I'm eating, sleeping, etc and getting better and taking good care of myself.

I keep mentioning my hospital stay in posts because I can't quite believe I was sick enough to be kept for almost six days, and to go through all the things (tests, vital stats, etc) I did - it's surreal. I've done a lot to my body over the years - from abusing it with underfeeding to excercise purgatory . . . but I've always been "ok." Or so I thought.

Well, maybe in my 30s,"it" has caught up with me. It's time to . . . sleep, to eat even better (I've been a pretty healthy eater over the last few years but now it's clear I have to step up my game). So today, when I had a banana for breakfast with some OJ (I found out during my hospital stay I was dangerously Potassium deficient) and then an early-ish lunch of a grilled artichoke and a lean beef slider with ketchup, mustard and lots of water . . . I feel like I'm covering my bases better. Thankfully, I have the Boy and my family and friends who alternately cajole, check-in and convince me to a) eat something, b) eat something good and healthy for me, c) pace myself and not get stressed, just take it bite by bite and d) keep working on being healthy.

See, food and love and health -  it all rolls together when you let it. And I promise to let it. I am so thankful for the people tending to me and to the God who has guarded this body for 36 years - it's time for me to make sure I take good care of it for me, for Him, and for all of those who care about me.

Yours,
Love Bites,
Carrie Neal

Yummy beef sliders at Cheesecake Factory!