October 13, 2014
From what I’ve heard and read, Minneapolis has undergone a huge change in the last 10 or so years. Thanks to growing food, design and blogging scenes, the one-half of Minnesota’s Twin Cities has become quite the creative hotbed. So when Eaman needed to me to tag along on his work trip to Minneapolis, I was more than happy to join.
Armed with suggestions from my friend and Minneapolis native Annie D’Souza of Worthy Pause (and the new site The Midwestival), here’s what I indulged in while there:
October 10, 2014
“Floral, event and art design. Teach yoga by day. Dinosaur by night. ” As soon as I real Natalie Gill’s Instagram profile, I knew she’d be a good fit for this series. What I didn’t know is that she teaches yoga at my studio, and—wait for it—I’ve been to some of her classes and had no idea yogi Natalie was the same Natalie of Native Poppy, a floral and event design company with a wild and natural aesthetic.
What a cool, serendipitous surprise, no? And I had no idea this talented, petite gal was chock full of so many thoughtful and unique rituals, like morning yoga practice in a garage, former training in the San Francisco Ballet and beautiful floral arrangement made with dead flowers found outside an auto mechanic’s shop. Yes, really!
Let’s get to know her!
October 8, 2014
I ran into a blogger friend Sunday night and almost immediately we started talking about restaurants in San Diego, as foodie bloggers tend to do. After rattling off a list of our favorites, she asked me what I thought about one particular restaurant I had blogged about. Did I really like it or was I just saying I liked it because I had to, she asked.
Ah, so there it was. Can you really trust a blogger who gets free stuff? It’s a valid question, considering how many unethical practices are thrown around in the blogging world these days, and it motivated me to address it point blank.
So here’s the deal: I’m in a more unique position than most bloggers. When I get invited to try a new restaurant, visit a hotel or sample a product, I’m getting pitched for my day job as a freelance writer, where I write about food, travel, style, weddings and entertainment for different magazines and websites. The understanding is that I’m trying it in consideration for a magazine story, not my blog. It’s research.* But this blog is a happy little synergy between my day job and my hobby, so it becomes this lucky second child who can reap the benefits from the first born.
I’m very rarely contractually obligated to blog about something, but when I do, it’s because I believe in the brand (and will also tell you if I didn’t like something). I really like what Whole Foods stands for, so I partnered on a blog post with them. I’m very committed to natural beauty products (as much as I can and afford), so I partnered with Beauty Counter and Simple Skincare.
Are there restaurants I don’t like and places that just don’t jive with me? Of course. I just don’t find it productive to devote a whole post to a restaurant or product I didn’t like. Wouldn’t you rather have news you can use? If I don’t love it, I won’t write about it, and you can count on that.
So thanks for listening to this minor detour. I think it’s an important issue to address, so dear blogger friend, thanks for unintentionally inspiring me!
*There’s of course a discussion of ethics in relation to that, but that’s a line I like to tread carefully on my own and not on this space since, well, it doesn’t have anything to do with the blog.
October 6, 2014
A few snaps from my weekend thanks to my iPhone…
On the one hand, this summer has been a psychotic beast that just won’t quit. On the other hand, I’d much rather be hot, hot, hot than cold and miserable. Last week I was cold and miserable in Minneapolis, so even though it was a scorcher this past weekend, I was loving the heat and warmth on my skin. We took Teddy and our friend’s pup Tilly to the Coronado dog beach so we could all cool down. Teddy behaved, Eaman bodyboarded and I played with a 3-month-old English bulldog puppy. It was one of the most perfect beach visits. And T was so exhausted he fell asleep on Tilly’s bum.
October 3, 2014
1. Forget about favorite September memory—going kayaking with Eaman and Teddy in Mission Bay was one of my favorite life moments. Photos sometimes make life seem so straight up joyous even when it’s not, but whenever you see a snap of us three, rest assured that it’s all real because it’s then that I’m at my happiest. When we came across the dog-friendly Aqua Adventures, we brought Teddy along for an afternoon on the water. Life jackets aren’t required for dogs and even though golden retrievers like Teddy are very capable swimmers, the handle on the jackets make it easier to pick him up when he jumped out of the kayak, which was often. At one point we didn’t allow him back on for a while half to teach him a lesson and half to swim himself tired.
around san diego - San Diego eats + drinks
October 1, 2014
I may not have lived San Diego for that long, but even I can see that there’s a huge shift going on in its food scene. Within just one year I’ve noticed San Diego step out from L.A.’s shadow and carve out its own spot in the food world with inventive menus, well-designed spaces and patrons who are actually excited for something new. And through it all, the East Village has led the charge for creativity (and let’s be real, gentrification). There’s Don Chido, Comun Kitchen & Tavern, Rare Form and its rooftop bar Fairweather, as well as the very industrial-cool event space Luce Loft and the fancy-schmancy Fit gym. The East Village, you can say, is having a moment.
The splashiest of new tenants to the neighborhood is Italian restaurant-market Bottega Americano. Many people refer to it as the West Coast answer to Eataly, but that’s just not accurate. While Eataly is made up of various food stations with a marketplace sprinkled throughout, Bottega is a restaurant at its core and marketplace on the side. That said, it’s one of the most fun, energetic dining experiences I’ve had so far in the city.
