tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51229436594402193262024-03-05T06:31:46.938-05:00Naively ConfidentNaively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-13379365508917027602017-02-23T10:48:00.000-05:002017-02-23T10:48:30.890-05:00Life Without Facebook<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just over one month ago, I deactivated my Facebook account. The decision was several months in the making, so life without Facebook is working out just fine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Yes, election season played a large part in my decision. For the past six months or so, Facebook has been full of opinionated people who refuse to see another person's perspective. I can't remember the last time I heard someone say <em>"I understand what you are saying, but what if we thought about it this way...."</em> Instead, I just heard and read <em>"You're wrong! I'm right!"</em></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I'm not sure when everyone became an expert on <strong>every.single.subject.</strong> I even grew tired of reading the opinions with which I agreed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I tried the approach of unfollowing and defriending people who seemed to only post about politics. Unfortunately, that decision led me to seeing less from people who I really used to enjoy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Moreover, I noticed people were looking to fight about any topic. Back in September, I posted about a police involved shooting that happened two miles from my house. It was a situation that upset me because the story was suspicious and it happened so close to my home. People who have never liked or commented on my posts, or even wished me a Happy Birthday, had something to say to me for the first time in ten years. I had defended the black man and not the police which did not sit well with some of my Republican and Conservative "friends."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">By January, people were picking fights with me about the Carolina Panthers quarterback, Cam Newton. No disrespect to my home team, but they weren't even relevant at this point on the season. Why was someone trying to bring his name up?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Every day became a new topic that someone wanted to fight about. I tried not to engage, but there are some things I cannot overlook. I realized it was going to be best for me to walk away.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Not looking at Facebook every day has been a breath of fresh air. I feel happier. I roll my eyes less. I'm less aware of what is going on in the world, but isn't that what the news is for?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">If you were to ask, "<em>Do you miss anything about Facebook?" </em>I would have a handful of items:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1. The birthday reminder. I don't need to wish a Happy Birthday to that girl from high school that I haven't seen in nearly twenty years, but I did use it as a calendar for my friends birthdays.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">2. Stalking people. Yep, I said it. You can type someone's name into Facebook and there is probably a 95% chance you can find out what they look like, if they are single, where they work, etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">3. My photos. I'm realizing that I used Facebook as my photo album and a lot of my photos are not backed up anywhere else.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">While this blog isn't meant to inspire anyone else to delete Facebook, you should know that you can survive without. Until we can <strong>MAKE FACEBOOK GREAT AGAIN</strong>, you can keep up with me here or on Instagram.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-65472751767593512042017-02-12T16:22:00.005-05:002017-02-12T16:22:56.282-05:00Caprese Flatbread (NEW RECIPE)<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Apparently, converting salads to pizzas is my go-to lately. If you enjoy a Caprese Salad, then you will also like the version I made on a flatbread.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Before we get started with the recipe, I want to provide a quick pronunciation guideline for this style of salad. It is ca-pray-zeh. I've heard people say it like it has two ee's (Capreese). If you have ever ordered it that way in a restaurant, no worries. Now you know.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The salad version consists of tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, salt, and olive oil. The first three ingredients are traditionally sliced and layered while finishing with the last two ingredients.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">My flatbread version is not much different. I modified it slightly by adding drizzled Balsamic Vinegar on my layers before baking.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here is a step by step instruction on the recipe:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1. Prepare the flatbread. Depending upon what you purchase, you may need to thaw it or let it rise.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">2. Slice two Roma tomatoes. Add the slices on the doughy flatbread.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">3. Slice Mozzarella and layer on the flatbread. I did mine in between each tomato, but the style is up to you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">4. Thinly slice Basil. I used about seven leaves and placed them on top of the mozzarella slices.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">5. Add a touch of salt and pepper. Chef's call on how much.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">6. Drizzle Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar across the toppings and flatbread.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">7. Bake according to flatbread package instructions. (Mine was 10-12 minutes at 450 degrees)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I hope you enjoy it! Let me know if you do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-15674542776073605242017-02-06T17:48:00.000-05:002017-02-07T14:04:12.184-05:00Shame on You, Body Shamers<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Last night, the New England Patriots won another Super Bowl. Yawn. While their victory was marked by an epic second half comeback, the most impressive performance of the night was from Lady GaGa. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She started the performance from the roof of the dome. I'm reading today that portion was taped, but still. Once she landed on stage, she delivered a 13 minute medley of some of her biggest hits. No need to bring out anyone else - she owned that stage.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Every note was sung live. She danced her ass off. Pyro was everywhere. She played the piano. GaGa ended the performance in the only way that made sense - by dropping the mic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So guess what people are talking about today? Her stomach. During the live broadcast, she changed from a metallic bodysuit to sparkly bikini bottoms with a midriff baring top resembling football pads. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">GaGa has an incredible body. Yes, she has curves. She also has a rock hard physique that is necessary when singing and dancing the way she does all the time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apparently, the "internet experts" saw the small amount of skin that protruded from her stomach and appeared over the briefs from the not so flattering angles. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I won't highlight any of the haters by name on this blog, but the tweets are out there. Some saying she needs to lose weight and that it was a poor wardrobe choice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The body shaming has to stop. People are ignoring all of the great elements of her performance and focusing on an small amount of loose skin. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Can we just let women be the superstars they want to be without objectifying them? The average woman already has enough trouble feeling confident in her own skin without all the body shamers out there ripping apart someone that looks like this...<a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/lady-gaga-super-bowl-abs?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=Social&utm_term=801215780&utm_campaign=Women's%20Health" target="_blank">Lady GaGa pics</a> - photos courtesy of <a href="https://twitter.com/WomensHealthMag" target="_blank">@womenshealthmag</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1003914435"></span><span id="goog_1003914436"></span><br /></span>Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-31359998521861572872017-01-11T09:42:00.000-05:002017-01-11T09:42:35.339-05:00Greek Salad Pizza RecipeI love a Greek Salad. During the winter months, I prefer comfort food. Enter my Greek Salad Pizza.<br />
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You can make this pizza in under 30 minutes. Leftovers are guaranteed unless you are feeding a group.<br />
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<b><u>Ingredients</u></b><br />
Kale<br />
Red Onion<br />
Grape Tomatoes<br />
Olives (I prefer black or Kalmata)<br />
Feta Cheese, crumbled<br />
Pizza Crust<br />
Olive Oil<br />
Red Wine Vinegar<br />
Lemon Juice<br />
Greek Seasoning<br />
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<b><u>Directions</u></b><br />
1. Prepare your toppings (kale, red onion, grape tomatoes, and olives). You will notice I don't list a measurement for each topping. That is because I feel each person likes their pizza prepared differently and can make the judgement call.<br />
a. You will want to remove the tough stems from the kale and break into smaller pieces. I usually just rip greens apart as opposed to chopping. It just seems to work better.<br />
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b. Thinly slice your red onions.<br />
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c. Slice your tomatoes lengthwise. <br />
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d. Slice your olives<br />
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2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.<br />
a. Add the sliced onions to the oil and cook for five minutes.<br />
b. Add the tomatoes and cook for one minute.<br />
c. Add the kale and cook until it begins to wilt, about two minutes.<br />
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3. Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the olives.<br />
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4. To prepare the Greek Salad dressing drizzle, combine 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of Greek Seasoning.<br />
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5. If no pre bake (check the crust package instructions) is required, place toppings and the crumbled feta atop the pizza dough. I used a full 4 oz. container of crumbled feta. (I love cheese)<br />
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6. Drizzle the dressing across your pizza evenly. I added a few extra sprinkles of Greek Seasoning at this point, too.<br />
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7. Bake according to crust package instructions and enjoy!<br />
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<br />Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-80104938258434033282016-12-20T10:29:00.000-05:002016-12-20T10:29:10.092-05:00Best of 2016<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let's face it. 2016 had some ugly moments. For just a moment, though, I want to focus on the lighter side of life and provide a list of my favorite things from this year. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Best New TV Show...This Is Us</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">I was hooked from the very first episode. The writing is phenomenal. To be able to show the viewer the past and present of characters within each episode is a new approach that works surprisingly well. The casting is great, too. I especially love how all of the younger versions of Kate, Kevin, and Randall look and act like their grown up versions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Best Fashion Trend...Less Skinny Jeans</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Skinny jeans were in style so long that mom jeans even had a tapered leg. We're finally seeing boot cut as the preferred option again and even a few wide leg pant styles. My chicken legs thank you for the change.</span><br />
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<strong>Best New Album...Beyoncé "Lemonade"</strong></span><span style="font-family: "arial";">Holy hell...Bey ain't messing around. She came back with a vengeance on this album (and stole the Super Bowl half time show without even trying). Maybe she's making the most of the tabloid headlines, but some great songs came out of it. We've seen her collaborate before, but "Don't Hurt Yourself" featuring Jack White was an unexpected direction.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Best Make Up Product...Eye Lid Primer</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">At first, I thought that make up companies were just trying to take our money by making a primer for every part of your face. Eye lid primer, though, really makes a difference. I can now work a ten hour day and still have eye shadow on my lids...as opposed to running down my cheeks, in the creases, or the oh so familiar vanishing act.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Best Comeback...Michael Phelps</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">He has always been a beast, but something was off in 2012. The personal struggles mimicked those that we saw in the pool. Flash forward to the 2016 Rio Olympics where he dominated and showed growth as a man, father, and soon to be husband. He says he is retiring, so luckily we always have this image to remember him by.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Best Instagram Account...Women IRL</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Sometimes I prefer a motivational quote or a cat video, but <a href="https://www.instagram.com/womenirl/" target="_blank">Women IRL</a> is just so real (which is good because IRL stands for In Real Life). It is nice to see that so many other women are comfortable with sharing the not so perfect side of life.</span><br />
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<strong>Best Response to Tabloid Trash...Jennifer Aniston</strong></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">After years and years of being judged for...well, everything, Jennifer Aniston finally spoke out to the Huffington Post. Here is a link to her inspirational <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/for-the-record_us_57855586e4b03fc3ee4e626f" target="_blank">For the Record</a> contribution.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">Best Quote...When They Go Low, We Go High</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I will admit it. I could have used this quote about ten years ago. It is so easy to fight back with even more toxic words when someone comes at you with some trash. Thank you to Michelle Obama for giving me this guideline which now helps me when I read the daily trash...a.k.a. Facebook political opinions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, here's to you, 2016. You have taught us a lot and also shown us we have even more to learn. Here's hoping that 2017 is full of laughter, more open-mindedness, and reasons to celebrate life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-61610535747863689882016-12-16T12:05:00.001-05:002016-12-16T12:05:06.534-05:00She's Your Lobster Mac & Cheese Recipe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I recently bought a lobster tail with no clear intention of how I would prepare it. Lobster seems so fancy, but would that mean it was challenging to prepare? </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmv4ZrlenX7jlftj9G9jDDW6TdFMB62wSu7cp1yctf4q5FzLbQfwHHIGk3hBjNjtYwgso3WsKXCf0vF6fCJY2g3VdvKSMxnj1gFl_JGfcIC7qnCP81vN59HZSLOQBqdvmoGbzQuZw7436Z/s1600/IMG_1805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmv4ZrlenX7jlftj9G9jDDW6TdFMB62wSu7cp1yctf4q5FzLbQfwHHIGk3hBjNjtYwgso3WsKXCf0vF6fCJY2g3VdvKSMxnj1gFl_JGfcIC7qnCP81vN59HZSLOQBqdvmoGbzQuZw7436Z/s400/IMG_1805.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The answer is no. I did a quick Pinterest search for lobster recipes <em>(can we all agree Pinterest is the greatest thing on the internet?) </em>and was reminded of how much I love Lobster Mac and Cheese. Since I didn't have the exact ingredients on hand for any of the recipes I found, I simply used a <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/" target="_blank">Pioneer Woman</a> recipe as inspiration.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I'm calling my version She's Your Lobster Mac & Cheese as a tribute to the TV Show Friends. Here's a video for reference:</span><br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TyvRjF0NBeM/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TyvRjF0NBeM?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I seriously loved Friends, but anyway, back to the recipe...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Ingredients:</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 oz Macaroni Shells</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 Tbsp salted butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 oz Lobster Tail (meat removed and chopped into chunks)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/8 Cup Whole Wheat Flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ground Sea Salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ground Black Pepper </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/3 Cup Shredded Cheddar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/3 Cup Shredded Mozzarella</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 oz Goat Cheese</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Directions:</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1. Add your uncooked pasta to boiling water. However, don't cook to al dente as you normally would. You'll want it to be a little undercooked since the pasta will be baked as well. I boiled my pasta for 5 minutes, drained, and set aside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">2. Melt 2 Tbsp of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. As it melts down, add the lobster chunks. Side note from me - breaking the lobster meat out of the shell was kinda gross. I did it by hand, but I think scissors are the correct method.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">3. You should only cook the lobster for 1 minute and then set aside. Similar to shrimp, lobster doesn't take long to prepare. Plus, you are going to bake the lobster as well.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHeqPrXD0NPumd7uOrocaohcPwYCOWSSs8wDB5nmEwb-r8yfCJ8Wc41tx5OQv_GGM7qeoaG6L-JNDmObDeJwMfA3T_lkepO1dAZoF7KW21m_vE48Uj8wgkJrlXw2lBWaT80eWWxEcap6nb/s1600/IMG_1808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHeqPrXD0NPumd7uOrocaohcPwYCOWSSs8wDB5nmEwb-r8yfCJ8Wc41tx5OQv_GGM7qeoaG6L-JNDmObDeJwMfA3T_lkepO1dAZoF7KW21m_vE48Uj8wgkJrlXw2lBWaT80eWWxEcap6nb/s400/IMG_1808.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">4. Speaking of baking, go ahead and pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees at this point.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">5. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter to the skillet. Slowly add in the flour and whisk to combine. You are making your <a href="http://www.dictionary.com/browse/roux" target="_blank">roux</a> which is one of my favorite cooking words. It is just fancy for thickening. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">6. After about one minute, add the milk and continue to whisk. The sauce will bubble and you need to stay focused on whisking it for about three minutes so it doesn't stick to the skillet or get chunky.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">7. Add your salt and pepper to taste. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">8. Add your cheeses and stir to combine. You should have a beautiful, bubbly creation at this point.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">9. Add the lobster and pasta to your skillet and stir so that the sauce covers everything.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">10. Pour the mixture into a baking dish and top with a little bit more Parmesan. Bread crumbs would be tasty here, too!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">11. Bake for 20 minutes. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzdZlzc1GtwbvIPcEyWHnIv3b2IUFaM0BPiLQW2aC2Qe1Ut66S_N1L42gHy15sF7QigUJeHGlS3e7l4E6ZZaTVNiwjmnxb_uL7QAaI1Ig7cFh_gpqlW74FNwkxBGbP6qgGw-SSPhTPSTN/s1600/IMG_1813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzdZlzc1GtwbvIPcEyWHnIv3b2IUFaM0BPiLQW2aC2Qe1Ut66S_N1L42gHy15sF7QigUJeHGlS3e7l4E6ZZaTVNiwjmnxb_uL7QAaI1Ig7cFh_gpqlW74FNwkxBGbP6qgGw-SSPhTPSTN/s400/IMG_1813.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I was very pleased with how my recipe turned out. So tasty and comparable to the restaurant varieties I've tried before. I paired it with broccoli to try to balance out all the carbs and dairy. I'm excited I finally cooked lobster. What should I try next?</span><br />
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Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-61964847873498350412016-11-29T15:55:00.002-05:002016-11-29T15:56:06.473-05:00Charlotte's Most Eligible Bachelorette Over 35?<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, </span><a href="http://www.charlottefive.com/meet-charlottefives-most-eligible-bachelors-and-bachelorettes/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Charlotte Five</span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> is holding a competition for the most eligible bachelors and bachelorettes in the area and I'm...<em>cough</em>...too old for it. If I were eligible, below would be my answers to their questions:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong>Age:</strong> 36</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong>Profession:</strong> Event Manager (Thirteen years with racecars led me to one year and counting with performing arts...because that was the obvious path).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong>Tinder Profile Line (Feel Free to Create One Here</strong>): Tinder is horrible (but seriously it is).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong>Brewery or Wine Bar:</strong> Wine bar, but I would never say no to a brewery.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong>U.S. Whitewater Center or EpiCentre:</strong> Neither? I am one of the few people in Charlotte who has never been to the whitewater center, but I am not ready yet after that whole brain eating amoeba thing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong>Mint Museum visit or Panthers' game:</strong> Panthers' game...100% #KeepPounding</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong>Spirit Animal (or Patronus):</strong> A gazelle (or so I'm told)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong>Favorite Charlotte Hangout:</strong> The NoDa neighborhood. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong>Why should we pick this person, really? </strong>I'm pretty sure someone else is supposed to answer this one for me, but....I'm an independent, self-supporting woman with no kids (don't want them, either) that enjoys new adventures. I know what I like, but I'll certainly try something new as well. Watching reality TV shows is my version of therapy. I enjoy helping other people solve their problems (it's a blessing and a curse).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">So, Charlotte Five, when you are ready to recognize the Old Lady Gang in CLT, look me up at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/naivelyconfident/" target="_blank">@naivelyconfident</a> on Instagram!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span>Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-73887135616248770002016-11-11T12:17:00.000-05:002016-11-11T12:17:04.703-05:00Fall Flavors at The Asbury<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About one year ago, I was introduced to <a href="http://www.theasbury.com/" target="_blank">The Asbury at The Dunhill Hotel.</a> A friend and I were looking for a new place to try brunch on a cold, rainy weekend in Charlotte. We saw online that The Asbury was a top rated brunch spot in Charlotte. We gave it a chance and it did not disappoint.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Since then, I have returned to the restaurant many times for lunch. Last night was my first time for dinner at The Asbury.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">If you are yet to visit this restaurant, you should know that the cuisine is described as modern Southern. With a menu that changes each season, you'll never run out of options to try.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Each time I have been to this restaurant I have ordered the deviled egg appetizer. While a staple on the ever-changing menu, Chef Matthew Krenz prepares them differently each day. The menu description even lists them as "Chef's whim." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Last night's variety was served topped with chives and crispy country ham. The crispiness of the meat was a nice contrast to the creaminess of the egg yolk. Served as a quantity of four, they are perfect for sharing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">For my main course, I decided to go with the chicken pot pie. The dish is presented in a deconstructed form thus not served in a pie shell. For those crust lovers, the chicken and root vegetables are still paired with a biscuit. The chicken breast is boneless and skinless, but not diced as you would normally see in a pot pie. The same applies to the whole carrots still intact with a short stem. While a typical pot pie has a heavy cream base, this dish is resting in a light roasted lemon jus and beets. Although lighter, the portion size is plentiful and you'll leave feeling full. I would have liked a little more biscuit to sop up the light sauce and smaller bites, but overall a really nice addition to the current menu.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">For those who enjoy a season cocktail with each meal, I highly recommend the Fall Punch. It is a perfect blend of tequila, elderflower liqueur, apple cider, lemon, and cinnamon. For those who fear the strong flavor of a tequila, you cannot taste it in this drink. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The Dirt Candy was recommended to me by the staff, but I thought it might be a bit too thick for a before dinner drink. This beverage is comprised of gin and sweet potato, orange, and cardamom flavors.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Looking for a non-alcoholic seasonal drink? They have two options with the Apple Cider Shrub Fizz and the Herbalizer. The Apple Cider Shrub Fizz got two thumbs up from my pregnant friend.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The fall menu at The Asbury cannot be missed. It is full of other comfort food options like Shrimp and Grits and Beer-Braised Pork Cheeks. For the vegetarians, there is a Steamed Babbage Roll that is stuffed with spaghetti squash and mushrooms.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I'm told the winter menu is going through final approval this week which leads me to believe the fall menu won't be around much longer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">On your next trip to Uptown, don't overlook The Asbury on the corner of Tryon and Sixth Streets. The dining room is small and quaint, but also perfect for group dinners. The service is always top notch. The staff is very attentive and educated on the menu. For those not from Charlotte and also looking for accommodations in Uptown, the restaurant is located inside of <a href="http://www.dunhillhotel.com/" target="_blank">The Dunhill Hotel.</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-82315986273476778282016-11-10T12:51:00.001-05:002016-11-10T12:51:40.664-05:00An Open Letter to the Powerful Women<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To say people are vocal about their thoughts on the outcome of the election is an understatement. Admittedly, it didn't turn out the way I hoped it would, but getting angry about it doesn't change the outcome. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Feeling defeated isn't the right reaction either. </span><span style="font-family: "arial";">In the twenty-four hours that followed election night, I unfortunately heard several women express statements of hopelessness. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>"We'll never have a woman president now."</strong></span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>"It's not even worth trying to fight for equal pay."</strong></span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>"We will always be considered less than a man."</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Where did all the strong women go? Are we really just going to give up like that? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">For me, personally, what happened on Tuesday night is just more motivation. We were thisclose to having our first woman president. <em>(Some might even argue she should have won since she had more votes in the Popular Vote) </em>I don't understand why we would give up now when we are the closest we've ever been.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Now is the time to use her hard fought battle as inspiration. Keep pushing boundaries. Keep making your voice heard. Stand up for your rights. Since when do we lose one battle and quit fighting additional ones?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We need to fight to keep the rights we have earned. We control our bodies, not the government. No matter where you stand on the abortion issue, let's all agree that should be the decision of the involved parties.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Stand together, ladies. Continue to support each other. Let your daughters know the same.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-6431491917417818942016-10-28T15:09:00.001-04:002016-10-28T15:09:10.485-04:00NEW BLOG: Top Ten Things to Know about RenFest (Blog on EWP)<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Check out my new blog on Eat Work Play Charlotte!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.ewpclt.com/ewp-eat/2016/10/26/top-10-things-to-know-about-the-carolina-renaissance-festival" target="_blank">http://www.ewpclt.com/ewp-eat/2016/10/26/top-10-things-to-know-about-the-carolina-renaissance-festival</a><br />
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<br />Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-88651098835742641752016-10-26T15:49:00.002-04:002016-10-26T15:49:56.569-04:00Heirloom: Charlotte Foodies' Tasting Experience & Review<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last night, I lived a foodie's dream come true. Due to my recent contributions to <a href="http://www.cltfoodies.com/">www.cltfoodies.com</a>, I was able to join diners at Heirloom Restaurant for a six course meal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Um, hello, six courses? I didn't even know that was possible. Here is a photo play by play of the evening along with my thoughts on each round.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1<sup>st</sup> Course - </span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Lucky Clay’s Butter Lettuce</strong>Bosky Acres Cream Cheese, Against the Grain Farm Jimmy Nardello Peppers, Ann Marie’s Dutch Salt Crust Croutons, Boyle Farm Red Onion</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong><em>Review: A very tasty salad due to the spicy peppers. I love spicy food, so it was perfect for me. I enjoyed the presentation of the salad as it was served on a slate slab to each diner.</em></strong></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2<sup>nd</sup> Course - </span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>“The Chef’s Farmer’s” Butternut Squash Bisque</strong>Spiced Squash Seeds, Wicking Bed Lemon Balm Oil</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong><em>Review: This soup was very creamy. I find that butternut squash can have a strange taste sometimes, but this one was incredibly creamy and smooth on the pallet. I assume that was due to the lemon balm oil. The squash seeds added a nice crunch.</em></strong></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3<sup>rd</sup> Course - </span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Harmony Ridge Egg Yolk Pasta Rustico</strong>Dover Farm Heirloom Tomato Sauce, Dunnie Smith’s NC Wild Shrimp, Ma Cha’s Thai Chili, Barbee Farm Confit Garlic, Wicking Bed Arugula, UAV Mozzarella</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong><em>Review: The sauce on this pasta tastes like a buffalo chicken dip (that is a compliment in my book). The type of pasta noodle was an unusual choice, but I still enjoyed it. There were entire cloves of garlic in the dish which I loved.</em></strong></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4<sup>th</sup> Course - </span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Harmony Ridge Duck Breast</strong>Against the Grain Farm Magic Molly Potatoes, Paul Brewington’s Kale, Duck Jus</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong><em>Review: I'm not an expert on duck, but I found this course delicious. The potatoes and kale were prepared to perfection.</em></strong></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5<sup>th</sup> Course - </span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Cackleberry Yogurt</strong>Ann Marie’s Caramelized Spent Grain & Chef Foraged White Walnut Granola, Rooftop Honey, Renfrow Hardware Wonderful Pomegranate</span><br />
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<strong><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Review: Another fantastic presentation with the cheese course arriving on the slate. I wasn't sure what to think about this dish based on appearance only. I expected to receive yogurt in a bowl or small dish. The pomegranates were very tart...a little too tart for my taste. The spent grain and white walnut granola were very crunchy.</span></em></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6<sup>th</sup> Course - </span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>S’more</strong>Renfrow Hardware Fire Roasted Chestnuts, Graham Cake, French Broad Chocolate Sauce, Mallow</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong><em>Review: This course was the one I had looked forward to the most all day. It lived up to expectations. The graham cake had a saltiness to it that paired perfectly with the sweet chocolate and marshmallow.</em></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The overall experience at Heirloom was fantastic. I would definitely go there again. The service was on point. The chef and pastry chef came out at the end of the evening to say hello. They are both very humble and have a passion for preparing food.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">For anyone hoping to take part in a foodie dinner experience like this one in the future, make sure you are following @cltfoodadventures on Instagram as well as the website <a href="http://www.cltfoodies.com/">www.cltfoodies.com</a>. More opportunities are currently in the works!</span>Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-24594343575911280462016-10-13T14:14:00.001-04:002016-10-13T14:14:38.204-04:00How I Got My Degree at WebMD<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Doctors will caution you not to self diagnose via the internet. I disagree. Without the access to WebMD, I never would have been able to diagnose myself with Ankylosing Spondylitis in record time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>The Beginning (January 2010</strong>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I was living the very active life of a traveling event manager. I slept on airplanes, ate overpriced room service, and managed motorsports Opening Ceremonies nearly twenty weekends per year. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><strong>Opening Ceremonies at Daytona International Speedway</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><strong>(Tim Tebow still played college football at this time)</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">During a night at home, I woke up in the middle of the night with a sore eye. It felt like it was maybe a scratch. It was very sensitive to light. When I say very sensitive, I mean it was painful to look at my digital alarm clock in the dark room. I was even sensitive to the brightness when my eyes were closed. I managed to sleep the remainder of the night, but woke up the next morning with an extremely red eye. I didn't have an eye doctor at the time <em>(I was slacking on making appointments in the past three years that I had lived in Charlotte. I have perfect vision thanks to LASIK).</em> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I made an appointment with an optometrist near my house. I was then referred to an ophthalmologist. This doctor diagnosed me with uveitis which is an inflammation to the muscle in the eye. He prescribed steroid eye drops and dilating eye drops for several weeks of treatment. The treatment was mostly painless, but the ophthalmologist wanted to put me through several rounds of tests to see what might have contributed to the uveitis.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>I was tested for what felt like everything possible. </strong>Chicken Pox and Shingles, various STDs, and so much more. One test the doctor ran came back positive. It was for the gene HLA-B27. <em>I believe my response was, "What exactly is that??"</em> He explained that it was a genetic marker that often led to inflammatory issues within the body and I might have problems later on in life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I did what any good person would do. I came home and immediately Googled HLA-B27. I found that what he said was 100% accurate and that this gene often led to diagnoses of Crohn's, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Uveitis (<em>hey, that's me!),</em> Psoriatic Arthritis, and Ankylosing Spondylitis. I had to do some research on that last one, but it turns out it was a type of arthritis that typically affects younger people.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Flash forward to October 3,2011</strong></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;">Moments before the drivers' mom said </span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;">"Drivers, Start Your Engines"</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I was still living the glamorous (sometimes not so glamorous) life of a traveling event manager. I woke up the morning of October 3rd feeling like an 80 year old woman, though. My back was so stiff that I couldn't bend it. I sort of had to roll out of bed. I took two ibuprofen and went on to work. For the next two weeks, I continued to have back pain off and on. Something also just felt off in my body. I can't explain how I felt, but I didn't feel like I normally did. I decided to see a Primary Care Physician. <em>(Guess what? I didn't have one of those either.) </em>Again, I found an office by my house and made an appointment to see a lady who looked nice in her picture on their website. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I was able to get in about two days after I requested the appointment. I sat down with the doctor and explained my symptoms. I then added, <strong><em>"I also thought I should let you know that I have the HLA-B27 gene and I might have Ankylosing Spondylitis."</em></strong> She turned her head to the side and looked up at the ceiling like she was trying to do math in her head. After a brief pause, she said "I remember that from Medical School."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I underwent a few tests that revealed a bulging disc in my back. For the next two months, I began treatment with pain medication and physical therapy. It was possibly helping, but definitely not fixing the problem. I began seeing a physiatrist which in layman's terms is a doctor that treats general pain and works on a rehabilitation plan. I told him my HLA-B27 theory, but he was focused on treating the bulging disc.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">My pain was continuing and I had developed the new symptom of swollen/inflamed ankles. They were so inflamed that I could not bend them. I was walking with a limp. I would have to stretch them out multiple times a day to help with mobility. I recall how challenging it was to stand up after a seat position. When your back is in pain and your ankles won't budge, you become a bit limited. <strong>Admittedly, I felt quite defeated.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I didn't stay defeated for too long. Something was wrong with my body and it was up to me to make them find it. I called the primary care physician's office back and said "I know you all think I am crazy, but something is wrong. I really think I have this disease and I need to come back in."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">They scheduled an appointment the following morning (<em>score one point for this crazy bitch</em>). The doctor came in the exam room and said "I've been talking to a colleague about you. There may be something to this gene." She ran a full set of blood work. I've honestly never seen that many vials of blood come out of a person. She also called and got me an appointment with a Rheumatologist for the following week. (Typical wait time is over a month. <em>That brings my score to two</em>).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>The Diagnosis (January 12, 2012)</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">On this date, I met Dr. Elnaz Tabrizi<strong>.</strong> She spent one hour with me in the exam room. I told her about every bodily function from the past three months. She listened and asked additional questions. Dr. Tabrizi sent me for additional testing <em>(I was pretty sure I had no blood left to give, but they took more). </em>I also was sent for more x-rays and MRIs. This time they focused on the sacroiliac joints. They are located below the waist and connect your pelvis to your spine. An area commonly affected by Ankylosing Spondylitis in the early stages.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">The next day I was home from work. All that blood work had revealed I had mono <em>(as if I didn't have enough going on already). </em>I received a phone call mid-day from Dr. Tabrizi. <strong>She gave me the news I had been waiting to hear for over three months</strong>. I had erosion of my sacroiliac joints that is a telling sign of spondylitis. The first words out of my mouth were "So, I'm not crazy?!".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">The average time on diagnosis of Ankylosing Spondylitis is five years. I managed to get mine in roughly three months. Let me rephrase that, I fought hard to get mine in roughly three months. The internet is full of opinions and misinformation. However, there are some really good websites out there. Web MD is a trusted source. The Mayo Clinic is also good for health problems. There are plenty of sights catered to specific diseases, too. You just have to be careful not to get caught up in the comments section.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I can't preach this enough...you have to stand up for yourself. There is absolutely no reason to accept the initial diagnosis a doctor gives you if the treatment isn't fixing your problem. You know your body better than anyone else ever will. Before you go to the doctor's office, I encourage you to do your research. Look into the possible causes, diagnoses, and treatments. You will thank yourself later.</span><br />
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<strong> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">My miracle drug</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span>Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-91796581276469748632016-10-11T12:57:00.001-04:002016-10-18T10:45:36.932-04:00The Struggle of Being a Confident Woman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why does society continue to frown up a confident woman? Parents raise their daughter to be confident, but as adult women we're reminded to stay humble. Finding the perfect balance can be quite the struggle especially as a female in the workplace.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Certain roles within the workplace were designed for women to assist the man with the larger task i.e. secretary, nurse, or hygienist. These jobs are all very important, let me make that clear. However, a woman is more accepted in those positions and may not face some of the same critiques if she aspires to a leadership position.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I've never known what I wanted to do with my life, but I always knew I liked being in charge. I was drawn towards the jobs with more responsibility and the ability to lead others. It didn't take long to realize that I was going to have to work twice as hard to be seen as a candidate in some roles. I saw it as an enticing challenge, though, and held my head high as I climbed that corporate ladder. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I was raised to be an assertive adult. Because of that, I tend to be perceived as outspoken. If standing up for yourself and others who can't find their voice is outspoken, then, sure, I'll take that. My "outspokenness" has done a lot of good in my career. I've gotten people hired, promoted, and recognized for their hard work. I've found solutions in the workplace that were otherwise overlooked or kept inside a closed mouth. Admittedly, I've also contributed to one person getting fired, but I was looking at the big picture of the company at the time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I'm very confident in my decisions and actions. I am not afraid to speak up in a meeting or in front of a group of people. Because of this confidence, I'm often referred to as bossy or as a bitch. I've been instructed to watch the way I speak to people. I overcorrected it so much at once point that I was then asked why I was being so quiet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">In the past three years, I've worked very hard to find the balance of being an assertive female, but also choosing my words carefully. I know that many of the things I say would be viewed appropriate by a man. I'm not afraid to work on myself and listen to the constructive criticism of others, though.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>Photo Credit: Official Headshot</em></span></span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: "arial";">I know I am not alone in this struggle. A lot of these challenges are playing out as Hillary Clinton campaigns to be the first woman President of the United States. Now...I'm not saying I agree with Secretary Clinton on everything, but I think a lot of her actions and mannerisms would be overlooked if she were a man. She's playing "the game" as well as a man at this point and people do not like it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I see women in sports such as Serena Williams judged on every reaction she has following a match...win or lose. Even worse, she is judged for her appearance instead of her athleticism (but that's an entirely different blog...). Pat Summitt was an incredible coach and leader to her players. She did not sugar coat her words and refused to change her coaching style. Some saw her as too harsh, but her legacy lives on through her former players and assistant coaches.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><em> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.christianpost.com/">www.</a></span></em><a href="http://www.christianpost.com/"></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.christianpost.com/"><em>christianpost.com</em></a></span></span><br />
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I wish I could wrap up this blog with some sort of cute tagline or "Top 5 Things to Know if You are a Bossy Bitch" but, unfortunately, I haven't figured that all out yet. The best advice I can give to my fellow confident women is to keep speaking up. Some people may cringe at your assertive ways, but plenty of others are applauding you for taking a stand. Fight for those who support you; not those who frown upon you. </span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span>Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-92037712682361076632016-10-05T13:00:00.001-04:002016-10-05T13:00:53.037-04:00NEW BLOG: Charlotte's Dream Team (blog on EWP)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Check out my new blog on Eat.Work.Play Charlotte. The link is below. This one was fun for me because I pitched the story to both Eat.Work.Play and the chefs. It was great to meet them and hear their story. The link is below if you aren't a regular viewer on <a href="http://www.ewpclt.com/">www.ewpclt.com</a>.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.ewpclt.com/ewp-eat/2016/10/4/charlottes-dream-team-the-radical-range-riders">http://www.ewpclt.com/ewp-eat/2016/10/4/charlottes-dream-team-the-radical-range-riders</a><br />
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<br />Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-18503924882717499192016-09-29T11:29:00.000-04:002016-10-18T10:47:42.715-04:00Tapas & Cocktails in NoDa<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In the nine plus years I’ve lived in Charlotte, I’ve always been drawn to the NoDa neighborhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s short for North Davidson for anyone outside of Charlotte currently reading this blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has a simplicity you can’t find in any other part of this city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The vibe is great and the people watching is even better.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In the past year, the NoDa neighborhood has started to see change that leaves some local residents begging for it to remain as is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the positive side of the change is new restaurants to experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Davidson Street Public House is one of those new spots.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Specializing in tapas (small plates), Davidson Street Public House makes for a great group outing where you can share several dishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first item I saw on the menu was PBLT Sliders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are wondering what the PB stands for, it is Pork Belly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pork Belly is a menu item that used to scare me strictly because of its name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once I pushed past the fear, I was able to enjoy a delicious part of the “other white meat.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This PBLT also includes a fried green tomato and pimento cheese.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, basically, it embraces all things Southern in one bite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each order comes with two sliders which was perfect for my friend and I to each have one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a small sandwich, they are very hearty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The next item we chose to order was the Corn and Jalapeno Fritters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know if I can actually explain just how great this item is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inside of the crispy exterior is a creamy and spicy ball of cheese.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found the spice to be very minimal, but some might notice the jalapeno more than I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The creaminess is exceptional.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We sort of paused after each bit to embrace the taste and texture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This dish is served with five fritters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are so great that I could have eat all five by myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just my luck – my friend thought they were amazing, so I had to share.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">An order of Bruschetta appeared at our table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was mistakenly ordered for our table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We explained to our server and she allowed us to keep it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We lucked into a great dish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This bruschetta was beautiful in its presentation atop a black serving board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bread slices were topped with tomatoes, red onion, red bell pepper, lemon and goat cheese spread, asiago, and a basil and balsamic glaze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of which was flanked by arugula.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">You may be thinking we didn’t order anything else, but there is more tasty food to tell you about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also ordered the Roasted Brussels Sprouts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was served in a cast iron skillet on top of a white serving plate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These Brussels sprouts had a surprising spicy kick to them that I really enjoyed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This vegetable is another item that I avoided at a younger age, but have learned that with the proper seasoning and preparation are really incredible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We completed our food order with the Heaven and Hell Deviled Eggs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is jalapeno in the creamy egg mixture, so this spice has become a welcome constant in many of the dishes we ordered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Topping off the deviled egg is candied bacon which added some crunch and an extra dose of sweet and salty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">All of the tapas we ordered were under $10 each.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were able to get enough food (actually more than enough as we left a few bites) for an incredibly reasonable price.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In addition to the incredible food, Davidson Street Public House has an extensive drink menu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, the food menu is one page while the drink menu is nearly five pages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They serve a variety of wines, specialty cocktails, and craft beers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The beer selection is pretty impressive as many of them were new names.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The local breweries in Charlotte are also well represented on this menu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because there are so many great beers available at this restaurant, I’d love to see flights as a purchase option in the future.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The entire dining experience was flawless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shout out to our server, Monique, who helped guide us through the menu, gave us extra time to decide, and split our checks with no issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These qualities in addition to the great food and drink made for a perfect Friday night dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the group style food selections and TVs placed at the bar and along the back wall, I can see this restaurant being a great place to watch an away game for the Panthers.</span></div>
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Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-60267895155006379122016-09-20T16:55:00.005-04:002016-09-20T16:55:45.753-04:00Catching up with Friends at Lily Bean Coffee
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">With so many restaurants, bars, and coffee shops in Uptown
Charlotte, you rarely have to look outside of Center City to find a place to
dine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I recently decided to take a day
trip to Charlotte’s neighbor to the west, Shelby, to expand my knowledge of
some of North Carolina’s small businesses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The focus of my visit was on Lily Bean Coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I became aware of Lily Bean through a high
school classmate, Meghan Stout, who just so happens to own the shop with her
husband, Chad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe that makes me a
little biased, but I was impressed the moment I walked in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lily Bean Coffee is located at 108 East Warren Street in the
heart of Uptown Shelby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who knew that a
city other than Charlotte referred to their downtown as Uptown?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I love our city, I was pleasantly
surprised by being able to park on the street for free while I checked out the
coffee shop in Shelby.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I entered the shop, I noticed that they had a large crowd
for a Saturday morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While some
customers were settled in to booths, there were also a few at the register
deciding on their purchase.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The green
walls were decorated with artwork created by local artists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The art can be purchased at the shop and
pricing is listed discreetly beneath each creation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The furniture throughout the shop varies from soft seating
to high top cocktail tables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While this
Saturday morning had a laidback lounge vibe, the space could also be utilized
for a small business meeting or job interview.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I kept it simple and ordered a latte during my visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the first weekend in September, so a
Pumpkin flavored coffee would have been the obvious choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mentioned this popular Autumn flavor to
Meghan and she told me they serve it all year round.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I repeat – Pumpkin flavored coffee all year
round!</span></div>
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<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My latte was prepared at the perfect temperature to consume
immediately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of that waiting around
and blowing on it to get lower than the temperature of the sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must add, though, that it remained warm
through consumption and didn’t cool off to a point where it lost its appeal.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">While enjoying my coffee with Meghan, several customers
stopped by to say hello on their way in or goodbye on their way out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I definitely got the feeling that they see a
lot of regulars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was like the bar
where everyone knows your name.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Since I know Meghan has a degree in Communications and holds
a full time job in Marketing and Advertising (in addition to a few part time
gigs), I had to ask “Why did you and your husband decide to open a coffee
shop?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her answer may surprise you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said she gained interest after searching
the internet on how to brew coffee beans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">She started doing the research and experimentation on her
own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Admittedly, some of the first
batches weren’t perfect, but the interest was there and she kept trying
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As her roasting technique improved,
she decide to take the plunge and open a coffee shop with her husband.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">They made the decision to open a coffee shop at the
beginning of the week and took ownership of an existing space by the end of the
week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That monumental week was nearly
five years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are now in a larger
space (the previously mentioned 108 East Warren Street) and have recently
expanded to a second location.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
second location is drive thru only in Midtown Shelby at 711 East Marion Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If coffee isn’t a part of your daily routine, you might also
be interested in the fact that Lily Bean Coffee occasionally partners with
Newgrass Brewing Company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Newgrass is
another small North Carolina business located in Shelby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are just around the corner from Lily
Bean at 213 South Lafayette Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
close proximity makes for the perfect partnership.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the brewery’s selection often rotates,
you can likely find the Lily Bean Golden “Stout” on the menu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This golden beer is infused with cold coffee
extract from Lily Bean as well as cocoa and vanilla flavors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While it may not have the typical coloring of
a stout, the name just made sense based on the coffee shop owners’ last name.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjGNetL8lkc-fqPz215Cd-GukoJWupV_4LUXR3SpOchCClDBzJ5ww5lPRx5bun9yoX_lnloHNlQ886_Kj0qFUlKlNXMl_JrmXRB3G5xXcSoaAMW5yzGMa9Mw1TJHmE5HvhJX1Wujun5SH/s1600/image1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjGNetL8lkc-fqPz215Cd-GukoJWupV_4LUXR3SpOchCClDBzJ5ww5lPRx5bun9yoX_lnloHNlQ886_Kj0qFUlKlNXMl_JrmXRB3G5xXcSoaAMW5yzGMa9Mw1TJHmE5HvhJX1Wujun5SH/s320/image1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My time in Uptown Shelby was well spent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only did I get to see a classmate that I
haven’t seen in over ten years, I was able to experience their laidback culture
and dining.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you live in Charlotte
and need your coffee fix fast, you’ll likely go to the closest shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, if you find yourself in Shelby, stop
by Uptown or drive through Midtown for the local flavor of Lily Bean.</span></div>
Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-18920730177457839072016-09-12T16:07:00.000-04:002016-09-12T16:07:14.584-04:00My First Mammogram<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am thirty-six years old with no breast cancer history in my family. Even though, I decided to get my first mammogram back in June. Early detection is key to so many chronic illnesses, but especially Cancer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Before this blog goes too far, let me start by saying that everything turned out fine. I want to use this post to explain the process of a mammogram in hopes of lessening the fear in some women.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Here are a few things to know before you go:</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">1. Don't wear a dress. Upon arrival at the office, you'll be taken to a changing room where you can take off your shirt and bra. You'll put on one of those delightful paper gowns that opens in the front. It only goes to waist level, so you can stay dressed from the waist down.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">2. Don't wear lotions, perfumes, and deodorant to your visit. <em>Now, let's get serious for a minute. No deodorant?</em> If you are wearing any of these things, you can use wipes they have in the changing room to remove any traces.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">3. Leave your modesty at home. The technician is going to see, touch, and adjust your breasts. They are doing their job - not judging your size.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong>Is it going to hurt?</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">For me, the process didn't hurt. It did feel sort of uncomfortable, though. You have to "plop" your breast (one at a time) up on the imaging surface. The technician will move it as needed and also adjust the machine so that it squeezes down on your breast. You can hear the electronic noise as it clamps down and sort of see it happen. I did notice more uncomfortableness on my left breast compared to my right. You are only in the squeezed position for about ten seconds. I had to take two images per side. Overall - quick and mostly painless!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>Getting a call back</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">The technician was very thorough with me (<em>which I love!)</em> and explained that most women get a call back after their first mammogram. The reason is that they haven't reviewed images of your breasts before, so anything that might be perceived as abnormal, will be.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Even though I was warned, I still panicked a little bit when I got the call back. I wondered what they saw; how long "it" had been there; and if I was going to lose my breasts (<em>totally normal reaction...</em>). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">At the call back, the process was very similar. The technician this time had to take a few additional images of both breasts. She explained that the doctor was on-site to review the original images again as well as the new images. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">I waited in an exam room while the doctor reviewed the images. The technician came in about ten minutes later and said they needed to take one more image of my left breast. <em><u>At this point, I was fully convinced I had cancer</u></em>. I knew everything they were doing was routine, but the mind starts to wander while you sit in an empty exam room wearing an open front paper gown.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">After I completed the additional image scan, I was able to wait in that same room while the doctor reviewed it. She came in a few minutes later and told me I had a great baseline. (<em>Thanks girl. You too!</em>). To clarify, a baseline is the first round of images they take when there are no known issues. They can use those images to compare and contrast in the future. She went on to say that I don't need to come back until I am forty years old unless my doctor and/or I notice any changes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong>Peace of Mind</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">I'm glad that I went ahead and checked "get a mammogram" off of my to-do list. Knowing everything is ok at age thirty-six is much better than waiting until forty. I recommend scheduling your appointment sooner than later. Make sure you share your story with other women (and men). The more we educate each other, the better things will be!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirewdA0sLCmSxjsHSs99rvXdDnlnzm6VGL8mVpBCNHZrLiCmu8hHifV_80-yYsH1QaDRljj3TTBPnatnxqnnwzAiMDtH6vc7gcQbiTc708BCr1s_F69XvpD1aurUf9-YhkbpuMnV2aYZzv/s1600/f04f69318995f3c36ea0729ec83f8a0ef86ade151b5abc63026f08f2066c7944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirewdA0sLCmSxjsHSs99rvXdDnlnzm6VGL8mVpBCNHZrLiCmu8hHifV_80-yYsH1QaDRljj3TTBPnatnxqnnwzAiMDtH6vc7gcQbiTc708BCr1s_F69XvpD1aurUf9-YhkbpuMnV2aYZzv/s320/f04f69318995f3c36ea0729ec83f8a0ef86ade151b5abc63026f08f2066c7944.jpg" width="274" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-27919223438627094332016-09-01T13:18:00.001-04:002016-09-01T13:20:13.889-04:00Fahrenheit: The First Blog I Wrote<span style="color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Below is a link to the first blog I ever wrote. It was published on Hedonist Shedonist. Their site was hoping to expand to Charlotte, but to this day remains the only blog from this city.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://hedonistshedonist.com/blog/fahrenheit-charlotte-review/">http://hedonistshedonist.com/blog/fahrenheit-charlotte-review/</a>Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-12490233050601757922016-09-01T10:59:00.002-04:002016-09-01T10:59:44.241-04:00Existing Blogs on Charlotte Foodie Adventures<a href="https://cltfoodieadventures.com/love-first-bite-cheesecake-carousel/">https://cltfoodieadventures.com/love-first-bite-cheesecake-carousel/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://cltfoodieadventures.com/pho-plus-pfo-rst-time/">https://cltfoodieadventures.com/pho-plus-pfo-rst-time/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://cltfoodieadventures.com/sea-level-oysters-worth-shooting/">https://cltfoodieadventures.com/sea-level-oysters-worth-shooting/</a>Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5122943659440219326.post-70561042208485064322016-09-01T10:57:00.000-04:002016-09-01T10:57:46.493-04:00Existing Blogs on Eat Work Play - Charlotte<a href="http://www.ewpclt.com/ewp-eat/2016/8/23/meet-the-charlotte-food-truck-appyour-new-best-friend">http://www.ewpclt.com/ewp-eat/2016/8/23/meet-the-charlotte-food-truck-appyour-new-best-friend</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ewpclt.com/ewp-eat/cookingforone">http://www.ewpclt.com/ewp-eat/cookingforone</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ewpclt.com/ewp-eat/2016/8/2/have-you-ever-had-8-first-dates-in-one-evening">http://www.ewpclt.com/ewp-eat/2016/8/2/have-you-ever-had-8-first-dates-in-one-evening</a>Naively Confidenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00244578544812777594noreply@blogger.com0