Food Critic: Pies n Thighs, Brooklyn NY

For months I've heard about this "soul food" restaurant "Pies n Thighs." I heard they had amazing fried chicken, amongst other things! And finally, this past weekend I was able to try it out! I was there for breakfast, so I went for the basic fried chicken sandwich, it just seemed right. And boy it was! The sandwich was covered in honey and hot sauce, what an interesting combination. I love both of these flavors, why haven't I thought of this combination before?

The biscuit was the perfect consistency, not too soft otherwise it would have soaked up all of the sauce and been soft and gooey. It was crisp enough to hold the structure of the sandwich. I was that girl wiping every bite in the flavor of the plate. Yes!

I cannot wait to go back and have the sandwich again, try the fried chicken and try their desserts! They had an amazing display of donuts and pies, Lord please help me. Can someone just handcuff me to the treadmill for half of the day!?

This place is a must see! Lines can be long on the weekends, obviously. So if you're able to hit it during the week you'll experience a shorter wait time.  I believe they do take out as well.

Walk the Brooklyn Bridge!

Finally, after eight months of living in New York City I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge! I heard this was a cool thing to do, but for some reason I never got around to it until now, and I am so happy that I did! It was truly one of the most fun experiences I've had in New York City!

My brother and his wife were in town visiting for the weekend. It was actually her first time in New York City, so I tried to pack in as many cool touristy things as I could for them, and obviously for myself! :-)

The bridge is just over a mile long. There are walkways and bike paths! But walkers beware, bikers are ruthless in this city! If you're lucky you'll hear the bike's bell "dings" as a warning sign, but worst case you may get run over or elbowed. You don't want to be that person. Try to pay attention as you're taking in the beautiful surroundings.

When visiting New York City it's important to plan your day by proximity. Where the bridge begins/ends in Brooklyn and lower Manhattan are truly special places. In lower Manhattan the bridge is fairly close to the 9/11 memorial. There are lots of things to see in lower Manhattan (9/11 memorial, China Town, Little Italy) and in Brooklyn (Brooklyn Heights and Promenade), including ferry rides along the East River!

I highly recommend this if you're visiting New York City! This exposes you to some of the most beautiful places in the city, plus this is FREE!

Street Art in Williamsburg

The street art in Williamsburg (Brooklyn) is pretty awesome! In one day you can pass by so many pieces of art, expression. It makes you smile and inspires you, and sometimes makes you laugh.  

Polkadot Library in Kenya!

Everyone, my aunt is building a library in Kenya!

She fell in love with her town when she was in the Peace Corps for two years. The information below is from her fundraising site. Please check out the links for more information, and to donate if you want to be a part of this amazing library!!  I already have!!

www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-polkadot-library-kenya
www.facebook.com/polkadotlibrary



Let’s build a library for the children of Kenya.

For two years, I lived in a quaint but lively town in Kenya called Kabarnet. The people there quickly became my family. And, simply put, my family needs a library. Children make up 47% of Kabarnet’s population—that’s about 12,000 kids. There are 20 schools in the town, but only one library. And it’s not a free library, either. We need to create a free, clean, safe place for the children of Kabarnet to get access to books. So we’re turning a shipping container into a new, well-stocked library space complete with shelves, tables, books, and computers, along with a community meeting space and a thriving garden.

To make this happen, we need to raise $60,000.

It’s a pretty big number. But it’s going to make an enormous difference in the lives of so many young children in Kenya.

Here’s where the money’s going:

DESIGNING: $3,000 - architectural design of the library and grounds
BUILDING: $34,000 - constructing the shipping container into a library
PLANTING: $2,500 - supplies to plant and grow the library’s sustainable garden
SHIPPING: $6,000 - shipping the library from Houston, TX to Mombasa
MARKETING: $3,000 - marketing and fundraising for the project
REWARDING: $3,000 - rewards: sending letters, inscribing polkadots, and more
TRAVELING: $5,000 - the team’s travel to and from Kenya
COORDINATING: $2,500 - local agent coordinating the project
LEGAL: $1,000 - legal planning, counseling, and certifications

If you donate, your kindness will not go unnoticed—or unrewarded. Check out the right rail for perks you could receive as a thank-you for your contribution.

We’re not giving up.

NYC by Train

Living in NYC, mass transit is a beautiful thing. Since I left my car in North Carolina I've had to learn to utilize all of these new travel options before me. Recently I've been taking the train on some vacations and I'm really enjoying it! You get to see a side of the city not normally seen when you travel by car. These are some recent photos I took from the train out of NYC. :) 

I haven't written in a long time. I just moved to New York City six months ago, so there hasn't been many spare moments to gather my thoughts that I'm still really processing. However, I read this amazing article and it sounded so much like me. Trying to make friends in a city of 8 million people is more difficult than you would think. I found a friend in this article and I wanted to share. :)



She’s worth it, your wild one.
She will set your world on fire, if you are brave enough to let her.

She will enchant you, fulfill you and challenge you. She wants you to know her, so that you can love her, quirks and all.

She wants you to understand that your adorned magnolia walls can’t hold her inside, not for long. Your expensive beamed ceilings can never be high enough or remarkable enough to be worth missing a glimpse of her beloved azure sky. Your home is a beautiful prison certainly, but it destroys her all the same.

Her spirit paces the enclosed room like a caged tigress, tail swishing furiously, looking for escape. She longs to run free. Show her a meadow full of colour, where she can dance among sunflowers. Let her roam outside with no fancy ornaments or gadgets to distract her creativity, just breeze and rolling hills. Lay with her on cool grass, fingers entwined, and watch the stars blaze a path of glory across an inky midnight sky.

Don’t ask her to sit and play happy family with you. She doesn’t care if you buy the white toaster or the black one, or whether the neighbours have a bigger car than the two of you. She isn’t interested in chasing the extra dollar to have that standard resort vacation, or attending to mindless gossip. Let her dream of a far off glen, glistening ethereally in the soft light of the rising sun. Take her to listen to the song of the dawn birds, for they are all the small talk she needs.

She doesn’t iron the sheets, or, well, anything really. She is too busy curling up with a book, engrossed in a shiny new world waiting to be explored. She has never been able to relate to the domesticated heroines of old; tumbling from her own bed to her next adventure, wild haired and bright eyed. People tell her she is beautiful in her crumpled clothes and muddy boots. Passion always is. Recognise it. Worship it. Not everyone is blessed with it and it’s not something you can fake for too long.

She may not cook you a gourmet meal, but she loves food and she delights in feeding you. Let her. She won’t follow a recipe; she will trust her imagination, throwing in delicious colours and smells as they appeal to her. Let her wrap you in small strong arms, cover you in flour and sprinkle magic into your life. She will kiss you with a mouth that tingles with spices, leaving you hungry for more. She will never let your lips starve for her.

She won’t knit for you. She is young and restless and her time is too precious to spare. Her hands have more important things to explore right now. Your face, for instance; fingers lovingly remembering every last detail. She memorises the way you shudder when she lightly strokes your collarbone and how your stubble feels against her fingertips. This satisfies her far more than a ball of yarn ever could.

Let her breathe, your wild one. She will only stay if it feels right. Your mortal hands cannot bind her by holding her too tightly. Show her your fantasies and you might inspire her. She will tell you a story about what she longs to do with you, and to you. You should stop speaking then and listen. Her words are enchantments that weave mystery into your life, and her visions will never leave you, even when you ache to forget them. In years to come you will crave the power of her dreams, and others will pale in the shadow of her intensity.

She must run away now, the stars are calling her and life tugs at her soul ready for another adventure. She cannot be tamed. Love her if you will, or let her go. She cannot do this by halves.

She is chaos; she is freedom. She wants you to join her if you can. You know where to find her. You have seen her there in your head.

She will wait for you as always, where the wild things are.

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2015/01/shell-meet-you-where-the-wild-things-are/



Author: JoJo Rowden



JoJo Rowden is a Business Analyst/ Story Teller for a Software Consultancy by day, with an undeniable passion for writing. She draws energy and inspiration from the ocean, letting the endless and consistent churning of the waves soothe her soul. In her free time she can be found practicing yoga, sharing good wine with good friends, pole dancing and reading anything that she can get her hands on. Catch up with JoJo on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Thoughts...

Done sayin' I'm done playin'

Last time was on the outro
Stuck in the house, need to get out mo'

I've been stackin' up like I'm fund-raisin'


Most people in my position get complacent
Wanna come places with star girls, and then end up on them front pages


I'm quiet with it; I just ride with it
Moment I stop havin' fun with it, I'll be done with it
I'm the only one that's puttin' shots up
And like a potluck, you need to come with it



Don't run from it, like H-Town in the summer time, I keep it 100.....

My Elephant Bruise is Gone :(

Last summer in Thailand I was lucky enough to have a baby elephant step on my foot! It was the cutest thing, well kind of. This was the smallest elephant I had ever seen, and after being around older elephants for weeks this was the smallest one yet! We were so excited! This one was only 20 days old. They are so playful at that age and like to run around at full speed! This one was tied up, and I approached it toward the end of the rope, but as I bent down it playfully ran at me and halfway knocked me over and stepped on my foot! Ouch! 

Actually it wasn't that bad, nothing was broken. But I remember thinking "WOW that was a lot heavier than I expected!" I looked down and my foot was red. I laughed and somewhat limped away in surprise. This photo was literally taken one second before all that happened. 

So the point of this article is the bruise that was left on my left big toe toenail.  I think it has finally faded away. :(  When I first noticed the bruise I thought "OH MY GOD it makes my toes look ugly!" It took me a while to get used to, but eventually it was a pleasant reminder that always put a smile on my face. It reminded me of Thailand, it reminded me of peace, it reminded me of freedom, it reminded me of nature, it reminded me of the simple things. I would look down at my toes months later, and smile.  

It's funny the first few months I kept my toenails painted to cover it up. When it started to fade I was more open to it, and now that it's gone I'm sad. Isn't it crazy how that works. 

Almost exactly one year later. Throwback Thursday for real. Bye Bye toe bruise. It's been real. #tbt

What I've Learned Living in NYC

It's interesting the little things you start to notice when you move to a new place!  These are a compilation of moments and thoughts Ive noticed myself having since I moved to New York City. :)



- It's windy by the water!!!! Hello wind blown hair on 1,000!  You don't realize how much water you're surrounded by here too! Sometimes you feel like you live on a lake!

- You are more intimate with people on the subway than you are with your cousins at your family reunion! You see people's cuticles. You bounce off their arms and belly, almost daily.

-  I swear the drivers of the subway cars go fast on purpose to purposely make you bounce around off everyone. Then you get on the subway someday and it's slow and smooth.  It's quite funny actually if you think about it!  Your best bet is to always hold on!

- Men wear just as tight of pants as women do. That is just the style today. And I must say I am not complaining.

- You could do any social experiment in any subway car at any time. There is a good chance there is a  large percentage of the human race if you took a glimpse of the 20 people standing around you on the subway at any given time. Who has a people hypothesis!?

- Living here really helps you realize how many damn people there are in the world. There are so many people, everywhere, all the time.

- Everything is not expensive here! I'm eating cheaper lunches here than I did back home!!  Yes, you could go have fine dining every meal of the day if you wanted to. But there are plenty of normal bars, restaurants and coffee shops around with very reasonable prices. But yes, I know rent and home prices are astronomically higher than most places LOL

More to come as I think of them!

New York City in Black and White

The vibrancy and color of this city often brings moments of reflection which force peace and calm upon your immediate thoughts. I often find myself visualizing this perspective soaking in as if I was floating 20 feet above my head watching it seep into my body. You can see things happening when you feel it.

New York City in black and white is like an oxy moron, right? It's quite interesting seeing such a high energy place in only black and white. It seems so serene, right? Maybe because it is.

NYC Sunsets

I'm such a sucker for sunsets. I'm extremely lucky to have such an amazing view from my new apartment in Brooklyn. Here are some of the amazing shots I've been able to enjoy, and I want to share them with you. And from what I hear the sunsets only get better during the summer. I can't wait! :-)

One-Way U-Haul to NYC!

So here I go... The day is finally here. My whole life is packed into this 10 foot truck, and I have an 11 hour drive until I start the newest chapter of my life. NYC bay bay! I have my roll dawg kitty with me, JJ. NYC, 11 hours here we come!

JJ was such a trooper!  He only meowed for the first 30 minutes!  LOL.  He calmed down once he got on my lap.  :)

It was actually a very pretty drive! Especially after the three hours of darkness I encountered from 3:30am to 6:30am. The two cold Starbucks drinks couldn't go down fast enough. But oh they went.

Finally, sunrise.

I had no idea how my GPS was taking me, I just knew I had my GPS on and in the charger. Soon enough though I realized I was driving through the Shenandoah Valley! It was so pretty! Large open fields, old farm houses, and light pastel skies hanging over the mountains sure did keep my attention!

Even after 6 hours, I was only halfway there. (sigh)  Thankfully though I'd loaded up on snacks before hand!

But it was the beautiful scenery continuously surprising and impressing me that kept me going! Highway 81 north is long, but at least it's pretty.  I ended up going through Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  I covered some ground!

I was a little anxious anticipating how I would drive this huge U-Haul through NYC, and my nerves were right. It was just as scary as anything I've experienced in any third world country. People everywhere, cars everywhere, loud noises, horns honking, and here I am in the biggest truck on the block almost.

Then I get caught at an intersection and capture this. How eerie this photo is....   It's so timeless, and is worth a thousand words.

I actually arrived at my destination 5 minutes after my scheduled move in time. How could I have timed an 11 hour journey more perfectly. I'm home. I've arrived.

Now it's time to settle in.  Work starts on Monday.