Christina "The Enabler" G.'s Profile

An absolutely stellar show. I went in without any expectations, not knowing much about the premise. But Memphis made me a fan within minutes. I saw this production on the national tour in Durham, and most of the cast was extraordinary. Bryan Fenkart's performance as Huey was funny and endearing. His comedic timing, excellent; and delivery near flawless. Felicia Boswell as Felicia is an incredible lead vocalist -- she commands attention when singing. But it's Julie Johnson as Mama who steals the show in her hilarious, spirited performance of "Change Don't Come Easy."

The characters are well-developed; and they moved me. I cared about what was going to happen, and I found the plot fulfilling. They handle race issues, at times, with humor; and, at other times, in stark seriousness, reflecting behaviors of the era. The way some of the script is written, I almost felt as if many of the lines regarding the romance between Huey and Felecia could be reinterpreted for the modern-day issue of same-sex relationships and marriage.

Aside from a few pitch issues in the "Memphis Lives in Me" final harmony, and a little flub in line by understudy Kent Overshown as Delray, I was completely engrossed. Highly recommend this musical. For me, it ranks up there with Fiddler on the Roof, with Topol.

Asked which way to the bedding.
And the clerk asked, Dog bedding?!?
I was tempted to say: Nah, I'm looking for your satin sheets.

I actually spotted it stacked high on the far-right wall before he even had a chance to reply. Not a ton of variety, but had some nice options, and prices were reasonable. I also found a coveted soft e-collar (made of cloth-covered foam, adjustable with velcro). Have been hunting for one of these for a while, to shield my dog's ears from continued fraying while in her crate.

They do have some pets available (birds and other small pets). Some folks were bringing their dogs in to shop. Clean store, and easy in/easy out!

Unlike my comrades here, I'm close to giving this 5 stars! Dropped in for a little "treat yo'self" moment and was enthusiastically greeted by a little Asian lady.

Have you been here before?
We have 14 flavors! Self-serve!
Sample cups! Try one of everything! Help yourself!
I can make you a cone!
Toppings and fresh fruit over there!

I also heart her because she was exceedingly patient [Take your time!], ringing me up, while I proceeded to spend twenty minutes searching my wallet for nickels and dimes to total the $3.50 cost, and handing over a fistful of change and lint.

Some kids were taking all the generosity to heart... running around with the paper ramekins, liberally sampling (despite the fact they'd already purchased). I think Tutti Frutti has more flavors, but there was still some nice variety. I tried the Vanilla Snow -- it does bear a resemblance to snow cream; but seemed just a touch cloying. I also sampled -- and chose to order -- the banana-strawberry, fat-free/sugar-free. The froyo here is smooth, and doesn't have much tang to it. I think I prefer it this way. The toppings bar was pretty diverse -- cereals, candy & cookie crumbles, fresh-looking fruit, four flavors of boba, cookie dough, and some fudge and syrups. My concoction included granola, strawberries, and strawberry boba -- and it really was yummy!

As I checked out, the cashier told me all about the new location they're opening in Durham. She also told me to have a "smiley day." I know it's part of their branding, and it's a little cheesy. But what the hell. I did leave smiley.

LaFayette is a cute little shopping center, and Jubala serves it well as the Village coffeehouse. Initially, I thought the space seemed a little sterile, but after chatting with the friendly fellow behind the counter who helped me decide on beans, and noticing ink art pieces, butcher paper rolls with crayons, and outlets built into bench seats, I quickly started to warm up. My wonderful full-flavored French Press coffee contributed to the warmth too!

I throw parties for a living. Masquerades, Roaring 20s soirees, mustache bashes. Pretty much any theme that strikes me as fun -- or fun-ny. I cannot BELIEVE this is my first visit to this store. The next time I need a Grecian goblet, maribou birthday hat, color-coordinated cutlery, Olympian medals... I'm coming here. Their props overfloweth. I can't even recall what all I saw -- but there's definitely a great selection of hats and cheap costume accessories. Plus your basic party paper needs -- lots of streamers, plates, cards. Tons of ribbon. And coordinated sections for: bachelorette, basketball, cowboy, kids, Valentine's, etc. Only thing I didn't care for was the lack of music (when you're the only person in the store, everything you touch seems like a racket), and the sign out front that says "no photography." No fun!

The smell of herbs and spices hits you as you enter and begin to browse through a very nice collection. The store is very open, with helpful signage designating the "peppercorn" section apart from the "baking" and other sections. I perused for discovery, rather than with intention, and ended up picking up Vietnamese cinnamon, four peppercorn, and Rojan Josh. What a nice variety! I especially loved that you have many size options, so no need to commit to a large container of cheese dip seasoning if you don't think you'll use it up within the year. I'm not the chef of the household, but I did find many of the soup and Italian seasonings intriguing. What I'll for sure return for though are the gift packages -- very smartly grouped for the baker, the hot cocoa drinker, the taco lover, and so-on.

Another awesome boutique in Cameron Village! I find the items here to be a softer price-range than that of Scout & Molly's or Wardrobbe. You're looking at labels like max & cleo, and BCBGeneration. Dresses mostly in the $100-170 range; casual tops mostly from $25-50. They seem to be geared primarily toward a 20s demographic, with some dresses that are tight, short, and polyester. But there are also plenty of pieces that could cater to a woman in her 30s. Aside from the well-stocked racks, you'll find lots of bold accessories (scarves and statement jewelry) and a pretty good selection of Toms. The sales associate was very friendly, greeting everyone who arrived and thanking them as they left. She offered to keep my items in a fitting room, but didn't pull any sales pressure on me. I left with a discounted French Connection boatneck tee, back-embellished dress, and the same belt I'd bought in Austin a year ago that broke last month -- let's hope it handles wear & tear better this time around!

Had to get the biscuit. It's not surprising a biscuit would become my first weekday raw food violation. They are a definite weakness. When I strolled by Flying Biscuit, my stomach reminded me I'd only had kale all day. And besides, how could I pass up the opportunity at a new review?

The host was just finishing directing some ladies to nearby places they might be able to ease their craving for pumpkin pie. So nice! He assured me they serve breakfast all day, and directed me to the bar to place my order. I decided to order coffee while I waited for my meal to-go. Don't know what they use, but it was hot and pretty strong. Refills are unlimited for ~$3. I opted for the chicken sausage + egg + cheese biscuit. The determined diet-er in me said: Don't get the cheese! But then I noticed that the price was the SAME with or without cheese. The value-denizen in me won the fight. Still, somehow the practical persona lost. I really have NO idea why I ordered this meal to-go, finished my coffee, left my comfy seat at the bar, entered my car, and then ate my biscuit. With no napkins. ...

Anyway... the biscuit was fluffy and golden. I liked it. Not too buttery. It had a sweet flavor to it. That's when I noticed the sugar crystals on my fingers. An accident? Or do they routinely roll their biscuits in sugar? I didn't stop to weigh the options. My next bite cut into the chicken sausage. Man; I'm guessing chicken sausage is the sensible, healthy route. But you can give me Neese's any day. This was bland, tasteless. Opposite what sausage should be. It was also a small patty -- not large enough to spread the diameter of the biscuit. Geometry, you've served me well. (True story: I just had to look up the word for diameter, because I could only recall the word 'radius'.) In short, I felt my biscuit was average. However, I'm always in love with the breakfast-all-day concept, and I actually really liked the layout of the restaurant. It's big and compartmentalized into different rooms to make a cozy little place for comfort food.

Once upon a time, I came here while dating Phil and we ran two laps in the right direction, and it was invigorating. Fast-forward five years: I'm running one lap in the opposite direction (arguably, less strenuous hills) at a pace that is attempting to be a jog, but really resembles more of a plod.

Dear Duke students who passed me by: This is you in your 30s.

I like a trail that loops because you have a very clear beginning and end point. Toss into that some bridges, wildlife rustling, plenty of other pedestrians, and some mean hills, and you have yourself a course with plenty to keep you entertained for ~3mi. The fine gravel is perfect for running (or plodding). As others have noted, there's an unfortunate sewage scent that wafts through occasionally; but if nothing else, it's encouragement to be more brisk!

I'm a week-and-a-half into my foray with the Raw Foodists weekly deliveries, and I have to up my rating. The weekly menu is posted to the website, along with photos so you can see exactly what you'll be getting. You can also swap an item you don't want, and double another item. Single orders are $70, and that includes 4 days' worth of prepared food (for me) and delivery.

It's no secret that I've been smitten with this food truck's desserts. But the entrees had been a little hit-or-miss with me. I'm new to raw food, and not even a vegetarian. So I'm a hard sell. What the weekly deliveries have done is open my eyes to a much broader array of raw cuisine -- and I am not only impressed with the inventive types of dishes arriving at my door (tu-not salad, raw 'burritos', saag!); but also with the surprising amount of flavor they pack. I started to read a little more about raw food, and found that preparation (particularly for these gourmet dishes) is no joke... sprouting beans... using a dehydrator... Hell, I don't even like cooking stovetop! Considering all of this, the food is reasonably priced.

Now for the bonus -- since incorporating raw food regularly into my diet, I've noticed I have more energy. I also tend to stay fuller longer. I'm not going whole hog -- er -- cucumber; but I definitely recommend a healthy dose of the Raw Foodist's goodness!