WIAW #31: Girls Night Out!

Happy WIAW! I’m back with another fun What I Ate Wednesday post, and this week features Monday’s eats. I had a birthday dinner out with some ladies, so I’m entitling this post GNO 0r Girls Night Out!

Now that’s in your heard. You’re welcome!

The day started as usual… Egg whites, spinach, broccoli, carrots and cauliflower. I love it. B makes it for me nearly every day and I can’t complain!

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I had a nectarine for a snack before lunch.

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For lunch, I had a whole lotta food on top of lettuce. A.k.a a salad, right? That’s lettuce, carrots, tomato, some pickles, goat cheese and salty roasted almonds. AND leftover sea bass from dinner Saturday night.

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Snacks that afternoon included Wintergreen mints and Werthers (not pictured), a local apple and some carrots.

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And tea and honey. ❤

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For dinner, I had plans to meet up with some former coworkers for dinner and drinks to celebrate August birthdays. We went to Crop Kitchen in Uptown. It was warm enough to sit outside and enjoy the patio and the food was pretty good! I had a warm farro salad and some wine. We had plans to go to a bakery for dessert, but it was closed on Mondays … whoops.  So for dessert I ended up having a granola bar (unpictured 😦 Sorry!).

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That was about it! Not a bad day. Minus the bakery being closed 🙂

Only one question for you this time:

  • Do you eat the same thing for breakfast every day?

An Evening Out in Uptown – Being Part of the Community Chandelier Project

Living downtown, B and I don’t get to other neighborhoods on a regular basis. It’s just hard,  you know – when nearly everything you want is just a quick walk away, why hop in the car to drive somewhere else?

Earlier this week, though, B and I spent the night out in Uptown, another one of Cleveland’s wildly changing and developing neighborhoods. We were invited to the Chandelier Project Closing Party at MOCA and took the opportunity to help with the project and visit the area.

Are you familiar with the Community Chandelier Project? For the past few months, members from the community have been helping hand make a beaded chandelier for Trentina, the Amelia and Chef Jonathon Sawyer restaurant opening super soon in the neighborhood.

I know what you’re thinking … my craft-making skills are pretty bad … have you seen the pair of mittens I tired to make? But I was assured we’d just be putting beads on strings, and getting to have some drinks and try some of the new Trentina food – plus get free admission to MOCA for the evening (after hours!) – so I happily accepted the invite.

It was a great, intimate event. MOCA is a gorgeous building – inside and out – and we got to see their current exhibit, Dirge, which had more meaning to me than it would have several months ago. Several other bloggers and members of the media were at the event, along with Chef Sawyer, Amelia and their adroable (and super well-behaved) children. The couple gave a heartwarming thanks to everyone who helped them bring this dream to life. We learned that more than 500 people had participated in this community chandelier project – I can’t wait to see it brought to life in the restaurant in the coming months!

prosecco

We were greeted with prosecco and appetizers! Prosecco the night before a long run = always a good decision.

my beadwork

my beadwork / strand for the Community Chandelier at Trentina

b beading

B busy with his strand

every colored bead on the strands represent a new person who helped out.

every colored bead on the strands represent a new person who helped out.

 

beading

pretending to be crafty

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polenta crisp appetizer, drink and completed beadwork

The amazing couple - Chef Sawyer and Amelia share their story and thank everyone for helping with the Community Chandelier

The amazing couple – Chef Sawyer and Amelia share their story and thank everyone for helping with the Community Chandelier

After the event and exploring the museum, B and I strolled around midtown.

Selfies outside MOCA (the building is reflective!)

Selfies outside MOCA (the building is reflective!)

Walking around Midtown

Walking around Midtown

And of course stopped for some dessert at Coquette Patisserie.

Dessert from Coquette Patisserie

Dessert from Coquette

 

It was a great, beautiful evening and reminded me I really need to get out and explore more. After all, one of my favorite neighborhoods outside of downtown was just named one of THE up-and-coming neighborhoods in the nation by USA Today. If that’s not a reason to leave downtown on occasion, I don’t know what is!

A few questions for you to answer:

  • Favorite neighborhood near where you live … go!
  • Modern Art – how do you feel about it? Do you go to modern art museums?
  • Is the weather finally getting warm where you are? It was sunny and in the 80s when B and I were exploring the area!
  • What’s one good thing you have going on this weekend/week? This weekend I hope to get back to the Cleveland Flea! We’re also going to a benefit, so B and I can get dressed up and be fancy one evening.

Disclosure: I was invited to attend the Chandelier Closing Project by MOCA and received free admission into the museum. I was not compensated for this post and all opinions/thoughts/photos/other randomness are my own.