 I was all geared up for another fantastic night with Memphis. I had my girls, jazz music and great food all lined up. However, that was no entirely the case. It first started with ridiculous drivers. I mean, who goes 30 mph in a 30 mph zone???? Not anyone living in Memphis. When the sign says 30 mph, it’s simply a suggestion. Meaning….It wouldn’t hurt you to go 40 mph at all. So I drove the entire mile behind this old ass, rinky dink car. Going 30 mph…..MAX. Sometimes the car would drop to 25 mph and my frustration would rise to 50 mph.
Strike 1 Memphis. The night improved slightly from there. I arrived at my sister’s house to do our pre-party warm ups. (That was the best time of the night.) It is always a treat to be in the presence of my sisters! Afterwards, we left to check out this new jazz spot. When I saw they had a $15 cover charge, I was a little hesitant. But one of my favorite chefs were cooking there so I thought I might give it a try anyhow. The atmosphere was set! It was relaxing, inviting and soft jazz music played in the background. Once we were seated, we took a look at the menus. The drink menu was extensive (good sign), but the food menu was limited (bad sign). I know the chef to be an amazing cook and I was hoping that Shrimp and Grits would be on the menu, but it wasn’t. Nevertheless, I carried on and ordered a sausage and cheese plate and the most tender smoked wings of my life. I would have loved to just sit and enjoy my delicious foods, but I kept having to ask for napkins and straws for the drinks. Seriously! Napkins should be automatic whenever you order finger food. To add wood to the fire, the band started late. Now I have to admit, once they started playing, it was amazing. We danced and swerved and swayed our hips. I really enjoyed myself. I sang out loud. I danced and I was the perfect wing-girl. While the food was good and reasonably priced, the drinks were not. A large cocktail cost $10-12. Now, I understand that most people might pay this much for a drink….NOT I. If I pay $10 for a drink, it better take me to Pleasantville, to Margaritaville, to Whoville and back!!!!!!!! These drinks took me straight to Thrist-ville. Besides that, I ordered a large and truly got the regular size for an American cocktail. It wasn’t anything “large” about it. And I know large things. After dancing to the bands’ first set, we were hungry and thirsty. We didn’t dare order more food or drinks, because $$.$$. So we asked our waitress for water, only to be told that we would have to pay for water!!!! Hell, I don’t even pay for water at Ruth Chris! What the hell do they look like charging for some damn H2O? Shortly afterwards we left. Strike 2 Memphis. In short, the experience at the jazz spot would have been so much better if there were some slight changes: -If you are going to do a cover charge, also offer a time in which there is no cover charge. Many places in Memphis offer patrons who arrive between 8-10pm no charge, and after 10 pm, patrons would have to pay a cover charge. -Advise the waitresses on giving out napkins and straws. -If you are going to have live music, please make sure they arrive on time and that there are no HUGE GAPS between the sets. We were able to play on our phones, use the restroom, settle and close our tabs, look up other places to go and then leave BEFORE the next set started. -When your food is THAT good, serve bigger portions! yum yum We decided to go to Craft Republic to have good food, good drinks and play some pool. (It’s the old Fox and Hound spot.) Well…we had none of those. I was looking forward to getting a flight of local beers only to discover that they didn’t have Gotta Get Up To Get Down or Tiny Bomb. I couldn’t even settle for Michelob Ultra. Luckily, I was saved by a Memphis Made Fireside. We ordered our beers and food at the same time. Our beers took 20 mins to get to our table. It took the food over an hour!!!! My Bleu Burger, didn’t have any bleu. The fries, however, were really tasty. They were sprinkled with salt, pepper and parmesan cheese. The fries couldn’t save the sub-par service. One of my sister NEVER GOT HER FOOD. However, after talking to the manager and getting our entire bill comped, she did leave with her pizza in a to-go box and a complimentary dessert. Strike 3 Memphis. So yea, Memphis was not good to me last night. I’m not sure what I did to deserve this kind of treatment, but the make-up sex better be FIRE!!!!!
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 Last night Memphis and I went on a date. Our date started on the grounds of our Alma Mater, The University of Memphis. At the Holiday Inn on Central Avenue, we attended the celebratory banquet of the Memphis Runners and Track Club. To say this was a banquet makes it sound all snooty. It was more like a party. I received a trophy for completing ALL 10 races in the Road Race Series {two 5Ks, two 5 milers, two 10Ks, two 10 milers and two 1/2 marathons}. After receiving a trophy and eating all the carbs I wanted, Memphis and I danced the night away!!!!!!! I had a ball with friends, family and Memphis by my side.
After leaving the party, Memphis wanted to get a little wild. And before we could cross to the wild side, we had to stop by Buster’s aka Alcohol Nirvana. After getting a few quality selections, we headed Downtown. While driving down Poplar, Memphis and I did some pretty unpopular things. Oh... so... good... things, but wildly unpopular. What can I say? It’s just a Memphis thing. But good thing we didn’t end up at 201 Poplar!!!! We parked on Main Street and waltzed into Earnestine and Hazel’s Jukebox. This place was off the fawking chain!!!!!!!! The Bush League was playing Blues that rhythmed through your SOUL!!!!!! And before I knew it, Memphis had me bent over on the dance floor. Memphis was giving my Sisters lap dances! Memphis was having twerking competitions with random white guys. Memphis was giving out FREE BEER and free back massages. Oh and don’t forget the burgers. Good LAWD the burgers are amazing. The music, the people and the entire atmosphere was amazing. It was everything Memphis! But the most inspirational part of the night happened once I entered the Ladies Restroom. Now when you walk down the hallway to the restroom, it’s dark and dreary. Literally every horror movie scene crossed my mind as I did the pee-pee dance to the restroom. But once I entered the single restroom and popped-a-squat, Memphis came though. The restroom was posted with positive notes left by other restroom attendees. These notes were encouraging, uplifting and funny. And this is just like Memphis in so many ways. Memphis can sometimes feel like a dark and dreary place. But at its heart, in the middle of the place that matters most, Memphis is love. Memphis is full of encouraging strangers, smiling faces, open hearts, great food and exceptional music. 11/27/2018 0 Comments London Guiltless Eats Okay. So I’ve been on this weight loss battle since 2008, the birth of my first son. Before my first child, I was a size 16. After Aiden, I was size 18. Then the twins came along and size 18 jeans still fit really well. Then along came Eve. I maintained a size 18. So I’ve literally worn the same size pants for 10+ years. I’ve lost weight, but never really enough to lose a pant size. I’ve done every diet, every fad and exercised my tiny little heart out, but the thighs and belly stayed. I’ve done yoga, water aerobics, walking, kickboxing, regular aerobics, zumba, weightlifting, home workout, gym workouts and running. I put my Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise to good use. I would lose 5-10 pounds, and those 5-10 pounds would always find me. It was the worst game of hide-n-seek EVER!
But I have found a new secret weapon. London Guiltless Eats. London offers seriously affordable meal plans for “us regular folk.” This man can COOK. He creates the most delicious to-go fruits as well as weekly lunches/dinners. And his pizza……GOOD LAWD….they’re delicious. I knew that needed to focus on what I put into my body not just how many calories I could burn by exercising. As a very busy working mother of 4, I rarely had the time to prepare fulfilling and delicious lunches. So I relied on UberEats, Jimmy John’s and any food truck that was nearby. And my weight suffered for it. No matter how hard I would exercise, my weight wouldn’t budge. London Guiltless Eats delivers 5 healthy meals to my home or job for $40. Yes, fresh, low calorie, healthy, and delicious meals delivered to your home or work for only $40. I’ve been a customer of London Guiltless Eats since the summer. And I a m happy to report, that I am now in a size 16. BAM!!!! I might even reach a size 14. Who knows!!!! Look him up on Facebook and tell him that the RealWorkWife sent you!!!!! London Guiltless Eats 10/5/2018 0 Comments Side Porch Steakhouse
8/13/2018 1 Comment No B&N, just Novel Everyone knows how much I love to read. But I do more than just read when I grab a book. I set the ATMOSPHERE for reading. Sometimes I light candles or use my Himalayan Salt/Rock Lamp. Sometimes I grab a cup of java or wine. I might even have cookies or a burger and fries. I have even used sounds to set the atmosphere. My favorite is rain. I like to read on a rainy day and sometimes it's just not raining outside. And I always have a comfy place to sit!!!
So...believe it or not, I also like a certain atmosphere when I shop for a book as well. When I was "new" to my reading addiction, I would always go to B & N to get new books. I loved that they served Starbucks coffee and had lots of books. But as I became a more mature reader and my reading addiction became very deep and mystical, I sought other avenues to fill my need. One lovely, readable day, I came across Novel. Novel is a bookstore located near Perkins and Poplar. It's amazing!!!!! They have every book that B & N has, PAGE for PAGE. But that's not what makes them so amazing. #1 - Full size kid service station WITH a train table next to a youthful nook. #2 - Local and National Writers are ALWAYS there!!!!! You definitely should check out their calendar. #3 - A multi-purpose room!! Yes, I may probably have my birthday party there and invite Charlaine Harris. (You never know.) #4 - A FULL SERVICE RESTAURANT. Yep, you read right!!!! Libro is an upscale restaurant located right inside of Novel. I love their burgers and mushroom & ravioli. But you gotta try their Shrimp and Grits available for Sunday Brunch. The kids love their paninis, fruit/honey/yogurt, and even their PB&Js are gourmet! #5 - A FULL SERVICE BAR. They can make any and every drink. The house red wine does the trick too. (Wink wink) #6 - KIDS EAT FREE ON THURSDAYS. Need I say more!!!! It's not any of that "Kids each free with the purchase of whatever" deals either. On Thursdays, a KID eats FREE...PERIOD. #7 Comfiest chairs and coolest nicnacs. Plus, plus....they sale local teas, cookies and commodities too! Novel has the best atmosphere for reading and relaxing. They have the kind of atmosphere that pairs well with my addiction. I think I will go there tomorrow...... When you know better, you do better. Now you know Novel, you should do Novel. 8/8/2018 0 Comments B. Collective - A If you are looking for some unique pieces of art and gift items. You MUST go to B. Collective. This cute little shop on Main contains amazing pieces of art and various crafts all made from LOCAL ARTISTS!!!!
First, you are welcomed as if you are a long lost friend they haven't seen since elementary school. Then you are allowed to wander, look, and smell anything and everything. That shea body butter goodness made by Olivia and Ruby is sooooooo silky and smells soooooo good. The Memphis scent is to die for yall. So good, just so good. They had dinosaur tails, dresses, purses, beer mugs, jewelry, so much art work, teas, candles, wood work and much, much more. There was this one painting that screamed BLACK GIRL MAGIC. But I won't show it here, you need to see it for yourself. If you know of any local artist who would like to have an avenue in which to sale their goods, they gotta contact B. Collective!!!! Oh, btw, I will be buying some "Remorse Tea" when I go back!!!!!! #nomohangovers 7/28/2018 0 Comments Buff City Soaps This is a post from March 2018.......Y’all!!!!! I took advantage of their 3 for $30 deal this past weekend and decided to try more than just soap. So I bought some body butter, a scrub and the shower oil. I stared at the oil a loooonnngggg time while I was in the store. After about 5 mins, I finally developed the courage to ask the employee how to use it. She gave me about 30 secs of instruction. I was like, “Ok, sounds simple enough. I can do that.” Later that night, I shower with the headache soap and then I use the shower oil. It was really simple and I probably looked like a dumbass asking a dumb a question. Anyhow, I woke up this morning and was ready to apply lotion because I have REALLY DRY SKIN. I looked in the mirror and I jumped a little. All of ashiness was gone. I was like, “Who took my ash???? Did my hubby lotion me in my sleep??? What the heck happened.” In all of my 34 yrs I thought it was normal to have to apply and reapply lotion, oils and combination moisturizations. BUT NO!!!!!!!! Almost 24 hrs later and still no ash!!!!! Not even on my ankles and elbows!!!!!!! Now, since that post, I've added more of their products to my "love" list. At first, I was hesitant about trying their laundry detergent. I've been a Gain user religiously!!! I decided to give the laundry detergent a try after I was generously given a sample. For my sample, I decided to use the Cherry Almond Scent. The workers told me that I would love the laundry detergent. They raved about the smell and how little it took to clean the clothes. They also raved about the cleanliness and softness of the clothes. And they didn't lie. The laundry detergent is awesome!!!! For a family of 6, it cleans the tough stains as well as being gentle on my favorite fabrics. Secondly, the activated charcoal and toner is amazing. I know "black don't crack," but this stuff is gonna keep me from even crinkling!!!!!! Lastly, these bath bombs and bath truffles. I have made an atmosphere around these bath truffles. Seriously, I light candles, turn on some 90s R&B music and grab a glass of wine. The Bath Truffles are so smooth. They turn my ENTIRE BATH into silk, leaving my skin feeling irresistible!!!! But if you feel overwhelmed when you walk in and seriously can't decide on what to try, get a Mystery Box for $5. I have gotten foot scrubs, body butter, soaps, truffles and regular bath bombs. I will never use another brand of soap, lotion, facial cleanser or laundry detergent again. #foreverbuffcitysoaps OHHHHHHHH, I forgot!!!!! They have lotion as a bar too. This is great when to carry around. I love that if I forget and leave the lotion in my car hot, it won't explode. (I've had that happen before.) And as usually, don't just live in Memphis, LIVE Memphis!!!! 7/27/2018 0 Comments Sing Lay Chinese As a child, my mom would go grocery shopping. Not regular grocery shopping, but MEGA grocery shopping. It would literally take her ALL DAY!!!! She would leave the house immediately after breakfast, around 9am, on a Saturday morning. She wouldn't come back until around 2 o'clock. Yes, she would labor for 5 hours on a Saturday morning just to make sure we were feed. OR so I thought.
True enough, she would go grocery shopping. But she would also meet with her friends and eat at Sing Lay's Chinese Restaurant in Frayser. Sing Lay's has been a little Chinese restaurant in near the corner of Frayser Blvd and Range Line since 1991. When you pull into the parking lot, you might want to leave. Does it look a little shady? Yes. Maybe even scary at night? Maybe, if you're a wuss. But don't let the looks deceive your taste buds. GO IN. The atmosphere is quiet and clean. The restaurant itself is kind of small. But the food is "slap yo momma" good!!!!! Today, my Mom and I enjoyed the Peppered Steak, Fried Rice, Wonton Soup, Beef Lo Mien and Sweet and Sour Chicken. Our table looked like a buffet. Y'all, that wonton soup was sooooooo good. The wontons were huge and I loved the cabbage and ham. All of the food was fresh and delicious. Especially the fried rice!!!!!! I've had fried rice that was amazing, but I still added soy sauce to it. But I don't need to add anything to Sing Lay's Fried Rice. (I cheesing so hard writing this post. The food still puts a smile on my face.) Speaking of my face, do you see the size of that egg roll!!!!! That's just what they normally serve. Oh, they also make their own lemonade from scratch. You must try Sing Lay Chinese Restaurant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't just live in Memphis, LIVE Memphis!!!! So while we were at home (when I was a child), busy cleaning the house from top to bottom (or our ass was grass and Mom was the lawn mower), she was out enjoying herself before going grocery shopping. I used to think this was selfish of her, you know, not taking us kids. But now that I have kids, I realize that she was in Survival Mode/Me Time. 7/24/2018 0 Comments Farmer's Market Being a health-conscience mother, I am often looking for inexpensive ways to feed my kids organic, non-GMO foods. So after a 5k one day, I ended up in the Cooper-Young area and ran into a huge Farmer's Market. This place is awesome!!!!! The veggies, fruits, breads, meats are all from local farmers. These crops are soooooo fresh. But this farmer's market sells more than just crops.
There is fresh bread made with ingredients my 6 year old can read!!!!! The sourdough bread is so freaking delicious and the potato rolls are to live for! (nothing is to die for.) You can also get fresh eggs, homemade butter and even farm fresh meats. Yep, want a real steak, pork chop, fresh sausage or maybe bacon? You can get it from the Cooper-Young Farmers market. You can buy organic soaps, cool art work, freshly blended teas, gluten free bagels, regular bagels, fresh flowers, Mempops and you can even bring you knives to be sharpened. But my favorite place, my first stop every time, is Miracle Acres. Being a working mom, I often don't have alot of time after work and kids' activities, so I look for quick, healthy meals. But nothing is worst than being prepared and energized about cooking only to realize that you forgot to take the meat out of the freezer earlier that morning. This is where Miracle Acres became a life-saver. Amanda, yes we're on first name basis, makes the best frozen dishes. As you know, I'm lactose intolerant, Aiden is vegetarian, I try to eat plant-based and the rest of the family are meat-a-tarians. Miracle Acres has frozen meals to fit our weird eating habits. All I have to do is pop them in the oven and Viola!!!! We have a homemade meal made with fresh, organic veggies and farm raised meats. I love the vegan tamales and chicken burritos. The chili mac and shephard's pie are also delicious. They also have delicious salads in a jar!!!! But the best dish is the chicken and dumpling. I make chicken and dumpling out of shortening, water, flour, salt and pepper with chicken. So I know a thing or 2 about chicken and dumpling. (Sidebar: Cracker Barrel does NOT know how to make chicken and dumplings.) Miracle Acres Chicken and Dumpling made by Amanda are soooooo good. I have literally ate a full family serving by myself. (No shame) Many of the vendors accept cash and card. But you can also buy Farmer Market Coins at the main vendor. These coins are used as cash at the Farmer's Market. If you have never been to the Cooper-Young Farmer's Market, you NEED to experience it. They are open YEAR-ROUND every Saturday from 8am-1pm. Don't just live in Memphis, Live Memphis!!!!!! 7/19/2018 0 Comments Waxing and Whining It's no surprise that during the summer months women tend to do a little more grooming than usual. I mean, bikini season, or short shorts summer, or sleeveless summer season. No matter what you call it, there are areas of our body that has been hibernating and are now out in the open. And in order for those areas to look their best, it's time to wax.
I know, I know......every time I think about waxing, I cringe. No literally, my last waxing season prior to today was awful. But we'll get to that later. I first started waxing at The Wax Bar when she, Nishira Imani, was on Germantown Parkway. I went often, every 4-6 weeks. Nishira Imani was extremely professional and explained everything to me and my hubby. (Yes, I needed someone to hold my hand....at first.) The wax pearl beads she uses are phenomenal!!! I didn't know that then. Boy, what a spoiled child I was. I loved the way she taught me how to care for my skin and the ingredients I should look for in certain products. Eventually, I started going on my own and loved it. Yes, I said loved it. Does waxing hurt? A little bit. But the results make me feel like a GODDESS OF SMOOTHNESS!!!! So I got a little cocky and started to consider myself a professional waxer. Boy was I wrong!!!! We were out on vacation and I decided to get waxed. So I looked up a few places and one looked very promising. It was very clean and the ladies were welcoming. Everything was great until the waxing started. So the lady uses a stick to spread the wax on. (Normal). Then she puts a sheet of paper on top of the wax. (Not normal) I've seen that method on TV, but I thought everyone used wax beads. See, with the wax beads that they use at The Wax Bar, they are melted and spread over the area using a wooden "popsicle" stick. Then the wax stiffens. Once it's stiff, then you just pull it off. (Notice I said pull and not rip.) And badaboom badabang, you're waxed. Well, when she put that paper over the wax, I knew I was in trouble. Then she ripped it off. Y'all, I lost a part of my soul that day. It hurt so freakin bad. It never hurt like hell at The Wax Bar. NEVER. Sidebar: If a waxing place ever uses clear-ish wax and paper, run for the hills!!!!! After that incident (at the out-of-town waxer) I took an hiatus from waxing. That incident broke me!!!!!!!! Well, 2.5 weeks ago I put on my big girl panties and scheduled an appointment at The Wax Bar. (The Wax Bar can be booked up for weeks at a time. Get in when you can.) This time I was waxed by India B. And as usual, these ladies are highly talent. The experience was great!!! I booked my next appointment. Oh yea!!!! You can't tell me nothing. A little bit more about The Wax Bar.... -Over 80 different services -Also have a Beginners Brazilian in which the skin is numbed and you are instructed thru the process -Caters to men and women -Freakin awesome -Diamond Smiles -Detox Wax -And more |
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