Tent Day

What is Tent Day? Tent Day is what happens when churches take food, fun and fellowship outside of the church walls and to neighborhoods where people need to experience God's Love. We all need God's Love, but some communities are more receptive to people sharing life with them. Such is the case on Tuesday and Thursday nights in two Northern Kentucky neighborhoods.

CityMerge is a relatively new non-profit whose vision not only includes Tent Day, but meeting real needs for real people. The needs can't fully be known until the relationships are established through consistent involvement in the lives of neighborhood families though. Once the needs are identified (i.e. homework assistance, nutrition classes, or small home repairs for the elderly), the needs can be met by church members, Tent Day volunteers, or local agencies that are already active and funded in the community.

The biggest need that is met by Tent Day is relationship. In poor communities, you don't want to feel like a "project"...you want to know you are loved, valued and a needed part of your neighborhood. Through informal community dinners, games and conversation, neighbors step out of their homes and into each others lives. When you know your neighbors are working together, you know that your contribution can make a difference.

Just as this Gigi's cupcake brings BIG icing to Tent Day...CityMerge's BIG dream involves transformation of lives and neighborhoods on nothing less than a massive scale. But as I've learned over the last year, it all starts with the little things. Obedience, time, listening, discernment, personal study, dedication and love...above all else Love...is what will make lasting change in the lives of those who are marginalized in our society.

But the flip-side of this is that the Tent Day volunteers will most likely be the most transformed! When you invest your own obedience, time, listening, discernment, etc. into the lives of people in your local community who only have their lives and time to give in return, you quickly become the recipient of priceless gifts like honesty, authenticity, joy, fun, conversation, insight, perspective on what really matters, and love...above all else Love.

CityMerge hopes to one day have other Northern Kentucky churches capture the vision and adopt neighborhoods in their own communities. What would happen if every church in Northern Kentucky took one night each week to feed their neighbors and talk with them about what's going on in their homes, schools and neighborhoods? 

Can you see it?

It may turn out to be nothing more than a cut-throat game of Trouble...

or maybe...just maybe...it could become the beautiful Body of Christ that Jesus envisioned His Church could be: On Earth as it is in Heaven!

Friendly Market, Florence, Kentucky

Now that we've been there twice, I feel that I need to give a shout out to the Friendly Market in Florence. Located at 10050 Norbotten Drive, Friendly Market is the most recent farmer's market in Northern Kentucky. But it has a huge difference: while most farm markets are seasonal or weekend only, Friendly's indoor area houses nine permanent vendors. My personal favorite is Brocato's Italian Market. They have just about any flavor of ravioli you could desire, fresh bread and specialty sauces. You would love the butternut squash goat cheese alfredo just as much as I do, I am certain.

On our first visit, I tried a vegan cookie from Taste of Belgium. It was yummy, of course. There is also a store selling Kentucky Proud items, The Flying Olive (gourmet olive oil and vinegar products), an ice cream store and Friendly Meats and Cheeses. Outside on the weekends, you will find local farmers, bakers and craftsmen selling their wares...so bring cash. (I speak from experience.)

Supporting local businesses is sort of becoming a "thing" for me. How much better can you get than to have close to 20 in the same place? Stop by and check it out. There is a little something for almost everyone.

Velocity Bike and Bean

If you live in the Florence/Northern Kentucky area, you will recognize that I am late to the table (albeit a high top one!) on discovering this place. I'm uncertain as to when Velocity Bike and Bean of Florence opened, but I know more than a few people who have enjoyed their coffee for some time.

So while I'm a latecomer, I am now a fan. I visited there yesterday with my friend Kari, enjoyed a very yummy Nutella latte', sat comfortably in the cozy atmosphere, perused their excellent book selections (including a few by my favorite Donald Miller) and had a great conversation with a great lady. But don't let the wonderful coffee and cute atmosphere deceive you...Velocity is a fully operational bike shop too. Apparently, this combination is a little more common in other parts of the country, but here, not so much. It seems to be working though.

Velocity had a steady stream of customers, for both bike and bean, in the two hours that I was there. I can see why. And although their hours are only Monday through Friday 9 to 4 and Saturdays 9 to 3, they are open the second Saturday evening of each month for local musicians to perform. I know my husband, Dale, would love this and we hope to make it out to this week's session.

But the most amazing part of this place (for me, the non-biking enthusiast) is the coffee...and not just because it's tasty. Well, it is...but that's not the only good point. No, it's also Fair Trade. Oh...you know they are speaking my language now...right? I've shared on this blog how God has been calling me to this idea of being a good steward in every area of my life. That is being brought out by Him over and over again in the choices I make in regards to spending the resources He's given us. Nowhere has this become more obvious lately than in the area of coffee.

So next time you want to meet up with a friend over an excellent cup of java, please support the locally-owned Velocity Bike and Bean at 7560 Burlington Pike in Florence. By choosing to buy the Carabello Coffee brand, your dollars are also helping to support Fair Trade for the farmers who grow the beans and this local coffee company that helps fund non-profits and charity work with their proceeds. I don't think you'll find a better deal anywhere...no matter how attractive the "Siren" is.

Chuy's, Florence KY, (A Tale of Three Restaurants, part 3)

I have been trying to catch up on some restaurant reviews that I've missed. I have already shared my reviews of two Mexican restaurants, including El Rio Grande of Florence and El Mariachi of Hebron. But I have since learned that the third, Chuy's of Florence, is in fact a chain restaurant. Not that I'm opposed to those who review them, but in an effort to promote locally owned businesses that will support our local economy, I have chosen to not give free advertising to those that do not fall in the category of "locally owned". Sure, it may have local investors or be a franchise, but odds are there is someone still far removed from our local area that is making decisions for the restaurant and sending money elsewhere. Worse case scenarios include large mega-chains that encourage factory farming.

I will just say this. While Chuy's has beautifully distracting decor that is not typical of most Mexican restaurants, I did not see what all of the hype was about. I've seen lots of photos posted on Facebook from people dining here and honestly, I thought at best it was a mediocre meal. Nothing stood out to me as worth the near 20 minute drive for us. Also, with no lunch menu even on a weekday, the cost was far and above what I would normally pay for myself and two of our children to have lunch.

So while I apologize to the die-hard Chuy's fans if I've offended you...I also challenge you to find a place that supports your local community because it is locally owned. Once you do (if you're in the Cincy/Northern KY area), send me a comment about how you like it. If I have a chance to check it out and give it a review, proper credit will be given to you for the recommendation.

El Rio Grande, Florence, KY (A Tale of Three Restaurants, part 2)

My birthday was almost three weeks ago and for my birthday dinner, I really wanted to go to a Japanese steakhouse. But alas  my big day fell on a Sunday and opting for lunch was the plan...hoping a more affordable lunch menu would be available. It wasn't. Our favorite Chinese restaurant is no longer open on Sundays, my parents were in town just a few days before and taken the kids and I to one of my favorite chain restaurants (Abuelos), the two younger girls and I had eaten at another local Mexican place just a week before, so I really didn't have my heart set on Mexican food. But it was conveniently located next to the Japanese steakhouse we were choosing not to frequent in order to save money and we had eaten there a few times before and thought that it would be doable for our family.

To summarize, it wasn't the best birthday meal I've ever had.

Now I know people are loyal to their favorite Mexican food, but out of the three restaurants I'm rating here, I would place this one at the bottom (but it's a close call with second place). They do offer a lunch menu but for our family, it was still too expensive, averaging $10 per person (including tip). It's been a few weeks, but to the best of my memory, we had two teens ordering nachos (as usual), I had a chicken chimichanga (which was just okay), Abbey ordered veggie fajitas (pricey and were doused in corn oil and she barely touched because of it), don't remember what Dale had, but he did like it and one kids meal of chicken fingers and rice that she really didn't care for. The water here is also tap and not very tasty. 

Three things that will have me think twice before I go back are these: 

• The teen who ordered beef nachos ate very few because he said "they smell like poo". They apparently didn't taste like poo, but he couldn't get past the smell. 
• The cost, even for lunch was too much for the quality of food, compared to El Mariachi.
• And lastly, I went along with the big sombrero on my head and everyone singing to me for my kids laughs, but when you bring out the free fried ice cream in honor of my special day, please be certain that it is not wrapped in stale corn flakes and laying on a stale tortilla and definitely don't stick your finger into the dessert you just brought me and proceed to put whip cream on my nose. Not cool, dude...not cool. (Note: I did not complain and we all sort of nervously chuckled in shock that he would brazenly do that. In our family Noah and I are probably the only two that could somewhat laugh that off. If it had happened to the others, not so much.)

So there you have it. I don't really like to pan a place and we have eaten there a few other times with better experiences, but never as a whole family. I don't think it will be high on our list of priorities to return, especially with a much better alternative that we have closer to home.

Cathay Kitchen, Florence, Kentucky

Our favorite Chinese restaurant...hands down...is Cathay Kitchen. It's located at 8049 Connector Drive, Florence, KY. We have eaten there several times and I have negligently never reviewed it. When I worked at Jackson Hewitt for the 2012 tax season, I was just about five doors down from this place. Actually, I was about half-way between Cathay Kitchen and Acapulco Mexican. Not once, did I eat Mexican for lunch though.

Michelle, the owner, was always gracious even when I would get delayed from picking up my food by an unexpected customer, the food is always delicious and she even gave me a discount when I worked in the same strip mall. We don't visit there as often now, but usually someone in the family will pick it for a holiday or birthday option. Such was the case today when my parents were in town for Leah's birthday.

The kids love the orange chicken and pork lo mein. I have tried the General Tso's, cashew chicken and the lite and healthy pick your own veggie meal...all to great satisfaction. Only once did someone have something they didn't like and it was the chicken curry. It wasn't that it was bad, it just had a different flavor than what was expected.

I also like that you can get vegetarian or vegan options and they offer steamed brown rice. The ginger dressing on their house salad is homemade and the best I've ever had from any Japanese or Chinese restaurant or store bought option. 

If you're not looking to eat healthy though, the egg rolls and crab rangoon are the best of any other Chinese restaurant we've tried. And they make their own sweet and sour sauce. That's Leah's go-to meal from any Chinese place and Cathay Kitchen is the only one that doesn't have that bottled bright red sauce. Again, it's chicken, covered in homemade sauce (not chicken pieces to dip) with large pieces of onions, pineapple and green peppers, just like I used to make at home.

Cathay Kitchen usually has coupons in the home mailers or coupon magazines that come in the mail. They offer dine in or carry out and have a full bar too. They sell desserts also, but we have always been too full to try them.

This is a family owned and operated business and supports our local economy. We will drive past about four to five different Chinese places to go here. It's about 15 minutes away from us and there is a Chinese restaurant in Hebron we could walk to...it's that good.

Next time you're craving Chinese...try Cathay Kitchen...I know you'll like it just as much as we do!

US Diner, Florence, KY

Last night, Dale and I tried a new, local-owned restaurant for our date night. US Diner located at 5975 Centennial Circle in Florence, Kentucky, has home cooking that reminds me of my childhood. When I heard the specials of the day were roast beef, meatloaf or beans and cornbread, I remarked to both Dale and our server that it sounded like my Grandma Petree's cooking.

I had the cod fillet special which included a dinner roll, salad and fries. I couldn't finish the meal and honestly, should have chosen something healthier. That was my bad...but the food was good. Dale really liked his meatloaf which also included a dinner roll, salad, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Dale opted for the lemon meringue pie which looked homemade and he said was delicious. I was too full for dessert, but when I heard they had sour cherry pie (another childhood favorite!), I couldn't resist! I did draw the line at having ice cream on top though. To be fair, my mom's cherry pie is the best. This one was satisfactory and might have tasted better had I not been so full. Part of eating healthier is listening to my body when I've had enough. When I don't...the taste just isn't the same. I took half of the pie home as well...and the kids thought it was yummy.

Our specials were $7.50 a piece, but it was a huge amount of food. Sandwich, hot dog and burger platters range from $2.49 for a grilled cheese to $5.49 for a quarter pound cheese burger. They have a few salads, but this is a diner, so don't expect a lot of healthy options.

The US Diner opens at 6 a.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. weekends for breakfast. The most expense item on the breakfast menu is a meat and cheese omelet for $4.59 served with choice of bacon, sausage, ham or Goetta, plus hash browns and toast. All other breakfast platters are $3.99 and sides which include biscuits and gravy are only $1.99.

Kids options are all $2.99 and all beverages are only $1.49. Hopefully, I'm conveying how surprisingly low the cost of all the options are at the Diner. By comparison, we ate at The Pub in Crestview for Mother's Day and three in our family ordered pop which were $2.99 a piece!

This is definitely a family friendly place and you won't break the bank when you eat there. Everyone was super-friendly and asked us repeatedly to come again. Next time, we think we'll try breakfast. You can find their daily specials on their Facebook page U.S. Diner.

Paninii Gourmet Cafe', Florence, Ky

Today as I had a delicious lunch with Abbey and Leah, I had the brilliant idea (or so I thought), to write a review about it. In an effort to "Write a Better Story", for a few years now I have been making a more concerted effort to spend our dollars to support more local...or at least smaller...businesses. When I come across a great place or a good deal, I need to pass that along to you. So here goes my first ever blogging restaurant review.

Paninii Gourmet Cafe at 7561 Mall Road in Florence, Kentucky, might be a chain I've never heard of...but I am certain that the man behind the counter asking us multiple times if all was well and encouraging us at least twice to come back, had to be a local owner. I assured him that we would. Here's why:

• All fruit smoothies, with no dairy, although possibly not free of added sugar...would be one of the few healthy, quick options I can get when running errands.  They are $4 each, but there are veggie options and additional supplements available too.
• 9-inch rustic flatbreads for $4-$7
• Salads and wraps for around $7 each
• And paninis...available on ciabatta or rosemary/herb bread

Leah had the Mango Tango smoothie and thought it was good. It filled her up quickly. Abbey and I each had a coupon (received in this week's home mailing) for 50% off a panini when you purchase a side and drink.  Without the coupon, this would have put both of our meals around $11 apiece. But here's how our family of six could make this affordable...sharing.

Abbey and I each only ate half of our paninis, and with my small side salad, I was stuffed. We took home our leftovers and shared them with the two homebodies, Noah and Rebekah. Essentially, we fed five people for less than $20. Granted, that was with coupons, but absent the sides and drinks, it would be about the same amount. Sharing wouldn't leave us stuffed...but stuffing shouldn't be our goal anyway, right? [Yes, that is an an entirely different cultural blog post ]

Just in case you were wondering...it was delicious too. I had the Black Angus with thinly sliced Angus steak, horseradish spread, cheddar and sauteed onions and mushrooms on a perfectly grilled ciabatta bread. For someone that eats red meat about once a month and doesn't like a lot of thick meat, I would highly recommended it. And Abbey thought the Pesto Chicken with chicken breast, mozzarella, creamy pesto and tomatoes was yummy.

A brief internet search still doesn't tell me if this is a chain or not, but I only found the one location. So next time you want a somewhat healthier option, in a casual atmosphere and don't want to break the bank...try Paninii Gourmet Cafe. They're located in front of HH Gregg on Mall Road in Florence.