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The steps and missteps of a cultural nomad -- walk with me as I navigate life, motherhood, and look for adventures throughout the 404 area code and beyond. var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-27416107-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();

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{wisdom} The Words I Gave My Son

If... If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise: If you can dream - and not make dreams your master; If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to broken, And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools: If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!' If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' worth of distance run - Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

-- Rudyard Kipling ---

Until Such Time,

~ Zakiya

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{eats} Caribbean Seafood

I have another quick and flavorful weekday meal for ya.

---ingredients---

1 cup of Thai Jasmine rice

1 lbs of shrimp ( I prefer wild caught)

1 bag of frozen vegetables

1 yellow onion

1 tomato

1 stalk of scallion

2 cloves of garlic

Olive oil

salt

black pepper

cumin

curry ( Blue Mountain hot)

1) Cut up your tomato, onion, scallion, garlic, and pepper

2) Clean and devein your shrimp and then season with black pepper, salt, cumin, and some hot Blue Mountain Country curry

3) lightly coat your pan with olive oil and saute your shrimp

4) saute your shrimp until they turn a very light brown

5) add your tomatoes, onions, scallion, garlic, and pepper

6) cook your rice and add some salt and pepper to your vegetables and then steam them.

voilà  enjoy!!

Until Such Time,

~ Zakiya

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{Kids} If You Build It They Will Come

The Grasshopper had a play-date scheduled with a lifelong friend and we decided to explore the Legoland Discovery Center at Phipps Plaza.

Like any good adventure it all began in a see through elevator

with one enthusiastic explorer and the other more on the hesitant side.

Though with an entrance like this even the most recalcitrant quickly loose site of their obstinance...

and begin to circle, poke, and prod trying to decipher the code, the technique that turns little pieces of rectangular plastic into this.

Not to mention the contagious enthusiasm of the expedition leader who doesn't allow the "here for the rides", but demands full participation.

So finally we get a half smile and a pose out of The Grasshopper

and a half hour spent examining and questioning the Downtown Atlanta skyline built only in Legos.

Then the friends dash off to build on their own, from their own imaginations, as big or as small as their little hearts desire.  But, if big is where they're headed...

David is there to help out and ensure their masterpieces are structurally sound.

So The Grasshopper and friend take him up on his offer

and learn the foundation is the most important part of any structure.

But an adventure is not an adventure without  knocking off a villain or two.

Until Such Time,

~Zakiya

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{explore} An Atlanta Girl Tries Her Hand at Making Buna

The coffee ceremony is an integral part of Habesha (Ethiopian and Eritrean) social and cultural life. After all, as they say coffee was discovered in Ethiopia. So being the ever curious cultural nomad I was determined to learn how to perform it.  Please note that my outfit is wholly inappropriate but I didn't realize that until after the fact -- learn from my mistake and be sure to at least cover your legs and at best purchase traditional tilfy here , here ,or at any local store you can find.

First, you start by spreading fresh cut grass or a grass mat (which of course I didn't do) and then you burn either frankincense or gum arabic. 

You will then roast your green coffee beans over  hot coals in a brazier or a specially made stove as I did.

Make sure to shake your beans as they roast to ensure they are done evenly and keep doing this until they are a medium to dark brown.

Once the beans are fully roasted and begin to smoke make sure to waft it toward your guests so they may enjoy the aroma.  Then you grind your beans either in a traditional pestle and mortar or small hand-held grinder  and add water to your jebena (the black "coffee pot" you see to the right of my set-up with the pink top).  Pour your finely ground beans into the jebena and wait for it all to froth up.  You will be doing ALOT of waiting during the ceremony so make sure your patience tank is full before you even attempt to begin.  Watch your jebena closely because when it beings to boil it can make a real mess.

The first time your coffee boils over add a little bit of water but the second time you're ready to go. You should have already set up your small, handle-less cups so that they are very close together.  Then, begin pouring from your jebena in a single stream from cup to cup.  Ask your guests if they want sugar and how much -- the typical request is one teaspoonful. The ceremony is repeated three times and you may offer freshly popped popcorn or hambasha, a slightly sweet celebration bread as well.  Don't forget to interact with your guests, after-all the social aspect of the ceremony is equally important.

The final verdict for my first attempt was "bella! bella!" so I guess I did well.  Needless to say I'm now addicted.  Maybe I'll invite you to my next attempt ;).  I look forward to hearing about your coffee ceremony experiences or attempts.  Be sure to comment below or hit me up on any of the social media sites I have listed.

Until Such Time,

~Zakiya

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{travel} The City by the Bay

As wonderful as Atlanta is, absence makes the heart grow fonder so this A-Town Chica  headed out to San Fran.

As much as I hate flying the view from your window when headed out West is spectacular.  Something about the stark, unforgiving harshness of the desert is awe inspiring and helped me forget my fears.

And then you land in the City by the Bay, a way more dynamic city than I could have ever imagined.

full of streets lined with cable car tracks.

I stayed at the Palace Hotel an exquisitely luxurious bastion of high society.

 and since I'm in the midst of a Downton Abbey obsession the Palace Hotel's opulence provided the real world fix I needed.

Old world elegance at its finest AND convenient, the Palace is located at Market and New Montgomery right across the street from the Montgomery BART (public transit).  It is very near Union Square and China Town and in walking distance to cable car and trolly starting points. More about that later.

The Garden Court Restaurant originally the carriage entrance to the hotel now serves as a historic landmark. Following the 1906 earthquake and subsequent fire the Palace was restored and in 1909 the Garden Court unveiled.  It is now recognized as one of the world's most beautiful public spaces.   Even if you don't stay at the hotel make sure to pop in for afternoon tea or Sunday brunch.

I was more than happy to  pamper myself with their Gilchrist and Soames  bath products (which I plan to purchase for my home) and relax for awhile before hitting the road.

Once I decided to go for a walk I was well rested and ready for adventure.  I love how a park just sprung up out of nowhere with senior citizens socializing and doing Tai Chi.

Decided the best way to see the city was by cable car.

San Francisco cable cars are the first of their kind...

and now the last.

the open air style provides a great way to explore.

The cable car took me into the country's oldest China Town where people still hang their laundry from the fire escape...

and past Nuestra Senora De Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe Church) built in 1906 and rebuilt in 1912.

Soon after we passed Quong Ming Jade Emperor Palace, a Taoist temple.

From the cable car I thoroughly enjoyed San Francisco's hilliness... not so much once I got out to walk.

Finally I arrived at Fisherman's Warf...

where you can see Alcatraz looming in the distance;

tour the USS Pampanito, a WWII Submarine; and view many other Navy artifacts.

If you are interested in the curious and ever so creepy tour the Musee Mecanique or Mechanical Museum

one of the world's largest privately owned collections of antique arcade machines and mechanically operated musical instruments.

and when it's all said and done you should be ripe and ready for seafood at the Franciscan

or some sourdough bread with clam chowder at Boudin Bakery.

Before you head back home be sure to stop by Roy's  for Hawaiian fusion

and pick up the most delicious macaroons from Chantal Guillon

Until Such Time,

~Zakiya

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{diy} About This Bed

So, I like nice things.  Anyone who knows me knows that to be true.  But, if you know me well you also know that I am VERY frugal -- on top of the fact that my budget is quite tight. 

Anyway, I was in the market for a new bed for The Grasshopper and I didn't want to settle for the pressed wood, build-it-yourself variety so I did what any sensible person would do..... I took to Craigslist.org, 

Amazingly not long into my search I came across a Pottery Barn Kids bed for sale for $100!! Yes, you heard me right.... $100!! I was ecstatic but skeptical and after some back and forth my dad and I finally arrived at the seller's home. I am also a little weird about second hand things, especially a bed, so I wanted to scope out the way the people lived before I made the purchase. 

Lucky for me the sellers were a lovely couple with a very clean, very beautiful home.  Unfortunately for me, their little tyke had taken the liberty of scratching his name into the head-board, there was some white paint on the foot-board, and the honeyish color of the wood seemed dated.  Thank God my dad was with me and assured me that despite the set-backs it was still a great deal and he could take care of the rest.

So I bought the bed and happily took it home were, after a trip to Home Depot, my father sanded  it down using Norton Premium 150 grit sandpaper and then stained it using Varathane oil stain in Kona and finished it off with a semi gloss.  He applied the stain and gloss with a Applicator and More lambswool applicator and i could not be more happy with the results.

So now The Grasshopper has a solid wood, Pottery Barn Kids bed in a more classic dark wood.  A bed that can be passed down through the generations for approximately $150 (including materials and because my dad provided free labor).

The moral of the story is, don't give up quality because you're not  rich.  There are many ways to skin a cat as they say.

Until Such Time,

~ Zakiya

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{eats} Quick and Flavorful

If you're like me you close out Sunday with great intentions to cook wonderful complex meals throughout the week.... and then Monday hits.  I seriously spend the rest of the week trying to hold on after the damage Monday puts on me.  If you're the same, this quick, easy, vegetarian friendly meal will be as much of a life-saver for you as it is for me.

--ingredients--

1 cup of rice

1 box of Morning Star Farms Grillers Original

1 bunch of spinach

1 yellow onion

1 tomato

1 scotch bonnet/ habanero pepper

2 cloves of garlic

1-2 stalks of scallion

Rosemary

Olive Oil

Salt

Black Pepper

Cumin

Ketchup

1.) cut up all your veggies, peppers, and rosemary.

2.) season your patties with salt, black pepper, and cumin

3.) pour a little olive oil in the pan, just enough to lightly coat the pan, and then add your Morning Star patties making sure to brown them on both sides.

4.) put your rice to boil

5.) add a dollop of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt, then steam your spinach.

6.) add your veggies

7.) pour in a ketchup and water gravy ( it tastes delicious I promise) and simmer for another 5 minutes

8.) Then plate

Thirty minutes and you're ready to sit down to a tasty meal.  Bon appetit!

Until Such Time,

~Zakiya

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{travel} Teeny Budget = No Problem

I have a world travel personality but like so many others my desires don't always match my pocket book.  Cue 1950's nostalgia; mix in a little 2013 and you have the "one tank trip" to the rescue.  

The next time you want to explore and money is tight take a one and a half hour drive up GA 400 to Amicalola State Park and Lodge.

You'll find the lodge about three miles up a long and windy road.

It is quite spacious, with floor to ceiling windows so you are always privy to the spectacular view.  I will say, the accommodations are less than spectacular and the food many seasonings short of savory but ...

the sunset can't be beat.

Nor can the fresh air, the sounds of nature, and green all around.

Head out down the trail to the falls

and listen to the soothing rumble of the water as you descend the gazillion stairs ahead of you.

Be sure to get your Dr.'s clearance 'cause it's no cake walk I'm telling you.

Despite the ridiculous grin my legs started to shake 1/16 of the way down.... shaaaaake!  No joke.

Can I tell you how worth it, it is though?!

Amicalola Falls is the tallest cascading waterfall in the Southeast at 729ft  ft.  So, If you've been in Atlanta for awhile and haven't seen the falls do yourself a favor and take the drive.  You will not be disappointed.

When the stress of work and the city's traffic get to you find your zen less than two hours away.

One of the great things about living in Atlanta is how easily we can transition between the hustle and bustle of city life ...

and the calm and beauty of creation.

Just bring a bottle of water..... and a map-- I had absolutely no phone signal while I was there.  GPS took me to the lodge but I got lost finding my way back.  Being a reformed horror movie aficionado imagine my dismay when I found myself lost and alone in the sticks - think Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Wrong Turn.  Not fun I assure you.

And for those practical fashionistas (it's not an oxymoron I tell you) invest in some Merrell outdoor shoes.  I absolutely love these.  They got me through wetlands and climbs and I still maintained the cute factor.

While you're in that neck of the woods be sure to stop by the North Georgia Premium Outlets, the Kangaroo Conservation Center, Dawson Arts Center, and  the Appalachian Trail.

Until Such Time,

~ Zakiya

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All Good things must come to an end ... well almost.  It's been fun working as a part of a two woman team, sharing Atlanta with you all through different eyes.  Alas things change and people grow apart.  I am however dedicated to this blog and to its readership.  It is my sincere  hope that you will continue to follow.  Although the tone may change slightly;  less about parties and more about art, culture, motherhood, travel, and good living; I hope you remain engaged.   If you have any suggestions or particular topics you would like me to cover please do share.  To new beginnings!!

Until Such Time,

~ Zakiya

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I celebrated my birthday this past weekend with some good friends of mine.  To let you in on a secret, I am sucka for birthdays.  I get excited about all my birthdays, those of my friends’, and even random strangers’ birthdays.  There’s nothing like celebrating the day you were born and being thankful for the life you’ve been given.

So every year, I start the planning of my birthday gathering fairly early (unlike Zukie, who is known to come up with something cool at the last minute) and make sure it involves food, drinks, music, and my awesome friends. This year I opted for somewhere outdoors and decided on the lovely Rooftop 866, above the Renessance Hotel downtown. This place has a great ambiance, perfect for dates or large groups.  Of course we had to end our evening at my favorite dance spot, The Sound Table.  Lots of fun was had. 

xoxo

~Cheech

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{gww} Guess Where Wednesday

Game rules refresher...We post a picture from a location around the city and you guess the location.  The person who guesses correctly wins a drink (alcoholic, tea, coffee, milkshake, smoothie, whatever floats your boat) on us at their favorite city hang out spot. Click the heart icon below to guess...good luck! 

                                    These fun paintings can be found at a venue known for raw foods, famous 'bomb' drinks, and non-traditional utensils.  

Last month's answer:Phoenix Rising from the Ashes statue on the corner of Woodruff Park in downtown Atlanta.  

xoxo

Cheech

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{eats} High Tea Minus the Frills

There's nothing better than falling in love with a place upon your first visit.  A place that you don't mind sharing with people but you hope it still remains a secret.  A place that's not so stuffy, loud, and pretentious.  Dr. Bombay's Underwater Tea Party is exactly that place.  

     Tucked away in the Candler Park area, Dr. Bombay's has officially become one of my favorite hideaways.  I found this little spot when researching venues in the city where I could enjoy High Tea (late afternoon tea) with some friends.  As you all know, I am never interested in overpopulated and 'in-the-know' crowd gathering spots.   So imagine my excitement when I learned about the easy and relaxed atmosphere of Dr. Bombay's and I brought a friend along to try it out.  

      Dr. Bombay's offers a wide variety of flavorful teas as well as coffee.  The choices were so extensive that trying to make one choice was a truly difficult task.   

          At High Tea we were served a pot of our choice of tea and a spectacular platter filled with a spread of cakes, scones, and cookies.  

      Our lovely meal also included clotted cream, assorted jams and jellies, and even old fashioned sugar cubes. 

       I was so pleased with my choice of the black passion fruit tea. It was so good! 

           While eating and sipping, I couldn't help but notice all the interesting little things in this eclectic space.  The bookshelves were filled with books for sale.  The proceeds from the book sales and some of the tea products are donated to The Learning Tea, a project to help promote education amongst the women of India.  Dr. Bombay's even hosts monthly Taste of India dinners, which Zukie and I attended, to raise funds for the project.  

      The antique piano displayed a sign that read 'by appointment only'.  

       What I truly loved about this place is the feeling of spending time in the cozy home of an old family member.  It's perfect for those who are craving something different from the regular noisy cafes or coffee shops.  I left feeling recharged with the help of the warm tea, great conversation with a friend, and a bit of the sugar from all those tasty pastries. 

Dr. Bombays' Underwater Tea Party 

1645 McClendon Ave Atlanta, GA 30307

404-474-1402

xoxo

~Cheech

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Rihanna stopped thru Atlanta for her Diamonds World Tour last night at Phillips Arena . She showered us with all her hits and of course she looked as stunning as ever.  Atlanta fans showed up and showed out and they all looked super fab.  Enjoy the pics! 

xo

~Cheech

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{diy} Party like it's your 4th Birthday {children}

Howdy and happy Earth Day!!   If you didn't take part in the Atlanta Earth Day Cleanup Challenge at least you can begin thinking about your carbon footprint... today is as good a day as any.  In other news, birthday planning for the little ones is always a stressful proposition for me.  The Grasshopper has a party every other year for many reasons but primarily because mamma can't take the stress.  Recently The Grasshopper and I went to our little cousins' birthday party and I was very impressed by the creativity  and sheer effort their mom put into it.

She made great use of cardboard boxes and household items.  There was a cardboard box jail complete with tinfoil bars and wanted posters strewn about...

and a cardboard farm house with construction paper roof and felt windows.

The "watering hole"  was filled to the brim with the most delicious homemade lemonade....

and there were baskets full of fresh fruit and ranch/farm animals decorating the tables.

The "treasure basket", a simple tin picnic basket with stick-on letters, was always on hand to award prizes to the winner of the many planned activities which included...

The daily catch at the "fishing hole"-- which made use of a blue sheet, a pole, a piece of yarn with a clip tied to the end, and a grown-up on the other side of the sheet to clip the fish (see goody bag)  to the line.

The ever present piñata in the shape of a boot....

and a horse race using homemade stick ponies/hobby horses housed earlier in the "pony corral".  Take a look at Create Everyday or lightbluegrey for a step-by-step on creating your own.  Another activity for the younger children included a singalong guessing game where a party helper sang old McDonald and pulled a stuffed animal out of a bag.  The first child to guess what sound that animal made won the stuffed toy.

Older children like The Grasshopper took part in some of the planned activities but otherwise ran around the park (I forgot to mention the party was held at a local park) on scooters and bikes, eating up all the food and terrorizing guests.  I got them to pause for half a second so I could snap this picture at the photo station.  I hope this helped get your creative juices churning for your next big kiddy party.  If you are not into the DIY The Grasshopper had some memorable parties at:

Buckhead Barn

Monkey Joes

The Cooler

and most recently

Andretti

I will leave it to Cheech to tell you all about the fantabulous super hero party she threw for The Grasshopper, also a DIY with Brook Run Park as the backdrop.  Let us know if you prefer to design, plan, and host your little bit's party or are you more like me, and prefer to just fork over a lump sum of cash.  We would love to hear your experiences and I would love to hear what you've done.  Maybe I'll start planning early for once ;).

-Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost-

Until Such Time ~ Zukie~

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{eat} Farm-to-Table the Atlanta Way

It's really important to me and to Cheech to eat healthy and be conscious  about what we put in our bodies.  Unfortunatley I'm not too good at it yet, being a reformed candy for lunch type of lady, but I hope to get there in the not so distant future.  Needless to say I was really excited to try Radial Cafe for the first time because of that commitment.  It's one of Atlanta's first farm-to-table restaurants .....

and from the looks of it, is very kid-friendly although I didn't have the grasshopper with me this go-round.

I heard about it through word of mouth and happened to have a meeting scheduled next door so decided to pop in for lunch.  I had the tomato risotto which was quite delicious and I'm not really a risotto fan.  I drank the hot shot, which although I do not remember all the ingredients, I seem to recall having ginger in it (I love ginger you guys).

Radial Cafe is not only committed to providing fresh, locally grown foods they are committed to leaving as small a carbon footprint as possible.  How much better can you get.  I mean the restaurant epitomizes a number of my values all at once (including the support of local business) --so you see, you can do good AND be successful.

Not my best Android warrior shot.  I really contemplated leaving it out but I wanted you guys to get a sense of the interior *warning* picuture does it no justice.

View from my window. If you're looking for another perspective and prettier pictures check out Atlanta Coffe Scene's review here .  Let us know what you think about Radial Cafe, farm-to-table, and healthy eating in general.

-Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost-

Until Such Time ~ Zukie~

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{business} Designing for the Natural Woman in Mind

Cherie and I (I'm wearing one of her fab creations)

The Woman

Meet Cherie Huff, a witty and animated jewelry and T-shirt designer who truly has a passion for what she does.  I ran into her at an event (see here) a while back and simply had to get to know her.  A meeting over lunch and coffee quickly turned into an easy conversation about life, business, and everything else in between.  Honestly, there’s something about getting to know a person who is devoted to his or her own craft and gaining an extra boost of inspiration from them.  

The Business

Texan Cherie is the CEO and designer of Nappy Rutz. She started working nine to five in the corporate world, but left it to take on making jewelry and T-shirts.  Cherie developed this hobby into a business in 2008, as the natural hair movement was gaining momentum. However it wasn't until a year later that she was able to leave the corporate world and focus on her products full time.

Cherie admits to not having a background in jewelry making.  She simply started off with a collection of leather and the desire to design for the ‘natural’ woman.   She claims to draw a lot of her inspiration from ‘worldly’ places like World Market, West Elm, and Anthropologie.  What keeps her motivated is seeing her own creation on someone else who is willing to share it with the world. 

The Products

All jewels designed and created by Cherie are handmade, authentic, and one of a kind.  Her products focus on enhancing one’s beauty by way of accessories.  One can definitely guarantee quality and affordability with each of her products.  She started off with the desire to design for a women who held a flare for large, bold earrings.  She has now introduced smaller, yet eye catching, earrings with dynamic designs. 

In addition to online, Nappy Rutz wares can be found in local Atlanta shops such as Moods Music in Little 5 Points.  She has branched out to Miami, Dallas, Virginia, California, and Trinidad and Tobago.   She is also currently in the process of producing clutch purses, bringing back her infamous female T-shirts, and even possibly adding a men’s T-shirt line. 

Why Atlanta

Cherie loves that there is always something to do in Atlanta.   She enjoys the idea that there are numerous amounts of entrepreneurs in the city.   The multitude of people presently residing in Atlanta is attractive and she feels that one can run into plenty of people from different walks of life here.  

Advice For The Up and Coming

Her advice for future and current business owners includes being patient because nothing ever happens as planned.  Be passionate about what you are doing.  Always seek inspiration, no matter where it may come from, especially if you feel yourself falling into a rut.   

For Our Readers 

Cherie is giving our lovely readers a chance to obtain her products for 15% off.  Just enter the code TRAVERSE when checking it out to grab this great offer.  

Nappy Rutz contact info:

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

xoxo

~Cheech

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{DIY} A Simple Clutch Purse

Spring has sprung and I officially have been bitten by the creative bug these past couple of weeks.  I have been spending more time than normal browsing Pinterest and collecting interesting projects to try.  During one of my searching expeditions, I ran across this simple no-frills clutch to add to my ever growing bag collection.  So of course I HAD to give it try. 

      What I used:

A pair of good scissors.  Heavy weight fabric (I got mine from the home decor section of the fabric store). 18inch zipper. Pins. Thread. Measuring tape. Sewing machine. 

How I Did It:

I began with determining how large I wanted my bag to be.  Measured the length of the entire bag. Cut and folded the fabric in half. 

    After folding the fabric in half, I made sure that my zipper was a bit longer than the width of fabric. Aligned the fabric against the zipper. 

                Pinned the zipper to the fabric.  I honestly have to admit that this was the most difficult part because I got a bit confused.  After reading the directions numerous times and even walking away from the project for a while, I was able to piece things together. 

                 The sides were then pinned together evenly.  

    Now to the fun part...sewing.  I stitched the sides and the zipper.  And voila!! Completed in about 2 hours. 

The Results: 

An easy and fun clutch that I can throw in my makeup, phone, camera and even iPad.  I will be definitely trying the project again with a different type of fabric in hopes of getting the same results.

            xoxo

~Cheech