Month: September 2018

Top 5 Must Reads – Fall 2018

Top 5 Must Reads – Fall 2018

Recently I was a guest on Ena Esco’s “Verbally Effective” podcast, where we talked about Korean adoption, adoptee citizenship, my career trajectory, and of course, this blog. Many of you may remember me from my WendyEats days. Back then I exclusively blogged about locally owned 

City Silo Table & Pantry

City Silo Table & Pantry

The other day as I was scrolling Instagram, I saw someone post a delicious looking picture of their meal from City Silo Table & Pantry. I’m always on the lookout for new yummy local restaurants, so I browsed City Silo’s Instagram, did a quick menu 

The Ensemble

The Ensemble

In the first fews pages of The Ensemble, Aja Gabel introduces her characters swiftly, deftly. A meaty paragraph about each of her four main characters defines their motivations, their role in the quartet, and their worldview. This introduction sets the stage for the stories that follow. “They’d 

Memphis Coffee Shop Rounds

Memphis Coffee Shop Rounds

In my first few weeks back in Memphis, I’ve been scouting out local coffee shops. Thanks to recommendations from my Facebook friends, I’ve compiled a list of places, including: City & State, Cafe Keough, Otherlands, Bluff City Coffee, French Truck, Tamp & Tap, Muddy’s (Midtown 

I Got Something to Say: Gender, Race, and Social Consciousness in Rap Music

I Got Something to Say: Gender, Race, and Social Consciousness in Rap Music

Ever since my article, “The cost of being ‘real‘: black authenticity, colorism, and Billboard Rap Chart rankings,” was published in Ethnic & Racial Studies (2018), I’ve gotten requests to review other work on hip hop, lyricism, and identity. Last week I received Matthew Oware’s book I Got Something 

Mosa Asian Bistro

Mosa Asian Bistro

You should know upfront that Mosa Asian Bistro is one of my favorite Memphis restaurants. When I first moved to Maryland I was on the search for panang curry that rivalled Mosa’s and let me tell you, there is none. So you can imagine how 

Art on the Rocks

Art on the Rocks

A couple weeks ago, while driving to the University of Memphis, I saw a sign for the Dixon Art Gallery‘s “Art on the Rocks” event featuring garden-inspired cocktails, local eats, and live music in the Dixon Art Gallery’s beautiful outdoor gardens. I made a mental 

We’re Going to Need More Wine: Stories That Are Funny, Complicated, and True

We’re Going to Need More Wine: Stories That Are Funny, Complicated, and True

I’m wrapping up my summer reads and Gabrielle Union’s We’re Going to Need More Wine was one title I wanted to get in before the fall semester began. I decided it would be the perfect read for a recent Day In. Instead of wine though, I 

Philadelphia Eats: A Review

Philadelphia Eats: A Review

I cannot believe that ASA was three weeks ago! Where does the time go? In this case, I actually know – a move back home, orientation for my first tenure track job, and the beginning of a new semester. Whew!  A LOT has happened between