As a kid, traveling meant using every single mode of transportation and exploring both the new and familiar. We were just as likely to visit the other side of the city where we were living as we were to be in San Francisco, Venezuela, Boston, …
What is liberation? Is it lying on a beach, eyes closed, resting? There will be endless images of sunsets and lovely views but for now we’re exploring some of that Hawaiian bounty. As we enjoyed the markets, restaurants, and cafes, two thoughts kept coming to …
Tucked into the corner of the Black Garden is a plant not much bigger than a sapling. Its flat leaves are distinctively delicate. This is a black currant bush.
And this variety is called Ebony. It is the sweetest of all varieties.
Love letter #
Dear Black Garden,
What’s happening below the soil? How long will it take for the green orbs to turn black? Will they be sweet? Will they pop like grapes as we enjoy them?
Forever,
xo
Over the years, our traveling family unit has grown from just me and the parents to my brother to significant others and even the next generation. We’ve asked ourselves: if we go there, what will so-and-so like? This is just another reason why cities are …
This will be short and (so) sweet. This week my parents came to Chicago to party. Yes, it included late night conversations, a walk around the Point, delicious food, and laughter. More than anything, it included love. Parents, grandparents, children, spouses, and grandchildren… so much …
It’s been a few weeks since we’ve returned home from Hawaii. I’ve had time to reflect on the many beautiful and touching experiences that we had on the islands of Oahu and Maui, what many refer to as paradise. Countless moments come to mind that I shared with my husband, Darrell, and our daughter, Erika. Daily we ventured out, explored, and descended the winding hills of the mountain where we stayed for entire visit on Oahu.
From high atop a mountain, our home for many days was a gorgeous private residence overlooking Honolulu and the Pacific Ocean. What was so remarkable was that the home was offered to us by a friend of Erika’s. I’m not accustomed to this kind of generosity. I’ve not been the recipient of someone saying, here’s the key, enjoy. In all of my years, there have been few instances where I’ve experienced this.
Kindness, thoughtfulness and generosity do exist in the world. Sometimes, we are so consumed by much of the world’s happenings that they overshadow acts of goodwill, benevolence, and love.
To bring this full circle, I was again amazed and touched when another friend, having heard that we would be visiting a city that they once lived, offered us the key to make their vacation home, our home while visiting next month. There’s so much kindness in the world.
The Black Garden is coming along nicely. Like most things in life, when you’re planning something, it’s not always clear how things will work out. Does gardening encourage patience? Flexibility? Curiosity? Every year, the Black Garden gets more interesting. A new black tomato is planted, …
Summer came so strong that I’m just getting around to sharing our James Beard Awards weekend. To say that it was the cat’s pajamas is an understatement! We had an absolute ball. This was our first time attending the awards but having Chicago proudly hosting …
A year ago in July, we launched Onion Dip for Breakfast. It has been a year of growth, writing, cooking, planning, eating, trial-and-error, traveling, art-making, but especially one of celebration. Oh, how we love our family! We’d like to thank you for joining us on this journey and allowing us to share our stories.
The above image shows the Arcade Restaurant of Atlanta. This postcard from the past includes their slogan, ”Where the best cooked, choicest food in Atlanta is served.” We just received documentation today that my maternal great-grandfather, Hayward William Tucker, cooked there in 1942 but our family memories place him there before that. I like to imagine that his creativity, imagination, and love of food have passed down to us.
While visiting the Afro-Atlantic Histories exhibition at the National Gallery of Art, I rather accidentally entered into the gallery which houses “The Shaw 54 Regiment Memorial”. Although the countless pieces of artwork in the Afro-Atlantic Histories’ show were beyond profound and beautiful, this adjunct piece was …
