Give Back The Ring - Relationship

You may have already guessed what this post is about. You guessed it, this post involves the after or more correctly stated what I feel should happen when an engagement ends. Also none of the images are mine, they were just used after a google search "engagement ring montage". So I don't know how other females are or what their thought process is but I'm writing based off of my first hand experience and my thought process after breaking three engagements, and what occurred thereafter the broken engagement - and no I didn't keep any of the rings! As I'm writing this post I'm actually trying to go through my archived photos to see if I even have the pictures of these three beautiful rings...If I happen to find them I will make sure to update the post ;) Count on it! I digress and continue on to the main topic (not past engagement rings).

We are going to be breaking down the scenarios with the effect of the original owner/buyer of the engagement ring, rightfully keeping the ring. In order to better understand my breakdown, allow me to shed some light on my thought process. You see I believe that an engagement ring is not only a present symbol of the future promise to be made but it serves as a present symbol in the form of a "sparkling" gift to the understanding of a in the moment promise made between the couple. Whether someone spends a few hundred dollar or even thousands of dollars on the engagement ring, it remains being something symbolic to the person who purchased it; whether their hard work in purchasing something expensive for another, or the time spent in agony in choosing what they thought their loved one would like (as well as appreciate), or the shear size of the ring being the symbol of not only a financial foundation of their future but to imply a statement of ownership as well. All in all, there isn't just pressure on the person who accepts or denies the question made, but I believe there is more pressure on the person who is doing the asking. Now don't any one person misinterpret the statements I've just made, I'm not saying a males role is more important than a females role or that either party aren't taking a gamble or making a bet for the rest of their life; let me just put it to you this way, last I checked there aren't many or any women buying engagement rings for the men or doing much of the asking (even if the world claims women are doing it all). So now that you know my thought process, here we go! 

1)if you're involved with someone (no matter what the duration is) and the proposal has been made, where you receive an engagement ring because you've said yes; yes that ring is "yours" but remember it's the gift of what is to be not the guarantee. So if you mutually both agree to separate ways and call off the engagement wouldn't the most respectful/loving thing be to then return the engagement ring to its rightful owner-the one who presented it. Or how about the more conscientious thing to do if you truly cared for someone, "hey you spent so much money on this so take it back and see if there's any refund or money that you can get back." Why wouldn't you want to do to right by your partner, lover, best friend and confidant. 

2)you're involved with someone (no matter what the duration is) and the proposal has been made with the acceptance of the engagement ring. However the female who as originally accepted the ring is at a later time wanting to end the engagement and sever ties, therefore ending the relationship. Why would she have of need of the engagement ring; if she cared for the person who she was involved in a relationship with then why wouldn't she give back the ring that was presented to her. For me personally when I hear that the female keeps the ring, then she was more greedy for the "prosperous" aspect of the relationship/marriage to be, because now she's going to pawn off or reap the funds of whatever she gets from the ring. No offense to anyone but to close a chapter for the proviso relationship, you would want to get rid of the remains of it (regardless of good or bad memories) that in turn means the ring as well.

3)you're involved with someone (no matter what the duration is) and the proposal has been made with the acceptance of the engagement ring. However, the male is the one to call off the engagement and sever ties, therefore ending the relationship. I feel this is a situation where it warrants the ring to stay in the possession of the female to do as she pleases (as it was the male who presenting the ring with the proposal and is the one renegading after all that's transpired. 

4)you're involved with someone (no matter what the duration is) and the proposal has been made with the acceptance of the engagement ring, but the ring is an heirloom or family inherited jewel...some may argue on this point no matter what HOWEVER, as much as I am for evolving with the older traditions in play, when it comes to something like this a ring such as this should stay in the original family it is coming from. If that means she doesn't get it then too bad, life's full of disappointments so people should just deal with it. Actually no, more importantly if there was ever a shed of true emotions that transpired between the couple than what happens to the ring in a circumstance such as this would be an easy answer for all-that it remains with the person who presented the ring.

5)you're involved with someone (no matter what the duration is) and the proposal has been made with the acceptance of the engagement ring. If there is a circumstance involving an event of infidelity/cheating (especially when the relationship parameters are set to exclusive and monogamous) on the male then I believe it is at the discretion of the "ring bearer" (the person whose fingers the ring is worn on) what happens to the ring. Now if it's the other way around and the female cheated then, damn woman just give the man his ring so he can at least have enough money for some booze after the heartache and dent in his bank you just did him on top of cheating on him!

Everyone, obviously to each your own just please remember that regardless of broken hearts and/or mixed feelings you should: if your religious, treat others the way you would want to be treated or more importantly you wouldn't want your future son/daughter to be treated in a smilier fashion; not religious, karma is a bitch or if you want the universe to give to you positive energy that put out that same positive energy even though your engagement ended or think of one of your family members was being treated the same way-how would you react...

Sincerely,

A Distinct Woman

SEAL Team (Paramount +) - Recommend

For any fans out there for the SEAL Team TV series, this one goes out you. Those of you who haven't seen the show, I highly recommend it! (image below is not mine, taken from the google search)

If you're an advocate for military show series or perhaps you're just an avid military action viewer, then this is a TV series for you. There is a a valid "real life" feel to the drama introduced or incorporated into the series that it's tasteful and keeps the military family the focus with the action and intel being the focus. Although, I have to admit, that as understanding and appreciative as I am of the show shedding light on real life problems an operator has, I have to say that the Season 5 episodes got a little character Jason being pretty whiney...I see why and how they did it but thankfully everything was tastefully done for the most part. Seasons 2 and 3 I have to say was probably my highlight seasons to keep watching or re-watching. Then after a specific love interest takes fruit-I was hooked! If you were into this show as much as I was with characters Mandy and Jason, you know exactly what I'm getting at!...Love the true capturing of the brotherhood that Navy men believe in, especially SEALs so it's truly captivating and it can entrance you on some if not all the episodes; not just among there brothers themselves but even among the team members involved on their cases/missions. I don't just say all of this because I (do) like the show, but after dating two operators myself I have an appreciation for something's that are highlighted in this show...I digress.

The show was originally debuted and always shown on CBS, however towards the end of Season 5 (I believe) they transitioned over to the Paramount + online streaming platform. I wasn't to keen on the transition having already gotten used to the "time and place" sort of feel for the show, but I noticed that after their transition, the action into the show was more precise and the overall feel of the show wasn't so censored anymore. The vividness of the action and the graphicness of the injuries was just more realistic to the eye and felt like an R-rated action packed movie. My personal favorites were Season 2 and 3, but overall I'm still hooked on the whole show.

If you have never seen this show just watch some clips on YouTube to see if it piques your interest, otherwise for all your known fans, looks like Season 7 is a go! When, I have no idea! IF you have your Paramount + account and the series on your favorites/watchlist you'll know ;) 

Sincerely,

A Distinct Woman

Alabama and Florida - Family Life/General

I will admit that what I'm about to state in this post is based off of my personal experience from years ago, so I suppose that I'll have to plan another trip out to these locations to truly see if what I mention is still factual :) Oh the sacrifice I will have to make in order to keep my posts factual :p 

A girlfriend of mine back in 2018 was having a destination wedding out in Orange Beach, Alabama. I for one when I heard and saw the location thought, "really Alabama and a beach in Alabama." Well long story short I was imagining hick like beach front properties and not the beautiful costal front I've been to or experienced on previous personal and family trips. So I was refreshingly shocked and taken back when I came to the area that we would be staying in. The area wasn't to vast in size so I appreciated that many things could be in walking distance. The best part I thought was surprisingly how clean and soft the sands were. There wasn't a lot of seaweed areas or areas filled with hard and unclean sand. Where I stayed at (even if on the more budgeted side of things as opposed to the bridal party and my girlfriends resort stay) was truly a lovely entry to the beach and had what felt like an all inclusive resort package. The spot for my hotel was further away from the resort crowd and more on the local side of the city so I liked it. 

After actually visiting my girlfriend at her resort (where she was also to be having her wedding) I was more impressed at my stay than the the resort she was staying at. All her guests, family, and bridal party were staying at the Perdido Beach Resort. I'm going to break down why I would never recommend this place to anyone I know! First off the entrance to the beach was not as pretty as there was more beach shrubs and greenery so you didn't really get a full fledged feel of "beach front property/wedding". Secondly, then the area of the beach from their resort was sadly not tidy and actually polluted with debris and trash; whether from their drunken guests at the resort or just in general the breeze from their cossack location along the beach, I can't say for sure but that's what I can speculate. 

Thirdly, inside was outdated and muggy in a "I hope algae isn't growing on the walls with how it feels in here." I've been blessed to have stayed in resorts and some high end 5-star resorts/hotels and even the honeymoon suite or whatever upscale room they had was not very impressive. Big in the sense of a family being able to stay but that's about it. The carpeting would make you feel as if you were visiting your great great grandparents home out in the boonies somewhere. I remember vividly hiding a cringe from my face when I saw some family members barefoot on the carpet. Fourth, I would NOT recommend having a wedding there because the location for the ceremony area was pitiful! Might as well have just gone across the stateliness and found a resort on the Florida side with prettier destination wedding locations. Lastly, I'm not sure who the wedding coordinator is now but at least back in 2018 she was incompetent, rude, disorganized, and unprofessional. I had to literally take over and start barking orders to their staff and her especially! Anyway, I digress...back to the post.

The coolest part was that crossing a highway overpass across the water, you were already on the Florida state side with an easy commute into Pensacola and near Perdido Beach and Keys. 

Quaint little drive, although I have to say careful where you drive because there are some seriously trashy areas you can easily come across or drive through which makes for an unpleasant view for "beach like" cities. The weather seemed to behave during the duration of my stay and especially for my girlfriends wedding but even with the one day of rain, I was able to enjoy the Florida side at an impressive Naval Museum. 

The National Naval Aviation Museum (NAS) in Pensacola, Florida was a nice drive on the rainy day (going and coming) and the facility was inside the gates of the Naval base which was awesome to see! I highly recommend this museum for families and anyone with a facination of museums, especially that of aviation! Super clean, interesting history and areas to explore - meaning its not just one building- so there lots of areas to walk, enjoy and also user friendly (whether in a wheelchair, stroller, and walker). Fun experience and a must see! These are photos I took during my tour inside the museum, so yes I am also the owner of these photos!

So all in all, if you're looking for an affordable beach getaway and perhaps even a test run with your little ones before some of those larger bigger beach locations, this city I think is one that you can enjoy. I know I did and so did my oldest at the time. 

Sincerely,

A Distinct Woman 

I Can't Get Anything Done with Kids, True or False? - Family/General

My mother tells me not to use the word "hate" to demonstrate my education and say instead "I strongly dislike"...only probably with that is I feel, it doesn't express exactly how I'm feeling, almost as if I'm censoring it therefore you will see me use "hate". So here we go, the start of some fruits for thoughts!

I hate when individuals who don't have children/have never had kids from infancy to toddler years/never been around young children make statements such as "I'm waiting until I do everything I want to enjoy in life before having kids" or "kids don't leave you time to do anything else at home or with your significant other/spouse." There's also the single individuals who say something like "that's why I'm never having kids because they suck so much of your time so you don't have time for much else" or "that's why I don't have kids because then I wouldn't have enough time for myself" or my favorite one "kids are so complicated and are just too much work, I would rather have a dog." I will be taking the time to break down in response to each of the statements in a numbered fashion. I don't write any of the following to be insulting or to be informally/inconspicuously answering someone who has made the comments to me specifically-just throwing my sentiment out to the world is all.

1)"I'm waiting until I do everything I want to enjoy in life before having kids" - I feel like this one can be tricky and almost a double edged sword. For starters, I commend anyone who wants to accomplish their goals and ambitions in life (lets face it, kids are expensive and you need money to be able to have one) so kudos to you if you're thinking rationally and realistically especially to being a little better off financially; commendable I assure you. However, it's a little warped in thinking-why do I say that you make ask; due to the following. Let's say you everything right in your timeline from after your senior  year graduation (or acquiring your GED) then you hit the college years hard. When I say "hit the college years hard" I don't been at frat houses and sorority parties, I'm talking all you do is academics and graduation on time or even early. You may/may not be lined up for your career path but you're getting that taken care of. Perhaps you meet the love of your life after graduation or during the start of your successful career path, is a family something you're willing to negotiate to have earlier instead of later? I ask that openly because whether people realize or not, the age in which you have your kid/s does play a part in how you enjoy yours kid/s. It doesn't matter how healthy/fit/active a person is your overall energy level before kids you'll quickly find is VERY different post children entering into the world, so whether people notice, if you have kids between 35-40 you may not be as energetic and as patient with your kids (no matter how much you love them) as you may have been when you were younger (because you basically had boat loads of energy to spare!) Please don't misconstrue my age statement being that a person shouldn't have kids after 35 or even after 40, wrong! I have a firm belief that if the universe, Mother Nature, God, etc wants a person to have a child then they will have a child and old age will not be a factor-everything will happen for a reason. Squirrel moment! Everything happening for a reason naturally doesn't mean that you've had a baby created in a lab, dish, or by injection. So when I hear a woman of 40 or 42 whaling because she hasn't had kids - she has the ability to adopt without concern for her health and the universe, Mother Nature, God, etc has decided she will not procreate for the expansion of the human lineage of that DNA/family lineage. I digress and return back to the main point of this numbered item. Or let's say you haven't met the love of your life yet and your way behind in your career goals and life ambitions? Would you just right off having a family altogether or perhaps have no problem having your family until your older than even you're anticipated? Would you be able to or at least open minded about amending your "family planning" timing if you are further along in your goals and ambitions so that you can enjoy your family as well?

I had a "Life Plan" when I was in high school but that was nothing like how things turned out in life. Granted it was due to my life choices but I wouldn't go back and change anything!...I will personally admit that I was not prepared for the news of motherhood, but I have to say because of my concentration on all my goals and ambitions as well as enjoying my life, I did everything I needed to do in life before the birth of my first child. I will say there are still many things I WANT TO DO, but just because I have kids doesn't mean I can't still to them. Some I will be able to enjoy now with my kids if I play my cards right and others I can still do when they get older. So if someone puts into their head such negativity than that's exactly the type of negativity someone will interpret from a statement like this or worse, because you feel such negativity your kids (trust me) will "feel" that negativity from you as well...guess this paragraph also ties into the next numbered statement.

2) "kids don't leave you time to do anything else at home or with your significant other/spouse." - Ok this one I feel if a person isn't the type of individual who is creative or a "go-getter" (meaning that they will persevere to get what they want or to accomplish a task) then this statement will begin to ring true in your marriage/relationship with your significant other and it's NOT the kid/s fault. You look at older generational couples who had kids or a multitude of kids and they wouldn't have even had this thought because of their upbringing and the time periods; I think (also noticed through observation) that some newer aged couples have the right idea regarding having kids and still having that "spark" in their married lives. Whether it's your's first child or your sixth child, you should and always can dedicate time back to your spouse/significant other. Unless you completely out in the boonies and have literally no living relative within the vicinity or perhaps even in the same state, then yes I can believe and understand the predicament in trying to put time back into being a couple; otherwise nothing is impossible. I commend the couples who are dedicated to each other if not more, after having kids. I mean kids are important and they come first (at least until they're out of your house) but if couples don't continue to explore each other even as kids are growing than I feel that it may be harder for them to interact again by themselves when they are empty nesters. That was one thing I appreciated from my ex-husband (even if done more for selfish reasons or gains on his part), he may have not put our kids and I first but he tried a few times to coordinate "date nights" with my sister and mom - so that they would take care of my oldest while him and I went out; too bad that was also pretty short lived but that's a moot point. If you notice I didn't say that it wouldn't take some effort to extra time/energy on the couples part to make things work after having kids and during their lifespan but hey that's kind of the given when you have a kid. 

On a side note, unless someone has twins or more than twins I can't comprehend or understand when anyone (especially a mom, since I am - been there and done that) states that they don't have time to get anything done at home or that they don't have time for anything. Granted I know that every child is different BUT how you treat your pregnancy is how your child/children will be when they pop out. That's another post for another day...anyway! Take away the month or two that someone helps/assists you, you'll have adapted or hopefully created a schedule - this is especially for you moms - where you have gaged how your childs days and nights will be like. So you can either be creative with your "me" time or the time you want to dedicate for yourself. What I mean about creative can be explained better with my own testimony of what I did. My oldest was great at her naps (actually both my kids were) so I knew that I could either do a good chore that I knew would take me time to complete, or perhaps finally take that longer shower (since I would have the baby monitor screen next to my shower stall, OR even better I would catch up on some much needed snooze time. So with every nap I would alternate one of the three things I mentioned above, therefore wouldn't feel overwhelmed and on the contrary would feel accomplished even while taking care of my kiddos! Ok you nay sayers or anyone who had a baby/child who is attached to your chest/hip/arms and you feel you can't get anything done! The creativity there is through another personal testimony of what I used to do with my youngest. Was more needy for kangaroo time with anyone so leaving my youngest down for naps during the day was harder for me the second go round (granted the nights were still rocking awesome like her sibling before her) the days were a little different. I did a lot of research on specific body straps and finally found one I liked for both her AND I (cause it's not always about the baby features specifically but how the items use will also assist you as the parent and the body that's carrying the stress/load). Bought one on Amazon and gave it a whirl; had secure and great straps with a superb back support for the weight while having the holding straps and cradled area for the baby snug, safe, all while having the cushion to alleviate the pressure and circulation for the little baby legs. I know it's a lot of explanation and probably not the best description for a visual, but don't worry on another post I'm going to write about that awesome buy! Moving on-so finally seeing its use with my youngest I was finally able to do anything while she napped, even vacuuming/mopping/sweeping among the chores.

In hindsight, I followed suit with my youngest the same things that I would do with my oldest. You see I would (and still do) incorporate my oldest to be involved (whether directly or indirectly) with anything I was doing and especially chores (whether outside or inside). For example, when I was in the kitchen my oldest would help me prep while the youngest being in the highchair, had toys to entertain or nibble on while having the best vantage point of my oldest and I so that her intelligent and absorbing eyes would absorb what was going on. Now both of them being older are so cute because they'll offer to help with little things here and there that they've seen me do or have helped me do. The point is to submerge them in their surroundings and daily homelife and they'll become smiley confidant little beings! I can attest to this because this is one of my favorite moments in the picture; my father was working on his vehicle while I was checking on the dogs and wanting to get a walk in so I thought to take my daughter outside with me. She thought she was helping my father when she grabbed a tool-we let her tinker with it for a little bit then I wiped her hands clean and let her explore the garage and saw how far she would try to test her little boundaries. 

I won't lie to any newbie parent and say it's easy, but oh how bittersweet your days are and the feeling you have when you witness your little one/s growth...So parents unless you've exhausted all methods and even brain cells I suggest you DO NOT give off bad or complicated vibes towards others who may want kinds or in general to the general public because it's really unjust towards your offspring :p 

3) "that's why I'm never having kids because they suck so much of your time so you don't have time for much else" or "that's why I don't have kids because then I wouldn't have enough time for myself" - I write about this particular statement here but when faced with someone who says this out loud to me or in front of me I just smile and shrug with a response of my own saying, "hey to each their own, not everyone is cut out to have kids, heck some people in this world really shouldn't have kids." I mean what's the point in any further dialogue with a person like this?...either that's their true thought because they internally feel they wouldn't fit the mold as a parent from beginning to end (meaning whether its their biological child/ren or perhaps from a previous relationship and they are just accepting of their new partners kid/s) OR and I truly think this is the main reason almost 98% of the time, they're individuals who have not matured enough/not mature at all to realize the compromising nature of any relationship whether romantic/familial and that extends to your offspring/next of kin. Compromising doesn't stop when you meet you significant other it continues ten fold when you have kids. 

SO to bring this all to a close...I feel that in order to have kids its not just a calling and vocation (for the religious believers) but a person or the couple must have a need, desire, passion, and wanting (for all the non-religious individuals) to successfully go through the motions and the daily life choice of being a parent. Parenting is also like the vows you take in matrimony, through sickness and in health, through the thick and the thin, and through the strongest of waves/obstacles you have to always be involved 200% not 90% or 50% but 200%! I say 200% because you need to stay ahead of the curve in everything your child does and in their development otherwise you're in for some shockers along the way. Correction, you're always going to have some shocker moments with your child/children it's just a matter of how your recover and keep pushing forward. It's the most important career choice you'll ever do in your entire lifetime. 

Sincerely,

A Distinct Woman 

Dinner Impossible (Food Network) - General

For all you Food Network fans this post is for you. In 2007, before the binging of Beat Bobby Flay, Diner's Drive's-Ins and Dives, and Chopped there was another show a different kind of show. It had the intense challenges yet the show of flavors, technique, and a chef flare...the name was Dinner Impossible with Chef Robert Irvine. Actually, there's two episodes that feature Guy from Diner's Drive-Ins and Dives since these two gentlemen know each other, and it's entertaining. 

So the point of the show is that he takes on these incredible culinary challenges that have sometimes some interestingly twisty obstacles mixed in and/or that are part of the overall challenge altogether. Then he dives in with his expertise and his trusty sous chef companions (usually a George and David) but you'll see the two or one additional chef's he has with him are just as critical to the success of the challenge. This show explores the talent of a chef, their technique, skills, culinary abilities on the go, and overall just entertaining. I still binge on this show and watch the re-runs when they're on somewhere. I am happy to say though (especially for any of you who were fans of this show prior to it's break and their exploration to Restaurant Impossible with Robert Irvine) that it seems as they Dinner Impossible will be returning to our viewing pleasure this March! I'm excited to see what new culinary challenges will be ahead for the team. Here is the article (directly from the Food Network website) for your read: https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/shows/robert-irvine-dinner-impossible

For those of you who used to see the Hell's Kitchen TV Series (debuted back in 2005)-I have to admit I couldn't get behind that show and staying glued enough to not only see all 21 seasons compared to that of Dinner Impossible with 10 seasons; I preferred how Robert Irvine was and how the show was presented overall. Some would say you really can't compare because Robert is international and Gordon is United States focused, however I feel you lightly slightly be able to because Robert is just as critical in his critiquing style as Gordon, which is demonstrated in Restaurant Impossible. Although Robert is a romantic at heart (the big British muscle) whereas Gordon can seem to be just an a-hole. Just some fruits for thought...meanwhile if you're looking for something new to watch or just simply love to watch cooking-like TV shows, this one is for you. Here is a trailer video for it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdfqVhzUeTM    :) So if you're a newbie to this show let me know what you think!

If you don't recall or perhaps never saw the show and want to view it, it's available to stream online through most streaming platforms but I do know from personal experience and my viewing pleasure its on the simple subscription of: discovery and FuboTV. Now with premium subscriptions you can view it on: Hulu, YoutubeTV, and SlingTV.

It's also amazing to see all that he's done, accomplished and continued to do; check for yourself. http://www.chefirvine.com/

Sincerely,

A Distinct Woman 

Putting Hygiene First - General/Health

As you're reading this post I'm sure you'll either get annoyed or agitated at the mention of COVID but don't worry it's only being mentioned in passing, I'm not going to be expanding on it. With that being said, moving on!

I'm not sure if any of you picked up or did any special hygienic steps when you would eat out during COVID, that is when restaurants started allowing you to dine in again. I know for my family and I, a step we never did pre-COVID was carry around cleaning wipes. Why do you ask? Well not only shall I explain but you'll be able to see first hand as well, in the image below. So we would carry around these wipes to wipe down the table we would be sitting at; if the chairs didn't have cloth then we would wipe down all the areas of the chair that we typically grab or use in addition to the base of the chair where the seat part is. Sometimes chairs would have a seat cushion so we would only then wipe down the areas of the chair that we touched. If the table had salt and pepper shakers or if they had a little jelly holder, etc then those items would get wiped down for our use. I know, maybe drastic and to some of you crazy but considering that to this day (knock on wood) my two young kids have not had COVID (even when my entire family was infected at one time) I'm glad we did that and that we still tend to do that...you may just be singing a different tune after you keep reading and find out where the image I took was at-meaning in which restaurant/establishment I was in when I took it. 

The types of wipes we carry are the alcohol wipes (I know more costly but preferably as far as cleaning the surfaces of germs are) but when we forget or run out mid-putting then a set of baby wipes is better than nothing. Yes, I still carry baby wipes and no even if you don't have kids, it's still useful to carry a package in your vehicle. The reason why I say even singles should carry around the baby wipes is because they are awesome cleaners for when you get a stain on your clothing but also for dirt/spills in your vehicle; gentle and hygienic for your clothing material and the vehicle paneling/seats. Ok I digress on the wipes now. When an area I see is less desirable in the visual sense of how clean it can be, I will spray some alcohol on the baby wipe and use the baby wipe. Now for you shocked nay-sayers who maybe think "what about the restaurant or establishment tables and chairs, if you use the alcohol wipes won't you be messing up their equipment?" I can't speak for others BUT when my family and I clean areas it's because we know it's not solid wood or any of the valuable materials that could be tarnished/destroyed when wiped with alcohol. Guess my suggestion to any of you who begin using this technique after reading my post, please be considerate and conscientious of the areas you are cleaning off your use-perhaps only clean the objects on the table for your use and not the table/char surfaces.

Now we come to the image I've taken. I've actually taken images after a cleanup, at a total of six different places so far. This particular image was taken at a very popular city in a well known chain restaurant-Olive Garden. The other five images I took (of before and after wipes) was at Texas Roadhouse, Normas, Cracker Barrel, Waffle House, and Pappadeux Seafood. Sadly, the wiping only got worse no matter the city. Don't want to take my word for it, by all means try it yourself at the establishments you frequent and let me know what your findings are...doesn't mean I still won't eat out! Hell no! But leaves you to wonder how "clean" they really keep things (even after COVID is now just a whisper in the wind).

Stay clean, stay safe, and enjoy your outings! :) 

Sincerely,

A Distinct Woman

Cinnamon Bear - Restaurant Review

If you're craving something delicious, made fresh, and with fresh ingredients at anytime of the day then this is the place for you. Granted its in Virginia, but it's still a worthy pit stop whether you're passing through or in the town to stay-this is a place to frequent!

First off, the owner and chef has a refreshingly humble personality with the patience and conscientiousness of your diet needs. They don't necessarily advertise or publicize that they provide gluten free options, healthy substitutes, and have lactose free options for some of their menu items so if it's your first time trying this quaint little hole in the wall, then make sure to ask.

Second, I don't I can do him (the owner) justice on how conscientious he is of the gluten free items and diet. Lets just say that he has family affected by both the gluten intolerance and celiac disease...so if you're a little timid or cautious in trying their food this should help ease some of that concern, a concern that he's more attentive to than most other restaurants you'll frequent or go to (especially in the Virginia state). 

Third, they did once upon a time have a reward program at their kiosk, that you would enter in your telephone number and the account/profile would be found. Why do I say "once upon a time", well because it's been a while since I've been personally and NO for any of you nay sayers or negative people it's not because I don't like it or that I'm not standing behind me review of their quality of establishment and food. Just personal circumstances-let's leave it at that ;)

Lastly, I haven't even expanded on their actual menu items specifically but know that at this restaurant you don't want to leave without having tried one of their freshly in house made pastries/desserts. And yes for those of you who may be wanting to ask, they even have gluten free dessert options! 

I know I was always excited to try something new or even if I ate my "norm" selection; in case you're wondering, my favorite all time menu items were their gluten free lemon bar, muffins (both blueberry and chocolate chip), their breakfast wrap, their breakfast sandwich but as a wrap instead of a sandwich, tuna AND chicken salad, turkey avocado wrap, Italian chicken breast, with the last of my favs being their pear and gorgonzola salad!

My mouth has literally just watered as I'm typing and reminiscing on their menu items I would eat...as I've said before, don't just take my word for it, go take your palette on an adventure and try it out for yourself!

Sincerely,

A Distinct Woman