You know those foods that just remind you of something
special? You know, that cozy bistro
where you ate on your first date or that greasy spoon café you shared waffles
and hash browns and countless conversations with your mom or dad, or the corner store
where you would stop on the way home from fishing to grab a cold drink and a
snack? We all have those places. Those places where it’s not just about the
food, it’s about the memories and the experiences we tie to those foods.
In 24 hours, I will be on a plane “home”. Not my physical home, but the place that will
always have tiny pieces of my heart and will always hold the memories of
childhood and first loves and fishing trips.
It’s where I learned to ride a bike without training wheels, where I
caught my first bass and where I met and fell in love with the man I am
thankful to now call my husband. It’s
where we had our first kiss, where we first said “I love you” and where we
stood in front of God and everybody and promised each other forever. When I first moved, it was hard to not still
call it “going home” when we went to visit. Now, after a couple of years and settling into
this newer, faster paced life, I no longer use that term but the sentiment
remains the same. So even though I’m “going
to Kentucky” to visit, there will be certain places and people that will never
be recreated here at home (my new one that is).
So why the trip down sentimental lane? Well, like you, I have those places in
Kentucky where I must eat when I go to visit.
Not just my Memaw’s or my mother-in-law’s, but those little restaurants
and hole in the wall places that I can’t get anywhere else. Those places where my parents would take me
on the weekend and we would talk about how school was or what I wanted to do
for the science fair. Those places where
good friends would gather around a picnic table outside Sue’s Hotdogs and share
an Ale-8 and a laugh (I mean come on! Any steamed, mushy, chili covered hot dog
served out of a shack on a road called “Steam Shovel” has to be delicious,
right!?) Those places where you could
escape college finals week for a brief moment for some pizza, pub fries and the
best chocolate cake south of the Mason Dixon line (even better than Maggiano’s,
if you can even imagine the possibility!?).
I know, I’m still rambling.
The point is, while I’m not going to go completely crazy on
my trip and eat everything, there are a few things I may eat that 1. Will not be paleo and 2. Will not be healthy for me.
Two things I know I will enjoy (in moderation of course) on
this trip are an Ale-8 and food from Papa Leno’s in Berea, Kentucky.
Now if you have never enjoyed this soft drink beverage known
as an Ale-8, you my friend have not lived.
(Actually, you’ll probably live longer, since it’s chocked full of
sugar, additives, secret ingredients and {as described by non- Eastern Kentucky
natives} swamp water). Anyway, I will
have one (or two. OK, probably three
since I’m there until Monday. Don’t be disappointed
in me!) because it’s something I grew up
enjoying and it’s a drink I would share with family and friends. Heck, it’s even the drink my husband and I
toasted with at our wedding. It’s exclusive
to certain regions and I can’t get my Kentucky experience without it.
So then we get to Papa Leno’s. This hole in the wall Italian restaurant is
nestled in downtown Berea on the Berea College campus. My beloved Alma mater is graced with
beautiful architecture, blooming redbuds, dogwoods and majestic Ginko trees,
all of which surround this little restaurant where I spent quality time while
attending the college. The smell of
garlic, fresh tomato sauce and cheesy goodness wafts through the air, drawing
you inside to sit amongst the local art that covers the walls. It’s a happy place. A place to get some great pizza, pasta and
garlic bread that will knock your socks clean off (make sure you wash your
feet!).
So, now that I’ve had a trip down memory lane and probably
made you hungry, my point is this. I don’t
get to visit those places often (I’m 900 miles away!), so even though I’m
committed to being healthy and paleo, I’m going to enjoy my trip and eat the
foods that I associate with the many happy memories of my life.
My 30 days that I promised you comes on Tuesday, not long
after I return so I’m sure the results may be a little dampened if I enjoy
things this weekend that will undoubtedly give me carbo bloat. For what it’s worth, I feel great and plan on
continuing this lifestyle long after the 30 days (with perhaps a few
modifications, but I’ll save those for another day) but I want to enjoy this
trip so alas, I will be a cheater once again.
Anyway, just in case, I weighed in this morning so you had a
more accurate picture of my progress so far and I will still weigh in on
Tuesday, regardless of the number. I’m a
scientist, I can’t help but give you data, regardless of the outcome.
So…
Beginning weight: 139
lbs
Today’s weight: 136.2
lbs
Also, remember it’s not just about the number on the scale
(Though I’m pretty pleased!), it’s about how your clothes fit, your health, and
how YOU feel. It’s about making a
lifestyle change for the better, not going “on a diet” or being “skinny-fat”.
So, I’m going off the grid for the weekend. I will be in the land of more green, less asphalt,
and no 3G (Gah, how will I survive without my smarty phone device?!).
I’m heading to my Old Kentucky Home.
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