Coffee and a Conversation
As Told Over Brunch is a home for intelligent discourse from the twenty-something perspective - so the stuff you gossip about over mimosas on Sunday morning or over takeout on your friend's couch when happy hour ends too early. We love chatting about our lives, whether it be the relationships we’re building (or destroying), lessons we've learned at work, struggles at school, growing pains we've felt, or even the food we’re talking over.
Word's getting out that I write a weekly brunch review, so naturally when people bring it up, one of their first follow-up questions is:
And boy, is that a loaded question. It depends what kind of day you're trying to have: are we going for classy? Or are we talking about where you can go day-drink and get drunk off pitchers of mimosas? Are you looking for a dive bar or white table cloth? Do you want healthy or filling?
Read MoreAs I'm wrapping up another year of life, I can't help but reflect on how much of a growth year 23 was for me. I was measurably more mature than I was at 21, past the indecision of age 22, yet not as settled into myself as I perceive I will be at 24.
Here are the 24 things I learned from the monumental year of 23.
Read MoreWe're a badass state for lots of reasons. First off, we were kind of a big deal in the whole formation of this country. Lot's of important historical figures lived and died here. And while I don't flaunt this as a positive, it's the old capital of the Confederacy, which means we're overflowing with intense amounts of historical landmarks.
Read MoreOne of the first places I ever brunched in Richmond was 3 Monkeys. We selected it for brunch only because we had drank there the night before. We gathered ourselves, neighbors and friends to try out the brunch scene.
When we went that first time, we ordered 4 different mimosa pitchers for the entire table in various flavors. Turned out, only me and a few people were planning on drinking. Before you knew it, we were all a pitcher in, and then I offered to dog sit and decided to take the dog home with me. Then I passed out for most of the day. It was a good day.
Read MoreA few weeks ago, Cazey confessed that he doesn't know the lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner." No one believed him since everyone grows up hearing the National Anthem.
He then proved, true to his word, he really does not know the words (or tempo) to our National Anthem.
Read MoreMy manager sent around this gem about modern dating, which was all about the new trend in relationships: fading out. It gave a few reasons as to why it’s popular: when dating seems to be getting serious, it's a prime time to bail out. Pair that with our natural inclination to use social media to constantly monitor the outside world for better options, and you've got the recipe for a quick fade out.
When I was in college, this trend slayed me. I mean – really – how hard is it to meet with me and tell me face to face why you’re not feeling it all of a sudden? I always wanted closure and rarely ever got it. The compounding factor was that I’d be friends with these guys on Facebook or follow them on Twitter and could see what they’re up to (or more importantly who they’re with), which would just throw a bit more coal on my burning fire of desire for closure.
Read MoreDue to various experiences in the last week, we decided to review McDonald’s iced coffee today.
Cazey lives for iced coffee. For fun, he Googles iced coffee beverages at various franchises and compares their caffeine, calories, and price. It’s the only thing he orders at Starbucks unless he gets an iced Americano, which is basically the same thing. Just seeing iced coffee gets him going. For example, while writing this post, he decided to buy a McDonald’s iced coffee after staring at several pornographic images of mahogany ambrosia over crystal cubes in a plastic cup. He did it for research.
Read MoreUp until this year, I essentially only went on vacation to a suburb in South Carolina twice a year. I had only been on a plane a handful of times: once to California, once to Hawaii and once to Florida. While the Hawaii trip sounds legit, it's relevant to note that I was in second grade. I remember the 12 hour plane ride more than the actual trip.
However, in this year alone, I have been afforded the opportunity to travel to San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Punta Cana, Indianapolis, plus a quick plane ride for personal reasons back up to Connecticut and then a long drive down to Charleston. Some have been work trips and some have been personal trips, but they've all been wonderful in their own way.
Last weekend, I was tasked with picking a brunch place for my (now) ex- roommate and myself, so like any good brunch review blogger, I just googled, "brunch in Richmond," and went from there. The first few, I had been to (like Helens), so I kept scrolling until I found one that seemed interesting. The Hill Cafe caught my attention, mainly because of a scenic picture it displayed.
Once I clicked through to their menu, I was impressed by the options, and was also surprised to see that it didn't open until 11:30am. My roommate and I settled for it, since it had sandwiches (she likes sandwiches more than standard breakfast foods), was in Church Hill (a neighborhood we don't frequent) and was a place we'd never been.
Read MoreMy roommates and I are all amicably breaking up this year after two years together. To prove how amicable it is, we're even throwing a divorce party. However, my one roommate moved out two months early to pursue her new living adventure, and took the Verizon package with her upon her departure. The remaining roommates and I (okay, truth be told, I did nothing in the research) looked into how much it would cost for a month to month internet package, but it was too pricey and our house isn't wired for FiOS, so that complicated just opening up one of our new accounts a month early.
That means we're now living without WiFi for almost two months. No Netflix. No streaming. No online shopping. Not to be dramatic, but I now know what the Pilgrims must have had to endure.
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