Community Over Competition

Yesterday was Pay It Forward Day and it had me reflecting on all the kindness we have witnessed over the past months. Chris and I started We Eat CNY as a way for us to expand our horizons and do something fun together. Our Friday night date nights were our time to reconnect after a long week and documenting them was our inspiration. It was also a way to break us out of our rut. We tended to go to the same few restaurants and stay close to home, all the while feeling like we were missing out on something. With two young children and working full time during the week, we were often too tired to think of where we wanted to go out for dinner. So, we decided to be more adventurous and start paying closer attention to the restaurants in the area and where we would visit. By expanding our culinary horizons, we also expanded our social circle and discovered a whole new group of people who have brought a new sense of community to our lives.

Weekly RecapKatharine JohnsonApril 30, 2018community, podcast, food events, road trip, central new york, finger lakes, mexican, wines, cocktails, farmers market

Chili Cook off at Lincoln Middle School

Since we started We Eat CNY, Chris and I have been amazed by how we have been embraced by the food community here in the Syracuse area. Last weekend, we were visiting Owera Vineyards and struck up a conversation with the woman sitting next to us. This happens more frequently now that Chris is taking pictures of our food and drinks and I am rearranging plates, glasses, and napkins so he can get the best shot. While we explained our situation, the woman exclaimed that she follows our Instagram account and loves seeing the foods we feature and checking out the restaurants in the area. The woman happened to be LaJuan White, the principal of Lincoln Middle School in the Syracuse City School District. As a SCSD teacher myself, we immediately connected and our mutual love of food gave us lots to talk about. LaJuan told us about a Chili Cook Off that was taking place at her school and invited us to attend. Her friend Michele Ragussis, a finalist on the eighth season of Food Network Star, was going to teach students and their parents how to make chili. The chili would be donated to feed the homeless through We Rise Above the Streets, a local non-profit, and the families would get to keep the electric skillets, cooking utensils, and containers used so they could cook chili at home. Chris and I were honored to be invited and excited to attend the event.

Community ServiceKatharine JohnsonApril 5, 2018community, charity, cooking, homeless, feed, teach

our journey.