FW&D found another local jewel. Facing Columbia Pike in Arlington is a perfect spot for a date night or a quick bite. FW&D met up with friends old and new to review our newest discovery - Twisted Vines Bottle Shop & Bistro…READ MORE HERE
Hi I'm Tiffany Vakilian and this is Transformative Language Arts in Practice. I am enthralled by TLA and the way it affects my life. I write, I sing, I praise, I create, etc. I am an artist and a womanist, well read and a little nutty because of it. I support artists on their journey to and celebration of wholeness-- be it mental, physical, social, financial or - most importantly - spiritual. These are my findings as I search for truth and freedom via word.
Showing posts with label Restaurant Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Restaurant Reviews. Show all posts
Thursday, July 7, 2011
FW&D Review-Twisted Vines Bottleshop & Bistro
FW&D found another local jewel. Facing Columbia Pike in Arlington is a perfect spot for a date night or a quick bite. FW&D met up with friends old and new to review our newest discovery - Twisted Vines Bottle Shop & Bistro…READ MORE HERE
Friday, April 8, 2011
Feeding my undernourished intellectuality...Kudos to Josh Pollock.
Josh Pollock and I met at my G2 Goddard Residency. For some reason, I was going on and on about The Matrix and how it could be used to teach people about different types of understanding/learning/knowing (and yes I see them as all three mutually exclusive). As we started talking about the movie and it's uses as a learning tool, he and I started talking about different things. He interviewed me for the Magazine of Yoga, and has since asked me to do a regular contribution to his new blog Celebration of the Nerd. My section is called "Tiffany vs. The Matrix". It is so apt for where I am right now.
I have been exploring some seriously lofty concepts with my friends over the last three weeks. Time has changed its mile-markers. From days, weeks, and months I have gone to defining my time by which packet I am working on. Right now I am thinking solely in terms of Packet 2. From the Matrix to Invisible Man, I am exploring all this knowledge and theory. I am lucky to have friends and family to help me walk through the mire of emotional responses to life and learning because life has been doing its own thang with gusto, depstite my best attempts to ignore it and be artistic.
In the meantime, I have also been writing for work. For the DC Examiner, I am interviewing at least seven people (which reminds me, I have an article deadline for this evening). I love how busy I am, and yet I still feel like it is a preamble for what is really coming as far as workload. This week FW&D did a restaurant review for Maplewood Grill in Vienna. I ate so much it hurt, and I had leftovers (BTW- the meal to get: Shrimp & Crab Poppers for the Appetizers, Seared Scallops as the main dish, and Brownie Sundae). Writing the review was not easy, but I exercised my self-discipline muscles and got it done. Just like I did with the blog about the kitchen floor we just did. Just like Packets.
And now, on to my business plan. Learning how who I am is interacting with my finances. Do I obsess over the need to buy things? Do I like the drama of billpaying or living close to financial limits? Am I scared to buy a home because of what it would mean to truly commit to something that grounded? What is my thesis question and does this play into it? Am I ready for the reality of my slowing down and truly questioning what is going on? God help me, I am started to think I am.
I have been exploring some seriously lofty concepts with my friends over the last three weeks. Time has changed its mile-markers. From days, weeks, and months I have gone to defining my time by which packet I am working on. Right now I am thinking solely in terms of Packet 2. From the Matrix to Invisible Man, I am exploring all this knowledge and theory. I am lucky to have friends and family to help me walk through the mire of emotional responses to life and learning because life has been doing its own thang with gusto, depstite my best attempts to ignore it and be artistic.
In the meantime, I have also been writing for work. For the DC Examiner, I am interviewing at least seven people (which reminds me, I have an article deadline for this evening). I love how busy I am, and yet I still feel like it is a preamble for what is really coming as far as workload. This week FW&D did a restaurant review for Maplewood Grill in Vienna. I ate so much it hurt, and I had leftovers (BTW- the meal to get: Shrimp & Crab Poppers for the Appetizers, Seared Scallops as the main dish, and Brownie Sundae). Writing the review was not easy, but I exercised my self-discipline muscles and got it done. Just like I did with the blog about the kitchen floor we just did. Just like Packets.
And now, on to my business plan. Learning how who I am is interacting with my finances. Do I obsess over the need to buy things? Do I like the drama of billpaying or living close to financial limits? Am I scared to buy a home because of what it would mean to truly commit to something that grounded? What is my thesis question and does this play into it? Am I ready for the reality of my slowing down and truly questioning what is going on? God help me, I am started to think I am.
Imagine, plan, prepare, execute...
"And you will know them by their fruit"
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Restaurant Review sparks artistic entrepreneurial reverie... where's my art?
The strangeness of the Open Kitchen story is what lured FW&D to give them a try. Once again, we brought some of our client favorites to join us on another edible journey. Read more...
I didn't attend this particular Restaurant Review. I went to the DC Solo Performance Lab with Laura Zam. There will be a performance on March 16th at the DC Arts Center located in Adams Morgan. This is some hard work, writing and performing this piece. Hard, but necessary. Last week, I sat in the New Orleans Cafe, eating Alligator Gumbo and editing articles. I didn't want to do the work, but it got done. Deadlines for both the Magazine of Yoga and the Performance Lab were right on top of each other, and I didn't have time to whine about it. Produce, produce, produce. Life can wait. Feelings can wait. Do the work. Do it now.
I am scared it won't be good enough.
Do it anyway.
I don't want to be laughed at.
Do it anyway.
What if I misrepresent what I am really trying to say?
Do it anyway.
The following list is the negative side of what can stop us from producing artistically. We (a group of students, plus Kat Lissard and Jim Sparrell) created this list during a workshop called "Write to Think" at Goddard College.
I think, during my dinner at the cafe last Wednesday, 35% of the list tried to attach itself to what I was doing.
Who am I to write for a living? How dare I question the authority I claim to respect? I can't even make a scant 100,000.00 a year as a best selling author/singer/actor, who I am to say things like, "I know"... I am such a dork for talking about making money doing this stuff! How unrealistic!
But I kept writing. I finished first one, then the other assignment I set myself to finish. I didn't feel like I conquered the world, but I passed my own test. Can I write against the doubts that try to make me stop? My faith says yes. I am a writer. I am a singer. I am an artist. I am going to continue this journey I have started to its glorious end.
I can, have, and will do this work.
I didn't attend this particular Restaurant Review. I went to the DC Solo Performance Lab with Laura Zam. There will be a performance on March 16th at the DC Arts Center located in Adams Morgan. This is some hard work, writing and performing this piece. Hard, but necessary. Last week, I sat in the New Orleans Cafe, eating Alligator Gumbo and editing articles. I didn't want to do the work, but it got done. Deadlines for both the Magazine of Yoga and the Performance Lab were right on top of each other, and I didn't have time to whine about it. Produce, produce, produce. Life can wait. Feelings can wait. Do the work. Do it now.
I am scared it won't be good enough.
Do it anyway.
I don't want to be laughed at.
Do it anyway.
What if I misrepresent what I am really trying to say?
Do it anyway.
The following list is the negative side of what can stop us from producing artistically. We (a group of students, plus Kat Lissard and Jim Sparrell) created this list during a workshop called "Write to Think" at Goddard College.
Things that get in the way of your writing
- Imposter syndrome
o I have no right to write this
o People will discover I am stupid
o Exposure
- Privacy – once written not in my control
- Fear of external judgment
- Not good enough
- Perfectionism
- Not having the right words
- Good intentions to write – waiting for the ideal situation
- If only…
- Who is the audience – who am I writing to or for
- Over preparation and over research
- Time management
- Fear of lying
- Self-censorship
- List making
- Comparing yourself to other writers or thinkers
- Self-fulfilling failure promotion
- Failure before you start
- Dumbing yourself down
- Don’t know what to write
- Don’t know where to start
- Needing perfect opening lines
- Introduction and Conclusion
- Data/info overload
o How to express it
o How to retain it
- Laziness
o Sleep
o Fear
o Avoidance
- Procrastination/waiting for the best moment
I think, during my dinner at the cafe last Wednesday, 35% of the list tried to attach itself to what I was doing.
Who am I to write for a living? How dare I question the authority I claim to respect? I can't even make a scant 100,000.00 a year as a best selling author/singer/actor, who I am to say things like, "I know"... I am such a dork for talking about making money doing this stuff! How unrealistic!
But I kept writing. I finished first one, then the other assignment I set myself to finish. I didn't feel like I conquered the world, but I passed my own test. Can I write against the doubts that try to make me stop? My faith says yes. I am a writer. I am a singer. I am an artist. I am going to continue this journey I have started to its glorious end.
I can, have, and will do this work.
 |
| Yours truly as Mary Wells in "The Motown Journey" |
Imagine, plan, prepare, execute...
"And you will know them by their fruit"
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
House Dynasty Restaurant Review
The night ended with four full stomachs, and great conversation enjoyed by all. FW&D will definitely be back, and soon. Read our review here!
House Dynasty
7550 Telegraph Road
Alexandria, VA 22315
703-922-5210
House Dynasty
7550 Telegraph Road
Alexandria, VA 22315
703-922-5210
Should you have an idea for a restaurant review, submit it here.
If it is chosen, perhaps you can join us for the review!
If it is chosen, perhaps you can join us for the review!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Maizbon Restaurant Review
Maizbon Afghan Grill
6244-K Little River Turnpike
Alexandria, VA 22312
703.914.1700
703.914.1701 fax
info@maizbon.com
www.Maizbon.com
This blog article is from FW&D.
We do Kitchen Remodeling, Bathrooms, Roofing, Doors, and more.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Abi Restaurant Review
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Casablanca Restaurant Review
Casablanca Restaurant
1504 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-2717
(703) 549-6464
moroccanrestaurant.com
1504 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-2717
(703) 549-6464
moroccanrestaurant.com
This blog article is from FW&D.
We do Kitchen Remodeling, Bathrooms, Roofing, and more.
Click here to visit our site and learn more about us!
Or call us at 703-933-8900.
Friday, October 22, 2010
La Strada Restaurant Review
 |
| Photo by yours truly at La Strada in October |
1905 Mount Vernon Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22301(703) 548-2542Bus: Mt Vernon Ave & Bellefonte Ave
Go directly to La Strada’s Website
Open Mon-Thu and Sun 11:30am-10pm; Fri-Sat 11:30am-11pm
Alexandria, VA 22301(703) 548-2542Bus: Mt Vernon Ave & Bellefonte Ave
Go directly to La Strada’s Website
Open Mon-Thu and Sun 11:30am-10pm; Fri-Sat 11:30am-11pm
This blog article is from FW&D.
We do Kitchen Remodeling, Bathrooms, Roofing, and more.
Click here to visit our site and learn more about us!
Or call us at 703-933-8900.
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