It was a peculiar day. The sun was extra bright; I had just gone through an episode of depression because the previous day, I got triggered from experience. I then jumped out of bed, looked in the mirror, and the mirror looked back at me.
And it kept looking. I recognized that I was caught in a loop of non progression and to an extent, I kept myself in it. I got tired. I didn’t want to talk to anyone, but as I said, something was very peculiar about the day. And just like a bad dream being exactly what it was, I woke up.
I always wanted to do things with people. To have their time and experience it with them. I felt reluctant to do things by myself, but I ended up taking a shower, dressing up, and seeing a movie. After that, I took myself to lunch, walked a very long walk to a new neighborhood, and just admired my surroundings. This was the beginning of a new habit: Doing something out of my comfort zone and being content about it.
What sometimes seems impossible can actually bloom
Hope is worth holding on to
2020 has been one unforgettable year, don’t you think?
I already see December around the corner. 2021 is that you? Many things have gone by really quickly. But of course, with different seasons, come many new lessons. Today I’ll share three.
I can be calm in the midst of chaos
When the pandemic hit the whole world, there was an overwhelming surge of panic across many nations. I live in Kenya, East Africa. It’s a beautiful country with a vast array of cultures and significant innovations. However, our authenticity did not keep us from panic, just like any other country. I experienced the stages of grief.
I felt like I had lost something significant; my freedom. Staying home was fun at first, then it became increasingly frustrating. I needed an outlet. So I worked out, but that didn’t work out-pun intended. I wrote I painted, and I cried, I drove to places I’ve never been to before. Eventually, the new normal seemed reasonable. The anxiety and fear were no longer sipping at my strength. I decided to be more intentional about my daily activities, the time I woke up, when I ate, talking to friends frequently, listening to good music, praying, and without knowing it, I was in a state of calm and not overly freaking out. I took a day at a time, and I’m sure in the midst of chaos, you can also find your calm.
2. What sometimes seems impossible can actually bloom
This is still a work in progress. I am learning that anyone who is living a purposeful life right now, began somewhere. I am not crazy to think that I can live a life that is fulfilling and brings me joy. That doesn’t mean it will be devoid of pain, but that same pain will be part of my growing journey. I will be an entrepreneur one day (Yup it may not seem crazy to you, but it is to me) I am currently working on this. What’s funny is that fear is not holding me back from the taking steps I need to make for that purpose come true.
How many times have you told yourself that you wanted to start something and didn’t start it? The ideas may be there, but the practical bit may seem to take too much work, right?. I am here to encourage you, especially on the practical bit. Don’t be afraid to start; otherwise, you’ll never know what could have been if you didn’t try. Are you scared of failure? What if it told you that failure is a part of the process, would you believe me?
You are capable of doing great things in this life that serve a higher purpose. Why not start today? …Yes, like right now, this very moment. Go…wait, you’ll probably have to finish reading first.
Stop talking about what you are going to do someday and just get started . Make up an eighth day of the week if you need to and call it “start-day.”
Bob Goff
3. Hope is worth holding on to.
Now, this is what keeps me going even when days seem dark and empty. God has been my number one hope. Having a safe space to express yourself and feel loved at the same time is a glorious thing. So be hopeful and take those necessary steps no matter how small they may be. One day when you look back, you’ll understand why you held on to hope. You’ll be just fine.
The #EatDrinkFestival Abuja edition is the second event that That Green Tea experienced in a more official capacity thanks to the EDL team. The first coverage, #EatDrinkLagos can be found here
James Beard once said that food is our common ground, a universal experience (for everyone because we all eat) and this was brought to life at the Eat Drink Festival held in Abuja for the first time after being hosted in Lagos for the past five years. The event which saw the coming together of food vendors, mixologists, chefs, food enthusiasts, and bloggers had something for everyone who came to Harrow Park with an empty stomach and a full appetite.
#EatDrinkAbuja
Most vendors familiar with the Abuja festival spirit would say that “Abuja people come out late,” which they did. But few hours into the festival, crowds were gathering, holding conversations, and dancing to the music while the vendors were doing their very best, from setting up their stand to organizing their wares in the most eye-catching manner to make sure that everything went on smoothly in their stall. An interesting concept which most of them employed was the switching up of things with their menus.
Press pass gang ( gang gang )
While Waffle Stop stuck to something simple to give people an easier going and fun experience, Jaka’s Grill who has been playing out the dare of owning a food business for the past five month, used the opportunity to up his game by launching a full menu with new and exotic additions like extra delicious burgers which are so cute you could eat them whole.
We love a good flat lay. We love a food flat lay even better
For lovers of a sweet tooth, Buttercream Abuja brought their best sellers and most popular indulgence; my favorite was the banana bread which literary breaks down into several pieces of joy as you chew. Legal Tender Cocktails lived up to its name, a lawyer owned business, it gave us the sunny side up of things with drinks like a Beauty & The Beet, Mojito, Glow Up which were100% non alcoholicand geared towards freshness, a healthy lifestyle, and tremendous benefits for your skin all at very affordable prices.
The interesting about the festival for me, apart from the cook-off, Chef Punshak’s demo, karaoke, and virtual reality pods was the cashless policy of the event.
Thanks to the introduction of wristbands, where all your monies are stored up, vendors and customers were saved the stress of exchanging of currencies, standing in queues and worst of all, looking for change! (We know how stressful that can be).
How far can your love of food take you? The answer is very far because it was surprising to see that some vendors such as Korede Spaghetti, Ette’s Barbeque came all the way from Lagos and boy, did they leave their mark. Korede, a photographer and dancer who when forced with the dilemma of having to choose between three passions, chose the stove, gave the attendees, spicy hot spaghetti and his special; Korede ponmo ( for you non-Nigerians, this is cow skin. Yes. Cow skin. Keep it pushing) sauce which came with a side of fresh fries.
Ette’s Barbeque would give the feel of home with roasted items such as plantain popularly known as Boli and yam in extra spicy sauce.
Everyone can say that they had fun in the event, mainly because there was something for everyone who showed up. If you wanted alcohol, there was the Crazy People’s Cocktails or Entrees Cocktails that came in pineapple or extreme colorful mixtures. If you wished for sugar and more sweetness, Ice Pops which sold out by the way and Yougurberry was your go-to stall.
Of course, there is no Nigerian event without the signature Jollof rice, which thanks to Corperate Jollof, wore a tie and pretty good shoes with its original taste and flavor. Pow, a PanAsian restaurant gave us a feel of what it meant to have intercontinental dishes such as Pow special fried rice which contained eggs and Szechuan chicken, which was spicy.
Not only did the festival allow people to network, but it also created the perfect ambiance for friends, loved ones, and families who needed a place to unwind and chill. Most attendees testified that they didn’t expect the festival to be so all out and they look forward to the next one, I know I do.
All images were captured with permission by Shade Olaoye for the blog and are therefore the property of That Green Tea.
All vendors mentioned are welcome to post this on their respective media channels.
For any enquires and collaborations, email us at contact@thatgreentea.com
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