October Newsletter
Candalada
Breast Cancer Awareness
Photo by IG: @kmarablephoto
This month my friend (a year younger than I) told me she had stage 3 breast cancer in the middle of a conversation about sunflowers on a Sunday. I guess there is no easy way to deliver such shocking information. My friend was 7 months pregnant with her first baby. I had no words. For the remainder of the day I had a somber feeling and I was unsure of how to process the information for several reasons.
I wondered what happened to the days when cancer was something you heard about in the news. What happened to the days when causes were represented by ribbon colors on the internet and I didn’t know anyone that actually had the disease? How and when did cancer awareness go from pink socks on football games, to instagram influencers, to a friends mom, to my mom, my aunt, my grandmother and now my good friend? How long will it be until it’s me?
Each time that I hear about a new case of cancer from a loved one it incites fear and sadness simultaneously.
How can I be supportive and positive when I am scared shitless about the journey to recovery or the possibility of losing them?
How do I fight through the trauma of my moms loss to be present for the people that need me now?
The response is simpler than I imagined. Just do it. Thinking about it is paralyzing. I missed out on a few opportunities to be supportive lamenting on the “what ifs” and the “how to”.
Currently, we FaceTime and we text but most importantly I listen. I listen to her feelings and thoughts. I learned it is okay to not speak and be present. I am grateful that her baby has made it to earth and she is healthy and beautiful. I am inspired by the strength of my friend. Watching her rise above the disease to and step into motherhood really melts my heart. I know it is difficult and she does it with such grace.
After the arrival of baby Halo my friend asked me to take some photos so she can share her story. I saw her vision and felt it was beyond me and I called on my creative professional kindred spirit, Kevin. In a very intimate session we curated a series to capture this moment in time.
Here she is ……..Wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, warrior!
Please conduct self examinations and ask your doctor about any masses that you discover.
The Uncaged CheF
BRAND New Location and Vegan Monday’s
The new home of Uncaged Chefs: 6027 Marlboro Pike, District Heights Maryland
This is my third write up on The Uncaged Chefs. My last update was in the September 2019 Newsletter. I wrote about my first exposure to the Uncaged experience was when it was a pop up being held inside of another restaurant on Sundays. Since then the following has grown and the location has changed twice.
The Uncaged Chefs moved from a pop-up to a space within a food hall in Brentwood before the pandemic. They had endless lines from open to close. During the pandemic after a short period of closure to respect the safety of staff and the community they transitioned to a stand alone corner location in District Heights! My son Issa describes the decor as “black paradise”.
6027 Marlboro Pike, District Heights, Maryland
The owner, Damian Brown is a young African American man. He attributes his success with the brand to culinary training, bootstrapping, non-stop hustling and instagram marketing.
Three weeks ago The Uncaged Chefs rolled out Vegan Monday’s at the new location. Monday’s have become the highlight of my week. I am most excited because the lines are manageable on vegan Monday’s.
The items I have tried this far include, the vegan jerk burger, vegan nachos, vegan nuggets, peach tea and vegan cauliflower nuggets. The vegan nachos are my favorite. For unfiltered reviews please visit the food review tab on my Candalada instagram page. Tip: Eat the food right away.
Vegan Jerk Burger
Vegan Nachos
Vegan Chicken Nuggets w/Henny Mambo Sauce
What about the rest of the week?
The other days of the week are for meat lovers. They host Trap Tacos on Tuesday’s. Wed- Saturday they serve chicken waffles, shrimp grits, various new items and an eclectic collection of mouth watering desserts.
The menu changes by the minute the best way to stay updated on changes is to follow them IG: @TheUncagedChefs
