I didn’t mean to see Jurassic World Rebirth and I certainly didn’t intend to write a review on it. But sometimes these things just fall into your lap and you can’t NOT write about it. Let me explain.

AMC Theatres offers a ‘Screen Unseen‘ showing every few weeks. You pay a discounted ticket price and get to see an unreleased film usually weeks before it opens on the big screen. The catch is that you have no idea what you’re going to see. The only thing revealed in advance is the rating and the run time. It’s a brilliant and inexpensive marketing strategy to get some advanced word-of-mouth press by regular moviegoers.

When I sit in the audience, even for my own viewing pleasure, I can’t help but put my movie reviewer hat on. Both times I’ve previously attended a Screen Unseen showing, I ended up writing about the films I saw because I was pleasantly surprised by both of them and hadn’t seen many reviews out for either (see my reviews on Fly Me to the Moon and Skincare). I was hoping for another good gamble and it’s clear everyone else in the theater was too.

Just before the film started, we were greeted by a video clip of Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey sitting in front of the Jurassic World Rebirth film logo welcoming us to the screening. The cat was out of the bag to many cheers in the theater, myself included. I’ve seen most of the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World movies and had to planned to put this latest installment on my summer blockbuster list.

When it comes to summer movies, I’m not looking for Oscar contenders, necessarily. I’m looking for an escape from the midday sun or raucous entertainment on a warm summer’s evening. I like the laughs to be big and the action even bigger in the summer. And it’s with these expectations that I, too, gave out a happy little yelp when I realized what the surprise screening was.

I soon traded my happy yelp for lots and lots of groans. There may be some spoilers ahead but this muck is so predictable, you probably could guess it all anyway.

Here’s the premise: It’s been five years since the last movie, Jurassic World Dominion. In that time, the entire world has somehow lost complete interest in dinosaurs. In fact, at the start of the movie, we see a brontosaurus (or similar looking dinosaur) wandering the streets of New York having escaped from a zoo. New Yorkers’ only concern seems to be that he’s blocking traffic. As for the rest of the dinosaurs, they are now self-contained in the equatorial region where the climate there seems to be the only appropriate environment for them.

Since the dinosaurs are obviously unmanaged and unrestrained in this region, it’s just too dangerous to go there and any travel in that zone is illegal. Unless you have a really good reason.

Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend) is a pharmaceutical executive who has grand plans to create a life-saving medication for those with heart disease. But to complete his research, he needs blood samples taken from three very specific dinosaurs. Very living dinosaurs. So he hires Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson), a mercenary of sorts who has a reputation for extracting things.

So far, so good. Pharma guy with a heart of gold needs a risk taker to help him save lives… for a price. ScarJo negotiates a life-changing sum of $20 million and recruits her longtime pal Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali) and a ragtag crew for the mission. Oh, and they’ve also invited along the bumbling, nerdy, but adorable paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey).

It’s a sound premise. It’s got all the makings of a fast-paced, high action, energy fueled blockbuster. Get in, battle some dinosaurs, change the world, get rich. But… I’m pretty sure you’ve seen this exact story. I don’t know where you’ve seen it but if you follow any sort of tropes in entertainment, you’ve definitely seen it.

As the crew sets out by boat, there’s time for “character development.” Zora and Duncan have heart to heart talks about their past in what is clearly meant to set them both up for “tough emotional decisions” in the hours to come. We also find that Zora is a hooker with a heart of gold mercenary with a moral conscience. During a casual conversation, Dr. Henry even suggests that Zora should give up the $20 million payout when she acquires the blood samples so they can just “open source the data” and save the world free of charge.

This is clearly a setup to portray Martin as Bad Corporate Man. I mean, nobody likes Big Pharma but if they could actually prevent or cure heart disease, maybe we’d like them a little more.

No matter. The die is cast and Martin quickly devolves into the trope of the amoral money man. The story picks up steam when they pick up a random family that just happens to be sailing in a tiny little boat in these very same illegal waters. Next, dinosaur success! Dinosaur failure! And everyone ends up in the water within swimming distance of the very island they had planned to go to.

Oh yes. There are fatalities as well. You’ll know who’s going to get it too. Remember the “red shirts” in Star Trek? These were the no name actors who maybe had a line or two. But we all knew they were expendable. Same concept here.

Now, I forgot to tell you about this island. It doesn’t just house the dinosaurs from which they need blood samples. It’s also an island where they were developing MUTANT DINOSAURS! Whoops, we forgot to tell ScarJo that. The mutation facility shut down 17 years ago when a guy was eating a Snickers in a clean room and the wrapper accidentally shorted the entire electrical system. Now the mutant dinosaurs roam free. What could go wrong?

I’m going to skip to my favorite part. It’s the part that made me realize I could be a screenwriter for today’s blockbuster movies. As Bad Corporate Man realizes things are going south, he grabs the suitcase of blood samples and handcuffs it to himself for “safekeeping.” At this point, I turned to my son and said, “Well, I guess a dinosaur is going to eat him but miraculously his arm will fall off with the briefcase still attached.”

Nailed it.

Now, listen. I like a big dumb action movie every once in a while. In fact, I actually enjoyed The Meg. But Jurassic World Rebirth feels like the kind of movie that is churned out when you ask ChatGPT to write a script for a surefire sequel that incorporates all of the elements of the earlier movies. In other words, we still need good human writers and none of them seemed to be involved in this project.

It’s clear that they tried to make some callbacks to the original movie that started the whole franchise. Alexandre Desplat’s score nearly mirrors the original John Williams music. When reaching a field of titanosaurs, Dr. Henry Loomis stops in awe, in much the same way that Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) did. Even the escape scene with Martin and the blood samples mimics the scene where Dennis (Wayne Knight) attempts to escape with his shaving cream.

What’s ultimately missing is the slow build up and tension that earlier movies mastered. We don’t need to see a T. Rex ripping someone apart to feel the fear. We just need to anticipate it. It’s something that original director Steven Spielberg mastered and what director Gareth Edwards is lacking.

The only real head scratcher is how in the world they got award winning actors like Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali to perform in this flaming pile of garbage? My guess is big money. Johansson is rumored to demand $15-20 million per action film. The big budget salaries and multitude of product placements ironically overshadows the films anti-capitalist message.

In case you hadn’t figured it out by now, Jurassic World Rebirth ranks pretty low on my list of bad movies – and I’ve seen a lot. The actors do the best they can with the script they’ve got. We just don’t end up caring about the characters and aren’t left wanting more – from them or the dinosaurs. In the end, recycled movie tropes, predictable storylines, and cute kids with baby dinosaurs won’t save this franchise. It’s time to let it go extinct.

The post “Jurassic World Rebirth” might finally be the franchise killer appeared first on All Things Fadra.

First of all, I’m not a doctor nor do I play one on the internet. I read the same articles that you do and google the hell out of them. Is caffeine really bad for you? Is red wine really good? Should I eat low carb? Should I fast? As the saying goes, opinions are like assholes. Everybody’s got one.

My opinion is that you should live your healthiest life while enjoying it at the same time. You can be healthy without being a swimsuit model. But being overweight (or overFAT) is bad for you, your cholesterol, your blood sugar, your joints, etc. Just accept that. This is not about body shaming or body positivity. It’s about body reality.

I get it—losing weight can feel impossible when you’re fighting factors like hormones or slower metabolism. We are not all built the same and a health plan is not a one size fits all. So with that in mind, here are some things to consider when dieting isn’t enough.

Why Diet Alone Doesn’t Always Work

As I mentioned above, diet is not a one size fits all solution. And we all know that one person that can eat anything they want and literally never gain weight. Someone blessed them with an amazing metabolism. and hopefully the bloodwork to match. You may also have dietary restrictions or medical conditions or, God forbid, HORMONAL changes. Let me touch on that just a bit.

Medical Conditions that Impact Weight Loss

If you’re a diabetic, obviously you need to factor your carbs and sugars differently. If you have kidney problems, you may want to watch your protein intake. Bottom line is that you will want to consult with your doctor before making major dietary changes. But let me caution you to read thoroughly and come in with a suggested plan for your doctor to review. Because my experience is that doctors do not have the time to keep up with health “trends” and are quick to dismiss anything they personally aren’t super knowledgeable about. You can make it a collaborative visit and hopefully a way for both of you to learn about ways to improve your health.

Doctor Consultation Tip: Prepare specific questions and suggestions before your appointment to make discussions more productive.

Understanding Hormonal Changes: MENOPAUSE and Andropause

Yes, I put MENOPAUSE in all caps because it’s something that doctors don’t talk about enough. In your 30s or 40s, a woman will enter perimenopause which is the gradual decline in hormone levels like estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone. It’s your body’s way of saying, “if you want to have any more babies, better hurry up!”

Eventually perimenopause progresses into menopause which is when you’ve gone an entire year without any periods. The results? Your body decides it’s time to slow down. That means your metabolism (as fat accumulates around your waist), your moisture levels (hello dry skin), your hair production (thinning hair!), and more wonderful things to remind us of our station in life.

But we’re not alone! Men go through a much slower and more gradual decline called andropause which is a result of the decline in the product of testosterone. Similar things happen with libido, hair, weight, and skin.

There are two main ways to combat this.

Exploring Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

This is definitely not the path for everyone but there are safe ways to seek hormone replacement therapy. I started seeing a clinician at Midi Health and never felt so seen and heard in all my life. After some very frank discussions about the pros and cons of HRT, I decided to start using bioidentical hormone replacements (estrogen and progesterone) which have been a miracle worker for many of my symptoms. Likewise, men can seek out testosterone therapy to help re-establish their levels. However, it’s not a silver bullet when it comes to getting rid of that middle aged bulge. It’s about boosting your metabolism.

Strength Training for Metabolism Boosting

I’ve been sending my money to a gym for years and actually going to the gym for a few of them! It wasn’t until 2023 when my son was determined to lose weight that he taught me about the importance of strength training.

Before we get into the specifics, here’s what you need to know. Muscles burn more calories than fat. I’m sure you’ve heard that before. But let’s look at numbers to really drive the point home.

Using a nutrition tool like the Katch-McArdle Calculator (free, by the way), you can look at an average 200 pound person with a relatively high body percentage – let’s assume 35%. Regardless of exercise or diet or anything, if that person did absolutely nothing, they would burn 1644 calories at rest. As I mentioned before, your BMR is you Basal Metabolic rate, or the amount of calories needed to keep your body functioning even if you did nothing but sit on a couch all day.

Let’s look at another 200 pound person who only has 20% body fat. Again, we’re not factoring in exercise, age, height, or any other factor. Just weight and body fat percentage. And this person would burn 1938 calories at rest.

This is one the biggest reasons it’s important to lose fat and focus on muscle. The more lean you are, the more efficient your body is.

Strength Training Tip: Start simple—aim for two sessions a week focusing on major muscle groups.

Choosing How You Age

As we age, many people have come to accept that we naturally slow down. Our skin sags, our hair turns gray, and we ache every time we get out of bed.

Listen, these things are all true (or can be true) because we don’t change our lifestyle to accommodate our changing bodies. As one of my favorite fitness influencers often says, WE GET TO CHOOSE HOW WE AGE.

We don’t have to accept that we’re just more tired now. We’re likely more tired because we aren’t using our bodies as much because we ARE tired. We’re likely gaining weight because nobody talks about how our metabolism changes as we age and how we should adjust our lifestyle accordingly. 

Clearly I’ve gone into the anti-aging territory of health and wellness because that is the phase of life that I’m in. But anything you do now is putting money in your health bank, because you never know when you need to cash in.

Remember, aging doesn’t have to mean slowing down. Small, consistent efforts today can drastically shape your future well-being.

Reliable Resources for Health and Wellness

I know that losing weight, improving your diet, changing your lifestyle, and fighting the aging process can seem overwhelming, scary, de-motivating, seemingly impossible, confusing, contradictory, and more. It’s why I decided to write this series of articles. I’m not an expert. I’m just like you wondering how to make my life better. Here are some of my favorite resources to help you sift through all of the noise.

Fitness Influencers

Before you roll your eyes, just know that the people that I follow aren’t just pretty faces, hot bods, and a big following. These are knowledgable experts that offer advice and dispel myths and are worth following. I previously made a list of some of my favorite in my post Fitness Over 50: Who to Follow on Instagram. I still follow all of these people but I’m always looking for new resources. One of my current faves is Andy Fvng. Check him out here!

Books

Here’s a quick list of just some of the books that have helped me in my journey for knowledge AND health.

• Younger Next Year: Live Strong, Fit, Sexy, and Smart―Until You’re 80 and Beyond By Dr. Henry S. Lodge (Note this book is primarily geared towards men. They do make a “female” version but both are great!)
• Love Your Age: The Small-Step Solution to a Better, Longer, Happier Life by Barbara Grufferman
• Spring Chicken: Stay Young Forever (or Die Trying) by Bill Gifford
• The Obesity Code – Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss by Dr. Jason Fung
• Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Dr. Peter Attia with Bill Gifford
• Beginner’s Guide to Weightlifting: Simple Exercises and Workouts to Get Strong by Kyle Hunt
• The Renaissance Diet 2.0: Your Scientific Guide to Fat Loss, Muscle Gain, and Performance by Dr. Mike Israetel, Dr. Melissa Davis, Dr. Jen Case, and Dr. James Hoffmann

If you’re looking for food advice, I’ve also purchased books on (and tried) the Whole 30 Diet, the Keto Reset Diet, and all the Skinnytaste cookbooks (my favorites!).

Apps

There are a million different fitness apps out there and they all serve a different purpose. If you ask 10 people, you’ll get 10 different recommendations. Most of the apps below are either apps that I currently personally use or have used or are widely regarded as legit in the fitness industry. The key is to find what works for you. And don’t be afraid to pay for something that has value to you (but always look for a free trial first!).

And don’t forget to use or integrate the native fitness apps for your tech gear (like the Health app on the iPhone and Apple Watch)

Calorie Tracking

• MyFitnessPal
• MacroFactor (I’m currently using this one)
• Cronometer

Fitness Tracking

• Hevy
• Strong
• RP Hypertrophy

I should also note that for fitness tracking, I’m not above using a Google sheet or even the Notes app!

General Health

I’m not a huge fan of any of the following apps because they’ve shifted a lot of their focus to GLP-1 treatments. Some people need the extra education, motivation, and options these app services provide and I have seen people achieve results. These might be for you!

• Noom
• Healthi
• WeightWatchers

Questions?

Listen, I’m not an expert. I’m just like you. Trying to figure it all out while looking good and staying healthy. If you’ve figured it out or have found must-have-resources, please share!

This is Part 4 of a four part series on losing weight and healthier living. I’m just like you – trying to take it all in and figure out what works. Join me for the rest of the series!

Part 1: How to Actually Lose Weight: A Realistic Approach (No Gimmicks!)
Part 2: Why Healthy Eating Matters More Than You Think: Calories and Macronutrients Explained
Part 3: How to Stay Motivated and Lose Weight: Tools That Really Help

The post When Dieting Isn’t Enough: Tackling Hidden Barriers to Weight Loss appeared first on All Things Fadra.

Bring your family and friends to see The Legend of Ochi was essentially how my screening invitation was written. This wasn’t a film on my radar but it doesn’t have to be to pique my interest (sometimes it doesn’t go so well, though). But as I usually do, I watch the trailer and decide if it’s of interest to me and if I think it might be of interest to my audience.

Why I Went to See ‘The Legend of Ochi’

Here’s the truth: it wasn’t a movie that got me super excited. From the trailer, it looked like a reboot of Gremlins. From the description, I could feel a hero’s journey perhaps:

“In a remote village on the island of Carpathia, a shy farm girl named Yuri is raised to fear an elusive animal species known as Ochi. But when Yuri discovers a wounded baby Ochi has been left behind, she escapes on a quest to bring him home.”

So what drew me to this film and got me to drag along my kid (now an 18 year old with just as many opinions as his mom)? The production company, A24 Films.

What You Should Know about the Production Company

If you’re not familiar with A24 Films, they make indie-type films that are, at best, thought-provoking, and at worst, unsettling. These are not Marvel movies (thank God). They are dark, cinematic films often tinged with unlikely subjects like religion and folklore.

Here are some recent A24 films you might be familiar with: Ex Machina, Lady Bird, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Midsommar, Heretic, and Civil War. If you’ve seen any of those, I’m hoping I’m setting the stage for the vibe that we have going in to see The Legend of Ochi.

My Take on ‘The Legend of Ochi’

The film dives right into action as we meet Yuri, a young girl living somewhere in a non-descript region of the Carpathian Mountains. She’s part of a hunting party along with her father (Willem Dafoe) and adopted brother (Finn Wolfhard). We quickly learn that the ochi are a species of predatory primate-like creatures that have become the enemies of humans in the area, wreaking havoc on local livestock.

And that’s mostly where the action ends. It’s slow and it’s dark and the dialogue is often difficult to hear. But the biggest issue is there’s no real character development for our hero, Yuri. We don’t learn enough about her in the beginning to understand her relationship with her father or her “brother” or her estranged mother. And suddenly we’re taken on a journey with her and the young Ochi she has found.

She’s been taught her whole life to hate the Ochi and suddenly, when confronted by a young one, she quickly and easily befriends it. And then, although she discovers it close to home, she heads out on an extremely long and treacherous journey to take it back to its family. Where she’s heading and why, the audience never understands.

Along the way, she meets her estranged mother which only adds to the confusion about her relationships within her family. And she also discovers a new skill which she finds connects her with the Ochi.

There are definitely story issues. Big story issues. And yet, I still enjoyed the film. While the story needed more work, the dark Scandanavian vibe (it was actually shot in Romania) sets a hauntingly romantic air for the film. And I loved the Ochi. Let’s talk about why.

Finally, A Film That Moves Beyond the Green Screen

One of my biggest gripes about modern day moviemaking is the overuse of CGI and green screens. I especially find CGI animals particularly distracting (I’m looking at you, Call of the Wild) and can’t stand movies that use them simply for the “cute factor” (I’m looking at you, porgs). The Ochi was neither and here’s why.

This film was directed by Isaiah Saxon, creator of the animation studio, Encyclopedia Pictura. According to Saxon, “all close and medium shots of the Ochi are animatronics, puppetry, and suit performers, while wider stunt shots are 3d animation.” They used puppets (did you know that BB8 was also a puppet?) and it makes all the difference.

While it’s difficult to make a fantasy-style film without some CGI, this movie used it to augment the film, not create it. Instead, the viewer is immersed in the location and is drawn to the Ochi in the same way Yuri is. That alone is a breath of fresh air in this otherwise dark environment.

If you’re looking at possibly making this your next family movie, here’s a quick note you’ll want to read.

Is ‘The Legend of Ochi’ a kids movie?

I’ve given you my adult take. If you’re a cinema buff or tend to enjoy A24 films, this is an interesting movie to put on your list. But if you’re looking for a family-friendly kids movie, this ain’t it.

While older kids (late elementary and up) might enjoy it, the pace is much slower than modern movies and kids might not have the patience for it. While the dialogue is minimal, there are also subtitles at some point so you’ll definitely need to be able to read.

Overall Review

Dark, intense, confusing with minimal dialogue. At times, cute but not cloying. Visually beautiful and interesting with a somewhat satisfying ending. Overall, it’s a B- for me. But I’ll still keeping watching more A24 films!

The Legend of Ochi opens nationwide on April 25, 2025.

Read all my Real Movie Reviews for Real Moviegoers.

The post ‘The Legend of Ochi’ is Odd and Beautiful appeared first on All Things Fadra.

Why You Need Weight Loss Tools

Simply put, knowledge is power. The suggestions below won’t help you lose weight. They’ll help you understand what you need to do to lose weight. That can be tracking your calories, measuring your food, connecting with like-minded people, or getting professional support.

On that last note, there are great program out there like Weight Watchers and Noom. I’ve tried the latter and not the former but I know they’ve both been wildly successful for people. They just aren’t for me. I don’t want a touchy-feely, educational program. I want science and stuff to teach me what to do. But regardless of which direction you choose, it really comes down to accountability, to yourself, and sometimes, to others.

The Power of Accountability (Friends and Family)

The best tool is a friend or family member willing to go on this journey with you. Even if someone isn’t trying to actively lose weight, it helps if they aren’t constantly tempting you with, “come on, let’s go get Mexican tonight.” Yes, I’m speaking about my very own husband. I only go to the gym consistently when my son is going. And I only track my calories when he does it. Yes, I will probably be crying in a corner eating chocolate chip cookies when he goes to college – but only for a little while.

Accountability Tip: Ask a friend to join a weekly healthy habit challenge with you.

Visual Progress: Why Photos Matter

Whether you have that family member or friend, you need to reach deep inside you and find commitment. Weight loss is not a quick thing. You can’t starve yourself for a week, not lose anything on the scale, and then just say forget it, nothing works.

And believe the people that say, don’t rely on the scale for progress. Take pictures. These pictures might make you uncomfortable or make you feel disgusted with yourself. DON’T. These pictures show that today is the day you are proudly investing in your body and will make healthy changes.

(Don’t get too excited. These photos are from 2016 and these photos were after an 11 day change in my diet. I thought I was making zero progress but I was clearly wrong!)

Then give yourself the gift of time. Start with just one month. Try something simple like giving up soda (or switching to diet). Or allow yourself to eat out only once a week instead of seven. Go for a daily walk. Just start with something positive. And take pictures. Even if you don’t lose a single ounce, I can almost guarantee you will see the difference on your face. Keep going.

Calculating Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

During that one month, figure out your Basal Metabolic Rate. This is the amount of calories you burn from just existing, factoring in your age, weight, and sex, as well as your level of exercise. 

This is my favorite simple BMR Calculator.

Do me a favor. Don’t try to trick the calculator to get more calories. Don’t say, “well, I do plan on working out 3-4 times per week.” Just be honest with yourself. If you’re sedentary, that’s okay. Change is on the horizon.

This number is your maintenance level of calories. This is how much your body needs to keep the status quo. You’re not exercising more. You may be sitting on your couch all day. But if you’re going over this number on a daily basis, you’re going to keep gaining weight. So let’s just try to start here and get your body used to how much you should be eating.

Calorie Tracking Apps: MyFitnessPal vs. MacroFactor

See how I’m easing you into this? If you start by cutting half your calories and giving up everything you love, you’re going to be miserable. Once you get a sense of how much you should be eating, it’s time to reduce that amount so the pounds can melt away.

WARNING: This is a slow process. I’m talking months, not days. 

There are several apps out there that can help you track your calories. Here are my two favorites.

MyFitnessPal 

You’ve probably heard of this one already. Arguably one of the most popular fitness and food tracking apps out there, MyFitnessPal was once owned by Under Armour (it’s since been sold to a private equity firm). It gamefies your fitness by allowing you to connect with other users but the biggest benefit is their huge calorie tracking database. With a simple scan of a barcode (when you have the premium subscription), you can track your food by entering in the amount of food you ate. MFP will add the calories as well as the macros.

Speaking of which, it can also help you figure out what your daily calorie intake should be to lose your desired weight, as well as track your macro goals, and your exercise. Caution: this app is truly only valuable with the premium subscription at a hefty $79.99 per year but it’s one of the easiest out there.

MacroFactor

I’ve only recently switched from MyFitnessPal to MacroFactor at the advice of my son. At the same annual price of $71.99, you get all of the same functions as MyFitnessPal. The food database isn’t as large but I find it to be more accurate. And it has a built-in algorithm that looks at your daily weight, daily caloric intake, and daily macros, and automatically adjusts it for you to get you moving in the right direction.

MacroFactor also has a great user group on Facebook that I’ve used to connect to women just like me!

Tracking Tip: Start with just tracking breakfast and build up from there.

Should You Weigh Yourself Every Day?

There are two schools of thought on this.

1. No, don’t do it. Your weight fluctuates daily based on your water and salt intake and whether you’ve had some quality time in the potty. 
2. Yes, do it. It’s important to measure yourself every day so that you can see that your weight fluctuates daily and a gain is no reason to panic and give up. By tracking this, you can see trends and understand when certain foods make you retain water.

As you might have guessed, I’m clearly in camp 2 but my son is in camp 1. Do whatever makes you feel good but don’t avoid the scale because you’re afraid of what it says. It’s time to be honest with yourself.

Weight tip: Before you even start making changes, weigh yourself every day for a week. This is not to beat yourself up but rather to introduce to you the natural daily fluctuations in your body weight. When you’re trying to lose weight, seeing the scale go up can be de-motivating. But when you think about it as part of a trend, you know it might just be a small fluctuation.

Why Measuring Your Food Works

All of these tools are useless though unless you are accurately tracking what you’re eating. Some people even go so far as to say that measuring every single thing can lead to an eating disorder. If you find that it’s too stressful or leading to unhealthy habits, then just don’t. But if you find you don’t want to measure your food because you don’t want to count that Costco cashew cluster that you just had a little nibble of, you’re fooling yourself.

It took me a few years but I’m fully on the food scale train. If the idea of measuring your food in grams scares you, here’s why you should rethink that. (By the way, here’s the food scale I use).

When I’m eating cereal for breakfast (I usually have a bowl of Premier Protein Mixed Berry Cereal every morning), I measure it out. According to the nutrition label, one serving is 180 calories and has fantastic macros, including 20g of protein. And a serving size is 1 cup or 42g. I guarantee that if you measure out a bowl by volume (1 cup) and measure out a bowl by weight (42g), the second bowl will have more food. 

And once you start measuring by grams, your whole life will get easier and you’ll dirty up less measuring cups!

Try using a calorie tracker today—see how easy it can be to stay on track. Knowledge is power!

Remember, small consistent steps create long-lasting results. Celebrate each little win, and don’t beat yourself up over small setbacks. 

What about measuring exercise? Or even doing exercise? Glad you asked. That’s coming up next (no gym required)!

This is Part 3 of a four part series on losing weight and healthier living. I’m just like you – trying to take it all in and figure out what works. Join me for the rest of the series!

Part 1: How to Actually Lose Weight: A Realistic Approach (No Gimmicks!)
Part 2: Why Healthy Eating Matters More Than You Think: Calories and Macronutrients Explained
Part 4: When Dieting Isn’t Enough: Tackling Hidden Barriers to Weight Loss

The post How to Stay Motivated and Lose Weight: Tools That Really Help appeared first on All Things Fadra.

If you missed my last post on the basics of how to lose weight, let me give you a quick overview. It’s mostly about the food you’re eating. And nobody likes to hear that because food gives you pleasure.

I’m not here to take away your pleasure. If you want a piece of the birthday cake, I’m the first to say, “you only live once!” You just have to make sure you’re not celebrating somebody’s birthday every day. And you’re not taking a piece that’s the size of your head.

If you feel tempted in that way, you are not alone and it’s not your fault! But before we start justifying extra pieces of cake in our day, let’s talk a little more about CALORIES.

Don’t roll your eyes. Stay with me! 

Why Calories Matter Even When We Don’t Care About Them

I know you hate to think about calories. I hate to think about calories. But if you want to get healthier, leaner, or, like me, less FATTER, you need to know why calories matter.

IT TAKES 3500 CALORIES TO BURN A POUND OF FAT.

Remember when the pandemic hit and suddenly people who really knew nothing about science put signs on their lawn and wore t-shirts that said, “I Love Science” or “I’m Thankful for Science” or “Trust the Science.” But when it comes to the science of weight loss, nobody really wants to hear it or believe it.

The science is pretty simple. Your body needs a certain amount of energy every day to function (remember the BMR I talked about here?). That energy is quantified as calories. It’s a measurement just like pounds and inches. Once you add in the things you do an a daily basis, that number becomes your “maintenance calories” or the amount of food intake that works for you to neither gain nor lose weight.

So if you want to lose weight, deep breath, you’ve got to tip the equation by taking in less calories than you need. That way, when your body runs out of calories derived from food, it’s going to go to your reserve energy – stored in your fat cells.

Your body needs a deficit of 3500 calories to burn through a pound of fat. Want to lose a pound of fat in a week? You need a deficit of 500 calories per day. That’s gonna make ya girl HUNGRY so I prefer a slower level of fat loss. But looking at your existing calories is a great place to start.

The Hidden Calories in Everyday Foods

As a quick reminder, my recommended daily calorie intake is 1618, give or take. That includes my basal metabolic rate (the amount of calories my body uses just to exist) along with my average activity level, adjusted for my age, height, and weight.

Now, let’s take an average day for someone (let’s call them ME) who might eat out and who is trying to make “healthy” choices. I’m also going to include the macronutrients for each item (protein, carbs, fat) for later discussion.

Breakfast

Egg McMuffin (one of the healthier choices on the McDonald’s menu)

• Calories: 310
• Protein: 17g
• Carbs: 30g
• Fat: 13g

Lunch

Toasted Garden Caprese Sandwich (vegetarian sandwich from Panera)

• Calories: 890
• Protein: 32g
• Carbs: 85g
• Fat: 47g

Dinner

Cobb Salad (Chick-Fil-A)

• Calories: 830
• Protein: 42g
• Carbs: 31g
• Fat: 60g

Total Meals

Wow, that seemed like a pretty good day. A light breakfast, a vegetarian sandwich (and I said no to the chips!), and a salad for dinner. I didn’t include any drinks here but imagine adding in a Frappuccino from Starbucks or even cream in your coffee (or God forbid, a soda!).

For this seemingly relatively healthy day, I would have had 2030 calories – well over what my body normally needs. And let me tell you, I don’t usually say no to the chips. I also had 91g of protein (that’s great!), 146g of carbs (not bad), and 120g of fat (yeah, no). It might surprise you to see that the salad had the most fat. In fact, the Cobb Salad has some of the highest fat numbers on the entire Chick-Fil-A menu! If you remove the salad dressing, you save 310 calories and 32g of fat.

Why Home-Cooked Meals Lead to Healthier Choices

But okay. You probably don’t eat out three meals a day. I wanted to show you this example because I have found that the number one way I exceed calories in a day is EATING OUT. Restaurants want to make you fat and happy and so they add the things that make the food super tasty – namely, fat, salt, sugar, and highly processed carbs.

This idea of “hyperpalatability” is that our body will crave things that are super tasty. And why are they super tasty? It’s not just your tastebuds. It goes back to science. If you think back to early human days, we needed to be able to quickly escape danger around every corner. And for that, we needed quick energy sources. We’re wired to crave these things that were historically rare in nature.

So, it’s not your fault that you’re a sugar addict or that you can plow through a bag of anything salty. Or that you can eat an entire Bloomin’ Onion. These things are tasty and our bodies are wired to take advantage of these tasty things. And restaurants know it. Unfortunately, it is your job to do something about it.

The first tip for losing weight is to reduce the number of times you eat out. Notice I didn’t say STOP going out to eat (although your bank balance will thank you). I just said to be more mindful of the “grab a quick bite here” or “just one Starbucks drink there.”

A Quick Guide to Macronutrients: Protein, Carbs, and Fats

So I had an extra 400 calories one day. Is that the end of the world? Nope, not at all. But if I do that every day, it’s going to lead to a slow and steady weight gain. And if you’re not making healthy choices when you’re eating out, you can definitely be eating a much larger excess of calories. Many American restaurants now put calories on the menu and it has taken a lot of the fun out of eating out. I enjoyed it more when I was in the dark (but my waistline didn’t!).

The bigger problem is that most of these calories come from FAT. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking FAT makes you FAT. Your body actually needs fat! It’s that fat is very calorically dense. This is why it’s important to have a clear picture of the macronutrients in food – what they are and how much you need. And it makes calorie counting so much easier. I’ll explain what I mean in a sec.

Macronutrients, simply put, are essential nutrients that the body needs in large quantities to provide energy and maintain structure and function, Namely, PROTEIN, CARBOHYDRATES, and FATS.

Trust me when I tell you that all three are important for a healthy body. 

Protein is important for building and repairing muscle (explaining why bodybuilders focus on protein bars and protein powders to meet their high targets) and for supporting the immune system. And it’s pretty hard to have too much of it in your diet.

Carbohydrates, which include sugars and fiber, are important for instant or sustained energy. But unless you’re running a marathon, you’re probably overdoing it with carbs. If you don’t need all of the immediate energy you’re consuming, your body saves it for later. What a great evolutionary idea! But if later means sitting on the couch, your body is going to store that energy for some other time, and likely right around your waistline.

Fats are important for storing energy (thanks to excess carbohydrates) but also for cell membranes, nutrient transportation, and insulation. And this is one place where we can definitively say there are good fats and bad fats. Basically stay away from trans fats (the absolute worst) and saturated fats as much as possible.

To summarize:

• Protein: Essential for muscle health, immunity, and satiety.
• Carbs: Provide energy; choose whole grains and vegetables for sustained release.
• Fats: Necessary for nutrients and health, but calorie-dense. Focus on healthy sources like nuts, seeds, and olive oil.

Quick Tip: Aim for about 30% protein, 40-50% carbs (preferably complex), and 20-30% healthy fats.

How to Balance Your Macros for Healthy Weight Loss

Let’s quickly talk about calorie differences between protein, carbs, and fats.

• Carbohydrates: 4 calories per gram
• Protein: 4 calories per gram
• Fat: 9 calories per gram

That might sound science-y, especially if “grams” is something you covered in 3rd grade when they made you learn the metric system. But it’s a really good way to consistently know how much you’re eating (yes, I use a scale but I’ll talk about that later).

Also, YIKES! Fat has twice the calories that carbs and protein does. That’s why you only put a little butter on your potato. Or why it might be better to choose a lower fat sour cream for your taco. Fats, as we saw from the Chick-Fil-A salad dressing, is an easy (and delicious) way to run up your calories.

You might be happy to know that protein and carbs are the same on the calorie scale. So can I just eat pasta instead of boiled chicken? Well, maybe.

Figuring Out Your Macronutrients

Everyone has a different need for macronutrients. As you get older, more and more health care providers are recommending higher protein levels (about 1 gram for every pound of ideal body weight) to build and maintain healthy muscle mass. Especially important for middle aged and older people.

What you eat is important for your body’s health. You need carbs, fats, and protein. Remember the 80s and 90s when everything was low fat? That messed us up because they filled all of those delicious Snackwells with extra sugar (carbs). Balance is important.

General recommendations on calories by macronutrients says that you should be getting 20%-30% of your calories from fat, 30% from protein and 40%-50% from carbohydrates.

For my 1618 calories, my day might look like this:

• 324 calories from fat
• 485 calories from protein
• 809 calories from carbohydrates

It’s one thing to track calories and it’s a great start. But if you’re specifically looking to lose weight or even just recomposition your body (more muscle, less fat), you’ll want to keep your calories down while keeping your macros in the right proportion. And eating the right macros will help you avoid hunger.

Understanding Cravings and Healthy Alternatives

The biggest challenge with changing your diet is that you want things that taste good. It might not surprise you to find that three cups of raw broccoli has about the same number of calories as two donut holes (about 100). (Healthline). But as you might have guessed, shoving 3 cups of broccoli down your throat might fill your stomach but it just won’t taste as good. And it would probably give you a ton of gas.

Find a happy medium. Maybe eat 1 ½ cups of broccoli and one donut hole. Or air fry your broccoli with olive oil (crispy broccoli is the bomb). Or drink a Fairlife Chocolate Protein Shake (I swear this brand tastes exactly like chocolate milk) and you’ll be consuming 180 calories but also 30 grams of protein.

Protein gives you the highest level of satiety and fiber helps keep you full. So yes, you should eat your meat and veggies but if you’re counting your calories and your macros, you can leave plenty of room for some treats.

Next up: I’m giving you some suggested tools of the trade that will help you figure out exactly how you can do that.

This is Part 2 of a four part series on losing weight and healthier living. I’m just like you – trying to take it all in and figure out what works. Join me for the rest of the series!

Part 1: How to Actually Lose Weight: A Realistic Approach (No Gimmicks!).
Part 3: How to Stay Motivated and Lose Weight: Tools That Really Help
Part 4: When Dieting Isn’t Enough: Tackling Hidden Barriers to Weight Loss

The post Why Healthy Eating Matters More Than You Think: Calories and Macronutrients Explained appeared first on All Things Fadra.

Let me start by saying I am not the model of ideal body weight or body composition. I’m petite (5’3” on a good day) and my weight always falls into the “normal” range. But my pants tell a different story. I’ve got a big butt and a severe muffin top. I carry all my weight in my middle. Same with my mother and my grandmother and probably back more generations than I can count. Genetics will never afford me a six pack and I’m okay with that but I’m still not where I want to be.

The photo on the left is me on vacation with my family at Disney in 2024. I had been tracking what I ate and working out for the better part of a year. When I had some health issues, I stopped all of that for a time and then used it as an excuse to not take care of myself. As a result, in the photo on the right taken in 2025, I’m almost 10 pounds heavier and ready to feel good again.

Knowing HOW to lose weight doesn’t necessarily equate to ACTUALLY losing weight. I know how to lose weight realistically. And I’ve done it, multiple times. Then I gain it back for reasons I’ll explain below. And then I’ll do what you probably do. Search online for things like:

“how to lose weight fast”
“easiest way to lose weight”
“losing weight over 40”
“does intermittent fasting work”
“can I still eat carbs and lose weight”

If any of those sound familiar, you’ve come to the right place. Because I’m going to share some cold hard facts that you probably don’t want to hear but will give you clarity on how to actually lose weight. Then maybe together, we can figure out how to stay motivated to follow those cold hard facts.

One quick caveat: If you already have in your mind what you do and don’t want to give up, you will eventually find an article somewhere online that satisfies your desires. I’m not telling you to ignore that. I’m just telling you if you’re already looking for an easy way out, you might not be ready to lose weight. Keep reading!

Diet vs. Exercise: Which Really Matters More?

Here’s the first thing you’re not going to want to hear: It’s your diet.

You can read just about anywhere that your diet contributes 75-90% of your ability to lose weight. I remember many years ago talking to a neighbor who was a runner. She was in a running club and ran races! I casually said to her, “Wow, that must mean you can eat anything you want!” She just laughed and said, nope, not even close.

It might also explain why you’ve committed to going to the gym 5 days a week and you’re just not losing weight the way you thought you would. If you’re sweating, you must be burning a ton of calories, right? Actually, my friend, no. Exercise is mega healthy for you and I’m not discouraging you from keeping it up. And if you’re not exercising, I’ll talk about why you need that as well. 

But first, the food.

We’ll get into why diet is so important and how to make the right changes. And I promise that doesn’t mean you’ll never eat out again and you’ll have to say no to birthday cake. It doesn’t even mean you’ll have to temporarily do that. Because you want to actually enjoy life, right? I get that.

But before we throw in the less healthy stuff (not bad stuff, just less healthy), let’s chat about why your diet is so important.

Why Your Food Choices Matter

From here on out, I’m even going to use the word “diet” because it has so many negative connotations – the first one being deprivation. I’m sure you’ve heard it all.

You can only eat cabbage soup.
You can’t have any carbs.
Don’t eat before noon.

Drink green tea every day.

Trust me, don’t do the cabbage soup diet. I tried it once. I lasted a day. Some of those other options are choices and how you choose to modify the food you eat is variable and up to you. 

If your body responds well to carbs, enjoy! If you’re diabetic, you’re probably going to have to reduce them. Intermittent fasting works for you? Fantastic! Not eating before noon makes you want to stab someone? Same, girl. 

This is your body and your choice. Just keep in mind FOOD = FUEL. You want to fuel your body with the best stuff possible.

When I was in 6th grade, I came up with a brilliant science experiment that I was sure would win me a prize at the science fair. I bought four small plants and provided the following liquids to each plant: water, Coke, apple juice, and Kool-Aid. 

I think I thought I’d make some remarkable discovery and as you might expect, that discovery was that good ol’ water was the best possible resource for the plants. Your job is to figure out the best fuel for your body and with a little food for thought (wink, wink), you’ll come up with a new eating strategy that works for you.

Now, going back to my little science experiment, you probably know that it’s super easy to underwater or overwater a plant. If you underwater a plant, it’s going to pull as many resources as it can from its reserves, like the roots and stem, before it will eventually shrivel up and die. And if you overwater a plant, it’s going to use and store as much water as it can before overflowing into a saucer and all over the floor (ask me how I know). And if you keep watering that plant, it will eventually die from too much water.

There’s a good analogy here with food. Like with plants, you have to find the right balance to keep your body healthy. That can take a lot of trial and error. There IS no one size fits all. But we can start at the same place and that is, how much you should be putting in your body.

Action: Take notes on what you put into your body every day. Don’t cheat. Just write it down in the Notes section of your phone or take a picture of every snack and meal. You’re not judging yourself or changing anything (yet). You’re just understanding where you’re at.

Understanding Calories (without Losing Your Mind!)

This is where we start to talk about the dreaded C word. CALORIES.

Calories refer to the amount of energy your body needs to function. And here’s the good news. If you sat on your couch all day and didn’t move, you’re still burning a ton of calories. This is called your Basal Metabolic Rate and it’s pretty easy to calculate. My BMR is set to 1177. That’s how much my body needs just to breath and sleep. Those are freebies.

But if you get up and move at all, even just to walk to the kitchen or take a shower, congrats, you’re considered sedentary. And for someone of my size and weight, that means my body needs 1412 calories per day. And you can see that the amounts go up based on your exercise level.

Example of my current calorie recommendations from Calculator.net

Calorie Recommendations (example):

• Sedentary: 1,412 calories
• Moderate exercise (1-3 times/week): 1,618 calories
• Regular exercise (4-5 times/week): 1,724 calories
• Daily exercise or intense exercise (3-4 times/week): 1,824 calories
• Intense exercise (6-7 times/week): 2,030 calories
• Very intense exercise daily, or physical job: 2,236 calories

I’m probably in the “Exercise 1-3 times/week” category so that puts my calorie recommendations at 1618. Now, that’s how much my daily intake should be if I want to stay exactly as I am. I can more than guarantee that some days I’m under that and some days I’m well over that. So think of it as more of an average.

But, if you want to lose weight, guess what? You need to put yourself in a calorie deficit. You need to burn more calories than you take in. As much as I’ve tried to fight it with science and research, losing weight comes down to calories in < calories out.

I need to be eating LESS THAN 1618 calories per day to start losing weight. How much less? Well, that depends on how quickly you want to lose weight. But I probably wouldn’t go more than 200 less than your recommended amount. And you can also increase your exercise level.

Have you tried calorie counting before? What was your experience? I’d love to hear your stories—share them in the comments below!

Action: Calculate your BMR today using this calculator.

Now comes the next problem: I’M HUNGRY WHEN I EAT LESS! Girl, have you met me? This is my number one complaint about this approach. I don’t like to be hungry. So what can we do about it? We can focus on WHAT we eat.

Don’t roll your eyes yet. We’re talking about how to lose weight realistically and it takes time and many steps and a lot of self-motivation. A realistic approach to your eating is coming up next!

This is Part 1 of a four part series on losing weight and healthier living. I’m just like you – trying to take it all in and figure out what works. Join me for the rest of the series!

Part 2: Why Healthy Eating Matters More Than You Think: Calories and Macronutrients Explained
Part 3: How to Stay Motivated and Lose Weight: Tools That Really Help
Part 4: When Dieting Isn’t Enough: Tackling Hidden Barriers to Weight Loss

The post How to Actually Lose Weight: A Realistic Approach (No Gimmicks!) appeared first on All Things Fadra.

But I took a different approach when I starting planning my trip in January 2025. I did not google “best travel guide books for Japan” because, like you, I know there’s a lot of personal bias out there and, to be honest, personal preference.

When it comes to travel books, I like to hold a physical, paper book in my hand. I like to flip back and forth between pages. I like to look at maps. And most importantly, I like to judge the format of the book. It has to be engaging, easy to read, and just a little bit fun. And nice pictures don’t hurt either! We’re not in the era of AAA guides anymore so I expect a lot.

Best Travel Guide Books for Japan and Tokyo

With that said, I headed to my local Barnes & Noble to browse the travel section and hopefully find something simply based on what was in stock. And I got lucky! While you can head to Barnes & Noble or your local bookshop(please save brick and mortar bookstores!), you can find these on Amazon as well, which I’ll link to below.

1. Best Japanese Culture Book

If you’re American or from some other western country, you’re probably expecting a little culture shock. And you’ll get it! You’ll also see the new and the old side by side, and scratch your head at some of the order int he chaos that everyone seems to know about.

This is why it’s important to start your trip with a little context.

You don’t have to be a Japanese scholar but it helps tremendously to know the basics about Japanese life and culture. Be More JAPAN by DK Eyewitness books covers “the art of Japanese living.” In this 224 page hardcover book, you’ll find the following sections.

WELCOME TO JAPAN explores a brief history of Japan (you’ll learn the important of Edo and Meiji) and the highlights of Japan in each season.

A VIEW OF JAPAN focuses on the diversity of landscape throughout this island chain (mountains, beaches, cities, snow, tropics – it has it all!).

TIMELESS JAPAN covers some of the cultural foundations of Japan including Shintoism, Buddhism, and the importance of arts and beauty throughout the prefectures.

INNOVATIVE JAPAN explores high tech Japan including engineering, video games, robots, and gadgets (they have plenty of each!).

CREATIVE JAPAN is all about style – from arts to fashion, from traditional to kawaii, and, of course, mange and anime.

ENTERTAINING JAPAN provides insight into entertainment culture including theater, geisha, J-Pop, martial arts, film, and nightlife.

EDIBLE JAPAN talks about food and drink – including sushi and sashimi, noodles, rice, tea and tea ceremonies, as well as spirits like whiskey and sake.

HEALTHY JAPAN delves into the Japanese lifestyle of balance, which includes philosophies, healing powers of hot springs (onsen), and general approaches toward health.

This book is easy to read or skim and gives a great overview of Japan as a country.

2. Best Overall Travel Guide for Japan

I’m not brand loyal when it comes of travel guides. I recognize that they’re all written by different authors, even if it’s under the same umbrella. But for this trip to Japan, I really connected with the Lonely Planet Japan travel guide for some of the following reasons.

First of all, this 768 page book is thick but not incredibly heavy. It was easy to take on the trip with me but probably a little too bulky to carry around every day. Instead, I consulted with my guide before the trip and on each evening of my trip when planning the next day’s activities.

Although we spent the majority of our time in Tokyo, the book had 120 pages devoted to Tokyo and its surrounding areas (important since we wanted to do a day trip from Tokyo).

It also had easy to read general sections on planning your trip, understanding onsen etiquette, sample itineraries, when to go, prepping for the trip, and an additional 40 pages just devoting to general travel practicalities in Japan and a touch of history and culture.

The format is dense but the layout (fonts, pictures, spacing, etc.) make it easy to read and consult.

3. Best Off The Beaten Path in Tokyo Book

We had a 7 day trip planned to Japan and originally wanted to travel to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, and as far south as Beppu. And then we woke up and realized what a pipe dream that was. With the time change, we actually only ended up with 6 solid days in Japan. With the advice of others, we decided just to focus on Tokyo and I’m so glad we did.

You’ll hear opinions on Tokyo like, “it’s just another big city” or “it’s just a cleaner version of New York” or “it’s not worth spending more than 2 days there.”

Let me start by saying that Tokyo is bigger than you could even imagine and each ward or neighborhood is as distinct as Brooklyn and the Bronx. We spent a week in Tokyo and only scratched the surface! We definitely saw some of the larger attractions like TeamLab, Tokyo Skytree, Senso-Ji, and the shopping district in Ginza.

But in order to get more of the flavor of the city, you have to venture further or deeper to explore like a local. That’s exactly what Tokyo Like A Local (By the People Who Call It Home) by DK Eyewitness covered.

We used this guide to find unusual, often undervisited locations for eating, shopping, arts & culture, and exploring the outdoors.

Why I Love Buying Travel Books

As I mentioned, I love having something physically in my hands. It makes the travel planning feel more personal than just reading about others’ experiences online. And it’s a great reference if you ever plan to go again!

I do recommend that when buying travel books, always check the copyright date and try not to buy anything more than two years old. Things do change quickly so always verify that thing you want to do is still a thing you want to do.

And as always, if you have recommendations about the best travel guide books for Japan, I’d love to hear about them!

Fadra traveled with her family to Japan in January 2025 and hopes to go back and do more exploring soon!

The post The 3 Best Travel Guide Books for Japan appeared first on All Things Fadra.

A Primer on Kansas City, Kansas

Let’s start real quick with a introduction to the Kansas City you know and the Kansas City you may not know. Kansas City is actually two cities divided by a river: Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas City, Kansas. Looking for the Kansas City Chiefs? That’s Missouri. Looking for a downtown metropolis? Also, Missouri. Looking for amazing Kansas City barbecue? You’ll find that in Missouri and Kansas. And on the Kansas side, you’ll also find ethnic neighborhoods full of food, which is why we’re here.

Let’s get started with what to eat, when to eat, and where to eat in Kansas City, Kansas!

Breakfast in Kansas City

I’m not a big breakfast eater but I do like to start the day with a little something. In this case, it was coffee. While some opted for fresh pastries with their coffee, I saved most of my appetite for lunch and dinner and the sausage tasting we had in the morning. Hey – sausage is a perfectly acceptable breakfast food!

Coffee in Strawberry Hill

I’m a relatively new coffee lover having spent many mornings earlier this year sipping a cappuccino with a cornetto in the cafes of Rome. Turns out I like any drink with enough milk and sugar! When I travel, I always try to find local coffee shops and there are plenty in Kansas City.

We started our mornings in Kansas City with a stop at Splitlog Coffee. Splitlog sources their coffee from multiple places and then locally roasts it. We were able to do a coffee cupping class one morning allowing us to taste beans from Colombia and Ethiopia. (Side note: coffee cupping involves submerging ground coffee into hot water and then giving it a quick taste with a spoon, much like wine tasting).

Both mornings, I kicked off the day with one of their seasonal specialities, the Spiced Pear Latte. 10/10! Highly recommend!

Locally Made Slavic Food

Located in downtown Kansas City, Strawberry Hill has a strong immigrant history. At the turn of the century, the area was flooded with immigrants from Germany, Ireland, and many parts of Eastern Europe. You can still see these influences all through Strawberry Hill. Most notable was Krizman’s Sausage, a local shop that’s been making sausage since 1939. And it’s still in the same family!

We did get to sample four different types of sausage including head cheese. I did try them all and let’s just say I won’t be having head cheese again anytime soon. After we sampled their homemade sausage, we literally got to see how the sausage is made! It’s honestly just a few hardworking guys with a great attitude making good product.

After visiting Krizman’s, we headed over to St. John the Baptist Catholic Church for a look at the Croatian Immigrant Memorial. As luck would have it, we ran into the manager of the St John’s Catholic Club, a small social club that meets in a building behind the church. While we didn’t eat there, we got a glimpse at their menu and Croatian beer selection as well as their completely vintage bowling alley!

Lunch in Kansas City

Lunch is my main meal. That’s when I usually break my fast and I like something delicious but not too heavy. The good news is there’s no shortage of variety when it comes to lunch (or dinner, for that matter!).

The Vietnamese Experience for Lunch

Immigrants are actually a big part of Kansas City’s history. Since World War I, large populations of Asian immigrants set up communities throughout KCK. As a result, you’ll find cuisine that reflects the Asian population of over 45,000 residents, including Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Indonesian, Indian, and Vietnamese.

We enjoyed an authentic Vietnamese lunch at Vietnam Cafe 39. While they have amazing pho and bun salads, I opted for stir fried noodles. And some of us even enjoyed an authentic Vietnamese coffee!

Jazz Lunch in Village West

If you’re looking for more American food, you can easily find that too. And if you like spice, you’ll want to check out the Cajun atmosphere at Jazz, a local chain restaurant located in Village West, an upscale shopping setting. Although I don’t like it too spicy, I was able to let the good times roll with an Oyster Po’boy and a side of fried okra. And you have to finish a Cajun meal with an order of beignets, which we did!

Dinner in Kansas City

Dinner is where Kansas City shines. Although I should note that most of our dinner choices could also be lunch choices but all of these restaurants were fantastic places to eat and representative of some of the best restaurants in Kansas City.

The Bar-B-Que Loved by Anthony Bourdain

I’d like to think I could easily be a vegetarian but for this trip, I’m glad I’m not. This gas station / barbecue restaurant sounds like an iffy prospect but even Anthony Bourdain put it on his list of 13 places to eat before you die.

Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que was born in one man’s backyard and has grown to become a name that even my husband back home knew about. Not only did we get a personalized tour to see how much care (and work) goes into making consistently good barbecue, but they loaded us up on almost everything on the menu!

In no particular order, here’s what we sampled: Smoked Turkey, Pulled Pork, Burnt Ends, Beef Brisket, Ribs, BBQ Beans, Dirty Rice, French Fries, Onion Rings, Mac-N-Cheese, and a Seasonal Street Corn. And Texas Toast. And when we were just about finished, they insisted we try two of their signature sandwiches: The Rocket Pig and The Z-Man Sandwich.

Needless to say, we rolled on out of there. I did actually eat a little bit of everything and my favorites were the ribs (best I’ve ever had), corn, and the french fries, which come with a signature spice. The good news is that I got some of that spice along with one of their t-shirts so I can be reminded of Joe’s whenever I’m not in Kansas City.

Pizza at the Wyandotte County Line

Did I ever tell you I’m a pizza junkie? It’s one of those foods that I can’t ever resist and once I start, I have a hard time stopping. But I am also a pizza snob. It’s got to be good pizza and in my book, that means crisp and chewy dough baked in a wood fired oven. Having spent time earlier this year in Italy, I was ready to be judgy.

The only judgment I made on 1889 Pizza Napoletana is that it’s exactly the light and delicious pizza I love with high quality ingredients. In fact, we had high quality appetizers and high quality wine.

As for the Wyandotte County Line? I would have never known but the locals like to point out that West 47th Street is the dividing line between Wyandotte County and Johnson County. You can easily have dinner in one county and dessert in the next!

The Best Four Carne Asada Tacos

If all of this talk of eating is making you feel overwhelmed, you can leave the planning and the transportation to someone else! You can join in the KCK Taco Trail for a night of tacos across the city from the comfort of a party bus. If you like authentic tacos, let them drive you to the best restaurants in Kansas City!

By the way, it’s really just a shuttle but depending on the crowd on your shuttle, it can definitely be a party bus! We were traveling with a large group of nurses who made the entire trip so much fun. But the star of the show really was tacos.

We were on the Carne Asada tour which meant four stops at four restaurants to sample four different carne asada tacos. After each jaunt, we would review and rate the tacos before heading to our next destination. Each time, we thought it couldn’t get better. But it did!

After Dinner in Kansas City

Although they did have some Mexican beers available on the Taco Trail, we wanted to experience a little of the nightlife in Kansas City, Kansas. So we hit a few after dinner spots to drink like the locals.

Drinks in Bonner Springs

We technically hit the Range 23 Taproom in Bonner Springs before hitting the Taco Trail. But we just couldn’t resist sampling some local beverages from this woman-owned brewery. We loved the vibe and the drinks (especially the amazing Apple Bourbon Chai) and all took pictures of the cutest bathroom ever!

Nightlife in Strawberry Hill

I don’t frequent cocktail bars often but when I do, I want there to be a good theme and some creative cocktails. That’s exactly what we got at Blue Palm Tiki, a new bar in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood. Straight out of a 1960s beach movie, the blue-tinged tiki bar had the most delicious drinks that looked almost too pretty to drink. Almost.

Kansas City, Kansas has much more to offer than just food but for me, food is what sets the stage for a city. In KCK, I found a cuisine that reflected the community and its people: diverse, ethnic, and fun. As you can see, the best restaurants in Kansas City are the ones that provide food and fun and great time for all. Can’t wait to eat more on my next trip!

The post Eating My Way Through Kansas City, Kansas appeared first on All Things Fadra.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room first. MOANA 2 is a sequel. Back in 2016, I headed to see a preview of the original MOANA by myself because my then nine-year-old decided he was too cool for animated films. In years to come, with the advent of the Disney+ streaming service, he lived to regret that decision. MOANA became a family favorite in this house. Even my husband liked it.

With it being a bit of a revered movie for what it is, everyone in the family agreed to attend the screening of MOANA 2 with me, including my now seventeen-year-old son. I’ll cut to the chase and tell you that we all really enjoyed it. My son gave it a solid 8/10. I gave it a B+. And my husband just said, “it was really good.” Maybe one day we’ll be on a consistent scale.

Here’s what to look forward to.

Set several years from the original movie, Moana is now a wayfinder who sets off in search of new lands and new people with her lovable crew of Hei Hei and Pua. She’s continually disappointed with the isolation of her people when she discovers a remnant indicating that other people did exist on neighboring islands.

In a vision, she’s told that if she doesn’t find these other people, her own people are doomed. This is probably my major point of contention. Why her people would be doomed isn’t made entirely clear. What is clear is that this is her new mission. The new thing that gives her direction and one of the biggest challenges of her life.

Now I know that the average kid and probably even the average parent isn’t going to watch MOANA 2 like I do and think, “hmmm, I just don’t think the stakes were high enough to move this story forward.” But if we’re comparing it to the plague that was killing her island’s food source in the first movie, the stakes definitely aren’t as high. We knew Moana had to complete her mission or her people would eventually starve. This time, her mission just seems like a good idea.

The story is a little weak but it gets the movie off and running the way it needs to. And this is where Disney delicately walked the fine line between creating a new movie while still keeping elements of the original that attracted moviegoers in the first place.

What that means is that you’ll see recycled storylines. You’ll see characters you’ve seen before. You’ll even see scenes that are very similar to the original. But it doesn’t feel lazy. It feels nostalgic and I think most MOANA fans will appreciate that.

The animation is top notch with all of the returning voice actors (Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Nicole Scherzinger, Temuera Morrison, Rachel House, and Alan Tudyk). Maui is as lovable as ever and his reunion with Moana feels natural. The mission of the story is a little disjointed (especially with the introduction of her new crew) but (SPOILER) good triumphs over evil and Moana is a humble hero among her people.

It is still a musical and while the songs aren’t quite as original as MOANA, they are blended with the songs we know and love.

In the past, Disney sequels have felt like a thrown together cash grab that usually ends up in a straight to video release (do we still call it straight to video?). MOANA 2 stands on its own. It’s a fun watch that I guarantee will just leave you feeling good. You’ll even love the kakamore (coconut warriors) this time around.

There is a stinger that might be worth staying for if you feel there were some loose threads (l did). And it definitely leaves room for MOANA 3.

MOANA 2 Trailer

The post Moana 2: The Ocean is Calling You Back appeared first on All Things Fadra.

So why mess with perfection? Why create a sequel for a standalone movie that needed no follow up? If I had my guess, I’d say it had something to do with the TikTok trend going around last year where women asked the men in their lives how often they thought about the Roman Empire. And the consensus was A LOT.

Admittedly, I probably didn’t think about the Roman Empire enough until I was fortunate enough to spend a week in Rome earlier this year. Not only was it such a definitive era in world history (human history, for that matter) but the Romans developed so many modern concepts that still live on today.

And if everyone is already thinking about the Roman Empire, why not make a movie about it? Or rather, why not make money off of it?

Now it’s not fair to say that Gladiator II is simply a cash grab. That would be an absolute disservice to the excellent writing and acting in this sequel. But for reasons I’ll get into below, you might want to lower your expectations just a bit before spending your hard-earned denarius aureus.

Gladiator II as a standalone movie

If you’ve never see the original Gladiator, or it’s been so long since you’ve seen it that you nearly forgot, you’ll probably thoroughly enjoy Gladiator II.

Stories like this bring Ancient Rome to life, complete with the gates to the city, the chariots, the Colosseum, the excesses, but also the class disparity and tyranny. And, of course, everything is spattered with a little blood and violence. That’s what most moviegoers are expecting.

The story follows a young man (Paul Mescal), clearly of European descent, fighting the Romans in North Africa as they work to expand the empire’s boundaries. Sfter a devastating loss, he’s taken prisoner to be used as a slave. As in the original movie, he’s given the path to rise from slave to gladiator to freedom.

But this man doesn’t want freedom. he wants revenge after the Roman Army slaughtered his people, including his wife. And the only thing that complicates his efforts is the revelation that he is, indeed, Lucius, the long lost son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen). He is forced to choose between his own personal desire to pursue vengeance versus the need to save Rome from the insolent ways of co-Emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger).

In the midst of this journey, we struggle to understand who Lucius should trust – his mother Lucilla? her husband, General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal)? slave owner and conspirator Macrinus (Denzel Washington)? In the end, it’s a fight against good and evil and a hero emerges, albeit it with a lot of gore and bloodshed.

It’s everything you might want in a good action movie. Top notch acting from everyone in the film with Paul Mescal as the standout. And it’s delicious watching Denzel Washington take a dark turn. On its own, I’d give this film an 8 out of 10.

But if we look at this movie through a different lens, my opinion changes.

Gladiator II as a sequel

Since it’s been 24 years since the original film Gladiator was released, there’s a strong chance that an entire generation of moviegoers have not seen this film. And maybe won’t. You can see Gladiator II without seeing the original movie but you won’t completely understand some of the character history which does add to the story.

It had actually been 24 years since I had seen Gladiator and my son, who often attends movie screenings with me, had never seen it. So we decided to screen it together just before we went to the theater.

Now I remember why this movie won Best Picture of the Year. The action, the acting, the settings, the characters, and above all else, the story. Russell Crowe painted a picture of Maximus as a loyal and just man, proud to serve the armies of Rome but eager to return to the simple joys of his farm and his family.

When all of that is ripped away from him, we feel his pain, his loss, his sense of despair, his desire for revenge. Crowe is a sympathetic character even as he bloodies his opponents. The end scene was actually so beautiful, I cried. And let me tell you, I don’t generally cry at movies. I was moved by it all.

As a result, expectations were high going into Gladiator II. There’s a lot about the story that isn’t really explained or explained to my satisfaction. We find that Lucius was sent away from his mother. We find that his father is not who he thought it was. And when things are revealed, it matters and then it doesn’t.

We find intensity in the characters but not in the depth. And that’s because of one thing: the story. The writing (in terms of the script) is good. It’s entertaining. The acting is well done. But the story is just meh. It feels recycled from the first movie, without any heart. We follow the progression of the hero but we don’t feel it’s a hero’s journey. At least I don’t.

Some of the characters feel more like caricatures and although this is historical fiction, this is certainly alternate history fiction. There are also elements that just don’t add up. The ascension to the Emperor’s throne wasn’t determined by bloodline yet most of the story is predicated on that fact. That was actually the WHOLE POINT of the first movie! Maximus was slated to be the next leader but Commodus (the son of Marcus Aurelius) felt the role was his by blood.

Although we see some of the original magic of the first film (Ridley Scott as director, Connie Nielsen as Lucilla, Derek Jacobi as Gracchus), the story is sloppy, even if you’re not a historian. It’s a visual delight, and entertaining 2 hours and 35 minutes, but as a follow up to the laurel that was Gladiator, Gladiator II is a solid 6/10.

Where to Watch Gladiator

If you’re looking to brush up on your cinematic history, JustWatch.com can show you where you can find Gladiator streaming right now.

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