Recently, I sat in a room with other moms as we were asked if we carry an invisible load of family leadership that is, at times, almost too much to bear.

I cannot tell you how validating it was when every hand in the room was raised.

Motherhood feels lonely at times, because moms play a unique role in our families. Motherhood is leadership without the title or pay. We’re not just “busy moms” feeling overwhelmed – we’re leaders without a support team.

Moms are typically the head of the household when it comes to planning, noticing, delegating and holding all of the details together. In the workplace, leaders are supported by systems and a staff – but moms out in the wild are often struggling to bear much of the entire load on our own.

That’s why I’m so glad there is Chief of Mom Life – a way to help moms think differently about how we lead our lives and families, with practical tools, systems and community to support more intentional leadership. In the words of this new organization, “Motherhood Has Always Been Leadership. We Just Never Called It That.” That really resonates for me!

I got to attend the Mom Life workshop on Everyday Systems earlier this month. Eight women sat in a charming room at Celestielle bookshop in Worthington to talk about motherhood, leadership and the systems that make it all possible.

We all use systems to make our lives easier and get things done, but we might not call it that. Do you have a weekly habit of meal planning, a family chore chart or shared calendar tools that you use to keep your family on track? Those are examples of the family systems – usually initiated and managed by moms – that help lighten the load just a bit.

I truly enjoyed the opportunity to think about motherhood differently, to acknowledge the leadership role inherent in being a mom, and to think about new systems we can put in place to help with our day-to-day life. Most of all, I appreciated getting to share this experience with other moms going through the same thing. Wherever we were in our lives – whether moms to young kids, tweens or teens – we all appreciated the time to develop additional systems to help ease our day-to-day burdens.

It’s no wonder moms are struggling and can use some support. The Mom Life Leadership Survey examined mental load, clarity, systems, identity, intentionality and the largely invisible leadership required to make family life work. Some of the findings from the group’s first survey of 247 moms include:

• 81% of moms mostly keep track of household details
• 74% are not very clear on what matters most right now
• 49% feel a strong disconnection from themselves
• Only 13% describe Mom Life as mostly intentional

It can be incredibly difficult to thrive in a leadership role without support. Chief of Mom Life was created to give moms the systems, team and community they need to lighten their loads and lead their families with focus and intention. I am so, so impressed with this organization and look forward to learning more at future events.

If you’re interested in participating in a Mom Life workshop, you can view their upcoming events on their website. I recommend following them on social media, reading through their blog and signing up for an upcoming event. There is also a membership option to fully immerse yourself with a cohort of other moms going through the program for even more accountability and structure.

Have you ever stopped to consider that motherhood is leadership? I never had before hearing about Chief of Mom Life – and now that I have, I want to continue learning how to make these concepts work for me.

What are your thoughts on motherhood as leadership? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below or over on Facebook or Instagram.

Disclaimer: we were generously provided with a free workshop from Chief of Mom Life. That said, all opinions are my own and this experience rocked. Motherhood really IS leadership, and leaders need support!

The post The case for motherhood as leadership appeared first on Lewis Center Mom.

Date nights out are so fun – especially in a town as vibrant and dynamic as Columbus.

I’ve prided myself on coming up with creative and unique date ideas over the years. In my current relationship, however, I’m finding that dates are actually the most fun when someone else plans them!

I was thrilled when Andrew told me a few weeks ago that he’d planned a fun surprise date for us for early September. He wouldn’t tell me where we were going, but he dropped a few clues as the day came closer.

“Bring or wear a swimsuit,” he said with a smile, and watched my eyes light up. I immediately assumed he must have gotten us a float tank experience – something I’ve never experienced personally, although I did curate a fun father-daughter float tank date once upon a time. (I remember thinking back then, “Wouldn’t it be great if one of them realized that it might be nice to buy Mom a ticket too, and then I could have the experience as well?” But alas, that never happened. Typical of my old life!)

On the day of our date, we headed downtown to Grandview and parked. I still had no idea what to expect. We entered a sleek-looking business with a cryptic acronym or abbreviation on the sign: SWTHZ. I was still stumped! What could this possibly be?

A friendly staffer greeted us in the lobby and offered a choice of aromatherapy scents on a cold (iced!) towel as she gave us a tour of the facility. We were shown around a long, neon-lit hallway with a makeup bar at one end and doors along each side. Then, we were ushered into our private suite, which featured an infrared sauna for two, a cold plunge tank for two and a swanky big shower boosted with vitamin C infusion.

Are you picking up what I’m putting down? This man took me to Sweat Houz in Grandview for a contrast therapy date!!

When the door closed to our suite, he and I found ourselves alone together in our comfortable, private space to enjoy the hot, hot sauna and freezing cold plunge pool – plus a vitamin C-infused shower for extra skin and hair benefits. It was all ours for one hour of contrast therapy and self-care, and it was so much fun!

Contrast therapy seems to just keep getting buzzier. I have been hearing about cold plunges for years, but the latest trend seems to be bouncing between a hot sauna and an icy cold dunk tank. Actually, this is not a new health trend at all but rather a long-standing practice in Nordic countries such as Finland, where people have been cycling between a sauna and frigid romps outside in the snow for centuries.

So how was my experience with contrast therapy? I LOVED IT! I am always up for new self-care experiences and this one felt amazing.

The hot-and-cold contrast experience used to be available only at high-end spas or luxurious international travel destinations, but now anyone can try it with Sweat Houz locations popping up all over.

I’ve always loved sweating it out in a sauna – my old gym had one (RIP Esporta/LA Fitness Polaris, so sad to see it empty and dark). I had never tried a cold plunge before and although I loved it, I found it way too difficult to get in! I need to practice forcing myself into a cold pool before I go back to Sweat Houz. I have never been good at getting into cold water past my legs. During our date, I was only able to go in up to my knees and then dunk my head a separate time. My honey was able to do almost a full dunk several times; I’ll do better next time!

The Sweat Houz staffer suggested that we alternate between hot and cold, with a shower in between to help modulate our body temperature. She said if we end on hot, we’ll leave relaxed and cozy, whereas if we end on cold, we’ll leave alert and energized. We did the latter and both left feeling rejuvenated and amazing!

I highly, highly recommend Sweat Houz for a date, a fun thing to do with your bestie after a workout class, or a very cool solo experience. We both noticed physical and mental health benefits during our hot-and-cold experience, afterward and even the next day. I can’t wait to do it again!

And no, this was not a sponsored post, but if Sweat Houz would like to put me on retainer as their in-house blogger, please give me a call. Think of how productive I could be in between hot and cold sessions!

The post How to take your love on the hottest date ever appeared first on Lewis Center Mom.

I’ve had a series of posts here for a while under the banner of “Friday Favorites” as well as the similarly generic “favorite things.” These curated lists have featured my favorite of-the-moment foods, clothing, books and movies.

I even tried out an abridged version of this list-style post that homes in on what I’m currently reading, eating and watching.

But lately, I’ve fallen in love with The New York Times’ long-running column, “My Ten,” where they profile celebrities through the lens of the stars’ top ten favorite cultural essentials of the moment.

“Cultural essentials” is such a fun way to sum up one’s current obsessions, and can include anything from restaurants to books, TV shows, music and causes. A quick Google tells us that cultural essentials are “the core elements that make up a society’s shared way of life. They include symbols, language, norms, values and physical artifacts. These components shape how people communicate, behave and understand the world around them.”

Obviously, I’m not a celebrity, but I’m still going to give this a try. Without further ado, here are my top five current cultural essentials, aka things I love.

1. Fancy sweet treats. No list of my favorite things would be complete without something in this category. I love candy, but not all candy. Specifically, I am a fan of obscure international gummies that satisfy a craving that began during childhood trips to England, where my brother and I delighted in visiting “newsagents” (English convenience stores) to spend our pocket money on pick-and-mix gummy candies. Old habits die hard, I guess – it is also fun sharing this flavor of joy with Z. The delightful Maud Borup gummy charcuterie selection pictured above came from Target and nicely scratched this itch.

2. Being in love with love. By far, 2026 has been the most romantic year of my life. I met my sweet Andrew on Hinge in January, and it’s been a mutual swoonfest every weekend ever since. We agreed to be exclusive in February after he gave me the most special Valentine’s weekend imaginable. I’ve always been someone who romanticizes life and this year, I’ve been romancemaxxing x 1000. Watching movies like Wuthering Heights, chasing sunrises and indulging in soft, slow mornings – everything really is romantic right now. I’m loving it, and him, so much! Somebody pinch me; I can’t believe this is really my life.

3. Arts and crafts. This year, I’ve also fallen back in love with the healing, restorative properties of creativity with paints, clay, photography, beads and jewels. Whether with friends, Z, Andrew or on my own, I’ve enjoyed the heck out of bedazzling, making crystal plants, painting masterpieces (ha!) and more. It’s good for our mental health – expressing oneself creatively feels great. I love displaying our work in my home plus it’s all just so fun! My markers, pens, stickers and planner have not been as much of a focus for me recently as in years past, but I still enjoy them, too. For now, bedazzling has more of my heart.

4. Homebody life. I’ve always been the girl fixated on travel, but this new life I’ve created has me feeling content and mostly wanting to stay home. Don’t get me wrong, I still LOVE to travel and we will do so when possible – but budgets are different these days. Now that I’m on my own, travel will mostly be visiting my folks or taking a yearly cruise with Zoe. They said “build a life you don’t need to escape from” and I did that last year. Now, I just want to spend my time off here, in my gorgeous condo with sunrise pond views, a crystalline pool in the summertime and beautiful, plentiful nature all around. Who could ask for more?

5. Lifting weights. One of the fun things that Andrew has brought back into my life is pumping iron at the gym. I had been focusing my workouts lately on dance and long walks with the dogs, but he has reminded me of the joys of lifting heavy things. I hadn’t lifted in about ten years and I remember now that I feel so great when I’m lifting weights regularly. I’m happy to say the old bod is really coming back online and feeling strong and healthy! I’m thankful for A’s gentle coaching at the gym and for muscles that remember how to work hard. We’ve been going to the gym together since May and I’m excited to see how continued lifting will help me grow continually stronger as I age.

I will write another post soon about my other five favorite cultural essentials to round out the ten. Drop me a note to let me know what yours are!

The post Here’s a look at my top 1-5 cultural essentials appeared first on Lewis Center Mom.

Happy one-year anniversary to me!

At exactly this time last year, in the midst of a divorce, I moved out of our family home and into the condo that I bought for myself. I was reluctantly ready to return to solo adulting after 22 years of partnership and marital strife. It was a time of new beginnings.

And you know what? Although last year rocked my world to its very foundation, the changes forced me to build a whole new life from scratch and I excelled at that.

I took those bitter lemons and made the sweetest, sparkling lemonade which I now enjoy out of a champagne glass and with sunrise views.

Although I have written before about the one thing I wish Z and I could change about our condo – the stompy, mean and nasty neighbors above us – I am dedicating today’s post to the things I love most about our beautiful home. Even those b-words upstairs can’t dull the shine of this amazing place.

Here are my 10 favorite things about my condo!

• Sunrise views – these cannot be beat! I don’t go to my beloved dam much anymore, because I can step outside and see this majesty every single morning. Who needs to travel when I have these vacation views right here at home?
• Walking the dogs – while having a fenced-in yard at our old house had its benefits, I love walking the dogs morning and night. The natural beauty of our condo community makes it a pleasure; they even installed new waste station amenities this year for us dog parents.
• Our pool – I do not miss the Orange Township pool one bit because our private pool here is cleaner, never crowded and has gorgeous views. Zero complaints about this beauty!
• The gym – I did not start taking advantage of our wonderful little community gym until Andrew suggested it this spring, but we’re loving it now and I am so happy we have this healthy haven so close to home.
• Location, location, location – I love Lewis Center and I especially love this green, beautiful corner we call home. We live off one of the prettiest roads ever and it’s a pleasure to drive it every day.
• Nature friends – the deer above are just a few of the wild wonders we get to experience regularly. I’m also in love with a local family of 6-7 wild turkeys I call my gobblers. They are just so cute!
• Love thy neighbors – I still don’t know all of my neighbors, but I smile and wave at all of them and once in a while we’ll stop and chat. I need to do this more!
• Girlie wonderland – I’ve never enjoyed decorating a space more than this condo. Z and I have unleashed our maximalist vision and this place is a sparkling, colorful girls’ world.
• Small yet spacious – Big enough to feel comfortable yet small enough to keep clutter down, I absolutely love the size and layout of this place. It’s a cozy Hobbit cave in the winter and comfortable year-round.
• The pack is back together – There’s perhaps nothing I love more about this place than the fact that all three of our fur babies – Dani, Galaxy and Lambo – share it with us. Having Galaxy join us this spring truly made it feel like home. Is it really a home if it doesn’t have at least one cat and dog zooming around?

This condo was such a soft place to land and even though life looks different yet again this year, I still feel a great deal of pride in being “out here on my own” and making the most wonderful new life for myself in my mid-50s. It wasn’t something I expected or planned for, but we have more than made the best of this midlife shift.

If you’re considering a condo and want to chat about the pros and cons, give me a shout over on Instagram or Facebook – or leave a comment below!

The post I love my condo in spite of the neighbors upstairs appeared first on Lewis Center Mom.

I remember a time, seven years ago, when I was desperate for a magic drug that could help me lose weight fast.

At that time, I was so sick of dieting and working out without ever seeing any real difference. I was convinced my body needed to be smaller.

I went in search of a magical, miracle weight loss drug to help me reach my goals – but because it was 2019, I didn’t find one.

Instead, I ultimately found the only TRUE solution to my lifelong battles: getting off the diet culture hamster wheel and radically accepting my body just the way it is.

In hindsight, I’m actually so happy that there wasn’t a drug to “help” me back then!

Now it’s 2026 and, as we all know, the magic-bullet weight-loss drug does exist today. I know so many people who are on it.

And Ozempic and the other GLP-1s do seem like a miracle for some. These meds seem to make weight loss easy and quick, just like I always longed for.

But I have to ask… at what cost? We don’t know the long-term health impact of staying on a GLP-1 indefinitely. Sure, most people can make peace with the side effects of going on the medication – things like nausea, diarrhea and the like.

But what about the longer-term ill effects, such as muscle and bone loss? Significant weight loss can include loss of lean muscle and accelerated bone mineral loss, raising fracture risks. Some people have also experienced hair loss from being on GLP-1s.

And, that rapid weight loss can result in changes to facial appearance. “Ozempic face” is a real thing. As you lose facial fat, your skin loses its supportive volume, resulting in a more gaunt, hollow or aged appearance with increased wrinkles, sagging skin and sunken eyes. This sounds dreadful, and it’s sad to me that people are willing to age their faces unnecessarily just to be skinny.

Then there are the issues that occur when the medication is discontinued: most notably, rebound weight gain. Coming off the GLP-1s typically leads to a return of appetite and progressive weight regain unless long-term lifestyle changes are successfully maintained. Which, as we all know, is next to impossible – or you wouldn’t have gone on the drug in the first place!

It makes me sad that our society has artificially created a craving or need to be thin that almost nothing can ease. That never-ending need to be thin makes people do brutal and barbaric things to their beautiful bodies.

It makes me sad that people could be cutting their lives short or harming themselves in exchange for being thin. It makes me sad that for some people, there will never be a “thin enough” because the problem was never their bigger bodies in the first place. Maybe the weight we need to lose is actually just this faulty thinking that there’s something wrong with our bodies?!

And it makes me sad that, although I have done the work to love and accept myself just as I am, even I am still tempted at times by the never-ending commercials and social media posts in support of weight loss with GLP-1s.

It is tough to be in a bigger body in this Ozempic age when it feels like everyone else is falling in line with “thin is in.” Staying fat and happy is a form of rebellion against diet culture and false societal norms and constructs. There is beauty and acceptance in the fat community and there are still influencers who reject the GLP-1s and rejoice in their natural bodies – you just have to look extra hard to find them.

I personally wouldn’t change a thing – I’m so grateful that I found body acceptance before the GLP-1s became available. I don’t judge anyone who goes on the skinny drugs, I just feel sad that they couldn’t find acceptance for and within themselves without doing something so extreme.

I wish true body love and acceptance for everyone. And I also wish our society would quiet pushing the false narrative of “thin is in” because thin isn’t right for every body!

Some of us are happy just the way we are.

The post Ozempic and the other GLP-1s make me sad appeared first on Lewis Center Mom.

I don’t know who coined the “90s summer” trend, but I keep seeing it everywhere – and with good reason.

Summer is the perfect time to go old school, lose the tech and focus instead on having fun without the little rectangular boxes that get way too much of our time and attention.

At our house, we’ve been diving deep into arts and crafts like we’ve time-traveled back to summer camp days of yore. Playing in the creative arts arena is nostalgic, fun and good for our mental health. Plus, you can’t be on your phone while you’re two hands deep in beads, sparkles and clay.

My kitchen table has been converted to a temporary art studio where beading projects, bedazzling kits and more are left out to entice us to play and create during any blocks of free time. It’s magical – so far, it’s working like a charm!

Here are some of our favorite summer craft projects so far. We have many more planned, so expect future updates here!

• Beaded, bejeweled plants – I love houseplants, but I’m notorious for either over- or underwatering them. That’s why these beaded, unkillable plants are the gorgeous alternative I’ve been searching for. I first saw them in videos on TikTok and Instagram, and I fell in love. These plants are so much fun to make with sparkly supplies found at Michael’s or on Temu – and once they’re done, they bring color, charm and whimsy to any room. I’ve made one beautiful plant so far, with plans to create many more for friends and family.

• Air-dry foam clay crafts – I saw promos for Claymoo clay craft kits on social media and thought it would be a fun family night activity. While my teen may have been skeptical at first, she ended up making three little guys from her kit and we have plenty of clay leftover to make more. We all had fun creating with clay, and the colorful little guys we made are a fun addition to my whimsical kitchen decor. I highly recommend these kits, or you can just pick up some foam clay at Michael’s or another craft shop and get creative. It’s actually more fun when you deviate from any pre-set notion or design and just do your own thing.

• Bedazzling everything – There is a literal bedazzling renaissance going on right now, and I’m proud to be smack-dab in the middle of it. I’ve always loved glitter and sparkly things, and the nostalgic aspect plus getting completely absorbed by something that is not a phone, are huge benefits. I find bedazzling relaxing, it’s a great creative outlet and a terrific way to achieve a zen-like flow state, and best of all it’s another way to decorate my home with sparkles and whimsy. There’s literally no downside – unless you accidentally dump a tray of tiny sparkles in your excitement. Yes, that really happened. Get yourself a bedazzling kit from Amazon or your local craft store and start bedazzling today.

Summer fun doesn’t have to involve sweat and sunshine – it can also include arts and crafts that take you back to a simpler time. What creative projects have you been working on this summer? I’d love to hear in the comments below or over on Instagram or Facebook!

The post Making time for beads, sparkles and whimsy appeared first on Lewis Center Mom.

I am proud to share that I just bought my first set of high-quality, grown-up girl bedding for my room.

Up until this month, I had been using hand-me-down sheets and duvet covers that weren’t really my taste and didn’t go with my other room decor.

You see, when I first moved to my condo last summer, I was single and didn’t expect to be in a relationship anytime soon. I was solely focused on solo life!

At that time, I figured it didn’t matter if I had mismatched hand-me-down sheets originally purchased for the guest room in our old house, plus a badly stained duvet cover leftover from Z’s early childhood. Who was going to see my bed? Just my dogs and me.

But as I’ve shared before, all that changed this year. In January, I entered into a lovely relationship with a wonderful man, and my bedroom has since changed from a place where I sleep with my dogs to a place where my special someone and I spend time and enjoy each other’s company.

I had been putting up with hand-me-downs for long enough; it was high time for a bedding makeover!

For years, I’ve had my eye on the gorgeous high-end home decor from Emma J. Shipley in London. If I’m being honest with myself, her homewares are out of my price range, but I wrangled a 20% off coupon and bit the bullet.

I invested in my happiness and purchased the finishing touches for my gorgeous bedroom: the luxurious, whimsical new duvet cover and pillow cases of my dreams.

Now, it feels like a whole new room. It feels elegant yet comfortable, and stylish yet still playful and totally me. I love my Emma J. Shipley bedding and the way it all coordinates perfectly with my orchid-painted walls.

The look and feel of truly high-quality bedding cannot be overstated. It’s utterly stunning. I now find myself wanting to spend time in my room during the day; it’s become my favorite place to read or use my phone for Duolingo language lessons. My family room couch – including my formerly beloved throw pillow collection – is so last month. This gorgeous bed is now where it’s at!

I love how with one purchase, I have transformed my bedroom into a peaceful oasis that I never want to leave. I’m surprised to be typing this at my desk in my home office – that gorgeous Emma J. Shipley-adorned bed is calling to me, and this laptop is, after all, perfectly portable. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

It’s too hot to go outside or walk down to the pool this week. If you need me, I’ll be working from my bed!

The post The life impact of really nice bedding appeared first on Lewis Center Mom.

If you heard a fellow parent say they couldn’t wait to bust open a bottle of wine later that evening, you probably wouldn’t think twice.

Wine is not just socially acceptable in white Western culture – it’s encouraged. Wine and other alcoholic beverages are practically pushed on those of us who prefer to abstain.

But tell a group of PTO moms you’re excited to head home and light up a joint or take some delta-8 THC or CBD oil for some self-care, and you might get some serious stink-eye. Even though cannabis is now legal or at least decriminalized in many states, and is proven safer than alcohol, it’s still not as socially accepted.

So why is it that alcohol is so acceptable in polite company, yet cannabis and its derivatives are so scorned? It can be easily summed up in one word: racism.

Feel free to do your own research and don’t just take my word for it. There’s no way cannabis would be illegal if it weren’t for racist, white supremacist leaders and lawmakers associating the herb with immigrants and people of color.

The facts are clear: alcohol causes about 88,000 deaths per year, while cannabis causes none. That doesn’t mean young people should smoke pot – on the contrary, before the age of 25, cannabis should be avoided entirely, just like tobacco and, in my opinion, alcohol.

But here’s my hot take: adults over 25 with fully developed brains should be free to smoke pot, take edibles or enjoy delta-8 THC in the privacy of their homes if they wish.

If you haven’t heard of it yet, delta-8 THC is a derivative of hemp or cannabis and is legal in many states. Many feel it should be legal in all states as it has many benefits and few drawbacks.

Does delta-8 THC get you high? Yes – but it’s a milder, smoother high than cannabis or delta-9 THC. And it certainly is not as damaging or destructive as alcohol.

I don’t know whether I feel more strongly about being pro-cannabis or anti-alcohol, but I realize both biases are coming through loud and clear in this post. And I’m okay with that!

It just seems crazy to me that one substance is praised and welcomed in our society, while the other is still somewhat ostracized despite a clear shift in public opinion in recent years.

So, dear reader, where do you land in the weed vs. alcohol debate? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below or over on Instagram or Facebook.

The post Why is getting drunk okay for adults but getting high is still taboo? appeared first on Lewis Center Mom.

This post is for my fellow lovers of Indian cuisine.

I enjoy all kinds of food from diverse cultures, but Indian food will always be one of my favorites. The flavors are incredible and unique, ranging from mild to very spicy depending upon your preference. There’s an abundance of vegetarian options for those who prefer meatless dining. And, Indian food is sure to warm you up even on Ohio’s coldest days.

My one complaint about Indian food in our area of northern Columbus is that the best Indian restaurants tend to be clustered up in Dublin (I’m looking at you, Bikanervala and Neehee’s). While that’s only 20 minutes away on a good day, rush hour traffic can make the drive feel intolerable for a hungry girl.

That’s why I’m so delighted we finally have not one but three truly amazing Indian food options right here in Lewis Center!

1. I’ve been a huge fan of Moon Pizza since the day it opened in the LC; in fact, I was their very first customer. I used to drive all the way down to Hilliard to their original location before they opened here. This food truck parked off Orange Rd. serves up the best Indian pizzas around, and their flavorful dipping sauces are to die for, as are their perfect fries and tasty appetizers. I’ve blogged before about how much I love Indian pizza – if you haven’t tried it, you definitely need to check out Moon Pizza (and there’s a second Indian place on Polaris called Pizzawala!)

2. I can’t believe I’ve never mentioned Rollz Rice Indian Kitchen here before, because I’ve been eating there since they opened. A small cafe on Polaris Parkway serving excellent Indian cuisine for both lunch and dinner, Rollz Rice is big on flavor and freshness. It’s Chipotle-style in that you go up to the counter and order a bowl or wrap customized with all the fixings and sauces you want. My favorite dish here is the naan taco – it can be messy to eat, but it’s the perfect size for lunch and just so tasty! Rollz Rice masala fries are also incredible.

3. This one is new to me, and the inspiration for this blog post. My bestie and I discovered a new Indian food truck off Route 23 serving up the most amazing, authentic South Indian cuisine. Sandy’s Food Mania is tucked back behind other restaurants and stores in a big empty parking lot. They have a small outdoor dining area with colorful chairs, tables and lights strung up to make it look festive. The food is out of this world! It is definitely authentic so on the spicier side, as well as very fresh and delicious. Their dosas – fried Indian crepes served plain or with various fillings tucked inside – are bigger than your head and utterly amazing.

Are you surprised that two of the restaurants recommended here are food trucks? Don’t be – Indian food trucks, or dhabas, often serve up some of the tastiest cuisine ever! I’m absolutely thrilled to have two of them parked so close to home.

If you know of other Indian favorites here in Lewis Center, or other types of restaurants we should try, drop me a note in the comments below or over on Instagram or Facebook. A girl’s got to eat – and this one’s also got to blog about it.

The post We found the best Indian food in Lewis Center appeared first on Lewis Center Mom.

I love it when people are naturally creative gift-givers. I’ve always aspired to be one myself.

This month, I learned that my boyfriend definitely falls into that category because he got me the COOLEST experience gift for my birthday: a Turkish mosaic art workshop where we could create a gorgeous mosaic lamp together.

We had such a great time at the workshop, and the lamp we designed and decorated together will be a treasure forever.

I first fell in love with these colorful mosaic lamps at a Turkish shop in the Short North – and I also really enjoyed seeing them at a Turkish shop in Monterey, CA during our vacation a few years ago.

Another cool thing to know is that I actually saw this mosaic lamp workshop advertised on social media many months ago – long before I met Andrew. I thought it looked super cool and asked both my bestie and daughter if they’d want to do it with me, but they both declined so I put it out of my mind. I wanted to do it, but not enough to go alone.

And ultimately, thanks to my sweetheart, I didn’t have to!

The pop-up mosaic lamp workshop took place at a hotel in Dublin. We enjoyed tea and Turkish delight as we sat at tables laid out with trays of supplies for each person, design templates to use as reference, and dozens of colors of glass pieces and beads for use in the mosaics. At the front of the room, there were also several completed mosaic lamps we could look at for inspiration. Each lamp was unique and they were so beautiful!

The instructors showed us where to find printed directions in our supplies, and they also walked around and gave us tips as needed. First, we laid out colorful glass pieces into the design templates on the tray in front of us. We could use about 3 bigger designs, or more if we went with smaller designs. We were able to use color combinations they had as examples, or we could build a totally custom color scheme for our lantern.

I had so much fun building the designs in the templates they gave us and choosing colors that would work best in my home. Then, when it was time to put the glue on the lamp and re-build the designs on the glass, my sweetheart took a turn. He did a good job with all the messy parts of the project! While he attached the glass pieces to our glass lamp, I made a few custom mixes of colorful glass beads that we could use as filler in between our designs.

I’m not sure how long the workshop was; I had so much fun that I literally lost track of time. I think we were there a little under two hours? When our lamp was fully decorated with glass pieces and beads, we were given the rest of our supplies to take home and finish after the glue dried for 12 hours.

So far, we have not yet grouted our lamp, which is the final and messiest step. The lamp is honestly so pretty that it almost doesn’t seem like it needs the grout, but I know that will help to keep everything firmly in place. We’ll do it one of these days.

Our beautiful mosaic lamp is already in its place of honor on my entrance-way table. I love it so much – the colors are exquisite and it’s even more fun knowing that we made this treasure together. I highly recommend the mosaic lamp workshop if you love arts, crafts and beautiful home decor you can make yourself!

The post This mosaic art workshop rocked my world! appeared first on Lewis Center Mom.