Bao and Broth Now Open In Optimist Hall, Charlotte NC #LiveNoodsWarmBuns #WeDontCutCorners

After its announcement in 2018, the long-awaited Bao and Broth officially began serving customers at the opening of Charlotte’s new Optimist Hall on Thursday, August 1, 2019.

The ramen and steamed bun shop has long been in the back of Executive Chef Larry Schreiber’s mind. Since 2014, Schreiber served as Executive Chef at and helped open Moffett Restaurant Group’s Good Food on Montford, where his steamed bun was a hit. Now, Larry’s thrilled to be opening his own restaurant purely dedicated to the food concept that has earned him recognition across the Charlotte food scene. This time, he’s added ramen and other Asian delectables that will have Optimist Hall perusers stop in their tracks when they smell his chef-d'oeuvres.

Even the pickiest of eaters will be able to find something at the highly customizable eatery. For $12, those longing for a hot bowl of ramen can choose from a variety of broths, proteins, and toppings to satisfy their craving. There are also vegetarian options, such as the Unctuous onion broth. Ramen not your thing? Check out the listing of baos offered. Despite the title referencing pork belly buns, Bao and Broth ensures that all eaters can enjoy their menu, with additional bun options including schnitzel, chicken, bulgogi, and falafel. If you still can’t get enough, side items, dessert, and the house specialty – rice cakes and pork belly kimchi – are also available.

“I’ve been a part of a few restaurants before but creating these recipes [for Bao and Broth] and testing them has been one of my favorite experiences,” said Schreiber. “Back at Good Food on Montford, we only served one option – the pork bun. Now with this restaurant, we have the capability to expand on it, and it’s been so fun putting together all sorts of flavors to see what mixes well. I think the schnitzel bun has to be my favorite, but I’m excited to see which items our guests like the most.”

The opening of Bao and Broth is part of the first of three restaurant opening phases at Optimist Hall, with the other two set to occur in the early fall. The stall is order-at-the-counter style, and guests can devour their meals either indoors or outdoors at the community seating hall, or at one of the few seats alongside the ramen bar. Schreiber also mentioned there are plans to include online ordering once the stall gets up and running, which will make it even easier to get this delicious food in your mouth as fast as possible.

Bao and Broth’s hours will be 11AM to 9PM Sunday – Thursday, and 11AM to 10PM Friday – Saturday.

Photo credit: Stefanie Haviv
About Bao and Broth:
Open August 1, the ramen and steamed bun shop is owned and operated by head Chef Larry Schreiber. Bao and Broth offers a full menu consisting of traditional Asian bao’s and broths with sides and desserts in accompaniment. Located in Optimist Hall in Suite 5. Head to BaoandBroth.com to learn more.

Beautiful Flowering Trees That Would Enhance Any Garden

If you like flowers as well as trees, why not plant a couple of flowering trees? That way you can enjoy the best of both worlds.

There are hundreds of different types of flowering trees for you to choose between. So, I thought I would do a little bit of research and share the details of some of my favorites to help you to narrow down your choices.

Flowering fruit trees

I am going to start by speaking about flowering fruit trees, which actually covers quite a big group of trees. These days, it is easy to find ornamental cherry, plum, pear and crab apple trees. They are all hybrids of trees that produce blossoms, which then turns into fruit.

The way they have been bred means that they produce an enormous amount of blossoms. Far more than a natural fruit tree would. They do go on to produce fruit, but people rarely eat that as if you bought them from a farmer's market. You may have some success with making juice, jellies, and jams using them.

Photo by Henry & Co. on Unsplash

Of course, if you think you would like to eat what you grow you could always just buy a traditional cherry, apple, pear or plum tree. You will still get some nice blossoms, in the spring. Just nowhere near as much as you would if you were to plant ornamental varieties.
If you want to enjoy double the color for your money, take a look at purple-leaved plums. As the name suggests, once the blossoms have gone, you will still be able to enjoy the rich purple leaves.

Crape myrtles

These trees produce long-lasting, brightly colored flowers throughout the summer. You can buy both evergreen and deciduous varieties. There are about 50 varieties available, most of which can be trained to grow as a bush or a tree. Their versatility is part of the reason this family of plants is so popular. We have these all over South Carolina.

Magnolias

A lot of people assume that magnolias are bushes. This is because most of the ones they see have been kept short or have not enjoyed the growing conditions they need to grow into full-blown trees.

If you can, let yours grow it into a tree. It really is worth doing. They are stunning looking trees even when they are not in full bloom. So, if you have enough space and the right conditions, a magnolia tree would be a great addition to your yard.

image credit

Mimosas

Another nice option is mimosas. These flowering trees have interesting leaves and produce a riot of complex flowers during very hot conditions. Keep a special eye out for varieties like the Chocolate Mimosa Silk Tree. These elegant trees feature stunning looking purple-colored leaves. They are not yet widely available. So, if you want to stand out, search out and buy one of these.

Redbuds

If you only have a small garden, take a look at redbuds. These compact trees bloom through the spring at the same time their distinctive glossy heart-shaped leaves grow in. They are nice and hardy, so you can plant them in most warm temperate climates.

Hopefully, one of the five suggestions above will appeal to you and suit your needs. If not, don’t worry, you can easily buy some nice flowering shrubs instead and let them grow rather than keep them trimmed back. Many varieties will reach 20ft, or more, once mature. This slide share style article tells you about 23 of the tallest ones.

Trying To Adjust To Seeing Things Differently

For as long as I can remember, I have had excellent vision. I was the type of person to find the tiniest details in photos, artwork, or in any real-life scenery. People would always be amazed and say things like, "How on earth are you able to see that?" Fast forward to my middle 40s. Things aren't quite as crystal clear as they used to be. I have experienced more stress, anxiety, and depression in the last few years than I felt like I could handle. It was as if I cried and stressed the days away for 3 years straight. It was affecting my life in many ways.

One thing I noticed was that I had trouble seeing clearly when I was on the computer, phone or reading a magazine. I could barely see the menu when we were dining out in a restaurant. I spoke with my doctor and she suggested that I get some reading glasses. I bought some from my pharmacy and saw instant results. I could see clearly again! Reading glasses did the trick, and I could put them on and take them off as needed. This seemed easy enough. I did this for a little over a year and things changed again. I started getting headaches out of the blue and felt so much tension in my neck and shoulders.

I knew something wasn't right, and finally made an appointment for an eye exam. As soon as I walked into the building, I was overwhelmed. The friendly staff member directed me over to fill out the paperwork and select frames for eyeglasses. This was so different for me since it was the first time knowing that I was going to need glasses. The appointment itself was eye-opening. I had no idea how my vision declined as much as it did over the past couple of years. When the doctor switched different lenses to see if I was able to see clearly, it hit me-- my vision was terrible. It turned out that I had been compensating for what I wasn't seeing clearly or seeing at all.

The doctor then casually tells me, "I'm going to get you squared away so I'm writing you a prescription for bifocals." I was gut-punched because I really didn't know it was that bad. I took some deep breaths and sat with the specialist to get measurements done and make the selections that would be most beneficial to me. I was gut-punched once more when I got the final bill. YIKES! My husband was with me and calmed me down by telling me that I take care of everyone else, and it was time for me to take care of myself. I was told that my glasses would take approximately 2 weeks to be made and delivered.

For the next two weeks, I ended in so much pain from eye strain that led to neck and shoulder tension. I was a mess! I felt like I had to take 3 naps a day which is so not me. I'm thankful for my family who pitches in when I am down. They helped me a whole lot, especially the little one since he is with me all day long. I was super nervous when the call came in that my glasses were ready to be picked up. I sat at the counter with the salesperson and tried my glasses and sunglasses on. As soon as I placed the glasses on my face I felt really weird. I was like wait, I can't see properly. They told me because they are progressive lenses and I will have to get used to them.

As I left the building, I placed my pricey prescription sunglasses on and was hit with vibrant views. Everything around me was extra bright and colorful. I was seeing as clearly as I could when I was a teenager. I almost cried because I didn't realize how much I have been missing out on seeing. The eyeglasses have been more difficult to adjust to since I have to wear them all day long. I can't quite figure out how to tilt my head to be able to see up close. Even being on the computer has been difficult. I am still feeling a bit of fatigue, dizziness, and headaches, but they are supposed to clear up in the next week or so. I almost wanted to simply not wear them at all.

For now, I am thankful to be able to see details, vibrant colors, and having overall clarity. It will take time to adjust to wearing glasses, especially with different strengths for distance and close-up vision. I am going to be patient and know that I will be feeling like myself again soon enough. I'm sharing this post today for anyone who might be struggling with their vision and might not even know they are. Do not put off getting an eye exam! We aren't getting any younger.

If you have any advice for me, I'm open to it. Thank you so much for stopping by today.

How To Take Your Life Back From Crohn's Disease

Does it feel as though your Crohn’s disease is taking over your life? Here’s a medical food that could help you take back control.

Crohn's disease is something that affects an estimated 780,000 adults in the United States as of 2015. It is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) which triggers chronic inflammation in a person's digestive tract. It not only results in discomfort at home and going about your daily life, but it can also lead to hospital visits and stays if the symptoms get out of control.

Photo by Anh Nguyen on Unsplash

If you are living with a Crohn’s diagnosis, whether it be a new one or you’ve been living with it for years now, and you feel as though your disease is dictating your life, it may be time to take back control. A product by the name of UltrainflamX Plus 360 could be the perfect item to add to your treatment routine, helping you to get a better handle on your symptoms and reduce the pain and inflammation you are currently suffering from. This medical food offers all kinds of benefits, as we will examine.

What is Crohn’s Disease?

Before we look at the benefits of UltrainflamX Plus 360 it’s important to understand what Crohn’s disease is and how it affects you. As mentioned it is an IBD that can result in severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramping, fatigue, malnutrition, and weight loss. These can all be extremely uncomfortable symptoms and can prevent a person from going about their regular daily activities and enjoying the foods they love.

While anyone can develop the disease, it is most commonly diagnosed in people between 15-35 years of age. Statistics show that it is more common in females than in males. As for risk factors, those who are smokers are twice as likely to develop it, but family history also plays a part.

How UltrainflamX Plus 360 Can Help

UltraInflamX Plus 360 is a really unique product from Metagenics that is classified as a medical food. It has been specially formulated to offer nutritional support. Its rice protein make-up makes it very easy to digest, which is vital to those with Crohn's disease.

It is ideal for those with IBD, including those with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, as it targets pain and inflammation making the symptoms much less. It also supports healthy cytokine and eicosanoid metabolism thanks to ingredients such as ginger and rosemary. There are even antioxidant benefits, which again anyone can benefit from. Doctors have even recommended the product to patients to deal with various gut and inflammation-related issues.

UltraInflamX Plus 360 is available in a powder form, which can be mixed with your choice of juice or chilled water. Simply add two scoops of the powder to 8ozs of fluid and then shake it/mix it well, until the powder is dissolved. For best results, it is recommended that you have two servings per day.

Start to Get the Relief You Deserve

While there are a number of treatments that a person can use in order to get relief from Crohn’s and get it under control, typically it’s best to use a few in conjunction with each other for maximum results. Adding UltraInflamX Plus 360 to your regime can certainly help to speed those results along.

Birthday Gift Ideas For Kids 10 And Under That Aren't Toys

Struggling with birthday gift ideas for kids under 10? We’ve got you covered!

You’d think with having the whole world at our fingertips that finding the perfect birthday gift for our little ones would be a piece of cake. With so many user-friendly apps and online stores with an abundance of toys and gifts to choose from, it’s almost as if you don’t have to put any thought into your shopping at all.

But isn’t that the problem? For consumers, everything is always well within reach or suggested to us via clever marketing. But what about a gift that really means something? A gift that won’t end up at the bottom of the toy box with all the other plastic toys that they own but don’t even play with…? Well, here you’ll find 5 of the most popular gifts for children under 10 years old and none of them are toys.

An Investment In Their Future

Sure, your kids can’t play with a savings accounts – not until they’re older anyway – but investing in their futures and putting something away for them to utilize when they’re older is a wonderful commitment and gesture of love. Check out Golden Eagle Coin for investment pieces as well as somewhere to buy silver bars, gold coins and other items, you can also get the latest information on items that will increase in value over time. Alternatively, speak to your local bank about an IRA or a savings account.

Lessons

Do you have a budding Picasso at home? Or even a mini Serena Williams? If your child has a passion or a hobby, why not help them take it a step further with some lessons in their favorite interest? Not only will it give them more confidence, but it could even take them down a career path when they’re older. In addition, joining things like dance schools, theatre groups or sports teams allows them to experience things like competitions or exhibitions, the value of teamwork, or focusing on tapping into their own creativity. It’s character-building, to say the least.

A Dress-up Box

All children enjoy dressing up as their favorite princess or superhero, but what about something more realistic? Simply go through your wardrobe at home and see if you have any items you can donate. Hats, scarves, trousers, shoes, bags, costume jewelry, dresses, gloves, etc. Or visit your local thrift shop and see what you can find. Let their imagination run wild!

A Charitable Donation

The gift of giving is a wonderful thing, especially to those less fortunate than ourselves. So, incorporating a donation as a gift will teach your children about charity, kindness and it will make them feel good. This could be sponsoring a child in a foreign country, helping to plant more trees, sponsoring an endangered animal or even adopting an animal at a local rescue center.

Time

They say the greatest gift you can give any child is your time. So, take a weekend and dedicate it to some quality time. Let your child decide where they want to go, what they want to do, and make sure you take plenty of photographs to document that time spent together. You can have a photo book made so your child can look back on those fun memories.

Do you have any other gift ideas to add to this list?