My August 2015 in Review: Blogger Bashes, Charity Events, Restaurant Openings and Concerts

blogging / writing, my life, family and friendsSeptember 1, 2015Comments Off on My August 2015 in Review: Blogger Bashes, Charity Events, Restaurant Openings and Concerts

As we wind down into fall, I look back at August and realize how crazy busy I was all month. Lots of events, restaurant openings, and more.

My Month in Review - August 2015 by Michelle Snow

I kicked off the month on August 1 with the annual Give Kids the World Blogger Bash. GKTW is a great charitable organization that operates a resort in Kissimmee for kids with life threatening illnesses.

During the Blogger Bash, we got to find out more about what they do and how we can help. We also got to check out the new on-site Town Hall building and the new cafeteria. You can read more about the Give Kids the World Blogger Bash over at CitySurfing Orlando.

August 3rd found me at the Hard Rock Live for the Whitesnake and The Dead Daisies concert. It was my first time in a photo pit in over a year, but I quickly got back into the groove of it. David Coverdale of Whitesnake thought it was funny to stand on top of me, so no matter where I went in the pit, he followed on stage. I got quite a few great shots up his nose.

I also had to deal with a bit of misogyny from one of the other male photographers, who asked if I was in the pit because I was the girlfriend of one of the band members. I sniped back, “No, why? Is that how you got your photo pass?” He glared at me but otherwise ignored me the rest of the night.

A week after the show, I did a phone interview with John Corabi, the lead vocalist for The Dead Daisies. You can read the interview here at Zengrrl, and check out the photo recaps of Whitesnake and The Dead Daisies over at CitySurfing Orlando.

A few days later, I joined my fellow Central Florida Lady Bloggers group for a tasting at Tijuana Flats on E. Colonial. It was an opportunity to try some items that I’d never eaten. I love Tijuana Flats, but I get into the rut of coming on Taco Tuesdays. It was a yummy evening that I’ve recapped over at CitySurfing Orlando.

August 8th found me covering Orlando’s Taste of the Nation at the Orlando World Center Marriott. This annual event raises money for several charities, including No Kid Hungry, the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida and Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.

It was an opportunity to dress up, which I don’t often do, and enjoy an evening of great food, drink, and entertainment. But mostly the food and drink – over 40 local restaurants participated. You can read my recap with yummy food photos over at CitySurfing Orlando.

The following week I took a personal day and enjoyed a day at Disney with my roommate. We first had breakfast at Trail’s End Buffet at Disney’s Fort Wilderness. It’s served buffet style, and while it offers the buffet staples like scrambled eggs, bacon, and bagels, it had three stand-out items: perfectly cheesy grits, French Toast Bread Pudding with a Pecan Maple drizzle, and Eggs Benedict made with BBQ pork instead of Canadian Bacon. Oh…my! It was traditional breakfast items elevated to a new level. It was our first time there, but we’ll be back.

A review will be coming, but here’s some Instagram shots for you:

After breakfast, we had a nice boat ride on Bay Lake to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, and from there we caught the bus to Downtown Disney and wandered until the rain sent us home.

The following week I covered the grand opening of Shake Shack’s newest location at I-Drive 360. The food preview was amazing. Between my roommate and I, we got to try a couple of burgers, the cheese fries, and one each of the location’s special concrete flavors. We almost had to be rolled out the door.

The next morning I returned for the official ribbon cutting to open the restaurant. Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs was there with her sons, and afterwards, we ate some more. I recapped it all at CitySurfing Orlando.

The week wasn’t over, because the following day I was invited to try Chuy’s Green Chili Fest limited time menu. So my roommate and I went to the I-Drive location and had a couple of the main dishes – loved the green chile rice! – and a few drinks. We finished with a decadent Tres Leches dessert. Yup, we were stuffed again. You can read my review of the fest menu over at CitySurfing Orlando.

Of course after all that eating, I would have a doctor appointment. It was my six-month cancer check-up and I got the full exam. My doctor even took some samples for labs, though I haven’t heard any results yet. I’ve been feeling good in that area, and my doc said she didn’t see anything to be worried about. So that’s one big hurdle – I’ve passed the six month mark of no cancer. I still have to stay vigilant because mine has a high rate of recurrance, but this was a good check-up.

I finished the month with another Central Florida Lady Bloggers meet-up at Duffy’s Sports Grill at Millenia. My first visit to one of the brand’s locations, but I enjoyed the food and drinks. They serve sports bar food, but it’s fresh and full of flavor. I really enjoyed the habanero boneless wings. I had several pieces. I also enjoyed their cucumber watermelon mojito. It was happy hour all day, so drinks were 2-4-1. A review will be coming at CitySurfing Orlando, but in the meantime, here are a few Instagram pics:

It was a rather busy month overall, with lots of food, drinks, and a few surprises. Healthwise, I got a bit run down, and the MS reared its ugly head a few times when I’d get overheated (damn August in Florida heat!). But I think I paced out the events enought to give my body time to recuperate in between. I also discovered I can’t stand at a concert for three hours anymore. Between the MS, my heart issues, and the heat in the building, I almost passed out at one point.

I’d rate this month a 9. A few lows healthwise, but filled with a lot of fun events to cover and opportunities to hang out with friends and fellow bloggers.

How was your August 2015?

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About zengrrl

I'm Michelle Snow, the writer and creator of Zengrrl. I write about travel, entertainment, women's issues, health, body positivity, and more, both for this blog and freelance. I have also authored/co-authored four guidebooks on Orlando and Florida. If you aren't already following me, the links are below, as well as on the top right of this page. Thanks!

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