This spring, well late winter too, has been a roller coaster of absolute chaos, well, maybe that isn’t the most perfect word in the world, but it sure freakin’ feels like it.

It feels like we were just in Portland last week (which, for reference, was almost FOUR MONTHS ago).  We got back from Portland, hit the ground running, went to Colorado for a week, then to Vegas for a week (which, by the way, is a suuuuper long time), came home, again hit the ground running, apparently right into a brick wall.

What I thought was the flu, (and would be fine treating with fluids and rest), turned out to be a really terrible bout of pneumonia, that landed me in the hospital, and has taken me six weeks to well and truly kick.  It starts to mess with you, hanging out with your two chihuahuas as your main source of social interaction for that long, and to the amazing friends who’ve put up with my phone calls, and even more to the amazing group of friends I have here in Ohio who’ve been here for me THANK YOU.

Biggest thing I’ve taken from it, other than how much I hate coughing, is how important self care actually is. And for me, that includes not working 18 hours a day, every day. For a year.

[bctt tweet=”Almost April. #cookeatexplore #springtime #columbusohio #sixonefork ” username=”cookeatexplore”]

It’s amazing how diminished your brain power actually is when you’re sick that way. It’s been SIX weeks and I’m finally starting to feel truly like myself again.  A new self that includes as much lower energy level. Which is very strange, and a whole new (slower) pace of life that I am adjusting to. And it’s not a terrible thing, all in all.

As I’ve been learning this slower life, I’ve had the opportunities to sit down with four amazing foodies in this city and talk food.

Joe Kahn, of Condado’s Tacos.  TJ Gibbs, of Paulie Gee’s – Short North, James Anderson and Jess Collins of Ray Ray’s & Anderson Farms, and Bill Glover, of Gallerie Bar & Bistro. 

As I’ve been working on each post, getting the pieces for each ready to go, I’ve been thinking through the best way to convey the conversations in the way that I wanted to, and in a way that would best give life to thier words, and last night, I finally figured it out.

The Swiner Social  was Thursday night, at Gallerie, an event that has me so incredibly jazzed about this city and the food scene here. Stay tuned, because there is some seriously awesome blogs coming up.

Want to work with me? Hello@cookeatexplore.com