Johnny's, Roland Park

Johnny's, the latest restaurant in the Foreman Wolf family, opened today in Roland Park. I crashed a meeting E was having with some of our favorite coffee friends this morning. We, of course, had to make the pilgrimage because Lindsay (@Lindsaytron9000) is the head barista or "Coffee Auteur" as the menu reads. We have followed her from Spro, to LAMILL to Johnny's and couldn't be more proud. After posting a few photos on-line I was bombarded with questions asking where it is located. It is on the northern part of the block where Petite Louis sits and where the old Roland Park Deli used to be at 4800 Roland Avenue.

The skylight over the entrance creates a wonderful welcome. The coffee bar is to the right and the restaurant & whiskey bar is to the left. Yes, my darlings, Johnny's has an incredible list of bourbon and I'm dying to get a few friends together stat to check it out for dinner. I predict this will be the place to hang out for drinks to see and be seen by all of Smalltimore.

The coffee bar is bright and airy with high ceilings and windows. Patrick Sutton strikes again with his tasteful design.

Lindsay pulling shots with her protege.

I had to try to the banana muffins.

Lindsay suggested I try a Cortado. It's an espresso shot with half and half. A macchiato is an espresso with whole milk. Have mercy. It was calorically delicious and her apprentice gave me a little heart. Aw.

It's a great, casual space with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. I saw people with laptops and assume there is free wireless. (Update, no wireless.)

The bar space has a phenomenal, Irish pub-like feel. The original stone walls add so much charm you can cut through it with a knife.

I loved the galvanized steel bar caddy.

I see some of my favorite bourbon front and center. Who is with me? 

The space is much, much bigger than I imagined. There are three rooms with banquets and tables. The front area has natural light coming through the windows near the bar area.

The next room has a front and center view of the open kitchen.

The back room is tucked away featuring a mounted deer head and wine stacked in the center buffet space. It is so cozy and begs for long dinners with great conversation.

On the way out you can put change in the piggy bank for a little sweet treat. I can spare a penny for a gum-ball. What a darling idea for Halloween.

My coffee break was a bit of a tease. I look forward to going back soon for lunch, dinner and the happening bar scene very soon. Thank you Tony and Allison for the tour and for the great coffee and tea Lindsay. The space looks and feels so fantastic. We wish you all of the best success.

Container Detox

While Tweeting about Kasia Kines and my 30 Day Whole Foods Detox the world shrank as it does on Twitter, and especially as it does in Smalltimore. @BriHoffman, Erica Penn's fiance suggested we follow each other on Twitter since she had completed Kasia's Detox. Erica was invaluable. Here are a few of her wise Tweets. Start reading from the bottom of the screen shot.

Erica was with me all 30 days and we created a hashtag for #kasiakines on Twitter because we love her that much. @Erp5005's most valuable Tweet was "Tupperware will soon be your best friend." She was absolutely correct. I had Tweets asking what detox I was doing at all hours of the night. I should have said, "It's called a Container Detox."

Luckily I'm king of a freak when it comes to food storage containers so I was well prepared. I started a great routine after the first stressful week of trying to figure out how I was going to change my whole way of thinking about food. I'm a foodie. I love sauces, foie gras, amuse bouches, cream, cheese, wine, gin not to mention sugar in all forms. But I've been having weight issues for years and my energy level was to the point of near depression. I had to change my habits or go see a therapist. I knew I wasn't depressed, but exhausted and turns out malnourished. Odd for someone overweight to be malnourished, but it all makes sense on the other side of the detox. Now each night I make a beautiful salad and a fresh vinaigrette. I use a tiny 3 oz glass ball jar (as seen below next to the Kim-Chi) and seal it tight. Spinach, sunflower seeds and organic strawberries from California is the perfect salad but also visually just beautiful.

At the beginning of the week the fridge is now crammed with Tupperware containers ready for lunches. Some of the weekly items are fresh beets, kale, leeks, mushrooms, Brazil Nuts, Miso, pears, lemons, apples, ginger, broccoli, cilantro, parsley, cut strawberries, curry soup, homemade hummus, hemp milk, quinoa, barley, and brown rice. The beer has been there for weeks and the milk now spoils quickly since I'm not drinking it as well. 

I'm now a Bragg's Apple Cider convert, but the first week I had lots of items in the pantry already for my vinaigrette. 

Basic Vinaigrette 

3/4 Good Olive Oil

1/4 Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar, or lemon juice

dash of Celtic salt 

1 tablespoon of any one of the following: almond butter, raw honey, tahini, mustard

Use a Ball Jar to shake up and seal tight in the fridge. Will last for one week!

The key to a good container detox is GOOD containers. I had a curry soup explosion happen in the car the first week and it nearly derailed me. Good thing we sold that car. My dear and beloved Martha Stewart came to the rescue by way of her glass storage containers at Macy's. They are completely soup proof! 2.5 cups and a perfect lunch or dinner size. 

In the beginning it felt like every night was a little stressful trying to figure out what to eat for every meal. Now, 30 days into it I have a great routine and it is all about the storage containers!

Nightly routine:

Eat by 7:00 pm, small meal of protein and vegetables

Cook Eric piece of chicken or fish with vegetable and starch for his dinner.

Make my salad for lunch in a small container.

Make salad dressing in a 3 oz. ball jar for lunch.

Take piece of chicken from E's dinner preparation, barley (rice or quinoa) and green vegetable for my lunch entree and pack in another small container for lunch.

Heat (4) cups of water, (1) cup of steel cut oats on the stove until it boiled. Remove from heat. Cover overnight.

Load the dishwasher. Clean sink.

Go to be before 9:30 pm

Morning routine:

I've started waking up at 5:45 am every morning just with the sun and birds. It is now easy for me to get up in the morning and have a relaxing start to the day.

Heat water in tea kettle.

Remove lid and heat oatmeal on stove, 10 minutes.

Take vitamins.

Get ready for work.

Tweet.

Eat oatmeal at the dining room table, sometimes with my sweet Charlie.

Pack lunch bag for work with salad, salad dressing, cloth napkins, "S" monogrammed fork and knives from my Sites Great Grandparents, entree, snack of almonds, hummus and carrots or apple.

Erica, thank you so much for your Tweet support during Kasia's detox program. I'm still on the plan and loving every minute of it. I'm also always on the look out for the best in Tupperware options. Kasia, looking forward to seeing you later today for your Tweetervention.