There is a Special Election August 7th in the 12th District in Ohio. You can Early Vote Danny O’Connor right now! I will tell you why I think you should do this Now! There is food involved!
Here is a map to see if you live in the 12th
I had a flurry of writing after Anthony Bourdain died. I attempted to write 7 meals and 7 days. When I got to the 4th day and I ate Oysters, it all fell apart. I grieved like I had lost a family member. Nothing like when I lost my dad but Bourdains suicide had a profound impact on my psyche.
Bourdain does not get all the credit because others were involved but I chose to make some major life shifts in the last almost 2 months. I have wrestled with somethings and I am learning about new activities and ventures that will probably shape my future.
At 50 years old I feel like I am being reborn. I have my health back you can read about that hereWriting Reflexology and Kayaking . This alone has been radical beyond words. Since I wrote that it only gets better. I have an incredible group of new people in my life and I am meeting more interesting fun people everyday.
I have had to sit with my thoughts on Tripping Vittles and what I want it to be. It has always been about me and food and drink and travel. I have always on purpose left out my politics with a few exceptions but I no longer see how that is possible. That said not every post will be political but to know me will be to know my world view which sometimes will be political.
Politics and Vittles
We are no longer in a time of Republican vs Democrat we are now in a moral fight for what is right. Oh don’t be dramatic you say. We are fighting for our Democracy now and I don’t have many regrets but I wish I could have my vote back from November 2016.. NO! I DID NOT VOTE TRUMP but I might as well have I did not vote Clinton. It is a long conversation but short explanation is I swore I would never vote for someone who was lesser of two evils(I can tell you why I thought Clinton evil it has nothing to do with emails but that’s long and involved). I voted green and Hind sight is 20/20 it was a mistake. I still believe we need a practical independent Progressive 3rd party or maybe a better scenario is Independent Progressives just take over the Democratic Party!
So now you say what does this have to do with Tripping Vittles? Well I early voted yesterday at 1700 Morse rd. and if you live in the 12th district in Ohio I want you to go early vote to. You have till August 6th. Then I want you to have a meal and visit a grocery store. I have been over here before and even written about it just a few blocks west of Early Voting you will find the Vietnamese Restaurant I wrote about here Vietnamese Pho This is a great meal and I urge you to try it.
You see for me two of the most disturbing things(the list is long) Trump and his cohorts have done is wage war on LGBTQ. I am gay so that makes sense I should not have to explain. Danny O’Connor is pro equality! Sounds funny you have to even say that cause really is anyone not pro equality?
The second thing is their utter contempt for anything from a foreign land. The treatment of asylum seekers on our Southern Boarder to the unbelievable hatred of nearly everyone from the middle east. I can go on but unless you have white skin they pretty much don’t care for your kind. I have worked in the Restaurant business my whole life and I have worked with people from all over the world and this policy they are establishing in Washington of fear of those different from us is unacceptable to me. Danny O’Connor will fight against the tide of anti-immigrant policies coming from Washington. .
Franklin Counties Early Election Polling Place is at 1700 Morse Rd. In a wonderfully cultural diverse neighborhood. If Trump has his way many of the establishments that exist in this 5 or 6 block stretch would not exist. You can’t have an authentic Mexican Restaurant without a Mexican Immigrant I will tell you I have not tried all the restaurants over here but I look forward to making the attempt.
Go early vote. I won’t tell you who to vote for because that is what is great about democracy but I will tell you If you don’t vote for Danny O’Connor you are voting against the diversity that you find in all the immigrants that have come here and prepare the food that nourishes all of us no matter your skin color or nationality.
Visit Saraga International Grocery
So Lets talk about the grocery store and the food. The store is amazing you can find food from every corner of the world at Saraga International Grocery. Iran, Mexico, Canada, All of Europe. See where I am going with this right?? Even Russia though I did not ask. I’m not in the mood for Russian food now it might MEDDLE with my Digestion.
After you have early voted head on over to 1265 Morse Rd. Explore the store for no other reason than to see what makes America Great. Pick a nation and buy some spices or food to prepare or even a cold beverage from somewhere other than here. Explore it is so fun. If you don’t want to go alone send me a message I will be happy to take you! To vote and to explore Saraga.
That brings me to lunch or dinner there are little food stands in the market and I have eaten at two of them. The Mexican place is great! Grab a Torta to go you will not be disappointed.
Then there is the food from Tibet and Nepal at Momo Ghar. It is wonderful and unexpectedly delicious. I had no expectations and the little dumplings filled with pork in a wonderful sauce blew my mind.
Vote! and Explore and Eat!! Some of the Countries you will find in the market are not democracies they are run by Dictators who see no diversity or love of anything different. We still have the right to exercise our right to VOTE!! and it will make a difference. I Early voted for Danny O’Connor and had a great meal while doing it!