Posted by samantha on Apr 11, 2014 in What I've Done
As his name was called for a special award at Rockvale Elementary, Corben Sinthavong stepped away from his walker and took his first steps unassisted. Although his gait was slow and cautious, he made his way across the stage alone.
This milestone is one his mother, Elisabeth Sinthavong, recalls as a cherished memory. It was a triumph the family celebrated.
However, one of the hardest moments in the family’s shared memory was learning that Corben would need a kidney transplant, and fast.
“The kidney failure was the hardest for me,” Elisabeth says. “It progressed quickly.”
Corben, now 7, faced obstacles even before he was born. His parents learned that Corben had a cleft lip and palate and kidney problems.
“We knew when I was pregnant that he had some issues,” Elisabeth says. “After he was born, it still took months to do tests and put puzzle pieces together.”
At six months old, Corben received a diagnosis of Joubert Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that manifests through decreased muscle tone, difficulty with coordination, abnormal eye movements and breathing patterns, and cognitive impairment.
It is caused by an underdevelopment of the cerebellar vermis and other portions of the brain. This produces a dysfunction in the cilium functions of the brain, which control the eyes’ ability to see light, the nose to smell, and fluid flow to the kidneys and liver.
“This is not something that is race or gender specific,” says Elisabeth. She had married her high school sweetheart, Johnny, and neither had any inclination they could be carriers for a genetic disorder that affects approximately 1 in 200,000.
“Most of the doctors don’t know; they’ve never seen it before,” she says. “There are only six families in Tennessee who have it.”
Elisabeth found strength in a Facebook group comprised of families who were looking for information on the same disorder.
“A group of moms came together to do research. We have conferences. It’s great to be on Facebook because we can share. It’s like, ‘Hey, my kid is doing that,'” she said.
In 2009 Corben was diagnosed with kidney disease and the search for a donor began.
“It’s hard. It was rough,” says Johnny Sinthavong, Corben’s father. “When you look ahead, you don’t know what’s going to happen, for him, for the family.”
Immediately Corben had to change his diet. The only problem was, most diets for kidney disease patients are for adults, not young children.
“There was stuff on that list that even I wouldn’t eat,” Johnny says. “How do you expect a child to?”
His diet limited and combined with the kidney disease, Corben stopped growing. He grew thin. He was going to need a new kidney soon.
Fortunately, both parents were matches, and Johnny gave his son one of his kidneys. Even with having a family member with an available kidney, ready and willing to donate, the process took six months before Corben received his transplant.
Corben’s school, Rockvale Elementary, was extremely supportive, according to Elisabeth.
“They have been amazing,” she says. “I’m more and more convinced that it was the right decision for him to go there.”
Corben, who has grown four inches since his surgery Nov. 30, 2011, is in both special education and inclusion classes.
“He’s pretty sociable,” Elisabeth says. “He loves his iPad. He loves hippotherapy (riding and working with horses), and he loves to go to church.”
“It never occurred to him that he would have any issues,” Johnny says.
Rockvale Elementary staff created a fundraising website, Coins for Corben, to help with medical expenses, which beyond the kidney transplant for both Corben and his father, includes monthly checkups and blood work, daily medication, and even a G-tube, which helps Corben get enough liquids — a necessity because he received an adult kidney.
Learning of Corben and his family, Oakland Middle School donated proceeds from tickets and concessions from its Jan. 17 basketball game against Rockvale Middle School to the fundraising cause.
“I never even met the coach. It’s amazing that people would be willing to help a stranger,” Elisabeth says.
The fundraising continues. A website has been set up at COTA.donorpages.com/PatientOnlineDonation/COTAforCorbenS/ where donations can be made to make up for the more than $50,000 needed.
“The average life of a kidney is 10 years. We don’t know if it will be one year or 20 years, but it is very likely he will need another one,” Elisabeth says.
Even with that future expense hanging in the balance, the family has made sacrifices on Corben’s therapies because money is tight.
“We can’t afford all of the therapy he needs: speech, physical, occupational. That’s why the hippotherapy is only a summer thing,” Elisabeth says.
“We’ve had to cut that short,” Johnny adds.
“A transplant is a treatment for his disorder, not a cure,” Elisabeth says.
For now Corben is growing and developing, making milestones for his mother to remember, being a big brother to 4-year-old Cowen and singing in church. He is making friends in his classes at Rockvale Elementary and playing communication and learning games on the iPad.
“You have to take it one day at a time,” Johnny says.
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Posted by samantha on Apr 11, 2014 in What I've Done
The time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is often filled with parties and celebrations. To show your appreciation for an invitation, you may want to bring a hostess gift to the next party or dinner you attend.
And while wine is often the go-to gift, you can make it extra special by creating it yourself, suggests Cheryl Lisi, wine enthusiast and co-owner of Let’s Make Wine, a store on Spring Street near Public Square that she opened a few months back with her husband, Jack. The couple sell wine-making supplies and kits, giving away advice as a bonus.
“Riesling is the most popular of the whites,” Lisi says.
“Reds are where you get the health benefits from the antioxidants and tannins. I can’t keep reds on the shelf,” she adds, swirling a red Sangiovese, a deep, dry, oaky Italian wine, in her glass.
“Through centuries, wine has been a part of our culture,” says Lisi. “It used to be a tradition that the way you welcomed someone to a new home was with a bottle of wine and a loaf of bread.”
Other wine-related accessories make fun hostess gifts as well, Lisi notes, pointing out the glasses, chalkboard trays, wine stoppers, glass charms and bottle lights she has in supply.
For someone who is looking to give the gift of wine, without having to make it, Will Merrell with Stones River Total Beverages offers a few suggestions for selecting a great bottle.
“Some of the most popular gift wines this year are from smaller vintages,” he notes.
The Biltmore Estate’s Christmas White is popular, as well as Duplin Christmas Red or Naughty and Nice, Merrell says.
“Pinot noirs are also a good choice because they go with foods and during the holidays you are typically enjoying larger meals,” Merrell says. “Try the Meiomi (pinot noir).”
Another popular choice Merrell says, is the Sophia Rosé, from the Francis Coppola label, “because it looks like a big bottle of perfume, which is nice for the ladies.”
“Wine is always a staple, of course,” for gift giving, agrees Polly Blair of Blackberry House, one of downtown Murfreesboro’s newest home accessories and furnishing stores, specializing in vintage pieces. “But I would also suggest something they can use again such as a soup tureen, a decorative pitcher they can serve drinks in or a set of mugs, something they will use on a regular basis when entertaining in the future.”
The hostess puts a lot of thought into her event, so you should put some thought into your gift, Blair says.
“You want to show your appreciation, but you may want to get something that will remind the hostess of you every time she uses it,” Blair says.
Other popular hostess gifts
• Flowers or plants
• Food, such as cookies, bread or spreads
• Candles, soaps or lotion
• Linens, such as napkins or dish towels
• Salts, spices or oils for cooking
• Chocolate or candy
• Coffee
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Posted by samantha on Apr 11, 2014 in What I've Done
The whiz of the projectile is stopped dead by the instant collision with gloved hands creating a “thwack” before those same hands toss the ball with similar force to a waiting teammate.
The rush of air is felt even from a few feet away as bodies in constant motion jump and dive, twist and juke. Playing full contact, participants jab feet and ankles in to steal, slap and grab for the ball and even hip check each other in an attempt to score.
The game is in constant motion, requiring its players to be all in mentally and physically.
This is Kronum.
Developed in 2008 in the Northeast, “the revolution” of Kronum gained intense popularity among athletes familiar with rugby, lacrosse, basketball, soccer and handball. It even grew a strong following in Europe.
Now, several MTSU students have gotten a taste of the demanding extreme sport and want to start their own Kronum team.
“There’s never a dull moment. You are always in motion,” says Jack Johnson, an MTSU student who first learned about Kronum from a friend. “It’s a great way to stay active.”
Kronum combines the skills seen in other sports and creates a completely new one. Elements of soccer, rugby, handball, basketball and more are present, providing a playing field for participants who excel at one particular skill, as well as rewarding players who are well-rounded athletes.
“You can be good or have a background in a lot of different sports. It’s a nice mix of them,” says Spencer Brown, an MTSU student who has played soccer and lacrosse in the past. “It keeps things fast-paced.”
“I love that you can use your hands and your feet and that you have to know where you are on the Kronum Round (field) to know what can be used when,” says Matt Peck, another student player. “It requires you to be constantly thinking and aware.”
Miles Haynes was also a previous soccer player, and he has found a niche as a wedgeback, which is a Kronum position similar to goalie, but still requires a great deal of offensive play.
“I like that this is something new. There is something in it for everyone. Even if you have never excelled at any one sport, you can do this,” he says.
The motivation for Brown, Haynes, Peck and Johnson was Darren Young, a mutual friend of the athletes. Once Young saw a YouTube video on how to play the game, he says he was hooked immediately.
“From the first time I saw Kronum I wanted to play badly,” Young says. “I’ve played basketball, football and soccer, and I like the mix of Kronum and how I use all those skills at once.”
Young and his friends are strong and agile, quick on their feet, and they are extremely competitive. Taking turns at the various positions — wedgeback, crosser and ranger — they hone skills using hands, feet, head and chest while passing, kicking and shooting the ball into the makeshift goal at the MTSU Recreation Center.
For now, the students use the indoor soccer arena to practice, using it as a bisected Kronum Round, similar to playing half-court basketball. They set up cones to create the various parts of the field including the Cross, Flex and Wedge zones to designate which body parts can be used at the different parts of the Kronum Round.
“A real game has three periods, and I think they are about 10 minutes long,” Young says before racing off to enter the game once again with his friends. “You can be a fast or skinny guy or a taller or bigger guy. It doesn’t matter because there is some place for you.”
Ten players are needed for a full team, not including any substitutes. Currently five students are practicing, making it somewhat difficult to get a full feel of the power, speed and acrobatic agility that more experienced players are demonstrating on the only Kronum Round in existence in Pennsylvania.
The Kronum organization currently consists of six teams: Evergreens, Night Owls, Nimble Jacks, Jet Sets, Work Horses and Urban Legends. These teams play each other in the Northeast while trying to raise awareness and interest in the extremely physical game.
Young hopes that others in Middle Tennessee hear about Kronum and join in the fun, helping to build teams that can then play each other and, in turn, gaining interest from the Kronum organization. It also means that Kronum goals, balls and other equipment can be purchased from team or club dues.
“I promise you won’t have any more fun doing anything else,” Young says, sweating, panting and glowing with an enthusiastic smile. “I want people to be able to experience this.”
For anyone who wants to play or simply learn more about Kronum, Young has started the Tennessee Kronum Facebook page. There he answers questions and shares his love and passion for Kronum, and he hopes to interest others to “join the revolution.”
How to Play…
Kronum (krõ-num): noun, a game designed for the practice and display of the full range of human athleticism. Kronum is fast-moving, free-flowing, non-stop action, involving incredible shots, saves, scores, passes and ball-handling. The game offers a wide array of strategies and tactics employed to win. Kronum offers a new measure of well-rounded athleticism.
The game of Kronum is played between two teams of 10 players on a circular playing surface with one ball and four goal structures. The field is divided into several zones that govern the style of play, the manner of handling the ball and the number of points awarded for scoring shots into various areas of the goal structure. The objectives of each match are to compete fairly, demonstrate good sportsmanship and score more points than your opponent.
Positions
• Ranger
Rangers are the players on a team who will cover the most ground in a game, ranging from the middle of the Cross to deep in the Wedge or Goal Zones in order to attack or defend. Rangers have a specialization in one of three main disciplines: throwing, kicking or defending. Key attributes for these players depend on their primary discipline, but strength, speed and field vision are a must. Team formations usually include four rangers.
• Crosser
Crossers are the players on a team who play principally within the large Cross Zone at the center of the Kronum Round. The primary offensive responsibilities of a crosser are to clear the ball into the second ring and direct scoring attacks. Therefore, field vision, ball handling, speed and agility are at a premium for players in these roles. Defensively, crossers will selectively pressure and follow the ball as it moves around the field, providing defensive support from the backside of the attack. Team formations usually include two crossers.
• Wedgeback
Wedgebacks are the players on a team who normally play within a given Quadrant or Wedge of the Kronum Round. The primary responsibility of a wedgeback is defense of a Kronum Goal. The critical skill is shot-blocking, so quick reflexes, acrobatic agility, strength and courage are at a premium to play this position. The best wedgebacks are versatile offensive players as well, providing front-line scoring options. Team formations usually include four wedgebacks.
Scoring
Scoring takes place in a variety of ways, depending on where the shot was taken from and where it clears the Kronum goal.
• Goal Zone = 1 point
• Wedge Zone = 2 points
• Flex Zone = 2 points
• Cross Zone/Second Ring = 4 points
Those points are doubled if the player makes a Ring Shot instead of simply kicking or throwing the ball into the chamber (the goal under the rings). If the player makes a Ring Shot from the Second Ring, he scores eight points for his team, or a “Kronum.” A Kronum is an extremely difficult shot to make, since it must be made from at least 25 feet from the goal.
Upon scoring, the Kronum ball must return to the center of the Kronum Ring to change possession from the scoring team.
Fouls
A foul is committed when a defensive player engages in contact with the opposing player in possession of the ball without making an attempt to create a turnover. This kind of foul awards the offensive team a penalty shot (or kick) taken from the point at which the wedge zone touches the second ring. No player is allowed to interfere with the shot except a single wedgeback guarding the goal. Three points are awarded for a shot into the chamber and six for a Ring Shot. An offensive foul can be committed by engaging in excessive physical contact or playing the ball with the hands in the Wedge Zone, which results in a throw-in for the opposite team at the nearest point at which the wedge zone touched the edge of the field of play.
Source: Kronum.com
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Posted by samantha on Apr 11, 2014 in What I've Done
Thoughts of otherworldly beings are often ignored until October rolls around. But even after plastic ghosts and ghouls are hidden in storage bins in the attic for the year, the Shadow Chasers continue their hunt for real-life paranormal activity.
The Shadow Chasers of Middle Tennessee focus on both providing proof of hauntings as well as debunking them.
“I’ve always been interested in the paranormal,” said Beth Swain, a member of Shadow Chasers for four years. “After you experience something, you never forget it.”
Swain said the “Holy Grail” for her was when she listened to recordings after an investigation and heard something she missed previously.
She describes two different types of hauntings. The first, called residual, is a repitition of what the ghost did in its life. It replays a particular scene or habit from life. The second, referred to as intellectual, is more active, with the ghost interacting with its environment.
Shadow Chasers of Middle Tennessee is one of the few teams, with about 15 members, in existence that has liability insurance for their investigations, which are done upon request and for free. Five investigations in two weeks shows a pretty active trend, and winter months always mean more calls because there are fewer animals and insects about to blame for unusual sounds or events.
They also have a variety of equipment that is used and maintained. From nightvision cameras and digital thermometers to K-2 meters and EMF detectors, each team member is armed with technology to prove or disprove a purported haunting.
“The EMF detector and K-2 meters measure electromagnetic fields. We always take a base reading before we start to make sure something isn’t interfering. If you have something causing an electromagnetic leak, it can actually cause hallucinations and paranoia. We want to rule that out first,” Swain said.
Cameras, video recorders and night vision are all used to record both control shots and possible evidence of paranormal presences.
The digital thermometers are equipped with lasers to pinpoint the temperature of a given area. This helps determine if a cold spot is caused by an explainable inference, such as a leak or draft, or if it is an unexplained change that could be caused by the tell-tale shadow person.
Swain and a fellow Shadow Chaser Tammy Talbott have many stories of strange happenings.
Talbott said she once witnessed a “residual” haunting of a little girl in a yellow dress and a doctor interacting on the floor of a room in a Nashville church. She later learned the church had once been a sanitarium. The doctor committed suicide, and it was later learned that he had molested the little girls he treated.
Other observations according to Swain and Talbott, include a family in the old health department, which acted as a tuberculosis hospital, and ghosts in period dress going in and out the walls at the SunTrust building.
“If we can document it, we get excited,” Swain said. “We base most of our stuff on scientific findings using our technology. We will investigate before we get personal experiences and accounts from people.”
To raise money for Shadow Chasers’ liability insurance, the team hosts Shadow Walks in October. Group tours wander throughout the Square and surrounding streets to visit about 15 locations that have been investigated by the teams and have evidence of being “haunted.”
Voice recordings have been caught in the Center for the Arts, Social nightclub and the old health department.
Two separate recordings from Social reveal paranormal activity.
“It’s always got something going on,” Swain said.
One recording clearly offers a loud game of billiards being played over the conversation by Shadow Chaser team members while they investigate the basement where there are no pool tables.
A second, more creepy example replayed by a tour guide during a Shadow Walk has the muffled sound of someone dropping something followed by a raspy voice saying, “Get. Out. Now.”
At the Center for the Arts, which was once the public library, children have been heard singing downstairs, where the children’s library was. There are tales of a woman in a white dress and a man named Harvey in the building, as well.
During an investigation at Simply Southern, a new home decor shop on the Square, Talbott had crawled through a small opening in the floor into the basement. When Swain perched over the hole to check on her, a man’s face appeared at a ladder as if he was going to come up the ladder.
“We get excited,” Talbott said. “We usually look at one another and it’s, ‘Holy — , did you see that?!'”
Column: Ghost hunt has reporter jumping at shadows
As a journalist you have an opportunity to do some really interesting and amazing things.
Still, a ghost hunting exhibition? That isn’t one that was on the bucket list, but as a curious soul, acquiescing came quickly.
Randy and Belinda Smotherman, proprietors of Smotherman’s Antiques on the Square, recently agreed to let the Shadow Chasers do an investigation in the company of The Daily News Journal reporter and photographer.
After taking a few moments to greet each other, the tour was under way.
“We’ll see how active it is. Hopefully we’ll get something tonight,” said Beth Swain, one of the Shadow Chasers of Middle Tennessee.
“I’ve charged my recorder and camera,” she said, checking her equipment.
Already, this reporter was feeling anxious and still excited. On the one hand, yes, some activity would be great for a story, but the reality also brought some serious questions to light. Do you believe in ghosts? If not ghosts, what?
As an educated person, knowledge armed me with a plethora of excuses of what could explain the goings-on that the Shadow Chasers experience regularly.
The Smothermans have encountered “hauntings” since acquiring the painting of a little girl, about age 3 or 4. The painting was done post-mortem, as was common during Victorian times. It may be the first and only time the image of the child was captured, as photography was not readily available.
Reports have included someone tugging at the bottom of Belinda’s skirt and of Randy finding a game, which was placed behind glass bottles on a shelf, with the pieces scattered on the game board on the floor. The bottles were not disturbed. The Smothermans have also heard a child’s laughter when no one else is in the store.
The Shadow Chasers have investigated Smotherman’s before, and their accounts include some K-2 meter activity, some of which was in response to direct questioning. This led to the belief that it was Julia who is running free in the store. A black mass was recorded through photography.
Belinda and Randy Smotherman say their good nights, lock the front door, and go through a door at the back of the store. The lights go out and everyone stands still, allowing their eyes to adjust to the darkness. Only the street lamps on the Square provide any glimpse at how to get around the store full of historic pieces and timeless treasures.
Swain and her partner in the investigation, Jacob Skoropat, start setting up the K-2 meters to detect electromagnetic energy.
“The nice thing is when it goes off on command and in response to questions, and then you can build a story,” said Skoropat.
Small Maglite flashlights are set up on furniture, shelving and other level surfaces. Skoropat tests the lights by stomping the ground nearby and pounding the top of the surface. They are definitely off.
Or are they? Almost immediately, the now unattended light glows on.
The immediate reaction is to look around and then take several steps back.
The light fades to black again. A K-2 meter shows a little activity.
Every now and again the flashlight glows from faint to fully lit. The light flickers, and then goes out.
Swain and Skoropat ask a few questions: “Do you like playing with the light?” or “Is that Julia playing with the light? If so, will you do it again for me, please?”
Everyone waits. They are poised, still and tense, for anything to happen. A clock “purrs.”
“I don’t know what else you would call that. It cooed like the sound of a dove,” says Helen Comer, the DNJ photographer who is charged with capturing the mood and any evidence of the evening. “It was like a cuckoo clock, but I don’t see one.”
To my ears, the sound was like someone trying to stop a pendulum or clock cogs, but causing a vibration instead. Too bad no one was close enough to the row of clocks, whose ticking are the only sound in the darkened store.
Despite the fact that there is no air conditioning, no drafts and no air movement seen or felt whatsoever, a single price tag moves back and forth. When Skoropat speaks the name “Julia,” the tag turns, as if a small hand grasping it has turned to respond to being called.
Now things are just getting weird.
Is that chill from fear or from a paranormal being nearby?
The Shadow Chasers, who have been taking control shots with cameras, return to their equipment kits to try another option, including voice recorders and video cameras. Swain finds that her batteries have drained. Skoropat’s electronics have done the same.
Undaunted by the situation, Swain goes for her smartphone, which promptly freezes and locks up.
Skoropat places a touch sensor up near the center of the store.
“It is essentially a touch box,” he said.
One of his own creations, the box has a green “Yes” light and a red “No.” Testing it, Skoropat shows how the lights work independently. The hope is that any apparitions will use the box to communicate.
Not long after he gets it up and running, all of the lights flare up, green and red together.
“I’ve never seen it do that,” Skoropat says as he resets the machine and tests once again.
And yet again, all the lights come on.
Could it be possible that someone was trying to communicate?
After that, things quiet down. The team, Shadow Chasers and DNJ staff find various chairs and wait for the next sign.
Comer is drawn to faint shadows in the corner near the back of the store, but these are hardly noted, as they could be cause by movement from outside cast by street lights or the Smothermans moving in the background.
Still, The DNJ photographer notes the door to the back room is clearly closed, and there doesn’t seem to be anyone outside.
Just as a signal of surrender is about to go up, stacked items in the corner of the store knock together. The bell on the door tinkles, but no one is there to cause it to stir. Skoropat goes to investigate with Comer.
The Smothermans return a short time later to turn on the lights and unlock the door.
“So, did you see anything?”
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Posted by samantha on Apr 11, 2014 in What I've Done
Carpe Cafe is more than a place to get a cup of coffee, although you can get a great dark chocolate raspberry mocha.
The new cafe in downtown Smyrna is an extension of Carpe Artista, a nonprofit looking to cultivate the arts and creativity through instruction, mentoring and arts programs.
“This is sort of the hub for that,” says Ron Alley, executive director of Carpe Artista. “The profits from the shop go to programs for Carpe Artista.”
The atmosphere is welcoming with touches of the unusual and mismatched furniture — all donated. The music changes throughout the day, from retro rock ‘n’ roll to current hits as artists apply paint to canvas and friends catch up at a corner table.
“You know how you see all the time where musicians or artists are sketching out their next big idea on a napkin?” asks Susan Gulley, one of Alley’s partners in Carpe Cafe. “This is that place. That’s the visual we have in our head for this place.”
Gulley says the coffee shop provides a relaxed atmosphere artists need to thrive and feel comfortable enough to create.
“We wanted to do something to build that community hometown place neighbors go to,” Alley says. “It’s a dual purpose. It’s a coffee shop, but it’s also an attempt to revitalize the area. We are working on a movement to create an arts district here.”
On the menu: More than a coffee shop, Carpe Cafe serves breakfast, including muffins, cinnamon rolls and a breakfast casserole, as well as sandwiches, soups, salads and sweets for later in the day.
The signature chicken salad is made with pineapple for a sweetness that makes it memorable. The Carpe Stack is the cafe’s club-style sandwich with turkey, roast beef, bacon, smoked Gouda and pickles.
You can also banish the chill with a savory soup such as tomato basil bisque, beef and vegetable, loaded cheesy potato, chicken tortilla, broccoli cheese and mulligatawny, a spicy Indian-style soup.
What’s the cost: Breakfast muffins are $2 and less, and breakfast sandwiches with baked egg soufflé and Canadian bacon on a wheat or English muffin are $3. You can also get a breakfast casserole with baked egg, cheese and ham for $3.
Cheese grits are served only on Saturday for $1.75 a serving.
Sandwiches are $5 and less. Soup is $2 for a cup and $5.50 for a bowl. Additional sides are $2 or $2.50.
Combo meals, with a half sandwich and cup of soup or side salad, are $5.50.
Desserts are $2.
What to know: Carpe Cafe is a programing arm of the larger non-profit arts organization, Carpe Artista. The mission for the coffee shop is to provide revenue for the instruction, materials and programing necessary to keep Carpe Artista going.
Currently the cafe staff is limited to mostly volunteers. If you would like to volunteer, contact Carpe Cafe.
Even if you don’t like traditional coffee, you can still find lots to love at Carpe Cafe. Try an infused tea, hot chocolate, iced coffee or soft drink.
Breakfast is served to 10 a.m. during the week, with lunch beginning at 11 a.m.
Hours of operation: 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday
Carpe Cafe
115 Front St.
Smyrna
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Posted by samantha on Apr 11, 2014 in What I've Done
Entrepreneur Mai Nguyen came up with the concept for Cool Beans Italian Bistro, fusing her Asian background — she’s Vietnamese — and her love of Italian food. The two cuisines are similar in their pasta bases, she said.
And while the idea of Asian and Mediterranean influences may make you think twice, it is a perfect combination to create truly flavorful and unique dishes to pique your palate.
On the menu: The first of these delicious combinations is the Wings del Mediterraneo, an appetizer featuring chicken wings seasoned, breaded and tossed with cherry peppers and crumbled feta cheese, creating a delicate blend of heat and mellow.
The Focaccia Italiano may look like a pizza and eat like a pizza, but it doesn’t taste like your usual pizza. It starts with homemade focaccia bread — made from scratch each day — and topped with mozzarella cheese, seasoned and roasted ground beef, Italian sausage, tomato, parsley and red onion, but what really makes this a specialty is the way the mixture of flavors pop when you add a little lemon juice.
Another example of the melding of cultures and tastes comes in the form of Tilapia Authentica. Nguyen’s hometown of New Orleans can be found with a slight Cajun seasoning on a fresh, roasted tilapia filet, which is topped with sautéed tomato in a creamy, light lemon butter sauce. It is paired with parmesan green beans al dente.
Grab an appetizer for $6 to $9. Pasta and seafood dishes are less than $15, and made-to-order pizzas start at $11.95 for a small and $16.95 for a large. Soups and salads are between $4 and $6. Sandwiches are less than $8.
Finish up with a sweet treat, such as “Sweetalicous” white chocolate bread pudding, a brownie supreme, or the Ultimate Turtle Cheesecake, all for $5.25 a serving.
The bistro has a full bar and will soon be stocked with a large selection of wine, as well as domestic and imported beer.
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