We made it to Atlanta in the summer of 2021! After a year of collaborating on the Daniel Fast: A Bridge to Healthy Living and building a friendship along the way, Gigi and I finally met for the first time face to face. We’d first connected online, in the middle of the pandemic. And even though we live 3000 miles apart, I believe we were divinely connected because of our shared passion to help people take control of their health. To get the full story, check out the “how we met” video. But, here, let me tell you about what we did in Atlanta.
This trip was a workcation; our itinerary was packed with things to accomplish for the Danial Fast website and course—but we also wanted to squeeze in some time to relax and hang out. We rented a chic bungalow Airbnb in Atlanta, minutes away from the Beltline. Atlanta’s Beltline is a renovated outdoor space of trails, walkways, parks, green space, shops, and restaurants. We didn’t even realize when booking that we would be just steps away from this treasure! The location was perfect, plus we had a spacious kitchen to cook in, great décor and layout for photos, and a nice back porch for relaxing.
Meeting someone for the first time in person, even if you have been interacting online, can be awkward or uncomfortable. This time I can honestly say that in-person meeting was a seamless transition and very natural. The Gigi I met online was the same Gigi I met in person!
Gigi and I created the Daniel Fast A Bridge to Healthy Living out of our shared passion for helping people take charge of their health so they can fulfill their own God-given purpose. Covid-19 illuminated our radical empathy for this as we saw the death numbers go up for those who suffered comorbidities like obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. We knew we had the answer to help, and that’s why I believe God brought us together. This girl’s trip was all about that mission.
While it’s a hotbed of traditional Southern cooking, Atlanta is also rich with plant-based food options. Gigi and I wanted to make sure to hit some vegan spots in Atlanta. But we got so many restaurant suggestions that we would need weeks to try everything! Our first stop was The Plant Based Pizzeria, where the pizza was delicious and the crust was the best part because it had a savory unique flavor. We loved Tassili Raw Reality Cafe, which serves raw kale wraps that will knock your socks off. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced that much kale squeezed into a wrap.
We also went to two Caribbean joints: Healthful Essence and Ruby Kae’s Vegan Eats. The food was fresh and delicious, plus I finally got Gigi to try callaloo (Jamaican greens). These were two of our favorites because they combined freshness, variety, and flavor.
There is not a person we didn’t speak to who didn’t recommend Slutty Vegan, so we had to make our way there. This place is a vibe on its own, from the ordering of the food to waiting while entertained with music videos, merch, and an engaging staff. We shared a burger, and with no doubt it can fool the most avid meat-eater. We ended our trip at a fine-dining vegan restaurant called Herban Fix, and this was perhaps our favorite of all. The creativity they used to create these delicious dishes blew us away.
All the food we ate during our stay was yummy, but the truth is that Gigi and I were both glad to get back to our Daniel Fast way of eating: simple, delicious, and healthy. Traveling comes with indulgences that can sometimes derail our eating habits. However, once your palate has been converted to a wholesome way of eating (like the Daniel Fast) you will come to crave these foods that now seem like good friends.
With the recent launch of our Daniel’s Plate recipe website, we wanted to spend a lot of the week creating recipes that our subscribers would love. We decided to narrow our focus to breakfast options; we tested smoothies and smoothie bowls, making about two or more smoothies/bowls a day. Our mornings were spent eating delicious fruit smoothies. Gigi can attest to the fact that I couldn’t keep up with finishing the smoothie bowls in a timely fashion, but she was a champion in this area—I was impressed with Gigi’s ability to put away those smoothies!
This part of the trip was so much fun: we were so excited about creating these Daniel Fast recipes that allow people to eat something fabulous without having to compromise their health. The kitchen was filled with laughter and inspiration—and we even did a live cooking demo for our private Facebook Group, making the Energizing tropical fruit smoothie bowl. If you want to join a group of women on a mission to get healthy, check out the Daniel Fast: A Bridge to Healthy Living Facebook group. We’re proud of the recipes that were created during this trip, like the perfect pear smoothie, and honeydew blackberry mango smoothie.
When Gigi and I first created The Daniel Fast: A Bridge to Healthy Living course we collaborated from miles apart, so another project for our Atlanta week was recreating some of our content with both of us in the same video. We re-shot course videos and content for social media, not only together for the first time but also with an awesome videographer and photographer. Gigi and I don’t wear makeup on a regular basis so getting glammed up was an experience, but we liked how the makeup artist made the experience easy. We also had an amazing stylist who picked some classy outfits for our professional photos. The video shooting and photography was a whole production, y'all. Gigi and I are not going to quit our day jobs anytime soon to pivot to acting or modeling.
Even though shooting the videos and taking photos was fun, it was honestly exhausting. By the end of the day, Gigi and I were beat. I think I can go a while without having to hear “retake!” But the bottom line? At the end of those two days, we were proud of ourselves and the team, who were so professional and passionate about their craft.
Atlanta was good to us, and our time there was well-spent. Our mission was accomplished... and then some. We got to with work amazing professional people, to visit some amazing vegan restaurants, to see just a small bite of the city. We also slipped away to get a relaxing massage at Iwi Fresh Farm to Face Spa, which was absolutely amazing. That treat was so needed, and we enjoyed every minute of it! We managed to get in a couple of runs before the day started. And to top it off, we even got to catch up on a Netflix series. The only bummer was that the first couple of days rained us out. However, the sunshine came back just in time for our photo shoot and our last day in Atlanta.
The five days together were filled with laughter, restaurant-hopping, relationship-building, and a whole lot of smoothie bowls.
What mattered most was that Gigi and I met and collaborated in person to continue the work we love: creating content to help people take charge of their health so they can live out their God-given purpose. The week flew by, and we felt accomplished and satisfied at the end of it.
I drove back home and Gigi headed to Alabama to start the bike-racing portion of her trip. Will we be back in Atlanta? Most definitely! We even jokingly said perhaps Atlanta will be the global headquarters for Daniel Fast: A Bridge to Healthy Living.
Daniel Fast: Why You Should Only Do It Once
This Daniel Fast book will empower you to refuse the king’s diet. You will become a Daniel in your own life and a stronger, healthier version of yourself. Having your health means you can serve more, give more, and live out your calling with excellence.
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