Intro to Femme Foodie by Dre Georgie

Well here I am!  I must have thought about starting a blog for the longest time and have found that over the past year or so there have been signs pointing in this direction.  Finally, after much consideration and wonderment whether I really have anything to say that might interest someone, I start my very first blog entry.

Let me introduce myself...my name is Dre Georgie and I am a food and fitness-obsessed chick living in Fort Lauderdale, FL.  Before I came to realize how much I enjoyed anything related to eating, drinking, and working out, I was just a typical transplant from New Jersey about 12 years ago on a mission to become an airline pilot.  Well, without getting into all the details in between I fell in love with the cosmetology business and became a hairstylist.  I sometimes wish I could say, with passion, that I eat, sleep and dream hair but if you want to know the truth...I eat, sleep and dream eating!  Now please don't get me wrong...I LOVE what I do.  Doing hair and working in the most wonderful salon with the most creative and fun people is something I cherish and enjoy every day.  But most of us have a hobby, or obsession or two and mine happens to be food, wine and endurance fitness.

I guess the food thing started about 6 years ago when I, a girl from a New York Italian family, had to learn to cook for herself.  You would think that this would be something I had been doing since I was tall enough to reach the kitchen counter considering my parents should have been professional chefs but I was totally uninterested.  I think they had a heart attack when I expressed a need to really learn how to do anything besides boil a pot of water.  I was one step away from Carrie Bradshaw's use of an oven as extra storage.  Even then cooking was more about the basics and nothing about a true interest...yet.  At the time I started dating someone who's professional life really revolved around client dinners to amazing restaurants mainly in Miami Beach and I was able to be a part of that.  We went out to dinner either with fun business people or by ourselves.  Needless to say, we ate out 90% of the time.  We lived and socialized in Miami Beach so there were so many wonderful restaurants to try...most of which I could not afford on my own.

Three years later that relationship ended but my love for food, wine and unique places to eat went on and strengthened.  I moved up to Fort Lauderdale to be close to my friends and family and made this city my true home.  I had to come up with new restaurants to try on a budget that didn't rack up my credit cards.  After a few months, I embarked on a new relationship and together we explored many of the hidden treasures Fort Lauderdale had to offer.  I also became an avid triathlete and runner and have done several races in the past year.  Five days a week I can be found in spin classes, on my road bike or pounding the pavement in my running sneakers.  I mention this because it ties into the way I eat even when I'm out.

This brings me to the reason I decided to start a blog of my very own.  I have certain dietary restrictions and preferences when I go to a restaurant (this I will get into later).  I also truly believe that this city and its surrounding towns have some pretty incredible places to wine and dine.  I simply want to share my thoughts.  I have been the go-to guide of local eateries and hang-outs for my clients and friends alike so why not expand that to a broader audience?

Here I go...