#HEYGRRRLFRENNNS I hope May has been nothing but nice to you, that all of your dreams are coming true, and you are all happily creating your best lives! After what felt like an eternal winter, Mother Nature is finally starting to warm up to the idea of letting the grrrls live, and I plan on taking full advantage of it before she changes her mind. We have been working hard and are coming up on our FIFTH consecutive month of restarting our radical self-care journey together, which means it is time to play hard too! So this summer, we are officially back outside with it because it’s our fundamental right to soak up the sun, and plus, I read somewhere that grrrls just want to have fun! That’s like the rules of feminism. The grrrlies at Get Real Inc (aka moi) teamed up with the Editor of Eater Philly and the foodie king of Philadelphia, Ernest Owens, to discuss all the tea on solo dining, aka how to do it and where to go! So, this week, I want to discuss how it can be a superrrr cool and realistic way to practice radical self-care and still enjoy the summer featuring dining recommendations from Ernest, starting from shy grrrl friendly to expert-level extrovert.

Level One: Setting The Mood

My first piece of advice is for all the shy grrrls out there who want to work up the courage to scope the scenery out and find a seat at the dinner table! If you feel most comfortable with level-one solo dining, that is perfectly okay! For many of us, it is our first time intentionally spending time with ourselves, and the thought of doing that in front of the rest of the world can feel like radical self-care overload. My first piece of advice to you is to take your time and work up to solo dining outside by being intentional with your meals at home! A few indoor dining nights with a lit candle, your favorite dish, and a relaxing playlist will get you used to the idea of enjoying your own company and in the mood to explore more options. Once you’re ready to brave the great outdoors, the perfect places to start solo dining are those that offer a distraction to shift your focus from fear to fun and, more importantly, the food. Hey, a grrrls gotta eat!  Prunella, Le Virtu, and Southwark are a few recommendations from Ernest that serve ambiance with a side of escapism! Ernest shared that these restaurants are all beautiful, classy, and romantic picks that are “practically destined for solo dining.” Aside from passing the vibe check, the food from these places looks almost too good to eat, so any of these are a complete win for solo dining in my book! 

Level Two: Feasts With Festivities

My level two grrrlies make some noise! Woop woop! As I write this, I am trying to decide my level, and I think I may have found it. I earned my level two badge last summer when I (finally!) went out to dinner by myself for the very first time and I haven’t looked back since! I remember it like it was yesterday. I solo traveled to Chicago and promised to push myself to see the city and have at least one meal outside my hotel room. I made the reservations, but I was still convinced that if I went out by myself somehow the paparazzi would sell my picture to the tabloids with the headline Lonely Grrrl Who Can’t Get A Date Orders Sushi For One… Will Probably Die Alone! but thankfully, I lived to tell the tale and to convince the rest of my grrrlies that practicing radical self-care in public is okay. One small appetizer for me, one giant dinner for grrrlkind! Since having my major breakthrough, I’ve found that the easiest way to reach level two is to upgrade solo dining with an added experience! For example, I spent the entire day at the art museum before I went for sushi by myself. Priming yourself with that additional alone time before you go to your reservation helps your body relax, and your mind get used to the idea of being perceived. Plus, you will be soo exhausted from running around all day that you’ll definitely need to refuel for more fun! According to Ernest, Reading Terminal Market, Stir Restaurant, and Seorabol Restaurant are all Philly food spots that offer more than the typical dining experience. From spending a day among the arts, surfing the crowd to find the best bites, or living out your master chef dreams at a Korean barbecue hot pot, Ernest says you can’t go wrong solo dining at any of these restaurants.       

Level Three: Single and Ready To Mingle

Okay, even writing this section already has my heart rate up! Ugh, I know what you are probably thinking: I am technically not qualified to write about extroverted solo dining experiences, BUT I have plans to experience this shortly this summer, and I want to share my strategies for earning my level three badge. Give a grrrl a chance! Expert-level solo dining includes having fun, feeling fab, and *GULP* MINGLING! aaaand that’s where you lost me. I… have a confession, I am the queen of fake it till you make it. On the outside, it’s giving confidence, but on the inside, it’s giving please don’t talk to me because I will literally malfunction. For example, earlier today, I was at the UPS store, solo errand running of course, and the really cute Amazon return employee had me absolutely tongue-tied. Normally, I would overthink this interaction for the rest of my life, but today I am going to choose to find the silver lining. I may have fumbled this time, but the sky didn’t fall and I will only get better with more practice. This is why I think my strategy for getting my level three badge and learning to talk to more humans IRL is to find dining experiences that offer an activity or are a part of a larger event. If I go to something that was created to be a social opportunity, I think I will feel less awkward trying to make new friends… or maybe a little more than friends this summer. The possibilities are endless! Booker’s Restaurant & Bar, Bloomsday, and River Twice are Ernest’s top restaurant picks that offer the opportunity to see and be seen. Bloomsday offers an extensive social calendar and delicious dining options, with their last few events being a book club, flower arrangement class, and a high tea! Booker’s has beats and eats every Monday featuring an in-house DJ, and Ernest says that Rivertwice a four course fixed menu that provide the perfect ice-breaker moment for meeting new people! 

The idea of solo dining can be kind of scary, but it doesn’t have to be! Like your radical self-care journey, your solo dining experiences should be tailored to your unique wants, needs, interests, and tastebuds! Remember grrrls, there is no need to bite off more than you can chew. Go at your own speed and enjoy the time that you are spending creating a happier and healthier relationship with yourself. Prioritize doing what feels right for you, and the rest will follow. Give yourself the grace and space to try new things, to go new places, and meet new people! Leaving your comfort zone may feel a little uncomfortable, but that just means that it is growing. You are doing amazing, and even though we are talking about prioritizing our me time, just know that you are never alone. You have me and this wonderful and growing community of grrrls cheering you on! You can read the full list of Ernest’s solo dining recommendations here and join the conversation about solo dining when Grrrl, Get Real goes LIVE for our very first #GrrrlsNightIn🪩🍸 TONIGHT on Instagram at 8:30PM EST! Ahhh!! Sooo Exciting! Now go and be great you lil grrrly pop! TTYL!