Meet Laura Sliaz
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My name is Laura and I am the CEO and Founder of @healthylifestyle_ls. 5 years ago, I moved to London from Italy, where I lived for 13 years. I am at a place in my life where I am still searching for who I am and who I would like to be. Figuring out what my passion and my purpose is. I have always loved traveling and eating authentic local foods of those countries. 12 years ago, my outlook on life changed drastically when a family member of mine was diagnosed with cancer. I quickly began looking for a healthier lifestyle because I started searching for answers to the question as to why our bodies get sick, what we need in order to have a strong immune system and high energy. Through that search, I discovered vegetarian and veganism. However, I have always had a love for sweets and pastries since I was young.
While I was living In Italy, I worked as a wedding photographer for a period of time, but since I moved to London, photography has taken a back seat in my life. In the summer of 2018, I moved from one home to another in London. In that time period, I was making lots of smoothies for breakfast. A new place bred new inspirations. That new inspiration brought about the idea to put both my passions together: food and photography. I created a new instagram account and just started posting my morning smoothies. The account was more about journaling my lifestyle change such as living healthier by showcasing breakfast food experiences and workouts. I then started gaining knowledge on different types of superfoods that are natural and bright in colour. In the midst of that, my love for sweets and pastries came alive once again. So I began baking more frequently, meditating in front of the oven and looking at the cakes rising up, or watching the steam coming out of the waffle machine. |
Food became like an expression of love, like a ritual. For centuries food united families and friends. I created my page to be able to express my feelings; such as happiness, sadness, love, or loneliness, to inspire others to be passionate about something, and face life in a positive and colourful way. I always say, “Be the dreamer and believe in unicorns no matter the age.”
Preparing and taking pictures of my foods help me clear my mind and reduce the stress of London life. I often create foods from whatever is in the fridge, always choosing healthier ingredients, especially in the times we are living now where building the immune system is so important. In my foods, I don’t use any refined sugars, I try to have it gluten free if I can. Most of my recipes are also vegan or vegetarian. With the growth of my account I have more opportunities to collaborate with different brands who like my unicorn type of foods and colours.
Food needs to look good to me. Bright colours always improve your mood. I take my creations as an experiment and expression. Every time I start, I usually don’t have an exact idea on what I will make, but once I decide that today I will take pictures, inspiration comes. I use a lot of superfoods like pink pitaya, blue spirulina, and butterfly pea flower. When I am using pink pitaya it always brings me back to my travels in Bali, where every day I was eating those bright and delicious dragon fruits. The blue spirulina reminds me of the ocean and my travels in French Polynesia. Dunaliella salina, which is yellow, reminds me of the sunny days in Australia and California. Every food I make takes me on an adventure, like I’m traveling, especially in the times of the lockdown.
The love and support I have received on my Instagram is amazing! Getting all those beautiful comments and messages keep the creative source in me flowing. My purpose is to insure other people to eat healthier and more colourful foods, inspire positive moods and positive energy. Just by seeing something bright and colourful sometimes can make our day better. I want my business to make others smile and think that life is beautiful, food can be beautiful and there is always a reason to smile.
@healthylifestyle_ls
Preparing and taking pictures of my foods help me clear my mind and reduce the stress of London life. I often create foods from whatever is in the fridge, always choosing healthier ingredients, especially in the times we are living now where building the immune system is so important. In my foods, I don’t use any refined sugars, I try to have it gluten free if I can. Most of my recipes are also vegan or vegetarian. With the growth of my account I have more opportunities to collaborate with different brands who like my unicorn type of foods and colours.
Food needs to look good to me. Bright colours always improve your mood. I take my creations as an experiment and expression. Every time I start, I usually don’t have an exact idea on what I will make, but once I decide that today I will take pictures, inspiration comes. I use a lot of superfoods like pink pitaya, blue spirulina, and butterfly pea flower. When I am using pink pitaya it always brings me back to my travels in Bali, where every day I was eating those bright and delicious dragon fruits. The blue spirulina reminds me of the ocean and my travels in French Polynesia. Dunaliella salina, which is yellow, reminds me of the sunny days in Australia and California. Every food I make takes me on an adventure, like I’m traveling, especially in the times of the lockdown.
The love and support I have received on my Instagram is amazing! Getting all those beautiful comments and messages keep the creative source in me flowing. My purpose is to insure other people to eat healthier and more colourful foods, inspire positive moods and positive energy. Just by seeing something bright and colourful sometimes can make our day better. I want my business to make others smile and think that life is beautiful, food can be beautiful and there is always a reason to smile.
@healthylifestyle_ls
Meet Catherine Judson
My name is Cat, the purple-haired disco-obsessed woman behind Dash of Disco. I like to think of myself as a risk-taking ingredient mixologist who is always looking for a way to combine unlikely ingredients into a unique dish. When I cook, it’s like a party, and the kitchen is my dance floor. Food has always been an integral part of my life. I come from a large Italian family where food is a love language. Some of my youngest memories are watching family members cook large Italian feasts using local and fresh ingredients. My grandmother, Santa, was an important figure at the City Market downtown, so it’s no surprise that fresh ingredients are a staple in my cooking.
When it comes to ingredients, local is key. Almost every Saturday morning, I volunteer at the Broad Ripple Farmers Market. This is where a good majority of my ingredients come from. Every week, I try to plan and budget what I need to buy for upcoming recipe posts and meals for the week. However, I always go over that budget, and my list changes at the last minute. Vegetables are always at the top of my list, and Full Hand Farm and Freedom Valley Far are my main vegetable go-to’s. My other go-to vendors are Tulip Tree Creamery (cheeses & other dairy items), Caprini Farms (goat cheeses), Korea Kimchi (variety of different kimchi), Positive Foodie Vibes (they have one of the best dry rub seasonings), Home Ec. (jams & pickled vegetables galore), Schacht Farms (my go-to for eggs) and Apricot Sun (Mediterranean-inspired spices & spreads).
Broad Ripple is also home to some of my favorite places to buy ingredients. Nicole Taylor’s Pasta has a collection of fresh pasta, meats, cheeses, and other imported Italian goods. Another Broad Ripple favorite is Good Earth, a staple in the Indianapolis health food community since the early 1970s. About 20 minutes away, in Fletcher Place (a neighborhood just outside of downtown Indianapolis), you can usually find me at Amelia’s Bakery purchasing incredible bread and other grocery staples. My other two stops are located in Fountain Square.
When it comes to ingredients, local is key. Almost every Saturday morning, I volunteer at the Broad Ripple Farmers Market. This is where a good majority of my ingredients come from. Every week, I try to plan and budget what I need to buy for upcoming recipe posts and meals for the week. However, I always go over that budget, and my list changes at the last minute. Vegetables are always at the top of my list, and Full Hand Farm and Freedom Valley Far are my main vegetable go-to’s. My other go-to vendors are Tulip Tree Creamery (cheeses & other dairy items), Caprini Farms (goat cheeses), Korea Kimchi (variety of different kimchi), Positive Foodie Vibes (they have one of the best dry rub seasonings), Home Ec. (jams & pickled vegetables galore), Schacht Farms (my go-to for eggs) and Apricot Sun (Mediterranean-inspired spices & spreads).
Broad Ripple is also home to some of my favorite places to buy ingredients. Nicole Taylor’s Pasta has a collection of fresh pasta, meats, cheeses, and other imported Italian goods. Another Broad Ripple favorite is Good Earth, a staple in the Indianapolis health food community since the early 1970s. About 20 minutes away, in Fletcher Place (a neighborhood just outside of downtown Indianapolis), you can usually find me at Amelia’s Bakery purchasing incredible bread and other grocery staples. My other two stops are located in Fountain Square.
Everything inspires me. It can be a song, an outfit, a dish I’ve had before, a mood, or a unique ingredient that sparks a creative punch for a potential dish. My pasta dishes are where my inspiration truly shines. My parents had a pasta cookbook by James McNair, filled with the most colorful and gorgeous pasta dishes I’ve ever seen. I wanted nothing more than to make pasta just like him. It’s crazy to think that I’m doing it now. My seven-year-old self would be so proud! Lately, I have found myself creating recipes based on other dishes. For example, I recently created a pasta dish inspired by a loaded baked potato. The pasta (linguine made from purple potatoes by a genius pasta maker named Josh in Bloomington) was tossed in a chive parmesan butter sauce (the butter & cheese) with pancetta and then topped with crème fraîche (the sour cream substitute) and more chives.
Another source of my inspiration comes from local farmers and food vendors. I love to chat with them about how they would like to see one of their products used. These conversations about food are often ones I look forward to most when working the market or shopping for ingredients.
I hope that Dash of Disco inspires others to take risks in the kitchen, challenge themselves to mix different flavors and make an effort to shop more locally. Even if you’re not someone who cooks, I hope my page can inspire you to take risks in what you love to do most in life. It took me a hot minute to get to where I am now. The thought of sharing my recipes was something I never thought I would have the courage to do. Now here I am, sharing my creative space with the world. If I could give any advice to someone who wants to pursue food blogging, it would be to figure out what you want to be known for, establish a niche for yourself, and plan your meals and posts ahead of time. No matter what you do, stay true to yourself and have fun.
The future looks as bright as a disco ball for Dash of Disco. Soon, you will all start to see cooking videos on my page and content about topics such as food insecurity and eating disorders. In the long run, it would be a dream to do pop-ups, have a line of sauces or dressings, and maybe even write a cookbook. For now, I am enjoying sharing my passion with an incredible community in Indianapolis and beyond. The Indy food scene, in my opinion, is one of the best in the country. We are more than just the Indy 500. We are a state of incredible restaurants, unique food pop-ups, and culinary artisans. The possibilities are endless,
and I am grateful for the inspiration Indianapolis has brought me to create Dash of Disco.
@dash.of.disco
Another source of my inspiration comes from local farmers and food vendors. I love to chat with them about how they would like to see one of their products used. These conversations about food are often ones I look forward to most when working the market or shopping for ingredients.
I hope that Dash of Disco inspires others to take risks in the kitchen, challenge themselves to mix different flavors and make an effort to shop more locally. Even if you’re not someone who cooks, I hope my page can inspire you to take risks in what you love to do most in life. It took me a hot minute to get to where I am now. The thought of sharing my recipes was something I never thought I would have the courage to do. Now here I am, sharing my creative space with the world. If I could give any advice to someone who wants to pursue food blogging, it would be to figure out what you want to be known for, establish a niche for yourself, and plan your meals and posts ahead of time. No matter what you do, stay true to yourself and have fun.
The future looks as bright as a disco ball for Dash of Disco. Soon, you will all start to see cooking videos on my page and content about topics such as food insecurity and eating disorders. In the long run, it would be a dream to do pop-ups, have a line of sauces or dressings, and maybe even write a cookbook. For now, I am enjoying sharing my passion with an incredible community in Indianapolis and beyond. The Indy food scene, in my opinion, is one of the best in the country. We are more than just the Indy 500. We are a state of incredible restaurants, unique food pop-ups, and culinary artisans. The possibilities are endless,
and I am grateful for the inspiration Indianapolis has brought me to create Dash of Disco.
@dash.of.disco
Meet Mer & Meg
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Hello! Our names are Mer and Meg and we are a cooking, baking, eating, restaurant loving duo. Two cousins who have grown up in different parts of the United States but have always remained close. We come from a big family that doesn't believe distance should separate you but rather intensify your shared interests together. We both have a strong passion for food, travel and supporting local businesses. That's where this passion project, Mer & Meg's Escapades, started in October 2019 on Instagram. We wanted a space to share what recipes we were cooking, restaurants we were trying, and the bucket list places we wanted to go to. We are always reviewing and looking for new restaurants to try when we travel, and most of the time our agenda is based around our breakfast, lunch, and dinner plans! Growing up food was the center of our day, but not in a bad way, it was the time everyone took out of their busy schedule to come together and connect with each other. Especially at our Grandparent's house! This is where our deep love for food developed for us.
When the COVID 19 pandemic hit, this account- originally used for staying connected with one another, quickly assisted in developing our realization of what we LOVE to do: create content! We love working with others, are very creative people, and find joy in creating guides that help others find their next BEST MEAL! Through recipes to Take-out, we’ve got you covered. Mer is from Central New York and lives in Syracuse! |
Hi - I'm Mer! Syracuse has always been my home- born and raised! Syracuse is known for many of its great innovations including the serrated knife, traffic lights, the dental chair, pneumatic tires, and the 24 second shot clock! Syracuse is especially known for its high snowfall, averaging 115.6 inches a year and oftentimes winning the Golden Snowball Award among Upstate cities. Syracusians have a fierce regional pride. We not only LOVE to eat but we also love sharing the amazing recipes that originate from Upstate New York. Some of these include Chicken Riggies, Utica Greens, Tomato Pie, Half-Moon Cookies, and Salt Potatoes – as Syracuse is known as the ‘Salt City’! Syracuse also offers a vast variety of local restaurants that can satisfy the taste buds of all foodies. Some of these great establishments that I love include: Dinosaur BBQ, Limp Lizard, Erwans, Thai Love NY, Lemon Grass, Daniella’s SteakHouse, Arad Evans Inn, Fish Friar, Apizza Regionale, XO Taco, Rise and Shine Diner, Glazed and Confused, and Tully’s Good Times (the best chicken tenders you will ever have)! You may have even heard of two great local restaurants- Pastablities and Funk’n Waffles which were featured on Diners Drive Ins and Dives. Syracuse has also launched a new food hall that just opened in 2021- the Salt City Market! This place is a new destination providing an epic lineup of culinary options and is a must try foodie adventure. Come summer, Syracuse has an array of local food trucks such as Oompa Loompyas, Byblos Mediterranean Café, Bold Coast Lobster, and Bite Box which all offer great eats!
Meg is from the Midwest and lives in Indianapolis, IN! Hi - I'm Meg! I moved to Indianapolis 13 years ago and absolutely love this city!! With so much to offer, Indy has something for everyone and is full of travel sights, amazing restaurants, and tons of fun things to do - including the world's largest children's museum to food truck festivals! Indy is home of the biggest sporting event in the world - the Indianapolis 500, NCAA headquarters, and hosts a lot of events such as the Super Bowl in 2012, March Madness, and the NCAA Final Four to name a few. And the food scene here is no exception! Although we are most known for our Indiana State Fair during the month of August, pork tenderloin sandwiches as big as your head, lemon shake ups, sweet corn, sugar cream pie, and making more popcorn than any other state; Indianapolis food is so much more than that! Right now you can feel the buzz of new restaurants opening and awesome food destinations all over the city and surrounding areas. We have so many phenomenal, locally owned restaurants that serve the most delicious food and have adapted in the midst of the pandemic, offering carryout and cozy options on heated patios. Some of my favorite local spots are: King Dough's Pizza, Don Jaun Taqueria, Gallery Pastry Shop, Mama Corolla’s, Pad Thai of Carmel, Working Man's Friend, Locally Grown Gardens, Sakura, and Flamme Burger , and Fat Stack Indy!!! They have the best cookies! I would be remiss if I didn't mention: The Garage Indy (a community focused food hall that opened in January 2021), The Yard Fishers (a culinary district featuring a test kitchen that is a restaurant accelerator and food hall), The Amp Indy in 16Tech (Indy's innovation district with an artisan marketplace that will have local food and drink in cool upcycled shipping containers), and The Monon Yard (coming soon to Broad Ripple, this unique spot brings together outdoor dining with recreation space in the middle, for day and night fun).
In our eyes, food is one of the strongest and best ways to connect people. It doesn't matter what language you speak, where you live or what you do - we all need to eat! That is the most beautiful part of how it connects us all, it's a pure form of art and expression of self, from the home cook all the way to the Michelin Star chef. We learn a lot about people through food, the culture behind a dish, the memories attached to a meal, what someone likes / dislikes. It teaches us the most intrinsic part of a person. We strive for everyone to see how humbling, comforting, and exceptional food can be. That is what drives us, showing the magic in the process of food and connection!
@mmsescapdes
In our eyes, food is one of the strongest and best ways to connect people. It doesn't matter what language you speak, where you live or what you do - we all need to eat! That is the most beautiful part of how it connects us all, it's a pure form of art and expression of self, from the home cook all the way to the Michelin Star chef. We learn a lot about people through food, the culture behind a dish, the memories attached to a meal, what someone likes / dislikes. It teaches us the most intrinsic part of a person. We strive for everyone to see how humbling, comforting, and exceptional food can be. That is what drives us, showing the magic in the process of food and connection!
@mmsescapdes
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