Atomic Grill is well-known for their welcoming, diverse staff and outspoken stance on social issues.

They made headlines last year when they hosted a potato skin event to raise money for a rape information service program after an online commenter said one of the waitresses should show some more skin.

And when a bill threatened rights of the LGBT community, Atomic once again sprang into action. They combined two things they love - the diversity of the people in town with pepperoni rolls - to raise money for Fairness WV, an organization advocating for the equal rights and fair treatment for all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender West Virginians.

Hundreds from across Monongalia County gathered on Saturday to handpick a unique bowl, sample dozens of locally made soups and help support the hungry in our community.

Empty Bowls Monongalia held its annual Soup & Bread Luncheon at the Hazel & JW Ruby Community Center at Mylan Park from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The event, which seeks to raise money to provide support for organizations that combat hunger while also promoting awareness about local hunger issues, sought to raise $125,000 this year.


Empty Bowls is a worldwide project that was originally started as a high school arts project in Michigan in 1990 and has since spread to local communities. The first Empty Bowls event was first held in February 2007, and as organizers recognized the need to expand, the nonprofit Empty Bowls Monongalia was formed that summer.

The goal of the Empty Bowls luncheon is twofold: Patrons purchase $15 tickets in exchange for a handmade ceramic bowl and dozens of delicious soups. Proceeds go toward local food panties and kitchens. Guests keep their bowls as a reminder of the meal's purpose - standing in line for the soup so others don't have to and remembering that someone's bowl is always empty.

The event has soups and breads/rolls donated from local restaurants and business. Cookies are donated by local church groups.






















I had heard about the event from a friend and had it marked on my calendar for quite some time. About 70 restaurants donate all kinds of soups, and the money raised goes to charity. That sounds like a perfect way to spend my Saturday.

Tickets could be purchased at local shops, which guarantee a ceramic bowl, or tickets could be purchased in person on the date. I went to my trusty Slight Indulgence shop and carried this ticket around for about a month until the date finally rolled around.

I arrived right at 11 a.m., and there was already a long line. Once I finally got to the front, I realize they were only seating full parties. So I stood at the front of the line - reading who donated cookies, who donated bread and who donated soup - until the rest of my party showed up. Once we were all together, we were seated by a volunteer. At the table was a pan full of bread, another full of cookies, and another volunteer greeted us and asked if we'd like drinks.

We first venture to the Bowl Room to select our bowl. You don't eat out of these, but you do get to keep them. After selecting about 20, I settled on one with marbled clay that sat on a pedestal. I was sold after one volunteer, Lisa, shared that the artist, Scott, dug the clay himself and marbled it together. How cool is that? That's mine on the right.



THEN we approached the soup stations. There were eight stations in a row, with volunteers scooping out spoonfuls of soup (say that three times fast). A sign hung above each station denoting what kind of soup and who donated it. BUT soups are constantly changing out as they run out. They just replace one after the other as it runs out. So you can be in line and by the time you get to the front, it's something totally different. And then people are switching lanes when a new one comes out that they really want. It's exciting.

I tried to jot down as many as I could during my three trips up and back. One lane remained vegetarian. Tutto Gelato - Tomato Florentine. Charlie's Grill - Stuffed Green Pepper. Vice Versa - Oyster Stew. Mario's Fishbowl, Tilted Kilt, Schmitt's Saloon - Chili. Chaang Thai - Lemongrass Soup. Atomic Grill - Hearty Vegetable. Mid Atlantic Market, Haught Diggity Dogz - Potato. Table 9 - Beef Barley. Real Juice Bar, Bob Evans, Grandma Jean's Country Kitchen - Chicken Noodle. Vintage Room - Tomato Bisque. Two Fat Cousins - Maryland Crab. Lakeview - Creamy Tomato Bisque. Beehive Cafe - Vegetarian Vegetable. Heston Farm - Italian Wedding. Woodburn Shanks - Brisket Chili. Flying Fish - Seafood Chowder. Charlie's Grill - Red Pepper Chicken.

Each time, they hand you a new bowl - but keep your spoon! I had the tomato florentine, stuffed green pepper and chicken noodle. All three were tasty. I am dying of curiosity of what other soups were offered, though.


Did anyone else go? Which soups did you get? I think it's a great event where you get to support your community, get to sample some offerings from local business and have a keepsake to remember next year's event.

And I learned they'll have a chili cookoff at the end of summer. Marking that on my calendar ASAP.

WVU's apartment and commercial space University Place is beginning to open some of the shops, with Insomnia Cookies being the first.

Insomnia Cookies was started in 2003 by a student at the University of Pennsylvania who baked cookies in his dorm room and sold them to those who had a craving late at night. Now, there are locations all over the eastern United States. The company offers cookies, brownies and cold milk for delivery (or takeout) from noon to 3 a.m. seven days a week. Takeout starts at 11 a.m.

Morgantown used to have an Insomnia Cookies truck years and years ago - I think I was a freshman/sophomore, if that tells you anything. But they're back with a permanent brick-and-mortar location and began dishing out fresh-baked cookies last week.

If you follow them on Twitter, they offered a free cookie coupon, so I couldn't let that pass me by. We finagled a parking spot nearby, speedwalked in the arctic temperatures and raced inside the doors. As soon as we were inside, I could smell the cookies baking.

They have chocolate chunk, chocolate mint, m&m, oatmeal raison, peanut butter chip, snickerdoodle, sugar, white chocolate macadamia, chocolate peanut butter cup, s'mores, brownies PLUS ice cream and chocolate milk and cakes.

Only certain ones were available with the coupon, but that wasn't much of a concern for me since I knew what I wanted anyway: white macadamia nut.

I'm teased often for not liking chocolate chip cookies. I don't hate them; I just don't think they're very good. Ice cream can vastly improve them, but, in general, the semisweet chocolate chips just don't do it for me. It's kind of bitter, and I'd much rather have the cookie without the chocolate chips. Now that I've lost all credibility because you know I don't care for chocolate chip cookies, let's get back to the task at hand.

White chocolate chip macadamia nut was soft and chewy (hate those crunchy ones) and very sweet. It was a good cookie. BUT. I'm not sure how often I'd go out of my way to just get a cookie? Or just get cookies delivered? But then again, at 1 a.m., cookies and milk might be just perfect. I'm guessing they're getting most of their business late at night or from foot traffic already going through the area.

Still, pretty tasty. And, nah, no grade since it's a chain.

Cleveland's West Side Market is incredible. If there's a reason I would ever move to Cleveland, it would be for this market.

The beautiful historic building houses more than 100 vendors - fresh meat, vegetables, seafood, baked goods, cheese, flowers, candy, pasta, cannoli, spices, juices, honey, coffee, tea AND prepared foods, like gyros, hot dogs, falafel, crepes, Cambodian, and so much more. It's really amazing the depth in variety here.

It's difficult to capture how much there is to offer. Just booths after booths after booths of people who are pouring their love into their products. And so many options for everything you could possibly want - all fresh! And SO many people who are really invested in this local food movement.

We walked up and down all the aisles to take in the diverse offerings. And since we were traveling all day, I wasn't able to scoop up any of this deliciousness. But it's clear they don't have any problems selling product. After fighting for a parking space and swimming through a line to get to the buildings, it was shoulder-to-shoulder craziness. But, with that said, it was still my very favorite part of the trip.

The Dunkin Donuts on Chestnut Ridge Road is open. And, Chipotle has confirmed to me that they are indeed coming to Morgantown.

Looks like the Dunkin' Donuts on Chestnut Ridge Road opens today pic.twitter.com/9XRoCXmHgB

— Candace Nelson (@Candace07) February 9, 2015