ABOUT OFF THE EATEN PATH

I’m so excited you’ve found your way to Off the Eaten Path.

What you’ll find here:

  • The best bites and sips in Charlotte 

  • Family-friendly travel guides around North Carolina

  • Easy entertaining tips and recipes (when I’m not too busy just ordering takeout)

  • Real-life stories, laughs, and too many photos of what I’m eating


    I’m Chrissie — a full-time public defender, food lover, North Carolina explorer, toddler wrangler, and lifelong cheese enthusiast.
A woman in a floral dress sits on a cushioned bench by a window, smiling and holding a glass of red wine surrounded by colorful pillows.

Off the Eaten Path started in 2013, about six months after I moved to Charlotte and realized that I didn’t know anyone, and I definitely wasn’t going to make friends sitting on my couch. So naturally, I decided to eat my way through the city instead. (Spoiler: It worked.)

A woman in a blue dress walks across a bridge, with a city skyline and tall buildings in the background on a clear day, exploring an off the eaten path route through the city.

What began as a little hobby fueled by burgers and curiosity has turned into a delicious adventure — now packed with family-friendly travel adventures around the Carolinas (and beyond, we love exploring National Parks), and easy entertaining ideas and recipes, though fair warning, I’m currently on a new recipe hiatus (because two kids under four…need I say more?). 

Twelve years later, you’ll still find me annoying my husband by taking pictures of his food before he gets to dig in.

In June 2020, I wrote a cookbook! Stunning Spreads is full of recipes that will make your next party look way fancier than the amount of effort you actually put in

Off the Eaten Path has been featured  locally and nationally in all sorts of cool places like: Zagat, Oprah, Huffington Post, Charlotte magazine, Charlotte Agenda, Charlotte Five/The Charlotte Observer, and Queen City Nerve. You can find Off the Eaten Path in the news here.

Head over here if you’re interested in learning more about working with me.

ABOUT ME

I’ve called the Queen City home for over a decade now (we will celebrate our 13th anniversary together in the fall of 2025).

Born and raised in the Washington, DC area, I found my way to Charlotte after freezing my butt off for seven years in Wisconsin at Lawrence University and the University of Wisconsin.

By day, I’m a public defender representing clients in court. WhenI find other time, I love to eat, read, spend time with my family and blog about food, family travel, and the best spots to eat, drink, and play around North Carolina.

I started this blog because I love writing — not because I was good at food photography (trust me, early blog photos were…rough). Thankfully, practice makes better, and here we are!

A family of four sits on a pebble beach by the water. The mother holds a smiling baby while the father and young child laugh, everyone happy and relaxed in this peaceful outdoor setting.

I live in Charlotte with my husband AJ (we got married during Hurricane Matthew — nothing says romance like sideways rain!), and two tiny roommates (ages 3 and 1) who call me “Mom, Mama, Mommy” or “hey you” (ages 3 and 1), and an assortment of rescue pets who run the household.  We also have honeybee hives on our property and plenty of backyard “pet” deer.

I love the beach, craft beer, Mexican food, and trashy reality TV. Catch me chasing my kids, laughing too loudly, sipping margaritas on a nearby patio, and telling my husband “just one more quick picture.”

 

A smiling woman holds a laughing baby while standing next to a smiling man on a sandy beach, enjoying the warm sunlight. The happy family looks relaxed with water and houses blurred in the background.

So grab a snack, a cocktail (you deserve it), and get comfy. I’m thrilled you’re here, and I hope this blog gives you a little laugh, a lot of good food tips, and maybe even an idea for your next North Carolina adventure.