Friends of Tabletop: Meet Cece Moreno of Food Diary of A City Girl

We are so excited to continue our monthly series highlighting the many social influencers and bloggers who have become not only our colleagues, but our friends throughout our journey with Tabletop Media Group. Last month, we started a new series here on the #TabletopTalk blog called, “Friends of Tabletop.” We’re here to spread some positivity and highlight the bloggers + influencers who we enjoy collaborating with and who are so incredibly talented!

This month, we’re featuring the lovely Cece Moreno of Food Diary of A City Girl. Check out our fun Q&A with her!

All photos are courtesy of Cece from Food Diary of A City Girl

Tell us about Food Diary of a City Girl.

Food Diary of a City Girl shares travel and food experiences with a touch of lifestyle and fashion.   My food and travel centric experiences are mostly in North Carolina.  However, I also offer travel and food guides for Texas, New York City, and Hawaii.  

I collaborate closely with select Tourism & Visitor Bureaus in NC to highlight cities and towns outside of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area.  My travel blog posts showcase these cities and towns during a 24 to 48-hour period and highlight their lodging, food, and entertainment.   

In addition to travel, I also feature some of my favorite recipes on the blog.

Why do you write about food?

I have a passion for food.  Eating food is just one element of the experience.  I love dissecting the flavors and translating my experience into words.  My passion for food grew in my grandmother’s kitchen.   She was a housewife that poured every inch of her soul into cooking for her family and friends.  She is one of my biggest inspirations.  My love for food, including writing and photography is an extension of me that continues to evolve every day.

What are you currently reading?

The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Let me preface that I LOVE ICE CREAM.  Choosing a favorite would be impossible given that my favorites vary by brand and ice cream shops. My current favorites are Blue Bell Ice Cream’s Butter Crunch, Andia’s Ice Cream Dark Chocolate Indulgence, and La Deliciosa Helados Queso y Moras and Fresas con Crema. 

What is your least favorite food?

I am not a fan of liver, but I do enjoy pâté.

What about favorite food?

I love ice cream, burgers, cake, and cocktails.  That said, I love so many foods and cuisines, that it is difficult for me choose one favorite.  This year, I have discovered many eateries through other fellow food bloggers and friends.  I am currently loving Noodle Boulevard’s Duck Curry Ramen, homemade Nepalese Momos, and Biryani Maxx Indian Cuisine.

Bar order?

I enjoy chef-driven cocktails.  Although, I do not have one go-to cocktail, I do favor liquors and spirits like tequila, mezcal, whiskey, and Aperol.   My current cocktail crushes are Alley Twenty-Six Blackberry Frosé and Circa 81 Tapas & Cocktaileria Port Manhattan.

What's the most useful lesson you've learned from being a food blogger?

Everyone has a different palate and will have a different opinion about their own food experiences.  Although I may like a specific dish or a particular restaurant, this doesn’t mean others will share the same opinion as mine and vice versa.   

What's your most unpopular opinion about food?

Good food does not need to be expensive or complicated.   Expensive dining experiences will not guarantee a great meal.  I have had several inexpensive, yet, fantastic and memorable meals from street vendors and restaurants that may be under the radar because their social media presence is non-existent.

If you could redo one thing in regards to your blogging / social influencer career what would it be?

I would have invested in an SEO Manager when I first started blogging.  After five years of blogging, I invested in an excellent SEO Manager and it has made a world of difference.  That said, it is never too late to improve.  I often look back at both my current and older blog posts and evaluate what can be done to improve them (writing, photography, or SEO).  I treat my blogging and social media as a second job.   I love what I do and I am always looking for ways to improve my brand and my journey as a blogger/social media influencer.