Explore your sign’s 2024 horoscope predictions to learn what is in store for you this year in love, career, and more. Check out the love compatibility of each sign to learn more about zodiac pairings and all things compatibility.
2024 is a significant year for love, and with the month of love here, this energy is even more prominent now. As you take a look at your love life, notice where life has come full circle for you and where the community, closeness, and abundance surround you. Things may look differently than expected around this time of year, but where do they look better? Emotionally, there has been a lot to process over the past few years, and there is something about taking more time out for the joy and happiness in your partnerships and love life today.
Whether you are single or in a relationship, love starts from within you and can lead you to places fear won’t go.
It’s all about trusting your intuition and what your emotional world is telling you right now. This is one of the best years for couples getting married, as this is an 8-year in numerology, which means it’s a year of abundance, balance, and commitment for many. The energy flowing through the world is reminding us that love takes courage and dedicating yourself to the things you love is rewarding. February, in numerology specifically, is defined by the number 2, which represents partnership, emotional clarity, intuition, forgiveness, and grace.
Overall, this is a time to put more focus on the love in your life and where you want to see things grow. What you commit yourself to right now is just as significant as what you are letting go of, and it’s about finding the balance here.
Read below for a message for singles and those in a relationship, for guidance in love right now. Read for your sun and moon sign.
February 2024 Love Horoscopes, Based On Your Sun & Moon Sign
February 2024 Aries Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
You have been through a lot, and you need time to grasp and process your emotions. Love for you as of late has been a learning lesson, but one you have needed before you move into your new journey of love. Changes have happened abruptly, and this is divine intervention pushing you in a different direction. Your guidance at this time is to let go of the insecurities and the challenges you have been playing on repeat in your head. Things are going to get better for you and your heart, and it’s time to see your future in a more hopeful light, Aries.
Couples Horoscope:
Dreams are fulfilled, and the wishes you have made are falling into your lap, Aries. This is a fortunate time for you and your partner, and one where you have plenty of love to give, and space to receive it in return. You are headed toward even more emotionally fulfilling spaces romantically as well, and it’s only going to continue to get better for you from here. Love for you right now is about expecting the unexpected and allowing the universe to surprise you with something magical. The more you shine in your truth, the more you allow love to meet you halfway.
February 2024 Taurus Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
Some important decisions may need to be made soon, Taurus. You have been having fun, exploring your options, and balancing what you need with what you want, and it’s time to refocus your energy. Your love life has felt a little scattered recently, and it’s because you are playing with too many fires. It’s time to decide on what’s more important to you and to prioritize your energy and your heart. The spark won’t go out once you commit to something; it will only deepen and strengthen for you. Remember that right now and get a little more downtime to process everything.
Couples Horoscope:
Be patient with what is blooming for you in your relationship, and nurture your worlds, Taurus. You are birthing something new in your life, and these things take time. What you have been preparing for and setting your intentions for in this relationship will see fruition, and now is the time to keep your heart in the present moment while it happens. There is beauty in where things are today, and it’s okay to ask for more of what you need when you feel your intentions aren’t being received. Seek gratitude, speak of love, and allow things to fall into place.
February 2024 Gemini Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
Things are coming together for you in ways you may not be expecting right now, Gemini. Someone from your past may be coming into your life soon, and this is going to be a pleasant and rewarding surprise for you. You have learned a lot and grown even more, and you are not the same person you were back then- yet this may be even more reason why someone falls in love with you again. Past, present, and future are intertwined, and your heart is taking in the joy of what is coming to the surface for you right now.
Couples Horoscope:
This is a new beginning in your relationship and one that is going to be setting the tone for things financially in the future here, Gemini. You have been focused on setting goals together and building your dreams, and you are on the right path right now. Continue to put things into perspective when it comes to your financial dreams and ambitions, and make sure you are both on the same page. Being honest with yourself and another about what abundance looks like to you and where things are currently can help you build on more solid ground for the longevity of the relationship.
February 2024 Cancer Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
You have everything you need right beside you, Cancer. You are emotionally in a place in your life where you are single, yet there is still a lot of support, love, and community surrounding you. Emotionally, you are in a space that most people are in when they feel like their dreams have been fulfilled, and that is saying a lot. You have been working on healing your inner child, finding your inner joy, and focusing more on the blessings in your life- and it has worked. Love is fueling your life and your world, and you are in a good space for something magical to happen here.
Couples Horoscope:
Trust your intuition right now, Cancer. You have been getting glimpses into your future, and your strong intuition should be more cherished. You know what needs to be done and where you need to put more of the energy, passion, and focus into your relationships, and now is the time to do so. You are someone who intuitively knows what others need, and this is a gift that is brought into your relationships with others. Own your power of divine insight, and go where your emotions are leading you to. Spice things up, protect your relationship, and trust yourself right now.
February 2024 Leo Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
Things are going to start picking up for you again soon in love, Leo. You have been in a place of stagnation emotionally, and life has required more patience out of you than you may have wanted to give. Yet, you are now moving into a space where things are going to start getting interesting for you in love. You are still very focused on your individuality and doing things alone and your way- yet you are willing to allow someone to run wild with you. Love is getting exciting and you can expect a fresh start here as the intentions you have been setting begin to manifest.
Couples Horoscope:
You are not as stuck as you currently may believe so, Leo. There is something that has been mentally holding you back from feeling secure and safe in your current relationship, and this is something to look at right now. Ask yourself if you are being restricted or protected, and where these limitations have been stemming from in your relationship. More trust and honest vulnerability may be needed to grow closer to one another, and you shouldn’t have to fight these internal battles alone. Talk to your partner about how you have been feeling, and if change doesn’t occur, believe in yourself enough to walk away.
February 2024 Virgo Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
A gift is in store for you in love, Virgo, and you are exactly where you should be. You are being seen as the worthy, valuable, abundant, and loving soul that you are, and you are a hot commodity right now. Choose who you entertain and allow into your life wisely, but know that you are someone’s first choice. You have worked hard to get to the place you are at right now in life, and allowing someone to enter your life will not change that. Know that you are protected as you live your life and open up to love and that abundance wants to come in for you right now.
Couples Horoscope:
It’s all about commitment for you right now, and you are seeing the blessings of what you have dedicated yourself to, Virgo. Your love life is thriving with intent and purpose, and many Virgos may be seeing proposals or marriages occur soon. This is a time in your life when your values, intentions, and wisdom of the heart are being recognized, and your relationship is evolving to new heights. You are feeling joy with where things are headed for you right now, and there is a nice synergy in love. You and your partner are on the same page, and you are both growing together.
February 2024 Libra Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
This is an eye-opening time for you, Libra. You have learned a lot about love as of late, and need some more time to emotionally process it all. There has been an awakening in your life, and you are changing the direction in which you are headed. This time is about self-reflection, learning the lessons, and defining what you want and what you will not settle for in the future. Something massive has changed within you, and there is no more looking back on the what-ifs of the past. Know that the clarity you have found is here to stay, and your time of healing will soon turn into a blessing in disguise.
Couples Horoscope:
Your guidance for love at this time is to bring more trust and understanding into your relationship, Libra. Holding on too tightly to anything makes it more likely to fall from your grasp, and it’s time to be more confident in yourself and what you stand for in love. If you allow your insecurities to deter the decisions you make in your relationships, then you may find yourself making more mistakes than positive changes. Allow yourself to let go of what cannot be changed, give yourself more love, and be more confident and self-assured in your current partnership. You are worthy of love, Libra, and you always have been.
February 2024 Scorpio Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
It’s time to put the feelers out there, communicate, and open the door to what or who has caught your attention in love, Scorpio. This is a time of communicating yourself and expressing what your heart wants to say. A lightbulb has gone off in your life, and you are seeing your emotional world a little more clearly. You have learned a lot when it comes to love and your relationships, and you will not make the same mistakes you once did. Let go of the old stories you have told yourself about love, and create new ones for yourself today that resonate more with what you want now.
Couples Horoscope:
It’s about putting the work and dedication into your relationship right now, Scorpio. Some more time, intent, and focus may need to be put toward your loved one, and it’s time to show up. Life has felt a little more scattered and heavy than usual as of late, but you don’t have to sort through it all out alone. Open up to your partner about what has been taking your time or keeping you away, and choose to build a bridge to more connection and honesty in your relationship. You are in a space of building or rebuilding your relationship from the ground up, and your hard work will bring in more blessings here.
February 2024 Sagittarius Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
Get excited about where love is headed for you right now, Sagittarius. This is a time of hope, inspiration, and adventure, and love is taking you on a new journey. You have been putting the feelers out there, setting your intentions, and envisioning your dream relationship- and this energy wants to come forth for you now. Go to places you have never been, connect with new people, travel, and get out into the world. Love is requiring you to do things differently than you have before, and by switching the energy up, you allow new love to enter your world.
Couples Horoscope:
Patience, patience, patience, Sagittarius. Your relationship needs more trust on your part and more raw vulnerability at that. A side of you that you may not truly resonate with has been coming to the surface in your relationship, causing more harm than good. You love so fiercely that you can sometimes get caught up in things going the way you want them to rather than the way they should. This is the time to focus on what is going to be healthy for you and your partner and to give each other the space needed to grow and thrive. Let go of fears and remember your heart, Sag.
February 2024 Capricorn Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
Things are heating up for you in love, and passions are running high, Capricorn. This is a sexy time for single Capricorns and one when you are feeling excited about the new chapter you are embarking on here. Ask yourself what you want most from love right now, and have the courage to let it in. You are beautiful in every way, but especially when you are being yourself, and your light is being acknowledged by another right now. You are understanding yourself better with the time alone that you have gained, and things are looking up for you. Get creative with romance, and follow the passion of your heart.
Couples Horoscope:
Choose your battles wisely, Capricorn. Often, conflict is a direct manifestation of unsettled energy, and you may need to look at where the challenges in your relationships are stemming from internally as well as externally. If you can’t meet in the middle and understand each other, how can you move on from this? You may need to reinforce some new boundaries in your current relationship so that you are both on the same page and headed in the same direction. Give yourself time to think things through, and don’t force things right now. True love will always shine through the chaos.
February 2024 Aquarius Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
Don’t lose hope, Aquarius, your life is still blooming regardless of who is in it. Your guidance for your love life at this time is to focus on your perspective of it all. Are you seeing love and romance in a positive light or with a tang of dread about opening up to someone new? There is a lot you are still growing through when it comes to your emotions, but that doesn’t mean you have to do so alone. You can still grow and renew while in partnership, and a helping hand may be closer than you think. Open your mind to the possibilities of love, and then trust that you have what it takes to receive it.
Couples Horoscope:
Something refreshing is happening in your relationship right now, and it’s time to get excited about where things are heading, Aquarius. An offer to go deeper, to love stronger, and to do things closer together is presenting itself to you now, and you can trust where love is taking you. Open your heart to the wonders of a new day, and don’t let the seriousness of your relationships weigh down all the fun and excitement of it. Do something romantic, make a wish, and bring forth the dreams and new beginnings you want to see here. It’s one thing to feel love for someone, it’s another to show it.
February 2024 Pisces Love Reading:
Getty/Katie Czerwinski via Cosmopolitan
Singles Horoscope:
You have walked away from what no longer serves your heart, and you are moving into a brighter day, Pisces. There has been loss, and there has been a challenge, but your fire has not gone out. You are someone who loves because that is what is within you, and you are not someone who lets the pain of the past define your future. You have walked away from emotional burdens that were keeping you stuck where you shouldn’t be, and you are now making space for new love to enter. Being alone can be a beautiful experience, and this time in your life is about you and no one else, Pisces. Self-love is the game changer.
Couples Horoscope:
Happiness is fueling your world right now, Pisces. This is a beautiful time of harmony in your relationship, and the outcomes you were hoping for are coming true for you now. There is a good balance between yourself and your relationship, and you have been giving equal areas of your lifetime and dedication. You are feeling fulfilled with where love is taking you and how things are coming to fruition for you right now, and there is so much to be grateful for. Continue to bask in the light that is shining down upon you, share the love that is within your heart, and have a positive perspective on your current relationship.
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Taja, an actress known most for her role on BET’s The Oval, and businessman/model Ryan Easter tied the knot on July 27 in an intimate and beautiful wedding in LA - surrounded by friends and family. During our 40+ minute conversation, the newlyweds opened up about the inner work journey they both went through individually to become their best selves.
Taja revealed that her grateful and light spirit came after being in a depressive state and doing a great deal of healing and education. And Ryan shared how losing a parent as a youth affected how he showed up in the world and the truths he had to face to embrace who he is wholly.
The pair also chatted about the power of intention, the importance of working through trauma, and the work they do every day to honor their partnership. There’s a reason their glow is so beautiful! It comes from the inside.
“You're meeting me now after I've done all this work, but I had to go through it to get to that space and be in a very happy, healed relationship,” Taja says. Check out the layered conversation below.
xoNecole: I’ll start with the most obvious question: how did you two meet, and what were your initial feelings about each other?
Ryan Easter: We connected through friends. At the time, I was in New York, and she was back and forth between LA and Atlanta. But our mutual female friends were together and decided they needed to set me up. So they confirmed I was looking for something serious and then sent me her picture.
And I was like, "Okay, she looks good - a chocolate drop." But then I thought, "What's wrong with her? So, I called them up, and one of them was messing with me and said, "Oh, she's a little crazy." I was like, "Whoa, I can't do crazy anymore. I've dealt with that before. I’d rather stay by myself than deal with that again." Then she clarified, "No, I'm just kidding. She's crazy in a good way. She's a lot of fun and has her stuff together. That’s how it started for me.
Taja Simpson: I was just going about my life, getting ready for another season of The Oval, when I got a text from my friend Natasha. She said, "Hey, I don't think you're dating anybody, but I have a friend I think you should meet. He's a great guy." She gave me this huge pedigree, saying they had been friends for 19 years. I thought, "Wow, he sounds amazing." But when she sent me a photo, I didn’t like it.
Later, I thought about it and figured it could just not be a good picture. So she sent his Instagram which had all these modeling fitness pictures and stuff. And then I was like, wow - you had my whole husband this time and didn’t tell me - now I told her she could give him my number.
"I was just going about my life, getting ready for another season of The Oval, when I got a text from my friend Natasha. She said, "Hey, I don't think you're dating anybody, but I have a friend I think you should meet. He's a great guy." She gave me this huge pedigree, saying they had been friends for 19 years. I thought, "Wow, he sounds amazing." But when she sent me a photo, I didn’t like it."
Taja Simpson & Ryan Easter
Photo by @jorgemezaphotos
xoN: I love that because, you know, there's all these conversations about the ways people meet, and I still feel like friends and family are one of the best ways. It’s like they know you! What are your thoughts?
Ryan: Yeah, absolutely! You feel a great sense of obligation to be the best version of yourself because you’re not just representing yourself; you’re also representing the person who referred you. I can’t go out there acting like a fool and have them looking at their friend like, "Why did you hook me up with this clown?" It’s like, we're gonna be clear and honest about our intentions. And if it works, great, and if it doesn't, it's okay.
Taja: Exactly. When he called, we spoke that day for like, an hour. The rest was history. We just connected, and it was great. After that, we started talking every day, and now here we are.
xoN: Okay, so tell me about your first date! Do you remember where you went? What did you do? How was the vibe?
Taja: Our first in-person date was two months after we met over the phone. This was during COVID, so we got introduced in July 2020 but didn’t meet until September. From July to September, we were doing video dates and phone calls, building up this excitement about meeting in person. I was really nervous. I thought, "Oh my God, is it going to be like it was over the phone?" We really connected and vibed. I was there to pick him up at LAX, and I felt like this was it. I thought, "God put this brother in my life to be this good, this perfect." It felt too good to be true.
I actually had a friend meet us at the airport to film our meeting without him knowing. I told her to stay in the corner and keep the camera hidden. When he was coming down the escalator, I had this whole plan to run up to him in slow motion and jump into his arms. When I saw him, I froze. I was so nervous that I couldn’t move! He came up to me, gave me a big hug, and swung me around, and I just thought, "Wow!" Everything I planned went out the window.
Ryan: I was really excited to meet her, too. Technically, our first date was at Firestone Brewery. After the airport, we went back to her place to drop off my stuff, and then she said, "I like to drink beer," so she took me to a brewery nearby.
I remember being there, and we were kind of embracing, but not too much since it was technically the first time we were in physical proximity. You still have to play it cool, even after talking for a while. But every time I touched her, it felt good. I thought, "Yeah, this is it." When we hugged at the airport, I felt like, "Yo, this is home." At that moment, I knew she was the one.
xoN: Ugh, I love that. So when did the courtship start to develop into a relationship? Did y'all have that conversation?
Ryan: Initially, we were very clear about our intentions. We were both dating with purpose and had similar aspirations of eventually finding someone to marry, start a family, create businesses together, and live our lives to the fullest. We knew from the beginning that this was our goal and checked in with each other to see if we were on the same page.
After establishing our intentions, it was about having those small conversations. We discussed what was important to each of us—our needs, wants, likes, dislikes, triggers, and traumas. All those details are crucial for building a solid foundation for a healthy relationship. We spent a lot of time getting to know the real person, not just the representative we might present to the world.
Sometimes, it’s difficult because it requires us to be extremely vulnerable. For men, especially in our society, vulnerability is often frowned upon, making it hard to expose that sensitive side. You never know how people will react—some might use it against you, while others might protect you.
I think for her; it took her understanding that mentality that men have and use that to her advantage to make sure she's like, look, this is a safe space for you to allow me to see the full person that you are. I appreciated that because, like, I would tell her, if you really want a man to value you, he has to feel safe with you, right, not necessarily in a physical capacity but more so from an emotional standpoint; I need to feel like I can be safe with you emotionally.
So that courtship was a lot of just having those serious, sometimes difficult conversations about things we're going through in the past to things we aspire to accomplish in the future, to things that we're currently dealing with, and started to gain that understanding about who we are and what we aspire to be, and just continue to flow.
"So that courtship was a lot of just having those serious, sometimes difficult conversations about things we're going through in the past to things we aspire to accomplish in the future, to things that we're currently dealing with, and started to gain that understanding about who we are and what we aspire to be, and just continue to flow."
Taja: I mean, that's exactly right, and a lot of it we spoke about even before we met. Because it was this free thing where we didn’t know each other. We didn't have to be a representative. I was just my authentic self. It’s like - I'm an actor, and I got five or six characters that may come out in our conversation. I'll be funny, then the next moment, I'll be serious. It just happens.
I was very vocal about how I foresee my life going. Also, because I'm in entertainment, that played a part. I had met people before who couldn't handle that. They wanted a woman with a nine-to-five, a teacher, or just somebody with a very strict schedule. But that wasn't me. So I think we were super intentional when it came to dating and making sure we can build and grow together. So, we made that commitment prior to him leaving. He came to LA for a week, and the day before he left, it was like, okay, so this is it.
xoN: I’ve noticed that intention and vulnerability are both powerful words that you two keep using, which I think is essential for any long-term relationship. What are some of your other shared values?
Ryan: Also, we both understood the power of mindset. When you see successful or unsuccessful people, sometimes others will attribute their state to their family or money. And I'm not saying that that doesn't help. But there are a lot of people who have come from very humble beginnings and very troubled past that have gone on to do great things, and it all had to do with their mindset. They had to leave and see themselves doing what they desired to do before it became a reality in the physical realm.
I think a lot of those beliefs and mentalities that we shared was refreshing because, you know, we've all known people that every time you talk to them, something bad is going on. And it's such a drag because they can bring your energy down. We don't subscribe to that. Not saying that we don't go through tough times. But when we do, the question that we always ask ourselves is, what is it that I'm supposed to learn from this? I think those type of elements of just being in alignment mentally about how we view the world definitely help to solidify our relationship and our connection.
Taja: When we met, I was in a headspace of growth. We now call it believe, evolve, become because you have to believe that thing right in order to show up. We both understand that your vibration precedes your manifestation, so you have to vibrate and believe at a certain level. Act as if you have to be in that space, that energy, in order for that thing to come so you can evolve and then become whatever that said thing is. But I was in that headspace before we met, and I was clearing out people in my life.
I was really intentional with finding someone that was in that headspace, too. I was not okay with anyone being stagnant.
Taja Simpson & Ryan Easter
Photo by @jorgemezaphotos
xoN: You two seem so evolved individually and collectively. I'm curious, were there any challenges that you two had to get through together, and what did you learn from that experience?
Ryan: Being parents. And if your partner doesn't have a great pregnancy, then it can be tough, and it stretches you in a lot of ways. But I would definitely say the first five months of being new parents was a lot because we were both exhausted. And she's also trying to heal her body because giving birth puts a tremendous amount of stress on the woman's body. It gives you a different respect for the strength of femininity because I wouldn't want to go through that. And I was there the whole 29 hours.
So during that time I'm getting snappy because I need to rest. I have not been able to rest, and I'm sleep-deprived, and I don't feel like I got my foot in yet. And, and then, on top of that, you have this, this really small human that's completely dependent upon you. They can't do anything for himself, and that, even psychologically, that's a lot to carry. But the thing that I think that has helped us is that we understand that we won't always be on the same page. It's okay to have disagreements, but you always have to lead with love, meaning that if I'm upset with her or she's upset with me, we focus on what the issue is.
Taja: I had a horrible pregnancy and was still feeling like I want to be productive; it’s just part of who I am. And during the newborn phase, like he said, we were exhausted. We were zombies. I'm getting whiny. I need sleep. He's getting snappy and short, and we're having to figure out us. The hardest thing is trying to still learn how to effectively communicate in the midst of this space where you are exhausted; you don't feel good, nothing's going your way.
But I'm a big believer of being accountable, especially for women, because women are not always accountable. But we encourage each other to address the trauma and encourage positive self-thought and talk. Because what you think, speak, and do creates power for better and worse.
xoN: Were there any past traumas you had to heal from in order to love each other correctly, and do you feel comfortable discussing them?
Ryan: For me, the biggest thing was my father’s death at nine. You’re young, and you don’t know how to process the loss. It’s one of those things I thought I dealt with, but when I got into my adult years, I realized it didn’t. I always felt like I had to go above and beyond because I didn’t have my father there to be a man - I excelled in sports and academics, but it was based on an inadequate feeling.
I understand the importance of fathers in children’s life but you still have the power to be the best version of yourself whether your father is there or not. And I believe the almighty Creator will put people in your life to be the best version of yourself. I wanted to be that confident person for her and our children - and I didn’t want to carry that trauma into our relationship or our son. So I worked on it before us and I continue to now.
Taja: Mine was colorism. I grew up where the brown paper bag thing was a thing. There were kids I couldn’t play with because “I was too Black.” I had a family member who called me “Ew.” Like she’d literally say, come here, Ew, you ugly thing. And my family, for a long time, didn’t realize how it was breaking me. But eventually, my mom noticed and taught me more about self-esteem and then I started to do the work. But it still shows its head. I still would have thoughts that I’m not good enough because of how I look. I’ve literally not tried out for roles because of that. One of my friends’ friends has literally called out once that I was the only dark person at an event.
So when I started doing the work, I noticed the ways it showed up, like I just wouldn’t want to be in the sun long. I mean when I was younger, I used to pray to God to make me “better” or lighter. It took a long time to really get over that. There’s a book I wrote called Women Who Shine - where I got my thoughts out about this.
So he knows my sensitive spots and speaks to the little girl in me. It's so interesting how the things we go through when we’re young affect us in adulthood. Mental health is as important as physical health - and I’m grateful that he understands the importance of both of those.
xoN: Thank you for your vulnerability. I hope it helps someone else. Finally, I’ll close with this: what’s your favorite thing about each other?
Ryan: Definitely her mindset. She doesn’t have a victim mindset; she’s empowered. That’s so attractive. I believe that she prides herself on being a good, great communicator. She moves with integrity, you know, I think that's important. And you know, she also understands the importance of taking care of her physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing.
Taja: There’s so many. Where do I start? My husband is supremely supportive. I absolutely love that about him. Also, I love his intention. I love how effectively he communicates. I love how he fathers our child. I love how he looks. Because, praise God. Okay, I'm just gonna put that out there.
But you know what, my favorite thing about him is that I love that he's a man of integrity.
Integrity was the highest things on my list when I’d write out what I wanted in a partner. Because it’s everything. And so I love that I feel the level of safety that I feel with him, that I can completely be my 100% authentic self. I know that he's taking care of me, my heart, and our family. We're good.
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Will Platt, who is also from the area, is the visionary behind The Bank. The Bank is an acronym for Blessing All Neighborhood Kids, which is an excellent description of the work Will and his team do. They host many community activations, such as back-to-school bashes, and are preparing for their third annual Banks Giving, which includes a fresh produce and turkey giveaway.
"I'm from this side of town, so I was born over here, and I knew most areas that you go in that's underserved, you're not going to find a 10-star restaurant nowhere," Will said.
"So, even the people that have been in the area for quite some time, you have to travel north to Cobb or south to Camp Creek to get a decent meal. So I wanted to reinvest into my community."
When it comes to the food at The Vault, it is truly a delectable experience. Chef Kevin heads the kitchen and gives patrons a variety of dishes inspired by his Caribbean and Southern upbringing and his 30 years in the food and beverage industry, working for British Airlines and a five-star resort on Kiawah Island, which is located off the coast of South Carolina.
He shared a few flavorful Thanksgiving dishes that are perfect for families, potlucks, or Friendsgivings. And I can attest that these dishes are delicious.
Fried Turkey Wings
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"We have turkey wings on the menu. So what we did is, I actually didn't cook it all the way. I usually hold back a couple pains, and cook it 75% of the way. And we actually batter it in the same batter as chicken batter, so it can actually adhere to the skin, and then we actually deep fry it, which gives it a different taste," Chef Kevin explained.
"During the holiday times, a lot of people are now going away from regular big turkeys and they're just going straight to fried turkey. So fried turkey is something we serve all the time, but it 's always gonna be a holiday treat."
Shepard's Pie
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"I just took a lot of parts of turkey (breasts, loins, etc.), and I sautéed it down until it's nice and tender, and actually finish it off in the oven with some herbs like rosemary, oregano, sage, and thyme," he said. "And on the bottom of it, I have all the vegetables; I got carrots, I got peppers, onions, celery, some peas, and some corn, and also have some mushrooms inside of it."
He added, "Shepard's pie is something that you can basically take to wherever direction you want to take it with. Here, I used red potatoes because it's more flavorful than just regular white potatoes because, actually, red potatoes, the skin is still on it. Inside the potatoes, I have cream, butter, and I add a little bit of parmesan to actually give it a crisp for the crispness of the inside of the mashed potatoes."
Collard Greens
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"I spin it a little bit with the collard greens. I add both a sweet to it, and then I add a little bit of acid inside of it, so there is some vinegar inside of it. I also have a little bit of brown sugar inside of it. For the heat, I add a little bit of traditional hot sauce. And then once you let it cook out, all it's gonna do is just jelly, make a nice flavor."
Southern Deviled Eggs
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"Cajun sautéed shrimp is on it, and it has crab meat on it. That's Backfin crab meat, so it's really tasty crab. And, of course, the regular filling for the deviled eggs. I don't use regular mustard. I use Dijon, so it gives a better flavor because it has the white wine in it and actually brings it out. We put pickled relish inside of it to keep it Southern but infuse it with a little bit of high-end stuff."
Cornbread
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"This is our house recipe of our cornbread. We actually sell cornbread muffins. So for, aesthetically, I just put it inside this cast iron pan and make it seem like we at grandma's house. And then cooking in a cast iron pan tastes much, much better. My cornbread muffin is actually served with one of our dishes. We have what you call a southern plate, and it comes with four chicken wings, a piece of that cornbread, some of that collard greens, and some candied yams."
Cabbage
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"We push our cabbage a little bit further. That's why you see the color on it because we actually sautéed it to a point 'til it brings out the flavor of it. We leave a little bit of crunch to it, but we sauté it really, really, really hard so you can have those nice flavors inside of it. And it has the red peppers and green peppers, onions inside of it as well."
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