From author Alycia Ripley:

Rarely is a social media presence considered authentic. Not with today’s content creators highlighting only their coolest selves, all smooth sides and glossy colors. This is not Rebecca E. M. Gaffney and definitely not the purpose of eatingatme. Both she and her creation are the antithesis of a false front.

I could share that she is a former ballet dancer, a graduate of prestigious academic institutions such as St. John’s College and American University, and holds over two decades of experience in writing, creative project management, and event production. I can also disclose that no one rocks a pleated tartan skirt, black leather jacket, and Doc Martens quite like her. Since childhood I marveled not only at her unusual mix of sunny warmth and unshakable cool, but her humor, love of life, and entrepreneurial spirit. In short, she is authentic, an anomaly in today’s Instagram-age, as is her witty, gritty, photojournalistic project, eatingatme. 

Hailing from the Queen City of Buffalo, NY, Bek is a freckled, crackerjack blonde whose vibe and relevance are more than a sum of her accolades. eatingatme is a blog to get lost in. It is an invitation to muse on everything right, wrong, and crazy about current events, restaurants, arts and culture, and the everyday absurdities that come with frequent travel. It is photographed and written in real time, the puzzle pieces of her adventures coming together to help align your own. She has got an eye for art, an ear for rock, and a radar for bullshit.

Filling her bio with stock facts and lists of credits would feel like a boring and unfitting description. Bek is a lot of things—sassy, unflinching, hilarious, and kind. An author, arts manager, event maker, and enthusiastic traveler. Fiercely individualistic in an often ‘basic’ culture. Boring she is not. And neither is her blog. There is good food, ruminations on David Bowie, and whiskey. Go join her in the good stuff, already.

~Alycia is an award-winning filmmaker, author, actor, and founder of ANTI-HERO Magazine.