CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The perfect snapshot paired with a good meal is something Kriska Woods truly enjoys. 

“I just like to have fun, and food is a way for me to connect with other people,” she said. 

During the day, Woods works as a pharmacist, but after hours she slowly turned into a food blogger. 

“Eventually our family got tired of our food photos on our personal Instagram, and we just started to have our own little side page and it kind of took off from there,” she said. “Apparently people like following our adventures with us.” 

Fast forward a few years later and Woods is putting her skills to use by hosting a unique photo culinary tour along Albemarle Road. 

Nonprofit Charlotte is Creative decided to give her a call about this cool opportunity. 

“Tim reached out and said, 'Hey I got this project we’re working with the city, working with Albemarle Road,' and I just said, 'Whatever you got I’m in,'” Woods said. “I’m your girl.” 

The tour showcased different foods located along the busy corridor, and allowed Woods the chance to teach her followers how to snap that perfect shot. 

This tour is part of something bigger though.

All the feedback and photos taken will be used to help develop a playbook for the city’s Corridors of Opportunity project. 

“We can use things like food, which is a universal language, to have some of those deeper conversations about what people want to see more of here,” said Erin Gillespie. 

Gillespie serves as the corridor revitalization coordinator for the City of Charlotte and says this playbook will help them learn the needs of this community and invest in their desires, wants and visions. 

“There’s always unique challenges along all of the corridors, and our responses would make sure that we’re really lifting up what folks want to stick around and stay and grow,” she said. 

Food and photos is what brings Woods immense joy, and she’s glad she can combine the two and share them with others to help benefit this growing corridor. 

The city is investing money to transform and revitalize five other corridors across Charlotte. 

You can learn more about the program and see the latest projects here.