breathe and savor

Outside my window

2010-08-27T14:04:00.008-04:00

This is happening outside my work window! The noise level is louder than loud but the view is absolutely breath taking.

Are you familiar with the US Navy's aerial demonstration team, the Blue Angels? If not, its okay. I hate to admit, but I only learned of them this week. Oops. This weekend, Portsmouth's Pease International Airport, will host the Boston-Portsmouth Air Show. The show features pilots performing aerobatic, jaw-dropping tricks near the clouds and dangerously close to the ground.

Working on Pease, I have had the heart-attack-inducing pleasure of hearing the rumbles aka the Blue Angels practice. I only kind of kid about the attack my heart has been under. It is a welcomed distraction, a once in a lifetime sight... when watching outdoors. These pilots make Tom Cruise look silly (in case we didn't already think he was). Diving, twisting, tumbling, speeding, swerving, flying upside down, right side up, inside out (jusssst kidding) and in formations to awe the crowd. From inside the office, however, the "hum" made when flying at ground level and so close to the window scares the poop out of me. Imagine what it might sound like if a plane was about to crash into your apartment, office building, or home and you have recreated the correct noise. Freakishly enough this has been a nightmare 0f mine.

source

According to the press, it has been 20 years since the Blue Angels performed in New Hampshire, and as long since an air show of this magnitude has come to the Seacoast. If you are around this weekend, come to Pease (early) and check them out! As long as you are not watching from inside a building, the Blue Angels will steal your heart and your breath.

source

Happy Friday! Big weekend plans??

PS. Thank you ALL for your warm, well wishes on my engagement! I couldn't be more surprised and more excited myself!! eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Soooooo, I'm engaged!

2010-08-23T19:00:00.004-04:00

There was a dollhouse from when I was four. There was a park. There were flowers. There were sweet words. There were nervous giggles. There was one knee. There was a question. There was a ring. There was a YES!

And now I'm engaged to my best friend.

Farmer's market fancy

2010-08-20T17:03:00.033-04:00

Every Saturday in May to October, from 8am-1pm, Portsmouth’s City Hall parking lot hosts a rich collection of local seacoast farmers and growers, wineries and organics. Each market has a different appeal and exudes a unique personality. Fresh cut flowers, trucks filled with corn, apple cider donuts, ripe peaches, blueberry wine, farm fresh eggs, organic toiletries, brilliant heirloom tomatoes, large eggplants, maple syrup, white heron tea, glorious pies and Anadama breads are just a small component of what is for sale. In other words, a grown up’s playground.

Last Saturday I walked down around noon. I was prepared for barren stands, ebbing crowds and sold out apple cider donuts. To my pleasure, every stand was in full force, produce abundant. Well, the donuts were gone, but they never make it past 10am.

Greeted by sunflowers, corn and tomatoes; I’ll take all three please.

Haven’t even circled the place once yet and I’m sucked in by these purple beauties.

And this deep purple beauty.

Sweet Baby Vineyards, a boutique winery located in the small town of Kensington, New Hampshire, offered fruit wines (blueberry, peach, raspberry), white table wines, and as described by the kind sales rep., “dangerously smooth” red wines. Do you take credit cards? (Four stands in and my cash flow was low). Yes. OK. We’re in business. Marèchal Foch, a medium bodied fruity, semi-dry red wine with soft tannins and hints of fresh blackberries, aka the “dangerously smooth” red wine was selected without much debate.

Look at these large green cucs! Is it sad I didn’t even have 50 cents for a cucumber?Yes, but look at what I did come home with! No regrets.

Onto the main course...what I made this week with my bounty:

Pesto pasta salad with fresh mozzarella, green peppers and cherry tomatoes

...with corn on the cob

Eggplant & zucchini pesto pizza

Fresh salsa

Rosemary summer squash and corn with grilled chicken

Grilled chicken salad with the last of the farmer's corn

Summer Eggplant "Parm"

Pardon my eggplant, but right now, in this moment, you need to know how to make this summer eggplant "parm." Clearly, ask me if you want info. on anything posted here, but we must focus on the eggplant. The eggplant.

Step 1: Salt your eggplant. I never salted eggplant before cooking until this week. Trust me, you want to. The salt draws out the liquid and improves the eggplant's naturally bitter taste. Pour salt on the plate, place the eggplant on top, salt the top of the eggplant. Let sit for about 10-15 minutes. MAKE SURE TO RINSE THE EGGPLANT WHEN DONE. Sorry I just screamed at you, but seriously, you don't want heavily salted eggplant. Ew.

Step 2: While the eggplant is getting its salt on, chop tomatoes and slice mozzarella cheese. I used roma tomatoes and cherry tomatoes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Step 3: When the oven is ready and your eggplants have been rinsed of salt, roast them for 20 minutes on each side.

Step 4: Rinse and cook quinoa according to package instructions.

Step 5: Top with mozz cheese and tomatoes when there are a few minutes left. If you like, broil for 2 minutes to get the cheese perfect. This picture was taken pre-broil.

Step 6: Plate eggplant slices on top of quinoa.

I didn't want this meal to end.
Can you tell? The quinoa, which I must admit, I was hesitant to try in place of traditional pasta, was worth it. The little grains formed to the eggplant to create a subtle crunch similar to that of the fried eggplant in eggplant parmesan. The tomatoes, fresh and flavorful, outperformed any and all marinara sauces. Fresh mozzarella > shredded. I enjoyed the leftover eggplant later in the week for lunch. Popped the eggplant, cheese and tomatoes in the toaster oven for a few minutes, laid spinach on a wrap and rolled it all up.

If you frequent a farmer's market on the weekends, I sincerely hope you fancy the eggplant this time around. Something different and something purple. Get silly.

Light stick escalation

2010-08-17T20:01:00.025-04:00

Lollapalooza's beauty runs deep. Festival goers have the ability to cater the three days to their needs and wants to create an indelible experience. If the headliner holds a special place in your heart and iPod and you want to camp out at this stage all day to ensure a front row spot you can do that. If you want to work your way to the front of the crowd for each band you see and be in the middle of it all, you definitely could and should. If the massive sea of people becomes overwhelming and/or relaxing on a blanket listening to music is more your style; guess what, the trees and grass of Grant Park accommodate. Lolla even has a lounging area set up called "Hammock Heaven."

Saturday's experience was in tune with relaxation.

I'm not sure if the artists (Stars, Warpaint, Dawes, Deer Tick, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros) we saw attributed to the leisurely atmosphere or if the miles walked on Thursday and Friday caught up to my body. Regardless, we all eased into Saturday. Matt and I started the day with a visit to the general store and art market located inside the park. Yes, Lollapalooza had its own convenient corner store in case you forgot or wanted hand sanitizer, gum, aspirin or sunscreen and its own slew of booths for those who wanted to purchase local merchandise: hats, jewelry, purses, bags, dresses, wallets, etc.

If the DJ tent ate your sunglasses, it was okay because Lollapalooza had you covered.

Aside from the stellar lineup of musicians, Lollapalooza offered a creative mix of food at its two chow town locations (30 choices total to be exact). Lollapalooza's 2010 culinary director, Graham Elliot Bowles, is a Top Chef regular, named the best new chef by Food and Wine magazine in 2004 and at 27, was the youngest four-star chef to be named in any US city. Impressive right? So was the cuisine. Falafel pitas, "beer fed" BBQ pulled pork sandwiches and grilled cheese pretzels from Goose Island Brewpub; lobster corn dogs from Graham Elliot; rockit truffle fries and bourbon BBQ pulled pork sandwich from Rockit Bar and Grill; Tallgrass grassfed brisket burrito, grilled vegetable burrito and spicy baja chicken burrito from Burrito Beach; fish tacos, homemade sweet potato chips, honey barbecue chicken tenders from BJ's Market & Bakery; fried dough and pesto, spicy shrimp and pork belly baked potato from Elate at the Hotel Felix. Yeah, we dined. Red Velvet, salted caramel and black and white cupcakes were available from More; hot fudge brownie sundaes from Windsor Ice Cream Shoppe and pina colada, black raspberry and mango orange banana smoothies from Maui Wowi tantalized sweet teeth.

As if that wasn't enough to sink your teeth into, Lollapalooza's support of the Chicago area's sustainable food movement was made evident with the new Green Street Farmers Market. Organic, fair-trade coffee and espresso drinks; berry smoothies made from local berries and locally produced cider; frozen kefir; fresh fruit, noodle dishes, cheese and bread from local farmers and artisanal producers!

Don't hate, but those are all my food pictures. I know, I know, bad blogger....but, it was difficult. Many, if not all meals were consumed in under 5 minutes due to an urgency to see the next brilliant artist. But I assure you everything was as good as it sounds/looks, especially the handmade sweet potato chips and truffle fries above.

Pina colada smoothies with secret ingredients were on tap Saturday, so was the vino. Oh, did I fail to mention that Lollapalooza sold wine in a sport bottle with mini plastic cups? My bad. Bud light, Budweiser, Bud light lime were also available.

Around 7:30, the crew was done recharging, Perry's DJ stage was bumpin', wine was flowing and life escalated real fast.

I told you there might be a magical light stick!

Home is wherever I'm with you

2010-08-17T10:35:00.010-04:00

I know I'm in the middle of slowly recapping Lollapalooza but it also dawned on me that I owe you some tunes. So why not bring a little more of Lolla to you.

Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes : Home

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes played at the Sony Bloggie stage at 6:30pm on Saturday. Summer evening, perfection. The tunes are folky, but poppy. Hippie, but hipster. Happy, but not corny. The band does not include an artist named Edward Sharpe, but does include 12 people. Rolling Stone declared the group an artist to watch in 2009, calling them a cross between Arcade Fire and the Mamas & the Papas. Their song "Janglin" was featured in a TV ad for the 2011 Ford Fiesta and the above song, "Home" was voted number 15 on the Australian Triple J Hottest 100, 2009 countdown, the largest music poll in the world. Obviously all high praise, but if you are anything like me you have never heard of the Australian Triple J Hottest 100 and maybe didn't see the Ford commercial. It's simple really. The reason why Australia and Ford Fiesta like this song; it makes you dance. From minute one. By yourself. With a friend. With strangers. And with a massive, what-is-going-on grin across your face. It happened to me, it can happen to you. No one is safe.

Sit back and wave through the daylight

2010-08-15T16:13:00.055-04:00

For three days every August, Lollapalooza showcases a wide array of talented performers. From up and coming artists (Frightened Rabbit and Neon Hitch) to old souls (Jimmy Cliff and Mavis Staples), to major stars (Lady Gaga and Green Day), Lollapalooza exposes, popularizes and celebrates music. Created in 1991 by Jane's Addiction singer Perry Farrell as a farewell tour for the band, Lollapalooza ran annually until 1997. In 2005 the tour made its way to Chicago's Grant Park where it will remain until 2018. I have attended the last three years and 2010 highly exceeded any and all expectations. Lollapalooza was truly bigger and better, with more port-a-potties, foodie love and refillable water bottle stations. The tunes weren't too shabby either.

B.O.B is to Lollapalooza what a crystal chandelier is to an entrance foyer. Grand. Starting the weekend off on the right foot, B.o.b literally knocked socks and shoes off, singing about beautiful girls, airplanes and magic. B.o.b's morning slot (11:30-12:15) had me quite baffled at first. I mean c'mon, the guy has two hit songs with one on the way and he gets the breakfast crowd. Well color me wrong, B.o.b drew fans. Awake, excited, and screaming, fans ran, sorry, sprinted to his stage as the first few chords echoed from the South lawn of Grant Park. Free-styling one minute, swooning the ladies with soft ballads and an acoustic guitar the next, then throwing his shoes into the hungry sea of people, B.o.b's swagger, humor and lyrics left everyone wanting encore B.o.b performances for lunch and dinner.

Insert The Walkmen, Ana Sia, Peanut Butter Wolf and weird Devo hats and hazmat jumpsuits here.

Personally, I wasn't blown away again until 5pm. Enter Matt and Kim; to 'Where Brooklyn At' at that! Seriously, please check out this entrance courtesy of Rolling Stone. Can you even imagine!? So freakin' cool. Kim's unwavering smile lit up Chicago and Matt pumped the jams out of that keyboard with mega intensity. For a skinny dude that plays the keyboard and wears glasses, that boy can jam. Matt and Kim vs. the energizer bunny...Matt and Kim win. Prediction, they will headline in 2013. I didn't see anyone else give a shout out to Green Man or use the crowd to booty dance. We're talking (insert Kim Schifino's voice directing the crowd here) "you hold my right leg, you hold my left leg, hold me up/make sure I don't fall, and I'm going to show you guys the booty dance I've been working on." It rocked. So did their set list: I Wanna, Better Off Alone (Alice DeeJay cover), Lessons Learned, Lightspeed, Yea Yeah, Good ol' fashioned Nightmare, and Daylight. Sit back and wave through the daylight....

Matt and Kim kicking ass at the Adidas stage Friday afternoon

Jamie Lidell, who I saw more than once this weekend, since we were conveniently staying at the same hotel, was an artist to not be missed. That is, if you like funk, soul, electronica and British accents. I am not familiar with Jamie's new cd, so a lot of the songs were foreign to me, but that didn't stop the enjoyment of the smooth, genuine notes. 'A little bit more,' a killer song from his second album is performed with only the beats from his mouth, mic and a looping machine, and "Little bit of feel good" were all I needed to hear to feel good about this show. The crowd was feeling it too, boppin' along to the rhythm, as Jamie Lidell and the Sony Bloggie stage produced one groovin' performance.

Then utter disaster and disappointment struck. In the form of a bloody fame monster. And, no, that isn't my wannabe British accent carrying over. Not even mid-way through the performance, this little monster came on stage covered in blood, or faux blood, either way, shut the front door Lady Gaga.

Seriously, the best thing about Gaga's set was the cute little boy next to us unconditionally loving Lady Gaga and unknowingly singing along. I don't know, was I expecting too much? Lady Gaga basically has that 'everything I touch turns to gold' thing down so I guess I figured she would own Friday night. She capsized like Bennifer after Affleck proposed to J-Lo with a pink diamond. Here's why: instead of singing her hits (I admit to increasing the volume to unreasonable decibel levels when hearing 'Just dance' come on the radio) the "Lady" theatrically and angrily preached, shouted, and praised her own awesomeness all while repeatedly panting into the microphone. I'm all about self confidence, but when screamed rashly it teeters on still needing therapy. Who cares that people were mean to you in high school? People were mean to me in high school too, but I'm not going to repeatedly reference my awkward high school career in relation to my global superstardom (when I obtain it, ha!). Lollapalooza is not the venue for raving ridiculous antics; it's a music show. “No one fucking believed in me, but we did it. And look at all of us nowwwwwwww.” Pant, scream, pant, rave, rant, pant. Shrieking positive messages is an oxy-moron, no? I think the blog Time Out Chicago said it best, "It's hard to look past a woman screaming at a mechanical octopus’ “monster” tentacles, “Don’t rape me, monster!”

We found solace at Perry's stage where the Dewaele brothers aka Soulmax aka 2ManyDJ's were electro-fying the crowd with heavy mash ups. Expensive sunglasses might have been lost but we danced in front of the jumbo-tron thing, and could still see Gaga's lavish fireworks display.

jumbo tron thing--that's Matt waving and I'm to the left taking a pic

Epic Burger ended the evening on a high note. An epic high note. Perhaps as high as Gaga was during her bloody rendition of Beautiful, dirty rich (or whatever it was she was "singing" during that escapade). A more mindful burger, you say? I will always say yes when the word epic is involved or after a night at Lollapalooza. Can you spot the burger with the egg?

-B.o.b...Matt and Kim...Epic burgers = Epic.
-Lady Gaga = Fail.

Chi city: Lolla eve

2010-08-13T19:33:00.035-04:00

Lollapalooza eve started promptly at 4am. I'd like to thank Wolfgang Puck, Starbucks and the efficient Logan airport for attributing to my sanity in the wee hours of August 5th. I wish I could start everyday with a Wolfgang Puck egg sandwich. If sneaking past security for a breakfast panini daily is wrong, I don't want to be right. Airport security, watch out.

Insert another large Starbucks iced coffee upon landing here.

We met up with the lolla crew already situated at the hotel and began our free day in the city hitting all the hot spots: the bean, the fountain, the outside of the aquarium, a water taxi ride, navy pier...

Our original plan was to see the acclaimed Shedd Aquarium but the unimpressive 3-4 hour wait deterred and propelled us in the direction of Navy Pier and the architecture tour. The sights, sounds and food of Navy Pier then kept us from the tour. No one cared. Rolling with the tide.

.this one scares me. the future?

I promise to never dance like a chicken if you never grow a mullet. Please, thanks.

Cocktails at Haray Caray's Tavern

Before I get to dinner, I must discuss lunch. Preface, I like my hot dogs burnt. Post face, I love Chicago style hot dogs.

Who knew the unique combination of pickles, tomatoes, onions, relish, mustard, seeded buns and a steamed (not grilled) dog could be so perfectly delectable? Chicago knew. They have known since 1929 apparently. I am 27 and my hot dogs don't have to be charred anymore. It's a nice feeling.

Another nice feeling. Lolla bracelet fitting photo shoot. (We traded in our tickets early so to not wait on a long line Friday morning)

How am I still awake? Up since 4am I was fading at lightening speed, but Ryan's 30th birthday dinner was calling. The Grand Lux Cafe, brought to you by the creator of the Cheesecake Factory, is an upscale, casual establishment with a menu as deep as the mid-Atlantic. Check out the inventory on one side of the table:

Appetizer meal of Crispy Ahi Sushi Roll: Sushi rice filled with Ahi, avocado, ginger green onion and spicy chili sauce, wrapped in Nori then flash-fried crisp, sliced and placed around a small mixed baby lettuce salad tossed in Asian vinaigrette and Duck Potstickers: Duck Breast, Shiitake Mushrooms and Crispy Vegetables in a Spicy Hoisin Sauce. Steamed then Sauteed until Crisp

Short Rib Grilled Cheese Sandwich: Slow-roasted Short Ribs, Caramelized Onion and Creamy Melted Cheese on Grilled Country Bread. Served with French Fries and Peperoncini Relish:
Salmon Three Ways: 1) Horseradish Crusted with Asparagus and Almond Ginger 2) Soy Glazed with Shiitake Mushrooms 3) White Wine Butter Sauce with Green Beans:

The Grand Cobb Salad: A Top Shelf Cobb Salad with Chicken, Niman Ranch Bacon, Avocado, Cherry Tomatoes, Shaft Blue Cheese and Grated Egg Tossed in our Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette.
I think I passed out at the table. Joking, maybe. After eating and loving the salmon three ways(designed for the indecisive patron, in other words, me), the extensive day of tourism caught up to me, hard. Lolla eve had to end or I was going to ask our waitress for a pillow and blanket.

Goodnight chi city.

good morningggggg Lollapalooza!

Dancing toothbrushes tomorrow

2010-08-12T16:50:00.011-04:00

To my lovely blog,

I'm back and despite what it looks like, I am not neglecting you, my sweet, unconditionally loving bloggie poo. In fact you would be proud of me! I am (trying to get through) breathing and savoring the hazy days that follow a rockin' and rollin' jam fest in Grant Park. My days of gaga screams, pina coladas, cheese sticks and paint are over, tear, and re-entering a world filled with big girl responsibilities is draining and I just need your support. We will play tomorrow. I promise there will be colorful pictures, tasty treats, and maybe even a dancing toothbrush or if you are really lucky, a magical light saber.

Yours truly,

corinne

this isn't my picture

Packed and ready to go!

2010-08-03T19:03:00.008-04:00

In a few short days I will be enjoying the sights and sounds of....

...only the sign will read Lollapalooza 2010! I cannot believe the time has come for this epic three-day, once a year, Chicago wonderment. It feels like just yesterday the lineup was announced!

Neon Hitch, Phoenix, The Temper Trap, Arcade Fire, Matt and Kim, Lady Gaga, Yeasayer Jamie Lidell, Frightened Rabbit, B.O.B., Chiddy Bang and sooo many more to be discovered! Be still my heart.

Until then I must tend to tretcherous packing. Each day has its own pile. Organization is crucial.

This year I splurged and purchased nice luggage with wheels that actually work. Life made easy via Jessica Simpson luggage, who knew? TJ Maxx knows. Look what else I picked up today. If you have yet to discover Operation Beautiful or Healthy Tipping Point, Caitlin owns both blogs, please do not tarry.
Looking forward to recapping for you all but too excited for the next few days to really think about that just yet. See you on the flip side.

The Blue Mermaid

2010-07-30T18:42:00.032-04:00

Tonight we are going to talk about my "favorite restaurant in Portsmouth." Bold statement, bold flavors, the (bold) Blue Mermaid.

But before I do that I need to showcase last night's openface meatloaf sandwich! The sequal was better than the first performance.

Two slices meatloaf, ezekiel english muffin, babybell cheese, marinara sauce, toaster oven...oh, baby! Considerations for three nights in a row have entered my mind but I just can't bring myself to tripple play the meatloaf. For me eating something similar two nights in a row is pushing it, but I couldn't dismiss the daydreams of this sammy. (do you daydream of food?)

Glorious. Saturday's supper perhaps.

Do you have a tried-and-true restaurant? An establishment consistently delivering on taste, price and service in turn capturing your loyalty? The Blue Mermaid is my true blue.

My most recent visit to the Blue Mermaid marked a very momentous occasion. The meet and greet of my mom and Matt's mom! After much debate on where to allow this "laissez faire" dinner to occur and resistance on my part to go to the Blue Mermaid again (Matt and I seriously go there on the reg) I came to my senses and realized, "What better place to bring my family and Matt's together but our favorite place," (the same realization that goes down in the My Idea Windows 7 commercials when ordinary people think of something fabulous before the geniuses at Microsoft).

Located in the Hill, an historic area of Portsmouth, the Blue Mermaid could possibly get overlooked, as it is not the center of attention downtown. Which explains TASTE Magazine coining it "Portsmouth's Best Kept Secret." Caribbean inspired, the Blue Mermaid is brightly adorned with inspiring photographs and eclectic decor. The Mermaid's passion for delivering high flavor and unique festive food is apparent in every item that reaches the table starting with the warm tri-colored tortilla chips and homemade salsa. The service is always exceptional, informative and friendly and that salsa, did I already mention the fire roasted, award winning salsa?

My boyfriend "knows what he likes and what he likes to do" (his words) so he tends to order the same drink, appetizer and entree at the Blue Mermaid every time. No judgement, his lineup is stellar defined. I usually order some variation of the margarita or sangria. The picture below showcases the Painkiller and a Patron Silver marg.

The Painkiller Light & dark rum, pineapple juice, oj, and coconut with fresh nutmeg (right) Patron Silver Patron silver tequila, Cointreau, a splash of sour, splash of lime, float of Grand Marnier (left)

The Crispy Calamari served with a tomato roasted poblano aioli dipping sauce gets the party started every time.

The calamari at the Mermaid is without exception, amazing. Nailing the two integral factors perfectly: lightly crispy on the outside, deliciously fresh on the inside.

Let's jump in the trust tree for a minute or two. The real reason Matt and I continually come back to the Blue Mermaid is for the Braised Short Ribs. These "fall off the bone" ribs really and truly fall off the bone but land softly in the decadent sauce sent from Caribbean heaven. Moderately rich but full of flavor, I could eat spoonfulls of this sauce all night.

Braised Beef Short Ribs
Island rubbed and braised in a guava-soy reduction, served with roasted poblano mashed
potatoes and sauteed green beans

If food by sea is more your preference, the selection of fish entrees is vast and irresistible. Wood grilled salmon, shrimp, scallops or mahi-mahi to be paired with your choice of two sides and sauce. The possibilities are endless; salmon with roasted corn red pepper salsa, jalepeno pesto or chipotle honey glaze. Shrimp with sunsplash salsa, grilled mango vinaigrette or mango chutney. Aside from the talented wood grilled selections, other Mermaid specialities include but are not limited to: Pan Blackened Mahi-Mahi served over couscous and a black bean and corn roasted waffle topped with mango napa cabbage and chili slaw; Seafood Tagine: Salmon, cod and mahi mahi sautéed with curried tomatoes, onions and peppers in a rich coconut fish stew, served with foccacia and a side salad (pictured below right) and Bimini Chicken Pan roasted boneless breast of chicken sautéed with bananas and walnuts in a bourbon coconut sauce, served with chef’s vegetable and sweet potato hash.

The entree on the left is a special that peaked my interest. Blackened salmon with an avocado cream sauce (on the side), baby bok choy and roasted red peppers with roasted poblano mashed potatoes. Special indeed.

With numerous visits over the past four years, I have tasted a plethora of delicious items: Lobster and Roasted Corn chowder; Steamed PEI Mussels sauteed in fire roasted tomatoes, white wine, garlic and herbs; grilled bananas; corn bread; Mermaid Mac and Cheese, Saddle Bags, crispy wontons filled with chicken, jack cheese, herbs and spices, served with a ginger soy sauce....to be continued.

The Blue Mermaid will always be my favorite restaurant in Portsmouth but now the food and memories hold a more distinct place in my heart. Food really brings people together and at its essence is the shared flavors of communities and relationships. Over the years, the Blue Mermaid has united new couples, old friends and now families.

If food is love, the Blue Mermaid is Aphrodite.

Summer comfort meatloaf

2010-07-28T18:30:00.026-04:00

Thank you all so much for your thoughtful comments on my last two posts. Embracing life and living for today can easily be forgotten during the more monotonous days but it resonates with all of you and that just warms my big ol' heart.

It is 84 degrees in Portsmouth tonight, I do not have AC and I chose to pre-heat the oven for my debut into cooking meatloaf. Writing these words, I wonder if I'm a partial lunatic. For one, I only like my mom's meatloaf and two, it is not winter. I like to think I just wanted to capitalize on Wednesday's day off from working out and create a new dish. Meatloaf is comfort food defined, so I guess even in the dog days of summer we all need a lil' comfort.

Speaking of dogs!! Matt's family just brought home a brand new golden retriever and named her Bella after none other than Patriots coach, Bill Belicheck!

How cute is that ball of fluff!?! eeeeeee so cute.

Anyways here are the loaf of meat* deets: adapted from here

Summer Comfort Meatloaf

Ingredients:
■1/2 medium white onion, chopped finely
■1 red bell pepper, chopped finely
■2 large carrots, grated or chopped finely
■1 lb ground turkey breast
■6 ounces of tomato/spaghetti sauce
■3/4 cup uncooked rolled oats

■1/4 cup shredded parm cheese
■2 tsp. dried oregano
■2 tsp. basil
■1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
■2 egg whites
■2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
■Splash of Worcestershire sauce
■Vegetable-oil cooking spray

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

2. Combine all ingredients (save the cooking spray) into a bowl and mush together. Years of watching my mom mix and mush with her hands inspired me to do the same. But if you aren't that kind of gal or gent, by all means use a wooden spoon!

3. Spray the cooking spray into a loaf tin and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about an hour

4. If you so desire, broil on high for 3 minutes to get the top and edges nice and crispy. I am going for the "Hi, my name is Joy, I have two kids and I just burnt my meatloaf again" look. (Joy is my mom)

To really transform this winter comfort food into a summer meal I nixed the standard mashed potatoes and sauteed seasonable summer squash and zucchini with a light coating of EVOO, garlic powder, sea salt and oregano and prepared a side salad with Olivia Organic's spring mix, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and feta cheese. Oooo la la!

Plate, serve, enjoy!

This is a far cry from the meatloaf I grew up eating, but I clearly wasn't trying to replicate my mom's AND it was still very good! I like knowing this is a healthier version; I will never turn down extra veggies, and the marinara sauce, oregano, basil and parm cheese really elevated the flavor.

It's a win but next time this meatloaf is prepared the temperature outside will be at least 20 degrees cooler.

Is there a comfort food that reminds you of your childhood? Have you recreated in your own kitchen?

*I apologize and will never refer to meatloaf in this way again. Ew.

Team KP

2010-07-27T19:47:00.032-04:00

There are purities in life that are hard to catch sight of on a daily basis. Genuine random acts of kindness, pure bliss, true love and living in the moment. Witness any of these real moments and the emotions become contagious. For example, have you seen the "random acts of kindness" Liberty Mutual commercial? It is an inspiring, accurate depiction of the chain reaction that can follow when a complete stranger observes an other's unexpected kindness.

This past Saturday I observed an entire community living in the moment when I attended a fundraiser at Willikers in Shrewsbury, MA for Kevin Phillips (KP), a friend of Matt's living with pancreatic cancer. KP was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this past Spring...at the age of 27. Quickly after this news shocked and stunned friends, family and the Westborough community, Kevin's closest friends created a facebook page, Team KP, to be there for KP, his girlfriend Theresa, her son Jake, and well, each other. There is no shortage of support. Via facebook, friends comment and status updates are posted on the reg., purple Team KP wrist bands were created, t-shirts repping the KP logo designed, a Kevin J Phillips fund at Sovereign Bank was born and Saturday's fundraiser celebrated life.

The atmosphere at Willikers on Saturday was positive and heart warming. Local businesses and organizations donated gift certificates to be raffled, three local bands performed, and stellar prizes such as a getaway weekend, Red Sox tickets, and a bat signed by Red Sox captain Jason Veritek were silently auctioned. The owner of Willikers even donated the restaurant and the food for the evening. KP's close friends and organizers of the event really did an exceptional job (thank you!!) Looking around the room you saw friends and family connecting, overwhelming support and devotion, and everyone in attendance was living.in.the.moment!

The following pics were taken from various facebook albums and not my own photography:

Prior to the event, an article was written in the online version of The Daily Westborough informing the community of the fundraiser and quoting friends and KP about the past few months. A close friend of KP's, Sarah Arsenault said, "Because of this, a lot of people who have lost track of each other over the years have re-connected. He’s such a positive guy. I think it rubs off on all of us who know him.” On Saturday night, KP's love for life was palpable. The positive attitude Sarah referenced was obvious and contagious. The energy at the event was bright, generous and full of love. All were savoring the moment and it was beautiful!

KP, you are an unbelievable person. You are honest, hilarious, energetic and a breath of fresh air. A true embodiment of strength and courage and a real inspiration to us all. I have not known you long, but I would be blessed to get to know you better. Live life and know no boundaries. Team KP!

And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. ~Abraham Lincoln

We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand. -Randy Pausch

Forever is composed of nows. -Emily Dickinson

Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present. -Babatunde Olatunji

Get comfortable with the uncomfortable

2010-07-23T12:38:00.015-04:00

In a few months my life will be very different. This change is fun and exciting but also evokes anxiety. I cannot dive into the details just yet but that Robert Frost, boy, he was onto something when he said, "take the road less traveled." I find comfort in having a routine; a settled home base, plans, convenience and familiarity. But too much comfort can create a wicked uncomfortableness. It is so easy to become "stuck" and afraid to try new things for fear of the unknown. Why take a big leap when your feet closely identify with the ground underneath? Because you might find you will land somewhere better. Because, as cliche as it is, everything happens for a reason. A solid plan doesn't always work out and embracing the twists and turns of life can get you farther than a strict regime. Despite the anxiety I occasionally feel when thinking about the unknowns in my future, I know that no matter what I'm going to be okay and all these foreign happenings have me pretty flippin' ecstatic. Like happy dance, singing Glee songs excited. My mature self also knows that living for today and embracing every moment is necessary. You don't grow as a person if you are looking to the future for answers or dwelling on the past and wondering, "what if." Ask those 'what if's' now. Create and seize the opportunities of today, it might be scary but it's time to get comfortable with the uncomfortable.

Four years ago I graduated UNH and moved home to New Jersey. I had all my ducks in a row. Live at home for a few months, intern at a great company which would "inevitably" turn into a full time position and move to Hoboken or Morristown, NJ with high school friends. After a few summer trips up north visiting friends in NH and Boston, I started feeling antsy. I really really missed New England. An itch I wasn't sure how to scratch went from an odd dull sensation to full on hives so to speak. It was August and my dream internship had still not offered me a full time position. I stayed up late one night browsing the UNH alumni website and just for shits and giggles I started applying to jobs in Boston and NH. I had a few calls. I landed the interview and in a mere two weeks I was back up in NH looking for apartments. WOW, from then on unexpected amazingness ensued. I got the job, located a small one bedroom apt. in Portsmouth, NH, and discovered an independent woman inside of me. If a genie would have told me in the spring of 2006 that I would move home to NJ and then move back to NH and love it, I would have told them they were craaaaaaaaaaaaazy and demanded my money back. Since I didn't see a physic or fortune teller, no one told me that, instead I was just paying attention and I am glad I turned right instead of left. Fast forward a few years and I cannot imagine my life anywhere else. Well, maybe one other place :)

The point of this rumination is straight forward: live for today. I don't want to get all zen preacher on you but worrying about the future, what hasn't happened yet, is silly. Because you don't know what is going to occur. We can get so caught up in this weekend, next week, this fall that we lose focus on today. If it wasn't for the twists, turns, ups, downs, and sideways paths life wouldn't be a journey. If you are debating something new, I say go for it. Challenge yourself. Grow. If you fall or the nerves become too much, keep calm and carry on. The things we regret in life are the things we do not do. I know you have heard that one before, I am just here to refresh the memory.

:words and pictures of wisdom:

Rise up this mornin',
Smiled with the risin' sun,
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true,
Sayin', ("This is my message to you-ou-ou:")

Singin': "Don't worry 'bout a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right."

-Bob Marley

"So many roads. So many detours. So many choices." -Carrie, Sex and The City

Indulgence

2010-07-21T22:14:00.033-04:00

The past few weekends I have shared my apartment with some of my favorite people. My mom and sister from NJ, Elizabeth from Portland, ME, Matt and his parents from MA., Tricia, Kristen and Ashley from Salem, MA, Boston, MA and Ipswich, MA and Matt's brother Ryan, and his girlfriend Tessa from Boston. Wow!

All were welcomed with open arms because I like to give big hugs.

Meals were savored ...

...whales were watched...

...glasses were raised and toasts were made.

Surrounded by seashells...

...adorable pups...

...and friends...

...sometimes I wish these indulgent weekends of visitors would never end.

PS. A lot of these pictures (sunflower, whale watch tour, little pup) were taken by my mom, beautiful right!?

Wine Wednesday

2010-07-21T21:09:00.016-04:00

I worked past 5 this evening and had all intentions of hitting the gym after a few errands around town but I made the mistake of going home first. So, this happened...

which quickly turned into this... No regrets. The gym will be there tomorrow. Relaxing on the porch with a good book and a glass of red wine, feeling the warm summer breeze does not occur often. Nor can it living with a sunless screened in porch in NH.

Soon after this supreme contentment was achieved a particular pair of aces mastered the grill.

Cheers Chef de Cuisine Colby and Amanda!

A plethora of grilled veggies (yellow squash, zucchini, onions), grilled chicken, rice pilaf, a soft melt-in-your-mouth loaf of bread tickled our fancies. The salad of cucumber, tomato, red onion and craisins floated our boats.

If tonight was not the epitome of the perfect summer evening, I honestly need some guidance.

Time out. Was that thunder I just heard? Yes. Lightning? Yes. And the text from Matt's mom just came through (she lives for weather.com activity) "some bad storms are heading your way." Ok, now we have the quintessential summer night.

Portsmouth, NH watch out, the Doppler is showing an intense storm abrewing.
Red zone, 10:30pm! Who's excited?

Hey Mombo!

2010-07-16T17:35:00.027-04:00

Celebrating 27 years of life is hard work. Good thing I gave the responsibility to Mombo, Portsmouth's, newest gem.

My reasons for choosing Mombo as the location for my birthday dinner were threefold:

1. pristine location: right across from Prescott Park and Strawberry Banke where The Dunaway once resided
2. ambiance: spacious, classic old New England feel, exposed beams, back and front patio
3. mysteriousness : new to town, no marketing, no online menu (gasp!)

In fact besides location, a few mouth watering pictures of the cuisine and the building's facade, and the ability to make reservations and facebook and twitter connections, Mombo's website is empty. Since I am a social media junkie, the facebook/twitter accounts sans online menu really spoke volumes. Can a restaurant do this!? Are they that good?

Yes.

Mombo's message: "Creative, internationally inspired cuisine served in the heart of Portsmouth" was spot on.

We were greeted immediately and taken to a table on the recently unveiled back patio right in front of the amazingly romantic water fountain!

So naturally prom poses happened:

In the minutes it took me to use the ladies room (which could have its own blog of glamour shots by the way) the waitress visited our table and left a wonderful surprise for my return, a delicious savory bread basket with oil and butter. An array of warm rolls and bread served immediately without a question or plea earns top marks and giddy claps.

Unfortunately, I was unable to remember or relocate the cocktail I imbibed that evening but there was gin, prosecco, grapefruit juice and lemon. The rest is up to your imagination. My dining companions ordered Old Brown Dog Smuttynose Beer and glasses of Red Wine.

On the menu, appetizers are separated into hot and cold plates and we ordered one of each. The Duck Spring Rolls-$9 and the Burrata Cheese -$10

Duck Spring Rolls: Generously filled with duck confit, pickled ginger, scallions, cilantro, and shaved carrot fried in a crispy pastry served with a ginger and soy dipping sauce.

Burrata Cheese: Fresh mozzarella filled with ricotta and served with caramelized mushrooms, watercress charred onion and corn sauce.

The duck spring rolls won the award for most successful appetizer. The delicate pastry supported its fillings with surprising ease and the pickled ginger, carrots, scallions and cilantro perfectly harmonized with the duck. The soy/ginger sauce was the grand finale; bringing all the ingredients together. It wasn't that the burrata cheese was unsatisfactory; it was actually very elegant and refreshing. The different textures of the two cheeses blended rather naturally together and with their mushroom counterparts, but dare I say it, the appetizer was over priced.

Because the menu was not available online, the hours leading up to dinner were not filled with perusing the options on the world wide web or looking up unrecognizable words included in the description. For once in my life, it didn't matter. One look at the Kobe Cap Steak and I was sold. Dusted with porcini mushroom and served with an herb compound butter, batonnetot crispy fried potato and rosemary roasted carrots.

I paired my Kobe Cap with a red wine that was not Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Cabernet. It is however lost in my memory. While the name escapes me, the relationship formed between Kobe Cap and this Red Vino will always make my heart skip a few beats.

The Kobe Cap Steak fulfilled the hopes and dreams of three out of the four at the table. The Crispy Chicken fulfilled Amanda's. Half of a free range chicken with hand rolled cous cous, heirloom tomatoes, grilled vegetables, and a parsley and garlic gremolata.

The executive chef and owner Matt King came over to our table to welcome us to Mombo and talk about our experience thus far. I spoke highly then and will highlight again now, the service at Mombo. Our waitress, Rose, was very knowledgeable, attentive, charismatic, and genuinely cheerful about her involvement with Mombo. Overall the buzzing atmosphere at Mombo was warm and familiar yet unique, special and full of class. Mombo is well on its way to becoming a Portsmouth best.

Dessert was enjoyed at home because when your boyfriend buys you a Friendly's Reese's Peanut Butter Cup ice cream cake, you do not want anything else. Nor should you.

The many faces of Reese's Ice Cream bliss:

Thank you Reese's, Mombo, Matt and friends for making July 14th so memorable!

Fun in the sun burgers

2010-07-15T17:35:00.024-04:00

With temperatures approaching 100 degrees last Friday, the cool breeze and chilly but not frigid water offered relief from the heat. We frolicked, we walked, we swam, we read, we baked (yeah, oops! when the breeze coming off the water masks the suns rays you don't feel the need to reapply) and we worked up quite the appetite.

This past Christmas my mom gave me a cookbook from the highly acclaimed Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, NY where Lindsay goes to college. The Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites Cookbook has won the James Beard/Kitchen Aid Cookbook Award and my copy is even signed by the author, Lisa Williams! Super cool mom! I have dabbled with a few soup recipes since December 25th, and thoroughly enjoyed the distinctive quality, bold tastes and health benefits of each creation, but mom is the experienced Moosewood diner and recreator. So, she took the reigns on dinner. Together we chose the Chili Burgers but before you envision thick chili and juicy meat, open your mind to beans, oats, tex-mex seasoning, protein, flavor and texture.

Moosewood Chili Burgers:

What you will need:

1 cup chopped onions (we used 1/2 a red onion)
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup peeled and grated carrots
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
3 cups cooked kidney or pinto beans
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tbsp ketchup or 1 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
salt and pepper to taste

First saute the onions and garlic in the oil for about 5 minutes or until the onions begin to soften. Add the carrots, chili powder, and cumin and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. While sauteing, smile and pose for the camera like the beautiful lil' lady pictured. Set aside your mixture when all the flavors have combined and your mouth starts to hurt from smiling.

Mash the beans in a large bowl with a potato masher or get into it with your hands. It might feel gooey but its the best way to mash and mix. Add the mustard, soy sauce, ketchup or tomato paste, and the sauteed vegetables. Mix in the oats. Continue to use what your momma gave you, your hands. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Wash and dry your hands and then moisten them up again and form the burger mixture into patties. Our mixture yielded about 8 patties. (You could make them smaller or larger depending on your personal preference of course!) Lightly spray or oil a nonstick skillet and cook the burgers on medium heat for 5-8 minutes on each side or until a nice shade of brown covers these beauties.

We enjoyed our chili burgers on toasted Ezekiel muffins. Toppings at the table included fresh salsa, sliced avocado, and spinach. Lindsay composed a wonderful salad to elevate the meal, decorating Olivia's Organic spinach with sliced red onion, Ocean Spray craisins, walnuts and feta cheese and dressed the salad with a Light Balsamic Vinaigrette.

After a day in the sun, the chili burger vividly engaged the senses and proved you can make smart healthy choices and enjoy the results. Moosewood's attention to nutrition and delicious food emanates from every page with every recipe and the chili burgers on page 173 did not waver from the Moosewood mission nor sacrifice an ounce of flavor to provide a healthy enjoyable meal.

I love the gifts that keep giving, aka cook books. Thanks again mom!

Sugar Doll blogger award

2010-07-14T15:49:00.027-04:00

The other day Allison at Living One Day hit me with the Sugar Doll Blogger Award! We'll say it's the girly gift of gab: share 1o random fun facts about yourself and pass it along to a blogger you admire and enjoy reading! Allison's facts left me in stitches, feeling inspired and remarking out loud "ooo me too!" And let's face it, what's not to love about random facts? Here it goes!

1. My nose is crooked. Nothing you can see when you look straight at me. But a simple glance up to the sky reveals a crooked nose.

2. I need to eat breakfast food for breakfast, lunch food for lunch and dinner food for dinner. This has been broken a few times; eggs for dinner, brunch meals but I'm pretty strict about this one. In college, waking up after "normal" breakfast hour meant nothing to me. Going out to breakfast means getting eggs, bacon, pancakes, waffles....not lunch. As my friends were getting into hamburgers or chicken nuggets to cure their hangovers, I prayed restaurants and the dining hall were still serving breakfast. Even after 12. Worst case scenario I would need to snack on a granola bar (breakfast) and then I could have my chicken sandwich with fries (lunch). If I forgo breakfast in the am to run, you better believe I am still getting into oatmeal or eggs when all is done, not a ham and cheese sandwich. Ham and cheese = lunch. Unless of course there's a fried egg in between those two pieces of bread.

3. I have a super human ability to control my intake of sweets. Valentine's Day Reese's were legit just finished off. Easter candy is still in my possession. I bake and need to share, otherwise it will go to waste. Ice cream in the freezer is over a month old and still half full. Don't ask, I am confused too. Don't get me wrong, I love my sweets, I just like to save them for a time when I can really savor every bite. I am not complaining, but let's be real, it's weird. My mom tells me I have been this way for years. As a little girl, I used to try and save my ice pops, putting them back in my lunch box for later. You can imagine my devastation when I would find a sticky, messy lunch box hours later where my ice pop used to be.

4. First time travelling via airplane occurred as a senior in high school. I went on a trip with my friend Erin and her family to Cancun! Since 2002, I have flown to Cali once, Chicago 3 times and St. Thomas once last May. I guess I'm not a flyer! Shhh, I might not so secretly fear flying.

5. Ironically, jumping out of an airplane is on my bucket list. My legs get wobbly at the thought of heights, I stress about traveling and flying, and have flown a total of 6 times in 27 years and yet, I want to jump out of an airplane with a parachute on my back, screaming bloody murder, giggling, crying, potentially peeing my pants and feeling the absolute rush of adrenaline one can only get from falling. Riddle me that.

6. I am 5'11". I used to be super duper self-conscious about my height. I mean, being 5'10 and weighing in around 100 lbs in 8th grade was no picnic. Who wants to be taller than every boy and stick out like a sore thumb at a time when being normal is so pressing? So, it is no wonder I developed a complex about all those extra inches. It has taken time and tears, but lacking confidence is now just a part of my past. I have grown (literally, I keep growing) to take pride in my long legs, statuesque body and quirky awkward movements. "I am 5'11" There is little I find more pathetic than a man who is intimidated by my height. (and little I find sexier than a man who embraces it)"

7. When I was younger I wanted to be Yolanda Vega, New York Lottery Announcer. Miss Vega would come on right before prime time television and announce the tri-state area's winning lottery numbers. I would have my mom mute the tv and proudly announce the winning numbers myself (replicating in Yolanda's voice). "The first ball up is 4 and the next is 9 and the next is 1 and the last is 2 making tonight's win four number 4,9,1,2. Thank you and IIIIII'm Yo-laaaaanda Veeeeegaaa!"
8. If possible, I scope out a restaurant's menu before going...days before. It takes me an obnoxiously long time to decide what to order for my meal and any "research" I can do before hand greatly enhances my excitement, improves the quality of the experience for my fellow diners and gives me that much more time to prepare. Specials get me sometimes...those intriguing specials that jump in and foil the planned entree. Really it just boils down to the fact that I love food, love to eat and want the whole experience of dining out to shine. Or maybe I just like feeling in control? ha.

9. Hand and palm scratches sedate me everytime.

10. I heart goodie bags. I am not stuck in the 90's either, think about it. What is a goodie bag? A compilation of really random awesome stuff. Secrets, surprises and silliness burrowed at the bottom of a bag just waiting to be discovered! The joy that comes from peeking inside and pulling surprise after surprise out from the depths of goodness tops my excitement level chart. Swag bags from races, gift bags from parties, Christmas day stockings! Need I say more?

Tag You are It:

Daisy @Indulge Inspire and Imbibe
Beth @Beth's Journey to Thin

Lizzy @Food to Run For
Bianca @Confessions of a Chocoholic

The Oar House

2010-07-13T22:32:00.039-04:00

Thursday, July 8th marked the beginning of yet another heat wave on the east coast and the start of a fabulous girls weekend with my mom and sister. After hours of unnecessary traffic starting in NJ and ending with rush hour in NH, I figured the ladies would want to stretch their stiff legs, entertain their hungry stomachs and focus their eyes on the beautiful Piscataqua river, so we went for a lovely stroll to 55 Ceres Street.

The Oar House deck, is located opposite the Oar House restaurant on Portsmouth Harbor and offers a picturesque landscape much preferred over bumpers, highway mile markers and cubicle walls. Before Thursday, this magnificent waterfront location was one I had yet to stick my fork into (yes, pun intended). From the deck, the tranquilizing Portsmouth Harbor can be seen from every direction. Surrounded by my family in the heart of Portsmouth, I was in heaven.

Me & the cuz, Eliz ....................................................................Lindsay and Mom

Prime dinner time (7pm) didn't hinder our ability to be seated promptly. While we gabbed and giggled, I sipped on the Oar House sangria, mom threw back a corona and Elizabeth impressed me with her old man drinking skills yet again by ordering a sidecar: cognac, cointreau, lemon juice. The sangria was not sangria, it was a devastating red wine spritzer with a lonely orange slice. The sidecar was deemed not a true sidecar, super sweet and made for the tastebuds of an older woman not man. Beverage fail.

I will confess, I take an extraordinary long time to decide what to order when dining out. I'm sorry but it matters. With an abundance of good looking entrees, the Oar House's menu offered no help; freezing not just mine, but all of our inner foodies. Questions and personal preferences echoed at the table: Do I want to create a meal with appetizers: the fresh Maine crab cakes with clam chowder? Do I want the Sweet Coconut Encrusted Mahi Mahi or do I want a different taste of the sea with each bite from the the Oar House Sampler? Do I want meat, seafood or pasta? Like I said, it matters.

I do believe it was around this time that we placed our salad orders and our waitress, prompted by a question from our table, told us the fresh bread we saw on the surrounding tables was taking a while because it was coming from the oven. OH, well when you put it that way, sure I'll wait. For the record when you do not serve bread right away and all of your other tables are enjoying rolls, you should offer a reason. Just sayin'. People like bread.

Eliz and I split the beet salad to start. The golden beets were a pleasant surprise, as was the generous portion. Earthy but sweet, if you like beets you would enjoy this salad. The super fresh arugula and massive non-oily artichokes completed the dish.

Beets, artichokes, chick peas, red onion and parmesan peppercorn dressing served over arugula. 9~

Enter bread basket. Not fresh. Not warm. Not from the oven. Not taking a picture. Don't lie to your tables, if you forget to bring the rolls, just tell. We are all big kids and can handle the truth. Also, when you completely space on a glass of wine ordered, please don't be snooty. I was a waitress for years and have forgotten many items, bread baskets, wines..you name it, but when I was kindly reminded by my diners of this forgetfulness I did not offer hard glances in return. Kind smiles only. Kind smiles get you tips. Hard glances get you this blog review. 20 minutes after I ordered it, a glass of 2007 Sauvignon Blanc - Ceres Street Wine - Mendocino County, CA finally graced my presence.

For my entree I ordered the Oar House Delight with the lobster sauce on the side. I love lobster sauce, but I don't love anything smothering my food so it cannot breathe and I cannot taste any flavor beyond the sauce. This entree was such a great decision. See where a little extra thought will get you? Each bite was different and true to it's name, delightful. The shrimp was large and tender. The broiled scallops were rich but decadent and a wonderful contrast to the light and flaky haddock. The seasoned crumbs were perfectly buttered and gave each bite another layer of flavor. The pieces that received a dip into the creamy lobster sauce were very pleasing. All entrees were served with asparagus and roasted red potatoes. Can you spot the lone french fry that jumped ship onto my plate? What a daredevil.

Shrimp, scallops, and haddock lightly broiled, finished with lobster sauce and seasoned crumbs. 26~

My mom's Broiled Haddock: Haddock fillet, topped with seasoned crumbs, broiled in white wine and lemon. 21~

The dessert tray teased our tummies for a brief moment but our wiser selves remembered walking off dinner is always a good way to get ready for dessert. If you are a dessert person, I strongly encourage you to go for the gem resembling chocolate lava cake. Seemed like the Oar House knew exactly what they were doing when playing with lava and chocolate in the kitchen.

By dining outside we were clearly able to enjoy the fresh air, sea breeze and views but the real maritime heritage that the Oar House Restaurant so proudly wishes to exude was lost in translation. If just a few ounces of nautical mementos or prominent seaport history overlapped onto the deck, I'd believe these two establishments were connected. But the common denominator was the name and price of fare. Our effort to walk off dinner failed as soon as we spotted Annabelle's ice cream a mere 15 feet away. Also spotted, the menu outside Black Trumpet Bistro (X marks the spot of the most memorable meal of my life in Portsmouth). Interestingly enough, Black Trumpet's prices compared to The Oar House deck. You mean to tell me that the plastic chairs and lackluster sangria are equal to the Black Trumpet Martini and exposed brick walls? You must be joking.

Black Trumpet on a beautiful summer day. Photo taken by my mom

The view and our delicious entrees stand out as I think back to last Thursday's meal and I would definitely recommend the Oar House deck to anyone looking for a nice meal by the water. That being said, in order to feel comfortable with my recommendation I would encourage the main Oar House dining location over the deck and make a strong note of the cons: service, price, bread lies, and libations.

Next up, Friday's beach excursions and home cooked Moosewood Chili Burgers!

Ain't that America

2010-07-08T14:25:00.038-04:00

The fourth of July, a day for celebrating America's independence with the beach, bbq's, friends, family, fireworks, Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp has always been a favorite holiday of mine. This year lacked only John Mellencamp's "4th of July song" aka Pink Houses.

Ain't that America somethin to see baby, ain't that America home of the free, little pink houses for you and me (Until right now I didn't know the lyrics and title for that matter included anything about pink houses).

Rewind and review the long weekend of celebrating independence in pictures:

North End to see Laura, Erin, Tricia, and Kristen

Lake Chauncy beach and the backyard pool

lawn game olympics ft. bocci, ladder ball, corn hole, washer toss and polish horseshoes (which shhh we never got to and you will know why in a few)

the nalgene in the middle holds a mix of all the (fuel) liquors pictured

more fuel

antics

who won the first game again?

stair jumps with graceful landings

the bombs (two alex made fireworks) bursting in air

God. Bless. America

Visitors!

2010-07-08T14:08:00.008-04:00

Look who is en route from New Jersey for a long weekend of girl time!

My mom and sister Lindsay!! I'm giddddddddddy with excitement. PS. How do I not have a picture of the two of you together from the past year!? Guess we need to remedy that this weekend

On the agenda:

-The Oar House deck in Portsmouth

-Rye beach!

-Portsmouth farmer's market

-Granite State Whale Watch

-The Carriage House in Rye

-Shopping here, shopping there, shopping everywhere!

-more beach time

-TBA!

PPS: 6 more days until Bastille Day (aka my 27th birthday gaaah)

Today was a good day

2010-07-01T21:44:00.039-04:00

"shake em up, shake em up, shake em up, shake em!" yep, Ice Cube.

After work I surprised myself with a good 4 mile run. Maybe the secret to running is hitting the pavement when the desire hits. But then again some of our best work outs and runs come when we least want to be running. Anyways, this week I have thoroughly enjoyed other forms of exercise: yoga, body pump, walking...but today my body was yearning to stretch the legs and I loved every step of the four mile run. Absence makes the heart grow fonder in every other aspect of life, why not running?

Upon returning to my door step out of breath and parched something out of the ordinary caught my eye. Two brown boxes. Mail? Birthday packages? Nooo, I am seeing my momma next week. OH! Could it be? Lia Sophia jewels?! (All of our guests jewelry, plus mine and Amanda's, was delivered in less than a week!) I immediately texted Amanda who was out on a kayaking adventure,"jewels jewels jewels!" Before I even had a chance to guzzle h20: "omgaad I'm coming home. kayaking done."

15 minutes later it was play time! Excited doesn't even begin to explain our emotions.

You look like a pirate, arrrgghhh!

What to wear tomorrow!?

Then came the creation of the perfect summer cookie! Chocolate, graham cracker, marshmallow, oh my! S'mores cookies found on Baked Perfection and adapted to suit my personal preferences.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups miniature chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
*1 tablespoon flour*

Steps to cookie glory:

-Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

-In a medium bowl combine the 1 and 1/2 cup flour, graham cracker crumbs (about 5 smashed graham crackers), baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a second larger bowl beat together the butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract until creamy.

-Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips.

-Take a minute to asses the dough. Is it super sticky? Wet? This is where you can add the *one tablespoon* flour if your dough is too sticky. If you do add the tbsp make sure to mix it in well! Then, drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes (set your timer!) and remove from the oven. Push 3 to 4 marshmallows into each cookie.

-Return to the oven and bake an additional 3-4 minutes until fully cooked. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.

*Notice how the cookies on the left are flat and the ones on the right are plumper? If your first batch comes out too thin you can still add a tablespoon of flour before putting the second batch in the oven*

Sweet land of liberty these are a treat. I will eat you (sorry started talking to the cookie for a moment) when celebrating my independence this weekend.

All I need now is a fire pit and a glass of milk.

Question: while baking does anyone still lick the finished bowl of batter or spoons? Or has salmonella scared us away from this childhood favorite?

The good, the bad and the ugly

2010-07-01T15:13:00.029-04:00

The good: Weathervane Seafood Restaurant located in Kittery, ME

With deck dining over looking the Pisquataqua River and downtown Portsmouth, anchor tablecloth, seamonsters aka lobstah tank, friendly waitstaff and 3$ Sam Summer's on tap, the Weathervane is a solid win.

The bad and the ugly: Palermo's Primo Thin Fajita Pizza

"A crispy ultra thin crust topped with mozzarella and montery jack cheese, grilled white meat chicken tossed in a blend of southwest spices, fire roasted green bell peppers and red onions and garnished with a cool sauce"

Matt left this "tradition of perfection" in my fridge on Sunday and after two sam summers Wednesday evening I was ready for perfection. At first read this doesn't sound all that bad. But then things got ugly. (U-G-L-Y you ain't got not alibi you ugly, yeah yeah you ugly). An opened package revealed cubed chicken. Ruh-roh. Cubed meat of any kind is not okay.

I blame myself. I should have realized then that a pizza with cubed chicken would fail. But hunger was calling. I wasn't expecting "perfect" as the box so highly claims, but I was envisioning biting into this pizza and not having to pull out a hard, gross chicken bone. Yes, you read that correctly.

asdlfjaklsdfjklsadf. I regret that it took me a piece and a half to find this hideous hidden pirate treasure.

I still don't feel right.

No recipe required

2010-06-30T16:10:00.019-04:00

I realized the other night that my latest eats have not followed a recipe. This could mean a few things: a) I am getting creative in the kitchen b) I am getting lazy c) It is too hot to cook d) I need to stop spending my hard earned bills at the gstore because apparently I have what I need!

Maybe all of the above?

sauteed mushroom and asparagus roll up with fresh mozzarella, pine nuts, spinach and tomatoes drizzled with balsamic reduction

sun dried tomato chicken sausage sauteed with mushrooms, tomatoes and asparagus and Trader Joes' harvest grains over a bed of spinach lightly sprinkled with roasted flax seeds

flatbread pizzas:: sun dried tomato chicken sausage with roasted red pepper, red onion and fresh mozzarella flatbread:: asparagus, mushroom and goat cheese flatbread

(these were for the Lia Sophia party Amanda and I hosted last Wed.-post to come soon!)

chicken mozzarella pesto burgers topped with brushetta served with sweet potato wedges

sorry for the bad shadow!!

whole wheat pasta with leftovers! aka: roasted red peppers, red onion, 1/2 sun dried tomato chicken sausage, asparagus, and spinach topped with pine nuts and tossed with parmesan

What we learned: I like the combination of asparagus, mushrooms and sun-dried tomato chicken sausage; three ingredients can take you places; window photos produce great lighting; it does not take a lot of asparagus to produce a smell (if you know what I mean)!

What have you created lately without a recipe!?

Isn't it ironic

2010-06-29T19:24:00.026-04:00

"...don't ya think...a little toooo ironic, yah I really do think."

Alanis Morissette's 1996 hit lyrics ran true this past Sunday. I finished praising Dos Amigos burritos only to be let down mere hours later! Two pulled pork burritos were ordered sans sour cream, mild salsa, on wheat tortillas. Two pulled pork burritos with sour cream were unwrapped. I find sour cream to be a very odd condiment and unnecessary in my burritos especially when used in excess. In the moment there was anger and frustration. Let's face it, I'm a diva when I am hungry. It was after 8, tummy's were rumbling hungry, I wanted my pulled pork and I wanted it done right! But after some thought, this is a first time fail for Dos, we are all guilty of making mistakes at work, and Dos did correct the issue. Dos Amigos, consider your 'get out of jail free' card served.

The sour creamless burrito was a wee bit watery and the pulled pork had little bbq flavor, but whatever, we're letting this whole burrito experience go. June 27th was just an off night for Dos Amigos.

Onward!

I'm sore. Sore to the point that I am hoping and praying I will be able to blow dry my hair tomorrow. Monday's yoga class combined with tonight's body pump class has me massaging my shoulders and biceps as we speak, well, as I take mini pauses from typing. The humidity will be gone in New England tomorrow for the first time in for-ev-er and I want to dry my hair. There is that diva again. I must be hungry.

Yep I am.

Insert dinner minus that dollop but plus avocado. Avocado > sour cream. (same dinner, different day, new toppings)

With fourth of July just around the corner, there is no doubting the fact that it.is.summer. So today, I popped in the soundtrack to summer 09: The Gaslight Anthem's album The '59 Sound. I saw The Gaslight Anthem twice last summer. Once at the FNX music festival in Boston and then again at Lollapalooza last August. I got into them because of Lolla but after listening to these guys while playing lawn games all summer long and seeing them perform in person I fell in love with this rock band from Jersey!

These guys made it rain at Lolla! (cheeeeese)

In it's entirety, The '59 Sound, is a remarkable album. With a NJ childhood on my resume, I can hear the Jersey shore sound and Bruce Springsteen influence. If I close my eyes, I swear I am BBQ'ing down the shore and my dad has Bruce coming from the windows. These boys do not pose, they celebrate the NJ legend.

Honestly, I don't even think I can pick a favorite track off of The '59 Sound. That's not something I say on the reg. There are very few albums that I can listen to from beginning to end.

Great Expectations, The '59 Sound, The Patient Ferris Wheel, Casanova Baby...

I guess if I have to pick...Casanova Baby

Their newest album, American Slang was released on June 15th. Besides the title song, American Slang, I haven't listened to it much. I am still hooked on The '59 Sound.

Ironic, since this blog is about living in the present and not last summer. Ha! Oh well, does music really count?

Why say no when it feels so good to say yes?

2010-06-27T14:26:00.022-04:00

Body pump, bng iced coconut, beach, burritos. In that order.

If you aren't familiar with body pump, let me paint a picture. Improves strength, bone density, and general fitness and burns 600 calories in 1 hour. No brainer. Each class is 60 minutes of cardio strength training designed to work the entire body. Large and small muscle groups are challenged by using a barbell and your choice of a different weight selection. The workout is fast paced but led by energetic and encouraging instructors and great music (a different song for e. muscle group). Every three months the fantastical fitness minds behind body pump release a class with new tunes and choreography to surprise the muscles and forgo boredom. The gym I belong to launches the new classes on Saturday. I have never attended a launch "party" but have heard good things. I have often speculated that the instructors drink red bull prior to the 5:30 Tuesday/Thursday classes and if that is true, before Saturday's launch they drank 2 or 3. They woke me up; 74 is a doosy. Lunges and I don't get along and 74 didn't and won't improve our relationship. Longest, most grueling lunge track of body pump history. Not a fact, but it has to be. Ouch. I LOVED the back track and the squat track. I could clean and press my way through anything. Don't test me on that though. The bicep track to Black Eyed Peas Boom Boom Pow was awkward. Everything about it. Maybe because it was just the first time? Time will tell until then I'll be popping advil and hoping I don't hear Boom Boom Pow until Tuesday.

After a refueling breakfast of creamy oats (1/2 c oats, 3/4 c milk, 1/2 smushed banana for substance, chia seeds, lil scoop of pb, blueberries and strawberries) Amanda and I grabbed our breaking new grounds iced coconuts and headed to the beautiful beaches of Rye, NH.

Hawaiian tropic 10 did not fail me and neither did the forecast. Saturday was a very pleasant day at the beach.

Our roomie day continued with a date at Loco Coco's in Kittery, ME. Saturday marked my first visit to Loco Coco's because I am avid burrito buyer at Dos Amigos. I almost feel as though I cheated on Dos but comparing the two isn't exactly apples to apples so I must get past the guilt complex. And why say no when it feels so good to say yes? And I might get Dos tonight.

Moving on.

Loco's is separated into different parts. The recent expanded dining area and bar both equipped with waitstaff and the main dining area where you order at the register, find a table, and wait for your name to be called. Last but not least you can always take your fresh order to go. Last night Amanda and I sat in the bar.

Sipped on a jalapeno margaritas which were a little TOO spicy for my liking.

...and devoured monster burritos with chips and guacamole.

With so many different burritos to choose from I had a tough time deciding. My go-to at Dos Amigos is usually the sweet potato, pulled pork or chicken burrito....I guess I don't really have a go-to, huh? All of Dos's burritos are generously filled with rice, black beans, lettuce and cheese, with the choice of salsa, white or wheat tortilla, and sour cream or yogurt. There are only a handful of burritos on Loco's menu with these same ingredients. In fact the burritos at Loco's are quite creative: the Chicken Fajita burrito with sauteed green and red peppers, onions, chicken, sour cream, the California Burrito with steak, french fries, jack and cheddar cheese, lettuce, guac and sour cream, the shrimp burrito with cabbage, zesty sauce, avocado sauce, salsa, and sour cream... so like I stated earlier, comparing Dos and Loco's is like comparing apples to oranges.

Sorry to keep the valuable information, I enjoyed the shrimp burrito: grilled, light on the sauces with no sour cream please. DELISH. The shrimp was refreshing, the salsa was authentic and fresh, the avocado sauce creamy and cool, the zesty sauce, ZESTY! I hate when I order a shrimp dish and the shrimp comes sans taste. Loco's knows authentic Mexican food and delivers a variety of complex flavors all rolled up in freshly made flour tortillas.

An exciting perk to Loco's; it has a salsa bar with freshly made salsas ranging from fiery hot to smokey chipotle to a cool, refreshing avocado. I ordered a side of traditional guac and got into the avocado sauce. No messing around.

Dinner definitely tantalized the tastebuds but there is one minor complaint. Check out the pepper top Amanda pulled out of her Chicken Fajita burrito. Nasty.

Even though it isn't right to compare Dos and Loco's I will. I prefer apples to oranges and will always be a Dos Amigos girl at heart. If you are in the area, don't take my word for it though, try both!

And I'm done. It's snack time.

Moose on the beach wearing 10 spf

2010-06-25T20:00:00.013-04:00

Sorry for not checking in for a few days. Work has dominated my mind, sucked up all my energy and prevented me from blogging. Facing the lap top after a long day of working on a comp., not happening.

Bob Marley helped. So did body pump, two mid-week visits from Matt and Wednesday's Lia Sophia party (more on that tomorrow).

"Don't worry about a thing, cause every little thing gonna be alright"

Alas, it is Friday. My hopes and dreams for this weekend include the beach, the shore and the ocean (what do you call it?). To fulfill my sun tanning aspirations I did what any melanoma aware individual would do, I went to replace the screen. Soooooo right now CVS and RiteAid are selling everything below 6 spf and everything above 30. What about 8? 15? Nope. 100? Who wears 100? Does 100 even work? I'm not walking away from this weekend pale OR burnt. After some serious scoping, I found a 10. Ten? Since when does sunscreen come in spf 10? I didn't ask. I should have, clearly I am full of questions. I just bought. It smells like coconuts.

I wonder if I will see a moose? Don't laugh, look!

Shutter Island, if you haven't seen the movie yet, DON'T! If you haven't read the book, DO! I strongly recommend. Psychologically thrilling, mysterious and captivating. Shutter Island, by Dennis Lehane, submerges the reader in a constant state of suspense and eerie surrealism. From beginning to end, I was confused but intrigued. I knew the author was building towards something explosive and amazing I just had to work through the mystery and vague details. The end, oh the end, the last 100 pages are the epitome of mind blowing suspense. Lehane delivers a compelling page turner throughout, but the climax is what turned this ride wild. Color me impressed with Shutter Island.

Next up: The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I look forward to diving into this story basking in my 10 sunscreen on the beach tomorrow.

Pardon my enthusiasm but I got mail today! Like real, delivered by the post man, in the mail box, mail. Is there anything better?

I won a few giveaways the other week. hehe. Kristin's Subway gift card and Meghan's Olivia's Organics coupons! Winnah winnah subway spinach dinnah.

Happy weekend!

Spine tingles

2010-06-22T19:49:00.011-04:00

Jeff Buckley's version of Hallelujah (originally performed by Leonard Cohan) first hit my ears while watching The OC. Does anyone else remember the scene? The final riveting moments of season one? Seth is sailing into the horizon, Seth's mom is crying, Ryan drives off and that is all I remember. It was 6 years ago.

Hallelujah was recently showcased on So You Think You Can Dance by Alex Wong and Allison Holker. Their dance left the judges speechless and me in awe looking for the remote so I could watch it a second time before hearing any other opinions.

Jason Castro performed this version on American Idol Season 7 during Idol Gives Back week.

Oh, I feel it, yes, those are tears welling up in my eyes. That is all it takes. I'm sitting here eating my Trader Joe's harvest grains blend with al fresco sun dried tomato chicken sausage over a bed of spinach with sauteed sun dried tomatoes, asparagus and mushrooms and I am moved to tears. Is it the lyrics, message, soulful purity, voice, instrumentals? Whatever it is, it sends shivers down my spine.

Can you spot the tear drops? I cannot. I guess they blend nicely with this meal.

And so kids, without further adieu, if you haven't figured it out yet, Jeff Buckley's beautiful version of Hallelujah is Tuesday night's tune. Enjoy!

Sunsets, birthdays, eggplant pizza and ice cream terrorists

2010-06-21T18:57:00.031-04:00

Top three things I learned this weekend:

#1:
Marina Bay in Boston is a great place to take in a sunset...

...relax on or learn how to drive a boat...

...and celebrate a 21st birthday...Happy birthday Michelle!!

#2:
Tavolino's in Westborough, MA consistently serves spectacular pizza and has a very friendly, helpful and attentive waitstaff. One might think I am biased, (Matt's sister Ashley works at Tav) but in my honest opinion, I have never encountered an employee to be less than stellar. On Saturday, the gregarious bartender Paul concocted a decadent ruby slipper for moi (Absolut Ruby Red Vodka, Cranberry, Grapefruit Juice and a Splash of Grenadine; Served Over Ice) and one hell of a white russian for Matt. Thanks to Matt's love for the dude's beverage, I can say with confidence, I know my white russians and Paul's was GOOD. Our bellies also enjoyed the complimentary and slightly sweet fig bread with crushed red pepper dipping oil, fried calamari (abundant, crispy but delicate) and for the main course, we put our trust in the Melanzana pizza.

Melanzana tomato sauce, roasted garlic, spinach, feta, mozzarella, and fried eggplant

Other melanzana experiences have yielded smaller eggplant pieces than what is pictured above and more crumbled, less melted feta cheese. However, I am here to tell you that any way this pizza is served, it is served on a silver platter of sensationalism!

Literally translated, Tavolino is Italian for “little table” and this was the founding concept behind our vision. In a world of chain restaurants customers are often rushed or neglected, food quality is lacking, and emphasis on preparation is non-existent. From our attentive service to precise meal preparation we at Tavolino are here to ensure that your “little table” has the finest dining experience possible. source

and we did, thanks to this divine beauty!

#3:

Not all ice cream men are created nice.

My opinion of the friendly neighborhood ice cream man, that joyful individual that drives the truck around town, rings the bell, warmly greats children and locals alike and hands over the desired frozen treat with a smile, has forever been tarnished. Moe's Ice Cream (I also believe he has a hot dog truck stationed in Worcester, MA) cursed wickedly at us Sunday (Father's Day mind you) as we were outside playing yard games and he drove by the house. It started off very playful... you see Matt's brother Alex heard from Michelle (21st bday celebrator above) that when you yell a certain word at Moe has he drives by, he gives you FREE ice cream! So as we hear Moe's truck (happy tunes filling our ears) approaching, we become giddy little children and try to brainstorm the secret word that will enable Moe to hand over the free frozen goodies!

It must be something silly like Larry, Moe, Curly or Three Stooges. Right? Right. So we yell accordingly. What we heard in return is shocking and awful and thankfully there were no kids in sight, but it isn't like Moe surveyed the scene before yelling, "Shut the F*** UP!"

Did that just happen??

Definitely NOT the free ice cream we were hoping for.

The finer things club

2010-06-17T20:03:00.031-04:00

Hello lovelies!

One more bedtime before it is Frideeee! Big weekend plans?

I kinda, sorta took a work out break this week. I say sorta because a 4 mile run on Tuesday did happen, and I might run tomorrow morning, but gosh, since the 10k, these legs have been tired and sore. I'm thinking the four miles on Tuesday killed it for the rest of the week. Oh well, I am putting the foam roller, yogadownload and my domestic skills to good use. Also, my finer things club membership was about to run out, so I had to remedy the situation! What you don't collectively call activities like reading, sipping vino, baking, cooking, making cd's, and yoga, etc., your finer things club? Welllll, these non-running and anti-strength and conditioning hobbies and domesticissities are some of the fiiiiner things in life.

Last night I made a veggielicious pizza and a classy frass cd featuring janelle monae, k'naan, katy perry (who doesn't want to be a california girl?) b.o.b, rogue wave, frightened rabbit, neon trees, the hood internet....ok. Check these out or stay tuned because they will be featured again on tuesday's tunes if they have not already appeared. And yes, I still make cds over listening to my ipod in the car. Call it old fashioned, but I like grouping 20 or so songs together rather than hundreds and naming the cd is the best part and my ipod stinks. ha.

Wednesday's pizza (and tonight's, love me some leftovers) was a jubilee of roasted broccoli, summer squash, red and orange peppers, fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, a thin layer of classico sauce and a loving sprinkle of basil. So good. I heart pizza! Thank you boboli for making it that much easier to make.

Tonight, I sat in my kitchen smelling sweet banana air. In other words, made Emeril's banana bread with dashes of extra tlc in the form of 3/4 cup oats, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, 1tsp cinnamon and 1/2 cup blueberries. Oh, and last minute the "bread" turned into muffins.

Oh boy, I was nervous to see how these would turn out! I definitely just added the tlc without scientifically (pff) thinking how it would all react in the oven. Would the oatmeal and chia seeds soak up every last bit of liquid, creating a dry, gross muffin? Is the batter too thick?? It sure didn't pour nicely into the cute pink baking cups.

My oh my, these are good! Hearty and yummy! Yay. Success!

One tip: If you make the bread to muffin switch as I did, you must reduce the baking time. Emeril's recipe calls for baking the bread for an hour and 10 minutes. My first batch was done at 45 and I checked and removed the second batch around 40!

Now, it is time to watch big baby and the Ceeeeeeeeeeeeee's conquer Game 7! Beat LA!

Two thumbs up

2010-06-15T11:27:00.003-04:00

Tuesday's tune featuring Chiddy Bang: opposite of adults

Love the bobble heads. love the beat. love the MGMT Kids inclusion (better than mgmt)

"Cuz the real world kinda like real world"

Other chiddy biddy's to get into: truth, all things go

your thoughts?

Market square day 10k musings

2010-06-14T18:50:00.012-04:00

And it's Monday.

How was your weekend??

First and foremost the Lollapalooza schedule is out! At first glance Saturday (day) seems like a bust so I am diving head first into the unknown, hopefully coming up for air with some sweet new music. TBA is playing at 2:45, now do we think this is a creative name for a band or they really have not filled this spot yet? Just kidding. Kind of.

Second, as I am writing this my landlord is working on the sewer pipe...I guess it broke over the weekend. ew. My bedroom, which is in the "basement" smells like sewer. I pray he fixes this soon. In the mean time any water usage is permitted.

Market Square Day 2010 10k reflection time.

It.was.awesome! Well as awesome as six point two miles can be. It is true what "they" say, the first three miles are the hardest. So in the case of a 5k, doom and gloom. Anything over, good times. In all seriousness, running through the familiar streets of Portsmouth, NH alongside 2,000 other people, with Queen, "We are the Champions," the Rocky theme and other inspirational songs blasting from neighborhoods was, well, inspiring. Motivating. Uplifting. Absolutely and positively energizing!

This past race marked the 33rd anniversary of running, eating, singing, playing, and downtown Portsmouth purchasing power in Market Square. Little background: taken from here.

Created to celebrate the renovation and beautification of Downtown Portsmouth - and, in particular, Market Square - the Festival has grown in size along with the growth and popularity of Portsmouth. It is estimated that between 60,000 - 80,000 people walk through Downtown Portsmouth on that one day enjoying the entertainment, products and food offered by artists, cratfters and merchants - many from the Seacoast area.

On average, 100+ vendor applications are approved/accepted for inclusion in the festival. Three performance stages feature local and regional musicians. The day 'kicks off' with the Market Square Day 10K Road Race. Most of Downtown Portsmouth is vehicle-free and pedestrian-friendly from 9am 'til 4pm on the second Saturday in June each year.

Since it was raining, I did not stick around to roam the streets, eat the grub or purchase handmade jewels, art and crafts after the race. But I have taken part in these miraculous festivities before. Before the race, The Meat House was grilling up steak, the vendors were setting up their unique jewels and the fresh lemonade was being squeezed. I was so close to taking off my race bib and slipping underneath The Meat House's grill to hide and bask in the smoky glory. But I didn't.

I guesssssss I am glad I didn't though. Because the hospitality during and immediately following the 10k was truly appreciated and very much needed. Probably better than what I would have received sneaking around the Meat House tent circa 9am. MSD volunteers set up water booths along the course and many residents set up hoses and water stations too! Thank you to all who volunteered and those that put aside their water and electric bill concerns for us to run through the sprinklers and sprint to Rocky for seconds of pure cool glory. Boxes and boxes of watermelon, oranges, bananas, powerade, water and samples of wheaties fuel were situated under a tent right at the finish line for all the hungry, dehydrated and sugar starved runners. I could not move my tired legs and sore bum fast enough to electrolyte haven.

All in all I can see why Market Square Day's 10k is the most popular road race of the Seacoast. The community's support, cheers, hospitality and enthusiasm carried so many through six miles. Congrats to all the runners and race walkers who finished the 2010 10k and thank you, thank you, again and again to all who helped out on Saturday! Your presence was appreciated!

Party in my mouth

2010-06-09T21:25:00.021-04:00

Ahhh Wednesday, hump day, two more alarm clocks, mid-week, however you reference the day, it's not Monday and it might just be my favorite day of the work week! Usually Wednesday's include wine and cooking, sweatpants and the couch. But not today. Instead, I rocked the burpees and kettlebells apres work. Gotta implement, uhhhmm practice, the new skills gained this past weekend. Instead of a breather day I boogied.

Then came the pampering...

Revlon Plum Seduction. Purple pink playful and sassy. Please don't stare too long, not a professional pedicurist.

Is reading while cheffing normal? Well it has to be when reading a page turner. I seriously cannot put down Dennis Lehane's spooky tale of Shutter Island. This novel lives in my purse, when it isn't in my hands of course. True statement: I have not left home without it since the library lent it to me. Dull moment at work, it's okay, book to the rescue! No, no, I am just joshing you...I would never...

Now, dinner. I get excited about the little things in life. Hence, this blog was born. So you can only imagine my enthusiasm when I walked in the front door, felt the avocado resting up for its performance and realized, it was ripe. Time to shine!

Not too long ago I introduced miss avocado, miss mango and mr. balsamic chicken. The three played nicely, complimenting one another, the ladies adorably flirting with mr. chicken. I was nervous for jealous emotions to surface or worse, the creation of a tyrant, but to my pure satisfaction these three balanced each other out. The wine to the cheese to the mac. Tonight, I decided to test the waters again, inviting miss strawberry to dinner. Oh.my.gosh. Party in my mouth! The sweetness of the strawberries and mangoes lit up the creamy avocado. The versatile balsamic chicken adjusted perfectly to its candy like toppings, not giving up an ounce of personality. This is a beautiful relationship, one I will cherish.

There were other invitees this evening. You cannot throw a party and forget to call your favorites! Classy roasted sweet potato, fresh roasted green beans and roasted's friend of a friend, roasted chickpeas. I will definitely hang with the roasted chickpeas again, but I will be honest, they were kind of wall flowers tonight. Maybe better suited for a one on one session. I bet they were intimidated by miss strawberry, miss mango and miss avocado. Aw poor roasted chickpeas.

Oh gosh, I have to interrupt this regular scheduled programing to bring you this: Nigel Lythgoe was just issued a speeding ticket traveling through Iowa trying to make up lost time to tell Kent Boyd whether he makes So You Think You Can Dance Season 7. Hilarity defined. PS. Kent Boyd BETTER make the top 10.

And that is what I am doing for the rest of the night...so you think you can dance, dance, dance...

What is your favorite summer tv show? I know it is slim pickings but there must be some guilty pleasure...

Fitness, fitness, fitness!

2010-06-08T18:38:00.020-04:00

This past weekend was epic. One of those pivotal moments where life comes to a screeching halt but the fast forward button is also on lock.

When: Friday, June 4- Sunday, June 6. Who: the top fitness experts in the business and many coaches, trainers, entrepreneurs, and physical therapists with a hunger for more. Where: Providence RI. What: Perform Better Why? Insert our weekend mantra: fitness! fitness! fitness! (When you wake up at 5am on the weekend you need a chant.)

As a media analyst, I do not fit the typical three day training summit attendee but everyone has to start somewhere. Right? Right. Plus I do not know a single person living a healthy lifestyle that wouldn't take something away from the Perform Better summit. What individual doesn't enjoy an inspirational talk? Show me a runner who isn't interested in increasing their speed! Who would turn down an opportunity to revamp their work out? Especially if the revamping was brought to you live by, say, Fraser Quelch, the creator of the TRX?!

Apologies in advance, no camera was present. I felt a little out of place in the beginning and when I warmed up the camera seemed disrespectful and unnecessary. Not many sweaty athletes want a photo taken of them during a cardio strength training with well-known, respected coach Dos. I personally think being active is beautiful, but I wasn't about to assume someone else felt the same way. Also, the presenters were there to present in a comfortable setting, not paparazzi-ville.

Ok, soooo that's all great but what did I do this weekend? Every hour I could either listen to a presenter (two lectures every hr) or engage in hands on training (two hands on sessions every hr). With so many topics and speakers, the decisions on who to see were tougher than overcooked steak.

Highlights from Friday included but were not limited to Brian Grasso and Fraser Quelch. 9:15am, when I would usually be settling into my cubicle at work, I was with Brian Grasso, founder and CEO of the International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA). Here we did spider man crawls, hops, skips, jumps, crab walks, bear crawls, push ups and played like a kid for an hour. This.was.fun. Young athletes should not train like adults and frankly, Brian taught me that I shouldn't either. Natural movement and playful exploration lead to stability, flexibility and strength and engages more muscles than a bicep curl. Fraser Quelch's lecture and hands on session, "Key Concepts in High Performance Body Weight Training" handicapped me the rest of the weekend. After an hour in the TRX and resistance training, I was beat street but rejuvenated. I will never view body weight the same.

Saturday was inspiration defined. Bill Parisi founder and CEO of Parisi Speed School and Todd Durkin of Todd Durkin Enterprises, Fitness Quest, Under Armour and trainer extraordinaire (think: Chargers, Drew Brees, the Marines) spoke on defining your mission and vision. Passion should be Bill and Todd's middle name. It actually might be. Attitude, positivity, action, desire, focus, success, flexibility, strength, happiness (to name a few) are all related. "You can always do more" -Todd Durkin. "Act the way you want to become, become the way you act." -Bill Parisi.

Oh and Saturday was coach Dos and explosive plyo push ups, burpees, squat jumps, medicine balls throws, kettlebell swings, and rope swings. No big deal. GAH!

We'll just say I was tired when Sunday came into focus but I woke up, ahem I got jacked up when I heard Dave Jack, a performance coach who has worked with top professional athletes, speak about the transformation from good to great. His presentation was geared towards coaching, but it was applicable to everyone, everyday, everywhere. I wrote down a single note during Dave's talk, because I was 110% percent entranced. Dave Jack presented one of, scratch that, the most memorable talk I have ever heard. Dave reflected on his early twenties, on the fire that burned inside telling him there was more to life, on those quintessential moments in your life that alter your path, on the importance of trust and developing your vision.

To sum it all up: "Be the who to do the what, and let the rest take care of itself, and when you do greatness will come, and, when it does, don't believe it, just keep doing what got you there in the first place."

Thank you to everyone at Perform Better. Thank you professional coaches, athletes, fitness gurus, personal trainers and motivational speakers.

Epic. Elite. Extraordinary.

I'm still sore.

Tuesday's tune

2010-06-08T16:15:00.002-04:00

Wavin' Flag - K'naan

get into it!

Mind games.

2010-06-02T21:16:00.016-04:00

Whew, just completed a three mile run. In new sneaks. In approx 28 minutes. I needed to do this tonight. Why? To know I could run 3 under 30. You see this little activity called running, yeah it's physical but it's also a mental sport. This past Sunday I ran in the Red Hook Memorial 5k. I was eager to run and even more ready to see a spectacular time at the finish line. My legs are strong, endurance is up and it's only three miles. AH! Famous last words. Those three miles were worse than all 13.1 of the Seacoast half marathon this past November.

The external factors impacting this hellish run cannot be denied. The hot temperature, humid pollinated air and oh, those fires in Canada produced some serious second hand smoke. Never thought that would be an excuse! Coffee in the am...just a few sips since the race wasn't until 11am, was a baddd choice. The baby sips were enough to dehydrate and turn my stomach around mile 2. Amateur.

Training for a half marathon for thirteen weeks instilled valuable lessons in strength and perseverance, however all was forgotten this past Sunday. I have always struggled with my undermining psyche. While others might fall victim to injury, I succumb to that little voice. Even though I know I'm stronger, I become vulnerable. Despite knowing that it will all be over soon (miles or minutes), I agree with the ego when it says my legs won't make it. I am so grateful for the ability to run, to physically put one foot in front of the other, however, the idea of walking never seems that bad at the time. I know how to concentrate on my breathing, focus on right now, and quiet the mind but what do you do when the voice inside your head is a full octave louder than usual? The short of it, the mind and body work together and my mind checked out. I'd like to state with confidence that it won't happen again, but I think it's best to declare the need for fresh and clean techniques to push through the miles.

Here are a few quotes and articles to motivate us to nike (just do it!):

Use as much stimuli as possible, recruiting all five senses. Pull in all the negatives and positives, the possible triumphs and defeats. Fully develop the picture (for the neuro-pathways). Finish with your final step. Then do it again. Mind and Body Work Together Runner's World

#62 of 101 Greatest Running Tips from Women's Health: Get over it "If you have a bad workout or run a bad race, allow yourself exactly 1 hour to stew about it--then move on." --Steve Scott, coach and U.S. record holder in the mile

"One thing about racing is that it hurts. You better accept that from the beginning or you're not going anywhere." -Bob Kennedy, US 5000m record holder and first non-African under 13 minutes.

"Success does not come to the most righteous and rigorously disciplined but to those who continue running." -Amby Burfoot

"Believe that you can go farther or faster. Believe that you're young enough, old enough, strong enough, and so on to accomplish everything you want to do. Don't let worn out beliefs stop you from moving beyond yourself." -John Bingham, "Tools and Rules," Runner's World

"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." -Winnie the Pooh

"Not meeting a race goal doesn't mean that the race is a failure," says Mark Wallis, a running coach and marathoner from Tucson. "If you can learn something from it, a bad race could be a stepping stone to a breakthrough performance. Also, when you work through a challenging experience, you develop mental strength and perseverance that will help you on your next tough run." How to let it go Runner's World

Head Start Runner's World

How to beat the excuses and run About.com

Remember to have fun!! I was way too caught up in Sunday's race and forgot why I was there in the first place. "Fitness has to be fun. If it isn't, there will be no fitness. Play is the process. Fitness is merely the product." -Dr. George Sheehan

And if all that isn't enough, I leave you with firefighter Matt Long's inspirational story:

Now, who's ready to hit the pavement??

Love that dirty water...

2010-06-01T19:59:00.034-04:00

Down by the banks of the river Charles river, aw that's what's happening baby...

The Charles river water, known as "that dirty water" by Bostonians, dropkick murphy and standalls fans alike, is home to charles river canoe and kayak

One hour. One boat. 19$. Sold to the couple looking for a sunburn.

Before our adventure began we were handed the mandatory paperwork and a multiple choice quiz. Good thing I brought my kayak condenseur of a bf, because we passed the test with flying colors. Safety is our middle name. Water sports, our game.

There was a fleeting moment during our paddle upstream that I thought I was Rachael and Matt, Ross. Ya know, the show Friends. Matt yelled for me to row "left, left, left" to steer us away from danger, errr the riverbank. I tried with all my might to avoid a crash (thankfully we did) and not laugh thinking of Ross's iconic commands to, "pivot, pivot, pivot!"

I digress...

We saw many (even a bachelorette party, vail and all) floating and sun-tanning, while others were in tune with their Ipods and speed (going fast, not the drug). Kayaking was everything I thought it would be and much more. Whether kayaking for a great upper body workout or a leisure activity, it is something to get into this summer.

Simulation kayaking....

Well that worked up quite an appetite. Enter Atlantic Beer Garden. 146 Seaport Blvd.

We were seated outside, not on the deck or near the water, but outside just the same. So, ever since I saw a mirage of iced tea and lemonade last week after a hot steamy run I have been not so secretly craving this cooling summer beverage and ever since Matt turned 27 he has been awaiting his second round of mussels. Lemonadeicetea and beer mussels were both on the menu. Score.

I ordered heaven on bread aka the chicken and pear panini with the herb mayo on the side, When Harry Met Sally style. Matt decided on the grilled veggie panini with eggplant, zucchini and summer squash grilled with fresh herbs topped with light marinara sauce and fresh mozzarella cheese (no picture though folks). I chose regular fries and Matt spiced up his Saturday with curly spicy fries.

Grilled chicken breast topped with slices of grilled pear, swiss cheese and herb mayo

The pear was warm and full of flavor, the bread perfectly seasoned and the chicken tender and savory. After a few hours in the sun, shoulders burning shoulders burning on the patio, it was time to head back to Portsmouth for more Memorial Day weekend shenenigans.

Glory days in a young girls heart.

Yoga Pose May

2010-05-28T12:37:00.012-04:00

Be here. Be NOW.

Take three deep conscious breaths. Feel your chest expand and shrink as you inhale and exhale. Close your eyes if you feel the need (I do), silence your mind, let it go…

Did you do it?

Inhaled twice? OK, that’s a start. Do you feel better?

Want to regain that sense of calm awareness again? Well you could take another three deep breaths or learn eagle pose.

In an effort to bring yoga back into my life and yours I signed up to participate in Yoga Pose May, a blog wide (122 bloggers!) yoga sensation hosted by Tina and Kate.

For eagle pose you need strength, flexibility, endurance and unwavering concentration. But do not fear, I promise to help. If you can successfully take three deep breaths and quiet your mind, you CAN accomplish eagle pose. Unless you have knee injuries because YogaJournal advises anyone with knee injuries to refrain from this pose.

*First stand in tadasana aka stand up straight. Bend your knees slightly. Lift your left foot up and balancing on your right foot cross your left thigh over the right. Point your toes toward the floor, press the foot back, and then hook the top of the foot behind the lower right calf. (Beginners tip: cross the legs but instead of hooking the raised foot and calf, press the big toe of the raised leg foot against the floor to help maintain balance!)

*Next stretch your arms straight forward, parallel to the floor. Cross the arms in front of your torso so that the right arm is above the left, then bend your elbows. Make sure the right elbow is snug in the crook of the left. Raise your forearms so they are perpendicular to the floor. The backs of your hands should be facing each other.

*Press the right hand to the right and the left hand to the left, so that the palms are now facing each other. Now press the palms together as much as possible. Lift your elbows up and stretch the fingers toward the ceiling!

*Breathe, focus, breath, focus, concentrate. Pick a spot ahead of you and stare. Remember to breathe like we did earlier. Try to stay in this position for 15-30 seconds, then unwind the legs and arms and stand up straight (in tadasana) again. If you are having trouble mastering the balance, you can use a wall or a tree to brace and support your back!

*Repeat for the same length of time with the opposite arm and leg.
Source

I’m so proud, you did it! It’s hard huh? If you fell out of the pose, it’s cool I did too. Try it again, or try with the modifications. You’ll get there…just keep the focus on your breath and the stability and pure concentration will come.

The benefits of eagle pose are absolutely phenomenal. This pose alone will strengthen and stretch the ankles and calves, stretch the thighs, hips, shoulders and upper back, and improve concentration and sense of balance! Eagle pose will also improve asthma, low backaches and sciatica.

I love yoga for its ability to quiet and center the mind. One cannot hold a balance pose, like eagle, if the mind is not quiet. Concentrate on your breath, feel your body balancing, slow your racing thoughts, let it go…

Be sure to check out Beth, Morgan and Claire’s blogs as they too balanced in eagle pose for yoga pose May!

Summah summah summmah time

2010-05-27T16:03:00.010-04:00

It's Memorial day weekend eve and I cannot stop thinking and dreaming of things I want to do and try this summer season. All of a sudden there is more time, sunlight and opportunity to do activities. Summer gives me wings (sans the red bull and sugar)!

So far my summer to do list includes but is not limited to:

-go kayaking (never been!)
-go on a Portsmouth Harbor cruise, mayyyybe even the Wine cruise :)
-teach myself (again) how to do a back dive
-take a Bikram yoga class
-visit Nashoba Valley winery
-picnic at Castle Island in Boston
-hike Mt. Monadnock
-surf lesson!
-play at Six Flags or some other theme park
-make homemade gnocchi
-visit the New England aquarium
-run a 5k, 10k (haven't run a race since my half marathon)
-run ON the beach

What is on your summer to do list?
Want to join me in any of these fun activities!?

Giggles

2010-05-26T10:37:00.011-04:00

Divine Caroline elicited quite the early morning giggle session! Enjoy

...Promise yourself a smile today...

Staycation

2010-05-24T10:42:00.050-04:00

Saturday and Sunday turned out to be quite a staycation. Exploring the farmers market, tastes of BNG, Flatbread, and Cava, perusing shops downtown, touring Strawberry Banke and Attrezzi wine tasting made this weekend the bees knees. The camera played main, supporting and non-existent roles.

After a heavy duty sleep in which I only have myself and the martini's consumed to thank, I wandered over to the Portsmouth Farmer's Market, late. So late, in fact that just about everything was gone. I did manage to sample some zesty salsa from Appledore Cove exclusively sold at and made for the Farmer's Market. A single waft of fresh peppers, tomatoes, onions, cilantro and lime juice and six dollars came out of my pocket faster than one can remember their own age. Also purchased, the last bag of spinach and arugula. Score. I do believe that this past weekend's market hosted the theme of "start your garden days." Organic seeds and compost was for sale and transplanting demos and "ask the farmer" booths were abundant! Next time I will make it there before the samples have vanished and the merchandise sold.

Next up, Footnotes. My eyes, heart, mind and feet were all connected the minute I laid eyes on Mari's hot Frye sandals the night before. I had to check out the goods myself. The lady at Footnotes helped my sanity, bank account and feet as she located a pair of Frye sandals on clearance (blog appearance to come). Lucky day, lucky lucky day.

Like I said the camera wasn't always around. That is what a late night will do to a girl.

Later that afternoon Matt and I headed downtown for coffee. Coffee turned into a stroll to Prescott Park. Little did I know Matt was ready to channel his inner tour guide as he took me through the historical roads of Strawberry Banke. Don't quit your day job boy.

Flatbread, that brick oven dynasty of natural pizza, was in the cards for Mari's last dinner in Portsmouth, NH. I managed to snap dos photos before the camera died on me. I'm a rookie.

Sunday's trip to Cava for Kelly's birthday and Attrezzi wine tasting raised the roof. It was on fire.

I have heard mixed messages about Cava, small space and overpriced but delicious wine and tapas delivered with excellent service. To a T what we experienced. Since it was a beautiful day, we sat outside, embedded in Commercial Alley. Just gorg.

All in attendance ordered a version of Cava's Sangria. Red for me, please.

I refrained from ordering any tapas but did sample the chickpea "fries" which were served with a cucumber sauce, harissa and a mint garnish. The girls ordered the serrano ham, dijon, pear on a mini baguette. As served, one (aka Amanda) could think this was a single serving, but no, 1 portion per person. Good thing we figured that out prior to the mini baguette monster devouring the tastiest of tapas.

Overall I would recommend Cava, but with an asterisk. *Do not go hungry. *Do not go for dinner if your dining companion is a "more than an appetizer to satisfy" type individual.

Onward, Attrezzi wine tasting!

Every Friday evening and Saturday and Sunday afternoon, Attrezzi hosts informal but complementary wine tastings. We sampled three wines: a crisp white, a bold Syrah and a sparkling red. The last wine, Petali di rose was superb and purchased. The cold, light and fruity taste of Cava's sangria still hung on my lips and this Piemonte Brachetto from Italy was an afternoon delight. Slightly fizzy and reminiscent of fresh picked berries with just a hint of sweetness on the finish, this wine will pair well with dessert or a fresh light summer meal.

Saving you for a special occasion!

The Dolphin Striker

2010-05-22T14:20:00.055-04:00

In a few days, my dear friend Mari Fisher will be returning to Canada. Her year long work visa is expiring and a proper farewell is mandatory. With a few nights left in the US Mari's requests were simple: yummy food, "favourite" friends and live music. Pff easy!

We headed downtown Friday evening without much hope or agenda of getting into a classy establishment, after all it is UNH graduation eve, but managed to score a fabulous window seat at The Dolphin Striker, located on 15 Bow Street adjacent to the Portsmouth harbor.

The ambiance is very quaint with a hint of understated elegance. A warm welcome greeted us and the attentive hospitality only continued throughout the evening. Local art and nautical antiques compose the decor and the wooden floors creek naturally reminding one of the history anchored in Portsmouth harbor and The Dolphin Striker.

While mulling over the menu, I sipped on the infused cocktail which was made fresh that day with rum soaked strawberries and blackberries.

Our meal started off with warm, doughy bread and balsamic dipping oil. You can tell a lot about a dining establishment from what they serve before the meal. The fresh rolls were very telling of what was to come:

Shrimp & Scallop Hot Pot
With shitake mushrooms, cucumbers, scallions, daikon, spinach, kimchi & soba noodles in sweet & sour aromatic broth

Steak & Cheese
A 12 oz. NY Strip grilled to your liking & topped with a smoked gouda bearnaise sauce, chive sour cream mashed potatoes & sauteed peppers, onions & mushrooms

Wild Mushroom Ravioli
Baked golden with a saute of porcini, cremini, shitake & morrel mushrooms in a white truffle cream sauce

All entrees were absolutely delicious. So delicious that parting with the last few bites of my Shrimp and Scallop Hot Pot was not an option. Despite the night of live music we had ahead of us, I attempted to doggy bag the leftovers. Scallops in a purse for 3 hours = epic fail.

Before heading downstairs to the Spring Hill Tavern (The Dolphin Striker's bar) a toast to friendship (running, bread and BNG coffee) was in order!

Oatmeal Cookie
Butterscotch and cinnamon schnapps, mixed with Baileys and shaken

The Spring Hill Tavern provided live acoustic after dinner tunes. The band's name escapes me, but the trio wove an artistic tapestry of folk, blues, pop, bluegrass and alt-country as we sipped on Coors lights and Espresso martinis and waited for a few more friends to arrive.

Playtime continued at Ri-Ra's. I have mentioned this Irish Pub before, and to be blunt, the food at Ri-Ra's always leaves something to be desired. The drinks and live music, however, never fail.

I think Mari had a blast!

Click on the links

2010-05-21T14:44:00.018-04:00

I have quite a few favorite blogs. I can’t help it, there are so many influentional people writing on the world wide web. Blogging is new (to me) and exciting. Carrots n’ Cake, Eat Live Run, Healthy Tipping Point, Operation Beautiful, Iowa Girl Eats, Beth’s Journey to Thin and The Process of Healing, your words are inspiring, motivating, humorous, personable, creative and entertaining. Before I know it substantial time has passed and I have to refill my water, use the bathroom, eat, sleep, ya know... get on with my day...*smiles*

This addiction is healthy though I promise. Don’t believe me? You will be the end of this post. It was through blogs I learned how to cut a mango, make homemade gnocchi and poach an egg. The existence and nutritional value of chia seeds, wheatgrass, flax seeds, and whey protein were foreign to me a year ago. I have been introduced to Green Monsters, overnight oats and through Yoga Pose May, the power of yoga has been restored.

My newest fascination and appreciation: Oh She Glows. I know, I know I am late to the party and no one approves of tardiness. I have been blending Angela’s lovely Green Monsters for a while now but did not know there was a girl behind the smoothie invasion. I read Caitlin’s Project Glow results and started to notice more and more Glo bars pop up here and there. I even recognized the name, Angela, but still, I didn't make the connection. I did start to wonder though...what is with all this glowing!? Finally, I clicked on a link.

Confession: I am easily excited and influenced. If you write about it, I will probably try it. Sort of silly, everyone has their own opinion and taste buds! Just because one person raves about the drink Synergy doesn't mean I can stomach raw kombucha, but I'll try anything once. Words are so powerful, no? Seeing captions like “flavor” and “health” attached to a photo get me every time: marketing at its finest. Fortunately, I have had luck with many blogger reviews and recommendations: Chia seeds? EPIC win. The tiny seeds are full of anti-oxidants and packed with hunger fighting bullies. However, fennel failed, tastes like licorice.

I digress. Back to glowing.

I am on day three of Project Glow and it is working. I have never had overly oily, dry or blotchy skin, but I do get dry patches and so my interest in quality skin care products has been on the rise. Sorry CVS brand foam cleanser you are outta here, St. Ives Apricot scrub, in!

The Green Monster, nothing to do with the Sox here folks, is an invigorating blend of spinach, protein powder, milk (cows, almond or soy), ice, frozen fruit, peanut butter, chia seeds, oatmeal…. the ingredients are up to you as long as spinach is present. Never thought in a million years a drink like this would enter my system, but as previously mentioned, easily influenced. One sip and I'm hooked on the green stuff.

Beyond the skin care and smoothies lies an astonishingly open and encouraging blog. In many posts, Angela’s words reign similar to the Operation Beautiful theme of learning to love yourself, your body. Girls helping girls, its very refreshing.

The blogging community is a great support system. Not only are these gals entertaining, taking pictures of food is art, they are inspirational. So many women have broadcast their stories on the web. These journals of weight loss, marathon training, moves, break ups, deaths and marriages act as a creative outlet for one and a stimulus for another. Girls can be malicious, jealous, conniving little things. We have all hurt or been hurt by another girl. The blogging community appears to be a healthy venue where women of all ages, shapes, sizes and backgrounds can openly express themselves without fear of ridicule or judgment; a place for growth and respect. I do not know of another community that exists quite like this one. Not in New Hampshire, not in Mass., or NJ; not High School nor college. Not even in the workplace.

I am not saying blogs will begin the women’s world peace tour because I know for a fact that there are readers who leave mean spirited comments. Girls will be girls I guess. However, I do smell the savory sweet aroma of acceptance brewing….or is that encouragement? I don’t know I always get those two smells confused.

Overall, the female blogging world is powerful, uplifting and worthy of respect. It might lead to some serious procrastination, but so does everything Internet based. Looking for inspiration to run a 5k, support to change careers, strength to face another day? Click on the links provided above, poke around, take off your shoes and stay a while. By the time your Internet session has expired, I bet you will find someone/something that speaks to you, or at least a recipe to make this weekend.

Super salad

2010-05-19T19:42:00.028-04:00

The title to this post is actually a silly family joke. A few years back my parents and younger sister, Lindsay, (I was away at college) were out to eat and Lindsay was asked if she would like a soup or a salad with her entrée. She heard the waiter incorrectly and thought he asked: “super salad?” Lindsay answered politely, "Yes." “No, miss would you like a super salad/soup or salad?” “Yes!” I think my mom finally set it straight…oh giggles.

So you can only imagine my surprise when I noticed an establishment called Souper Salad in Boston! Has anyone been? I must go!

In honor of National Salad Month (May) I thought I would dedicate a post to my favorite compilation of greens, the classiest of classic appetizers, the bell of the ball, the salad!

A salad can be quite boring but only if you allow it to be. My daily pre-dinner salad includes spinach, tomatoes, carrots, and cucumbers and is almost always dressed with Hidden Valley Light Ranch. To jazz this up I love to add: cheeses, nuts, roasted veggies, avocado, fruits and my new favorite, beets. The possibilities are really endless. If protein is present, a salad can be the main star of the meal. Think taco salad with creamy avocado, fresh salsa, seasoned ground turkey, black beans and roasted corn. Or grilled chicken, perched atop a bed of spinach surrounded by red onion, goat cheese, pine nuts, beets and roasted red peppers. Heavenly.

My mom made this tasty and eye catching salad for Easter. Oh my, the colors! Notice, the bacon, honeydew melon, cucumber, parsley, watermelon. This was very refreshing.

The other night I enjoyed Trader Joe's beets for the first time. They come ready to serve, no messy business. I chose cold, on my salad, with an Amy’s California veggie burner, roasted asparagus and broccoli and goat cheese. Dinner done.

The taco salad is a common dinner delight in my apartment, thanks to my old roomie, miss Laura Marandola, the introducer!

Discovering great dressings is another passion of mine. Check out this Parmesan Ranch from Trader Joe's. The “KEEP REFRIGERATED AT ALL TIMES” sticker frightens, but the taste fulfills!

If you like salad you will like the giveaway being hosted on Meghan’s blog, Travel, Eat, Love.

For the record, salad is always selected when posed with the question, “Soup or salad?” What do you choose?

Chili 101

2010-05-18T20:03:00.029-04:00

Post body pump I always have one thing on my mind! FOOD. I went to HannaF’s (aka Hannafords) last night and stocked my cabinets and fridge with all the necessary ingredients to make Real Simple’s Turkey and Bean Chili tonight.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 pound ground turkey (preferably dark meat)
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper or 2 teaspoons chili powder (I used the chili powder)
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 15-ounce cans kidney beans, rinsed
kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
cilantro sprigs, for serving

I made a few changes, added a ½ tsp of red pepper flakes, ½ cup corn, 1 red bell pepper and a can of black beans (instead of using two cans kidney). Black beans deserve a spot in all chili recipes.

Instead of my usual vino, I sipped on a protein drink. This is new to me: I’m not this hard core. Strawberry whey protein powder mixed with water, while delicious and a great way to refuel after body pump, is not wine. However, it will hold me over while my chili cooks!

After a solid minute of wretched eye burning and tearing the goods were diced, opened and ready to hit the sauce pan. Why don’t I use my food processor!?

simmering...simmering...simmering...

Did you know: (Yes, I googled chili. Or as my Mutti would say, "put a google on" chili)

-Chili is not from Mexico?

-That at the Terlingua Cook-Off in Terlingua Texas, no chili with beans recipes are allows to compete?

-Last spring Matt's dad competed in a chili cook off at the Great Scott in Allston, MA and won the grand prize?

Now that's a man's chili! No worries this chili will make its way to the blog in the fall. It is reserved for special occasions, aka Patriots season.

Want to know my favorite part about chili? No not the smell, not the spice, not the texture, nor the taste: CHILI BREEDS LEFTOVERS. Lots and lots of leftovers

!
I added some cheddar cheese to mine and a dollop of daisy. Don't usually get down with sour cream but I wanted to see what it was all about (and we had some). Verdict: eh, chili doesn't need sour cream. Do you use it on your chili?

"The aroma of good chili should generate rapture akin to a lover's kiss."
Motto of the Chili Appreciation Society International

I didn't even know there was a Chili Appreciation Society. How do you join?

Time to watch LOST!

OH, I regret to inform you all that Flash Forward and Heroes have been cancelled. This news combined with the series finales of Lost and 24 just have my inner TV junkie sad! Good thing I had the savory smells of turkey, cumin, peppers, onions and garlic wafting in my direction all evening.

Graduates, pandas and yard games

2010-05-17T20:14:00.040-04:00

...I tend to think of myself as a one man wolfpack...

...family matters...

...banner yet wave...

...panda'monium...

...like kids in a candy store...

...god speaks taco salad...

...intergallactic championship & coconut dreams...

...sniff sniff...

"...And now I know for sure, I just added two more guys to my wolf pack. Three of us wolves, running around the yard together..."

the most wasted of all days is one without laughter -ee cummings

Out with the bad, in with the good

2010-05-13T20:08:00.022-04:00

For some reason whenever I do yoga, I always think of a silly quote from Dumb and Dumber: "...out with the bad, in with the good, out with the bad, in with the good..." hehe

Ya know concentrating on your breath...exhale, inhale, aka out with the bad, in with the good!

Tonight I caved and bought yoga for runners off YogaDownload. It was 4 bucks and I have unlimited use until July 13th! My tight, sore muscles and hips were relieved, however, the woman's voice was very robotic. Trying to balance in half moon was just a tad difficult with Jane Jetson narrating the flow!

source

Don't know about you but after yoga, I always feel pretty cleansed and do not like putting anything unhealthy into my body. Dinner was whole wheat/whole grain Hodgson Mill pasta over a few handfuls of spinach, with steamed broccoli, cherry tomatoes and a little Buitoni pesto with basil. Apologies for blanking on taking a photo but take my word, it was very pretty and very satisfying. The camera just would not have done it justice. wink wink. Lately, I have been eating pasta over a bed of raw spinach and the warm pasta is a nice contrast to the crisp greens. New go to!

Flash Forward is all new tonight! It is turning out to be quite another Lost ie. confusing twist after confusing twist. At least there isn't a white polar bear. But the show is very thought provoking! Would you want to KNOW what is going to happen on a certain day a few weeks, months or years in your future? GAH! I just don't know! I feel as though knowing this information would make anyone live for the future and not for today. Each character's actions is either to prohibit or allow their flash forward to become true.

Too much pressure.

They should do yoga and relax.

Good night!

Portsmouth, NH

2010-05-12T18:48:00.030-04:00

While running downtown this evening I was smiling. Smiling while running you ask? Yes, check out where I live!

*sigh* I love Portsmouth.

**Note** these pictures were not from this evening, but they were taken by moi.

I graduated from UNH in May 2006 and thought to myself, BOOO YAH JERSEY HERE I COME! I went, but just for a few months. Visiting friends in Boston and Portsmouth that summer made me realize I was not done living in New England. Oh no, far from it, my life as a northern belle was just beginning. So in August of 2006, I found a job, an apartment and rented a UHaul (all with help of course).

I remember talking to my parents before the big decision and their wise words will always stick with me: "The things we regret most in life are the things we don't do." Thanks mom & dad

So here I am, a Portsmouth NH resident for just about 4 years.

Loving summer evenings down by the decks ...

afternoons by the water...

snowy winter christmas parades...

and the ever growing population of five star (in my opinion) restaurants.

I won't live here forever, but I live here now so don't mind me as I jog around downtown with a smile, take pictures of cute kids on the beach, snapshots of my delightful entrees and drinks and people watch while sipping on breaking new grounds iced coconut coffee all as I soak in the beloved Portsmouth, NH.

Be sure to check out the Delicious Destination page for more Portsmouth lovin'

Smiles, frowns and confusion

2010-05-12T13:25:00.013-04:00

I can sum up yesterday evening with a few simple facial expressions

:Body pump squats: SMILE for strength

:Body pump lunges: FROWN for almost falling on the girl next to me! (legit, no joke, for serious, I came so close to toppling this time)

:75 cent coupon for Dr. Kracker: SMILE for saving $ AND new delicious products

:Some purchased peppers didn’t make their final voyage to my kitchen: FROWN on forgetful grocery cashiers and my lack of attention

:EASY recipes such as Ina’s Easy Sole paired with leftover couscous cakes: SMILE for super speedy, easy, tasty meals

:New artist discovery !!VV BROWN!! (l.o.v.e & shark in the water acoustic!) : SMILES for a hot off the press mix cd and grooving in the kitchen

:LOST! LOST! LOST! perma confusion... this might help

:Series finale of Lost approaching faster than Jacob's momma's life span after giving birth (May 23): SERIOUS FROWN

The smiles definitely outweighed the frowns so that’s just another thing to smile about!

Quotes magotes!

A smile is a curve that sets everything straight. ~Phyllis Diller
Smile - sunshine is good for your teeth. ~Author Unknown
A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks. ~Charles Gordy
Smile - it increases your face value. ~Author Unknown

Sexy burger

2010-05-10T19:46:00.037-04:00

This past Saturday, through the rain and wind my friends over at Sexy Burger put together a delicious event called Halfway to Halloween to promote sexy burgers, sexy costumes and overall sexiness. The theme is original: Halloween in May. Wear that revealing costume with high heels on a warm spring day sans the sweatshirt or rain boots you would need in late October. Mother Nature greeted us with a little dose of irony as she decided it wouldn’t be a warm spring day as it has been the last few Saturday’s but instead the chill and precipitation would be similar to that of a late fall day, perhaps reminiscent of past Halloweens. Halloween in May, I guess Mother Nature did play along afterall.

So, what is Sexy Burger you ask?

Every weekend, six friends, the sexy burger six, get together to make a titillating burger and then blog about the arousing experience. They are more than just bloggers, they are professional grill masters of seduction. The sexy burger six think outside the box with their creations. To name a few favorites: drum roll please: the Uncle Jesse Burger (ground lamb, feta cheese, pita bread, cucumbers, onions and tomatoes), The King (named after Elvis incorporating peanut butter, bacon, sliced bananas and fried dough), the Mafioso special (garlic bread bun, Italian raviolis, sliced parmesan cheese, marinara sauce, and full flavored meatballs), the Peter Brady (marinated pork patty, apple smoked cheddar, homemade applesauce, potato bread buns), South of the Border (taco seasoned beef patty, burger buns/tortillas, sour cream/salsa/guacamole, shredded Mexican cheese) and the Luau Burger (ground pork, smoked cheddar cheese, teriyaki sauce, cooked pineapples and maraschino cherries)! This past Saturday the crew offered a choice of one of the last four risque creations named for an affordable price. Pay up, dress up, show up, eat up.

Matt and I went as Ketchup and Mustard.

We were not the only burger themed attendees. There’s the Revolutionary Man and the Kid, two of the sexy burger six. The Hamburgler made an appearance too, however, I was too busy making sure that little villian didn't run off with my burger to document ;)

I dominated the South of the Border burger as Matt was seduced by the Mafioso special.

These were two sensuous, spicy, salacious, saucy, sexy creations. I immediately started salsa dancing as Matt began whispering sweet nothings in Italian into my ear. Together we looked like one strange couple, apart we were merely provoked by the maestros. When food is that provocative, the only response is interpretive dance or Italian discourse.

I do believe the nightman, X Mark, is somewhat responsible. X Marked the spot.

The night ended with the most luscious of desserts. No one could resist the sweet sugar intoxication or aesthetic pleasure of this cake.

There wasn't a sorry soul in the house. Senses were awoken, animalistic cravings were satisfied and physical appetites were exceeded.

See you next burger....

THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE SEXY BURGER SIX AND ALL WHO CAME TO MAKE THIS EVENT SUPER SEXY!

Too good to not share

2010-05-07T10:27:00.001-04:00

I came across this version when I was searching for B.O.B tunes to listen to at work yesterday. His voice is too delicious to keep to myself.

Enjoy!

Princess birthday

2010-05-07T09:39:00.020-04:00

By the title of this post one might conclude that I am celebrating a fifth birthday. Nope, May 6th marks the birthday of my now twenty-five year old roommate, Amanda. The theme was princess. Every girl deserves to feel like a princess on occasion but always on her birthday.

Amanda gracefully promenaded around the kitchen with her wand and tiara as any birthday princess would. Did you know that Lady Gaga, Nick Jonas and B.O.B. make for electrifying and expressive princess dances?

We sipped, we savored, we dined, we danced, and we celebrated.

Dinner

::Teriyaki chicken topped with an avocado mango salsa and Giada's couscous cakes::

For the topping:

1 avocado

1mango

1/4 cup chopped red onions

1/2 cup corn (frozen)

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)

1/4 cup or so cilantro

dash of salt

added lime juice to taste

Dessert

This would be a cake from BJ’s. Our friend Lauren is a member of BJ's wholesale club for the frosting cakes alone. I do not blame her. The whipped frosting surrounding the edges was scooped up by our fingers before the first piece was even laid to rest. The marble inside could have only been created by a Cake Boss prodigy. The chocolate mousse was just divine. All together this cake was fit for a king. Better yet, a princess.

Parting words for all princesses: never let anyone take away your voice; it is yours and you deserve to be heard. Don’t let anyone destroy your sleep; with a pea or with a poisoned apple and do not allow your fairy tale to end at midnight.

“Each woman should be treated like a princess” –Carrie (Sex and the City)

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream

2010-05-05T17:52:00.023-04:00

Many females enjoy retail shopping. Many anxiously look forward to the change of seasons for the new fashion trends to be released by important designers. Many believe in and participate in retail therapy and get excited about new shoes, purses and jeans. There is nothing wrong with this. I'm different. I detest the mall and do not like shopping unless I need a particular item and spending money on clothes fills me with regret. However, I do look forward to seeing the grocery store stocked with seasonal fruits and veggies. Yes, that is right, I heart grocery shopping. I get giddy over spring asparagus, summer corn, new Kashi cereals and deals like the one I encountered today at Shaw’s. Buy ONE Edy’s ice cream get the second one FREE!

With summer right around the corner, the topic of ice cream could not be more imperative! Remember the ice cream man!? YUM. Did anyone ever play piddle paddle growing up with their leftover Popsicle sticks? I bet you did if your cool Speedo or swim trunks had a beach badge attached to it. What was your go-to from the white truck of desire? Screwball? Bomb Pop? Chaco Taco? Did you ever wonder how one got to BE an ice cream man? I definitely did. I think that was up there with my childhood dreams of being Vanna White and/or Yolanda Vega.

If you grew up in the tri-state area, did you ever have a Carvel ice cream cake for your birthday? Andy Bernard from The Office might have said it best: "Me likey the ice cream cake, okay? Fudgy the Whale."

I’m more mature now (yape) and instead of listening intently for the joyful tunes alerting me to the ice cream man’s approach, I seek and destroy my local grocer’s freezer. Vanilla, strawberry, coffee, oreo, moose tracks, tagalong (special edition during Girl Scout season), caramel swirl…the list goes on. I don’t hate on the non-dairy or lighter items either, black raspberry frozen yogurt, orange sherbet, melon sorbet and skinny cow and weight watcher ice cream bars are in my heart too. Even, and trust me here, frozen cool whip with berries. Boo YAH!

Recently, for the first time in my twenty-six years of life, I enjoyed a banana split. Bananas? Good! Nuts? Good. Hot fudge? Good. Cherries? Good! Whipped cream? Good. Ice cream? GOOOD! Now that’s living.

Frozen item to try summer 2010: Gelatto!

No matter how you get down with your frozen treats this summer (the possibilities are endless), I think it is important to get down. Be a rebel- splurge for the real stuff. Be a kid again- run after the ice cream man. Make a wish- over an ice cream cake. Get creative- buy the fixins’ and fancy up a cone at home. Indulge once in a while; you only live once and frozen treats melt fast.

Sweet dreams!!

Finally...

2010-05-03T20:32:00.023-04:00

Finally, the grocery story had brussel sprouts! Boom roasted. Craving satisfied.

(That is a savory turkey burger on an Ezekiel english muffin with some cheddah cheese right there. The turk burg is made with Shadybrook Farms lean ground turkey, black beans, a small amount of chopped onions, a little bit of soy sauce, a little bit of ketchup and a lot of love all mushed up and cooked on my handy dandy collegiate George Foreman grill. Oh yeah and off to the side, a few slices of roasted sweet potato)

Finally, YogaDownload was experienced! Yoga. 20 minutes. For free. At last. Thank you Kristin at IowaGirlEats.

And last but not least... I feel sheepish admitting to this but I think it is best to have full disclosure especially after my last post was called “Nature Goulet”.... Until this evening I have never seen Will Ferrell’s SNL Nature skit in its entirety.

Finally, I errupted with laughter watching Robert Goulet's affinity for nature and bomb a$$ rapping. For anyone else that might have missed the boat growing up I present to you, in all its glory, Nature (GOULET!)

http://snull.photobucket.com/null?action=view¤t=null

Sorry guys, I am not blogger savvy yet and couldn't figure out how to post the actual VIDEO to my site, so you will have to follow the link! (Anyone care to spare a few minutes to help a girl out?)

Nature. Goulet!

2010-05-02T11:25:00.047-04:00

I have lived in the state of New Hampshire for 8 years and not once hiked to the top of a mountain. I love the outdoors, who isn’t a fan of nature (goulet!)? But somehow, it just slipped through the cracks. Time to take advantage of my pristine geographical location! Destination Mount Major in Alton, NH.

Can’t lie, won’t lie, over a carbo-loaded dinner of Emeril’s Pasta Primavera and a decent quantity of red wine, Mari, Amanda, Matt and I decided we needed fanny-packs and bandanas (duh!). So we did what anyone would do when placed with a sudden need for these two items, we hit up Wal-Mart. Much to my dismay (others in the group might have been silently thrilled), Wal-Mart doesn’t sell fashionable fanny-packs! Balderdash. PS. I know what you are thinking and they do exist. Not to worry though, my companions each found a stellar alternative. If Wally World sold a Reese’s version of this I would have been ALL over that, but I don’t rock out to starburst, so I passed.

We were advised to take the trail to the left when beginning our trek to the top of Mt. Major. Following the blue arrows was not difficult, as the path was clearly marked, but the route isn’t named Boulder trail for nothing! Here is an accurate representation. I didn’t take many of the foreboding terrain ahead, probably because I was busy catching my breath and figuring out my next move.

And we're climbing...

And we're singing and we're climbing...

At the top! Peanut butter jelly time!

What a view

I look quite frightened here don't I? aah!

Many others had the same idea on this beautiful first of May

After refueling and taking in the magnificent scenery for a good 45 minutes we began our descent via the yellow trail (Mt. Major trail). This path proved to be less rocky, but parts were still steep. There was a babbling brook...

a new friend...

and a personal tour guide...

Mt. Major: invigorating. glorious. rewarding. dominated.

For the love of the game...

2010-04-30T18:05:00.017-04:00

Would you believe it, it is Friday, three entire days since I ran in the 5 fingers and my calves are STILL sore! Yowza! Those babies are NO joke.

Moving right along.

I recently was given the opportunity to go to Fenway Park, sit in the EMC suite with the Red Sox World Series trophies, gold gloves, Cy Young awards and silver sluggers and take in a baseball game. Two tickets were given to Matt as a thank you for working with two young children, developmentally training them within their fitness levels. I’ll tell you, these tickets, as a thank you, wow, above and BEYOND. How nice and wonderfully giving are these parents!? Very. Thank you again. We had a blast.

Now, I was born and grew up in New Jersey. I popped out and was probably given a Yankee binkie (pacifier is the official name right?) dressed in a Bronx Bomber onesie and adorned in a Babe Ruth blankie. However, from a very young age I was also taught a valuable lesson from my dad, “Respect baseball: respect the players, respect the teams, and respect the game.” The game wouldn’t be so thrilling if not for the competition and passion, and who engages in vigorous rivalry more than the NY Yankees and the Boston Red Sox? No one. Not even the Yanks and the Mets and they both play in New York.

In case you need a refresher, or are just unaware of the monstrosity that is Boston vs. NY here are some iconic images to make you cry or shout out victoriously or indifferently scroll to the bottom of the post:

2003 Game 3 ALCS

In July of 2004

2004 Game 6 ALCS aka "The Bloody Sock Game"

Anyone ever notice how a version of “Yankees Suck” is ALWAYS chanted at concerts, non-baseball sporting events or well really any large gathering or rally of people in New England? Dumb. This is not respecting baseball people. Fred (that's mah dad) would be rather unimpressed. I am equally disturbed. Nothing about these pictures show any player “sucking” … well ha, maybe that first one ;)

I may not have posed with the Red Sox trophies or gotten googley eyed over Pedro’s Cy Young award but I knew and KNOW I was in the presence of greatness. I mean the Red Sox averted a Yankee sweep in 2004 and then went on to blow out the St. Louis Cardinals to win the World Series. So, if you look at these games in terms of BASEBALL, it’s chilling. I still feel weird when I think of the Yankee/Sox series, must be the Yankee fan in me, but we witnessed greatness everyone. “19-18” can no longer be echoed from Yankee stadium when the Sox are in town, the curse was broken, heroes were made, legends were born and just days ago I was taking a picture of Matt with the 2004 World Series trophy. It stings a little, but just a little...you have to hand it to the blood, sweat and tears of those Red Sox players of 2004. You just have to. If you respect the game.

“Remember kid, heroes get remember but legends never die.” I had to.

Points if you can name the movie!

Happy Fridee!

sweet tunes

2010-04-29T10:10:00.009-04:00

Lollapalooza, an event I look forward to every year is coming up, well it's in August. Now I won't go wishing away my summer anxiously awaiting this magical Chicago weekend, but I will research the artists that will be there and make radical cds to jam out to!

What I have really been feeling so far:

Neon Hitch: Black and Blues

The Temper Trap: Sweet Dispostion

Madonna: (won't be at lolla) Listening to anything/everything, thank you GLEE circa 4/20

Jamie Lidell: Little bit of feel good AND All I wanna do

Frightened Rabbit: Old Old Fashioned

Enjoy!

How do you unwind?

2010-04-28T20:52:00.001-04:00

It's 5:00. If you work for corporate America, you are out of work for the day or will be shortly. What are you going to do with this freeeeeedom!?

Most days I am off to the gym: body pump, a solid strength and conditioning work out with my favorite Canadian, Mari Fisher OR perhaps a run outside with MFish and Amanda (roomie!). NOTHING allows me to unwind quite like a run outside, the feeling as my feet hit the pavement, listening to my breath and people watching or maybe I'm just in the zone and noticing no one, thats cool too. I don't run for a time, I run for me. Ahhhh sweet relief. If I am letting my body rest I am cooking, baking, or reading....and there's some definite TV action in there too...OH and a glass of vino. Who can resist the powers of the DVR and a glass of red wine? Not me. Above all else, these little hobbies of mine (well maybe not TV watching) center and balance me after staring at a computer screen all day. You chop and dice, measure and mix, bake and sautee and that creates something magically delicious (lucky charms much?) for you and others to enjoy. There is also something about engaging in a story: fiction, non-fiction, comedic, thought provoking that centers my mind yet let it escapes too. You feel me? At the moment I am reading Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay and it.is.all.I.can.think.about. FOCUS Corinne, focus. It is not 1942 and you are not a little girl in France ... or am I? :)

Last night I had a killer body pump workout and then ran 2 miles in my NEW vibram 5 fingers . First time running in these and I think it was very apparent. Holy calves burning. It took me a while to jump on this but after reading Born to Run meeting and running with Christopher McDougall himself two weekends ago in Boston, and lots of positive feedback from my boyfriend Matt I was ready to dive in. It struck me while I was running in these quirky looking shoes that I was 100% feeling my feet, not in a bad way, merely noticing every movement my body made and every foot placement. Because when you run in vibrams, if you make a wrong move, you feel it. AND that's the point! My feet were just going...I didn't feel like I was forcing it! WOW. For all you wonderers and skeptics: It was incredible. They may look funny, but I'm hooked. A shoe that can bring out my inner 7 yr old (the one that ran barefoot), a shoe that makes me FEEL my feet but is uber comfortable, a shoe that makes running feel effortless...um, yeah I'll take it.

Tonight I am headed out for a few celebratory cocktails to Ri Ra’s as it is one of my friend’s birthdays! Lindsay will be “the age to not be named” on Friday. More on this type of unwinding later ;)

I will leave you with this:

The key question to keep asking is, Are you spending your time on the right things? Because time is all you have. " -Randy Pausch - The Last Lecture

grateful

2010-04-26T17:05:00.001-04:00

i have a wicked case of the mondays (fleeting thoughts include but are not limited to: motivation where are you!?, headache go away, gosh i'm tired...). BUT. ahoy! i am noticing a few things: the sun is a shining, life is greener (thank you spring!), solid pics are on my camera and ready to be uploaded from the weekend, cheffing dinner is in the near future, started a blog today, 24!(wwjbd- what will jack bauer do), g shopping is a necessity (this is a good thing in my eyes) and my eyes are open to experience apres work in all its glory. i will be grateful for this day