I love the idea of appetizers for dinner. Whether it’s traditional tapas — Tinto and Bar Ferdinand are two of my Philly faves – or Japanese-inspired dishes like the ones at Izumi — a hidden sushi gem right in our neighborhood — there’s nothing better than replacing a big meal with our favorite nibbles. Enter Tapas Tuesday. Add a movie On Demand and a bottle of red wine to the party and voilà, the perfect last-minute dinner date at home! Stay tuned for prosciutto-wrapped figs in August.
a little cilantro for the homemade guacamole — my uncle’s recipe
(the first time around, he failed to mention that the Serrano pepper should be
de-seeded, lesson learned!)
fresh salami + Vermont white cheddar
w/ crackers, pears and brie on a special serving platter
In honor of a milestone birthday, we spent the weekend reminiscing on the days of old. Like the time my dad got hung from his hippie-inspired, butt-long hair during his tree trimming days. And the time I came home from high school to find it shaved off. “I look like Michael Jordan, no?” Then there’s the time my mom came home from work to find my dad napping, my youngest sister sitting on her bed with her ponytails cut off, the dog looking like he had mange and my number three sister hiding with a pair of scissors.
My dad likes to read (600 pages in a day, I kid you not). He’s a kayaker whose perfect day is battling world-class whitewater followed by a glass of wine in the solitude of his one-room cabin/office on the river. And he’s a smart ass who skipped undergrad to “hang out” in Thailand, live briefly in a hippie commune in Hawaii and teach scuba diving in the Bahamas, before earning a master’s degree from American University – that’s right, without a bachelor’s degree. This sounds quite like a personal ad, doesn’t it? Sorry ladies. He’s a married man and my mom could match him hippie-for-hippie.
For his birthday weekend, we traveled to middle-of-nowhere, Md., to my parents’ house that overlooks a lake at the top of a ski resort for night after night of wine-filled memory-sharing.
Happy 60th birthday dad.
me + dad times three
view from my dad’s one-room cabin deck — kayakers and all
dinner on my parents’ deck
manmade whitewater course a short bike ride from my parents’ house
I am up to my eyelashes in all things wedding, and as a semi-event planner, I think I have a good handle on what needs to happen when. As a professional wedding guest (nearly 20 in three years with nine friends engaged!), I’ve seen what I like, love and loathe. But I’ve never been a bride, nor have I planned a wedding, and it’s hard not to get wrapped up in the little things. From the ruffles and ruching to the figs for favors, I am constantly looking for inspiration. Thanks to Pinterest, I have a place to keep track of it all.
It’s not often that you’ll find us in the city on a summer weekend. But on that rare occasion when previous plans call — this usually involves weddings, birthdays or babies – we love to spend our Sundays enjoying the city sights. After celebrating at an engagement barbecue and then a late night birthday bash, brunch was our first stop.
my girlfriend (and bridesmaid) treated me to brunch at Marathon Grill two weeks ago during a day of wedding dress shopping and it was so good I’ve been craving it ever since. today I enjoyed an egg white omelette with goat cheese, smoked salmon and tomato + a mimosa, while my plus one enjoyed buttermilk chocolate chip pancakes with a side of breakfast sausage.
after a bit of shopping — including some wedding bling, a swapped cell phone and a successful sale at Zara — and a stop at Starbucks for an afternoon cup of joe, we made our way to Rittenhouse Square Park, where we found these guys playing some afternoon jazz.
a shady seat and some soft music on a hot Sunday in the city
inside the park
Pine Street. we took a stroll toward home down one of my favorite streets.
Fourth of July weekend marks the beginning of a new year for me. It also means I get to enjoy my favorite foods, fun with family and fireworks on the beach. The rain put a damper on the latter, but we celebrated the holiday down the shore with lots of laughs and endless amounts of good eats!
every year on our birthdays my fiancé and I treat each other to a nice dinner in the city. this year, we decided to go out in the town that in 11 months will host our wedding. this Chilean sea bass was cooked to near-perfection and paired with wasabi aioli and stir fried veggies, but our sushi appetizer took the cake. it was so good, in fact, I was so busy enjoying it I forgot to get a picture!
anyone who knows me knows the key to my heart is not a bouquet a flowers, but one of lobsters! nearly 10 pounds of it made for an amazing second birthday dinner on the back deck.
enjoying lobster dinner with my cousins
I don’t share my lobster. this one was just for me.
homemade crab cakes
for dessert, locally made ice cream cake! I don’t like real cake (we’re even opting not to have one at our wedding) but I can’t resist chocolate and vanilla ice cream separated by a delicious cookie crumb.
in honor of the fourth of July back home in the city, we grilled up some burgers with avocado, tomato and American cheese, served with my seasonal favorite grilled corn on the cob, a fresh salad (below) and my very own concoction of raspberry lemonade + vodka.
mixed greens, fresh pear slices, goat cheese, cherry tomatoes and sliced almond — no dressing needed!
