The skies cleared

After a week of rain and lots of crying (I blame the full moon/Friday the 13th/Mercury retrograde triumvirate), the skies cleared and we high-tailed it up to the beach. It was desolate because of the rain that morning - Peter's favorite kind of beach day :) 

When Peter first came on vacation with my family, he was a bit shocked by the sheer amount of stuff we bring with us. Same goes for Tanglewood visits. I'm slightly better about packing light for these trips than my Mom is, but I'm just not a simple towel on the ground kind of person. Know thyself, right?

This was a good trial run to see how we did packing for ourselves and Lizzy. We have a little baby tent for her, and brought some diapers and blankets - she actually didn't add too much at this point since there weren't any beach toys or mini towels to haul :)

On the way out, I popped into Russell for cider donuts, two giant heads of lettuce, and spicy hot pink radishes. Instead of our usual dinner at the Clam Box, we tried Salt in Ipswich - the lure of an amazing rum cocktail was too much for me to resist. Lizzy was a champ during dinner - not a peep. That salty sea air was good for everybody.

Jazz at the Mount

For the last few years, we've been trying to scoot over to the Mount around our anniversary. This year we walked through those lush woods on the way to the big house, and there were all sorts of crazy sculptures tucked into the landscaping.

At first I wasn't sold on them - the space is so gorgeous in its unadorned state - but then I found out they were done by students at a local high school. Pretty impressive, right? And how neat for them to have their work featured here!

We went for one of their music after hours events, which is such a neat way to see the property. You don't have to pay the usual admission fee, and you get to hear fun jazz on the terrace! The first floor of the house is open so you can explore a little bit (not as much as if you were going during their regular hours, of course, but still!). And you can stroll through the gardens and grab a drink from their terrace bar. We even saw some families with little kiddos camped out on the lawn with blankets and toys (you can see them below).

It's every Friday night through August 31, if you're interested! I'm totally biased, but I think the Mount is just the prettiest.

Winter Weekend in Montreal

Montreal was cold and beautiful and completely exceeded our expectations.

We arrived on Friday afternoon, after a seemingly endless car trip (note to others: I am absolutely terrible to travel with on long car trip - Peter, you're a champ :). We checked into our hotel, had a quick bite of poutine, and headed to the metro right underneath our hotel (fantastic since it was freezing out!). We got a three day metro pass for $16 - totally worth it. 

We then headed out to Mile End for a drink at Dieu du Ciel. It was so festive and cozy inside. And it was fun to see the Brooklyn-ish part of the city - it definitely felt that way to us. 

For dinner, we had a reservation at l'Express. Oh, I loved it so! The service was wonderful, they sell half bottles of wine (truly the perfect amount for two), and everything we ate was delicious. We had bone marrow and the l'Express terrine, beef tartare and frites, and a perfectly ripe piece of Camembert for dessert. 

On Saturday, more snow was predicted, so we sought refuge inside the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. It's quite large, with three buildings connected underground. Admission is free, and it's definitely worth a visit. I liked the decorative arts and design wing, and we both enjoyed the Quebec and Canadian art section, particularly this painter's work.

Marche Jean Talon was next on our agenda. We weren't 100 percent sure if the market carried on in the winter, and we were thrilled to find that it does, in an entirely enclosed space. It was huge, filled with the most amazing meat, cheese, and vegetable vendors. We could have bought so many things, but restrained ourselves and focused on lunch. We took a baguette, two cheeses, and a slice of pate back to our hotel for a picnic, and watched the snow swirl around outside our window.

That evening, we went to Old Montreal. It was charming and beautiful in all the snow. We stopped for a quick drink and then headed over to Notre-Dame Basilica for their light show. A video at the beginning tells the history of the church and had us cracking up a little bit with the strange dialogue. But once we got to the lights portion of the show, it was fantastic. The alter is stunning.

One thing I loved about Montreal is their extreme enthusiasm for fireworks - something we have in common. Every Saturday night in December through early January, they have a fireworks show over the Old Port. We went down to watch them, with a rockin' 90's music soundtrack going in the background. We were hopping around, freezing to death, and all the Canadians were still and happy, cheering along when impressive fireworks shot off. It was a lot of fun, but really cold. Only recommended for the most die-hard fans.

We couldn't help but go to Au Pied de Cochon for dinner on our last night after reading so many great things about it. And after a mix-up with our reservation was cleared up, we had a fantastic time there. We had the foie gras cromesquis, pickled beef tongue with tarragon (!!!), and a special entree for two that had pork, prosciutto, more foie gras, gnocchi, lentils, carrots, beets, and pickles. If it sounds like a heart attack, it kind of was, but in the best possible way. 

I am embarrassed to even tell you this after describing our dinner from the night before, but on the way home we stopped in Waterbury, VT at Prohibition Pig (tag line: smoked meat and libations). Peter was eager to try some hard-to-find beers from Hill Farmstead Brewery, and we couldn't not get a few pork rinds and pickles to snack on. We have been on a kale binge since our return.

Doesn't get much better

We had a lovely time in Philadelphia this weekend! It's such a charming city. And while we were there, it happened to be filled with a bunch of friends, so it really doesn't get much better. The pictures above were taken on our walk through Rittenhouse Square to St. Patrick's Church.

The church was stunning (and also super hot that day). We survived!

After the ceremony, we were able to meet up with dear friends - Adam and Ashley (of Meet Me in Philadelphia!) at Devil's Alley. We sat on the second floor by the wide open windows and got to hear all about their fantastic trip to Scandinavia, which she's recapping on her blog this week. As a warning, reading it will most definitely make you want to book the next flight to Stockholm.

The reception was held at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Such a beautiful spot! And I am happy to report that almost all the female guests wore different dresses to the reception. Everything was flawless. A few of my favorite details included the sushi chef preparing fresh rolls during the cocktail hour, a live artist (pictured above) painting the party as it was unfolding (!), and a gelato cart rolled in at the end of the dance-filled night. So much fun!

Raspberry Gin Fizz

Cheers to Thursday!

I saw this a little while ago and came home telling Peter I needed one of my own.

I asked Peter what he did and took notes. This is what he said:

Muddle 10-ish raspberries and the juice from 1/2 of a lime. Add a splash of simple syrup and a splash of club soda and mix. Pour 1 1/2 ounces of gin into two glasses with ice. Strain the raspberry soda mixture to eliminate the seeds and then split it into the two glasses over the gin. Top with additional club soda as needed and a slice of lime.

(Deb's direction's might be slightly more clear :)

P.S. If you like making cocktails at home - and I'm sure you do! - might I recommend this amazing ice tray? It will make you feel fancy. Also perfect for cold pressed coffee!

Sour Cherry Caipirinha

After making roasted sour cherry ice cream with dark chocolate, I still had a few cherries left. Cocktails seemed like the way to go. Dessert, then drinks = my priorities :)

I hope you all had wonderful Fourth of July holidays! We were evacuated from the Esplanade before the fireworks started due to the thunder storms - sadness. So tonight we're heading to a neighboring town to give it another go! Fingers crossed for clear skies.

Sour Cherry Caipirinhas
You will need:

12 sour cherries, pitted (I used this amazing method)
2 half inch slices of lime, cut in half
4 teaspoons sugar
4 ounces cachaca
Ice

Muddle ten cherries, lime slices and sugar in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add the cachaca and fill with ice. Shake well and pour into two glasses (You can strain it is you want to remove the cherry pieces, but I like them in the glass). Add one of the reserved cherries to each glass. Cheers!

Our Week in Paris

We are back from Paris! I put this travelogue into a single post for a selfish reason - I want one easy reference spot for the future. It's quite long, but I hope you'll enjoy it! A few more little Paris posts will likely sneak in at some point, too. XO

Sunday: We took the RER B line into Paris from the airport, and went straight to our apartment. Up six flights of stairs (102 steps!), we got to see our place. It was a cute little studio with a queen sized bed, a teeny cafe table with two chairs, a kitchenette and a bathroom.* We unpacked quickly, showered up, and headed out to stave off jet lag as much as possible.

We walked down to the Marais (about 10 minutes from our apartment in Republique). This is one of my favorite neighborhoods, and I was excited for Peter to see it. In search of the famous L'As du Falafal, I accidentally led us to a different falafal place down the street. Still delicious!

The Marais is the perfect place to go on a Sunday. It's hopping! From there, we headed over to Notre Dame to take a peak. I loved seeing Peter see it for the first time. He told me it was being built at the same time as the Mayan temples (one benefit to be married to a history teacher - lots of random facts!). We crossed the Seine and wandered around Shakespeare and Co., walked by the Lourve and into the Tuilerie gardens, and passed the Pompidou on the way home. It was Peter's birthday, and I asked him how it was going so far. "Best one yet!" he said.

For dinner, we had a reservation at Le Trumilou. They accept reservations online, so it's a good one for the first night. Many restaurants require reservations, and we were very shy about using the phone, so it was nice to be able to go into the rest in person throughout the week once we arrived. Highlights of the meal included Peter's charcuterie plate (with head cheese!), my crispy duck confit, and our first Paris cheese plate for dessert.

Monday: Before we left, I reserved a spot on the 11:00 a.m. tour with Fat Tire. I had done this as a college student with a bunch of girlfriends, and a few of you recommended it as well. I'm not much of a biker in my normal life, but Paris is a fantastic city to see from this vantage point. The guides are funny and nerdy, giving you cute little stories about tidbit of history along the way. For lunch, we stopped at a cafe in the Tuilerie gardens (cheese and baguettes!). It was a lovely afternoon, so we went to the Luxembourg Gardens after our tour wrapped up (around 3:15 p.m.). We also made a reservation at Le Timbre for our last night - more on that later.

We went to A la Biche au Bois on David Lebovitz's recommendation. One of our absolute favorites! We didn't have reservations, so we headed in early (for Paris) around 8:00 p.m. Highlights included the salade perigourdine, steak and frites, and a giant cheese tray that you get to pick selections from!

Tuesday: We bought four-day museum passes at the airport when we arrived (you can also get them at many museums) and started using it on Tuesday. If you plan on going to a lot of museums and monuments, this is definitely the way to go! I planned the days out by putting things together that were close in proximity.

We started at the Rodin to see The Thinker and the pretty little house inside. It was pouring rain, so we ducked into Cafe de Musee down the street for a bit of lunch before going to Napoleon's Tomb. The rain let up a bit, and we hustled over the Musee d'Orsay. A lovely left bank day.

We weren't so hungry after our lunch at Cafe de Musee (Peter had a hot dog with cheese in a baguette!), so we headed to Chez Prune, a wine bar a few blocks away from our apartment on the Canal St. Martin. Think inexpensive, delicious glasses of wine, four giant appetizers to chose from for sharing, and lots of darling local Parisians. Can you tell we loved it? Because we loved it. Go here.

Wednesday: We visited the Crypte archeologique - a new-to-me museum that's underneath the square at Notre Dame. It was so neat! Filled with vestiges of old houses and streets that were once there. After, we went into Notre Dame and over to the Conciergerie. We would have done Sainte Chapelle then, but it was closed for a long lunch (ahh, Paris.). We decided to follow their lead and headed over to Angelina for their famous hot chocolate and some macarons. This gave us the strength to tackle the Louvre :)

For dinner, we had a reservation at Robert et Louise, based on Ruth Reichl's Gourmet article. The food was good - very good, even - but as tourists, they relegated us to a basement room that lacked charm. Not exactly a disappointment, but definitely not our favorite. It might have been a better lunch time pick?

Thursday: It was a bit rainy early in the week, and this day looked sunny and promising, so we headed out to Versailles (with a quick stop at Sainte Chapelle first - it was near the RER C line we had to take out there anyway). The palace is amazing, but I loved the surrounding gardens most. Everything was in bloom, and so green this time of year.

We were exhausted that night (especially me, for some reason), but we rallied and headed over to Frenchie Wine Bar. It's itty-bitty, so get there early for a spot. It was full when we arrived at 7:20 p.m., but two seats at the bar opened quickly. The wine list is amazing, and the food is clean and fresh and creative. The chef previously worked at Gramercy Tavern in NYC, and the style of food is similar.

Friday: We walked to the Marais to go into the Centre Pompidou - one of my all time favorite museums. Afterward, Peter settled in for coffee at a cafe and I shopped around. Some favorite shops included Les Touristes, Reperages Maison and Compagnie de Provence. We had gelato from Amarino for lunch (eating ice cream for a meal thrills me to no end!).

In the afternoon, we went to Musee Carnavalet - a free museum with old signs from all around Paris, a lovely courtyard garden, and beautiful palace rooms upstairs. Down the street is Place des Vosges, a beautiful square park surrounded by pretty pink town houses.

Dinner that night was at Le Timbre. We've been lucky to have some very special meals out, but this was one of our best ever. The space is charming, the service is lovely, and the food is perfection. Every element of the meal was a highlight, but extra special dishes included Peter's foie gras, my duck breast served over asparagus, shallots and mushrooms, a creamy blue cheese, and rich chocolate creme for dessert.

We ended with a nighttime visit to the Eiffel Tour. It was a fantastic visit, from start to finish. I can't wait to return already!

*If anyone has specific questions about the apartment we rented and our experience there, please feel free to email me!

Winter Park, Florida

I'm going to write a bit about Orlando soon, but first I thought I'd share some photos from another favorite spot we went to while we were away: Winter Park. It's a darling little town just north of Orlando. We loved it!

We went to lunch at Ravenous Pig. We originally tried to get dinner reservations, but they were all booked up. I'm so glad we were still able to visit! The space is modern but warm. The menu isn't huge, but everything we ate was amazing - Po' boys, shrimp tacos, charcuterie and the grower salad were all devoured.

After lunch, we went over to Rifle Paper Co. It's a tiny shop, with their workshop in the back. I love their products, and it was such a sweet, happy place. I came home with floral coasters, a notepad and some place cards (for the next time we host Thanksgiving!).

Aren't these hearts adorable? My mom bought a 24x18 print of it to hang in her newly redesigned sun room. The shop girl told us that Urban Outfitter is going to be selling the print soon, so be on the look out if you'd like to snag one yourself!

In the later afternoon, we took a lake tour. After being in Disney World for a few days, an hour out on a boat was heaven.

The Spanish Moss hanging down is so lovely. I wish this would grow in New England!

There were huge houses, and a great view of Rollins. I love looking at colleges, even from afar, so that was a fun treat!

Finally, while my mom, sister and I went to visit the local Lilly store, the boys had a drink at Prato. It was wide open to the street, had a lovely, dark bar, and they report that it had an excellent beer list.

If you're in the Orlando area, I highly recommend a visit to cute Winter Park!