beach day

A late July beach day on Crowes Pasture. Complete with my new summer obsession, Flash Tattoos.

july sky

This particular night sky with fluffy purple clouds for days accented with a deep pink setting sun was magnificent. 

Kirkland Tap & Trotter

Brunch at Kirkland Tap and Trotter is rather unique and VERY filling. The menu is pork and sausage heavy, light on the eggs, and offers plenty to satisfy the sweet tooth as well the bloody mary craving.

So after the excellent bloodys with a zesty house made mix and assorted pickled vegetables arrive - a gooey, fluffy, sticky bun ($5) is the best way to get the meal started. From there we feasted on thick cut Brioche French Toast ($16) with a rhubarb compote, a side of juicy breakfast sausages ($6) and a beautiful and immensely flavorful Peasant's Hangover Helper ($16) which is a sausage and navy bean soup, complete with a poached egg and grilled bread. Post brunch, plan for a stroll. Harvard Yard isn't far up the road and it's a nice way to walk off a heavy meal! 

Kirkland Tap & Trotter

425 Washtington Street

Somerville, MA 02143

*this meal was complimentary, all opinions are my own*

Martin Codax Albariño | Row 34

Martin Codax Albariño is a sensational white wine from the Rias Baixas region of Northwestern Spain. It is crisp and full of dry white fruits - bracing the palate with citrus zest, granny smith apple, white peach skin and pineapple. A fresh minerality adds definition and sturdiness. It is extremely food friendly and elegantly pairs itself with briny oysters, a delicate striped bass crudo and a hearty brown butter lobster, corn, tomato and basil dish. The Albariño rightly lives up to its nickname "wine of the sea". It even serves to compliment dessert - a lemon pound cake with fresh berries.

Row 34 is named for an oyster raised at the Island Creek Oyster farm. The Fort Point restaurant graciously and effortlessly hosted this wine dinner for about 25 bloggers and friends. This industrial "workingmans oyster bar" is lively and loud, relaxed and fun. It is a destination and we come here often. Newcomers and locals alike, I recommend you pay them a visit.

Row 34
383 Congress St
Boston MA, 02210

*This dinner was complimentary. All opinions are my own*

a little of summer | ctown

Just a couple shots from some Monument Street and surrounding neighborhood strolls. And morning coffee on the deck. And a delicious egg cheese and tomato croissant.

La Brasa

The girls and I have been on a roll these last few months with making reservations to visit the Somerville up-and-comers! First there was Sarma, followed by Bronwyn and now La Brasa! With excellent chefs at the helm offering unique dishes of varied cuisines, Boston's neighboring city is lucky to have them all. La Brasa itself draws on a wide influence - Mexican, Peruvian, Spanish, Chinese - a grand mixture of flavors from all over. 

{What we ate}

mexican fried rice with charred scallions, fava beans, radishes, cilantro

tacos de carnitas - slow roasted pork shoulder with salsa verde & chile de arbol

artisanal cheese with ginger-rhubarb chutney

a table-side cart delivers prime rib with cilantro chimichuri

smoked bone in pork milanese with mushy peas

swiss chard pie with colorado chile, coddled farm fresh egg, spanish ham & piperade

fried soft shell crab with arugula & cherries

that fried rice again. it was my favorite. tacos de carnitas were second.

la brasa fried chicken with escargot-brown butter viniagrette, parsley and fresh horseradish

butterscotch pudding with Rice Krispies

La Brasa

124 Broadway St

Somerville, MA 02145