Beautiful Foods 2023

Thank you 2023 for good health and good food!

Here's to the home chefs and the dishes they prepared. 

Seared Scallops | Angel Hair Pasta, Lemon, Butter, Parsley

Pork Loaf | barbeque sauce, herb roasted potato wedges, green apple + cabbage slaw

 Lettuce Wraps | Sticky Rice, Yellow Pepper + Crispy Prosciutto

Thanksgiving Dinner!

Filet Mignon | mushrooms & asparagus in a bordelaise sauce

Christmas Dinner | Beef Tenderloin, twice baked potato, lemony brussels, homemade Caesar salad 

Mom's famous éclair ring

There will always be solace in gathering around an elegant (Simon Pearce x Target x vintage) table setting graced by a homecooked meal.

Here's to comfort,  joy and S U B S T A C K in 2024!

You can find me over there!

Regards | Portland, ME

I have started writing over on Substack. I'd love it if you subscribed! I was seeking a way to re-circulate my blog and email my community. Perhaps a newsletter of sorts is the answer? What I have found on Substack is a vast community of very good writers that inspired me to write a bit more, too. My hope is that Substack gives me some more visibility. I recently wrote about this very night in Portland, Maine which will publish straight to the inbox of my subscribers. 

I loved our experience at REGARDS and would fondly recommend it!

They have an excellent wine program and (after cocktails at CBG, Paper Tiger and Blythe & Burrows) we went straight for wine by the glass. Our first was from the skin contact or orange wine section: a Bosman ($16) Fides Grenache Blanc from Western Cape, South Africa. Second, from the whites, a glass of Dorcha ($13) Sauvignon Blanc from Lower Styria, Slovenia. 

To eat, some of the most inventive, thought provoking plates:

casco bay oysters ($10) smoked trout roe, bergamot mignonette

scallop crudo ($24) matsutake xo, chile de arbol, toasted jasmine rice milk

birra tacos ($22) preserved tomatillo, queso oxaco

hamachi collar ($36) shio koji x tare, morita emulsion

Regards

547 Congress St.

Portland, ME

Time Out Market | Lisboa

 

Time Out Market is a blast. From Chiado neighborhood we meandered down Pink Street (where the umbrellas are) to reach the original all-star line up of Lisbon fare in Cais do Sodre neighborhood. Time Out Bar is situated at the entrance, and cocktails are immediately flowing from the bustling line up of bartenders. The boys have wild energy right now so Bob and I are balancing sipping drinks with making sure they are behaving! Bird Macumba (€12) with rum, Aperol, vanilla, passion fruit, pineapple juice, lime and raspberry syrup helps with this task. It's a beautifully crafted drink. 

Time Out is so much fun and crowded, the energy is sparked by an excitement to enjoy the best of Lisbon food under one roof. We casually strolled with cocktails in hand to check out the menu at each five star restaurant turned high end market stall.

Sea Me Peixaria Moderna has a huge fan in me! Their brick and mortar is in Chiado serving Portuguese Japanese Fusion. I had black tempura fried cuttlefish, gorgeous oysters, and seared scallops with mango tartare. Bob picked one of the chef named stalls and his beef cheek meal was perfectly executed, undeniably comforting. Time Out Market begs of you to linger. We enjoyed good food and glasses of crisp vinho verde with no sense of urgency. We chatted with our dining companions in close proximity. The girls across from us have been here two nights in a row and are impressed Ryder is eating cuttlefish dredged in black tempura. Bob, the boys and I shared Crush Doughnuts for dessert before we embarked on a relaxing walk home, passing through Praca do Municipo. 

Once we're home to our clean and contemporary Baixa Airbnb it feels nice to be welcomed back. My little city adventurers took a warm shower while Bob and I drank some of the vinho tinto our hosts left. I love a choose your own adventure day to discover a new city. Lisbon is a spectacular one for which to do just that. 

Time Out Market

Mercado da Ribeira

Avenida 24 de Julho

1200-479 Lisboa, Portugal

Barra Castizo | Seville

 

Barra Castizo - a traditional tapas bar revival. our favorite meal in Sevilla.

also: #BañoCastizio

Let's Dance - An espresso martini night cap fuels an early next morning - a rental car and a route to Ronda. 

prenatal dining out | Newton

We had nested all we could nest. The nursery was ready. We were ready. My induction was scheduled. We worked hard wrapping up at the office. We also worked hard putting together all the baby gear. And then, we felt like dining out all the time. These were not planned "we must eat out everywhere before baby comes!!" dinners, they were actually somewhat spontaneous outings that happened to mark special prenatal events. 

Also posting the February occasions: Valentine's Day // my 35th Birthday // Bob's birthday // [how cool that our sons birthday is right in between ours? Pisces Fam!]

I'm glad we took advantage. Postpartum, I've never been so content to be at home 24/7. It has all been so lovely. We're lucky!

Little Big Diner - Newton Centre

When you have a Ramen craving LBD is the best of the best. I enjoyed the very filling Miso Ramen topped with chashu pork, bean sprouts, sweet corn, scallions, nori + an ajitama egg

Sweet Tomatoes Pizza - West Newton 

Lunch Date before my Non Stress Test @ NWH MFM (Maternal Fetal Medicine).
This pizza is some of my favorite around. We had Garlic Spinach + Hawaiian.

COOK - Newtonville

Dinner date after getting the car seat inspected at the Newton City Police Dept.

Cook is an awesome neighborhood spot for an upscale casual meal. We shared Charred Broccoli with chimmichuri + Sticky Wings in a spicy soy glaze. A classic Burger with cheddar, LTO and crispy french fries hit the spot.

Rice Valley - Newtonville

The classic "lets go for spicy food" meal 

This was the night before my scheduled induction (Saturday 2/23). A little spicy never hurt the chances of going into labor naturally, right? 

We don't eat American Chinese food often. Rice Valley has a nice atmosphere to dine out in and the food is average. The Hot and Sour Soup was nice and spicy. We asked for the General Gao's Chicken (labeled as spicy) to actually come extra spicy. It did not, even though she assured it would, but it was still a tasty meal. The actual night of my induction (Sunday 2/24) we went for Spicy Buffalo Wings at Buffs Pub right before heading to NWH to get admitted. Talk about going all out. My water broke after one dose of the oral meds (which is considered lucky) so I honestly think the spicy wings helped me out!

West on Centre - West Roxbury

[I am postpartum now!]

Cam was still in the NICU and we were really not up for hanging out at home without him. This was another nice meal out that proved a welcome distraction. I had Pan Seared Sea Scallops in a citrus reduction over butternut squash puree + sautéed garlic spinach with roasted cauliflower. 

This neighborhood restaurant provided a terrific meal and swiftly paced (but not rushed) service. This was perfect for us as we did not want to linger, we were either eager to head back to NWH for Cam's bedtime feeding, or home to get that extra, much needed sleep! 

Saturday 3/2 ended up being Camden's last night in the hospital. On our way home we received a call from his nurse that he would likely be discharged the next day. He came home with us on his actual due date, Sunday, March 3rd! He is now 3 weeks old and I've never been happier! Being his Mom is the absolute best. 

Country Mile | Watertown

 

Country Mile is OUTSTANDING. It is brand new from a husband and wife (chef + front of the house) duo from Vermont. I guarantee you will see it on all the Best of Boston lists in 2019. I was not into mocktails throughout my pregnancy but the bartender here does them justice; they are exceptionally crafted and were the price of an actual soda. (Although perhaps this was a birthday deal?!) The group can vouch for the cocktails being fantastic, too. 

I have included a photo of the menu since four of us shared about half of it. You will literally want every vegetable dish in that first section. I'm still swooning + Happy 35th Birthday to me!

Curried Mussels + Japanese Eggplant

Gimlet Mocktail

Black Trumpet Mushrooms

Lomo w cave aged Gruyere

Seared U10 Scallops

Chocolate + Cheese dessert plate

Country Mile

136 Belmont St

Watertown, MA 02472