Did my boyfriend and I have a future together? - The Boston Globe

My boyfriend forwarded this article to me, which is only fitting since we just returned from a barbecue with my family. As a white Jewish boy going to dinner at a traditional uber Christian Korean family, B could have used this article the first time he met my family. Thankfully he's part of the family now....

Did my boyfriend and I have a future together? - The Boston Globe

Posted using ShareThis

I love new readers!

Thanks for the blog mention from a new blog reader, Susan, and her fabulous blog: Transient Travels. This blogging thing started out as a private journal to chronicle what I've been doing. Since I've gone public, its been wonderful to get some new readers and feedback! I especially love reading the comments I receive....

Thanks again Susan for the shout-out!

xoxo

Going to the Chapel....

...and we're gonna get married.

Every so often, I find that there are a few things that warm this cold black heart of mine - puppies, Asian babies, busted photos of P.E.R., and a heartwarming rendition of the Star Spangled Banner (don't ask).

Most people know that I roll my eyes of spending part of my weekend at a bridal shower, especially one that involves trekking out to the suburbs. But with my friend R, its a little different. R and I are a lot alike at love. We are total romantics at heart but you have to chip away at a cynical exterior to get there. In the past few years, its been wonderful to see her in a relationship with J and when they got engaged, I was thrilled. Besides my friend G, R has been the most laid back bride about her wedding, which made me even more thrilled when I was asked to be a part of her special day.

On Saturday, her future sisters-in-law and mother-in-law threw her a wonderful bridal shower in Rutland. M and I trekked out early for the road trip. While this bridal shower was a surprise, R confided in my earlier that her friend had slipped up and she knew about the shower. Regardless of the ruined surprise, she had a wonderful time. R showed up in the most darling dress and was perfectly dressed for a bridal shower. I've actually got to ask her who designed her dress because it was fabulous. We munched on light appetizers and got to the main event - opening the gifts! We oohed and aahed over her presents and her sister (and MOH) made the most adorable ribbon bouquet for the rehearsal.


Most of the gifts were off of her registry, but by far, the best gift was from a family friend who got her some sexy lingerie....which we forced her to pose in photos with! I love seeing R embarrassed and showing her future mother-in-law some sexy lingerie did the trick!

The shower hostesses threw a great party with lots of yummy food - a variety of salads and yummy finger sandwiches. They also got a gorgeous cake served along with a "chocolate orgasm" trifle and a coconut pineapple trifle. They also had lots of adorable handmade chocolates in heart tuxedo and engagement ring molds.

This was a beautiful event filled with a lot of laughter and love. It was strange to see R opening her bridal shower gifts when it only seemed like yesterday that she and I would sit in the sorority house and confide in each other about our hopes and dreams, our heartaches and crushes, and so much more. To see her so happy and full of love - something I know that has been quite the journey for her to get to. It reminded me of a cheesy poem we would read in our sorority about how the bonds of sisterhood grow from our first dates to the day we announce we are getting married. I don't want to admit it, but I may have to add this experience to my list of things that soften this hard black heart of mine.

There's lots to blog about from this weekend and I'm going to try to upload all my photos and write as soon as I can.

xoxo

A night of gifts....and Brasserie Jo

So Friday night I came home from work and discovered a nice piece of mail waiting for me. A few weeks ago, I got an email from the lovely folks at Boston Chefs. I came across Boston Chefs because they publish the "unofficial" guide to Boston's Restaurant Week. For the past several years, I have been a faithful subscriber to their e-licious newsletter. It is a semi-monthly newsletter that gives you updates on Boston area restaurants and chefs.

A few weeks ago I got an email from Rachel of Boston Chefs that as a subscriber to e-licious, I had won a $50.00 gift certificate from Stix Restaurant & Lounge. I was thrilled and on Friday, I got this adorable little package in a blue velvet case!

I have to admit that I went to Stix a year and a half ago with the ladies for Restaurant Week. We weren't thrilled with the service and the food was too salty for me but I'm willing to give it another chance with this free gift certificate. Hopefully I'll have better reviews when I make a return visit!

Afterwards, I got ready for Friday night date night. B and I decided to have a few glasses of my friend M's family wine - Masciarelli Rose D'Abruzzo. Delicious.

Our dining room has turned into a make-shift gift room for all of the birthday gifts for B's nephew. So I didn't notice when B had another bag in there for me! He got a small gift for our sixteen month anniversary - the seventh season of 90210! It was a sweet gesture.

Afterwards B and I headed to Brasserie Jo for dinner. Brasserie Jo is located in the Colonnade Boston Hotel, which I've been to many times for client and UMASS events. But I have never been to the restaurant. I have told B many times how I've wanted to go there and I was thrilled that he made reservations for there. We arrived there ten minutes early. The restaurant was busy but they seated us right away. We lucked out with one of their private corner tables, which also tends to be a little more romantic.

We decided to continue with some more wine. Brasserie Jo has a decent wine list with great price points. Since we started out with Rose, we decided to continue on with something sweet - Alsace Pierre Spark reisling. Per usual, the bistro served a fresh loaf of French bread in a bag. No matter how many bistros I go to or how bad people tell us carbs us, this has to be my favorite part of a French bistro.

We were both starving and decided to order two appetizers - crispy sweetbreads, squash and a brown sugar sauce and escargots en cocotte. I absolutely love escargot and I was thrilled that it was served en cocotte via cast iron dish. The escargot was served in a delicious pesto garlic butter. I even managed to get B to have some escargot! The sweetbreads were delicious and the brown sugar sauce was not overly sweet.

For our entrees, B had the coq au vin. The coq au vin was served in a hearty cast iron pot along with a side of of kneffla. Kneffla are delicious little dumplings that look a lot like gnocchi or spatzle. They are a little bland but incredibly delicious with the meat juices from the coq au vin. I was on a seafood kick from the weekend in Maine and ordered the mussels reislings mariniere. Again, this was served in a huge cast iron pot and they did not skimp in the servings. Each mussel was perfectly cleaned and not a single one was overcooked. The reisling, butter, garlic and shallot sauce was delicious and I had to dip the pomme frites and bread in it.

Despite our hearty meals, we indulged in some cordials. B sipped on some cognac while I sipped on some Bailey's. We split the strawberry and creme crepe, which was not thankfully not too sweet. It was the perfect romantic ending to a wonderful meal.

Afterwards, B and I headed to Barnes and Noble at the Prudential Center so that I could pick up a birthday gift for my brother-in-law's birthday. While we were there, I found a book that was a childhood favorite of mine. When I was young, the administrators at my elementary school tested me to see if I could skip a few grades. I only ended up skipping one grade because my parents thought anything more would be more harmful than beneficial to me. Part of the test involved reading Danny and the Dinosaur and to this day, I have a huge sentimental attachment to this book.

So ofcourse I bought it for B's nephew! Hopefully he will love it as much as I do!

A Friday night filled with gift giving and receiving....and a delicious meal. Its the perfect start to a weekend.

xoxo

An Oldie but a Goodie - Jacob Wirth Restaurant in the Theater District

A few months ago, one of the partners at my firm and a former co-worker invited me to go see a political "show" at the Wang Theatre.  The Wang Theatre has been participating in the political 2009 Speaker Series, and last night's speakers included Charlie Rose interviewing James Carville and Karl Rove.  

Before we headed to the event, we decided to get some grub before the show.  The partner suggested that we go to Jacob Wirth, which is super close to the Wang Theatre.  I've been to Jacob Wirth a few times with my law school friends for the Friday night sing along's with Mel Stiller.  Based on my previous experiences there, I knew that this was a German restaurant with a great beer selection and a yummy soft pretzel appetizer.  But I've never actually eaten a meal there and I was excited for the experience.

I made a reservation for four (the partner's college student son was also joining us) and it was a good idea.  The place was packed.  The crowd looked to be a mix of the local after-work crowd, along with people going to one of the several shows at the Theater District.  We were seated right away and our server was friendly and knowledgeable.  K and I went straight for the Hoegaarden witbeir.  I used to drink this all the time during my summer abroad in Oxford, England and I was find it difficult to find on draft in Boston.  

Our server gave us some delicious soft and sweet cornbread for our bread basket.  We were all ravenous, so we dug into that quickly.  I am not a huge fan of cornbread because I've had a lot of bad cornbread experiences where it is so dry and leaves a terrible after taste in your mouth.  But this bread was moist and sweet enough to not need any butter on it.  In addition to the bread, our table started out with an appetizer of potato pancakes.  Instead of the Jewish latkes that I'm used to which are served with either sour cream or apple sauce, these pancakes were served with cinammon creme fraiche and "fire roasted" apples.  The creme fraiche was delicious but the apples tasted like the canned apple pie filling and I was not interested in it at all.

We ordered another round of beers and our entrees came shortly after.  I was originally going to get a turkey reuben sandwich, but my table teased me that it would be a shame to get a turkey reuben with so many German delights on the menu.  Falling to peer pressure, I ordered Jake's Special.  

Jake's Special consisted of beer-steamed knockwurst and bratwurst along with the traditional sauerkraut and German potato salad.  Everything was topped with a red beer sauce.  Wow.  I was glad I didn't order the reuben because this dish was delicious.  You could really taste the difference between plain boiled/steamed wursts and the beer-steamed wursts.  Although the red beer sauce was delicious, I had to ofcourse dip the wursts in some Gulden spicy brown mustard.  The German potato salad was warm and, if this makes sense, the perfect taste of blandness to contrast with the sauerkraut and red beer sauce.  

My dining companions each ordered something different - Wiener Schnitzel, Jaegar Schnitzel, and the Sauerbraten.  Each was served with the dill spaetzle, which I stole a bite of, and I'm going to have to order something that comes with the spaetzle next time.  Our server gave us plenty of more cornbread, which we somehow managed to squeeze another piece of with our already heavy meals.

We ended the night by splitting two desserts - the cherry apple strudel and the Kahlua parfait.  While I tend to avoid desserts that involve chocolate cake, the Kahlua parfait was a perfect end to such a dense and heavy meal.

We headed over to the Speaker Series and I had a great time.  While I tend to lean more conservative politically, it's hard to be a Karl Rove fan.  That being said, listening to James Carville was a bit of a difficult task because he seemed checked out and his Southern accent seemed thicker than it does on TV.  

All in all, it was a great night and I would definitely go back to Jacob Wirth again for dinner, although probably not before having to sit through a long show with a full stomach.  My boss really enjoyed the place and he had not been there in a long time.  His father had grown up in Germany and Jacob Wirth authentically reminded him of a local eatery that his father had taken him to.  This is definitely a fun place to go with a big group and I may have to go there for dinner before the next time I participate in the Friday night sing along with Mel. 

xoxo

Five classics revisited - The Boston Globe

Five classics revisited - The Boston Globe

Posted using ShareThis

More lobster, ice cream and trains - Boothbay Part Two

After a fun-filled (and booze-filled) night, we all awoke the next morning feeling groggy and ravenous.  We helped tidy up A and T's place (A had already gone to work and there was no sign of T waking up anytime soon) and then headed into town.

We went first to Fisherman's Wharf Inn (where A works) but they had just closed their restaurant for breakfast and we didn't feel like waiting for them to open for lunch.  So we headed a few doors down to McSeagulls Restaurant and got prime seating on their deck.  We were all absolutely dehydrated and asked for many beverages - waters for all, Diet Pepsi for B and KK, Pepsi and multiple cups of coffee for E, and spicy Bloody Marys for E and I.  B and I started out with their lobster stuffed mushrooms (button mushrooms stuffed with lobster stuffing and baked with a garlicy olive oil.  The menu said that the stuffing contained lobster, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, mayonnaise and bread crumbs.  To be honest, I would have added either more hot sauce or some cayenne, but regardless, the mushrooms were absolutely delicious and probably something that we will try to make at home.  The mushrooms came with a delicious side salad, which was much needed to balance the rich and buttery mushrooms.  

KK and E split a pound of steamers and while I was too distracted by our mushrooms, I know they thoroughly enjoyed them.  E seemed to be impressed with the size of the oyster meat (that sounds very dirty).  

For our meals, E got the oyster po'boy, KK got the lobster quesadilla, B got the Baja fish wrap (with fried haddock) and I got the lobster and avocado burger.  Everyone enjoyed their seafood choices, although KK could have used less cheese and more lobster in her quesadilla.  My lobster and avocado burger was described as a "giant Maine lobster cake pan sauteed" and I was picturing something more like a crab cake.  Instead, it was more like a lobster salad sandwich served with avocado and melted provolone.  It was delicious nonetheless but not what I was anticipating.  The potato salad that came with my "burger" was absolutely delicious and a perfect summertime meal.  

We took our time with our meals and enjoyed the view, and ofcourse took a photo or two...

After our huge lunch, we walked around and did some shopping.  Ofcourse, with any New England tourist towns, there are some interesting things we found in their shops, including some hot dog and pizza hats.

KK and I also managed to take a cute (albeit windy) photo of ourselves.  We realized that we only have cute pictures that include other people (including the girl who reads my blog way too many times for her own good) or that are absolutely silly and wacky.  We were determined to take some cute photos and I think the one below is adorable....

Afterwards, we went to Downeast Fudge and picked up some fudge for a delicious souvenir.  B got the Rocky Road fudge which we got into last night and it was DELICIOUS.  KK and E also got some fudge for home too.  We topped off a perfect gorgeous day with some ice cream from the Ice Cream Factory.  

The Ice Cream Factory is one of those typical ice cream shops in every New England town.  They sell homemade ice cream in a million different flavors.  I had two scoops - the peanut butter lover (peanut butter ice cream with peanut butter cups) and the cinnamon gingersnap.  Delish.  If they had pumpkin ice cream (which most places don't during the summer), I would have been in heaven.  We sat on the pier and ate ice cream and just had a perfect afternoon.

Afterwards, we headed back to A and T's house where we played with the dogs - Harley and Karma.  

KK and I napped a little while the boys got their fair share of fun in the "game room".  A and T have a room with a huge flat screen TV and video games, board games, a pool table, arcade, bar, popcorn machine and cotton candy machine.  I'm not kidding when I say that their house is amazing.   Needless to say, the boys found themselves very distracted with some NBA video game.  

Since E still had his car situation, it was decided that he would stay behind while the mechanic discovered what was wrong with his car.  A drove KK, B and I to Portland to catch the Amtrak Downeaster, which took us straight into North Station.  We chatted and slept on the way home and arrived pretty late at night, but it was the perfect ending to a wonderful weekend.

Good friends, good food, and plenty of sunshine and laughter - the perfect way to celebrate a long weekend.

xoxo

Lobster rolls, a broken down car, and more lobster - the perfect beginning to a weekend in Boothbay

For about a month now, KK and I (with our boyfriends) have been planning a day trip to Maine. As the long weekend approached, we decided to make a trip up to Boothbay Harbor for part of the long weekend. Because KK and E are constantly in training, they wanted to bring their bikes with them. E has a bike rack for his car, but his car had some issues when he drove from NY to Boston. He got it checked out with both the car dealership and a third party mechanic, and both of them said that the car was okay to go.

We got off to a rocky start from the very beginning. KK and E were supposed to pick us up at at 8 AM but the Run to Remember half marathon blocked all of the traffic in Beacon Hill. After some coordination, we finally got on the road.

The majority of the trip was smooth sailing. It was about a three hour car ride to Boothbay Harbor, and most of it was filled with laughter, good conversation and maybe some beef jerky. And then the car troubles began...the car started bucking and stalling. Now, I've got to be honest, if this was me, I'd probably get a little teary-eyed but E was cool as a cucumber. We managed to stall in Wiscasset, which is so close to Boothbay. We decided to give the car some time to "rest" and instead indulged in delicious lobster rolls from Red's Eats.

Since B lived in Boothbay for a summer, he has raved about this place and its also been on so many foodie shows that highlight lobster rolls. It is a TINY shack right on the ocean and the line usually is at least twenty deep. We jumped in line and three of us got delicious lobster rolls (while B got a chicken finger basket). The lobster rolls were out of this world. There was a ridiculously generous portion of lobster (rumor is that each roll has the meat from at least a one pound lobster) and there was only a touch of mayo. My biggest complaint is that most lobster rolls have a ton of mayo and lettuce but not enough lobster. But this was the exact opposite. It was a no frills lobster roll and incredibly delicious. The roll was grilled and never got soggy. While the fries were mediocre, the batter on the onion rings were also unbelievably delicious.

After finishing our amazing lobster rolls, we turned on the car for another try. Unfortunately lobster rolls don't make a car start and KK ended up calling AAA to get the car towed. Since we were staying with A, he recommended his mechanic.


The tow truck could only seat three (including the driver) so what do two tri-atheletes happily decide to do? They decided this would be a good time for a quick twelve-mile workout. B and I rode the tow truck with KK and E quickly behind us on their bikes. I kid you not.

B and I got to the mechanic's place. A met us there and spoke with the mechanic but unfortunately they wouldn't look at the car until Monday morning at the earliest. We decided to wait for our bikers at the Chinese restaurant next to the mechanic's - China By the Sea. A had a few beers while B and I indulged in a scorpion bowl. Because it was happy hour, a scorpion bowl was only $6. I'm starting to understand why A always complains about prices whenever he comes down to Boston.

After KK and E came, changed and dropped off the car keys with the mechanic, we headed to McSeagulls Restaurant to meet up with T (A's wife) and their friends. We had a few beers on the deck and then headed to the grocery store to pick up the necessary items for the barbecue that A and T were throwing. From last summer, A knew how much I loved lobster and my friends were definitely lobster lovers as well. So we went back to casa de Baldwin, fired up the grill and boiled some lobsters.

Yum. Despite the fact that we had eaten lobster rolls earlier in the day, we eagerly indulged in burgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob and lobsters. Delish.

The rest of the night involved lots of drinking. KK has been raving about Firefly, a sweet tea vodka that she had fallen in love with in one of her many trips to Virginia. We finally got to indulge in it and it was delicious. It is honestly a 70 proof vodka but tastes like a non-alcoholic sweet tea. Maybe it was the sweet tea, but somehow after the other party-goers left, we ended the night in the hot tub. There is something so nice about being in a hot tub on a cool almost summer night.

Despite the rocky start that our trip to Maine began with, it was a wonderful day and ended on an even better note. I've really got to hand it to E because he was calm under pressure and didn't let his car breaking down affect the rest of his day or the trip.

There's more fun, food and sunshine to our trip, but it's getting late so I'll finish blogging about the rest of the trip tomorrow.

xoxo

The White Blazer - My Must-Have Spring Wardrobe Item

As my friends know, I tend to have a refined fashion style. I believe that you can never go wrong with a simple black dress, pearl necklace and earrings, bright shoes and an oversized black clutch. On the weekends, I tend to throw on anything seersucker or plaid on the bottom and a pastel polo on top.

But the ladies at Crush Boutique help me keep my style interesting with fun and flirty outfits that are filled with color and personality. The Rory Beca, Ali Ro, Sweetees, and Matty M dresses help keep my closet from getting really boring.

But often times, besides some great shoes or the standard denim jeans, there aren't many pieces that I can wear in between the classic "boring" outfits and the fun and fearless dresses. Until now....enter the white blazer.

From the pages of Lucky Magazine to my fashion websites that I browse daily, I have been in search of the perfect white blazer. I think it will be a perfect compliment to my A-line work dresses, dressy tops and jeans, and my colorful dresses. But, in this economy, I refuse to pay top dollar for this item.

Today I went to Banana Republic because they are having a huge Memorial Day sale (40% off of all full-priced items and an additional 10% off if you use a BR card). On top of which, I had a $10 coupon to use as well. The end result? I got this gorgeous white blazer for $73.00 (not the original price of $150.00).

What do you think? This piece is so versatile that I can't wait to wear it over and over this spring and summer!

Happy shopping this long weekend! - xoxo

The Friendly Toast in Kendall Square - the Good, the Bad, and the Sticky

This morning I woke up to my monthly appointment with the cleaning lady. B and I decided to head to breakfast at the Friendly Toast, a new restaurant that recently opened at Kendall Square. Since it was cool and overcast, we decided to walk over to Kendall Square. Its strange because in the five years I've lived in Beacon Hill and despite many runs to Cambridge (via the Mass Ave bridge), I have never ever walked to Kendall Square. It was a beautiful walk and I managed to snap some photos along the way.

We arrived at the Friendly Toast a little before 10 AM. We put in our name while we waited for our two friends to join us. We had heard rave reviews about the Friendly Toast from our friends who have visited the Portsmouth location, although as one friend put it, "It's good food, but you should get a tetanus shot before you go." Reviews of the original location described the kitschy diner atmosphere and the delicious breakfast options.

The Kendall Square location certainly lives up to the kitschy atmosphere. We sat in the waiting area which faced the diner counter (which also looked like a bar). However, they were really understaffed and were not offering service at the counter. This was one of the views from the waiting room couch.

They sat us rather quickly even though our two other dining companions weren't there. There was no host/ess so the waitstaff was intermittently seating people when they had the chance. The gentleman who seated us told us apologetically that they were understaffed and working out their opening issues. One of their issues was that there were not enough menus for the entire restaurant, which seated about 150 people. We told him that we could get menus whenever they were available because we were still waiting on two more people, but he never returned with menus even when the hostess stand started to collect more menus. Luckily we had an interesting view at our table while we managed to flag down another staff member and got two menus.

While we were waiting, we decided to order frappes. B had a black and white and I had the Lowbrow, a vanilla shake with orange soda. My frappe was delicious but the slow service turned B's frappe into a melted into a chocolate milk mess. B2 and M, our dining companions, arrived and they noticed that their side of the table was unconformtably sticky and hadn't been washed down well. B2 ordered a cup of coffee, which he said was a great brew but the kitschy plastic mug left a plastic taste. Everyone ordered something different - B ordered the grilled chicken breast BLT with sweet potato fries, M ordered a French Toast and scrambled eggs, and B2 ordered the Guy Scramble (eggs with cheddar, avocado, black beans and salsa) with eggs substituted with tofu and no cheese. I ordered the Mr. Haegar, a cheddar cheese melt with dill pickles, plum tomatoes, Dijon mustard, and horseradish mayonnaise. It is served on grilled oatmeal bread but I substituted for the cayenne cheddar bread. I substituted the side of chips with a side of homefries. Everyone raved about their meals but I was absolutely in love with my sandwich. It was messy and it was delicious. The home fries consisted of thinly sliced potatoes that were cooked so the skins were perfectly browned while the insides never turned mushy. There was also a bit of cayenne in the home fries that gave it a nice kick.

Our food was really great but the service was unbelievably slow. It took a lot of time to flag down our server when M and B2 wanted refills for their soda and coffee. Ofcourse this will probably be worked out when they get fully staffed. I think the prices are a bit high for breakfast and our server strangely enough added up our total incorrectly and our bill was really low. When we left around 11 AM, the counter area and waiting room were both packed with people waiting for a table and there was a line forming outside the door. Again, this will probably happen for weeks to come as there is great buzz about this place. While the menu stated that it was only offering about 1/3 of it usual menu during the opening weeks, B2 and M were still impressed with their vegetarian and vegan options.

The one in Portsmouth is open 24 hours on the weekend and the staff told me they are hoping for the same here. Based on my work experience, I think it will be tough for them to get those hours with the Cambridge Licensing Board. But it will still be great for them to get a midnight or 1 AM closing on the weekends, especially with Kendall Square movie theater, Tommy Doyle's and Flattop Johnny's so close by. But for now, they are only open from 7 AM - 3 PM until they can get adjusted to their business operations.

I'd definitely recommend giving this place a try. I know I'll be back, but maybe I'll wait until they are better adjusted with their service.

xoxo

Never Judge a Book by Its Cover...

After a short workday on Friday, B and I were excited to kick off the long weekend. It was absolutely gorgeous out and there's something about warm weather that makes you want to indulge in some frosty cold beverages. We headed to Central Square to hang out with some off B's friends. After some beers at what is I still maintain is one of the coolest apartments I've ever seen, we headed to Inman Square for dinner.

With a few vegetarians and a vegan in the group, choosing a restaurant is always a challenge. We ended up at Spice & Rice, a place that most of the group has gone to before. I've got to admit that I've driven by this place before and have been apprehensive about any Asian restaurant with such a cheesy name. The restaurant was surprisingly busy and we waited at the bar while a table opened up. The bar was unusually warm so we were happy to indulge in some cold Sapporo during our short wait.

Spice & Rice calls itself a Thai restaurant, but it has Japanese and Korean dishes as well. They had an extensive seafood selection, which always makes me happy. B and I split Royal Triangles, which are fried dumplings filled with chicken and vegetables. I only had one because it was WAY too greasy for me. Even though the seafood selection was tempting, I had the Dol Sot Bi Bim Bap.

Bi Bim Bap translates into mixed rice. It involves marinated Korean beef, veggies (carrots, mushrooms, sprouts, and greens), and an over medium egg that you mix together with hot bean paste. The Dol Sot is a hot stone pot that keep the dish hot and results in some fried crispy pieces of rice. This is one of my FAVORITE Korean dishes and I had to get it. It was served with a small salad and miso soup. I never touched the salad because the Bi Bim Bap was so good. And the miso soup is a good contrast for the spicy dish.

The food and service were both great and the prices were so reasonable. Although I'd probably avoid any Asian place called Spice & Rice, I would definitely go back there again. Their sushi selection looked decent and they had a LOT of vegetarian options.

At the end of the night, we headed back to S/I/O's apartment and hung out and drank some more. A Friday night filled with good food, good beer and cider and great conversation - what better way to start the long weekend?

xoxo

Drinks at the Intercontinental followed by delicious treats at boYO.

After a grueling and frustrating work week, yesterday was a wonderful day.  As my previous post mentions, I had my first solo trial earlier this month and I got a judgment in my client's favor.  I've gotten word that the defendant has no inclination to appeal and wants to make payment on the amount owed.  

On top of which, I had gotten some other phenomenal results for another client that the partner thought was practically impossible.  Needless to say, I was getting some points with two of the partners yesterday.

In high spirits, I left work and headed to the Intercontinental for a City Councilor fundraiser.  

Not only does this certain City Councilor represent me as a Boston resident, but he is also a former law school classmate of mine and I work with his office closely on many projects.  I chatted with the Councilor on the great efforts he has exerted to allow patio seating all year long (instead of within the limited months that the City previously allowed).  And this is welcome to news to both my clients and ofcourse to this city dweller who is found at all of the great dining patios this city has to offer.

I've got to say that this was one of the better fundraisers - good food, good wine, a great view and even better company.

I saw some of my old friends at the BHCA and NABB, and caught up on the latest happenings in the neighborhood.  While I grumble at some of the late night meetings, I've got to say that its great to be kept up to date on what is going on.  I can't claim to be a Queen Dee, who is uber involved in her local community, but as a true Beacon Hiller, I'm proud to stay involved with the community's activities.

It was also great to meet a certain up and coming political newbie who (if elected City Councilor at Large) will be a great addition to this community.  I've got the inside track since I know the campaign manager very well, but I'm really rooting for this candidate and I am wishing her all the best on the campaign trail.

Afterwards, B and I decided to end the long day with a delicious treat at boYO, which we were excited to try out.  Located at 175 Cambridge Street, the place had the exact same set up as the previous tenant - Cold Stone Creamery.  The space looked bigger though with bright Lily Pulitizer pastel colors and funky plastic chairs reminiscent of IKEA.  Despite yesterday's heat wave, it was fairly empty and there were no lines. 

Where to begin on this review, despite that this location had just opened, they had no gelato to serve and only had three flavors of frozen yogurt - vanilla, honeydew and berry.  When I asked what made this frozen yogurt "natural", the serve mumbled something about "maybe it doesn't have perservatives?"  It was more of a question than an answer and puzzling since being natural is a big advertisement for this place.  B ordered a honeydew smoothie with strawberries and pineapples.  When he got it, they said they didn't have any covers, which is strange since they just opened.  I ordered a small honeydew yogurt with fruity pebbles topping.  Despite it not being busy, they handed me a small berry yogurt with fruity pebbles topping.  I didn't make a big deal about it since I wanted to give them a break but it was absolutely puzzling to me how they made a mistake when there was no other customers there and only three flavors of yogurt to choose from to begin with.

I think boYO is a good concept but I'm not sure how they'll fare.  I've been to a LOT of soft openings for various restaurants and take-out places and this has got to be the worst one by far.  The staff needs more training and the store needs to actually have all of their menu offerings, considering that they only offer gelato and frozen yogurt.  Hopefully more people will be forgiving and give this place another try....I know I will.

xoxo

P.S.  Thanks for all the great feedback on the blog updates!  Its wonderful getting some new readers, and a shout out to Chrysanthe from outsidein, who sent me an email letting me know that they are going to use my blog as an example of a good and effective storymap!  I'm flattered by the compliment!

Victory

Earlier this month I had my first solo trial and today I got the judgment and decision back in my client's favor.  

VICTORY!!!!

Today is a small milestone in a hopefully long career...

To All the Single Ladies (and the Not Single Ladies Too)

I had a heart to heart with one of my best girlfriends late last night.  It was one of those conversations that is absolutely heart wrenching and leaves both of you sobbing.  I'm not talking about delicate tears, but about "loud sniffles, blowing your nose, can't breathe" crying.  The interesting thing is that it is the kind of crying that you have after you fight with your significant other and I think that the comparison is telling.

I've always announced just how lucky I am to surround myself with such amazing girlfriends.  We are each other's biggest cheerleaders when one of us gets a new job or promotion, starts grad school, begins a new relationship or just looks fabulous at a party or in a photo.  We are also each other's rocks when those jobs and classes are stressful, when your relationship is on the rocks, or when you're frustrated with how much weight you've gained.  And we're there for the fun times and laughter that happen in between these highs and lows.

I think the importance of these friendships are always highlighted when we are single because society teaches us that we need to find one person out there to complete us and to be there for us for the good times and bad...until death do us part.  When we are single, we rely on our friends to fill that void.  I think that's why shows like Sex and the City are such a huge hit with our generation.  Its a story of four women and their friendship together as they go through their life together.  Men, jobs, apartments, and fashions change, but their friendship is the one thing that remains constant. 

But often when Mr. or Ms. Right comes along, we push those friends out of this central role and just rely solely on our significant others.  When I was single, I was incredibly frustrated when this happened.  Over the years, I've had the conversation with different girlfriends that starts out with, "I never talk/see you anymore..."  I always felt used - as if I've fulfilled my duties as a friend and now my services aren't needed anymore.  It's a terrible feeling to have when you feel as though your friendship wasn't sincere but that you were merely a placeholder for a boyfriend or girlfriend.  And I've always vowed that when I'm in a serious relationship that I won't be like that.

For the most part, I think I've stuck to that principle.  Ofcourse things have changed because I'm not only in a serious commitment with B, but that I also live with him, but I make it a huge priority to spend time with my friends without B (and not just when he has othe plans).  And we pride ourselves on the fact that when we go out to parties or with big groups, we actually barely spend time together because we see each other all the time and want to socialize with our friends.  

Last night, during this heart to heart, my friend and I cleared through some misunderstandings.  Our friendship had gotten distant and we were both hurt with the other person for the distance.  She felt that I no longer needed her because now I have a boyfriend and I felt that she was pushing me away ever since I started dating B and punishing me for no longer being single.  It was an emotional conversation and one that was desperately needed in our friendship.  The raw emotions I felt existed because my friendships mean so much to me, no matter what my relationship status is.  It was another reminder for me that no matter how much love I can have for B in my heart, he can never fill the footsteps of those wonderful girlfriends I have in my life - my true blues - who have always been there for me.  I have a deep, lasting bond with my friends - some of whom I've known for over two decades - and this bond is irreplaceable.   

xoxo

Happy Hump Day!

I had a really terrible day yesterday.  I can't go into the details but I was seriously ready to walk out of the office in the middle of the day and deal with whatever consequences may result from that action.  

I left work and took out all of my aggressions in Cardio Kickboxing.  I felt better but completely exhausted at the end of the class and really worn down.  I started to feel like I was getting a cold.  

But you know what cheered me up?  My thoughtful boyfriend, who had this gorgeous bouquet of flowers awaiting because he knew that my day was so disastrous.

I'm a lucky girl.

I took the morning off from work and slept in late and rolled into work after 10 AM.  I feel like crap and have a hearing in the afternoon and a meeting after work, but at the end of the day, I get to go home to someone who loves me...and sometimes that makes it all worthwhile.

xoxo

Ending more with a whimper than a bang...

Despite all of my insistence of a quiet weekend, B and I got our hands on last minute tickets to Game 7.  B has gone to every home game in this series and of the three that I went with him, these have got to be the best seats by far.  Center court, lower balcony....I was in heaven.  I've definitely had better (i.e. more expensive) seats that are closer to the floor, but with the lower balcony, I could really see what's going on in the game.  

I started off happy in the game.  Since my throat was killing me, B bought me a yard of frozen strawberry margarita.  Okay, maybe I could have ice cream or something else, but I think I wanted to relive our Vegas trip with a frozen drink.  You know its true love when your boyfriend isn't embarrassed that you are drinking the most obnoxious drink in the place.

Did I end the game happy?  Well, I won't play Monday morning quarterback, since we all know what went wrong last night...and most of the series.  Its been a great playoff season for Boston, and the Bruins and the Celtics have certainly kept it interesting (and tiring) this past month. 

But I guess its time to focus back on the Sox...

xoxo

Golfing plus wine and cheese....

I woke up on Saturday feeling completely relaxed and refreshed. I had a golf lesson in the afternoon with my friend E and E, so I wanted to have a healthy yet filling breakfast to give me energy for the day. I made an egg white omelette with spinach, onion and garlic. When I was done cooking, I added some pine nuts for an extra crunch and added a little side of leftover spicy ketchup to my omelette. Yum.

Afterwards, I headed to Newton Commonwealth for an hour long lesson. While my form is pretty good, I am working on really getting the divet with each stroke and to not rush myself. I'm really glad I decided to continue taking lessons this year. It was a cool day and we decided to hit up the course afterwards. We played eighteen holes and I had a pretty good day overall.

I left the house around noon and didn't get back until about 7 PM. I was STARVING since all I ate on the course was a granola bar and some tropical Skittles - not exactly satisfying.

B and I decided to have a night in and eat our yummy cheese and crackers that we purchased from the night before. We decided to do a crockpot meal for Sunday and headed to Whole Foods to pick up some ingredients. On the way there, I ran into the lovely Queen Dee, who was heading to meet a friend in the neighborhood.

At Whole Foods, in addition to our crockpot ingredients, we got some gouda, salami and crostinis. We headed home and eagerly had our yummy dinner of cheese, crackers and lots of red wine. It was delish.

B and I settled in and watched W. We've had this movie lying around our apartment for ages and we finally got around to watching it. It was typically liberally biased and anti-Bush, and ofcourse I hated it. But it was interesting to see some actors transform into such well-known characters.

B and I weirdly decided to start our crockpot recipe around midnight and that we'd turn it on before we went to bed. We knew Sunday would be a lazy day, especially with the Celtics playing at 1 PM and we didn't want to make anything during the day but also didn't want to wake up super early to get the crockpot started. We decided to use this recipe, but ofcourse we loosely followed it by adding more wine, herbs, spices and ofcourse onions, carrots, potatoes and garlic. Let's just say that it was nice waking up to the smell of such yummy food!

Today is a RELAXING day and I'm glad the weekend was so great....Hope everyone has a great rainy Sunday.

xoxo

Friday Night = Date Night

I've never been so excited for the weekend. After a few months of nonstop running around, I finally had a free weekend. I didn't have any big plans, parties, or events to go to. While I normally love a busy social life, I really just wanted a weekend where sleeping in is an option.

I left work early on Friday and headed to Pinckney Nails for a pedicure. I've been going there for years and its nice to go somewhere, relax and just feel pampered. If I had thought about it earlier, I would have probably scheduled a massage for Friday too. After feeling thoroughly relaxed, I headed home to get ready for date night.

A few months ago, KK went to EVOO in Somerville with her boyfriend E. She RAVED about the place and we knew that it had to be on our list of places to try out. B made an 8:30 PM reservation so that we'd have plenty of time to head over without feeling rushed. It was a good thing that we made reservations because the place was packed. We noticed a lot of families there and we had to wonder if it would be this busy if it weren't one of the many graduation weekends that hit Boston this time of year.

Our server was friendly, but as the reviews all indicated, she was incredibly slow. I think they emphasize on a slow pacing of meals but it seemed to take forever for us to even place an order. We started out with some of their fresh crusty bread and parmesan bread sticks. They gave a healthy dipping bowl of, well, evoo, along with a delicious balsamic vinegar. I was hungry but didn't want to eat too much bread but the parmesan bread sticks were too delicious to refuse.

For an appetizer, we started out with some goose liver mousse served with sauteed bacon, apples and freshly grilled crostinis. I'm a bit of a pate and mousse snob and this was mediocre but I did like the contrast with the bacon and apples.

B and I ordered exactly what KK and her boyfriend ordered. B ordered their Duck, Duck, Goose entree (Duck Confit, Seared Hudson Valley Duck Foie Gras, Slices of Goose Breast, Lentils, Little Green Beans, Verrill Farm's Wilted Greens and Sherry - Ginger Sauce ) and I had the Chinese Box (Full of Mustard Glazed Shrimp, Sesame - Hoisin Braised Beef, Gingered Vegetable-Cashew Salad and Jasmine Rice ). The presentation on my meal was as KK promised - a takeout Chinese box upside down was lifted to make this really cool presentation of layers of deliciousness. The braised beef was so tender and the shrimp was huge and perfectly cooked. Another couple was sitting next to us and they took one look at the Chinese box and ordered that as well.

We ended the meal with two cups of rooibos lattes (mine was way too foamy for my taste) and we split the chocolate banana bread pudding served in a warm buttermilk caramel sauce. I thought Bret would lick the entire bowl if he could.

The meal was so wonderful and reasonably priced. Like many of our other favorite restaurants, EVOO focuses on local ingredients. They also have a year round "restaurant week" prix fixe meal. While we didn't order off of it because we didn't want two appetizers and two desserts, it was certainly tempting as they had a lot of interesting appetizers and entrees.

Afterwards, B and I noticed a small wine and cheese shop on the corner. Since the weather was nice and there were no cabs in sight, we thought we'd go investigate the Wine and Cheese Cask. The place was mostly busy because there is a package store in the back, but the service was really nice. We found some interesting pepper crackers and mustard. But we knew we had to get some cheese. The helpful employee behind the cheese cracker was eager to help and had lots of recommendations. First, I asked for a brie-like creamy cheese and she helped us choose a delightful Delice de Bourgogne with French triplecreme. After loving the herby cheese I had the previous week with KK, she was eager to introduce us to one of her favorites - Fleur Verte. This is a French goat cheese with herbs and a healthy dose of taragon. Even though we were STUFFED from our dinner, I was in heaven with these tastings of cheese. I'm so glad that we discovered this place as the service was great and the prices were again reasonable. I even signed up for their newsletter and can't wait to go back there again the next time we throw a party. I also have a girls night in scheduled in a few weeks with KK and A, so I've got to stop by this place and pick up some yummy cheese!

We ended the night snuggling on the couch and catching up on lots of TV that we haven't had to watch due to our crazy schedules. I'm looking forward to the rest of this laid back weekend....

xoxo

Girlfriends + shopping + wine = a perfect Thursday night

Every spring, my friend E and I go to the StyleFixx Girls Night Out shopping event.  Its a fun time where you get free drinks and browse different vendors who offer things from sex toy parties to cool custom jewelry.  And ofcourse, you get a pretty awesome swag bag at the end of the night.  This year, my friend R met up with us and we had a blast.  

I was thrilled to meet Marisa Danielle Perry, owner and creator of Pistachio.  She creates amazing jewelry from vintage pieces, and Crush Boutique actually carries some of her pieces.  I got a really beautiful custom necklace that I love and wore on NYE (see pic below).  Whenever I wear it, its such a conversation piece because it is so unique and I've gotten some great compliments on it.  It was great to meet Marisa and I'm looking forward to buying some more of her pieces.  

I only made one purchase that night.  I got a gorgeous onyx and silver cocktail ring through Cinsummer, but I'm doing some research now to track down the actual designer.   

Afterwards, R headed home to pack for her upcoming trip to Florida.  E and I went back to her adorable South End condo.  We got into a bottle of red, some Upper Crust pizza, and just had one of those relaxing nights in.  Well, it was relaxing minus the tough sports losses.  

It was the perfect Thursday night.  And although my head wasn't feeling too great this morning when I met with a financial advisor at 8 AM, it was well worth it.  

I'm ready to start the weekend!

xoxo

Adding a spicy kick to a traditional American meal.

Last night, B and I decided to make a healthier version of a fried chicken meal.  Instead of fried chicken, we took chicken tenders, dredged them and added a generous coat of bread crumbs.  Inspired by watching Down Home with the Neelys a few weeks ago, we added a healthy dose of cayenne to the bread crumb mixture, which added a nice kick to the chicken tenders.  Instead of frying the chicken, we decided to make it a little healthier and threw in the oven to bake instead of fry.  Personally, I like baked chicken tenders way better as it tastes just as good as fried chicken (in my opinion) while avoiding all of the oil you need to fry it. 

B also made some red bliss skin-on mashed potatoes.  Again, we decided to add a spicy kick to the mashed potatoes by adding some wasabi powder.  On Sunday, B's dad got a side of wasabi mashed potatoes with his lamb chop at Scollay Square and he thought it was so delicious.  After a bit of researching, we found that this is simply made by adding either wasabi paste or wasabi powder to any traditional mashed potato recipe.  This was easy enough as we have a great wasabi powder from Trader Joe's.  We decided to stay away from any required measurementssince a little goes a long way and instead added the wasabi powder as the last ingredient by taste.  After a few generous spoonfuls, we got the right taste of spicy wasabi without it being overpowering or giving you that painful spicy up the nose reaction (you know what I'm talking about).  

For a side, we boiled some fresh corn on the cob that we got from Peapod on Monday.  In addition, we decided to make two dipping sauces for the chicken tenders.  B made his traditional spicy ketchup, which consists of ketchup, BBQ sauce, siracha sauce, tabasco, and drop of Frank's hot sauce.  I knew we had a lot of leftover basil from a tomato, mozarella, basil and balsamic sald we made a few days ago.  I thought that the basil would go bad in a few days, so I decided to use the rest and made a fresh pesto dipping sauce.  While I'm a huge fan of pesto, I've surprisingly never made it before despite how easy and simple it is to make.  I picked through the basil to make sure that I used all of the remaining fresh basil.  I added some pine nuts and shredded parmesan cheese.  To make this a creamy dipping sauce, I added a healthy quarter cup of Fage Greek yogurt.  I pulsed these ingredients in the food processor, while slowly adding some EVOO.  I took a taste and it was really good, but I added some freshly crushed peppercorns, more pine nuts and a lit more yogurt.  Perfection.

The picture above is blurry, but the meal was absolutely delicious.  The spicy chicken tenders were so crunchy and left a great spicy aftertaste from the cayenne.  The corn was fresh and sweet, and it was actually the first corn on the cob for the season.  And as for the wasabi mashed potatoes - I've got to say that its going to be hard to go back to regular mashed potatoes after this!  I actually opted for the fresh pesto sauce because it was a nice cool creamy contrast to the spicy chicken tenders and the spicy wasabi mashed potatoes.  

While others may opt for KFC's fried (or their new "grilled") chicken, I am perfectly content with my healthier and spicier version of a traditional "fried"chicken meal.

xoxo

boYo

Anyone else excited that this is coming to Beacon Hill?

http://www.boyofroyo.com/index.html

Sometimes I forgot how lucky I am...

...to be living in the heart of the city.  It makes things in life a lot easier than if I lived outside of Boston.

Last night, I stayed at work until about 6 PM.  I work near Government Center and headed to my gym with some of my co-workers.  I always rave about how much I love the Sports Club/LA and was excited to head to my weekly Cardio Kickboxing class.  This class is TOUGH and our instructor yells at you (which I don't particularly enjoy).  But she pushes us really hard and I always get a phenomenal workout, especially in my arms and obliques.  I had some time to kill before the class started so I hit the free weights and some of the weight machines, but I was also checking my Blackberry because B was thinking about getting some last minute Celtics tickets.  Right before the class started, B texted me that he got two great tickets below face value.  What's a girl to do?  Work out or root on one of her teams? 

If you're me, you do both.  I got my butt kicked in the class and then I snuck out during the cool down.  I ran home through the Common and did a quick change and loaded on the deodorant and perfume in a lieu of having time to shower.  Thankfully, a cab ride from Beacon Hill to the Garden is only a few minutes.  I met B and his friend at Sullivan's Tap, and B and I headed to the game.  By the time we grabbed some food and drinks, we only missed a few minutes of the first quarter.  

I was glad I didn't miss the game...which was filled with sloppy plays by the Celtics, ridiculous calls by the referees, and a close squeaker of a win.  We left the Garden and walked home....and I was ready for bed by 11 PM.

Seriously, how could you really manage to get all of these things done so quickly and easily in any other city?  I know people often don't consider Boston a large metropolis, but the reality is that the large town feel makes it possible to do it all - especially when you've got a crazy schedule like mine.

xoxo

Final birthday celebration...

B and I woke up this morning feeling horrendous. While I only drank my prosecco, I also partook in way too many shots for my own good. B and I managed to rally and meet his parents for brunch at Scollay Square. Even though they were in town for B's birthday, B ofcourse bought his mom a gorgeous bouquet for Mother's Day.

B's parents LOVED Scollay Square because of the jazz music and the old school feel to the place. Because it was Mother's Day, they had a special brunch menu. I had the acorn and butternut squash lasagna with mascarpone and ricotta cheese, toasted pine nuts, sauteed baby spinach and sage cream. While I would have preferred more of the acorn squash, the toasted pine nuts really made the dish stand out with its texture and crunch.

While his parents opted out of dessert, they did end up sharing the desserts that B and I got - the mini chocolate bundt cake and the Maine blueberry shortcake served with the most delicious fresh blueberries and vanilla bean gelato.

Afterwards we walked B's parents back to their car and walked through the Garden to enjoy the weather. We spent the rest of the day napping and are now watching way too many sports at the same time.

What a great weekend...hope everyone else had a great time too!

xoxo

The birthday celebrations continue...

While B and I had a great time together on his actual birthday, B also wanted to celebrate with his friends. I organized a birthday dinner Flat Iron, a tapas bar and lounge at the Bulfinch Hotel. I wanted to pick a restaurant that had a decent price range, could seat a large party, and was near the party location. B's nearest and dearest (his college, high school and Beantown friends) happily came to celebrate. The place was TINY and it was a good thing that I called to make reservations because our table of twelve took over most of the restaurant's seating. Everyone ordered a myriad of tapas. I enjoyed the deep fried risotto, their braised short rib sliders, and duck pate. However their kobe sliders were a bit disappointing. Since a quarter of the diners were vegetarians, I was concerned that they didn't have enough vegetarian options. I called ahead and they prepared a special vegetarian pesto pasta, which was a special touch. It is always hard to please everyone when there is such a large dinner party, but everyone had a great time.

We finished dinner and headed to Johnnie's on the Side for the birthday celebration. I reserved the entire downstairs for the party and their management (thank you Chris and Christina) were AMAZING. We wanted to choose a venue where we could have room to sit, stand, or for some even dance, yet it would be quiet enough where we could actually hear each other talk. While their music is more of a jazzy lounge vibe, they offered us use of their sound system if we brought in an ipod, which was fantastic. It was absolutely wonderful to spend the night with all of B's friends, both old and new. I was thrilled to have such a huge showing. I also ordered some food for later in the evening and while I was too busy playing hostess, everyone seemed to enjoy the mini grilled cheese sandwiches, goat cheese and beet crostinis, meatballs, chicken skewers and kettle chips with bacon and blue cheese. All in all, B had a fantastic time and so did I once I got over the nervousness that I get in anticipation of anytime I am in charge of a party..

There were a LOT of pics, so I had a tough time choosing which ones I liked...

The first round of shots for the evening - Baby Guinness shots!

Lindsay and Shannon


Charlestown trio...

Some of the college gang....

Alan is one lucky guy....

<3 Me and the birthday boys <3

Birthday kisses from pretty blondes...

High School Best Friends

Risa and Maggie

Lovely ladies...

Why do the boys insist on tequila shots?

Gene and Karen

Funny group shot at the end of the night...

Thanks to everyone who helped make B's 30th so special...

xoxo