Merry Merry

Merry Christmas, friends! Whether you celebrate or not, I hope your day is magical.

Lunch at Sportello

In college, I had a professor who said that when he was in college, he used to get ice cream after every exam. Treating himself after something stressful, he said, made the stressful thing not so bad.

Yesterday, I took the GRE. I was pretty nervous about it, so when it was all over, I decided to treat myself to lunch at Sportello, the fanciest lunch counter you'll ever see.

When I told my waitress why I was there, she brought me a glass of prosecco. When she brought me my fancy-pants latte, she also brought me a cupcake to take home. Her enthusiasm made the meal seem even more special, and now I'm pretty sure that I'm going there for all lunchtime celebrations from here on out.

When my mom and I went on our adventure last Sunday, we stopped in at Codman Farm in Lincoln to buy some eggs and bacon (here's a tip: they have the best bacon around. It's a little bit pricey, and you have to pay with cash that you stick in a little mailbox, but it is so so worth it. And it's made from their pigs, so it's super local, too.)

Anyway, while we were there, we met a little kitten. He was darting all over the farm, sniffing everything and batting at my camera strap. It was adorable.

It took all I had not to scoop him up and take him home.

Instead, I think I'm going to have to pay him another visit asap.

Yesterday, after a morning of studying, my mom and I went on a little adventure in the country to breathe a little fresh air before the week began.

I'd kind of forgotten how beautiful New England is this time of year, and it was so refreshing to be reminded.

Happy Monday, friends!

Should you ever find yourself in North Cambridge, not too far from Davis Square and the Arlington border, I strongly recommend a trip to Verna's.



They're a little hole-in-the-wall, but they make the best donuts around. I've been going since I was tiny. My dad would take Dewey and me out for a chocolate honey dipped and an orange juice most Saturday mornings when we were little.


(the chocolate honey-dipped are still my favorite)

Anyway, I recommend that you get a dozen. Include a couple of coffee rolls, even if they're not your favorite. Someone will like them.



Then, find a couple of friends and a good place to sit. (You may need to drive. Or you could walk to Davis.)
Coffee's a pretty good thing, too.



Then you should eat the donuts and be happy.

While we were in DC, Em, La, James and I stopped by Union Market, where we cooled off from the muggy day with iced coffee at Peregrine Espresso in Union Market. The coffee was amazing, and Union Market was so nice. It's the kind of place I'd visit all the time if I lived there, I think.

Weekend in DC

Oh, man. What a weekend. Manoli got married on Saturday, and I met up with a bunch our buddies in DC to celebrate. I flew down early on Friday, so I got in plenty of time to explore. It was magical. There was lots of good food, beautiful sites to see, a wonderful and love-filled wedding, perfect weather, and most of my favorite people. Really, it could not possibly have been better.

Real Pops

This past Sunday, I went to the Davis Flea with one mission in mind: to buy some Real Pops.

About two months ago, after years of dreaming and planning, my sister launched Real Pops,  the best trike-based frozen treat company in Boston.

Dewey makes different flavors of fresh fruit ice pops each week, and man, they are so delicious.  (They look pretty pretty, too.)

I am so impressed (and a little proud) that Dewey has turned Real Pops into an actual business. Seeing her at the market, interacting with customers and talking about her pops, is one of the coolest things. Seeing other people get excited about the pops is pretty fun, too. This week, she sold out two hours before the market was over! It's enough to make a big sister's heart burst with pride.

Next time you're in Davis Square on a Sunday, you should really stop by the Flea for a shop and a Real Pop. You won't regret it, promise.

Sunday Brunch

On Friday, I decided that it would be a good idea to have some people over for Sunday Brunch and a trip to the market to buy some Real Pops. I sent out an email, and before I knew it, a brunch party was in the works. 

I mixed up a batch of sourdough waffle batter the night before, and I bought a big box of coffee from a local cafe. The morning of, I put out fruit and fried some bacon, then made waffles to order as my friends arrived. It was so much fun, and really simple. I see many more brunches in the future, if my friends are willing. (And really, if you offer waffles and bacon, who isn't willing?)

Drunk Blondies

I haven't had much time for baking lately, plus I've been eating so much ice cream there isn't really room for cookies and things in my sweets arsenal. Still, though, when I fell asleep dreaming about these  bourbon chocolate-chip blondies for four nights in a row, I felt like it might be a good idea to turn the oven on.

I was right- they were amazing. I browned the butter and left out the coconut, but still, man-oh-man, were they delicious. They came together really quickly, too, which is one of my favorite things about brownies and blondies. I'm pretty sure that you should make them, too.

Devereux Beach

Work has been crazy busy this summer. It's mostly a good thing; I have the best coworkers ever, and I also get to work with many adorable children every day. It does, however, mean that I somehow made it to the middle of August with only one beach trip under my belt. This past Sunday, my mom and Dewey picked me up from work and we drove to Devereax Beach in Marblehead. It was a little too cold to swim, but we got plenty of sun and I went up to the water to my knees. It was the perfect thing to do on a Sunday afternoon.

August Diet

For as long as I can remember, all I want to eat in August is corn, tomatoes and peaches (June and July are all about watermelon and ice cream). This year, for some reason (especially considering how little meat I normally cook), I've added steak on the grill to that list.

The August diet is my favorite.

The morning after Gentlemen of the Road, Elizabeth, Emma and I went to breakfast at The Front Room in Portland's East End. It is a tiny little restaurant on the ground floor of a residential building with an open kitchen. We sat at the bar and talked with regulars while we ate some of the most delicious eggs, toast and homefries I've had in a while.