A-brewing

Things feel like they are a-brewing around here. 

Lots of fun and exciting things from every angle. 

First Bite: Deuxave

Last night, I was fortunate enough to go to the grand opening of Deuxave (doo-ave) at 371 Commonwealth Ave. (Oddly, I had already been.) Regardless, it was a chance to show off the state-of-art-ktichen, some interesting cocktails and a sampling of food.

The co-owners come from Dorchester-fave dbar, a place my roommates and I frequent for cherished Show-tune Tuesday. Point is, these guys are good.

The space is sleek and contemporary: dark gray, lush booths, chandeliers and a marble bar. (There is a serious lack of pictures to post, however). It's another up-scale neighborhood joint. I think this particular location, with a crippling lack of parking, may serve to be difficult but I'm hoping Deuxave proves me wrong.

Onto the story, last night I enjoyed complimentary sparkling wine and a lemonade-esque tequila cocktail. I enjoyed my drinks thoroughly, but paid for that this morning. 

We sampled passed apps including a sweet corn soup, tuna tartare, salted milk chocolate caramels with cherry, prosciutto-wrapped watermelon, cheese puffs, oysters and other tasty delights. This one poor waiter kept passing by with meat-centric apps, so I continued to pass (as I'm a pain-in-the-ass vegetarian). He got frustrated and said, "You can't reject me all night," after describing a small square as a lemon and muffled something with a fig chutney. So I tried it. 

As it turns out, that muffled something was a pretty important piece of information to hear. I bite directly into an app with pate on top. I knew immediately something was not right that was happening in my mouth, but there wasn't much to do about it. 

This was quite a foray back into meat-eating. My poor friend asked, "Oh, do you not like liver?" Gratefully, she ate the reminder while I flagged down the bartender for another tequila. 

A late summer hike

Before the weather started turning to chilly mornings & evenings, my man-friend and I picked a cooler day to hike Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire. It claims to be the most hiked mountain in New England. The tempature was key. Had it been hotter, I would have been cranky, for sure.

It was lovely and I have a few photos to share.

A lovely view, indeed!

I'm so New England. 

Stop the presses!! CABS ARE HERE!!!

News is circulating that my fall-time favorite guido, DJ Pauly D(elicious) is getting his own show. I am ready! It's T-SHIRT TIME!!! 

BEST FRIDAY EVER!

Beekman Dreams

Ok. This one is dedicated to my Aunt Barb. She's been plugging the Fabulous Beekman Boys for years. So finally, I paid attention. I was instantly hooked. The Beekman Boys and their life have all the best elements: attractive men, a farm, goats, soap, cheese, humor, love and strife. 

Beekman Garden, 52 raised beds

The Fabulous Beekman Boys are partners: Brent, a physician-turned-businessnman, and lovable, snarky Josh, a Midwestern former drag-queen, NY Times bestseller, ad-man and wannabe farmer. Together they purchased a mansion in Sharon Springs, NY, a ghost-town which was once a bustling hub of New Yorkers on vacation to visit the Sulpher Springs (think Hamptons, pre-Hamptons). 

Book cover

We read the book The Bucolic Plague: How Two Manhattanites Became Gentlemen Farmers: An Unconventional Memoir in my book club. And now, (wait for it) WE ARE VISITING!! I can't even contain my excitement. It should be beautiful then. Watch out Sharon Springs, we are coming!! 

Ps Catch the show on Planet Green and it's been renewed!! Yay!!

*Images courtesy of Beekman1802.com, amazon.com, Mintel Hnatov

2010 refresh

 

Every 7th grader's favorite quote recently got a social media facelift....

Classic: Dance like no one is watching, love like you'll never be hurt, sing like no one is listening, and live like it's heaven on earth.

Update: Dance like the picture's not being tagged. Love like you've never been unfriended. Tweet like no one's following.

While I have the floor, I'll mention to the adults paying attention that just because we are older, it still hurts to be excluded--particularly when you can hardly turn on any social media outlet without seeing fairly rampant reminders of said exlcusion. So facebook, tweet, status message with a bit of respect to those who it may hurt. 

Yes...some of kindergarten's most important lessons really do stand the test of time.

{Stepping off the soap box now }

Signup sheet

Hi,

It's just that I'm looking for a sign-up sheet for this room? Kthxbai. 

Check out lonny's refreshed website (complete with blog, swoon!)

Have a great weekend!

Assisi

Italy-land of enchantment. I've yet to find anyone who's been to Italy and doesn't love it. I've been lucky enough to have visited the country twice. And, despite all the cliches about Italy (and Italian men), it really was just breathtaking. 

I don't know why I was ever reluctant to go to Assisi. I guess I just assumed St. Francis must have been from a boring, unattractive town. This is not one of my brighter assumptions. I though Assisi was knock-your-socks-off beautiful. Other people agree. 

This last one is by Natasha, who photographs my dreams.

One Hell of a Disco!

For my brother-in-law's  40th birthday soiree, my sister coordinated a hell of a disco party. She went all out and the costumes were fierce. Kudos to the new, young neighbors whose introduction to Harvard, Ma included all their drunken elder's in platforms, wigs and psychedelic glitter tops.

There was a DJ, a bartender, 20 cases of beers, 10 handles of hard alcohol, one a-mazing vodka/pineapple concoction, and tons of food. The "dance floor" was hysterical and I was left wondering how you took any business man seriously in tight, plaid pants. How did anyone ever accomplish anything?

Here are some pre-party photos, *sorry no costume pictures-I was too busy flittering about.

Announcement

I'm hopelessly in love. Look at these faces and tell me you don't understand. They have completely stolen my heart, collectively. In related news, my sister throws one hell of a party (but that's for tomorrow!). 

My European Life Pt1

When I imagine my life as a European, I'm effortlessly glamorous. With long legs. Long, always just-done-up enough hair and perpetually red lips. This fantasy serves as a lovely contrast from my clumsy, occasionally-sloppy, perpetually chap-lipped Midwest transplant self. 

Here are other things about my European alter ego. This is my car, and where I park it.

Stupid cute. 

He's there too.

I would wear a glamorous coat and oversized sunnies like this Alexa Chung model:

This desk, from Marie Claire Maison, would be where I diligently wrote intellectual, sophisticated poems. 

My room would overlook this:

 There's more to this fantasy life, obviously. But this was just to whet your appetite.

*Images courtesy of: The Cherry Blossom, Eye Poetry, Alexa Chung, Marie Claire Maison

Another 5...

Not so inspired today, sadly. Let's just reflect on some things I'm grateful for this afternoon. 

1. New opportunities! Congrats to those of you in my inner circle who may or may not have received an impressive offer today. Champers? I think so! 

2. Cozy reading chairs. 

*courtesy of Pink Wallpaper

3. An overlooked, never-mentioned mistake. 

4. Dancing without fear of being embarrassed. 

Just what these little monsters were doing.

5. A cold diet coke on a hot (or hungover) morning.

This is moving

There aren't a lot of people I interact regularly that served, but I'm grateful to those that did. I also believe that I don't even come close to comprehending what it must have been like for those in combat or those left behind. This reminded me of Mackensie Ford's "Gifts of War" with an integral scene taking place at the Christmas Truce.

I watched this video this morning, and yet, I still can't shake how crystal blue Jack's eyes are, how spry he still looks at 90.

If the video didn't cause you to choke up, some of the Gawker comments may.