Category: Food

Poolside Chilling & Garden Tilling

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Spent like 4 hours in the pool yesterday. Really enjoyed being on the floats too. Check out this cool Capybara cake as well!

Today went to OSJL to grab some things, grilled out back for lunch, and went to Like No Udder for some ice cream (sweet corn flavor – incredible!) and some watermelon lemonade. Then I went ahead and did some gardening chores that I had been meaning to get to for a while, like transplanting some totato plants and whatnot. For dinner took a trip down to the Cousins Maine Lobster food truck and just sat out back in my gravity chair.

Good Food, Great Friends, and a Firepit Finale

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Coming soon! Revisits!

Had a successful BBQ here at home last night with some invited old colleagues of LDs! I grilled and I always get a little nervous that I’ll mess something up but everything came out great! Salmon and burgers and we skewered some veggies on spits to grill which also came out just right. And of course as evening rolled around, had to light the firepit and do the s’mores thing. We hadn’t seen these folks in a quite a while so it was really good to catch up!

It was a fun time!

Burgers, Beaches, and the Cutest Dog in Fairhaven

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Got invited to stay over atr a freinds for an overnight in the lovely town of Fairheven for some good food, laughs, a little beach time, and fire works. Such wonderful hospitality! I actually did not go into the water but LD did. I did however partake in all the wonderfully BBQ’d cooked meals. Stuck around for the fireworks over the bay and then crashed for the night. Had a lovely breakfast in the morning from our hosts with some good conversation. And of course, their dog is the cutest!

Happy Fourth!

Gametime: Treasure. This game is tricky hard!

Accidental Art and Massive Monuments in Plymouth

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It’s day two of the visit! This time off to Plymouth. Wanted to be somewhere near the coast but not anything too far or crazy. Seemed like a good choice, and it was! My personal highlight of the outing was seeing these cool metal sculptures of animals that we randomly happened upon, didn’t even know they were there! And of course I had to check out the Monument of the Forefathers, which I had sort of heard of before but never checked out until this day. The thing is massive! 81 foot tall and said to be the largest solid granite statue in the world! It’s very interesting.

Yes, that is an opsrey nest on the head of the statue.

We had a nice lunch over at East Bay Grill. I tried another cocktail, a Huckleberry Lemonade concoction made up of vodka, lemonade blueberry puree infused syrup, and blueberries which was very good. I’m not even a drinker and I’ve had two cocktails in two days already.

We finished up the day with a little bit of the firepit on the patio back home, and then some pizza and a movie, Sheep Detectives, very cute starring Huigh Jackman.

A Tourist Day in Boston with Old Friends

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One of LD’s old friends from out of state has come over to visit for a few days so we’re doing a little bit of the tourist thing. A trip to Boston was on tap this day. We took a ride on the swan boats, and walked a little bit around the publlic garden. Had a quick bite at a place called Bistro du Midi right on Boyleston, I passed by that place a million times but had never been before. Good flatbreads and the Lavender cocktail I had was very refreshing. Later in the afternoon we took a duck boat ride. I hadn’t been on one in years, that was fun. Good thing we went when we did, I saw one tipped over the next day and that never happens. We originally wanted to go to the Bristol Lounge at the Four Season but the French Soccer Team rented out the entire hotel, so no admittance for anybody. That must be a pretty big bill!

Charlie’s Stick, a $20 Win, and Mariska Hargitay: The Ultimate Weekend Mashup

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A trip into the city over the weekend. Pardon me as I write this off the cuff so it may not flow just right but I wanted to put down the memories. Drove down Saturday early to NJ to celebrate a high school graduation and some other things with family, LD swam at the Y to get some more yardage in toward her goal for charity to the American Cancer Socity. (you can donate here if you like). We ate at a place nearby that we really like called the Thirsty Turtle. I might have mentioned that place before. Later in the afternoon we went to the dog park where I found Charlie a huge stick which he very much enjoyed. I bought a 5 dollar scratch ticket and won 20 so that was a bonus. I only bought it because I saw all the dogs on it. I don’y know, maybe I am becoming more a dog person.

Next day it was off the Big Apple, Times Square to see Mariska Hargitay on Broadway doing this amazing play. We weren’t sure how we would get into the city, should we train, bus, etc, mostly because of the World Cup but the schedule matched up that we decided driving was the way to go. Plus I noticed on Google Maps that there was a parking garage directly across the street from the theatre, Sadly when we got to the garage it was the wrong one! LD had booked a different garage but luckily it was only about a half a block away so it was ok.

The play was pretty great and she was totally amazing in it. What a powerhouse! It’s immersive theatre so the audience partipates which is pretty cool. I have no idea how she can remember all the lines and the numbers and … anyways it was amazing. The theatre was pretty cool too, one of the oldest on Broadway but done over really nicely. Best theatre seats we ever sat in, roomy and plush. After the show we hung out at the stage door so maybe she would sign some things but after 20 minutes or so we bailed. Wasn’t that a big a deal to us. People resell the stuff on eBay if you really want one, which is ridiculous. We walked around Times Square a bit, acting a little touristy. Nothing like the smell of the big vity in summertime, right! We didn’t realize it was over 10 years since we were last here, probably when we saw Al Pacino on Broadway.

We thought about maybe staying away an extra night in Mystic Connecticut but then decided to just go home, so we did and got back by 9:30 pm.

You can click each picture below for a small caption.

A Dunk in the Pool Weekend

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Saturday we took the oppourtunity to join some freinds for some much needed pool time. My first of this year. I’m sure there’ll be others as the months progress. We also got to watch their cute dog for a while when they had to step out for a bit over an hour. I will say, they got this new pool float which was the balls! So comfy. Here’s some pics of my lounging in it!

Funny thing happened on the way to the pool. LD had a craving for a bagel, so I swung by a shop across town to grab one. While I was waiting, these two women came in and tried to order a baker’s dozen, but they wanted almost all of one flavor. The employee behind the counter actually told them no and insisted they mix it up so there’d be enough for other people later on. They got into a whole back-and-forth about it, and eventually, the women just walked out. Honestly, it was pretty weird—I get wanting to save some for other customers, but why turn away a sale when you’re not even planning on baking more? Seemed like a strange move. What do you think?

Sunday was basically a day of more yard work and getting things ready for a guest coming soon for a visit. I mowed the lawns and LD did some more planting in to the new planter after I measures and cut a liner and some other stuff for the bottom. Always more to do though. Oh and we plan on going to NYC to see Mariska Hargaity on Broadway!

The Day a Capybara Climbed on Me (Best Day Ever?)

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Started the day by pickinng up some “walking onions” plant that a woman was giving away in the town next door. I had never heard of these things before. A quick Google search lead me to the following description: “Instead of flowers, this plant produces topsets, a cluster of bulbils, at the top of the stalk where the flowers and seeds would normally be. The stalks eventually flop over from the weight of the bulbils (if not harvested) and replant themselves, thus beginning their “walk” across the ground.” Pretty cool! But the real treat of the day would come in the afternoon, as a trip down to the southern part of the state had finally arrived! Yes, it’s happened again for me, Capy Time!

Anytime you get to hang out with capybaras is a really good day. As a bonus we also got to hang with some baby goats and snuggle them. It was a great day, weather wise and animal encounter wise for sure. Amazing access to these amazing anaimals. So grateful for the oppurtunity. One capy even decided to climb on top of me, which I was not expecting at all, but I’ll take it! Afterwards we got an early seafood dinner at a place called Turks down the street. What a picture perfect day! Smiles all around!

107 Years in Inman Square: A Farewell to S&S

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Cambridge’s S&S Deli is set to close in June, wrapping up a 107-year run in Inman Square, the owner confirmed. The family-run counter at 1334 Cambridge St. has been a neighborhood staple since 1919, feeding students, neighbors and commuters across generations. Growing up I went here a bunch of times with my family and then later a bunch of times with LD, who also visited a bunch of times back in her grad school days. We came to say our last goodbyes and have a good meal.

We actally started out the day getting some plants from the town’s garden club – a yearly tradition that we do. I’m a little excitied about the Lamb’s Ear plant – such a cool little specimen! We also spent time getting LD car some regular maintenance. Everything today kind of took way longer than it should have, but in a round about way worked out perfectly. Strange indeed.

Plants, Puzzles, and a Farewell to S&S Deli

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Started the afternoon off with a little gardening. Got started with a bunch of plants yesterday to be transferred over to some pots over the next couple of days. I also had to pick up a dead bird that was lying on the patio, which is a sad sight to see but had to be dealt with. I also finally took out the table umberealla and set that up outside. I still need to split a bunch of hostas though.

The S&S Deli in Inman Square is closing after 107 years in business! That’s crazy, we’ve been there a bumch of times and I went there as a kid occasionally as I was growing up. They’re closing sometime in June so we’re going to try to get out there and have one last meal at some point before that happens. That was a good place to hit for us after spending time in Cambroidge or Boston.

This guy helped!

Gametime: Klotski – a sliding tile puzzle game – gets hard around level 8 I’m finding!

Sips, Sweets, and Seaside Strolls in Kennebunkport

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Day trip to Kennebunkport! Drover around and visited some sights in Dock Square and Cape Porpoise. Ended up grabbing some sandwiches at Cape Porpoise actually, I bought a little bunny keychain for LD that she had her eyes on. I had to get my drink fix on at Mornings in Paris – a nice café we always visit when we’re in the area. Also spent some time along the beach at Goose Rocks and met two cute little French bulldogs named Leo and Gus. It was just a nice afternoon to stroll around and check out some things. Also visited Stonewall Kitchen and Yummies for our candy fixes. Some places we thought about going to but will have to wait for another time are St. Ann’s Church and On the Maine in Ogunquit.

Doing a quick look at the gardens here I can see that the Clematis, Phlox, Tulips, Hyacinth and Vinca are all starting to bloom. Well, not the clematis but it is starting to climb it’s vine tendrils on things. I do need to cut down some things and we need to purchase some more plants, maybe sometime over the next few days. getting to be that time of year again! Also the grass is starting to grow like nuts! The witch hazel is also starting to finally bud which is good because it was a bit iffy there for a while. I guess I might have somewhat of a green thumb after all!

Nirvana and Goats Perfect Combo

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Started off the morning with a trip to Nirvana Tea House for some Belgium Waffles and delicious drinks. It’s owned by the folks who run the Unity Sanctuary now. Also as an aside, the carrot cake cupcakes are amazing. Not sure if that was only for Easter but hopefully not because they were so good,

Then it was a quick break before we were off to our next destination, baby goat snuggles!

And then finally off to an early dinner at the Noon Hill Grill, a restaurant that was on our way back. Haven’t been there in a while but it always was good and this time was no exception. Then we came home and vegged and watched our television shows. The day was a wonderful way to celebrate our anniversary.

Upgrading the site to a newer version PHP tonight. Wish me luck!

St. Pats Week Festivities

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Shamrock Shales!
Shamrock Shakes
Dinner at Mary’s
Drinking the Green Potion at the show
Trying out the MetaQuest VR Headset
Huh!?

Some stuff from the last week or so with more or less a “green” theme. Of course I had to get some vegan Shamrock Shakes down in Providence for LD and myself and to use the opportunity to show off my hat. Hanging out with dogs was cool and that MetaQuest was a fun distraction for a few minutes. While in Providence I noticed an ad for the play Next to Normal playing at a theater down there in the summer. I saw the play years ago in NYC with LD but I’d go see it again. I remember not really liking it because it felt too “real” but I do recall the music being very good. I’d probably appreciate the story more now then the person I was back then. I’ll try to update this post later with our “Mess Buckets!” Huh? You’ll see.

The mess!

As promised, the mess “bucket” from last night! What’s a MESS? It’s a mystery recipe, unique to Comella’s, made fresh every day. It’s a combination of pasta, cheese and sauce and it may contain bits of eggplant, lasagna, and shells!

Take it from me, it’s good!

Shrek The Musical: HS Edition – Professional!

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A pair of ogres
Beware of Ogres lurking about!
Mt. Tabor Pizza
Best pizza in town!

We went down to Jersey this weekend, mostly to see a HS play, Shrek: The Musical because LD’s niece does a lot of the makeup for the actors. I got to say from what I’ve seen she does a pretty amazing job. Actually I was impressed with just how professional this production was in total, from the orchestra, to the actors, and the props – the dragon was freakin amazing! Are all high school plays of this quality nowadays? Like I said, I was really impressed. I’ve never even seen the movie Shrek so it was all new to me. Finished it all out with a visit to Mt Tabor for the great pizza.

This AI Trek channel on YouTube is amazing! Check out the quality on The Prime Directive is to Dance, Red Shirt Romeo, and Assimilated: Seven of Nine. (my favorite, although all the videos are pretty sick!)

Meeting the Makers of Craft Colas

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Checking out Wander Cat Cola in Somerville yesterday afternoon at a vegan market that was held in the Armory. A building that use to use National Guard troops and where I had to take my driving test with a state trooper back in the day. Now it’s some kind of art space but they hold markets and other events in there during the year. Fun fact: LD knew this girl from when she was just a teenager!

Wish I could get the shadows out of our faces but this was the best I could do!

Plymouth Seal Artwork Makes Us So Happy!

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I had been meaning to check out these Plymouth Seals artwork installations all along the Plymouth waterfront, and Sunday was a perfect afternoon to do it. I was psyched that Plymouth wasn’t busy at all, didn’t know how it would be with the Thanksgiving holiday coming up and all, but it was pretty dead. Anyways, these seals are so cool! I love them! They really do make you smile, and placed in such a scenic location by the waterfront! My favorite is the one in the first pic below. It’s name is Jacques CouSeal. The pilgrim looking one was really cool too. LD’s fav was Taylor Surf over up on Court Street. That’s the glittery looking one. I also got my new hoodie so I wore that out for the afternoon as well. Topped it off with lunch from a place there called Woods Seafood. Not as fancy and the East Bay Grille which is also there, but was perfect for us at this time, and the food was great!

Why seals? According to the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, “As playful and iconic coastal creatures, seals represent the spirit of Plymouth’s harbor and the vibrant marine life that calls it home. Each sculpture tells its own story—paying tribute to the town’s seafaring roots, its artistic community, and the scenic beauty that defines our corner of the South Shore.” I couldn’t agree more!

Love Us Some River Troll Action

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Finally got a chance to visit Mrs Skipper troll in East Providence, Rhode Island. Thomas Dambo constructs his trolls from recycled wood with the goal of encouraging people to explore nature and value the environment. Many of the trolls’ narratives and expressions, often with a humorous twist, incorporate an environmental message. After that we grabbed lunch at a random place on our journey that we happened to be near called Rosa’s Tavern and it was actually very good! I got a chicken parm sammie and LD got this very good tasting seafood pot dish. Finished up with a quick jaunt over to Like No Udder for some ice cream and hot chocolate. I also scored a free rubber duck in pirate attire there, which was kind of cool.

The Littlest Cider Doughnuts

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We checked out this little farm in Canton today, just to get out for a little bit. It’s good to because after this little outing LD car died on the road back and had to be towed to shop. Thankfully not too far from the house. More on that stuff tomorrow I guess. (Last pic is from yesterday, I just really liked it and forgot to add it to yesterday’s entry.) Anyways, these cider donuts are just too cute!

Both my knees were starting to feel a little sore today. Here we go again!

This Fluff Festival was Fire (We Getting Burned!)

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We checked out this year’s fluff fest over at Earth-1. It was it’s 20th anniversary and boy was it packed! We also brought along our friend Emily and her dog Pippa which was nice seeing as we haven’t seen her since March. We would have checked out more things but there were just too many people and some of the lines looked just way too long for us. That said, we able to score some fluff treats which were delicious including some Fluff croissant from Union Sq. Donuts and some cookies and fluff cannoli from some other vendors. Speaking of vendors, one of the ones there was the niece of one of LD’s best friends in life. I would have loved to try the product, but once again, the line was just too long. Man, they must have worked like crazy! After trudging through the festival we drove over to Revere Beach for a much more quiet hang and some sandwiches. The beach was a completely different vibe, very quiet and hardly anybody there which provided a nice balance to the day. It was also more Pippa and LD’s speed, LOL! We finally got back around dark and needed to decompress. In in all, we’re all glad we went though. It was a fun afternoon!

Currently Reading: Murder in the Dollhouse: The Jennifer Dulos Story. Another one that popped up on my Libby app. I remember seeing a Dateline about this story, but this book goes much more in-depth into the victim and her life, really tragic and sad.

We Just Made the Lobster Roll Cut for the Season

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Last Friday was a pretty day. Between doctor appointments, getting cookies at Tatte in Wellesley, getting a sticker to use the town dump, going into best Buy and getting a new tv and setting it up. (We went larger this time and one that utilizes a better display technology), and then prepping some food for the next day which was…

Saturday we had a couple of friends over for a BBQ. It was such a nice fun time! We need to hang out more often. Anyways, I grilled up some salmon and roasted veggies, nothing too crazy. Then I went and bought a subscription for the Ring doorbell.

Sunday. Had to go to Marshfield to get the lobster roll we love so much and they close after Labor Day for the season. When we got there, though, it was a little iffy to see if we’d even be able to get one because they were running out. It was getting really close! The cut-off line was fast approaching! It would suck to go all that way and miss out.

We just made the cut! Two people after us was the cutoff line! LITERALLY just made it!

. Then back to Wellesley to put together a bookshelf which took me about an hour or so.

Currently watching: Vatican Girl. A selection by our BBQ friends this weekend! Thanks L&D!

Strange Locations

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We found this really great place for lunch yesterday but actually finding the place turned out to be a little difficult, mostly because it’s actually inside s parking garage! It was so weird to be in the garage, going through a door, and being instantly transported into a cute little café. This has got to be the strangest location for a café I’ve ever seen in my life! But as I said, the food was actually quite good!

The Week So Far Uneventful

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Let’s see, Monday night I “snuck” into the gym to use the hot tub. Tuesday was just a regular type of day I guess, Wednesday was pretty uneventful as well. although I did watch Chronicle to see if there were any good restaurants to try out that had great views, and Bubble Bath looks like it could fit the bill but it also looks like a hassle to reserve the rooftop spots which is where I’d want to be. (Also, somewhat of a strange name if you ask me).

Currently Reading: Dinner with King Tut: How Rogue Archaeologists Are Re-creating the Sights, Sounds, Smells, and Tastes of Lost Civilizations. This book is actually pretty cool in that each chapter is set in a different place and time in human history (or prehistory). The author intercuts his modern-day exploits with vignettes about an inhabitant of that time period doing activities that he discusses in the contemporary parts of the chapter, from 75,000 years ago in Africa to Rome in the 100 ADs, to China in 1200 and a bunch in between. I feel it makes it so much more interesting as if you were there doing what the people of that time did and felt.

Game time: Frog Puzzle. This starts off pretty easy but give it time!