"No vacation goes unpunished." ~ Karl Hakkarainen

Christmas day we left for a week long vacation to Turks and Caicos.  With work and all of the holiday hooplah, I had a really rough week in preparation for the trip.  By the time Christmas rolled around I was definitely ready to relax.  We stayed in Villa Oceanus with my entire family - mom, dad, sister and her husband, brother and his girlfriend, and my baby sister. 

[view from our deck - Turtle Cove bay]

B's parents and his little brother also came along, staying a few miles down the road at Point Grace Resort.  It was my family's first vacation quite some time, and our first joint family vacation.  While there were a few bumps in the road we had an amazing time.

[play cards on the deck, a favorite pasttime]

 [my mom and B's mom securing the tennis courts for a family round-robin]

[dad and I at the Muskanoo street festival]

Staying in a villa we were lucky enough to be able to eat in for most breakfasts and lunches, and even a couple of great dinners.  One night in particular, after a day of fishing on a private boat charted through Silver Deep, B marinated and grilled the day's catch and we had fish tacos, corn salsa, and guacamole. 

As for our meals out, Da Conch Shack was a definite highlight.  The ambiance is great, open air and right on the ocean, and the rum punch and conch can't be beat.  I had the cracked conch (basically the best fried calamari you've ever had) but the big seller was the conch combo - which is cracked conch and conch fritters (essentially conch hush puppies).

B and I also had a great meal solo at Anacaona.  The place is absolutely amazing - right on the water, under sweeping white sheets, coconut trees, and twinkling lights.  We had a delicious sav blanc, and both of our starters - a simple salad with honey vinaigrette and a ceviche - were amazing.  For dinner I had the conch sampler.

[starting on the left: cracked conch, followed by conch chowder, conch fritter, and conch ceviche]

Yum yum yum and yum... but I liked the chowder the most. 

We ended the night by skipping dessert and opting for a rum taste (B) and a Kahlua and coffee (me).

While Anacaona was great, the absolute best meal out we had in Turks was on New Years Eve at Coyaba.  We were seated in a lovely private "room" (I put room in quotes because it was open air and the walls were trees and bamboo dividers).

[our table]

[Happy New Years B!!]

After a gazpacho amuse bouche I started with the wedge salad - almond slices, tomato, bacon, blue cheese, and blue cheese dressing over iceberg lettuce - and B had the scallop ceviche.

[my baby sis enjoying the gazpacho - love her headpiece]

[wedge - yum]

[scallops - triple yum]

In between courses we were served a tasty little sorbet.

[a little shot glass of joy to your tastebuds]

For dinner I had the lobster burger (they announced a spicy tuna roll on the special menu but when I went to order it they were out -- very confusing), and B the red snapper special.

I didn't try B's snapper but he finished every bite so I'm guessing it was great.  As for my lobster burger, it was outstanding.  Nearly everyone tried a bite, and nearly everyone who tried a bite asked for seconds.  When paired with truffle french fries I had basically died and gone to food heaven.

After dinner we went to a nearby bar to ring in the New Year and catch a piece of the Junkanoo parade.

New Years day we headed home but it was a great way to sign off 2011.  Bring it on 2012!!

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night."

This holiday season was a whirlwind.  Given our hectic schedules we had no choice but to focus all of our shopping in two isolated outings.  The good news, however, was that each outing provided an excuse for some delicious food up as a respite from the holiday crowds.

First stop, Dandelion - Stephen Starr's homey throwback to the traditional British pub.  Dandelion has a wonderful ambiance, complete with a wide selection of delicious beer on tap (there was even a soccer game on the tube the Saturday morning we stopped in).  B and I both opted for the English breakfast.

Fried eggs paired with baked beans, thick sourdough toast, a roasted tomato, mushrooms, bacon, a traditional Cumberland sausage, and black pudding.  Black pudding, aka blood sausage, is a type of sausage that is made by cooking blood or dried blood with a filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled.  It sounds gross but it was great.  We fell in love with this dish, and Dandelion itself, instantly.

Second stop, lunch at Oyster House.  Centered around the raw oyster bar (at which they do $1 oyster happy hours 5 days a week) with oyster plates lining the walls, Oyster house is a charming place to indulge in some fresh seafood.  B started with the clam chowder, while I opted for a green salad.

The salad was nicely dressed with a zesty lemon vinaigrette, and the chowder was hearty and creamy.  As an added bonus, while we waited for our main course at the oyster bar we were given a few oysters gratis.  Can't beat that.  For lunch I had the lobster roll and B the clam roll, both with homemade chips.

The clam roll was great, but that lobster roll cannot be beat.  The roll is perfectly toasted with a bit of butter on each side and the lobster is dressed to perfection.  If the chips had had a bit more old bay seasoning it would literally be perfection on a plate.

Next stop, an early Christmas celebration with B's family at his parent's house.  After presents and a great meal courtesy of my mother-in-law, we enjoyed her homemade Christmas cookies.

[B's grandfather, Poppy, playing with his cookies... I wish I could say this was the result of too much wine but all the boys seem to find it hilarious to play with any item of food or tableware that can be made into "eyes" like this.  I know, I don't get it either]

Since we had seen B's family for our early Christmas celebration, and we were heading out of town for vacation with my family on Christmas day, we decided to spend a nice night at home alone on Christmas eve.  We started with a plate of pepperoni, pear, honey, and a wonderful hard cheese (unfortunately I cannot recall the name).

After appetizers and presents, we enjoyed a beef lasagna and garlic bread from Georgetti's with a simple balsamic vinaigrette. 

It was simple (just pop the lasagna in the oven for an hour and 25 minutes, and the bread for 15 minutes, both at 350, and you're ready to enjoy) and delicious.  After dinner we watched a bit of It's a Wonderful Life before turning in so we could wake fully rested and ready for our vacation.

Turks and Caicos here we come!

“Good-night to the Season! - Another Will come, with its trifles and toys, And hurry away, like its brother, In sunshine, and odor, and noise”

I have to apologize up front... I have been completely lax in my blogging of late.  I've been crazy at work, gearing up for the holidays, yada yada.  In any event, I'm here now and there's been a ton going on.

First, I turned 29 - and so starts the victory lap of my 20s.  For my birthday B and I went to Amada and had a fantastic meal.  Without getting into details you must must must stop by at least try the Manchego cheese with lavender honey and the "ensalada de jamon" - dressed salad with spiced almonds and figs wrapped in serrano ham... yum and yum.  The following night we went with B's family to Zama where we especially loved the spicy crunchy salmon roll (just a spicy salmon roll rolled in delicious little crunchy poppers) and the Vetri roll (so named because it was created by Mark Vetri as part of an initiative Zama has developed to pair with celebrity chefs and formulate delicious rolls, the proceeds of which go partially to charity).  The Vetri roll was eel with scallions wrapped in daikon, drizzled with a truffle eel sauce, and topped with cucumber noodles tossed in an uni sauce.  I die.  All-in-all it was a good birthday and a nice way to kick off the season.

Next, B and I went to the 2nd annual Stout and Chowder Festival, benefiting Philadelphia's Independence Seaport Museum.  For a flat fee you got 3 hours of all you can drink delicious Stouts and other winter beers, and all you can eat of four different types of soups and a few other random snack foods.  While we were slightly disappointed in the lack of chowders, and really any substantial food, at the event, the beers were fantastic and it was just crowded enough to be fun without being annoying or overwhelming.

 [me at Stout and Chowder Fest with my complimentary mug]

Two weeks later, it was time for Thanksgiving.  I was lucky enough to have my mom, dad, and baby sister to visit.  Wednesday night we took them for dinner at Osteria, one of our favorites for upscale Italian from chef Mark Vetri.  For starters we had B's and my absolute favorite pizza, the lombarda.

Served on paper thin crust, the lombarda is made with bitto and mozzarella cheese topped with cotechino sausage and a baked egg.  It is simply divine, especially when you get to dip your crust in the left behind egg yolk.

Next we had a few appetizers, including the baby pig's head.

That's right, we were literally served a roasted baby pig's head, complete with tongue.  It looks disgusting, and I myself could not stomach the tongue, but the meat was quite tasty.  I liked it best atop a piece of crusty bread with the marmalade that is served on the side.

For dinner we had a number of pastas, the best of which was a squash lasagna.  I literally exclaimed "shit that's good" when I bit into the lasagna.  Enough said.

After stretching our stomachs Wednesday night, we were ready to put away some turkey at B's parent's house Thursday.  We had a great time, and a great meal thanks to my mother-in-law.

[carving the giant turkey]

Black Friday we did a bit of shopping and then headed to New York to see the Book of Mormon!

[Dad, mom, my sis, and me outside the theater]

[ready for the show!]

The show was hilarious, and the perfect way to end our fun-filled Thanksgiving together.

Saturday night after the family headed back to South Carolina, B and I went with friends and his brothers and our soon-to-be sister-in-law J5 to the Winterbeer Fest at Union Transfer.

 [brothers]

 [the girls]

[AJB, J5, me and B]

It was a much crazier event than the Stout and Chowder Fest with more than triple the breweries, but it was also a cheaper ticket price.  We had a great time and will definitely be back next year.

I think that *almost* brings us up-to-date.  It was a great November, and I can't wait for the holidays!

"Marriage is the perfection of what love aimed at, ignorant of what it sought." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Lately we have been surrounded by budding marriages.  Not only only are the plans for my brother-in-law's wedding in full swing, but one of my best gal pals, MMA, is recently engaged.

 [a picture taken of the happy couple by a bystander immediately after they got engaged]

To celebrate, B and I went with them to Garces Trading Co. for dinner last weekend.  Garces Trading Co. is modeled as a market, selling food, alcohol, and retail kitchen wares, with a restaurant in the center.  Although they sell alcohol, you can also opt to bring your own (no need to worry about bringing an extra bottle of wine just in case, they've got you covered).

We started with the chef's selection of charcuterie and an order of baby artichokes for the table

 

All of the meats on the charcuterie plate were fantastic, especially the foie gras mousse (pictured in the center) and the sausage with cherry jam (pictured in the front), and the artichokes were similarly delicious.  Preserved in lemon and served with honey, dates, and walnuts they were perfectly meaty and tender.  Yum.

For dinner MMA and I split the lyonnaise duck salad and the pappardelle pasta with lamb ragu.

The lyonnaise duck salad was duck confit and bacon lardons served over arugula salad dressed with mustard vinaigrette and topped with a perfectly poached egg (unfortunately it was so delicious we dug in before I could snap a photo).  The pappardelle was tossed with the lamb ragu, peas, and sunchoke puree and topped with grated cheese.  Both were great, and the salad and pasta combo was the perfect meal for two. 

The guys split the deep dish pizza.

It takes 45 minutes to cook, so be sure to order as soon as you sit down, but it is well worth the weight.  The tomatoes are as fresh as can be and the crust is crunchy yet soft all at once.  I couldn't help but snag multiple "tastes" from B's plate.

It was the perfect celebratory meal, and I could not be happier for MMA!

[us at the end of dinner]

After dinner at Garces, B and I headed to a welcome party at Black Sheep to kick off the wedding of one of our college friends, JCM. 

After drinks and catching up Friday night, we were geared up for Saturday's wedding festivities.  The ceremony, held at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Philadelphia, was absolutely beautiful.

After the ceremony we headed to Field House to watch the Wake Forest football game and have a few drinks before catching a bus to the reception site.

The reception was held at Knowles Mansion.  The venue was absolutely beautiful, the food was good, and the band made for some great dancing.

Congratulations all around!

"If cookies be the food of love...munch on" - Dame Judi Dench

Last night I made some tasty pumpkin spice cookies using this SIMPLE recipe.

They have a great cakey consistency and are low in fat.  I took the advice of the some of the reviewers and only cooked for 15-16 minutes.  I also added 1/2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice, 1 cup chocolate chips, and 1 cup chopped walnuts -- though in the future I will probably skip the chocolate chips.

If you're looking for other great cookie recipes, my pal Stacy Adimando has just the thing for you -- her cook book, Cookiepedia.  Buy it today.

“That is what friendship means. Sharing the prejudice of experience.” - Charles Bukowski

Two weeks ago B and I went to Boston with his entire family to visit his little bro, DTB (currently a junior at Boston University), and celebrate his 21st birthday.  We arrived Friday night for a late dinner in the hotel bar before heading out for beers at Bukowski Tavern.  The beers were fantastic - pumpkin ale on draft!! - and we had a great time, but we were definitely hurting for the 11:00 a.m. Duck Tour the Saturday morning.

 [in-laws on the Duck Tour]

[view from the Charles River]

After the Duck Tour we stopped for lunch at Stephanie's on Newberry.  For starters B and I split clam chowder.

It was deliciously creamy and worked nicely when paired with the tower of onion rings...

After just a "light" round of starters I had the thanksgiving lunch special.

A piece of rye bread topped with turkey, cranberry sauce and gravy and served with mashed potatoes.  Hello food coma.

After a full day of shopping we had dinner at B&G Oysters.  We had a few bottles of champagne...

paired with oysters for an army (there was another where this came from)...

After the oysters, B and I started by splitting a light and crisp pear salad...

and an order of fried oysters with house-made tartar sauce (clearly the two trays of raw oysters weren't enough)...

Our fabulous starters were followed by fried clams for B...

and a lobster roll for me.

Both were seriously good, as were the butter pickles and the coleslaw.  Although we were all stuffed after dinner, we found room for a bite of dessert to celebrate the little buddy's birthday.

After dinner we headed for a night cap at Delux Cafe.

It was a really cool dive bar with indie music playing and an awesome Elvis tribute wall.

All and all we had a great, though quick, trip to Bean Town.  Can't wait to go back again soon.  Happy birthday DTB!!