Molto Bene'

To end our g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s Columbus day weekend on the island, an Italian feast seemed most suitable. The feast included a hearty bolognese sauce, crisp green salad and dad's home made focaccia bread! A warm merlot intermittently snuck in to cleanse the palate. The topic of conversation inevitably leaned towards our traveling adventures, especially our individual stories and sagas of Florence. Dessert was brought by my sister and her man- Gelato! Pistachio was the crowd favorite, seeing as the chocolate jalapeno (which included chucks of jalapeno's) was a bit too spicy for our liking!

And after much anticipation.. I'm back!

The smell of wood stoves burning and root vegetables roasting fill the lonely streets, which can mean only one thing: It is fall on the Vineyard. This welcomed stillness gives us the chance to catch ourselves up from the business of summer and begin to think about hibernation. Memories from the past summer will be stored in my iphoto albums, and I have picked a few yummy memories to share. The beginning of summer was carrot cake cupcakes topped with edible peonies, devoured at sunset by a group of friends at a beach bonfire. Next came my official drink of choice- prosecco with a splash of St. Germain liquor and a spritz of lemon. It is quite possibly the only drink I have come across that will never go bad. Ending the summer on a sexy note, I decided to whip together chocolate covered strawberries for a friend's birthday. They were well received by all, especially the one year old twin girls who went home wearing most of the chocolate, that had melted as they danced around the bonfire.

Don't Drink the Water

Yesterday afternoon while running errands, I noticed everyone on the street had a large pack of water in their arms. It seemed silly to me, seeing as it was hot out and the people looked to really be struggling with the weight of it, but it turns out, I was the silly one for not joining in the water-carrying fun. The city of Boston told us all to boil our water before drinking it, or to buy bottled water because the water supply in Boston is contaminated. Some people are going all out, not even going near the water until it is fixed, but I will risk it. One week in Paris with my sister last fall, and that is where we realized that my hair does not fair well without a shower. This water-shortage falls on probably the worst week. It is swelteringly hot out and everyone wants water. Many are opting to for-go the water, and rely on alcohol, which is going to get old very quickly for the rest of us H2O fans. Yesterday was gorgeous outside, so we took a walk over the bridge to Cambridge and then back home to make vegetable sushi. Delicious! What a fantastic vehicle to overload your body with veggies! A cookout last night, topped off with wonderful people, great food and a cold Blue Moon beer was the perfect ending. Hoping the weather channels are right and a thunder storm is headed our way tonight. Fingers Crossed!

When the Moon Hits the Sky...

It is officially a full moon tonight, and to top that craziness off, I am told that Mercury is in retrograde for the next two weeks! When mercury is in retrograde, technology is supposed to be wacky, and I am having major internet troubles lately (which may or may not be due to the fact that I have resorted to stealing internet from our neighbors so I don't have to pay another bill) but nonetheless, it isn't working as well as it could be. The full moon definitely is playing a part in this, but also, it is our last week of classes, so we are way more stressed than usual. This past weekend, cosmopolitans with Acai vodka helped de-stress, as well as delicious scallops. Always a great pick-me-up. My horoscope today told me that "You need to take the time on a regular basis to take care of yourself. If you don't, you won't be able to continue to help others." In that case, lets kick this 'tude with a good movie tonight and a large cup of green tea. Antioxidants work every time.

My favorite Color is Rainbow

This past summer while babysitting an adorable four year old girl named Charlotte, I heard one of my favorite kid-quotes of all time. I asked Charlotte what her favorite color was, her reply "Well... I have two favorite colors. Rainbow and Sparkle." After that, I knew she was going to be a fun little one to hang out with! We were totally on the same page. Who doesn't love rainbow and sparkle? I made a salad the other day that had a rainbow of colors in it, which made me think of Charlotte. So many veggies made a perfect salad, and leftover veggies were rolled up in a flax and quinoa wrap the next day. Yum. Its been so sunny out the past few days that I am loving being outside. Today was beautiful, and the thunder just rolled in, which sounds incredibly powerful and gorgeous. I've missed a lot of thunderstorms in my life because I sleep pretty deeply, so on the off chance that I hear one, I love every minute of it. Rainy days and thunderstorms make me want comfort food, so I made a homemade mac&cheese for lunch today. It is the simplest recipe I could have made up: Gluten-free (and fun shaped) noodles with olive oil, cheese, baby tomatoes and a sprinkle of salt and pep. It was dreamy! Perfect for today. Off to my last writing class of my college career (we're getting free frozen yogurt today!) Ohh how I love the end of the school year! Oh, and HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Ohmmm

Entering back to Boston after a quick trip to the island is always difficult. Even visiting for such a short time puts my body back into island mode, where I go to sleep early, wake up with the sun and have a generally calmer disposition about my surroundings. One honnnnnk of a truck speeding by and I'm back in city mode. It's a beautiful thing to have a city life and an island life, and I am honored to have and appreciate both. There is something so balancing about the island. Whether its because I am in a temporary food coma due to the delicious food there, or not, it is always a serene place, rain or shine. We did a few beach walks last weekend and the sound of the waves crashing and the pebbles being drifted back into the ocean is truly magical- it sounds just like a rain stick. As one of my yoga instructors always says at the end of each class: Adhi ohm shanti shani ohm- may peace fill your world.

The Windy City Visits the Island

I'm lounging in my bed this morning after an unbelievably restful night's sleep, now listening to the birds chirping outside my window. I am indeed at home and not missing the sounds of the city at all. My roommate and amazing gal pal, Meghan is from Chicago, and this is her first trip to the island! It has been a rainy one, but still beautiful. I love the chance to show someone new about the place I know so well, it also gives me the rare opportunity to literally drive around the island and see it again, through the eyes of someone new. Our first stop on Friday night was called Backdoor Donuts, which is quite literally the back exit door of a bakery which they open and serve fresh, hot donuts out of. Meghan's first time experience would not have been complete without an apple fritter, which comes about the size your head (we split it with the two of us and my sister- I don't need Meg to have a heart attack the first day on the island). The next morning, we ventured out to the Scottish Bakehouse to devour some breakfast sando's. Egg, cheese, spinach, tomato, onions and avocado on whole wheat toast was my hefty choice for the morning. Incredible, and it lasts until dinner, so $5 for all of that is a pretty amazing deal! After romping around the island in our rain boots for the remainder of the day, the breakfast sandwich was beginning to wear off around 6:00, so we headed to the newly opened Slice of Life, so Meghan could get her much talked about fried green tomato sandwich (I'm told the basil mayo makes the sandwich) and I, the asian salmon salad, where there are veggies piled high and a fresh cut of salmon on top. Delicious! Home for my dad's freshly baked cookies, large glasses of Shiraz and a girlie movie to top off the day.

Sunday in the Park

Well hello there sunshine! Just got back to my apartment after the day in the park. The park is what the Big Dig got right so far. So beautiful, even amidst the heavy traffic on all sides. It truly is a little sanctuary in the middle of the city. Today was filled with essential park goodies: Liberte' yogurt (the Plum and Walnut genre is my personal favorite), the game of Boggle, David Sedaris' hi.lar.ious whirlwind of a book, "When You are Engulfed in Flames" and a fresh coat of lavender nail polish to top off the park-goer look. Though, with so many people walking around, the games and books are an afterthought to people watching. I've learned so much of people's personal lives today just by watching and hearing bits of conversations that I wonder who knows things like that about me?

A Very Veggie Easter

Today is Easter. It is also the first day that it truly feels like Springtime in Boston! Perhaps that is thanks to the gorgeous weather we're having, the incredible company and conversations we had, or the puppies I just got to hold in the park across the street! It is also the first day of baseball season, so one of my best and dearest friends is in "the best mood I could ever be in," so who could ask for more? For Easter I made lightly roasted asparagus piled high with freshly ripened cantaloupe and creamy mozzarella (one of my favorite combinations of food). Also included in the meal were roasted tomatoes, a huge Waldorf salad and spinach pasta with homemade spicy tomato sauce. A delicious feast topped off with cold bubbly champagne- Delicious! To please all of the guests, I made a vegan/gluten-free carrot cake. Almond meal in replace of flour is incredible and tofu cream cheese for the coveted cream cheese frosting tasted surprisingly just like real thing! Loads of strawberries layered atop my creation; The verdict- it was a winner! Going to basque in my veggie/ sun-kissed/ puppy love coma until my second wind comes to finish the leftovers!

The Greatest

Receiving letters in the old fashioned snail mail might just be my favorite form of communication. It's always such a treat to open up the mail box and have an envelope addressed to you (preferably with a variety of stickers and drawings on the outside). Letters are so much more satisfying than voicemails or texts, because you know the sender put some time and thought into writing it just for you! Another thing that is one of the most satisfying feelings in my world is walking into the Anthropologie store in downtown Boston. If I could live there, I would. It is the most pristine and magical place filled with the most beautiful clothing and even more perfect home goods. If there was one place I could raid, this would be it, hands down. Whole Foods would be a close second. I opened one of the drawers in the kitchen section the other day, and voila, a drawer full of timers. Who doesn't always need/want more time? Now I've got a drawer full of it. The sun is half shining and the wind is blowing my naturally straight hair into a giant tangle, but nothing brings this gal down after a stop at Anthropologie.

Ohh LA LA

My first impression of Los Angeles was that it was a big rushed mess. Flying into LAX after a 3 hour delay followed by a nearly 6 hour flight, bolting off the plane and down the endless corridors only to jump into the car, give my friend a gigantic hug and speed down the highway straight to a rave in downtown LA. After sitting in a plane for about nine hours, getting to the rave and dancing to electronic music was such a treat for my body. The birthday shots however, did not prove to be such a treat. After sleeping off the rave, it was off to the beach. Most of my time visiting LA was spent at the beach, which was a relaxing vacation from my usual Boston weather. It is such a beautiful place with so much nature in its abundance. The sun was shining every day I was there (proven by my new and, oh so weird tan lines). I found that it was the perfect place to visit, but I couldn't see myself living there. For a gal that is not too experienced with driving on the highway, this would be difficult seeing as the majority of the time, people are in the car getting from one place to the next. The perfect amount of time spent out west, and an exciting surprise of springtime weather now back in Boston!

22 and Fabulous

My twenty second birthday is looming around the corner and I am so excited! I've been told I will make a great 22 year old, so thats always good to hear. Hope I can live up to that. I am joined on March 14th with fellow Pisces genius Albert Einstein. I am heading out to Los Angeles to see some amazing friends for my birthday week (and yes, I will celebrate my birthday for the whole week). Looking forward to basking in the sunshine and returning my body to its summer glow. Happy Birthday to ME!

Bostonia

Growing up on a small island has absolutely made me sheltered. In the best way possible. I have never had a craving for McDonalds or wanted to go hang out at the mall on weekends. Moving into Boston a few years ago, I experienced many people who wanted to do these things and more. I have lived in two areas of Boston, Beacon Hill and currently, the North End. Both beautiful neighborhoods that most people say remind them of europe. I don't entirely see the comparison, but i'll go with it. The past week, Boston has taken off its many layers and embraced the sunshine! Many people believe this means they can comfortably walk around outside in pants and a t-shirt. Not the case, people! Let winter take its time, we'll be in the springtime soon enough! The two things I love about the nice weather are the flower shops that put their daffodils and hyacinth out in huge buckets on the sidewalks (with a soft breeze, the smell trails right to your nose. Delicious) and the restaurants that put up their outdoor seating (I live for Whole Foods outdoor lunches in the springtime). This year, I live a few blocks from Faneuil Hall marketplace, which is the perfect spot for people watching on lazy evenings or grabbing anything you could ever want to eat inside the marketplace.

Family Dinner

I was brought up always having family dinners. We didn't schedule a time that we had to be home for dinner, or make a big fuss over having to eat together every night, but it is just something we did naturally. Living on my own the past few years, I haven't really had a chance for family dinners, but I got the chance tonight. Its so much nicer to cook and eat together opposed to separately and alone. No good. Living with four people who have become like family to me gives me high hopes for a full fledged family dinner one day. Tonight, unfortunately, there were only two of us. I roasted tomatoes (enhances the lycopene=delicious and good for you too!) and ate them with fresh buffalo mozzarella, basil and beautifully made organic flax seed bread. Quinoa salad full of veggies and a heap of asparagus perfected the meal and with only two of us eating, we've got plenty of leftovers for the rest of the week. Yum!

Bon Voyage

My sister, Rebecca is taking some time off from school right now, and living back on the island, which I get secretly (or not so secretly) jealous of sometimes. I did get the pleasure of hosting her in the city for a few days last weekend, which was perfectly relaxing. Being around her creates such a balance for me, which after living in a city for a few years now, is much needed every now and again. It was a beautifully sunny and semi warm weekend full of movies, sleep, Whole Foods, delicious Vietnamese Pho (amazing soup) sharing of clothes, living like the ladies we are and just to throw in some city life for my island sister, an outing to Mission Hill to attend a Lady Gaga party, which sad to say, didn't even play Lady Gaga songs. If ever there was a time to play her songs, that was it. I just found out that Rebecca will be taking a break from the cold winter weather and hopping from our island to Puerto Rico! Can't wait to hear all of the adventures and live vicariously through her for the next few weeks! Bon Voyage mon petit sceur!

Going Green

My family and I did a brief stint as vegetarians when I was twelve years old, but have since retreated back to our carnivorous ways. After nine years of post-vegetarian eating, I decided it was time to try it again. This was, at first, prompted by my college student budget vs. the cost of meat, but after a few weeks of eating my fair share of veggies, I felt so much healthier! I have never been one to diet, but I recently looked into the blood type diet, and what do you know, my A- blood and I thrive on fruits and veggies! I've been loving roasted asparagus and tomato/mozzarella salads with a glass of dark red wine. That counts as a fruit, right? I've also recently discovered that avocados with a squirt of lemon and a splash of salt and pepper is divine. We will have to wait and see how long I can keep this up for, especially when I move back home this summer and my dad gets the barbeque fired up- but I have a good feeling my veggie ways are here to stay a while. And yes, mama, I am getting enough protein.

Chicago

I heard a lot of talk about how cold and miserable Chicago was going to be in February, but despite the rumors, I forged ahead and went anyway, and I'm glad I did! Though it was cold, Chicago is an amazing city, and I got to share it with a friend and his family, which was a lot of fun! I usually praise myself for good sense of direction (which I get from my dad) but that all went out the window in Chicago. There are so many burrows; Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, Financial District, Bucktown. All of which blended together for me. One thing that always helps me in any city I am in is water. The Chicago River helped me understand where we were whenever we drove past it, but other than that, I was merely a passenger in the taxi being taken from unknown destination to unknown destination, which I'll admit, was refreshing, seeing as I am usually the one making plans and assembling directions. We stayed at an incredible hotel on Saturday night, which we definitely did not deserve, but embraced completely. Chicago has a very youthful vibe about it, though it is so old. The only new and sterile vibe I encountered was at O'Hare airport, where I flew in an out of. Word to the wise: Do not try to get on a stand-by flight the day prior to your actual departure. It will not work. At times, I can be a charming young lady, and on rarer occasions, I can be a mama-tiger who is ready to pounce if things do not go her way. Neither side of me wooed the American Airlines staff, but thanks to my favorite family in Illinois, I was able to get a good night sleep before getting on my flight back to Boston.