Lime and Coconut

Well – It’s officially Spring. Hip hip! 

Doesn’t feel like it yet – but it’s here. Somewhere. Not sure where. But it is. And I take comfort in that fact…despite the reality that Boston is still looking rather wintry.

The ground is covered in snow. Flakes have continually been falling from the sky. And the wind refuses to back off….Mercifully it is sunny and bright – but it’s felt like a long winter. 

I for one am dreaming of warmer weather. Toes in the sand and beach blankets. Flip Flops and sun dresses. Grilled dinners and Fresh Fruit. Open air patios and afternoon cocktails.

Two days ago, on my way to work, amidst the latest winter dumping… as completed my daily trudge over the JFK bridge (a ritual which entails wrapping a scarf several times around my face so that only my eyes are exposed, pulling a hood tightly over my head and hunkering down to brace myself against the artic winds that whip across the Charles river) an unfortunate encounter with a speeding car and a perfectly placed puddle left me absolutely soaked in icy brown slush from head to toe.

It was disgusting – I was wet, freezing cold, covered in mud and on the verge of blackout rage. The bag that I was carrying was somehow full of snow, my coffee cup was coated in dirt from the road and I had chunks of salt in my hair. Coupled with the fact that by this point I was mumbling indiscernible obscenities to myself and frantically scurrying across the sidewalk to get out of the elements…. I looked like some kind of a crazy hunchbacked terrorist.  

Honestly, if I had seen me, I probably would have crossed the street.

It was at this very moment that I realized I was all set with winter.

Winter has never really been my most fashionable season. To begin with, I truly resent having to wear pants. (Note that I do not go around bare bummed in every other season) I just much prefer dresses and skirts to trousers and jeans.

I, who am not 5’7+ and rail thin, do not actually look cute in layers on layers on layers – honestly I don’t really know who does (Kate Moss, Heidi Klum, ski bunnies on the slopes of Aspen, perhaps) – nor do I support wearing fabulous full length furs --- and I just really can’t pull off the Russian ice Princess look. Muffs, Fluffy Hats and all that….

I look like some sort of little snow beast and I feel like this kid:

I also like to be outside and try to walk most everywhere (albeit in clunky salt covered snow boots) so, thanks to the wind and freezing rain, I am frequently showing up bleary eyed, with mascara running down my face and a Rudolph red-nose.  My love of walking also brings about a weekly brush with death which stems from trying to move fast on icy Boston sidewalks. Probably should just invest in some handy-dandy ski-poles and cramp-ons…but I wholeheartedly refuse (mostly due to the fact that I do not live in some secluded crag on the side of a mountain in the middle of a forgotten tundra).

One positive -- I have seen a few good, full on, fall down wipe-outs this season – which, after confirming that said victim is alright – always provide a good laugh!

In short, on this Friday afternoon, I am ready for winter to release its icy grip and make way for wonderful warm weather.

Hibernation is coming to a close – which has reminded me that it’s time to put down the double cream hot chocolate, let go of the Guinness and rethink the eggnog cocktail. Spring will be here before you know it and Summer soon to follow. Which means bikini season is juuuuussst around the corner (right about now the layers on layers on layers don’t seem so bad ;) )…

Since it’s Friday – it seems only fitting to kick of the weekend with a list of delicious, fruity, sweet, refreshing summer time bevies that won’t bust the button on your jeans. Happy weekend and  Happy Mixing!

Salty Chihuahua (big time favorite)

Skinny Beer-garitas!! 

Strawberry-Citrus Vodka Cocktail 

Skinny Watermelon Sangria 

Strawberry Nectarine Lime Bellinis

Key Lime Margaritas

Skosmpolitan (skinny cosmo)

Red Headed Skinny Girl

Skinny Girl Pina Colada – Option 1 and Option 2

PinnersDelight

Deals and Steals

Some times it feels a little bit like a good deal is hard to find in Boston proper. 

Lately Groupon and Gilt have been letting me down with proclamations of deals in Boston which are actually deals located several miles outside the city -- South Shore, North Shore, and Southern New Hampshire. 

Nice Idea...but in the doldrums of this New England winter...i'm not inclined to shovel out the car and take a slushy ride through the gray Boston burbs to get a discount haircut or half off apps of questionable quality.

Enter the monthly wine tastings at the Charles Mark Hotel. 

I went last night with a group of friends and was pleasantly surprised. It was easy to get to (located a few steps from the Copley T stop), very fun and only cost $20!

It was a perfect post-work, pre-dinner experience.

A mere $20 Gets You:

6 wine "samples" (which were actually very generous pours -at least 1/2 glass or more)

3 different martini shots

Light Appetizers

 (cheese, cheese, cheese, crackers, nuts, veggies, dips, hummus, pita, chips and some sweets)

     

 

The Lounge Space is  cozy and comfortable with both cushy couch and table options and plenty of space to stand and mingle. 

There is also a full service bar should you decide you'd like to stay for another round and open air patio seating which will be a perfect addition to the event once  winter releases it's icy death grip. 

You're also close to loads of good restaurants and other stylish watering holes if you decide to make a night of it. 

Which we did.

 Two Things to Note:

1. Reservations are Required - you can email or call to hold space

2. The tasting only lasts two hours. If you haven't used all your drink tickets by 8:00pm you are out of luck. I missed my final glass of wine because I wasn't paying attention to the time....curses!! 

Sigh - I'll be more on my game next time.

The Lounge

The Bar

The Patio

the F word

noooooo, not that F word....good goodness get your mind out of the gutter!

I'm referring to F-O-O-D word. 

The one word (the W-A-L-K word comes in a close second) that never fails to get my dogs' undivided attention.

They can be outside playing or soundly sleeping.... and if they so much as hear someone crack the refrigerator door or rip open a bag of chips -- or even silently contemplate possibly having a snack...they appear.

these little beasts of mine will do anything for a treat.

sit, speak, jump, shake, high five, make a deal with the devil...you name it, they'll do it.

one very good boy, showing super restraint --next time i want a brownie --someone should make me balance it on my nose while they take my picture. eeks.

they also eat their food in a very specific way -

1st: they eat as if they haven't seen food for days on end, like they are literally on the brink of starvation

2nd: they eat as if the world is going to end in approximately the next 50-60 seconds and they only thing that might save them is if they can ingest the meal before them in 3 bites or less...no time to chew...

3rd: they eat as if whatever they're munching on is the most delicious delicacy they've ever had the pleasure to sample -- as if the little dry protein pellets that they eat twice a day, everyday, all year long -- taste like filet drizzled in white truffle oil served on a bed of caviar

In the totem pole of their existence -- Food trumps ALL. 

A couple of weeks ago, the little guy ended up having to have emergency surgery after ingesting a very large piece of a nylabone (im considering staging a one woman protest outside their headquarters - jerks) which his tiny little tummy couldn't work out.

he started displaying some signs of digestive distress (i'm sure you can guess what t i mean by that....) early in the morning -- but it wasn't anything too alarming.
the glaring RED FLAG realization that something was seriously wrong came when i got up to feed them breakfast. this daily morning ritual usually involves me in a semi-conscious state, stumbling around  pre-caffeine fix... trying to get my eyes open enough to successfully get one scoop of food in each bowl and get each bowl to the correct dog while they excitedly run circles around my legs.
its a generally a frenetic blur of wagging tails and wiggly bodies crashing around the kitchen.

on this particular morning -- after bowls had been filled, i watched as the big guy happily wolfed down his food in the usual 30.5 seconds...while the little one just sat there, slumped next to his bowl, alternately looking down at the food and back up at me. ears back, eyes sad, tail still.

I flippppppppped my sh*t....

first i got down on the floor and tried coaxing him to eat the food out of my hand -- not interested.

then, thinking that maybe his stomach was upset  i ditched the dry food and went for something simple and easy to digest - rice and scrambled eggs. not a chance.

out came the milkbones. no thank you

the beggin' strips. negative

some leftover chicken pieces. a piece of cheese. nothing doing.

i tried spoon feeding him peanut butter. sadly not. 

honestly the only thing I didn't try was pretending the utensil was an airplane coming in for a landing....but i gave it a passing thought.

my final idea was maple syrup -- just a little sugary goodness on my finger tips -- which surely he would lick off. 

NOPE.

the worst part was, that through it all - in typical dog fashion -- he was doing his very best to make me happy. he would  pick up a few kibbles, hold them in his mouth and then slowly lower his head and drop them back in the bowl. Or he'd give the peanut butter (which i was practically shoving in his face) a half-hearted lick before lying back down and resting his head on my lap and giving a defeated little sigh. heartbreak.

this all happened in the span of approximately 5 minutes...
here is the point in the story when i panicked and started using the actual F word

OOOOOOHH FUDGE...
Only I didn't say "Fudge". I said THE word, the big one, the queen-mother of dirty words, the F-dash-dash-dash word!

I'll spare you the details -- the next couple of days were pretty rough.
xrays and iv's and stitches and operations. and a fair amount of crying on my part. 

not fun.

the great news is that he came home happy and healthy - like nothing had happened.

he is his normal, energetic, excellent puppy self. 

he didn't even have to sport the trademark cone. 

his appetite also came back in full force

Since it's looking like we'll be snowed in this weekend -- and we'll probably do a fair amount of baking/cooking/eating...i thought i'd do something nice for the puppies and give making homemade dog treats a try. Found a simple enough recipe  and gave it a go. 

 i've taken away two things from this exercise

1. Cooking with dogs is awesome because they are super good helpers

making sure i was using the best ingredients

making sure i had the right tools

checking that i measured correctly

patiently waiting for the goodies to finish baking

2. Cooking for Dogs is seriously rewarding because they LOVE love Love LooOOOOooove WHATEVER you make.

It is a serious confidence booster...feeling like a 5 star chef right about now. 

and i can guarantee...that these cheesy biscuits are the

 GREATEST THING THEY'VE EVER ATE, ever. 

(welllllll at least until the next time they get fed...)

Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are god. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are gods.

- Christopher Hitchens, The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever

beer me

i'm already pretty adept at beer drinking (thank you large, fun, state school with lot's of extracurricular get-togethers and lots of thirsty students).

 However...after about three years of daily walks by the brew your own beer store on Mass Ave and countless passing proclamations about wanting to become skilled at the fine art of beer making....i finally decided it was time to try my hand at brewing beer at home.  

In my particular experience, brewing beer is best accomplished with the assistance of 2 guys, 2 happy dogs wrestling/running around the kitchen floor (threatening to knock things over/trip you at each step of the process), and couple of beverages to keep you hydrated throughout (on this occasion Brooklyn lager and Sam's winter did the trick).

It's a fun -- mostly easy, do it yourself project -- with an enticing end result. (no guarantee that the final product will be either appetizing or remotely palatable -- but we've got our fingers crossed). 

There's a fair amount of equipment needed....which if bought or borrowed separately could be pricey/time consuming. instead we opted to go with an all in one, reasonably priced starter kit from the The Homebrew Emporium. 

Contents Included: "Home Beermaking" Book , Equipment Instructions, Primary Fermenter with Lid, Airlock, Bottling Bucket with Spigot, Siphon and Bottling Set-up, Bucket Clip, Twin Lever Capper, Hydrometer, Liquid Crystal Thermometer, Bottle Brush, No-Rinse Cleanser

we also purchased an IPA beer mix - as the beerman at the beerstore suggested it was the easiest not to flub up on your first try -- if you're feeling ambitious and rather confident in your abilities, or if IPA isn't your thang --  there are lots of brew choices to select from.

Good to Note: one very essential item that is not included in the kit is a pot large enough to boil 5 gallons of liquid at once...unfortunately a bathtub sized pot was not in stock in my kitchen....luckily someone's nice italian mother lent one to us.

Overall the trickiest parts of the operation: 

1. Following the numbered, step-by-step directions in good order 2. Having patience 3. Cleanliness*

* Sanitizing all equipment and keeping hands and counter spaces very clean at all times was probably the most time consuming part of the whole process. It's uber important to keep bacteria out -- everything that comes in contact with the beer batter has to stay super, super, mega clean -- which honestly makes me wonder about many of the home brews i sampled throughout my college years -- delightfully alcoholic treats which were cultivated in questionably cleanly living spaces by people who were definitely not obsessive hand washers! mmmmm mmmm tasty.

I'm going to stick to a photo montage....but if you're interested in an actual play by play of how beer is made - Here's a little BREW 101

Day One: Beer Mixing

IPA Mixings - The Starter Kit

Prepping to Steap the Grains

Steaping

Draining the grains

Boiling Hops

Adding Yeast

adding the malt mix

Air locking

Wait 2-3 weeks to allow fermentation

Day Two: Beer Bottling

This part was pretty fun - felt very official and accomplished -- was especially pleased to open the bucket and find that we hadn't totally messed up part one -- the "beer" actually looked and smelled pretty great (in reality, this means nothing....take for example vanilla extract: smells like yummy goodness, tastes like bum...)!

plus the bottling process was satisfying and gratifying and i love a good assembly line.... 

Bonus -- I learned how to accurately syphon liquid -- so if I ever need to steal gasoline out of someone's tank -- i'm good to go....

Suggestion -- instead of buying new glass bottles which can be kind of pricey -- my roommate had the genius idea to call a few local liquor stores with redemption facilities and ask if we could buy empty's that hadn't been crushed yet. one store was nice enough to put aside 50 or so bottles which they then sold to us for a whopping 5 pennies per pop. 

we found that bottles with pop tops (as opposed to screw offs) worked best for capping purposes. It added a couple of additional steps: 1. Going to get the Bottles 2. Buying a few six packs of beer while there 3. Soaking the bottles in our bathtub and  then scraping off labels -- but it was totally worth it and we also get bonus points for being green. (captain planet!)

bottle bath

Sanitized Beer Bottles

adding boiled sugar to prompt carbonation

syphoning beer from bucket 1 to bucket 2

Filling up Bottles

Performing Quality Control

cap that

What we ended up with:

wait two weeks...

Day Three: Beer Drinking: Stay tuned for the verdict on the final product!

fifty shades of green

This winter -- my juicer -- after several months of collecting dust -- has finally been seeing a lot of action. 

Weekend mornings, post bacon and eggs, have been replete with the happy hum of my juiceman 400 - churning out colorful fruit filled concoctions...mostly orange, apple, berry, carrot based infusions with the odd grapefruit, pineapple or mango thrown in the mix.  

wonderful way to knock out your daily serving of fruit-- combat the tsunami sized wave of influenza sweeping the nation (vitamin C!) -- and get a little taste of summer in the dredges of January's arctic chill. 

Been preeeettty pleased with the majority of my results -- although, in all honesty, it's kind of hard to muck up mango + raspberries or strawberries + pineapple  -- it's kind of like peanut butter plus chocolate or melted butter and garlic -- fool proof. 

As I've begun clicking around pinterest for suggestions on other yummy juice blends - I've started reading lots about the benefits of green juicing. Apparently the stuff is chock full of  buzz words (and things) like vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids--plus it keeps you skinny! gives you a clear, glowing complexion! keeps cancer at bay! And....it FIGHTS FREE RADICALS!!!! Whatever that actually means....

So I've decided to expand my juicing repetoire, take it to the next level and get my green on. Bit of a challenge for me as liquified leaves don't exactly induce cravings...nevertheless i figure i'll start slowly, sneak the spinach in little by little and work my way up to be a hardcore swiss chard loving, parsley popping, broccoli blending fool! Below is my adventure in green juicing....take one:

MY MIX: 

cucumbers

celery

spinach

green apples

blueberries

kiwis

I poured it over crushed ice and squeezed  in a very much needed wedge of lime....and although it was still a little on the leafy side for my liking...all in all, it was a good first attempt. next time i think some pineapple or grapes to sweeten the mix and take the edge off....or perhaps some agave swirled in....

Side Note -- guess the greenery went to my head -- because I also decided to make the following -- reaffirmed that avocado makes most everything better. enjoy!

Avocanana Bread

INGREENIENTS

• ⅓ cup
  old-fashioned oats
  1 cup all purpose flour
  1 tsp. baking powder
  1 tsp. baking soda
  ½ tsp. salt
  1 tsp. cinnamon (i used 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 pumpkin pie spice)
  1 ripe, Fresh California Avocado, pit removed
  ¼ cup canola oil (i went with 1/8 cup veg oil)
  1 cup (packed) brown sugar
  2 eggs
  2 very ripe bananas (i used 2 1/2 bananas )
  ½ cup chopped walnuts (i left these out)
  ¼ cup buttermilk (i used 1/4 oikos vanilla greek yogurt)