.::|TheDish|::.

The Sutton Garden Tour Was A Success!

This past weekend a couple hundred people, including myself, Mike, and his parents, roamed and viewed 9 personal gardens in my historic home town of Sutton, MA, as part of the 2008 Sutton Garden Tour organized by the Sutton Garden Club. Each property, peppered with local artists capturing the picturesque views and robust gardens, had its own unique flair that really communicated the individual personality and character of its owner. The day was a perfect 10 – sunny in the 80's – and culminated with a wine and cheese party on my parent's lawn. Congrats to my (now exhausted yet relieved) rock star Mom for spearheading this fabulous event.

View photos of the 2008 Sutton Garden Tour!

Happy Mother's Day!

Spent the day with Mom (and Dad and the beau!). This tree is in full bloom outside the horse barn at my parent's, it's amazing!

-- sent from my mobile device --

Chel Bella Style Blog!

I am so excited to share my friend Chelsea's blog with with all my fashionista readers! Introducing: Chel Bella Style! The owner of the uber-hip Chel Bella boutique in Hingham, MA, Chelsea brings posts on the latest fashion trends, style tips, and the freshest arrivals at her shop. It is so great to see small businesses embracing and leveraging the power of communication through blogging. Be sure to check it out, bookmark it, leave a comment, and make a trip to Chel Bella to spice-up that spring wardrobe!

CORE Vodka

We got out of town this weekend at last, to a resort in New Paltz, NY (more on that later), and on our way, we took a slight detour to catch up with Derek Grout, a long-time best bud in the Hudson Valley. I know Derek from the inception of my interactive marketing career; he was the Ivy league educated cool Web designer dude who always had an energetic smile and a hell of a story to tell. One of the biggest stories I'd say was his decision to leave the quasi-monotonous 9-5 lifestyle and return to his roots – quite literally – in upstate New York. The Grout family has been operating a successful apple farm, Golden Harvest Farms, for decades, and Derek felt it was time to give a little back by turning his passion, creativity, and hard work away from the computer screen and daily grind and start investing in the most important thing possible: his family and their business.

Derek's return to Golden Harvest Farms pumped a new and immediate vitality into the family orchard: he painted colorful signs to help market the farm's fruit and local produce; ran orchard tractor rides for pick your own; and, simply brought life and a helping hand to the farm. But leave it to Derek and his entrepreneurial spirit to take his personal journey just one step further. He began talking about a new idea 2 years or so ago. Why not take those thousands of tons of cider apples that would otherwise be sent to Pennsylvania or elsewhere for cider production and instead ferment the cider, and create one of the finest spirits in the world, vodka.

After months of educating, perfecting, and distilling, Derek's intense labor, passion and commitment brings all of us vodka lovers alike a libation that simply is like no other: CORE Vodka, produced by Harvest Spirits, LLC. No, it's not an apple flavored vodka, but rather it is a smooth, clean spirit, best served over ice or straight up as a martini. From the website:

Harvest Spirits is one of the only distilleries in the country that makes alcohol from the products grown on-site. That means, the apples are grown, where they are pressed, fermented, distilled and bottled at the same location. The benefits are obvious. Not only do we conserve fossil fuels needed to transport the alcohol, we control the entire process, from field to bottle.

The official product launch is May 1, and CORE Vodka will be available in NY state only, for now. I encourage you to take the 2 hour trip from Boston or New York City to the farm to check out the distillery, sample some vodka, and get a tour from none other than Derek Grout himself. Oh, be sure to test out the cider donuts, pick up some fresh produce, and sink your chops into one of the many succulent apple varietals. I'm getting thirsty and hungry now :).

Congrats to my bud for making his dreams a reality and an amazing vodka for the rest of us to enjoy... I'll drink to that!

Harvest Spirits LLC
harvestspirits.com
Golden Harvest Farms
goldenharvestfarms.com
3074 US Route 9
Valatie, NY 12184

To set up a tour of the distillery and farm, call Golden Harvest Farms at 518-758-2920 or Derek Grout at 518-253-5917.

An Amazing Christmas Gift

Congrats to Dave and Annie on their new beautiful son, Luca, born Christmas Eve at a healthy 8lbs and 5oz. Check out proud Uncle Mike on Christmas day:

Real Holiday DRAMA

The falling Christmas tree is now far from my definition of holiday drama; I have experienced the real deal! Saturday afternoon, I was out and about completing my holiday shopping when I received a frantic call from my neighbor instructing me to get home... NOW. To make a long, and rather painful & dramatic story short, a sprinkler was ruptured by a contractor doing renovations to a unit upstairs from ours; the result was a massive flood of the forth and fifth floor units. Unfortunately, our unit suffered the most damage of all 10 or so affected (at least that's the consensus at this time).

I was not there during the better part of the flood (but trust me, I have seen enough). Apparently, my overly generous neighbors were in our place with buckets, pots, pans towels and mops busting their asses to get the water out the front door, awaiting the crew of firemen who arrived shortly thereafter; fish could swim comfortably in our entranceway and the ceiling became a series of shower-heads steadily gushing water, if that paints a picture. It's a complete disaster area.

Special thanks to Tim & Renee (and to Renee's brother & sister-in-law who b-lined for our Christmas gifts under the tree and saved them all!!!) as well as Patricia, Kevin, Peter and Amy and to everyone else who helped dry us out that day. Thanks to Jay and Zoe for putting a roof over our heads last night, and to Jane for offering-up her place to Mike tonight (I am comfy at home with the folks!!). Where we will be living post-holidays, who knows!!

I will never forget this Christmas, and those of you who went out of your way for us; in times of need, you always know who the good peeps really are.

Here are a couple post-drama photos that I think provide some real color to the amount of damage our unit suffered.

Yet Another B-Day Surprise!

Last night, Mike surprised me with this absolutely stunning pair of diamond and platinum earrings! They are from the Hearts on Fire collection, a Boston-based diamond company that I think has by far the most amazing cuts; the diamonds sparkle like no others. Thank you baby for making this b-day unforgettable, and for this overly generous gift! And thanks to all my girlfriends for helping Mike select the perfect pair; you guys are amazing. As a friend puts it, "you got a good guy (and friends with good taste don't hurt)". That's the truth.

Thank You!

A special thanks to my family, for the fabulous gifts I received last night:

Mom and Dad, thanks so much for the scarves, the adorable top, and the Hayden Harnett Hudson Hobo:

   

Jon and Megan, thanks to much for the William Sonoma Slate Cheese Board and Wine and Food book (perfect for my dinner party tomorrow night!!!!):

   

And last but definitely not least, thanks to Mike for my pre-birthday "teaser" presents... A bottle of CAIN 5 (YUM - a fav!!!) and some fabulous Thyme Eucalyptus salts and scrubs from Aunt Sadie's ...this is enough babe!

Thank you to you all, for making the last 32 22 years (ha!) of my life so amazing. I love you!

A (Pre) B-Day Dinner @ Hamersley's

Rating: 4 forks

Tonight I dined at Hamersley's Bistro with my family for my birthday celebration (the real day is not 'til Wed, 12/12 but its a full week of holiday/birthday celebrations!). The meal was fantastic! I haven't been since the night I turned 21 (yes, 11 years ago, so do the calculation!) and had the first glass of "legal" wine with my Mom at a bow front window. This year, we shared a couple bottles of Ridge Paso Robles Zinfandel and...

...as an app, my bro, Mom and I a each had:
Mixed Autumn Greens with Sherry Vinegar and Cold Pressed Virgin Olive Oil 11
… with Crispy Goat Cheese  14

My Dad's app:
Grilled Mushroom and Garlic Sandwich on Country Bread  15.50

And Mike had:
Rabbit Terrine with Prunes and Armagnac Compote
… Mustards and Toasts  12

And for dinner:

Me:
Fennel Dusted Seared Scallops with Braised Leeks, Pickled Pumpkin and Cider Vinaigrette  28

Mom:
Haddock and Clam Roast with Bacon Braised Greens, Big White Beans and Black Trumpet Mushrooms  26

Dad:
Rabbit Braised in Pinot Noir with Wild Mushrooms, Bacon and Pearl Onions  27

Mike:
Roast Chicken with Garlic, Lemon and Parsley  26

The service, the food, and the overall experience was fabulous; the ambiance is rather mellow with a classic French bistro flair; its definitely not a "scene" place, but the perfect spot, thats rich in history, to enjoy a dinner with friends and family. We will be back soon & thanks to my family for celebrating with me!

Holiday Party Menu - Comfort Food

We are throwing a holiday cocktail party this Tuesday night and am expecting about 20-25 of my colleagues and a few significant others to attend. The menu consists of some staple apps like a cheese and sausage plate with fresh figs & grapes, seared flank steak with carmelized onion and horseradish cream on mini toasts, and smoked salmon, dill, caper, & cream cheese "lollipops". However, I am testing out some comfort food tidbits, to help coat the bellies as we sip champagne splashed with pomegranate. Here are the new additions:

Italian Cocktail Meatballs with Herbs and Ricotta (above pic)
Ridiculous Truffle Mac & Cheese

I love testing out new recipes; if they are a flop, there's always pizza delivery :)

Happy *Belated* Thanksgiving!

The day was a total SUCCESS! The meal was spectacular, thanks to the help of my family... Wow, am I wiped. Check out some photos here, and more to come!

Thanksgiving Menu

And my 1st Thanksgiving menu is now final:

Hot toddy
Whiskey-spiked mulled apple cider

Small Dishes:
Carmelized onion, seared flank steak, horseradish cream on mini toasts
Smoked wild salmon, dill cream cheese, caper "spoons"
Goose liver pate, cornichon, toasted cracker
Assorted cheese

The Starter:
Maple butternut squash soup, fried sage, breadstick

The Main Dish:
Carlemized onion sweet potato gratin, pecan crumb
All American mashed potatoes (with "lumps", for Dad)
Truffled mashed potatoes
Green beans, brown butter, pecans
Perled onions, cream
Mom's Sausage stuffing
Butter massaged turkey, gravy

Dessert:
Mom's homemage apple pie, vermont cheddar
Traditional pumpkin pie

[image courtesy of lakejunaluska.com]

New Table & First Thanksgiving

Our new dining room table just arrived from CB2! I am so excited. What this means, aside from finally filling the void in our condo and opening the door to multiple dinner parties (oh and the end of my complaining), is that we are also throwing our first Thanksgiving feast. It will be a small crowd - just my immediate family - but we are very excited.

Here is the Envelope Table (seats up to 10!):

The Zebra Chairs will be arriving next week:

If anyone has personal tips on how to be successful at your first Thanksgiving, please let me know!

The Luckiest

To those of you who feel like you are the luckiest person around - for reasons of love, happiness, or whatever your personal reason is - here is my favorite tune in celebration of just feeling....lucky. No video, just lyrics and melody, by Ben Folds.

Happy (Belated) 2nd B-day, Jack!

Yesterday we gathered at my brother & sister-in-law's home in Spencer, MA to celebrate my nephew Jack's (belated) 2nd Birthday.

Check out the adorable pics here.

From Tadpole - my favorite kids store in Boston - I picked up this Appaman Vintage Racing Jacket in Olive. How cute is he going to look sporting this:

Phantom Gourmet BBQ Beach Party

On Saturday afternoon, I met-up with my Dad, brother, sister-in-law and nephew at City Hall, Boston to check out the Phantom Gourmet's BBQ Beach Party. In theory, it was a great idea; and we thought it would be a day of circulating the wagons, tasting our nation's award winning BBQ and picking our own blue ribbon winner. You know, all-American pulled pork, ribs, & chicken smothered with a secret sauce, served-up along side corn on the cob, potato salad and good 'ol baked beans.

We were a tad disgruntled to find that it was very commercial feeling (large brands), the lines were soo long - my brother waited over 2 hours (not kidding) in one line - and it was not at all a "tasting", but rather more like an unprecedented wait time in a concession stand line. The BBQ we tasted was pretty good, though served cold and not worth the wait IMO. My dad and I had a mixed platter from Jack's Down Home Barbecue, and found the sauce to be a tad too tangy; and my bro, sis, and nephew had ribs and pulled pork & chicken from Cowboys Barbecue & Rib Co topped with a very tasty spicy sauce, and was boasted the best BBQ there by the aficionados (hence the line that wrapped around the courtyard a couple times!).

It's too bad, as I love the Phantom Gourmet and I really expected a different experience. Will I go back? Nope. But, I did have a fabulous time catching up with the family on a beautiful summer afternoon, and I will continue to search for the best BBQ around.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Yesterday, we threw quite the surprise birthday party at my parents house. About 20 or so of my mom's lady friends gathered to party, drink bilinis and mimosas, and celebrate her birthday in style (I am under a strict directive to not reveal her age:) ). It was quite a surprise, and despite the fact that she was feeling terribly under the weather and really wanted to just sleep after she returned from a 2-night getaway in Maine with my Dad, she was quite the sport and we all (including  Mom) had a total blast! (Pics to be posted when we return from Jamaica.)

Happy Birthday Mom, I love you!

Rooftop Birthday Bash

The party is starting (though you probably cant tell from this pic taken with my Samsung Blackjack!!).... its our neighbor Renee's birthday, and her husband has set up our shared roofdeck and people are now arriving on this beautiful eve! Its going to be a partaaaaaay!

It's Spring In Sutton

Just returned from a fabulous Mother's Day celebration with my family, in my hometown of Sutton, MA. It's spring time, and my mom's breathtaking gardens are starting to bloom (alas!). Being around family, surrounded by natural beauty, and a healthy dose of sunshine created an excitement and a sense of well-being; its going to be a fabulous summer! Here are a few photos I took of my mom's gardens today:

Mom's Day Ideas From Anthropology

If you are looking for some unique Mother's Day ideas, check out Anthropology. They have some hip kitchen accessories for Mom, like this adorable Ringa Apron, with matching Ringa Oven Mitt. If Mom is a young mother or a grandmother, throw in a matching Ringa Kids Apron for the little one. Adorable.

Core Vodka: Vote on the Label!

My buddy Derek needs our help! Derek left the interactive marketing space about 5 years ago to reunite with his family and his roots in New York state. He is now opening his own distillery called Harvest Spirits on his family's apple farm, Golden Harvest Farms, at which he now serves as the the CMO, COO, and the coolest apple farmer I know :). His first spirit will be vodka made from apples; note, this is NOT apple flavored vodka, but rater vodka made from cider apples instead of potato or rye. I've tried it, its tasty.

He is losing sleep these days, perhaps resolved by his own libations :), trying to chose the best label for his CORE vodka. So, I'd like to take a poll.

Go to this page (http://harvestspirits.com/labels/) containing the different label designs and vote here! Feel free to leave a comment to this post if you want to provide further insight into your decision & vote...

Photo of the Week @ Jiminy Peak

My buddy Derek made webcam photo of the day on the Jiminy Peak Resort website, with a quote reading "Just one of MANY awesome Retro outfits we saw on Sunday!...". Check him out, yeah D!

Happy 2007!

I want to wish my friends and family the happiest, healthiest year... I love you all!

Here is how the last day of '06 began for me, in-home spa-style courtesy of Michael:

And here's how the day - and year - ended, at Zoe & Jay's fiesta!!! (Check out the full album here)

My Pre-Birthday Party

Thanks to all my buds that came out this weekend for my (pre) b-day... it's not 'til Tuesday, but I celebrated a tad early! We started the night with dinner at Toro, then on to the Middlesex Lounge, & closed the night out at a house party in the Leather District. Below are a few pics, and here's the album

Another Holiday Nap

What would a holiday be without a photo of Mike asleep after a holiday dinner at my parents?!?!Here's tryptophan at work! I think this is going to become a yearly photo ritual :)

Thanksgiving Photos

Mike and I managed to spend this Thanksgiving weekend with both of our families, as well as great friends... truly something to be thankful for. Here are a few pics (and more here!):

My Mom & Dad:

Mike's sister-in-law, Annie, and niece Ava:

Julie's 2U Birthday

Last Saturday, the 2U Groupies finally caught up with the band locally... well, in Quincy, MA. The last time we had seen the U2 cover band was in Stowe Vt, at Zoe's Bachelorette party. To our disappointment, the lead singer was NOT the same Bono look-alike, but we still managed to have a total blast and rock out!! Check out the video, and keep your audio up:

Half-Pint and E-Funk Masta

Last weekend, my best-girl Jen (a.k.a "Half-Pint") came for a long overdue visit to Boston, after living in Dallas, TX for about two years. My best-bud Ethan (a.k.a. "E-Funk Masta Flash), who just moved back from sunny San Diego, Mike, Jenny and I started the night out at with tapas and cocktails of plenty at my favorite Boston restaurant, Toro. We ended our dinner with the cava Porron, a large decanter-like bottle with a thin spout for "shooting" the bubbly. Dangerous! Then we made a brief visit for a cocktail at Masa where we met up with Ethan's friend Mary "Lovely" (and lovely she is), and on to close the night out at District in Boston's leather district. We had an amazing night colored by old stories, memories, and a lot of silliness. Here are a few pics...

 

A Kid's Pre-Halloween Fun!

Don't you wish you could go back in time, at least sometimes? My nephew, Jack, makes quite an adorable pirate, and look at the chicky. Awwwww!

Jack the Rocker

I just can't take it!!! Is my nephew, Jack, the cutest little guy EVER or what?!? Oh, and look at the fun he has when Auntie comes to visit :)

Spontaneity is Key

As a Project Manager, I lead a very structured professional life, the foundation of which is, of course, rigid schedules and tight timelines. 5 days a week, my daily life is neatly compartmentalized into 30 or 60 minute blocks of time, stacked like legos, and if one of those legos falls slightly out of alignment, my organized life starts to crumble. That's kinda sad!

I now realize that I have actually carried that inelasticity over into my social and personal life,   particularly in my vacation planning. Well, no more. After my week's vacation to the Finger Lakes region of New York, without a defined schedule and with an air of spontaneity, I am all for the "loose" vacations that allow you to truly relax, detach, and actually vacation! It may not have been the international getaway that I have been yearning for, but it was absolutely amazing, and a total blast! Here is a synopsis of our trip's highlights:

Vestal, New York - we spent some quality time with Mike's friends and family, and fell in love with his almost-two year old niece, Ava, all over again!

Ithaca, New York - we stayed at the fabulous La Tourelle Resort, a French-inspired country inn delicately perched on top of a hill above Ithaca. We played tennis (or tried) on the well-groomed clay courts, hiked to the stunning Butternut Falls and the gorges around Cornell University, received an utterly divine couple’s massage and a vino soak, and fell asleep on the heavenly king-sized feather mattress listening to the crackle of the fireplace. We also found the time to meet up with a few of Mike's friends for dinner and cocktails.

Lake Seneca - we toured the New York wine country, specifically the Red Newt Cellars, Lamoreaux Landing and Standing Stone vineyards featured in the May edition of The Wine Spectator magazine; we enjoyed their respective tasting menus for a measly $1, and I discovered a newfound appreciation for Ice Wine and the semi-dry Riesling grape. We padded our bellies with the rich and divine meats of Viennese Chef Dano, at the elegantly modern Dano's Heuriger: ala carte patés, wiener schnitzel, slow roasted pork & lamb... not recommended for the vegetarian folks! It was amazing!

Lake Cayuga - we sailed the Fall winds with Mike's best-bud Grey and his amazing wife, Kristin. This was my first real sail, and thanks to the agile hands of my captains and the true sails of The Lemon Peeler, I absolutely loved it and can't wait for the next time.

Valatie, New York - we popped in for a visit with my apple farmer friend, Derek, and toured the Golden Harvest Farms orchards on the quad, sipped vodka, and relished in the Autumn scents of cinnamon, baked apples and cider donuts. Oh so seasonal!

Spencer, MA - We capped off the week with a quick overnight visit with my bro, Jon, and sister-in-law, Megan; we bonded with  my rock-star nephew, Jack, sipped tasty Napa reds, and tantalized our taste buds with a delightful Sunday brunch with my Mom and Dad, in honor of Jon and Megan's 6th wedding anniversary.

The best part about this vacation: we never really had a sure and true plan, just "went with the flow". This vacation proved to me that spontaneity really is key to keeping life interesting and exciting, particularly for those who rarely have it.

>>Check out some more pics here!

Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Miller!!!

Congratulations to Sandra and Jerry, just married yesterday! What an amazingly unique experience; a traditional henna party on Friday evening, colored by Egyptian costume, dancing, and of course, a henna tattoo artist. The wedding ceremony took place at a Coptic church in Natick, MA - one of the only churches of that Orthodox denomination in the area; for an hour and forty-five minutes, a Deacon, Priest and Congregation prayed and chanted in 3 languages - Arabic, Coptic, and English. It was beautiful. The reception was held at the Andover Country Club, where we partied, sang, ate, drank and danced Egyptian-style. Cheers again to my best-bud Sandra, her new hubby Jerry, and their families for throwing such a fabulous party! Enjoy Hawaii guys, Aloha!

See pics here...

Sandra's Bachelorette Bash

I can't believe that in just 2 weeks, Sandra and Jerry will be married! This past weekend, the ladies of the bridal party (1 Egyptian, 1 Russian, 1 Cuban, & 1 American) brought Sandra out for her last Boston hurrah as a single woman. We started the night at Match, the very restaurant where Sandra and I met waiting tables about about 10 years ago! We made a brief stop after at the Limelight, a Karaoke bar on Tremont Street that clearly proved to be for the 18-21 year old college folks (we asked the server if they had Grey Goose and, after checking with the bartender, he returned to tell us "we don't have grape juice!"). Oops; wasn't our kinda place, but good to know! So, we closed the night out with cocktails, tequila banderitas, $1 tapas, and some "bachelorette party activities" at Masa in the South End.

Yesterday, we met at Stephanie's on Newbury (check out this website, its pretty terrible!) for a reliably scrumptious hangover brunch and of course a bit o' "hair of the dog". What a fun night, now I can't wait for the wedding! Love you Sandra!

Check out the pics here.

Good Luck!

Good luck Mike, on the Internal Medicine Boards today! You have worked so hard over the last few weeks to prep for today; you are going to ROCK!!!

Birthday and Baptism Weekend

This weekend was full of family, friends and parties. Saturday I celebrated my nephew Jack's 1st birthday in Spencer, MA, with about 20 other family, friends, and quite a few little tykes! Saturday turned out to be the perfect summer day, with blue skies, puffy clouds, and temps in the low-80's; we feasted on BBQ pulled pork, brisket, potato salad, and the like. Jack, on the other hand, chowed down (and played with) his first birthday cake. How many one year olds get their own birthday cake, and get to eat it in it's entirety? How cute is this?!?!?!?!

On Sunday, Jack was baptized at the Sutton First Congregational Church... it was a beautiful ceremony, followed by brunch and a relaxing afternoon at my folks (and no, despite my initial thoughts/concerns, the church did NOT burn down when my bro and I entered :).

Check out some more pics...

A First Birthday!

Happy 1^st Birthday to my nephew, Jack Taylor Beaton!!! We love you!

Escape to P-town

For those seeking a quick and easy escape from the blistering summer heat in the city, a great option is the high-speed ferry to P-town. At about $70 round trip, and a short 1.5 hours later, you are transported from the Boston dock to a new, and different, world and experience, colored by not just the New England charm of Cape Cod, but also by the uniqueness and openness that only P-town can offer.

We had a fabulous day of strolling the shops and boutiques featuring Cape Cod classics like salt water taffy, boiled lobster, and clam chowder, and sipped a tasty rum punch libation at the Lobster Pot ; see pic to the right (thanks for the rec Mom!). Prior to the 7:30 ferry back to the city, we feasted on the local fresh catch at Ross' Grill, a delightful and tasty Provincetown Harbor front bistro. What a quick and fabulous escape from city living and city