city sunday

This Sunday was a lazy one spent unintentionally exploring the city of Boston. Since it is such "walking" city, I try to hardly use public transit. Why bother when most places are no more than 45 min walk? This usually results in taking a variety of routes and stumbling on different and random things along the way.

OAR

Last night, Britt, her sister Hannah, Heather and I went to an OAR concert at the Bank of America pavilion. OAR songs immediately bring me back to high school days- they were big every summer circa 2005. I hadn't been to a concert in a couple years, so it was good to enjoy live music and good company.

favorite spot

On the foot of a hill in my parents' neighborhood, there is a scene to which I always frequent during visits with my family. I am unsure what originally drew me to the spot  (aside from its beauty), but it is one I have captured throughout the changing seasons and years- 2010 to 2013. Now that it has become quite the habit, I hope to keep up with this small tradition :). Excuse the excessive Instagram filters on the older pics, it was very new and exciting back then!

fish tacos

A couple weeks ago, I decided to try out this simple fish tacos recipe from one of my favorite blogs, A Cup of Jo. It turned out amazing and is a perfect summer dinner that is not too difficult to prepare. The fresh coleslaw was almost the best part, and made for some great leftovers.

Recipe: Panko-Crusted Fish Tacos with Lemony, Creamy Coleslaw

Serves 4

You'll need:

For the slaw:
1/2 head of cabbage, sliced 
2 carrots, grated
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
2 tbsp. lemon juice 
2 tbsp. creme fraiche
2 tbsp. olive oil 
Salt

For the fish
1 lb. tilapia, sliced
1 egg, whisked
1 cup panko
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. oregano
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. canola oil
8 tortillas
1 lime

What to do:

"Since coleslaw tastes best when it’s had time to marinate, start it first. If you’re a planner, you can even do this the night before. Place sliced cabbage, grated carrots and chopped parsley in a large bowl. Next combine lemon juice, creme fraiche and olive oil for the dressing. Generously salt the cabbage mixture, pour in the dressing and toss everything together. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.

For the fish tacos, preheat oven to 425F.

Next, rinse the tilapia fillets and dry them with paper towels. Slice them into 2" long pieces and place them onto a plate. Pour the whisked egg over the fish and make sure each piece gets covered in the egg wash. This will ensure that the panko mixture completely coats the fish.

In a Ziploc bag, mix panko, paprika, thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt and oil. Place your egg-coated fish into the bag, seal and shake. (If you have a child that loves being a kitchen helper, this is a great activity for them. No kid can resist a shake-and-bake!)

Once the fish is coated in panko, spread the pieces onto a foil-lined sheet pan. Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes until the panko is golden brown. Wrap your tortillas in foil and throw them in the oven for the last 3 to 5 minutes of baking.

When everything is done, have everyone assemble their own tacos with as much slaw and crispy fish pieces as they want. Serve with lime wedges, which gives the perfect finish to these fish tacos. "

Via A Cup of Jo and Cook Smarts (original author)

i love obscurity

Max

Missing this sweet boy.

Staying Cool

Today consisted of desperate ways to stay cool in this intense heat. Classic Cokes and a fresh summer salad were a perfect pairing while we hid indoors today. Oh and a Law And Order SUV marathon.

                         

Aquarium

Since it has been over 90 degrees the last two weeks in Boston, we decided to head indoors to the New England Aquarium, which I haven't been too since I was small.
It happens to be only a 5 minute walk from my apartment, though even walking that far was a struggle in the heat. Although the line was long, we stuck it out and had a great time. The penguins were the favorite.

                             

                             

Another cape weekend.

This weekend, Eddie's parents and sister were in town for a summer visit since their last trip to help with the move in June. The weekend started off with a walk/run around Castle Island in Southie, then exploring downtown Boston. Eddie and his dad headed to do a tour of Fenway, while the girls went to Newbury Street to pamper and shop. I discovered Benefit (favorite make-up) just opened an amazing store on Newbury Street, complete with a spa and products. We got our makeup done, spent too much money, then met up with the boys.

For the afternoon, we headed back to Southie and hit the beach. Although not much of a beach day, it was a nice power nap and helped with easing my sore legs after walking/running about 10-15 miles in one day. Sunday consisted of homemade French toast in the morning and an early drive to the Cape (his family has never been). It was nice to play tour guide as I showed them where I grew up,  including meeting up with my parents and going down to our neighborhood beach. We then continued on our way to Chatham- stopping at Candy Manor to indulge in homemade fudge and chocolates, hit The Squire for lunch, then spent the afternoon on Lighthouse Beach. As if we couldn't jam more activities into one weekend, we made it over the bridge (traffic-free!), and stopped in downtown Plymouth to see Plymouth Rock. Although I warned of the anti-climatic experience, his parents were still grateful to have stopped to see it. It has been a crazy, whirlwind weekend-- but definitely one to remember. 

Flea Market Finds

This weekend we woke up early (6am) on a Sunday and headed about 30 miles outside the city to Todd Farm Flea Market (www.toddfarm.com). Eddie was looking for furniture for the new apartment, and we were on the hunt for some big items. I was desperately hoping the trip would be worth the 6am wake up call...and it was! We ended up with a vintage gold velvet chair, a brown shelf unit, a framed old print of Dublin, a mason jar, a 1978 version of Winnie the Pooh the book, and a classic copy of The Jungle by Sinclair...all for $38! I was in vintage and antique heaven. I have now vowed to make this trek at least once a month. It was essentially a large field and barn full of antique and flea market dealers, and a must-go early event. I am especially in love with the chair (below) which we finally spotted after 3 earlier chairs I almost jumped on. Thankfully, Eddie made me hold out on those and we came across this one. I am having a blast helping him decorate the place.

4th of July

Happy 4th of July weekend! This weekend I am looking forward to family time on the beach, small town parades, neighborhood fireworks, flag cake, and the Boston Chowderfest. It is my favorite day and holiday of the year (yes, even over Thanksgiving :). 

Girls Weekend, Atlantic City!

We had a Gettysburg girls reunion this past weekend at Julie's family beach house in Brigantine, NJ. It was my first trip to the Jersey Shore (which I never thought would happen to a Cape girl). Luckily, despite threat of thunderstorms the entire time, we had great weather and it only rained a bit in the evening. We went out to Atlantic City Saturday night, which was an interesting experience. I didn't think it would be the stereotypical 'grandma sitting at the slots' scene, but that is exactly what it was. Julie played Roulette, mainly while the rest of us watched. Mara and I attempted one "slot machine", and pretty much only got $1 back for the $5 we put in. Such crazy gamblers, we are. It was great to see everyone, and we are looking forward to making it an annual event.

Eddie Moves to Boston!

This post is two years in the making! After about a year following my move to Boston from D.C., Eddie was able to get a job working downtown for the City. His apartment is in Southie, and I am excited to explore and get to know an entire "new" part of Boston for me. Here's to date night more than once or twice a month!

Boston Marathon- April 15th

I wanted the chance to write down my thoughts on the Boston Marathon. I had originally typed 'the Boston Marathon Bombings,' but doing so yielded immediate power to the latter half of the phrase. I do not wish for this "ownership" over the Boston Marathon. However, I realize it is an event that is forever changed, and with it comes the inevitable label and sadness that the proper noun evokes. Although this tragedy occurred over two months ago, it is a day I never will forget.

Brooklyn Visit(s)

Playing catch up on the blog a little bit. This past winter, I got the chance to visit Mara in Brooklyn. It was amazing to see a whole different side to NYC than I had previously known- beyond the touristy locations and broadway shows. We explored both her old neighborhood (Williamsburg) and her new one (Park Slope), and frequented a bunch of flea markets and vintage shops. I was in heaven and couldn't wait to get back there.

Not too long after, we decided to make a second trip to Brooklyn more of a girls weekend, and Julie and Jenni joined. We did more exploring with the four of us and it was nice to re-connect with the original college group and besties of six years.

Looking ghostly pale in the dead of winter.