I could tell I was going to be a fan of Treat right away. I love the logo!

Treat Cupcake Bar isn’t like other cupcake shops. Hence why it has the word “bar” in it. You actually build your own cupcakes.

I totally love this concept! First you pick your cake:

Then you pick your frosting:

Then you pick 3 toppings/treats:

There are lots of them!

They take your frosting and treat selections and mix them all together… It really reminded me of Cold Stone Creamery.

But I especially love how they serve your cupcake:

It felt like so much more fun than just being handed a cupcake. Kind of like being a kid again.

I chose the gold cupcake with buttercream frosting. My treats? I chose rainbow sprinkles, chocolate chips, and heath bar.

Heavenlyyyy. And so pretty too!

OMG yum! I absolutely love that Treat gives you way too much frosting (I had more left over that I couldn’t even fit on the cupcake). The cupcake was delightful. I have to say the vanilla cake was a bit too corn bread tasting (I prefer a sweeter, more vanilla cupcake taste), but the super sweet buttercream frosting balanced it out well.

If you’re not into the idea of designing your own cupcake, you can choose one of the premade ones as well. They add new flavors every day. I enjoyed that you could see right into Treat’s kitchen and actually watch them baking the cupcakes.

And the walls were so pretty and vibrantly painted.

Of course, you know which one I chose to take home. Anything with the words Peanut Butter and Overload in it has my vote. It was phenomenal (Chris and I split it the next day… we were too stuffed after eating our huge “homemade” cupcake that day).

I’m also a fan of Treat’s packaging, complete with napkin-wrapped fork.

I really do love a cupcake shop that knows how to brand well and Treat totally has it covered. Everything from the napkins to the little papers in the cupcake trays.

And check out the adorable aprons!

If I wasn’t so in love with my WANM apron (and OK, my Butterball apron, too), I would totally get one.

They also had t-shirts for sale.

My overall impression is that Treat is a cupcake shop that cannot be missed, if only for the super fun experience! It would be an amazingly fun place to have a birthday party (seriously, for all ages) or just pop in and make your own cupcake whenever you’re in the mood.

This would be a dangerous, dangerous place for me if I lived nearby. Thank goodness, it’s a drive away.

The prices weren’t too bad either. A make-your-own cupcake was $4.25, but it was absolutely huge with tons of frosting. And the pre-made cupcakes were $3.25.

Treat’s website is also beautiful. And I just got word from their Twitter account that they’ll be closed on Mondays until they can find another baker for the shop. Are you a cupcake baker? Know anyone? Treat looks like it would be an awesome place to work.

I can’t wait to treat myself to Treat again soon!

Treat Cupcake Bar

1450 Highland Avenue

Needham, MA 02494

781.444.4995

www.TreatCupcakeBar.com

Twitter: @TreatCupcake

[Sues]

I called the week before the meet-up and spoke with the owner, Cindy, who set aside a special VIP table for us under the greenhouse area of the restaurant, which was gorgeous. A perfect outdoor breeze swept by us the entire evening. And that great view of the Hancock Tower… and, later, the sunset didn’t hurt either.

Cindy and her husband, Aldo, arranged for a complimentary sampling of appetizers to be sent to our table. This was the perfect way to get the evening started and allowed the first-time Vlora diners to get a taste of what was to come.

Some favorites:
Pan Roasted Zucchini with Garlic Yogurt

Greek Peasant Salad: romaine, tomato, cucumber, kalamata, onion, red and yellow pepper, peperoncino, feta cheese

Grilled Octopus: tomato, cucumber (this was one of my favorites!)

Arancini Sicillani (Italian rice balls, mushroom and feta filling, fresh tomato and mint sauce)

Watermelon and Feta Tidbit: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, parsley This is always a hit. Deliciously sweet, salty, smooth, and refreshing.

After we completed the round of appetizers we all placed orders for our entrees. I ended up getting the arancini because it is just that good.

What makes outstanding food, wine, and a Summer breeze even better? Good company, of course!

Erica of Itzy’s Kitchen and Naomi of OneFitFoodie.

The darling Alicia of The Clean Plate Club and Bridget from Yogurt and Berries.

Meg (the sister of Collen of The Daily Craic), Megan of Travel, Eat, Love, and Sues.

Us We are not Martha ladies with Elizabeth of On Tap for Today.

The whole gang!

The prices at Vlora are very reasonable, especially considering the quality and freshness of food you’re receiving, outstanding service, and that downtown Boston location. Another plus, the dishes are simple to share for group dining, so when I go, we typically order a variety of dishes which gives us the opportunity to taste a wider range of the menu.

Thank you so much to Cindy and Aldo for welcoming us into your restaurant and taking such good care of us! We will, of course, be back very soon for more!

———–

The most fitting words and description from the Vlora website:

The dishes reflect the age old adage of “eat better and live better.” With an emphasis on freshness and a minimalist cooking style, the naturally healthy menu covers tastes from the Northern Mediterranean region encompassing Albania, Greece, and Southern Italy. The menu and wine list are an extension of the flavors and dishes served in Aldo’s own home, including exclusive handpicked wines and lovingly prepared signature dishes that are unmatched within the city. Believing that food should taste like food, the natural tastes and flavors of the freshest ingredients are enhanced primarily with olive oil and fresh herbs.

No need to travel abroad – experience the Mediterranean, here, in Boston’s Copley Square.

Vlora Restaurant
545 Boylston Street
Boston, MA
www.vloraboston.com

[Chels]

Sangria while sitting in the sun at Brookline’s American Craft.

Along with a tomato, basil, and garlic mozzarella salad.

Chicken wings with honey mustard dipping sauce.

And fries with blue cheese fondue.

A 4th of July Red Sox game with my fabulous aunt and uncle.

The Sox lost 6-1, but we still had a good time. It was the most beautiful day for a Red Sox game. OK, mayyybe a little too hot, but there was a pretty nice little breeze.

Even Wally, the Green Monster, was dressed up.

I was wondering why Chris’s farmer’s tan looked like he was wearing a v-neck. Now I see why…

After the game, we met up with my sister and Adam for a delicious dinner on the patio at Bouchee. We indulged in some escargot.

And our very favorite flatbreads. Gruyere, Caramelized onion, and ham.

And sweet sausage, grape, and gorgonzola.

Then we met up with Chels and took a walk around the esplanade to watch Boston’s fireworks show.

Last year Chris and I got right up close for Neil Diamond’s show. We wanted to do the same this year to see Toby Keith, but we didn’t get there until pretty late. And I have horrible memories of the show ending last year and not even being able to move an inch for a half hour.

So, we kept a bit of distance, but had the perfect view of the fireworks.

And when the show was over, we weren’t stuck in huge mobs of people.

We kept saying how weird it was to be able to walk along Storrow Drive and walk along the exit we normally drive off of. Storrow is a really, really busy 3-lane road around Boston.

Monday has been all about relaxation (in the super hot weather!) and taking a HUGE trip to the grocery store. The fridge has been empty and desperately needed to be refilled.

Of course, the sweltering weather called for a light and refreshing salad. I decided to mix my feta with some fruit… If you’re apprehensive about the fruit/cheese together combo, don’t be! It’s one of the best things in the world. And since I’ve been craving mangoes lately, I made a mango feta salad.

Mango and Feta Salad:

• 1 ripe mango, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
• 1/4 C crumbled Athenos feta
• 1 t minced basil
• 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

This was an incredibly simple and quick salad. I actually bough 2 mangoes to make a larger salad, but one was not ripe at all. So, this was definitely gobbled up by me in about 3 minutes (or less).

All you need to do is cube and peel the mango. And mix with the feta, basil, EVOO, salt, and pepper.

I sprinkled some more feta on top too. And this was PERFECT!! The combination of sweet and salty is to die for. And this totally tasted like summer in a bowl.

I’m pretty sure mango is going to be one of my new go-to summer fruits and I will definitely be whipping up this salad again very soon!

What did you do this 4th of July weekend?

[Sues]

Cambridge, of course, is right next to Boston and super easy to get to. But for some reason, I don’t get over there as much as I’d like to. It takes forever on public transportation and parking can be a bit tricky, so dining on the “other side of the river” doesn’t happen as much as I’d like it to. Because, heaven knows they have a TON of amazing restaurants.

The Taste of Cambridge was the perfect opportunity for us to try samplings many of them. And the Charles Hotel was the PERFECT place to hold an event like this.

The more of these types of events we go to, the better we get at navigating them. It’s seriously an art! There’s so much food and it’s easy to get really full, really quickly. We generally like to hit up the restaurants we haven’t yet had the chance to visit. We try to stay away from chains and we take it slowly and pace ourselves. And stay away from too much alcohol near the start of the event– Not only for obvious reasons, but because it’s seriously difficult to hold a plate and full drink, while trying to eat, take photos, and navigate the crowds!

Tory Row is one of those restaurants I’ve been hearing about forever, but have never stopped by. But when I tasted the chilled asparagus soup with poached lobster, I fell in love. It was thick and creamy with generous pieces of lobster. This would be a fabulous start to a meal and fitting that it was the first thing we indulged in for the evening.

As you can see, Tory Row serves breakfast 7 days a week, too. I kind of want to try the jalapeno chicken sausage.

Next up? We spotted lobster rolls from the West Side Lounge and I knew I couldn’t pass them by.

This was a pretty fabulous lobster roll! I have to say it was a tad bit salty, BUT I loved that it didn’t have a whole lot of mayo in it and was pretty much pure (and delicious) lobster meat.

And, we learned about West Side Lounge’s Monday night special. All summer long, you can get 2 lobster rolls, house-made chips, and slaw for only $12.95. Yes, $12.95! I definitely need to make it there very soon. Who’s coming?

And yes, the house-made chips were awesome.

Next up? Basha Cafe. I’ve been to Basha before, but it’s been a while and their offerings looked pretty tasty.

Chels and I split a beef kebab and some rice. I definitely could have eaten more, but I knew it would be smarter to save room. Guess I’ll have to return to Basha for more!

I’ve actually never heard of Amelias Trattoria and their dish looked quite interesting.

It was a type of arancini with basil, fontina cheese, and panko. I loved the presentation; it reminded me of something fun you’d get at the fair! It was delicious, but a tiny bit dry. However, I always remind myself it must be nearly impossible to cook food for events like this… SO much food that you have to transport. It can’t be nearly as good as it would be in the restaurant, hot from the kitchen!

Amelia’s menu looks pretty interesting, so I’d love to get there some time in the future.

Oh, Harvest. I’ve only had the pleasure of dining at Harvest once as an adult, but it was an amazing experience. And one that I’d like to repeat over and over again. I’ve been pretty obsessed with all things lamb lately, so I was immediately drawn to the lamb sausage slider.

Yup, it was awesome. In fact, I seriously wish I had a full-size sandwich for lunch right now. I highly recommend dining at Harvest if you want a really wonderful experience in Harvard Square. The restaurant is kind of tucked away, dimly lit, quiet, country-like and romantic. Basically everything I want after a crazy day in the city.

Right after Harvest, we headed to Bambara’s table, where I indulged in some sort of bruschetta with figs and proscuitto, which is pretty much a dream come true for me. I love the salty/sweet combination! I also noticed they have warm lobster sliders on the menu, making Bambara a future must for me.

Then we spotted Grafton Street! The first thing I said was, “there’s no way I could eat corn on the cob at an event like this.” And it’s true. I’m one of those brats who needs my corn cut off the cob for me (thanks Dad!). And if I chowed down last night? I wouldn’t have been able to smile for any photos.

But I still had to take a couple photos because Grafton Street is where Chris and I first met And so, it will always have a very special meaning to me. I think it’s our goal to go back for all our anniversaries.

Plus, the corn was just so pretty! And if the employees working the table had offered to cut it off the cob for me, I totally would have indulged.

From these photos, it doesn’t look like the Taste of Cambridge was too crowded, but it really was!

We spent a good amount of time hanging out with the lovely Julia Rappaport and her hilariously awesome friend Jon.

East Coast Grill is one restaurant I CANNOT even believe I still haven’t been to. My dad talks about it all the time as he’s a huge Chris Schlesinger fan and I’ve heard nothing but awesome things about it. I tried to make reservations for the restaurant’s last “Hell Night,” but they filled up amazingly fast, so I’m looking forward to making it to the next one (I hope!).

For now, I was content trying their pork tacos, which were pretty delicious and super flavorful. I could definitely eat a plate-full!

We were wandering by Hungry Mother’s peanut butter sorghum sandwich cookies and I had to grab one. OMG. These were like the Girl Scout’s Do-Si-Dos cookies, but about a million times better. And so satisfying. I NEED the recipe. Or I just have to go to Hungry Mother for a few more. Delicious!

Of course, we stopped by to see our good friends over at the How2Heroes table. I didn’t even take any photos of their beautiful dessert display because we were immediately bombarded by shots. Jello shots. Alcohol-free jello shots, at that. So, why was How2Heroes forcing jello shots upon us??

Well, they were 5-alarm ghost pepper jello shots. In case you don’t know, ghost peppers are otherwise known as the hottest peppers in existence. Not ones to turn down a challenge, Chels and I signed the waivers (yes, waivers!) and prepared to down the jello shots. How2Heroes took this shot of us looking thrilled (and semi-nervous) for the challenge:

OK, yeah, we were pretty nervous. And yes, I’m double fisting (Chris loves anything super spicy, so I grabbed one to take home for him). Thank you so much to Megan of Delicious Dishings for catching some fabulous action shots of us!

OK, let’s go!

Well we downed, part of them anyway. These were HOT. Like one of the hottest things I’ve ever eaten, and I love spice. But really, it was more of a pleasant type of hot… Which I’m obviously saying after the fact. Check out my expression in the below photo.

I guess that says it all. By “pleasant” I mean, it was kind of cinnamony-tasting. But our mouths were BURNING and Lynne kindly handed us frosting shots and milk. Yes, a good chaser for too hot jello shots is a frosting shot. Who knew? Now you do.

Now can I get my invitation to East Coast Grill’s Hell Night, please?

By the way, Julia’s friend Jon downed the entire shot without flinching. It made me feel like kind of a wuss.

We wandered around a bit more after that excitement and checked out a huge dessert display. The cupcakes from Lyndell’s looked absolutely scrumptious, but I was too full.

Too full for a cupcake? I can’t even believe I just said that. Kind of regretting it today.

But Chels did grab a super cute, super mini ice cream cone!

OK, I lied. I wasn’t too full when I saw the beautiful-looking strawberry rhubarb crisps from Henrietta’s Table– another Cambridge restaurant I really, really need to make it to.

Especially after hearing from Julia how delightful these desserts were.

We could not turn them down. And I’m SO glad we didn’t. This might just be the best “crisp” I’ve ever had. I wanted to snag the whole table. Even though I was incredibly full at this point.

I’ve always known that Cambridge has an absolutely wonderful dining scene, but last night proved it to me even more. And made me want to head across the river for dinner every night. We had so many amazing dishes and really, I’m not sure which restaurant I want to make my first stop!

Do you have a favorite restaurant in Cambridge?

[Sues]

Seriously. We consumed A LOT of beer. But not even close to everything the fest had to offer. Let’s be honest, there’s no way I could have tried all the beers I wanted to (I’d need a good 2 weeks and several gallons of water). But I’m going to tell you about a bunch of my favorites that I did get the chance to try.

I’ve been to Cambridge Brewing Co. a few times and have always loved their beer. But I never tried the Colonel. It’s definitely one I’ll be ordering the next time I’m there… It was almost a bit barley wine-ish (which I love!). I mean, how could I not be obsessed with a beer claiming to have “farmhouse funk”? Maybe that doesn’t sound appetizing to everyone, but to me? Heaven!

Pretty Things is one of my very favorite brewers (and local too!). I absolutely love Baby Tree and Fluffy White Rabbits, but had never tried Field Mouse’s Farewell, their goodbye to spring beer. I’m definitely a fan. I love that it’s described as being full of grains- “Rye, Oats, Wheat and Barley. Like what a mouse would eat.”

Pretty labels, delicious beer, and the best beer names… What’s not to love?

I feel like everyone is drinking Allagash White this year. Well, what about Allagash Black (Bourbon Barrel!!)? We were a little disappointed not to get the Fluxus 2010 chocolate stout, but this was an awesome substitute. It was still super chocolatey and a great beer to sip on and slowly enjoy.

Another one of my top brewers is Ommegang. I absolutely love their Three Philosophers and couldn’t bring myself to try something new at their booth. It had been a long time since I last had it and was dying for another sip. This beer has the fabulous combination of dark chocolate and cherry cordials. Yum!

Another longtime favorite brewer (and may have won for having the longest line that I saw on Saturday) is Dogfish Head.

I went for something I had never tried – My Antonia (also, an excellent book!). It’s described as a “continually-hopped imperial pilsner” and it’s actually way up there with my Dogfish Head favorites. Though not quite as high as the Sah’tea I first tried at last year’s Beer Fest.

I’ve never really been a huge fan of Rock Bottom Brewery as a restaurant. I guess it’s just that if I’m in that area, I’m going to go to one of the billion other amazing restaurants before I’m going to get chain-like food there. BUT they just introduced me to what might be my favorite beer EVER! Shocking, I know.

It’s called Cinco de Mayo Lager and it’s actually brewed with fresh jalapenos!!! Amazing! So, this beer isn’t for anyone, but if you’re a lover of all things spicy, you will be obsessed with this. All I could think about was getting a huge plate of nachos and sipping on this beer sitting somewhere in the sun. And being in absolute heaven.

Can this be bottled and sold?? Does Rock Bottom do that?? I don’t know, but they should. Actually, they need to because I can’t live without it!

Chris and I are here in love with with our newfound favorite beer!

Beth and Adam are enjoying some beer as well

But wait. Here’s another brewery I thought i knew everything about. Harpoon Brewery. But check out their summer beer. It has candied ginger in it!!! Hello. As you probably know, this is a dream come true for me. The beer they poured me was a tad bit warm, but if it had been colder, it would have been AMAZING.

Of course, you could put ginger on anything and I’d probably love it. But I just find it so refreshing and fabulous. Perfect for summer.

I’m super happy to have a beer with ginger!

Rogue Brewery is another long-time favorite of mine. I really, really wanted to try the Chipotle Ale listed in the book, but they didn’t have any when I got to their table. So, I settled for the Hazelnut Brown. But settled is the wrong word because I really, really enjoyed it. It almost tasted like dark iced hazelnut coffee, which is absolutely delicious.

Right when we got to Southern Tier’s booth, we ran into the lovely Elina of Healthy and Sane. It was great seeing her as always and isn’t her dress adorable??

I’m a long-time fan of Southern Tier Brewery and I love pretty much everything I’ve had from there. Ever.

But I never tried their Back Burner before. This was definitely one of my favorites of the day! Of course, I’m a sucker for barley wines and I could definitely see myself spending an evening with this. I can’t wait to get my hands on a bottle.

Chris and Adam enjoyed Southern Tier as well.

Cisco Brewery, in Nantucket, is a brewery I’ve known about and seen forever, but I don’t know if I’ve actually ever tried anything from them. It was fruity and summery and while it was lighter than beers I usually go for, I really enjoyed it.

From one island to another, Offshore Ale Co. is located in Martha’s Vineyard.

And they offered an awesome barley wine (do you see a theme here with me? When I’m given the opportunity to try new beers, I often go for the barley wine).

We made sure to stop by Goose Island’s booth since they’re from Chicago (Adam’s home and Beth’s for many years!). The Bourbon County Stout was another one of my favorites. This ACBF definitely helped me discover I have a love for bourbon beers.

Blue Hill Brewery had a watermelon beer that was right up there with 21st Amendment’s watermelon beer. In other words, so so good and absolutely perfect for sipping in the summer.

After we were done with all our tasting, we stopped for a photo opportunity! I love having such a fabulous family… and a brother-in-law who gets along so amazingly with my boyfriend.

We headed straight for the North End where Chris and Adam recreated the same exact photo they posed for last year.

By this point, were absolutely starving, so we stopped at Ristorante Fiore in the North End to get some appetizers. We had the Antipasto Rustico (and gobbled up the delicious cheese and meat before I even thought to snap a photo). The seafood platter was also out of this world. I could have eaten 4 of them myself. The roofdeck at Fiore is amazing and it was the perfect day to sit up there (almost a little too hot!).

Then we headed over to one of our favorite spots in the city, Giacomo’s! We had to wait over an hour in line (not the first time we’ve done it), but we were well-rewarded when we finally sat down. The fried calamari at Giacomo’s is to die for. Definitely some of the best in Boston.

I had one of the specials for my meal. It was lemon tagliatelle with shrimp, sundried tomatoes and escarole. The pasta was SO fresh. Actually the whole dish was. And I had plenty to take home with me.

Chris and Adam both had the lobster ravioli, which are a definite favorite.

And my sister had the lobster with homemade fusilli special.

Fabulous beer, awesome food, and the best people. What else could I ask for? A good night’s sleep. Which is exactly what I got when I got home from the crazy day. Sunday was definitely filled with relaxation, too. OK, and a Sassy Coworker cocktail and lamb sliders from Coolidge Corner’s Regal Beagle (both HIGHLY recommended!).

I’m always up for trying new beers, so tell me what your absolute favorites are and maybe I’ll pick some up to try this summer!

And don’t forget to book your appointment at Salon Marc Harris for a massage and/or facial. If you mention WANM, you get 20% off… You won’t regret it and you’ll feel like heaven for days after

[Sues]

Of course, I already had my favorite spots picked out in Oqunquit, but I still asked our Twitter followers for their advice. Not surprisingly, their favorites were pretty much the same as mine! It was a beautiful day on Saturday and Chris and I decided to drive right to Perkins Cove and have lunch at Barnacle Billy’s, an all-time favorite of mine.

(photo from Travel.Webshots.com/rainingviolets)

Everyone on Twitter was raving about their rum punch, so we made sure to order some right away. It was delicious! And just the thing for sitting on the deck in the sun.

I SO needed this day with how crazy my schedule has been lately (actually, I could use a whole week of it, but that will have to come another time)!

Now, we already had plans to go to my parents’ house for a lobster dinner that night, but we still couldn’t resist. I mean, we were in Maine, after all! Chris ordered a whole lobster.

And I ordered the lobster roll. Barnacle Billy’s SERIOUSLY has the best lobster roll I’ve ever had. OMG I am still dreaming about it as we speak. It was FILLED with fresh lobster meat, not too much mayo, and the bun was perfectly toasted. Everything about it was just heaven.

I’m sure the view (and the smell of the ocean) helped the food taste even better. We sat on the deck for a couple hours before heading out to explore more of Perkins’ Cove.

Of course, we made sure to walk the Marginal Way, one of my favorite parts of Ogunquit.

And spent a little time hanging out on the rocks. As kids, my sister and I were obsessed with climbing the Ogunquit rocks and finding all kinds of little sea creatures.

We also used to have our family Christmas photo taken on the Marginal Way every year. Ahhh memories.

We took some photos from the Perkins Cove drawbridge too.

I actually ended up putting my camera away for a while and forgetting about it. I wish I had taken more Perkins Cove photos, but in another way, it was SO nice to just enjoy the day and not be obsessed with documenting it. This place is most definitely stuck in my memory forever anyway

We HAD to stop at Perkins Cove Candies, which was my favorite place in the world as a kid. And it’s still pretty much the same these days We totally stocked up on candy!

(photo from Travel.Webshots.com/ltst1113)

On the way home, we also stopped at the Cliff House, which is where my family used to stay every year. These days it’s a hotel and spa and a bit fancier than it used to be.

But some of it still looked the same.

I’ve heard fabulous things about the spa and some day I will be able to afford a weekend away here. I love that it’s so close to Boston, but feels soo far away. A vacation that’s easy to get to is the best!

We obviously stopped at the Kittery Outlets on our way home from Maine. And then made our way to my parents’ house. Where we had… MORE lobster!!

Chris was on lobster overload… Actually, in my family we call it “lobster bliss” and it’s amazing. I’m pretty sure my cousin Tom coined that term

I also had my first corn of the season!

We hung out at my parents’ house to enjoy the sun from their deck much of the rest of the weekend and my mom made lobster salad the next day. 3 lobster meals in one weekend?!?! I was definitely in heaven!

My dad also made a non-lobster related meal, involving grilled asparagus, zucchini, and tomatoes.

Beautiful steak.

With my mom’s chocolate peanut butter cupcakes for dessert. My weekend was packed full of amazing food.

One of the funniest parts of the weekend? When we were leaving Boston Saturday morning, we came across this sign on Comm Ave:

How hilarious?!

My Memorial Day weekend was JUST what I needed. But now it’s Wednesday afternoon and I’m already ready for another getaway! Sigh. Anyone else feel this way? I love summer, but always feel like I’m so busy, sometimes I need to remind myself to stop and enjoy it. And not to stress out too much. I guess that’s what day trips and vacations are for!

My amazing lobster roll at Barnacle Billy’s has inspired me to go on a hunt for the best lobster roll in the Boston-area this summer. Do you have any favorites? It’s all I want to eat this summer!!

[Sues]

Hello?! How have a not heard of them? So, I replied and said “@MixBakery, Where are you guys located?? Are you new? Cupcakes look fabulous ” And then they responded and said they’re a new bakery called Mix Bakery in the South End that’s delivery-only right now. And would I like to have some cupcakes delivered to try out? Um, what kind of question is that? Have I ever said no to cupcakes? YES, I would like some cupcakes delivered.

So, on Monday morning, Kelly showed up at my apartment with a 6 cupcakes for Chels and I to indulge in. 2 vanilla/vanilla (my standard for rating cupcakes), 2 chocolate peanut butter and 2 s’mores. How sweet was it that she brought 2 of each so we could both try them?

Chels and I immediately went upstairs and got started on a cupcake lunch. The lunch of champions, right?

Like I said, I totally judge bakeries on what their vanilla/vanilla cupcake tastes like. Mix? They got it RIGHT! What we loved about it is that it truly tasted homemade. You could tell the ingredients were all totally fresh and there was nothing artificial about this cupcake. And that goes for both the cake and the frosting. Simplicity, beauty, and freshness.

S’mores was next. You can’t tell from the photo, but there was actually a layer of graham cracker on the bottom of this cupcake. And more graham cracker on top, of course. It really did taste like S’mores! And while the frosting was a tad bit sweet for us, we’re sure it would have most sweet-toothed people going crazy with joy. Mix took this innovative cupcake flavor and managed not to go overboard with it. It’s still simple and not artificial-tasting at all. Plus, it’s beautiful looking.

Now, onto the peanut butter and chocolate cupcake. I consider myself an expert on all things peanut butter (peanut butter + cupcakes= a little personal heaven of mine). Chels, on the other hand, is not a big peanut butter person. Let me tell you, we both LOVED this cupcake. Honestly, I was shocked to see Chels going back for more after eating a half of it. Again, I have to talk about the freshness of this cupcake. The chocolate cake was homemade tasting and not fake at all, and you could tell the peanut butter frosting was actually made with real peanut butter and not just some sort of flavoring. I loved that.

Don’t get me wrong, I love all kinds of cupcakes. And sometimes I get huge cravings for Party Favors’ artificial, who-the-heck-knows-what-the-ingredients-are cupcakes. But for the most part, I want something that tastes real and natural. And doesn’t feel so heavy. Mix is it.

Boston is in desperate need of a place like Mix. While the bakery only does deliveries right now, Kelly is hoping to open a storefront within the next year, probably in the South End area of Boston, closer to Back Bay. When Mix gets a store, I’m seriously hoping it has free WiFi and good coffee, so I can spend every day there. Oh, and Mix has more than just cupcakes; they have cookies, muffins, and more. And the delivery service is perfect if you’re having a party and don’t want to drive into Boston to pick up the baked goods (or can’t carry 48 cupcakes on the T)!

Chels and I destroyed the plate-full. And seriously, is there any better way to spend a Monday afternoon? OK, so I might have just sat on the couch in cupcake bliss for a while after Chels left, not getting much work done, but it was worth it.

It’s clear to see how passionate Kelly is about Mix Bakery and the cupcakes she makes. She’s been in love with baking for as long as she can remember and while she’s inspired by the classics, she loves to experiment and create new flavor combinations. Check out the flavor list Mix currently sells (I NEED to try banana!)… We can’t wait to see what else she comes up with.

Welcome to Boston, Mix! We’re thrilled to have you!

THE MIX BAKERY GIVEAWAY:

Now for the best part. Mix Bakery wants to do a giveaway for our local Boston readers! If you live anywhere within 25 miles of downtown Boston, you can enter the giveaway and Mix will deliver 1/2 dozen cupcakes to you (regular cupcakes with the simple topper of your choice)! All you have to do is leave a comment and tell us your favorite flavor of cupcake (if you could have anything in the world), by Sunday April 25, at 11:59 p.m.

Want extra entries? Send a tweet about this giveaway or write about it on your blog (make sure to leave another comment to let us know). I’m pretty sure there’s nothing better than having cupcakes delivered straight to your doorstep, and you could be the first on your block to try cupcakes from Mix!

In the meantime, head to their website, follow them on Twitter, and call 617-571-6525 for a delivery!

Good luck

[Sues]

Last week, we were invited to nebo to meet sister owners Christine and Carla Pallotta and to watch a cooking demonstration. Of course we were in, as we’re always up for learning about Boston restaurants and enjoying fabulous meals. I had been to nebo back when I worked at an office nearby, but it had been a couple years. And we were both psyched to see what it was all about!

Christine and Carla are sisters who actually grew up in Boston’s North End. They opened a successful hair salon together in Reading, Massachusetts, before deciding to open a restaurant that would feature their mother’s recipes. But since their mom didn’t actually have any of her recipes written down, they had to spend a lot of time in the kitchen with her, watching and measuring as she cooked.

They opened nebo (North End BOston) in 2005. The restaurant has exposed brick walls, an ultra sleek, modern interior and is located right near the Boston Garden, so it’s ideal for stopping in before or after a game or concert. Or any time, really! Christine and Carla are two amazing ladies who have wonderful complementary personalities for running a restaurant together. It’s easy to see how well they work together and had me and Chels both wondering if we could run a restaurant with our own sisters as well as they do.

Also, the bar is stocked full and ready!

Our favorite thing about nebo (besides the delicious food) is their kitchen is opened until 2 a.m., Thursday, Friday, and Saturday; how many times have we complained that restaurants are not open late enough in this city? Also, nebo features an additional 100% gluten-free menu, which is awesome news for everyone who has to watch their gluten intake. It’s tough to go out to eat when eating gluten-free, but 90% of nebo’s regular menu has been converted to gluten-free. So don’t forget to tell your gluten-free friends!

Carla and Christine planned a couple recipes ahead of time to cook for us. And they were the perfect We are not Martha recipes! Why? Because they were a) absolutely delicious and b) quick, simple, and perfect for entertaining. Carla and Christine shared the recipes with us and we’re sharing them with you. They’re so easy and call for basic ingredients that are often found in your kitchen anyway, you can (and should) make them tonight!

We started with Shrimp Buzara Style.

• 2 lbs. extra large srimp, deveined but not peeled
• 10 T olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 C shallots, chopped
• Pinch of sea salt
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 3/4 C white wine
• 1 T tomato paste
• 3/4 C water (or as needed)
• 1 T bread crumbs
• Chopped parsley

Rinse and dry shrimp. Pour 6 T olive oil in saute pan and place over medium heat. Add garlic to the oil so it sizzles. Add shallots and cook for one minute. Add salt and 1/2 of the wine; it will burn off as you stir constantly. Cook until shallots soften and add the rest of the wine. Bring to a fast boil and add water and a little more salt. Bring to a boil again and lower heat.

In a separate frying pan, pour the rest of the oil and set on high heat until very hot. Place shrimp in pan and cook until shells are pink but shrimp is not cooked through (turn shrimp over as necessary). While sauce is bubbling, add shrimp gently and coat. Add pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add bread crumbs and continue cooking until shrimp are pink. Toss with parsley.

Of course, we dug in right away and the shrimp were absolutely delightful. It’s hard to believe that something so easy with so few ingredients can be this full-flavored, but it definitely has something to do with the freshness of all the ingredients. Carla and Christine said they use all fresh ingredients and rarely even use spices or dried herbs (because they prefer the fresh stuff!).

Then we watched Christine make Spaghettini alla Zingara. It’s an extremely fresh and simple dish. We were both so surprised by how quickly the dish was prepared!

The ingredients:

• 1 lb. spaghettini
• 20 tri-colored cherry tomatoes (heirloom), halved
• 1/2 C black olives, pitted
• 3 T capers
• 1/2 clove garlic, chopped fine
• 1/2 C olive oil

Saute garlic in olive oil until softened. Add capers, olives, and tomatoes and saute until tomatoes are soft.

With the back of a wooden spoon, mush some of the tomatoes to flavor the oil.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghettini. When it’s done, toss in pan with the sauce.

How easy was that? And look how beautiful it is!

The two of us absolutely loved this and had about 3 servings each. And we’re even making it for a little gathering we’re having tomorrow evening. Yup, it was that delicious, we can’t wait to make it again. And since it was so easy, it’s the perfect party food.

Thank you so much to Christine, Carla for opening your beautiful kitchen to us for the afternoon and a big thank you nebo’s lovely PR manager Heather McCready for introducing us all! We’re convinced we found a new favorite restaurant.

Actually, we loved our lunch experience so much, we went back last night with Katie to try more of the menu. And yes, it’s been confirmed, nebo is way up there on our list of favorites. We had an absolutely amazing meal that consisted of their sweet sausage gnocchi, prosciutto and caramelized onion pizza, burrata, arancini, and lots more.

We’ll be back again very soon to try even more of the menu… I think we made it our 2010 goal to try every single item on there!

nebo
90 North Washington St.
Boston, MA 02114
617.723.nebo
www.neborestaurant.com
www.facebook.com/

[Sues and Chels]

Last Thursday I flew out to Seattle-more on this later!-then headed up to Vancouver Friday afternoon to soak in all of the Olympic glory for the weekend. I went with my friends Corey and Chuck and it’s safe to say I will be back…the city is phenomenal. And I absolutely looooove the Olympics so it was wonderful to actually be a part of all of the crowds and hype. And since they were being held in our neighboring country, I figured it was an opportunity that I shouldn’t pass up!

Check out this photo I snapped on my flight from LA to Seattle… Go USA!

Before I get into talking about the weekend in depth, I want to say the biggest most gigantic thank you to Maurice from Vancouver is Awesome. We follow each other on Twitter and I had been tweeting about my upcoming trip to Vancouver, which is where he lives. He ended up sending me the most well thought-out list of shops, restaurants (all price ranges, different parts of the city, different cuisines), and scenic areas around Vancouver for great photo opportunities. I’m not kidding when I say he knows everything. The list not only included the names of places but he listed websites, phone numbers, and addresses. Dream come true. He even answered my questions about Lululemon! Man’s a genius and I highly recommend finding yourself “a Maurice” for any vacation you plan. So helpful to know where the locals hang!

First up, Friday night! We got to the city and were starving so we scoured the list and decided to head to Guu, which Maurice described as Japanese Izakaya food, very casual, usually jammed with exchange students and foodies alike. Sounds kinda perfect to me. And it was. There was a little bit of a wait, but once over, we were seated at a large table with a young couple from Canada. They were finishing up their meal and gave us some suggestions on what to order (octopus balls, anyone?!). The couple actually ended up staying for about an hour after they finished eating just to chat with us! Nice people make the world go round, yes?

We ordered a slew of goodies to share. Our favorite was the Maguro Steak (Ahi tuna-yellow fin- sashimi steak marinated in garlic, soy sauce and sake). You know when you go out to eat with friends and when everyone takes the first bite you kinda look at each other to see everyone’s reactions while slowly chewing because it’s thaaaaat good. Yeah… that was the Maguro Steak.

We also ordered the “Korokke” Mushed potato, onion, ground pork croquette with tonkatsu sauce.

The octopus balls are below, closest to the front of the photo… they were unusually delicious!

At the end of the meal a bowl of frozen grapes arrived at our table. YUM.

Not only was the food here divine (and very reasonably priced!) but the people who worked here were engaging and very helpful, especially considering the chaos brought upon by the Games. Guu is not just “guuu’d” it’s guuuuuuuuuuuuuuu’d!

Guu: 838 Thurlow Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6E 1W2 TEL: 604-685-8817 – Downtown

After dinner at Guu, we headed to the streets. They were flooded and I mean that in the most literal way possible. Jam packed with people out celebrating and dancing. News anchors, camera crews, flashes, horns blowing. I was even on a Canadian news station for a hot second. No big deal… want my autograph Oh, and it was raining… and not a single soul cared.

Still not sure how we made it down the entire street with crowds like this!

We even made some friends along the way and ended up hanging out with them the whole night! Vancouver teachers, Andrea and Jess, showed us the ropes

Once Saturday rolled around we were all up and ready to go bright and early. We didn’t want to miss a beat. Our first stop of the day was to Stanley Park. To me, the key to a successful city is some decent green space… and man oh man, does Vancouver have that in Stanley Park! We ended up walking almost all of it, which was great exercise. Jumping pictures are also a great form of exercise. And as long as Corey is present, he’ll make you do a jumping picture with him… HA!

Vancouver skyline…

Team Russia! By the way, I saw this Russia jacket in one of the department stores in Vancouver and it costs nearly $500. eeeek!

After walking, jumping, and sightseeing, we set our eyes on “THE LIST” and decided to head to Congee Noodle House, which Maurice described as “The best congee and standard Chinese (Cantonese) food restaurant within close proximity to downtown- comfort food, very casual setting”. We decided to split a bunch of the dishes since, typically, that seems works out best and gives everyone an opportunity to try more off the menu.

The menu was filled with well over a hundred options to chose from. My favorite was the beef with bok choy and rice. Dripping with goodness and such a clean flavor. If we hadn’t had such a great dinner planned I probably would have eaten the entire bowl of this by myself

Ginger and green onion dumplings…

Congee Noodle House, 141 E Broadway, Vancouver, BC Tel: 604-879-8221

We did some serious wandering around the city after lunch. Since Lululemon is based out of Vancouver I decided it was necessary to pay a visit to their Robson Street location. Yeah… that was a lose/lose. When we got there, the store was packed and as we were leaving there was a line to get in! Apparently the world doesn’t play around when it comes to good workout gear!

For dinner that night we went to Vij’s, a magnificent Indian fusion restaurant. It was on “THE LIST” and almost every person from Vancouver who we ran into told us we had to try it. Apparently it’s known as one of the best restaurants in the city. I now know why. Outstanding and extremely attentive service with spectacularly flavorful dishes… spicy and divine! The wait was almost 2 hours, if not a little longer, and they don’t take reservations, but we were prepared for this and heard it was worth the wait. As we hung out for a table, servers walked around offering passed appetizers so that definitely held us over nicely.

We ordered the Mutton Kebobs with Bengali style curry, Garam masala sauteed portobello mushrooms in porcini cream curry, Wine Marinated Lamb Popsicles in fenugreek cream curry on turmeric spinach potatoes, and Beef short-ribs in cinnamon and red wine curry with warm greens. The portions were perfect, we even had a little leftover.

After dinner we strolled around downtown some more and checked out the flaaaaame. Let me tell you a little something… It was unreal to see this in person.

Finally, there was Sunday afternoon. You know, that little USA/Canada hockey game. The game that ESPN viewers ruled more exciting than this years Saints/Colts Super Bowl.. which is saying a lot! Now, I’m a big sports fan, but I’m a football/basketball kinda girl and hockey ranks lowest on my list. Watching this game… in Canada… during the Olympics… kinda made me dig the sport a lil’! The Canadian hockey fans are INTENSE (think Red Sox fans but on the strongest possible dosage of an already really strong prescription drug). As we sported our USA t-shirts, they had a good time with us, all in good fun, of course. Then, when the US tied the game with, what, 30 seconds left… we had a good time with them For some reason, I really thought it was going to be a hostile environment but everyone was just having a great time and enjoying one another!

After the game was over we hit up a souvenir shop and some Starbucks to go and we were back on the road to Seattle…

Thanks again to Maurice for helping us navigate and to all of the residents of Vancouver for sharing your beautiful city! Congrats to Canada on the hockey win and all of your fancy medals, because you were such greats hosts, you deserve it

…GO WORLD!

[Chels]

First of all, I’m not sure who on Earth would complain because their neighborhood smells like BBQ. When I think of all the things city neighborhoods can smell like, BBQ sounds like a much welcome departure. But that’s neither here not there. The fact is, the Roadhouse was just blah for a while. Which was a shame because it’s a pretty big restaurant with an absolutely amazing beer menu. So, I just want to say I’m incredibly excited American Craft is now in the neighborhood.

Chris and I trekked out in the rain last night to try American Craft on its opening night and overall we were pretty happy. Definitely a couple of steps up from the Roadhouse, plus most of the beer is still there.

I had the Green Flash Hop Head Red Ale and it was perfectly hoppy and delicious.

You may think it’s a bit strange I opted for the grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. But first of all, it was no ordinary grilled cheese. It was grilled cheese with gruyere cheese, black forest ham, and basil. I honestly don’t think I’ll ever eat a grilled cheese without basil in it ever again. Genius idea! I loved the Hi-Rise bakery bread too and it was perfectly crispy. Second of all, it was pouring rain and cold, and this was the ideal meal choice.

The tomato soup I was torn on. Don’t get me wrong, it tasted wonderful. But the consistency? Was like marinara sauce. It just wasn’t soup! Not that I’m complaining it wasn’t a watered-down mess, but I just couldn’t get the thought out of my head that I was downing a jar of marinara sauce. However, it did make for excellent dipping and I used it more as a kind of ketchup.

I am super picky when it comes to french fries, but these hand-cut fries were almost perfect. Some were crispy, none soggy and they had lots of sea salt sprinkled on top. I’m a fan.

Chris got the rueben and it was absolutely packed full. That thing is huge! He enjoyed it and ate almost the whole thing, but I think he was feeling a little bit of jealousy toward me and my grilled cheese. Can’t blame him.

American Craft is a lot prettier than the Roadhouse was. I love love love the wallpaper and decor and the exposed brick is just perfect. They definitely classed the place up a few notches, which I both love and hate at the same time. On the one hand, yay for having a clean bar with a pretty environment and lots of beer. On the other, some might see it as being a bit too stuffy for a casual night and the food menu may be seen as a bit too pricey. Even most of the sandwiches are $11. But I’m arguing on the side of, welcome to the neighborhood, I’m glad to see you here!

There’s still two bars just like at the Roadhouse, which I think will make it a nice place for just hanging out. It was surprisingly pretty empty for opening night, but it was also rainy and gross out and unless you’re on Twitter non-stop (like me), you may not have even realized the Roadhouse disappeared and American Craft opened. But I think the bar areas will get quite crowded and I love how roomy they are.

I might get in trouble for saying this, but American Craft seems like it wants to be a much larger version of Washington Square Tavern with more beer. And I’m not complaining at all because I love the Tavern and I wish it was bigger (I never quite feel comfortable eating there). I really think American Craft is needed in Washington Square. Go to Publick House for a more casual environment or American Craft for a bit of a nicer night out. Oh, but I totally think they need to change the music. I enjoyed the jazzy music while I was dining, but think most bar patrons will want a different sound- maybe something indie? Still unobtrusive and low-key, but a bit more fun. It made me feel like they were trying too hard.

I’ll definitely be back to American Craft, probably quite often for beer. And also to try some of the other items on the menu- like the stout braise short ribs and fried cornmeal oysters. Oh, and probably the fried buffalo mozzarella too. And you know I’ll be back to try Thursday night’s Blue Plate special of chicken pot pie (still on the search to find the best in the city)!

They also have a pretty extensive wine and spirits menu, so even if you’re not a beer fan, you’ll find something (or probably lots of somethings) to enjoy.

I love that Brookline is becoming such a craft beer hot spot and am so glad the Publick House owners held on to this venue; I really hope it sticks around!

American Craft
1700 Beacon St.
Brookline, MA
617.487.4289  
Twitter- @AmCraftBar

[Sues]