Banana Republic

I’ve always been a huge fan of the Gap, Inc. brand, mostly the Gap and Banana Republic, and that’s mainly because of their phenomenal sales. They’re not afraid to mark clothes down again and again… and again. Until they’re nearly giving things away for free. I almost never buy things full price at either store because I know they’ll get marked down a ton.

I happened to stop into Banana last week just to check out the sale section. I tried a bunch of things on and ended up putting them on hold because I forgot my birthday coupon at home. The horror! I happen to have a lil’ “connection” at Banana who told me to keep the items on hold for an additional day because they were doing a quick sale Friday afternoon for an additional 40% off of sale until 1pm. Yes. An extra 40% off of what was already marked down. Weeeeeeeeee!

I ended up rushing back the day of the sale on my lunch break to pick up what I had on hold plus a few more things.

I did damage. But not to my wallet.

Here’s what I purchased:

• Lace overlay tanks. One in geranium pink and the other in willow olive.
• Zip back tank in navy/white stripes.
• Sequin Sweatshirt, in Cocoon. I don’t typically buy things with sequins or that are difficult to wash, but I absolutely adored this and had to have it in my wardrobe!
• Sloan Fit Crop, in Navy. LOOOOVE the fit of these.
• Seersucker short, in Fatigue. Mandatory for New England summers.
• Seersucker high-waisted skirt, in khaki. (not pictured on website).
• The turquoise and gray item you see is the longest maxi dress I’ve ever owned. I love a maxi dress but being 5’10″ I do sometimes have some trouble finding styles that are long enough, believe it or not! This dress was heavenly. My sister actually owns it too so we might end up being twins one day
• The taupe colored t-shirt with lace sleeves, to the far left, was so dainty and light that it demanded I purchase it!

• I also bought a skinny metallic belt to wear around my waist. It has a little bow on it so, naturally, I needed it. It’s a little big but it was only about $8 so I will gladly make another hole in it so it fits!

I haven’t gone shopping like this in a while and when I do, I always make sure the bulk of what I buy translates well into the next season and will last a while. I try to stay away from overly trendy items that will wind up in the back of my closet after a couple of wears. The overlay tanks, below, will look stunning under a simple cardigan when the weather gets chilly. The sequins sweatshirt is about the “trendiest” item in the bunch, but can be worn with shorts in the summer or with skinny jeans in the Fall (with cute heels!). And seersucker. Well, that can be worn for years and years, in my book.

A lot of the items I purchased aren’t showing up in the sale section on Banana’s site so if you’re interested I’d suggest going into a store and checking out the sale section there. I feel like sometimes the prices on the website don’t reflect what’s in store

Chanel’s 2011 Fall Polish Collection

Drool.

A couple weeks ago one of my customers at Paper Source walked by me and complimented me on my toenail polish. I then complimented her on her fingernail polish. Then we spent about 15-minutes talking about polish. Such ladies.

She told me she hers was called Graphite (529) from the new Chanel line and sold me. It’s stunning. And depending on what you wear the color comes across differently. Which might sound sort of holographic and weird, but it’s actually quite lovely. If I wear grays and blacks the polish looks more gray/silver and with other outfits it appears to be slightly greenish. Either way, perfect for this Fall. Or the early part of August It’s definitely expensive for nail polish (you can get it on Amazon for $29.99, at the counter it’s over $30) but as a single lady, I think it’s absolutely necessary to treat yourself every once in a while. And if a bottle of nail polish will make you happy, I do suggest you purchase it. Just my opinion and how I get by in life

CANDY!

Well, Dots Sour Slices to be specific. I’m not a big candy person but we started selling these at Paper Source at our cash wrap and everyone who works there is now officially addicted. My favorite is grapefruit but they come in watermelon and peach, too. I’ve convinced myself that they quench my thirst. They’re covered in sugar (haaaay, dentist!) and so juicy once the sugar dissolves. What’s not to love?! Besides cavities?

My hair?!

I actually feel very weird putting “my hair” on a list of my favorite things. Mostly because in all of my life I don’t think I’ve ever met a single soul who “likes” their own hair. Everyone has some sort of complaint about their own. So, let me say, that at age 27 (almost 28!) I’ve finally found some fun things to do with my hair and am fully confident to rock it. Obviously being a brown girl my hair has a bit of, how should we say it, character maybe? And growing up in a town that was not the most diverse place in the world, I always wanted my hair to be straight or pulled back because what 12 year old wants to be different? I never ever wore it out. The older I get the less I want to be like everyone else, though. I absolutely love curls and think it’s important to be confident and embrace what you have. As Gaga’s mama told her “There’s nothing wrong with loving who you are”. Amen. And hopping off my soapbox I go.

My sister’s hair salon is right down the street from my apartment so whenever she has an appointment, if I’m free, I’ll go hang out with her there. At her most recent appointment, one of the stylists had the hottest hair. She said it was her “sexy hair” and I was intrigued. She told me all she did was wash and deep condition her hair, put about 9 braids in, left them in for a day or two, and when she took them out she had crazy curly hair. FUN! I was all “Awww, I love it. Want it. Need to have it.” and she was all “Come sit in my chair and I’ll braid your hair for you!”.

So she did. And a couple days later I took the braids out and vavoom. In stinkin’ love.

I usually take the summer off from any blow drying or straightening so this is such a great alternative solution to easy and quick summer hair. Plus, my hair felt about 1 million times healthier than it does after using all that heat. Who knew nine braids could create such a curly head of hair

What have YOU been loving the past couple weeks?

[Chels]

Yes, somehow I was peer pressured into playing golf. It’s one of those activities I’ve never been interested in at all, but with Chris, my sister, and Adam all wanting to play, I finally gave in and took a lesson. I’m pretty awful, but figure it’s a good way to spend time outside and it’s the kind of sport that allows you to basically stand around talking. Which really is my kind of sport, so I can’t complain too much. Plus, I got a super cute golf glove and am already dreaming up fun golf outfits. What? I need to find some way to get excited about it.

I’m especially excited to head to Ommegang Brewery on our way up to Chautauqua tomorrow. And also to hit up one of my very favorite breweries, Southern Tier while we’re vacationing. Plus, my family is holding our own little event called Wing Fest, which will consist of a little family reunion packed with buffalo wings. Love my family!

Since I’ve got vacation on my mind, I’m posting my favorite things today. I’ve been letting them pile up for quite a while, so here goes nothing!

Cabot Private Stock Classic Vermont Cheddar Cheese:

OK, it’s no secret I’m obsessed with Cabot Cheese. Not only is the cheese awesome, but the entire company is made up of just plain good people. They send us cheese often and are always willing to help us out in all kinds of ways. I honestly think they’re one of the very best companies around today. But of all their cheese I’ve had (which is probably every single variety- except the smoky bacon one, where can I find the smoky bacon one?? ), the Private Stock Cheddar is my ultimate favorite. OMG I could eat an entire block of this in one sitting. It’s super sharp and flavorful and I don’t think I can enjoy a burger anymore unless this is topping it. Or an egg sandwich. Or a grilled cheese. Or life.

Blueberries in Ice Cubes:

Chris and I caught a segment of the Today Show recently where they made a cocktail with blueberry ice cubes and we immediately did it ourselves. It’s super easy and makes every drink a lot more fun. Just put blueberries in your ice cube tray and fill with water.

Freeze! And use ice cubes like normal.

I especially recommend using the blueberry ice cubes in lemonade with vodka. But they make water 100% better, too!

Martha Stewart Glitter:

Martha Stewart. Glitter. Could anything on Earth make me happier? I think not. It might be my new goal to have this Martha Stewart Glitter in every single color in my collection. Could I add that to our wedding registry? Look out because I’ll have a little project featuring this glitter coming up on the blog soon!

The Rattlesnake Bar and Grill:

Chels and I are obviously HUGE fans of Poe’s Kitchen at The Rattlesnake. As we’ve mentioned before, the food used to be really subpar at the Rattlesnake and we would never go there. But once Brian Poe started as the chef, he totally turned things around and now it’s some of the BEST casual dining in the city. We hadn’t paid Poe a visit in quite a while, so a couple weeks ago, we gathered some of our friends, had a drink on the roof deck, and then headed in for some food.

Poe brought us out a few appetizers, like this flatbread made on naan with grilled peaches, prosciutto, and goat cheese. Swoon.

And this grilled avocado with lobster.

Some of his famous corn bread (seriously, this stuff is amazing. If you only order one thing, make it this!).

We also got some meals to nibble on. Susan claimed this jalapeno clam chowder was the best clam chowder she’s had in the city (and she’s tried a lot!). It was absolutely stuffed with clams and had a pretty stunning presentation.

Becca loved her steak quesadilla made with garlic naan.

Chels and I shared some of the famous fish tacos.

Somehow I missed getting a picture of Alison‘s burger, which may as well be named Best Burger in the World right this second. Let’s just talk about the fact that it’s a Kobe Beef Burger stuffed with LOBSTER, FOIE GRAS and BLACK TRUFFLES. Also it has whiskey bacon and Irish porter cheese on it. Can you even imagine a burger with so much amazingness in it?!

Poe surprised us with dessert, too. Strawberry shortcake kebabs with minted black truffle ice cream. Also known as heaven on a plate. I mean, have you ever had minted black truffle ice cream?? No? Do it. Now.

Though Poe brought us the appetizers and desserts complimentary, I can 100% say all opinions are our own… and they are very strong opinions We choose to talk about the Rattlesnake so much because we think it’s SO underrated and not enough people realize how awesome the food really is. Plus, they have a roof deck and sweet patio seating, too. On prime people watching real estate.

Starbucks Iced Coffee

The other day, I got a super fun surprise in the mail. Starbucks sent me some items from their iced coffee collection. Yippee!

Starbucks new VIA Iced Coffee. Can we talk about how awesome this is? All you have to do is mix it with water and ice, shake it up, and sip away. It’s perfect for iced coffee on the go and with the incredibly sweltering weather we’ve had in Boston the last couple days, I’ve been enjoying it quite a bit.

Especially since Starbucks also sent a travel mug specifically meant for their iced VIA. It even has a pop-up straw. It’s a shaker for ice coffee.

And? Cool Beans. Ice cubes shaped like coffee beans that you make with coffee. No more watered down iced coffee!

How cool? Beans?

The easiest iced coffee ever. And the caramel flavor is awesome!

I haven’t broke into the bag of coffee beans specifically meant for iced coffee yet, but I can’t wait to brew some up.

And Tazo Passion Tea that I’ll be making some lovely iced tea with

Dinner with Bloggers:

As you know, one of my very favorite things about blogging is meeting so many amazing people. Last weekend, I got to go to dinner with one of my favorite bloggers and tweeters, Kristin from Camels & Chocolate. Kristin is a California-based travel blogger and writes about her amazing tales traveling around the world. She and her husband were in Boston on a family trip and Chris and I went out to dinner with them, along with Susan and her husband. In case you don’t know Susan of Transient Travels, she’s a Boston-based travel blogger and was one of my very first blogging friends. Chels and I met Susan, Becca, and Julie Q over 4 years ago and though we all blog about different things, we’ve been friends ever since

Anyway, Kristin, Susan, and I (and our men) headed to 94 Mass Ave for some small plates and LOTS of chatting. I’m pretty sure we could have sat there (or stood outside) all night talking. I’m so excited I finally got to meet Kristin and hope to see her when her travels bring her around again!

Summer Music:

Do you have a song of the summer? You know, like a summer anthem? My anthems of summer are definitely all country music this year. Most specifically Jason Aldean’s “Dirt Road Anthem.”

And Zac Brown and Jimmy Buffet’s “Knee Deep.”

Are you a country music fan? One of my biggest pet peeves about living in Boston is that people seem to hate country music here. Ask people what kind of music they like and they always seem to answer “I listen to anything BUT country music.” Why?! I think it’s the most fun music EVER.

OK, I’m off to finish up work for the week, pack about 10 bathing suits in my bag, bake about 4 dozen cookies, and hit the road! I’ve got some posts queued up for next week and I’ll hopefully be posting some vacation updates, too Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @WearenotMartha and my personal account at @Susie, too. And if you have any recommendations for fun things to do in the Lake Chautauqua area of New York, let me know!

Have a super happy weekend!

[Sues]

Let’s start with Erin and Mike’s Wedding! Sues and I mentioned last week that our good childhood friend, Erin, was marrying Mike this past Saturday!

The ceremony was this past Saturday at Erin’s church in our hometown of Andover. I designed the invitations and wedding programs for the big day, too! Erin made a beautiful bride, which was not a surprise at all since she’s just naturally gorgeous! The reception was at the stunning Barn at Gibbet Hill in Groton. I had heard a lot of terrific things about The Barn, such as the breathtaking views and their use of local ingredients so I was definitely excited to be able to experience a wedding here. It did not disappoint in any way!

The cocktail hour was held on the deck of the barn where we mingled and enjoyed passed hors devours including seared scallops and mini lobster rolls.

Once situated in the barn, we took our seats at table 13. Each table number corresponded with a photo of Erin and Mike at the age of the number of the table. So our table had photos of them at age 13. So adorable.

Shaun and Libby coordinated their outfits which I, of course, was obsessed with

I loooove this picture of Erin before she and Mike started their first dance!! So excited!

And happy!

Oddly enough, one of my favorite things about Gibbet Hill was they treated my nut allergy with such great attention! I’m assuming the lovely bride told them about my food allergy since I didn’t but they really impressed me by coming over to my seat and having a little chat about the allergy and explaining all of the ingredients in the dishes, how they’re prepared, etc. Oh, and they gave me my own bucket of cornbread. You know, just to be safe. Who needs a boyfriend when you’ve got your own bucket of cornbread, folks?!

The rest of the meal was fantastic and is making me realize that I must head to Gibbet Hill’s restaurant.

After we ate, we spent the rest of the evening catching up with the rest of the gang, filling our stomachs with candy from the candy bar, and lots of dancing.

I haven’t worn a dress and heels in a while and I must admit, it felt kind of nice to get dressed up and boogie in the name of love.

A HUGE congratulations to Erin and Mike! Love you both and so glad to be a part of your huge day!

Trader Joe’s Fruit Floes

Has anyone tried these before? With the hot and sticky heat this week, I decided to prepare myself and buy some popsicles from TJs. I grabbed a box of the fruit floes, mainly because it was the Caribbean flavor and well, I highly enjoy the Caribbean and wanted to feel like I was there.

These popsicles are mind-blowing. They have HUGE chunks of fruit in them and they’re so refreshing. Although, I must admit, while I’ve eaten nearly the entire box in no time at all, all I could really think about while enjoying them was how I have to attempt to make my own. Conveniently enough, we just got a new popsicle book in at Paper Source with drool-worthy recipes that I’m going to purchase so I can whip up my own concoctions in the kitchen. But in the meantime, buy these. And thank me later.

NKOTBSB

Yes. That is correct.

I’m going to the NKOTBSB concert this Saturday at Fenway (!!!) and I’m actually losing sleep over it. I’m that excited. And it takes a LOT for me to get excited about much in life. I swear my parents thought I was “different” growing up because I was so unenthusiastic about everything, haha.

But you don’t even understand. First of all, I wanted to see NKOTB in second grade but we weren’t able to get tickets. It should be known that in 5th grade my dad took me and my sister to see Boyz II Men, Montel Jordan, and TLC so all was right in the world. That was actually my first concert and I love telling people that my dad is cool enough to take us to shows like that. Then, I believe in 7th grade (or maybe high school, eep?!), my dad tried to get me BSB tickets and they were going for hundreds of dollars so he said no. Rightfully so. My adult-self would have thought he was insane for spending that much money for a kid to go to a concert especially considering I’ll probably never let my kids even leave the house. I eventually got over it and ended up turning into an Nsync fan because they toured more than BSB. Also, in high school my locker and my bedroom door were plastered with BSB photos. Most likely cut out of magazines such as Bop, Teeny Bopper, and Tiger Beat. Don’t judge.

But now, at age 27, my dream has come true. I get to see all of my boys, on one stage. One of my co-workers actually went last week and told me she almost broke her knee from bumping into the seat in front of her while dancing. I’m pretty sure we’re all going to look like crazy lunatics screaming like 12-year olds (a la Bieber fans), but it will be worth it. There might even be some tears shed. Again, don’t judge.

And the moral of this story is, obviously, to never stop believing and don’t give up on your dreams. They’ll come true. Even if it’s 20 years later

What was your first concert?

[Chels]

Gloucester, MA (day trips)

One of my very favorite things is taking day trips and this year Chris and I have decided we want to take as many as possible. There are so many cool New England spots that we can drive to and back from Boston in one day. My schedule is already getting super packed for the Summer, so I’m glad we were able to fit in a trip to Gloucester, MA, last month. I haven’t been to Gloucester since i was a kid, so it was fun to be back.

Of course, we had to make a stop at the Cape Ann Brewing Co.

They’re the brewery who makes Fisherman’s beer and they had tons on tap during our visit. I absolutely loved the Tea Party beer, which is a barley wine consisting of 3 types of tea.

Chris had the Coffee Infused Pumpkin Stout, which was obviously amazing! We ended up buying a growler to take home with us.

Chris started a beer blog at Beeriety.com and is most definitely the biggest beer fan I know. I love it though because it means touring around to breweries and always having a new beer to try.

We asked if they did tours at Cape Ann and they said, “yes!” Well, they did, but Cape Ann Brewery is so tiny, it was the shortest tour ever. Still, it was nice to see the inner workings of the brewery and go on an ultra private “tour.”

We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around Gloucester. Dogtown Books was an amazing used bookstore with tons of unique, first-edition books. Lots of fun cookbooks, too. I could have spent all day there, except when the owner yelled at me because I had my cellphone IN my hand (it was on vibrate and I wasn’t on it/looking at it). Meanwhile, his friend’s cellphone was ringing and he answered it! I’m not bitter or anything… But when the people who work at a place are downright mean to the customers, it bothers me. I’m smart enough to know you don’t talk on cellphones in bookstores, thank you very much.

When we were ready to go home, we stopped and pick up some lobsters, so we could head to my dad’s house for dinner. My mom was on a trip, so we went to visit my dad who cooked up the lobster, so we could enjoy a wonderful meal together!

Our New Car

Part of the reason, we wanted to go on a mini road trip so badly is because we just got a new car! Chris and I got a Mini Copper, which were super excited about. It’s perfect for the city and I might even be able to park it. Maybe.

Chris had an standard before and I honestly had no interest in learning to drive it, especially in the city! So we got an automatic… But I still haven’t driven it I haven’t had a car since I’ve lived in the city and I’m slightly nervous, though I love driving in the suburbs. But still, I’m definitely loving the new car!

Playing Tourist in Boston/New England

This past weekend, Chris’s mom came to visit us from Virginia. We had an awesome time, showing her around the city and New England area. And playing tourist in our own city, which is always a good time. Our first stop was to The Colonnade where we’re getting married. Of course, we wanted Chris’s mom to see where the big event will be taking place!

We stopped by the Top of the Hub for a drink (and an amazing view!) and then headed to our favorite spot in the North End, Giacomo’s for an awesome dinner.

Of course, we knew we had to take her to Ogunquit, Maine, during her visit, too. Chris has only lived in the Boston-area for a few years, but Maine has quickly become one of his favorite spots. Since I’ve loved Maine since I was a kid, this is just fine with me. Out first stop was the Cliff House to check out the beautiful ocean views.

I grew up playing on these rocks with my sister, so I always feel so happy to go back.

My mom joined us on our day trip and it was great that our moms got to know each other!

Then we stopped at Barnacle Billy’s, of course. There are so many amazing restaurants in Ogunquit, but we honestly go to Barnacle Billy’s every single time we’re there. We can’t help it!

I had my first lobster roll of the season!

And Chris had a lobster.

Rum punch for all!

Chris’s mom was super happy (and slightly frightened) the people behind the counter asked if she wanted to hold a 3.5 pound lobster

My absolute favorite spot in all of Perkins Cove is Perkins Cove Candies. I have such great childhood memories of this place!

And the Marginal Way, of course

We spent Saturday in Faneuil Hall and touring around a bit before going to my parents’ house for dinner. Things got a little wild

The boys!

And Sunday consisted of a duck tour. Have you been on a duck tour in your city?

I’ve been on A LOT of tours of Boston and duck tours are by far my favorites. They’re always entertaining and super, super informative. And despite the fact that I’ve been on a ton of them, I always learn something new.

For instance, I had NO idea that Boston is home to the very first jelly bean. I think I died laughing when I heard this because Chris has a huge jellybean addiction. And it’s true… Wikipedia says it., which makes it true

Chris drove the boat when it hit the Charles!

And, so did I. For all the times I’ve been on a duck tour I’ve never driven the boat. But to be honest, I was so busy answering the tour guides questions, I didn’t even touch the steering wheel once. Awesome boat driver I am!

We took a walk around the Public Gardens and though the day was a bit chilly, I have to say this is the prettiest I’ve EVER seen Boston. I’m SO happy we got to walk around. Everything was in bloom.

The the city of Boston did such an amazing job planting tulips EVERYWHERE. I’ve never felt so happy to live here as when I saw how beautiful everything looked. Can this last forever, please? Also, maybe we should have gotten married in May? Tulips are my very favorite flowers Has anyone else noticed how beautiful Boston is right now?

We stopped at the new Max Brenner for lunch. And though it was still a bit cold, we decided to eat outside because the people-watching on Boylston Street is pretty amazing.

I really, really wanted a Max Brenner milkshake, but I needed a warm-up so I ordered a Mexican hot chocolate. Good decision. It was perfectly spiced and rich without being overly heavy. LOVE the mug, too!

For lunch I ordered the BLT with avocado (BALT). It was also really good, as were the waffle fries, but I found the prices to be a bit high.

But I think you’re really paying more for the cool experience and Max Brenner is a lot of fun.

New books!

Ever since I got my iPad I’ve been going eBook crazy. I never thought I’d do the eReader thing but as someone who reads A LOT of books (at the same time), it’s so nice that I can travel around and have all of them with me. Plus, I can take out library books and not have to pick them up and return them (or get germs… I have library book issues). So, I haven’t bought an actual physical book in a long time. But a couple months ago, I was invited to join the Amazon Vine program, which means they send me advance copies (and recently released) of the books I choose. And I’m loving it!

Here’s my newest stash. I’m a huge Megan McCafferty fan and am super excited to read Bumped, though it’s not a Jessica Darling book. And if you’ve never read Lisa See, you need to get on that! She’s one of my all-time favorite authors and I can’t wait to dig into Dreams of Joy. I’m currently immersed in Johan Harstad‘s Buzz Aldrin, What Happened to You in All the Confusion? Johan is a Norwegian writer and his 2005 novel was just translated to English and I’m SO happy it was. I’m 3/4 of the way through and it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite books. Harstad reminds me a bit of Milan Kundera who is one of my all-time favorite writers.

Anyway, books make me incredibly happy, so the Amazon Vine program is definitely one of my favorite things! Plus, it’s nice to have a stack of books on my bedside table again, and not just on my iPad.

I told you this post was going to be a doozy. I guess it’s a good thing to have this many favorite things, right? I actually have several more things I want to add, but um, I think this post is long enough!

Wait, I do have one more favorite thing: Just a couple hours until it’s Friday!

OK, now it’s your turn- What’s your favorite thing right now? I can’t get mad if you name a few things. Or write a 5,000 word essay.

[Sues]

Waking up on a beautiful Friday morning, all happy that the weekend has arrived, eating breakfast while watching the Royal Wedding (CUTEST COUPLE EVER?!), then walking out to my car to see this:

and this:

Ouch. Evidently, my car was side-swiped in the middle of the night. Out of an entire row of cars, leave it to me that mine’s the one that gets hit! And the lovely person who did it, of course, didn’t leave a note so now I’m stuck with paying my deductible. Bleh. I ended up being late for work because I was spending hours on the phone with Liberty Mutual so they could write up my claim and assign it to a repair shop. Thankfully, Liberty Mutual has been nothing but wonderful ever since I’ve been a customer, for over 10 years now, and they made the process a whole heck-of-a-lot easier, less stressful, and got me in a rental car for the week. After talking to my parents they reassured me it could have been a whole lot worse or I could have been IN the car when it happened, which I obviously already knew, but I guess it’s just more comforting when your parents tell you these things

Needless to say, I’m in the mood to do a favorite things post because instead of dwelling on what I can’t fix, at least I can look forward to things that I enjoy. And there’s a whole lotta good coming up in May

Bacon and Beer Festival 2011

This year’s festival was held this past Saturday at Royale, which after being there for over an hour I realized it was the former Roxy. Duh. I always look forward to anything that Aaron Cohen, the man behind @eatboston, organizes because it’s bound to be phenomenal. He just has a knack for getting the right people and the right food in the same room. While I enjoyed the location of last year’s event better (semi-outdoors, brighter, felt more spacious, etc. etc.), the food at this year’s BBF did not disappoint.

It was sort of dark inside, since it’s a lounge/nightclub, so I didn’t snap too many photos but the place was packed with bacon and beer lovers. Myself included.

Kate navigated the crowds (and bacon) with me

The brown butter cupcakes with bacon frosting from Market were one of my favorite sweet treats. If there wasn’t a line forming, I would have gone back for seconds (and thirds)

Bob’s Your Uncle: Mousepad Notepad

As a graphic designer, I’m big into paper-related products. There’s nothing that compares to a pen and paper and I feel like that’s the only way I can truly stay organized. As much as I love my Google calendar, iPhone, computers, and other gadgets, I feel like I actually get more done in a day when I can literally cross things off of my to-do list. I got this 8-days a week calendar from Black Ink a while ago and just started using it. It’s so simply designed and clean that I couldn’t help myself, plus, it’s a mousepad so it’s always within reach! All of Bobs Your Uncle products are all so graphic yet practical that I kind of want one of everything!

Trader Joe’s Multigrain Cereal

During high school I think I ate my weight in Cheerios Multigrain cereal. I actually kind of forgot they even existed until I went into Trader Joe’s last week and saw a tower of their own version. Don’t get me wrong, I’m ALL for store-brand products (I’m looking at you Target and CVS!) because generally speaking, it’s the same thing as the brand-name just significantly less expensive. But when it comes to store-brand food I’m a bit hesitant at times. In an effort to save money, I once bought grocery store brand orange juice instead of Tropicana and it was not a good experience. At all. I was traumatized. I tweeted about it and everyone agreed with me so I know I’m not crazy because Twitter doesn’t lie Nothing beats the Trop even if it is $8/gallon. But I was so pleasantly surprised by TJ’s Multigrain cereal that consists of corn, whole grain barley, oats, wheat and rice. Add a sliced banana in and you’re good until lunch time! FAVORITE.

Writing about a few of my favorite things actually got my mind of my car situation for a bit. Funny how that works. Positive thinking, positive thinking... just keep repeating.

Other things I’m looking forward to this month:

• Spending time with Kate and Sues tomorrow and then again on Thursday for Kate’s birthday

• Spending quality time with JQ and her adorable new baby (for the first time!!) on Saturday along with Becca and Sues.

• Seeing my burger creation on the menu at the Bristol Lounge next week.

• Our friend Erin’s bachelorette party.

• BlogHer Food in ATL! It’s my first time visiting Atlanta and I’m beyond excited to explore a new city!

• A weekend in Ithaca, NY for my little brother’s graduation from Cornell. How and why is this happening? It feels like it was just yesterday he was eating Cheerios while lounging in his stroller. Also, pretty sure he’s going to kill me for this entire bullet point. Oh wells.

What are you loving this week?

[Chels]

Erin’s Bridal Shower

A couple Sundays ago Sues and I went to our friend Erin’s Bridal shower up in Andover. It was a fun and relaxing afternoon, just hanging out with old friends (we’ve known most of the girls since elementary school!), and of course, eating delicious food catered by The Best of Thymes.

As we walked in Erin’s parent’s house, we were asked to fill out a page about Erin and her soon-to-be-husband, Mike, that was put into a scrapbook for the couple to keep. We left advice and answered questions like “When was the first time you met Mike?” and “How do you know Erin?”. We also had to draw a picture of the couple, which turned out to be quite entertaining since most of us drew stick figures. Woops.

The food was fabulous….

And the company, even better. I hadn’t seen a bunch of the girls in a while, so it was nice to be back in our hometown and spend some quality time catching up and laughing about the past.

And while Erin opened her gifts, we enjoyed dessert! There was a lemony shortbread triangle that I couldn’t get enough of. And the one with the Oreo topping felt like a dream come true.

St. Augustine Florida (round… erm, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been)

The best part about visiting my friend Melis’ family in St. Augustine is it’s the perfect opportunity to recharge. We’ve been going almost every March for a handful of years now, and I always find it comes at the perfect time. Just when the snow in Boston is getting to be too much, just when I’m ready for a break and need to clear my head. We head down to Florida and besides eating, going to the beach, and laying out at the pool, we literally don’t do a thing. And I’m always okay with that.

One of the first nights we were there we decided it was a must to eat dinner at Pizzalley’s. I’m 100% serious when I say it’s some of the best pizza I’ve had in my life. MIGHT even be better than Chicago deep dish. Gasp! It’s just so cheesy with a perfectly crisp crust it’s so hard not to love it. On Friday night’s during happy hour at Pizzalley’s they offer buy-one-get-one drinks and a free slice of pizza. And when I say “drink” that means adult beverages included. So, two glasses of red wine for moi, thank you!

They also take $5 off of each 10″ personal sized pizza, too. So, we got several of those, naturally. Warning: make sure you have a napkin while viewing the below photos. You will drool.

Told you.

On Saturday we went with Melis’ mom to the Old City Farmer’s Market, which was the largest I’ve ever attended. It was a true thing of beauty. And it was just so Southern that I couldn’t help but be happy.

I tried artisan peanut butter/celery sorbet from Seacow Confections, which was absolutely mind-blowing. Seacow is outstanding and if I were to ever need to make a pro/con list about moving to Florida, the fact that they’re located there would be a huge pro.

There was also a booth dedicated just to olives and pickled vegetables. I tried a few varieties that made my stomach happy. I honestly could have brought a mattress and just lived there for the rest of my days. And when I woke up in the middle of the night, I would simply roll over, grab a handful of olives, smile, then go back to sleep. Yes, I actually thought about this. Olives=life.

There was lots of fresh produce (duh, it was a Farmer’s Market).

And also lots of kettle corn, which I was tempted to jump into. Wee!

And stunning orchids.

Then, when we got back to Melis’ parent’s house, we had ribs. And beans. And biscuits. I kind of want to get emotional at how lovely life can be sometimes.

We also celebrated Sam and Will’s 22nd birthdays with tiramisu (they each get their own even though their twins… love it! because I think it’s important to treat twins like individuals ). We picked out these awesome candles at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. When lit, the flames turn the same color as the candle. Um, how cool!?

The birthday boys…

and Sam being a goofball

Then, the next day we went to the beach. And I brought my favorite tote bag

And took a wonderful Rauseo family photo. I can’t say it enough, but Vickie and Paul (Melis’ parents) are two of the most wonderful people I know. They’re experts at making guests feel at home. And I kind of forget sometimes that I’m not really a part of their family

Our last night we had some good, old fashioned kind of fun and all went bowling. Which I hadn’t done in about 5 years. Needless to say, my wrist was sore the next day. PATHETIC, right?!

Oh, and those fried pickles again. How’d that photo sneak back in for another WANM appearance?

These are the things and people I’ve been loving the most lately. What are some of your favorite things as of late?

[Chels]

Stonewall Kitchen:

You guys probably already know by now that Stonewall Kitchen is one of my very favorite things. I recently went back to take a class with my mom and sister and had another fabulous experience. We took a class called “Hunker Down, the Snow’s a Blowin’”

With Chef Jeff Saunders.

He cooked up a huge brunch for us that was just perfect for the freezing cold weather outside.

These muffins were absolutely delightful. Though I probably would have named them something other than “dirty muffins.” But a muffin by any other name would be as delicious, right? They involved lots of butter, sugar, milk, and cinnamon.

I recently made my own white hot chocolate, but it was nothing like this one, which was finished with orange zest. It was rich and creamy and basically the best thing ever for a Sunday morning.

I absolutely love the idea of these ham and egg cups. They’re super easy for a brunch gathering or a party where you want to serve some small appetizers. The bacon scallion scones mostly just re-affirmed my strong love for scones.

Like all of the chefs Stonewall has teaching their classes, Jeff Saunders was entertaining, knowledgeable, and friendly. He was happy to answer all questions about his brunch (and more!) and is clearly super passionate about what he does.

Oh, and he’s also a fruit sculptor. Pretty amazing. This bird apple was more intricate on the other side, but seriously, he made this in about 1 minute flat.

I love a good breakfast strata, especially when there’s spinach involved. I was getting pretty full at this point, though!

But the food was still coming! Our final course was an apple-filled crepe with cinnamon sauce.

My sister got a birthday candle in her crepe. So cute!

I loved the apple filling! And the serious reminder that I need to make crepes again ASAP. Maybe this weekend will be the time… especially considering Stonewall kindly sent me some Dark Chocolate Crepe Mix. I can’t wait to try it!

After the class, we obviously took the time to browse the Stonewall store, which is pretty much heaven on Earth.

Did you know Stonewall Kitchen has cheese ball mixes?! Like a lot of them. I was totally tempted to buy one or two, but managed to hold myself back. I mean, a key lime cheese ball? Please.

I’m pretty sure family is always on my list of favorite things. It was so fun to spend a mother-daughter afternoon in Maine.

If you live in the New England area and haven’t been to Stonewall KItchen yet, I strongly, strongly encourage it! The classes are inexpensive and you’ll get to feast on delicious food and have a lot of fun. Then there’s all the shopping. If Stonewall would let me move in, I most definitely would.

The Kittery Outlets are close by, too

Pavlova:

My mom made these mini pavlovas for dessert for my sister’s birthday and now I want to recreate it and eat it every single night. Isn’t it absolutely beautiful?

Chobani Yogurt:

Duh. I was e-mailing with Emily from Chobani a couple weeks ago and she asked if I wanted some Chobani Greek Yogurt sent my way. Um, obviously?

I think my apartment’s concierge was slightly confused as to why a giant box labeled “Greek Yogurt” arrived for me. Trust me, I think he’s already pretty confused by me and all the strange food packages I constantly receive.

I was super excited to try the 3 new flavors Emily sent my way.

I’m not a huge fan of the 2% yogurt (and would die for the pineapple flavor in 0%!), but this mango was really, really delicious. I’ve been known to eat an entire mango in one sitting, so this was kind of perfect for me. Though I might still top it with more fresh mango

Black Cherry is hands-down my new favorite flavor. This was pretty awesome and didn’t need any toppings or additions at all. I absolutely can’t wait for it to come to my local grocery store because I will be all over it.

Lemon Chobani is also pretty delicious. I really enjoyed this yogurt topped with some granola and blueberries. It’s perfectly tangy and smooth.

The flatbread I made last week:

I’m convinced that every Friday night deserves a flatbread. And the one I made the other night was glorious. Homemade pesto, bacon, eggs, and cheddar.

Topped with arugula. Does it get any better than that?

Well actually, now that you mention it, Chels and I were invited to a grand opening party of Boston’s new Naked Pizza last night. We attended and will have a full review for you coming up, but I have to let you know right now it’s AWESOME and I can’t wait to tell you more about it. Naked Pizza is already open in Brighton and will be opening up in Brookline’s Coolidge Corner in a few weeks. Oh, and they deliver. YES!

BCAE Classes:

Oh and one more thing. Chels and I will be teaching a couple classes at the Boston School for Adult Education next month and we wanted to let you know! We’ll be teaching “Starting a Blog” on March 14 and “Promoting Your Blog” on March 28. So, if you’ve always wanted to start a blog or just need some help promoting your blog, feel free to sign up for our classes!

This week features lots more work and hopefully a bunch of wedding planning (we’re deep in our search for the perfect Boston wedding venue!). It’s also my dad’s birthday tomorrow (happy birthday, Dad!) and we’ll be celebrating at Jean-George’s Market this weekend. Obviously can’t wait for that!

Do you need a vacation as badly as I do? And if so, what “favorite things” are working as a vacation substitute for you?

[Sues]

I can’t even believe the holidays are actually here. As in, tomorrow is December! I’m honestly not sure where this year went, but last time I checked it was December 2009. Life is seriously scary. Anyway, last week, I had one of the most perfect Thanksgivings ever, since my whole family was actually together (my parents, sister, brother-in-law, Chris, and my neighbors Joan and Jim!).

Of course we had a glorious Butterball turkey That my dad brined and expertly carved. Even after eating all that turkey at Butterball University, I was still totally ready for more.

See? Just looking at these photos is making me want another plate full!

We always eat Thanksgiving dinner in the dining room :at my parents’ house. Fancy!

And we stick to pretty much the same basic menu each year because we just love it too much to change it: turkey, stuffing, whipped sweet potatoes, garlic mashed potatoes, green beans with caramelized onions, and cranberry sauce two ways.

And obviously lots of gravy.

Oh, and wine. Duh.

I ate about 3 plates like this. not even lying.

I was so happy Chris could join us for Thanksgiving, too

Thanksgiving is without a doubt my favorite holiday. Family, food, and friends are pretty much the only things I need to be happy in life.

Silk Mint Chocolate Soy Milk:

Speaking of the holidays, have you guys tried this stuff? It’s awesome! I’m not a huge fan of egg nog… But sometimes I drink it anyway just because it gets me in the holiday spirit (does that make sense? I think I like the flavor, but don’t love the actual drink). But now? I have this! I already love chocolate Silk soy milk, but with the mint added in, it’s like a holiday in a glass! There’s also an egg nog version AND a pumpkin spice one. This is definitely my drink of the season. Plus, it’s way better for you than egg nog. Win-win!

And this reminds me that I totally need to come up with a holiday cocktail soon. Peppermint, perhaps? Sounds like a project for this Friday night!

My New Parsley Plant:

After my dad read my post about my parsley obsession, he potted up some parsley for me to take home. And it’s already been growing! I’m so psyched to see how much the parsley plant will grow… and to hopefully have plenty of parsley for all my cooking (and snacking) needs. If I don’t kill it first, that is.

Could parsley be involved in my new holiday cocktail? Hmm. Probably not.

WANM Tech Support:

I’m going to be super cheesy right now and call out Chris as one of my favorite things! You might have noticed that WANM has been having some serious issues the last week. We were hacked in a major and totally annoying way. Luckily for us, Chris does programming. And he spent about 20 hours straight trying to fix our site over the weekend.

All I know how to do is freak out about website issues. I’m really, really good at that. But Chris actually knows how to sit down and fix a problem. And doesn’t stop working until he does. And trust me, this wasn’t the first time he saved us. He’s super smart… And cute, too So thank you, thank you, thank you to Chris for helping us with all our website issues!

Mitzi:

Any time I happen to be dogsitting while I’m writing a favorite things post, I obviously have to include Mitzi. I always think it’s weird when people post endless photos of their pets to their blog, but then when I’m with Mitzi, I kind of get it. I just think she’s the prettiest! I could seriously photograph her all day.

Now I’m off to cuddle with that dog and get some sleep Seriously though, she’s a crazy cuddler.

Oh, and speaking of the holidays one more time, stay tuned because I’m working on a totally awesome Holiday Gift Guide for Food Lovers and should have it up soon. Hope it gives you some good gift advice for the food people in your life (I don’t like the word foodies!).

What’s your favorite holiday drink?

[Sues]

Paper Source has been one of my all-time favorite stores for as long as I can remember. When I was in college I would drive to the Cambridge location (using mapquest directions, it was clearly 2001!) to spend hours in the store trying to take everything in. As a graphic designer and creative person, Paper Source is as close to Heaven on Earth as you can get.

After a while, I found myself stopping into the store at least twice a week to get supplies for wedding invitations I was working on, restock my supplies, or just to kill some time. About a month ago I decided I spend enough money and time in the store, I may as well get a part time job there. So, that’s what I did. And that explains why I’ve been MIA on the blog, too! I’m still trying to adjust to a new schedule

It’s been so much fun working at Paper Source so far and I find it silly to even call it “work” because it’s actually a lot of fun. Helping people put projects together, decide which colors to use, and pick their brains to help them reach their creative goals is something I’ve always loved to do, so this just made sense. Also, having coworkers who literally geek out at all things pretty isn’t too shabby either. I’ve never had friends to literally scream out loud and do a jig with me when the most gorgeous handmade paper is set in front of us, and my new coworkers at Paper Source will do that with me It’s just nice to be around people who “get” each other in that sense!

A little project I’m working on now:

I saw this antique silverware paper in the store and had been eyeing it for some time. I bought a sheet of it, cut it to size, and placed them in these black frames to hang in my kitchen. I love how quickly you can transform a simple piece of paper and turn it into art at such a low cost. I’ll post a photo when they’re all hung!

I’m sure I’ll have lots of new projects to work on so I’ll be sure to update you all! To find a Paper Source location near you, click here.

The Breakfast Club

I’ve always considered myself a brunch person, yet I rarely go out for brunch. Go figure. But between my friend Melis spending Saturday night at my place and my roommate Liza knowing lots of good brunch places, the three of us decided to head to The Breakfast Club in Brighton. I’ve heard lots of things about it, but have never actually gone. We got there a little after 1ish when the crowds were dwindling down (supposedly the line can be out the door on most weekends) so we didn’t have to wait long at all. We all ordered a ton of food and orange juice and the total was only about $30. The food was the perfect kind of diner food (delicious, duh!), the menu items are all named after characters or moments in The Breakfast Club (which is obviously awesome for anyone who loves that movie!), and it was just a fun but laid-back kind of vibe. Perfect for a Sunday brunch and easing your way out of the weekend.

Native(X)

If you know one thing about me, it should be that my love for scarves is just about as equal as my love for bacon. I have an obscene amount of them and I’ll almost always find a way to incorporate one into whatever it is that I’m wearing. So when my brother’s friend, Mac, emailed me and told me to select two of his Native(X) scarves to test out I’m almost positive that I stopped whatever it was I was doing to dilly dally on his website a bit

Mac is senior at Cornell and the founder of Native(X,) a company that sells indigenous scarves, shorts, and skirts using Pendelton wool. The first scarf that I chose was the Casca Wrap Scarf (above) which is 128″ long and 3.5″ wide and makes for an insane amount of wrapping and comfort on the coldest of days. And the second I chose was the Kinzel Scarf which is 65″ long and 5″ wide and just stunning with it’s purple, turquoise, gold, and black color combination. I may or may not have said multiple times that Native(X) needs to make a wool adult onesie because I’m always cold.

Also, become a fan of Native(X) on Facbeook and be suuuure to enter their latest contest for your chance to win a beautiful Native(X) skirt (a $70 value, for the ladies) or a pair of Native(X) shorts (a $100 value, for the gentleman). All you have to do is a post a photo of yourself on their Facebook page wearing your favorite scarf (any brand is acceptable!). More ‘how to enter’ details here. You might just see my mug on the page, too!

Everything Native(X) is woven and constructed in the USA and is so reasonably priced that it’s quite tempting to buy one of everything. For holiday gifts, of course and not myself

[Chels]

Brand About Town and Nintendo (and Julie Q!)

On Saturday, Chels and I attended the Nintendo Book Club with Julie Q and Brand About Town at Upstairs on the Square.

In case you haven’t heard us say it enough, we’re obsessed with Brand About Town. They’re the marketing firm that let us throw a Gap party and lets us hold amazing Gap giveaways. They also throw other parties for bloggers and we’ve been lucky enough to attend the Nintendo parties for Julie Q and Susan in the past.

This weekend? We attended another party for Julie Q. But first we were sent brand new DSi XLs! And the Classic Books cartridge. Did you know you can actually read books on DSis now? Yup! And it’s much easier now that they make an XL with a much bigger screen size (93% bigger to be exact). We were told to read Pride and Prejudice for a book club that would take place at Upstairs on the Square.

This is how the brand new DS was sent:

And upon opening:

Yay! Seriously exciting packages.

Have you ever been to Upstairs on the Square in Harvard Square? It’s the cutest restaurant EVER. Not kidding. Even from the outside, you can tell it’s going to be adorable.

Each of the restaurants rooms are so fun and quirky. Ours looked like it came straight out of Alice in Wonderland… Fit for a tea party!

Of course, we dug into the delicious tea sandwiches and desserts.

The egg salad sandwiches and parmesan crisps were personal favorites.

And that round chocolate dessert? It was filled wit nuts and sugar and amazingness. I NEED the recipe.

The table was filled with bloggers and we spent a couple hours sipping tea and chatting about Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. It was one of my favorite books from high school, so it was nice to take another (more grown up) look at it. It was also super fun to meet some brand new bloggers!

If I had a bit more time, I would totally start a book club of my own… Maybe we should do an online/Twitter book club? I’m always reading something and would love to chat with friends about books.

Also, I need to go have a real meal at Upstairs on the Square STAT.

Anyway, it was a super nice, sunny day. Hence why I can’t open my eyes, I’m sure.

We are not Martha with Julie Q! Thanks for inviting us to another of your amazing events, Julie

Brunch at Eastern Standard for Chels’s birthday

On Sunday, a few of us headed to Eastern Standard for lunch to celebrate Chels’s birthday!! Her actual big day isn’t until August 22, but since she’ll be away, we celebrated early.

If you ask me where to get the best cocktails in Boston, I’ll most definitely name Eastern Standard- the bartenders are AMAZING. But, though I’ve been wanting to for the past 2 years, I’ve never had a meal at ES. So, I was super excited to try out their brunch!

They have tons of fabulous-sounding brunch cocktails. But I, of course, opted for the bloody mary. I’m never one to turn a bloody mary down!

We all ordered different drinks and had to line them up because they were all so pretty together! Hey there, birthday girl!

I also cannot turn down eggs benedict if it’s on the menu. It’s probably my goal in life to try it (with a bloody mary) at every brunch spot I go to. Aren’t goals fun to make?

Chels says I got her obsessed with eggs benedict. And she got me into ordering it with bacon instead of ham. I mean, if you have to choose between bacon or ham, what would you choose? Duh.

Eastern Standards eggs benedict was awesome. I loved that it was served on a biscuit instead of a plain old english muffin. I also loved that it was served with some spinach.

Perfect brunch and everyone was happy with their meals! I’ll definitely be back for another brunch (and force myself to try something else!!) and hopefully dinner sometime soon.

Sangria

After brunch, Chels, Katie, Libby, and I headed back to my apartment. When we arrived, Chris had a pitcher of sangria sitting in the fridge for us! You might say it’s been a very sangria-full summer. Which is exactly how it should be, yes? We’ve been drinking red sangria the past few weeks, but this time, Chris made a delicious white.

It was supposed to be super sunny and nice out but instead was overcast and windy. But still, we sat outside and continued chatting.

It was an absolutely perfect weekend! I also had my parents, sister, and Adam over for bunch on Saturday and I’ll be posting about our feast later. Like I said, I have tons of recipes to share… Get excited!

What did you do this weekend? Also, feel free to share your favorite summer drink recipes!

[Sues]