Okemo Part III

Breakfast at the Base

In preparation of a long day on the mountain, the gang needed a good breakfast.

Okemo Part II

Good Morning, Okemo.

This morning, I was summoned from sleep by the sun rising over the mountains. I assure you, it is truly an enchanting way to welcome the day.

Okemo Part I

Spring Break Up North

My friends and I ventured away from the city for a few days and headed up to the mountains for some quality time skiing, snowboarding, and having a good time in the great outdoors.

Acton, MA

Adventures in Acton

Some of my favorite weekends involve escaping the concrete and chaos of Boston for a day and heading out to Mike's hometown of Acton, Massachusetts. For a native city mouse like myself, this little corner of Mass is a wooded paradise that inspires coziness and boasts New England charm.  

Walden Pond

"Life is a journey, not a destination."

Walden Pond, Concord, MA

“[T]he cost of a thing is the amount of what I will call life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run.” 

― Henry David Thoreau, Walden

Sara's 21st

Happy Birthday, Sara!

While I wasn't able to participate in all the festivities (oh, perks of appendix-free living), my friends and I spent Thursday night celebrating our friend Sara's 21st birthday.

Coffee Break

Beantown Brunch #4

Today, we decided to try making brunch for ourselves.

I'd say we were successful.

On the menu:

Eggocados 

Homefries

Brioche french toast with fresh fruit

Scrambled eggs

and

Mimosas 

Beantown Brunch #3

Beantown Brunches #3 : Metropolis Cafe 

The South End is Boston's brunch haven. For blocks, Tremont Street is lined with luxe eateries and trendy cafes. For the first brunch of the New Year, my friend Ryan and I had planned to visit the locally-beloved Aquitaine (a $10 prix-fixe brunch is hard to beat), but to our dismay they were not open for the morning because it was not the weekend. And so we serendipitously ended up across the street (I told you, lined with brunchspots) at Metropolis... 

"Beautiful things don't ask for attention."

To see things thousands of miles away,

things hidden behind walls and within rooms

things dangerous to come to,

to draw closer,

to see life,

see the world,

that is the purpose of life.

"just to love, and be loved in return"

Vincent van Gogh supposedly said:

The way to know life is to love many things.

To me, this is easily one of the most beautiful thoughts ever had.

The way to know life is to love many things.
.
But it is my guess that he was lonely when he spoke these words.

The way to know life is to love many things?
. 

The way to know life is just to love.

Beantown Brunch #2

Beantown Brunches #2 : Doo Wop Diner 

You know the type. We all have one: that go-to hole-in-the-wall breakfast provider and hangover healer beloved by locals and misunderstood by everyone else. For Bostonians that grew up down the Orange Line anywhere from Wellington to Oak Grove, this place is the Doo Wop Diner on Main Street in Malden. Between its $3.50 breakfast plate and its two-block distance from the city's high school, there's probably not an adolescent in that corner of greater Boston that doesn't know the place. It can't hurt that it's only a block away from the New England Coffee Company either.

 Unless you're from the Everett-Malden-Medford area, Doo Wop's hardly a destination brunchspot, but if you find yourself at that end of the Orange Line, I recommend the Ted Williams with a nice hot mug of Beantown's finest joe (sorry, Dunks). 

Stay far, far away from the oatmeal, though.

Outfit of the Day 12.04

Wednesday, 4 December 2013

I encourage you, reader, to do as I did 

on this lovely first night of December.

Megan Chance wrote:

"You learned to run from what you feel, and that's why you have nightmares. 

To deny is to invite madness. 

To accept is to control."

Take a walk in the place you feel most comfortable 

and face the matters you find most uncomfortable. 

You might just stumble upon some control. 

Cookbook: Oreo Trifecta Cheesecake

 Oreo Trifecta Cheesecake

• For Crust: 
• 26 Oreos, chopped & crushed
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for the pan
• 
  
• For Cheesecake Layers:
• 3 8oz pkgs cream cheese (@ room temp)
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 large eggs (@ room temp)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 8oz container sour cream
• 12 Oreos, chopped & crushed
• 9 Oreos, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup butter

• Crust: 

Grease two round 9" cake pans. Gradually mix the melted butter into the finely crushed oreos. Press mixture into one pan. Another tbsp of melted butter might be necessary. 

preheat oven to 325 degrees

• Cheesecake: 

Beat the cream cheese on low, then medium, until fluffy. 

Beat in 1/2 cup of butter until mixture resumes fluffiness. 

Gradually beat in the sugar by the tablespoon. 

Beat in eggs one at a time. 

Beat in vanilla.

Mix salt and flour in a separate bowl, and beat in gradually. 

Beat sour cream into mixture until well blended. 

Remove and turn off mixer before adding chopped chopped & crushed Oreos by the spoonful. 

Pour half of batter into pan with pressed Oreo crust. Top with coarsely chopped Oreo pieces.

Pour remaining batter into crustless pan. 

Bake pans on top rack of oven and bake for approx. 1 hour. If cheesecake is not firm, but instead jiggles after 1 hour of baking, cook for another 10 minutes. If cheesecakes are still not firm, continue to cook at 5 minute intervals until desired firmness is reached. 

Remove from oven and refrigerate for 24 hours or until cheesecake has set. 

little things #5: the best kind of friend

It's officially Peppermint Mocha Season, and my friend Elise is the best kind of friend.

The Head of the Charles Regatta

This past gorgeous weekend, Cambridge, MA played host to one of New England's most beloved events: 

 The Head of the Charles Regatta

My friends and I spent our Sunday sipping coffee in Harvard Square, indulging in autumn's most adored comfort foods, admiring attendees' classic New England style, and, of course, watching the finalists compete for Regatta glory from right beside the Elliot Bridge. 

As this is by far one of my most favorite weekends in Boston, I have constructed an extraordinarily lengthy post on all things HOCR. 

The Head of the Charles Regatta is hosted along a significant portion of the Charles River, although viewers exist in the highest concentration between Harvard Square and just beyond the Elliot Bridge. That said, it only makes sense to start the day by exploring Harvard Square's charming shops and picking up a snack or two. Genevieve and Stephanie particularly enjoyed these subs from Al's, which is notorious for their massive sandwiches. 

If you're looking for something a little sweeter, Kristin would definitely recommend you stop by The Garage's Ben and Jerry's. After all, having grown up in Vermont and worked at the Ben & Jerry's factory herself, she's an expert when it comes to New England's favorite ice cream. 

Speaking of born-and-raised New Englanders, meet Brianna. A lover of monograms, Lilly Pulitzer, and all things pink, this Cape Cod native embraces the New England prep style with open, KJP-decorated arms. And rocks it. 

Another Massachusetts native, my Ann-Taylor-obsessed best friend and former roommate Genevieve has a sophisticated simplicity to her style that I envy. She has an undying ability to look classy while simultaneously looking like she is not trying very hard at all. She also has a talent for making extremely animated facial expressions. (see below)

Up next, of course, is our adopted New Englander: the bubbly, bold-spirited Californian that we half-forced into a pinstripe oxford and sweater pullover. Steph's modern edginess frequently scores her the label of "trendy," but I think it is her ability to assemble a diverse array of styles with a primarily neutral palette that makes her so deserving of the title. Don't let those bright bohemian hues up top fool you.

After some time in the square, we made our way to the riverside, which was lined with tents upon tents of HOCR merch and all of the comfort food your heart could ever desire. We're talking lobster rolls, apple cider donuts, and pumpkin coffee galore. Oh, and let's not forget the chowdah.

One of my personal favorite treats of the day was this apple-cinnamon-white-chocolate-chip muffin.

 I am determined to master the art of baking these little confections of perfection. I plan to start with this recipe that I found on The Little Red Tart. Pair one of these guys with a steaming mug of chai tea, and you have a breakfast that tastes like October. 

After we journeyed over the Elliot Bridge and made our way to the finish line, Brianna and I beelined it for the food tents for a much-needed meal. But, alas, the smell of hot apple crisp caught us off guard, and we instantaneously decided to eat dessert first. 

 We regret nothing.

After stuffing our faces of apple pie in front of dozens of wildly attractive rowers, we decided to bring our classy selves on over to the Brooks Brothers tent. Brooks Brothers, a leading sponsor of the HOCR, also hosted a miniature Kiel James Patrick factory, where some of the beautiful minds behind KJP were making and selling personalized bracelets. We even had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Sarah Vickers, KJP girlfriend, blogging idol and New England belle. She's essentially the Kate Middleton of the East Coast.

Sarah covers her and the rest of the KJP gang's experience at the HOCR on her blog, Classy Girls Wear Pearls. I encourage everyone to go fall in love with her classic style and read on about the Regatta over there. And while you're at it, go pick up a bracelet at Kiel James Patrick. Here are a few of my favorites:

Top: Bonaventure Hull bracelet, $58.
Middle: Royal's Golden Fleet wrap bracelet, $75.
Bottom: Dapper Huey bow bracelet, $40.  

KJP had an extremely successful weekend of sales at the Regatta, but unfortunately sold out of the bracelets I was looking for. Instead, I ended up buying a Brooks Brothers HOCR fleece at the tent, as I was fairly frigid by the end of the afternoon. We snapped a few final pictures by the finish line before I caved and bundled myself up and ran for warmth. 

Next year, I am making sure to clear my entire weekend for the festivities. One day simply isn't enough. 

I am not the only one who is sad the HOCR has come to a close, though. They already have a countdown until next year up on the official website!

See you next year, Elliot.