Weekending: Cocktail Hour, A Weekend in Maine & Lots of Family Time

September 4, 2014September 1, 201410 Comments

Good morning! After I looked back on this past weekend, I realized how blessed I am to have such a wonderful family and place to escape to during the hot, crazy days of the summer. Since I had to teach on Saturday morning, I hadn’t planned on going to Maine until late Saturday afternoon to wait for the traffic to die down. My office closed at 11:30 on Friday, so it was nice to have some time around my apartment to relax, get caught up on stuff and even meet my sister at the beach (love having a BLL at the beach!).

That evening, my sister and I went up to Lisa’s deck for cocktail hour. Lisa lives on the 3rd floor in my apartment building and it’s so fun that we’ve become friends throughout the year. Our 1st floor neighbor, Lauren, couldn’t join us, but it’s so awesome to have 2 other girls in the building that are not only neighbors, but friends!

How about that view?! I love it! I also made my first real sangria and can’t wait to share the recipe with you- I think it came out pretty darn tasty!

We decided to head down to Kelly’s Pub for some pizza (I hadn’t had REAL, non gluten free pizza in ages!). It was such a fun night!

After teaching on Saturday, I treated myself to a pedicure. With all the working out I do, my poor feet need that kind of TLC every few weeks at this point!

Danielle and I headed north around 3pm to wait out the weekend traffic- it was a perfect idea! We didn’t hit a stitch of traffic. We even had time to grab an ice cream- yum!

Saturday night was SO MUCH FUN!!! We ate, we drank, we laughed, we danced. I just love when the 4 of us get to be together!

The pizza came out AMAZING!!! And it was so nice out so we decided to dine al fresco on the back patio. Dad had gotten the bonfire going so it was a perfect place to eat!

We definitely had a dance party post dinner as well- so so fun!

Sunday morning wasn’t as sunny as we wanted, but it was still a good day! I filmed some videos for the blog and then we headed to the Mahoney’s for their annual Labor Day BBQ. It was a small crowd, but we still had a blast! Emma is at the age where she’s super active and so funny with the things she says and what she does!

Waking up on Monday morning, I was so happy to see that the rain had stopped, the skies had cleared and the sun was shining! We packed up and headed to the beach before bringing Danielle to the train. Going to the beach with my mom is the best- she is always stocked with drinks, treats and magazines. Anything you might need or want, she has- it’s awesome! Nothing like some sun and bubbly!

After dropping Danielle off, we headed to the hotel where my aunt and uncle are staying for the next 10 days or so. Since I won’t be able to go home this weekend because I’ll be on the cape, it was good that I was able to visit with them for a bit on Monday while I was around!

Monday night was quiet and relaxing- the most perfect way to end the day and weekend home. I decided to get up on Tuesday morning and drive right to work, which was so much better than stressing about the traffic on Labor Day. Such a fun, fun weekend- I’m so lucky to have such wonderful people in my life and such a great place to call “home”.

Questions for you: What was the best part about your weekend? Did you go away for Labor Day? Do you bring drinks to the beach?

Weekending: Barry’s Bootcamp Roof Deck Workout & A Maine Visit

August 26, 2014August 25, 20144 Comments

Good morning! I hope today’s off to a great start for all of you. The weather is supposed to be perfect all week, so for all of you who may be vacationing, I’m jealous! I was also very jealous listening to my mom and her friends plan out their week: beach day, pool day, lake day, baseball game. Retirement/summer vacation seems pretty awesome!

Last weekend was a blast! It was nice to have a night in Boston, but even nicer to escape the city for a night and head up to Maine.

Friday

My gym friend, Jen, somehow found out about a bootcamp that Barry’s Bootcamp was offering on the roof deck of the Revere Hotel and when I found out it was on a night I could go, I jumped at the chance! It was $20 which included the 60 minute workout and a cocktail… can’t really go wrong with that 😉

I wasn’t sure what to expect for the workout, but I was expecting hard since the last time I went to Barry’s I died a little. Mostly because of the treadmill runs, but still, it was tough! I knew there wouldn’t be treadmills for this workout, but I was expecting a lot of burpees and other cardio exercises, which sadly, we didn’t do!

All in all, though, the workout was pretty tough! We just used resistant bands and our body weight and worked all the big muscles. The arm sections were by far the hardest part for me- SO. MANY. PUSH-UPS!!! It was good to feel challenged with that! The leg exercises were all things I’ve done before- actually, things I’ve posted videos of here, here, and here! That’s ok, though- still had my legs screaming because we did all of those exercises with booty bands around our ankles. Yikes!

Once the workout was done, we enjoyed our free cocktail- love gym friends and workout get togethers!

After, I met RM at City Landing for dinner and drinks. I thought I’d be able to find a shower, but no such luck. Nothing like a little baby-wipe “shower” and running water through the hair to try and look somewhat decent… and clean!

City Landing has a whole gluten free menu- check out this pizza and Ahi Tuna! Delish!

Saturday

We got up relatively early for a Saturday and hit the road to head north around 9am. I was afraid of traffic, but the roads were clear the entire time! Sadly, it wasn’t beach weather when we got to Ogunquit, so we grabbed a gluten free breakfast sandwich at Cafe Amore and then walked part of the Marginal Way, which is a gorgeous path along the “cliffs” in Ogunquit.

So pretty! Once it reached a reasonable time to have our first cocktail, we headed to a favorite: Barnacle Billy’s. RM hadn’t ever been to Ogunquit or Perkins Cove so it was fun to show him around… and introduce him to his first Rum Punch, Billy’s signature cocktail. If you go to Ogunquit, you need to go to Barnacle Billy’s and have one!

(yes, I realize I’m wearing the same thing as I did Friday night- I promise it was clean!)

The weather finally started to clear and our seats on their upper deck couldn’t have been more perfect! After a few cocktails, we ordered a lobster roll and steamers- holy.yum. Such a delicious lunch!

On our way home, we stopped in at Shaw’s Ridge for an ice cream and to catch up with Mr. Shaw and Meredith (who, btw, just got engaged!!! So, so, so happy for you and Brandon, Mere!!) and grab an ice cream cone. Mr. Shaw wasn’t there, but it was good to see Mere!

We finally made it to my parents around 4:30… just in time to pick veggies from the garden for dinner (<— love doing that. nothing better!) and start on cocktail hour. We all were responsible for different things and the kitchen was quite busy!

Dad wanted a lamb, so he did it on the rotisserie- I wasn’t sure I liked lamb but it was delicious! Even cooler? All of the veggies we ate were from our garden or a nearby farm (the corn). There’s just something to be said for the whole “farm to table” way of eating. So fresh and flavorful!

We finished dad’s 65th bday celebration with a bond fire. It was the most perfect night for one! I think it’s safe to say he had a really great day!

Sunday

After breakfast and some reading, RM and I went on a nice 2 mile stroll. It helped clear my wine headache 😉 By the time we got back, it was getting late to make it to the beach, so we opted for going to our family friend’s pool instead. Poolside, wine in hand, family and friends- can’t get much better than that!

All in all, it was a really awesome weekend… we were both so sad it had to end! Trips back to MA from ME are always the worst 😦 Luckily I’ll be home for a few nights this weekend!

Questions for you: What did you do this weekend? Have you been to Ogunquit and/or Barnacle Billy’s? Where is your favorite place to get drinks?

Weekending: Red Sox, Massages & Parties

August 21, 2014August 20, 20142 Comments

Hi there! How’s the week? Mine has been good so far- changing up the workouts and taking it a bit easier with them. I know it’s a little late for my weekend recap, but the past one was super fun… and extra long, so let’s recap 😉

Thursday

My company often gives away Red Sox tickets and I was not only available to go to the game on Thursday night, but won the tickets so I COULD go- it was such a fun treat! On top of that, no one else wanted the other 2 tickets so I grabbed those and invited RM’s brother and sister-in-law. They left their son with Nona (RM’s mom) and joined us for the game- so fun! The seats were REALLY good and it couldn’t have been a more perfect night for a game.

Friday

RM and I bought a Guilt deal for massages at Exhale Spa (my favorite place everrr) so we cashed them in on Friday night.

If you’re looking for a good place to get a massage, I highly suggest Exhale- everything about the experience is perfect! From the locker rooms, to the waiting areas, to the steam room/sauna to the massage itself (and warm lavender tea bags for your eyes!)… it never disappoints!

We had plans for a BBQ picnic after our massages, but the weather didn’t cooperate so we grabbed a drink at the Living Room before heading home to make turkey burgers…inside… womp.

Saturday

After teaching my kickboxing class, I ran errands and then picked up RM to head north. My friends Nikia and Kyle had their engagement party at their beautiful home in New Hampshire- I always love going up there! The whole afternoon/evening was SO fun. We drank, we ate (a lot of food- her mom is an amazing cook!!), we played games, I went on the 4-wheeler… solid day/party!

Sunday

Sunday started off with a healthy smoothie before getting some Sunday things done (grocery shopping, picking up, puttering etc.).

We had RM’s nephew’s 1st birthday party in the afternoon so before I knew it we were heading to Watertown. I made this caprese orzo salad and was quickly reminded of how easy and tasty the dish is. I should’ve made it more often this summer 😦

The party was really fun! The food was amazing (wouldn’t expect anything less), the company was great and the birthday boy was adorable!

Sadly, I got a really bad stomach ache by the end of the party, which was likely brought on by all the different kinds of food I ate and the fact that I had 2 parties in one weekend. Party food is great, but too much of it can make me feel icky.

All in all, though- it was a really great weekend!

Questions for you: Have you been to a Red Sox game this summer? Where do you get massages? Do you over-indulge at parties?

Weekending: Italian Cooking Lessons, Birthday Celebrations and Lots Of Patio Time

August 12, 2014August 11, 201412 Comments

Good morning! What a weekend I had- I’m still smiling from it 🙂 Although it started out a little busy, once my parents got here, there was LOTS of relaxing for me. I mentioned it to my parents as we were sitting on my patio and my dad said that the last time I relaxed that much was probably the last time I was with them. I have to say- he’s got a point. If they weren’t here, I would’ve kept myself busy with random things, but since they were here, I pushed aside all of my “to-do’s” and focused on enjoying my time with them. It was perfect timing amidst the craziness of this summer!

Friday Night

My mom’s request for her birthday meal was “something Italian”. My boyfriend’s mom is from Italy (she moved here when she was 19), and I always rave to my parents about her cooking so my mom wanted to see for herself. RM and I went to Waltham on Friday after work and after eating dinner (she made us pork, carrots and a salad), we got busy in the kitchen. I’m not sure if it’s an Italian cooking rule or not, but the first order of business for me was wine… duh 😉

We made a chicken cacciatore dish and it couldn’t have come out more perfectly. Everyone (even RM, who has his mother’s cooking all the time), was raving about it!

So lucky to have the chance to get extra cooking lessons. Meatballs are next on the agenda 🙂

Saturday

I headed to Wakefield to teach my first class at PUMPS (went so well!!) and then ran about a million errands to prep for my parents arrival. It’s amazing how much you can get done when you’re on a timeframe 😉 Sue and Al got here around 1:15 and I made a little mixture of things for lunch while we caught up on the patio. Mom and I later went to get pedicures. I had a little treat planned for her: bringing mini bottles of wine to make the experience even better. Everyone around us was pretty jealous!

Later in the evening, RM joined the Gagnon’s, bearing gifts of wine and flowers for my mom- very sweet!

Phew- we drank A LOT of wine throughout the evening. It’s so hard not to- family, laughs, great patio weather… they all go hand in hand!

(apparently I missed the red shirt memo…)

I let my mom relax and I took care of all the prep work- I think she needed to wear the apron as a security blanket to make her feel ok about not helping!

Although my apartment is small, it was just enough room for the 4 of us (my sister was away).

Look at that dish! Oh. My. God was it delicious!!! I couldn’t get enough of it. All in all, it was a perfect night!

Sunday

I stayed with RM and let my parents stay at my place (Hotel Monique), so I headed back there on Sunday morning before church. We walked to a nearby church and were amazed that the mass was only 35 minutes! For my fellow Catholic readers, 35 minutes is generally unheard of for a mass! I’m used to at least an hour. Crazy.

RM took us to brunch later and then I spent the rest of the afternoon reading with my parents on the patio. While I was reading, I had thoughts like “oh man. I should be blogging right now. I should be getting ready for the week. etc.”, but instead, I let myself indulge in a new book! It felt really good.

Have any of you read this?

Once my parents left, RM and I headed back to Waltham to return the pot I borrowed from his mom. Conveniently enough, it was time for Sunday Dinner 😉 We had steak, sausages, salad, rainbow chard and peppers- so delicious, and eating outside again was even better!

We made a quick stop at the driving range before heading back to East Boston (and an ice cream stop… whoops!).

I was in bed by 9:30 and it was awesome… I can’t remember the time I slept that much and that well. Boy was it needed- I felt like a new woman yesterday!

Questions for you: What was something fun that you did last weekend? Have you ever taken a cooking lesson? What’s a book you’ve read or are reading?

Weekending: Dining, drinking & celebrating mom

May 13, 2014May 12, 201412 Comments

Weekends are usually pretty great, but this past weekend was especially great and I think the combination of being surrounded by lots of family and the weather was the reason behind it. I’ve been trying to cut back on weekend recaps because I’m not sure how much you enjoy hearing about my play-by-play weekend adventures, but this one was filled with trying out new restaurants and celebrating someone very special so I figured it was worth sharing 😉

Friday night, I met the boy in Central Square and he brought me to a little hidden gem: Green Street Grill. This little restaurant/bar was tucked away on a street parallel to Mass. Ave right in the heart of Central Square. We were lucky enough to snag 2 seats right at the bar (our favorite) and enjoyed some vino and delicious (gluten free) dishes. I had had a very stressful (but good stress) day and it was so nice to be able to relax, have a few wines and not think about anything for a while.

Saturday morning, my sister and I went to a class at Flywheel and, just as I expected, Ann taught a phenomenal class. I’d love to say that I had a great ride, but for some reason, my legs felt like lead and I just didn’t have it in me to push myself and pedal faster. I wanted to- so badly- but my body had another thing planned. Oh well. It was still fun riding next to my sister and we left there hot yoga sweaty!

After class, we shopped around a bit (I got a new dress for Miami!) and then had lunch at Sonsie. The weather had cleared and we got seats right near the open windows- felt so nice to have warm weather!

I can’t say any of what I ate/drank was healthy, but life is all about balance, right?

Saturday night was date-night. We went to his brother and sister-in-law’s condo in the South End for roof deck cocktails and baby snuggles before having dinner at Stella, which is also in the South End. My friend Jess recommended it and it turns out it’s one of his favorite restaurants, so it was a no brainer to try it out! Even better? They have a whole gluten free menu. We had a drink while waiting for spots at the bar to open up (the Bruins were on. I couldn’t care less, but I wasn’t going to take him away from watching). For dinner, we shared the sausage and broccoli rabe, the arugula salad and the braised short ribs. They split that for us, which was so nice! They also served it atop gluten free penne instead of GF mashed potatoes which was totally fine.

Yum. I can’t wait to go back- I dream of that dish. Okay, not really, but it was SO good.

Sunday was a fun day filled with pampering mom! We were lucky enough to have them agree to come down for the day instead of us going up there since we’ve been a few times in the past month or so. Danielle and I made a pretty delicious brunch, if I do say so. We had an egg casserole (egg, milk, chicken sausage, sautéed peppers and onions, spinach and cheese- so easy, so tasty), warm kale salad (with EVOO and lemon juice as the dressing, craisins, goat cheese, grilled pear and candied pecans), fruit salad and Stonewall Kitchen blueberry muffins.

One of the best parts of the day was the fact we got to spend time on my back patio, soaking up some serious sun!

(terrible picture, but it was all I had!)

My mini patio set is, well, mini, but we squished to make it work.

Yummm. I love brunch food! We had such a nice afternoon drinking wine (mom loves excuses to day drink!) and catching up. My dad is coming down next weekend to help get my garden started and I can’t wait! It will be so nice to have fresh veggies all summer- I’m lucky that he has volunteered to help!

And that about sums it up. Although it was a rather indulgent weekend, there’s nothing better than spending time with the people you love and food/drink indulgences are totally worth it during those times!

Questions for you: Did you get outside to enjoy the weather? What was the best part of your weekend? What did you do to celebrate Mother’s Day? What’s your favorite “hidden gem” restaurant? Do you ever have workouts where your mind wants it but your body doesn’t?

Burpees to Bubbly

Because good workouts deserve bubbly rewards!

Tag: family

Weekending: Cocktail Hour, A Weekend in Maine & Lots of Family Time

Weekending: Barry’s Bootcamp Roof Deck Workout & A Maine Visit

Weekending: Red Sox, Massages & Parties

Weekending: Italian Cooking Lessons, Birthday Celebrations and Lots Of Patio Time

Weekending: Dining, drinking & celebrating mom

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: