Anniversagio
Cheers to 19! Mr. Jones and I tied the knot in 2002 and it's been an incredible journey since then. I think part of why it works so well is that we are both kinda dorky. For example, he took me on a surprise trip to Vegas for our first anniversary and we stayed at The Bellagio. (BTW, Vegas can be very romantic and lovely rather than trashy and insane --but you have to have a solid itinerary with those goals in mind.) Since then, we've only ever referred to our special day as our Anniversagio. Dorks. I love it. I love him and this life we've made. (p.s. Trashy and insane Vegas is also a fantastic trip --just maybe not for your first wedding Anniversagio.)
BENign
Our 8.5 month old Bernedoodle, Ben, is the sweetest, smartest, most handsomest Lemon you'll ever have the pleasure of being toppled over by. Even though he wakes us up too early every single morning, none of us can even imagine our lives without him. He's on twice-a-day medication to control his seizures, has a bum eye that's half-blind and might have to be removed someday, and recently underwent a removal of three growths on his back that our groomer found --leaving him looking like Benkenstein. We just heard this week that the pathology on the masses was benign! Such a relief.
The Cocktailery
My hugely talented friend, Tamu Curtis, has just opened the most beautiful storefront in Atherton Mills (South End) for all of your cocktail needs. Her story is fantastic and the woman is a force. The first time I met Tamu was for a cocktail-making class she gave in 2017 (when her company was called Liberate Your Palate). I blogged about it here and the cocktails we made that evening are fun to revisit all these years later! She made a huge pivot during the early days of the pandemic and she's been grinding and thriving since then. If you're local, be sure to find her new space at 2000 South Blvd. (in the building tucked behind Luna's Living Kitchen and Anthropologie). Follow her on Instagram from near or far and check out her website to get your hands on some of her beautifully curated bar accessories and accouterment. Greg and I were thrilled to attend her Friends & Family event last night (amazing sips, nibbles, sweets, music, and fun). We came home with so many gorgeous goodies! You'll be impressed by the quality and the prices!
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
I picked up this book for myself back in January while spending a birthday gift certificate at our neighborhood independently-owned book store, Park Road Books. It was on the shelf near the checkout where Sally places the current "good stuff" --I have never picked up a book from that shelf and not enjoyed it! Of course, I had every intention of reading it right away but, as ever, my "want to read" list grows almost daily and somehow, this owned title kept getting pushed off. (That's the real trouble with checking so many out from the library --DEADLINES.) Wow. The historical setting was completely engaging, the writing was exceptional, and the added pleasure of listening to parts of the book on Audible made this on of the best stories I've read in awhile.
Turkey Eggroll in a Bowl
I've mentioned this recipe before. Turkey Egg Roll in a Bowl is a family favorite and fairly easy to execute. The biggest obstacle is having a pan that is big enough! All that Napa cabbage is voluminous before it cooks down. Tips: increase the turkey, don't skimp on the ginger or spicy finishing sauce, and never skip the step where you drain off the liquid after the cabbage cooks. Enjoy!
