Brunch Diaries: Trafford

My sister was in town visiting this weekend, which was the perfect excuse for us to try a new place for brunch on Sunday. Trafford is a bright, cheery spot in the East Bay overlooking the water. I have been for dinner several times before, but this was the first time I tried their brunch. The wide open space paired with the sunshine pouring in (not to mention the mimosas) made for a great afternoon with my sister and M.

Menu displayed on a clipboard.

Ceiling lights + canoe.

Instagramming, of course!

Cup of sugar.

Iced coffee.

Brunch bubbles.

Lobster benedict special.

Traditional benedict.

I'm in love with their reclaimed wood tabletops. 

Wild blueberry hotcake.

Everything was so delicious and since they've just recently started serving brunch, we practically had the upstairs to ourselves! I definitely recommend checking Trafford out and I can't wait to come back and eat outside on the deck when it finally gets warmer. Where's your favorite place to enjoy brunch?

Impromptu Peach Pancake Brunch

The entire week of vacation I spent at home was hot and sunny, that is until a big group of us had plans to spend the day at the pool all day Saturday. That morning I woke up and it was drizzly and overcast (of course). Instead of letting the rain ruin our plans, we hit the farmer's market for a big bag of ripe white peaches and sliced them up for pancakes. I used this recipe with a few adaptations. Instead of making ginger syrup, pancakes were served with real maple syrup (my favorite!) and the amount of milk was reduced to only two cups. The end result was crispy on the outside, but fluffy on the inside pancakes, with lots of peaches and of course laughs with friends. 

Mixing all of the ingredients together.

Table set with brightly colored napkins and gerber daisies.

Pancakes on the griddle.

Camera fun with glassware.

Hot pancakes ready to be smothered in syrup.

The perfect brunch!

Thanks to David for snapping lots of great photos!

Brunch Diaries: Sunnyside

I love, love brunch. It's probably my favorite meal to eat out since there are so many options: early morning or late afternoon; sweet or savory; coffee or cocktails; poached or scrambled. I have some staple spots that I like to frequent in Providence, but Sunnyside is my new favorite destination brunch, located in Warren, Rhode Island. It's a cute little cottage perched right on the water with a bright, sunny dining room and outdoor patio. M and I felt that this was the perfect spot to bring my cousin, Leslie, who has been visiting for the weekend.

Each time I've come for brunch, I've had something different and I've yet to be disappointed. The grilled grapefruit served with local honey is carmel-y and juicy, the complimentary bites of fresh bread are sweet and served with homemade jams. I think my favorite dish so far has been the dutch baby pancake. It's the perfect mix of textures: light and crispy outside with a rich, custard-like center. Throw some fresh fruit and real maple syrup on there and you've won me over. I love the frothy, strong (and not too sweet) Greek frappe to start, but the mimosas and fresh juices are tempting, too. Also, the dum-dum pops that come with the check are a cute touch. I love little surprises like that!

Located right on the water with a lobster boat out front!

Brunch menu.

Leslie contemplating brunch items.

Frothy Greek frappe.

Yacht Club Cola: a Rhode Island staple.

Fresh baked bread with house made rhubarb jam.

Mediterranean breakfast with ripe tomatoes and hearty toast.

Dutch baby pancake with fresh fruit and real maple syrup.

I love how they present the check!

Dum-dums!

The Sunnyside: daytime dining.

Do you have a favorite weekend brunch spot?

Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler

Happy Mardi Gras! When I was growing up, my grandma would have a traditional Fat Tuesday pancake dinner every year and it was so much fun. She would decorate the table with brightly colored masks, feathers, and beads, and we would feast on flapjacks, sausage and bacon, eggs and fruit syrups. It was always a highly anticipated occasion for me and my sisters.

I decided to put my own spin on the tradition this year by whipping up a batch of sour cream pancakes (using this insanely delicious recipe) and served them up alongside sausage patties, scrambled eggs, fruit salad, and fresh squeezed blood orange mimosas. The best part was the real maple syrup (something that I rarely splurge on). The planning and shopping were just as much fun as the finished meal, and who doesn't love breakfast for dinner?






Remember last year, when I gave up coffee and chocolate for Lent. Yeah, that was pretty crazy. Well this year, I've decided to take it one step further and give up sweets and alcohol. I'm also going to try and make it a nightly habit to write something that I'm thankful for down in a journal. Wish me luck!

Do you celebrate Mardi Gras?

Brunchin'

Homemade baked spinach + egg cups. Nom nom nom.

Five Minutes Peace

I really savor my quiet time in the mornings before I leave for work. If I have time, I like to take half an hour to have a cup of coffee, enjoy my breakfast, and catch up on my daily blog reads. Although it doesn't happen this way every day, I try to plan for this time at least three or four mornings during the week. It seems to make the rest of my day seem less rushed. Do you have an early morning routine before your day really gets going?

Sunny Side Up Brunch

It's fun having a weekend guest because we do things that we normally wouldn't do otherwise. Most Sundays are lazy and slow-paced, but this morning I was up bright and early to throw together some homemade pizza dough. By the time the rest of the house started stirring, it had time to rise and was ready to grill. Leslie helped me prep the scallions, shredded cheese, and basil that all went on top of our grilled breakfast pizza. This recipe was such a hit (and much easier than it looked), that I can't wait to make it again!

Weekend Snapshots: Newport

New favorite snack: Trader Joe's organic gummy bears.


Morning mani with Essie's Borrowed + Blue.


Breakfast lately: cinnamon raison Ezekiel toast + fresh blueberries.


Toll booth before crossing into Newport.


Gorgeous sunset over the bay.


Twinkling bridge lights at dusk.


Blood orange margarita at Perro Salado.


My favorite piece of jewelry--a diamond Greek key ring I bought myself eight years ago.


Flower arrangements outside at Asterisk.


Mango Pinkberry, courtesy of Tiane's groupie pass!

This weekend was spent meeting a friend's adorable new baby boy, trying a new Mexican restaurant in Newport, shopping the Nordstrom anniversary sale, and watching more of Gossip Girl (season two). M and I kicked off a week full of his birthday celebrations starting with dinner and drinks outside in Newport. I just have to get through another week and a half of work before a week of vacation, too!

Breakfast for Dinner

I love breakfast, so it's no surprise that I like to cram breakfast foods into other parts of my day as often as possible. Tonight for dinner, I whipped up a frittata with spinach, feta, caramelized onions, red peppers, and sausage. It was so flavorful and incredibly easy to make, plus it's a great way to incorporate a ton of veggies into one dish.

Hello, Chocolate

Well, I did it. I managed to go forty whole days without a drop of coffee or one miniature morsel of chocolate. It was tough, especially the last few days when I was dying for an iced cafe au lait, but the sacrifice was worth it. It's always fun to 'break the fast' on Easter, which I did by downing two big cups of coffee at brunch and enjoying a delicious (and very strong) iced latte this afternoon. I even snuck in a chocolate chip cookie and a few oreos. All in all, I'd say it was a great day. Next year I'm definitely going to give up peanut butter (which will probably be just as traumatic as coffee).

Hope you had a relaxing Easter!

Breakfast of Champions

I think breakfast has to be my favorite meal of the day. I like that it can be something hot or cold and sweet or savory. During the week, I stick to basic egg whites with turkey bacon or some fruit or maybe even a bowl of cold cereal. On the weekends when I have a little more time though, I like to make elaborate and leisurely brunches like a spinach and feta scramble or even pancakes for special occasions. That avocado toast looks pretty tasty, especially with an egg over easy.

What's your breakfast of choice?

images via we heart it