Annual Crab Feast + More Photos From Home

One of the greatest 'final hurrahs' of summer vacation last August was a crab feast with friends and family. This year, we decided to do it again, and so a new tradition has officially been born! I have really started to appreciate the Chesapeake Bay crabs because we can't get them up here in New England. The menu was kept pretty simple: steamed crabs, bruschetta, and a new crostini recipe I wanted to try with burrata, thinly sliced fresh figs, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkling of toasted hazelnuts. I can't wait to experiment with more crostini toppings. They're as fun to make as they are to eat!

Steamed crabs hot and fresh from the waterfront. 

Giving Emily's chocolate chip cookie recipe a whirl for dessert.

Toasted and chopped hazelnuts that topped crostini.

Fresh figs that were sliced and put on top of creamy burrata + drizzled with local honey.

Baguette ready for slicing.

Crostini in the making.

Jackson tried crabs, but really loved the watermelon.

"It's SO juicy!"

Mom prepping flowers for the table.

Wooden utensils from Sprinkles in Georgetown.

Sticky s'mores cupcake.

Cinnamon-sugar cupcake (my favorite!).

Plants and Other Projects

There have been lots of DIYs happening around here. I feel like with summer right around the corner, the porch has been the focal point of my efforts. I started by sprucing it up with a cute iron table and teal chairs set and planted a few pots of fresh herbs. So far, I've managed not to kill basil, mint, and cilantro. They're actually bright green, thriving, and fully edible! I also have a strong affinity for succulents, and have been pinning away creative ideas for terrariums and little displays with them. Over the weekend, I took a cue from the Beautiful Mess blog (so many cute ideas over there!) and prettied up some plain old terra cotta pots for my new succulents. It was a super quick and budget-friendly way to add some fun decor to the porch. Plus, I'm happy to report that M and I have enjoyed dinner al fresco three times this past week. See, there are so many benefits to revamping the porch! Now I'm on the hunt for some fun paper lanterns or little strings of lights for nighttime ambiance.

What have you been up to?

DIY terra cotta pot painting on the porch

acrylic paint + foam craft brush + miniature terra cotta pots

first, add a coat of white paint as a base

then, paint the rest (or part) of the pot a different color; allow to dry completely

fill the pot with some pebbles at the bottom, then top with soil and succulents

the pale yellow pot is my fav!

citrus fruit for fresh squeezed margaritas

bright orange ranunculus from the farmer's market

I love how perfectly symmetrical they were when they began to bloom!

juicy watermelon that went into a salad with feta cheese and mint

leisurely Sunday brunch at the Armsby

trying a bright lipstick for the first time-Spellbound by Cover Girl

Holiday Photo Mash Up

Here are a few photos from my vacation this past week. I crammed in as much as possible and enjoyed celebrating both Christmas and my birthday. Even though I wish I had a few more days to relax, I'm feeling recharged and ready to take on 2012!

So Long, 2011

Just wanted to share a few shots from the last week of 2011 taken with my new camera (which I'm having so much fun learning to use). Here's to a safe and happy new year, filled with lots of adventures!


sesame crusted tuna from our sushi date


bright birthday flowers


ultra rich drinking chocolate from Pitango


cinnamon + dark chocolate gelato with mom


vintage shop in Fells Point


Sprinkles cupcakes


Christmas lights on the mantle


glittery snowflake table decorations


champagne flutes for Christmas morning mimosas


birthday dinner at Zengo


make a wish!

I'm ready for 2012!

Fells Point Exploring

Today was my last day at home with my family before I flew back to Providence. My mom and I spent some time wandering around Fells Point, a quirky neighborhood near the inner harbor in Baltimore. I loved all of the little clothing boutiques and antique stores. We capped off our afternoon with Pitango gelato and drinking chocolate. I definitely want to come back and do some more exploring when the weather is warm!

New Year, New Ventures

I'm so excited about my new Lumix camera that arrived on Sunday (from Santa, of course). I spent some time this morning with my mom tinkering with the settings and testing out the features. I'm looking forward to finally learning how to really understand the basics of photography (and stop relying 100% on my iPhone) If anyone has any recommendations for blogs about photography basics, let me know!

Let the Birthday Celebrations Begin

Just got home from a fun pre-birthday dinner at Zengo in downtown DC. We shared a fun meal of Asian and Latin American-insired tapas. The meal ended on a sweet note, with churros and Mexican hot chocolate. It was delicious! I love birthdays, especially when they're stretched out for a whole week.

Merry Merry, Happy Happy

Hope you're enjoying a wonderful Christmas filled with loved ones and laughter!

Oh There's No Place Like Home

One of the best parts of coming home for the holidays is the constant roaring fire in the living room. It's just so cozy. I am so ready for vacation. Ten full days of doing whatever I want and, most importantly, not working!

Kneading in Action

Excited for oodles of homemade Christmas cookies when I get home on Friday. The rolled out sugar sand tarts are a family favorite.

A Tale of Two Teams

Spent today drinking mimosas and tailgating at FedEx field before the Redskins/Patriots' game. It was so much fun to be home and catch up with friends and it couldn't have been better December weather for a football game. Hope you're having a great weekend!

Glitz and Glamour

What better way to celebrate the holidays than with a family Christmas party and lots of sequins?

Oh Christmas Tree!

I always love coming across new ornaments to add to my collection.

Commuter Capture

Pretty view of downtown Providence from the ride home tonight.

End of Summer Crab Feast

On one of my last nights at home, we had a big crab feast at my house, complete with grilled pizzas, blueberry cobbler, key lime pie, and, of course, Chesapeake Bay blue crabs. It was a fun way to catch up with David & Tiane and Lauren & Ryan (and their adorable baby, Jackson). I hope this becomes an annual tradition! For more pictures check out Tiane's blog.

Weekend Snapshots: Visiting Home

My last true week of summer vacation in August was spent at home with family and friends. Even though it was a whirlwind trip, I feel like I was able to squeeze in lots of fun, including trying a new restaurant and hitting all of my favorite shopping destinations. I spent an afternoon in Georgetown and made a trip to the Maine Avenue seafood markets for crabs. My mom, sisters, and I went out for a fun night of Mediterranean tapas at Cava and my cousin Leslie squeezed a pound of key limes that we turned into pie. We stocked up and hunkered down with wine and movies while hurricane Irene pounded the coast. I had some relaxing downtime at the pool and enjoyed a big family dinner out. All in all, it was the perfect way to cap off an exciting summer. I can't wait to get home again, hopefully for a Redskins game in early December!

P.S. I finally got around to playing with Picasa to create a collage. So fun!

Back to Reality

Well, my quick trip home to the DC area was filled with poolside relaxation, catching up with friends + family, good meals, and shopping trips, but it's time to head back to Rhode Island, work, and cool fall-like days that I love so much. I'm actually excited for September and everything that it entails, but not until the last hurrah of Labor Day (and the three-day weekend)! I love this shot of Union Station in DC, where I caught the commuter train up to BWI for my flight. The ceilings are so grand and ornate. 'Til next time, DC!

Pictures of People

Travel days are the worst part of vacation. It means back to the regular routine: work, working out, laundry, and the end of relaxation. Luckily, I softened the blow by watching Jack Johnson in concert on M's iPad and sorting through all of the photos I snapped in Chicago. I can't wait to share some of them with you!