It's easy to see why I fell in love...

When we first stated dating, he smiled.  And ate pie with his feet...which makes him a foodie.  Be still my heart.  Apparently almost 9 years with me has wiped that smile right off his face ;)

Happy Friday, is there pie in your weekend?

I think it is Summer...

Yep, it is

Time to get serious about Paris

I'm starting to buckle down and take notes about what we will be doing/should be doing on our trip this fall.  I found this great tour of Paris by arrondissement on Prêt à Voyager.  She interviewed a blogger from each arrondissement and asked them to share what they love about the district and 3 places you shouldn't miss. Check it out if you're planning a visit!

Beach babies

It was such a beautiful weekend and now we're back to rain :(  We made the most of it with a trip to the lake on Sunday.  There was sun, sand, slurpees, it was perfect! 

Jackson ready to hit the lake.  We didn't make it too far, it was cold!

Ava was unimpressed since she's already been to a real beach...

But she gave me lots of smiles, which was a nice change from the fit she threw when I picked her up the night before!

Hanging with Auntie and trying to bronze a very white boy

I can actually say that this summer I've worn a bathing suit.  I didn't even get a chance last year!

Are you having a heat wave?  I almost went for a Pho yesterday I was so cold...

climbing to hell

This weekend my Dad took me on a hike to hell, I'm pretty sure.  It was a popular hike to Mailbox Peak, 4,000 feet in 2.5 miles...and I'll never do it again.  It was painful going up, it was painful going down, I won't tell you what I said the two times I fell.  The view, oh the view was amazing yes.  But never again...

Mount Rainier and the dogs

I'm pretty sure they hated me at this point

Snoqualmie Valley

Can you see the guy planking on the rock?

Mailbox at the very top

Thanks for the hike Dad!

Pssst...check out the engagement party we threw the night before over here.



83 is awesome

Here she is cheering me on to chug my cosmopolitan...



Yesterday was my Grandma's 83rd birthday.  It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating her 60th! 

Joyeux Anniversaire Grandmaman!

You can check out my dessert here, if you're interested ;)

What could I do with this beauty?

I want this, but I have nowhere to put it.  The other day while Bryan was watching Storage Wars (yes he loves reality TV, why do you ask?) there was a storage unit full of furniture.  He said it was a waste, I said I would buy it.  A woman bought it....she bypassed all the beautiful furniture and went straight to the back to get to the vintage vibrator.  I'm not joking.  Apparently those things are worth a lot of money. 

This shelf is not, but I want it anyway.

{HYLLIS Shelving Unit, Ikea $14.99}

mini blogger meetup at delancey

Last Sunday I met up with a few bloggers at delancey.  I've been talking about going since it opened so when Brianne mentioned it we jumped on it.  That and the fact that everyone's summers are booked solid.

If you don't know about delancey, it is the child of Brandon Pettit and wife, blogger Molly Wizenberg of Orangette.  Oh...now we're on the same page right?

We had about a 40 minute wait, but it was sooo worth it.

The white pie was my favorite, which is odd because I'm normally a red sauce kinda gal...and I don't like change.

The group, with their bittersweet chocolate chip cookies with sea salt.

from the stripes to the back:

me, Sarah, Claire, Maggie, Brianne, Danielle

Thanks for meeting up ladies, it was great to catch up!! 



Iron Horse Trail with Mr. Bad knees

Saturday we wanted to go on a hike, but since my Husband has bad knees, we went on a walk through the woods.  He argues if it was in the forest it is a hike, but I don't agree.  Either way it was lovely and I'm sure the dogs were happy to not walk the same route.

Bryan and the dogs admiring an old train trestle

The views and forest flora

Bryan really wanted to see a Sasquatch because he's been watching so many shows about it lately.  He tried a few calls and some tree knocking but I told him we were too close to civilization.  And if we saw one I would never hike walk in the woods again.  We did see lots of deer poop and were eaten alive by mosquitos.  After we went grocery shopping and one of the produce guys told me I might have something going on on my back because it was all red. 

Then we made nachos and crashed

I love those kinds of days...

Lot No. 3 in Bellevue

Thank you for all your happy thoughts and prayers on Friday.  Ava did great and she's back home and back to normal!

Friday night we got together with friends for dinner at Lot No. 3.  Bryan wanted to go to a loungy type place and loungy it was.  We sat in big leather chairs, and I made a mess.  The table was too low for me and it was a long way from the plate to my mouth.  Besides that, dinner was excellent!

I had a Clover Club (gin, grapefruit juice, pineapple juice...I think)

We also had the chartcuterie plate, which was so so.  We should have got the plate o' bacon ;)

Bryan picked a bottle of wine, can you tell?  Bistro frites and corn bacon fritters with maple bourbon sauce.

My maple glazed pork belly, potato salad and hard boiled egg.  YUM!

And the piece de resistance...dessert.

Lot No. 3 sundae: salted caramel ice cream, chocolate sauce,

vanilla whipped cream, caramel popcorn, peanuts, nueske’s bacon

Then we were "this close" to seeing Harry Potter, but I had a buzz and forgot my glasses so I'm glad we skipped it.  It needs to be saved for a night all it's own.  Did you see it?  What did you eat this weekend?

good vibes needed

Our little babe is having surgery this morning for an inguinal hernia.  A common thing in babies born early, but scary none the less.  Please send good vibes her way, her Mama needs them too ;)

{photo by my Mother}

Gosh look at those cheeks, I can't get enough!

What are you up to this weekend?  Seeing Harry Potter? 

Baby Tico

We have another baby in the family.  My cousin's horse Jody had a baby boy in June and while another cousin was in town, we stopped by for a visit.

Baby Tico, one month old

Horsing around

This is tasty...

Proud Mama Jody

Now I know what makes Bryan smile

Checkin out the camera

So itchy...

Isn't he darling?



happy hour at re:public

Last night I went to happy hour at re:public with some girlfriends.  It was lovely to reminisce over frites and fromage.  The food was great, but I really enjoyed the atmosphere. Brick walls, black booths and a garage door that made it feel like an open air restaurant.  The noise level was also perfect so that when you yelled things like breastfeeding and birth control no one turned to stare.

I will definitely be back soon for dessert.  The Chocolate Budino with Toasted Marshmallow Gelato was calling my name...

 

What's your favorite happy hour cocktail?  I'm not very adventurous.

 

I could use a bloody mary...and steak

I can't find my camera cord, that's why there have been no photos.  I suspect it is at my parent's house which is 10 minutes too far away.  I stayed with them last week while Bryan was at the beach with his family and the dogs. 

I love going home. Especially in the summer when I can pretend I'm in highschool again and hang out with girlfriends all day long.  Only this time we can legally drink and you know what? We barely do now that we can.  I'm also pretty sure my Mom went through my stuff, actually I know she did because she emailed me about the empty pill container on the floor...(I thought she wanted grandchildren, j/k)  Also she was wearing my sweater.

On Saturday I went wedding dress shopping with my girlfriends and afterward her Mom said "I could use a bloody mary."  We never did find one.  It is still on my mind though, and probably will be until I have one.  I can probably expect an email from my Mother now telling me that is how alcoholism works.  It's good to be home again ;)

The other day I book marked this recipe on Smitten Kitchen for skirt steak with bloody mary salad.  Looks so good!  I'll have to make it this weekend I think.

{image and recipe via Smitten Kitchen}

Steak


2 1 1/2 pound skirt steaks
Kosher salt
4 teaspoons (packed) brown sugar, light or dark
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil (for brushing)


Salad

1 cup finely chopped red onion
3 tablespoons Sherry vinegar, divided
2 pounds cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (from about 3 pints or 10 ounce containers)
1 cup chopped celery hearts (inner stalks and leaves; from 1 bunch)
1/2 cup chopped brined green olives plus 2 tablespoons olive brine
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Prepare steaks: arrange steaks on large rimmed sheet or cutting board. Mix 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, dark brown sugar, paprika, cayenne and freshly ground black pepper together in a dish. Rub all over steaks and let them marinate in this rub for 1 to 3 hours, covered in the refrigerator. Remove steaks from fridge 1 hour before you’re ready to cook them, to bring them to room temperature.

Prepare salad: pour 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar over onions in the bottom of a large bowl and let them sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will temper the onion’s bite. Add tomatoes, celery and olives. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, reserved olive brine, horseradish, Worcestershire, pepper sauce and celery seeds in a medium bowl. Slowly drizzle in oil, whisking constantly until combined. Add to tomato salad and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until needed, and up to 4 hours in advance, if covered and refrigerated.

Cook steaks: preheat a charcoal grill to medium-high or a gas grill to the highest heat. Brush grill grates with oil. Grill steaks for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing into 1/4-inch thick slices, against the grain.

help us settle something please...

My Husband says that Carla Facciolo is the hottest wife from Mob Wives, while I say Drita D'Avanzo.

{via VH1}

Here is a more accurate photo of the both.

What do you think?  Sometimes I'm seriously concerned about what I look like when he points out who he finds attractive...

Man vs. Wild

Did you know Jake Gyllenhaal is going to be on the first 6 episodes of Man vs. Wild?  I've never watched the show before, but Jakey will make me tune in for sure.  Nice job Discovery Channel!  1st episode airs July 11th.

Here we are ready to venture into the wild on a hike.

I wonder if there is a similar shot of Jake and Bear holding hands like this...

Have a great weekend. Tell me your plans, maybe I'll change mine and hang out with you!

Chocolat Suisse

Tell me...how in the world am I supposed to stay away from sugar when my Grandma comes to visit?

This should last us until our trip in September..and then again when she comes in December!