After a winter of hibernating, traveling, and being sick for about five weeks,  life has kicked into go-go-go. We’re away almost every weekend, I have some exciting new work projects, I’ve been *trying* to run, and of course, we have been sampling Boston’s delicious dining scene. Below are a few favorite shots over the past few weeks. Feel free to share where you’ve been out and about!

Stephi's in Southie Cocktails

We made our first visit to Stephi’s in Southie on the way to my birthday dinner at Moonshine 152 and we have been back several times since. I love that the bar is big and spacious and that they have wine flights. Their cocktails are also delicious. The above is a whiskey drink with a float of Malbec. It was SO good.

Below are Stephi’s nachos, which are epic. We weren’t even planning on getting food, but we saw someone else get these and had to have them. To.die.for. Maybe I should be doing more running. . .

Nachos at Stephi's

While I was recovering from the severe flu/dengue fever that I had in March, I went through a period of being really, really down, and one night just needed to get out of the house. We decided to check out the Tavern at Quarry Hills at the Granite Links Golf Club. The views of Boston and the ocean are stunning, and the food and drinks and service are all excellent. Definitely get the bacon fondue with apples and croutons.

Granite Links

Tavolo, a quick walk from home, has become our favorite after work spot for its pizzas, pasta, cocktails, and of course, desserts. We love one of the bartenders there, and it’s just a really good community spot. It’s hard not to go every night.

Tavolo Ashmont

Myers + Chang is a tried (many times) and true favorite, and you can trust their menu to delight your senses. Fried oysters topped with a pineapple concoction were the perfect antidote to yet another gray and cold Boston day.

Myers + Chang

Finally, we have drinks and apps at Temezcal. There was one day this Spring that was nice enough to sit outside, so we met friends and enjoyed Temezal’s gorgeous patio views and stellar margaritas. I like mine spicy so went with the Picante, which includes blood orange puree and habanero-infused simple syrup. Yum.

margarita at Temezcal

Tags: Boston, Boston blogger, cocktails, Food, food blog, Restaurants, wine

If you’ve been reading for a number of years, you’ll remember our Schramsberg cave tour and tasting on one of our trips to Napa Valley. I recommend the Schramsberg tour to everyone planning a Napa trip; it’s interesting and well done, and the tour ends with some delicious sparkling wine.

Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs is a classic beauty of a California sparkling wine and the first wine Schramsberg produced. Made from Chardonnay, this wine is light, fresh, and bubbly, with notes of citrus and pineapple, along with yummy brioche-y flavors from its being aged on its lees.  We recently enjoyed it at a family dinner that included lobster, filet, and potatoes. This wine is so versatile that it really pairs well with anything, most especially people you love to be around. I hope you’ve been toasting with some delicious wines too. Please feel free to tell me your recent favorites in the comments!

For more Sonoma and Napa recommendations, please check out my                              Travel Blog Posts page!

Tags: Schramsberg, sparkling wine, wine, wine blogger. bubbly, wine of the week

Newport is a great town for food, beautiful architecture, shopping, and more. We have eaten in a few restaurants there as well as attended barbecues with friends, and we always have a great time. On our trip to Newport last weekend, our friends brought us to Midtown Oyster, and it was love at first sight.

Midtown Oyster Newport

Midtown Oyster has a classic New England feel, with gorgeous decor, lovely fixtures, and plenty of light.

Midtown Oyster

 

I am obsessed with all things boating, so I loved the old boat names on the walls, like Irish Wake below.


Irish Wake boat name

Midtown Oyster has three different stories and a few decks. On the first floor, an eye-catching open oyster bar is a fun little spot to sit while your bivalves are being shucked.

oyster bar Newport

We were in vacation mode, and we indulged accordingly. Consumed over our leisurely lunch: a burger topped with fried oysters. . .

 

 

burger with fried oysters

 

Glasses of Domaine Chandon bubbly, because bubbly and oysters go together perfectly (Guinness is also a best friend of oysters.). . .

bubbly

Speaking of oysters, we shared 24, with Tabasco, classic cocktail sauce, and a yummy mignonette.

oysters

Plump and briny and the perfect sign of nice weather and being by the sea, these oysters went down a treat. I could have eaten a dozen more, easily. Midtown Oyster, as you would imagine, has a large variety of oysters, and it would be easy to eat them all day.

Dennis oysters

Tuna with soba noodles was a great course to share, tender tuna, slurp-able noodles, and delicious, fresh flavors.

tuna

Finally, fried oysters delighted with their richness, paired perfectly with crunchy slaw and peppadew remoulade. Amazing.

fried oysters

 

If you get to Newport, and I hope you do, Midtown Oysters is one of the best places to enjoy locally inspired architecture and seafood. It’s well worth a visit, and with summer coming, it’s just going to get better.

Tags: bubbly, Newport, oysters, Restaurants, Travel, Travel Tuesday

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