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Wine Wednesday: Music at Rodney Strong Vineyards

October 8, 2014 in events, Food, Travel, wine by traveleatlove | 1 comment

Our recent trip to Sonoma and Napa included the chance to plan get togethers and have some random run ins with some of the very friendly people we have met on past trips. Since it was Sonoma Wine Country Weekend and an early harvest, the county was buzzing with busy people, but one evening event brought lots of people out to Rodney Strong Vineyards for some of their great wine, an excellent selection of beers, and a band that I can now count in our favorites.

While the light and heat of our day of canoeing on the Russian River faded, we caught up with old friends and met new ones while listening to the Big Bang, an incredibly talented group of musicians who I wish toured on the East Coast!

Rodney Strong wines are always favorites, but the selection of beers at the event was pretty phenomenal, and we had the opportunity to sip Pliny the Elder, a sought-after beer that many East Coast friends were excited to see on my Facebook and Instagram feeds.

A simple, excellent dinner of fresh salads and wood-fired pizzas provided the perfect bites to go along with the beer and to prep us for dancing. With the Big Bang in the house, you couldn’t NOT dance.

A break between music sets and chatting found us on the cool lawn behind the winery with more local beer, this time from Lagunitas, the sun setting on the vineyards behind us, and lots of grateful silence and being in the perfect moment.

The sun said its goodbyes most gracefully, meeting the dark and twinkling stars on their way in. Temperatures dropped, and we moved closer to the fire for a couple of last songs before we were on our way. What a beautiful way to spend a summer weekend night in wine country!

Thank you to Rodney Strong Vineyards for having us by. We can’t wait to visit again soon!

Tags: beer, events, Sonoma, Sonoma County, Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, wine, wine country, wine tasting, winery

Out and About

July 14, 2014 in Restaurants by traveleatlove | 3 comments

Happy Monday! Did you have a good weekend?I feel like they keep getting faster and faster. We have had some gorgeous summer weekends, and we have been spending as much time as possible outside. This includes boating, drinks and dining on patios, and pool time at our friends’ new house. When Sunday night rolls around I am seriously bummed, so it’s always nice to sit back and reflect on all the good things we’ve experienced.

Over the past couple of weeks we have had a number of great meals. Below I have included a few favorite bites and sips from our wanders out and about.

What bites and sips have you loved lately?

Leisurely brunch is on of the best ways to spend a Sunday morning, and this weekend after a charity paddling race, we went to Bistro du Midi. Their small patio is perfect for people watching, and their House Cured Salmon Benedict is to die for. I have always been a fan of Bistro du Midi, so it was nice to return.

On our way out to Tanglewood on July 4th, we stopped for lunch in Worcester at Armsby Abbey. It was pouring and chilly, and a pub lunch with an endless selection of brews was perfect. I had the Kimchee Grilled Cheese with Pulled Pork Soup. The food was so delicious! I thought Pulled Pork Soup sounded both amazing and odd, and it was a bit of both. Mostly it was a spicy, rich pork soup, perfect with a salty, tangy grilled cheese dipped in. I wish Armsby Abbey was closer to Boston. I would visit often!

Cocktails and dollar oysters at Smith & Wollensky Castle on a Friday night. . . perfection. I love the old Boston look and feel and history of this Smith & Wollensky location. The cocktails are fun (and strong), the staff is great, and the oysters were flowing. This is a perfect place to kick off a night out.

Over the 4th of July weekend, we enjoyed some cocktails with friends in Newton. Sycamore is their go-to, and it has become a fast favorite of ours. The food is always amazing, and the Old Cuban cocktails are my favorite in the city.

Boston patios are one of my favorite places to spend a summer night, and the patio at Precinct is fabulous. Beautiful faerie lights, great drinks, and friendly service make Precinct a perfect place for people watching and spending a long night out with friends. I look forward to returning for food!

Tags: beer, Boston, cocktails, Dining out, Food, Restaurants, Worcester

Taste of Dorchester

April 28, 2014 in Food, Restaurants by traveleatlove | 3 comments

In my 8+ years as a Dorchester resident, I had never been to Taste of Dorchester until last week. I don’t know why, but I learned quickly that I have been missing out! Taste of Dorchester benefits the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance (MAHA) and brings together chefs from all over Dorchester for a delicious night with strong community ties. I can’t tell you enough how many great restaurants and shops are in Dorchester. You will just have to come over and check it out for yourself!

Breakfast favorite McKenna’s was serving up the meal they do best. They had French toast, pancakes, bacon, and most delicious of all, steak breakfast burritos. McKenna’s is an awesome little Savin Hill restaurant; the only downside is that they are always full. Calling ahead and getting takeout to eat on the beach is a good idea.

Two of our favorites, Ashmont Grill and Tavolo, had the prettiest table in the room, decked out with flowers and lit up with the smiling face of owner and major community supporter, Chris Douglass. Ashmont Grill had one of my favorite bites of the night, a delicious, yet not very photogenic pumpernickel pretzel with pimiento cheese. It was divine.

Taste of events are always great for discovering new restaurants, and Restaurante Cesaria was one of those. I’m excited to taste more from them!

We wouldn’t have missed the onion bhaji at Shanti or the chicken taco bowls at the Sea Breeze Mexican Grill, which I highly recommend for fresh, quality Mexican food.

We were pretty stuffed by the time we got through our first round. In addition to the above, we had some fantastic ribs from Freeport Tavern, pulled pork from Abbey Park and chicken croquettes from the newly open ester.

However, we saved room for dessert, which included the juiciest chocolate covered strawberries from Phillips Candy House and macarons from Sweet Life Bakery, one of my Lower Mills haunts. Lemon macarons? So springy and perfectly soft and chewy at the same time. I may have had 3.

The whole night was set to the backdrop of smooth jazz music, and the energy in the room was wonderful. It’s what I love about Dorchester; lots of smiles, kindness and community, mixed in with caring businesses. I can’t wait until the next Taste of Dorchester.