outdoors

Life lately. It’s been a jumble of pure joy and gratitude tempered with a lot of sadness and despair at the world we live in. I’ve found myself on many occasions feeling guilty for my happiness and safety, then remembering to be grateful and to do my best to extend happiness to others whenever I can.

We had a gloriously relaxed trip to Ireland, where we spent a ton of time with family. I’ll blog a little about that soon though, other than some gorgeous scenery and the Galway Christmas Market, there isn’t much to tell. It was just very simple, just what we needed.

We made our required visit to O’Grady’s on the Pier in Barna, just outside Galway City, for seafood and beautiful, stormy ocean views. A steaming pot of mussels from right outside, cooked in lemongrass and coconut milk, satisfied my craving for Irish seafood, and a cool Spanish white added that “vacation” aspect to lunch.

Around Boston, I’ve been trying to make a point of getting out of our Dorchester dining comfort zone and explore some of the new restaurants. I had a date with a friend at Worden Hall and absolutely loved it. I actually arrived early after a hair appointment and read at the bar for a while, a new favorite Friday or Saturday late afternoon pastime.  There’s something so comforting about a quiet bar and book as we head into this season of hibernation.

On a Cambridge date night, we wandered over to Shepard, which is just absolutely lovely. The white marble bar is beautiful, the cocktails were delicious, and the service was so friendly and warm. I felt like I could have lingered for a long time. The food was also stellar. We only had some small bites, heavenly scallops and bluefish pate, both were really excellent.

Based on where we live, venturing South of Boston has been fun over the past two years (We moved in two years ago today!). Hikes at Houghton’s Pond/The Blue Hills are a reminder of how exquisitely beautiful the area we live in is, and restaurants like the Tavern at Granite Links and their amped up comfort food, like these buffalo chicken puff pastries, remind us how vast and fun our restaurant scene is.

Last but not least, there’s work. I have been so incredibly blessed with referrals for new clients that I am swamped through the end of the year! I try not to mix client promotion too much into the blog, since this is for fun, but I love the clients I am working with and want to share them with you!

The Olive Connection Brookline is a beautiful, family owned store that has been working hard on delicious food gifts for their first holiday season. They are happy to personalize custom gift baskets for you to come up with the perfect gift for a loved one. You can also shop at their online store!

I recently started working with the BRUFFIN ® on their holiday promotions, because they have been named one of Oprah’s Favorite Things 2015! Flaky, delicious, brioche muffins filled with all sorts of toppings. . . they are pretty amazing and make the perfect addition to a holiday meal or as a gift. the BRUFFIN has been incorporated into some pretty incredible meals too, like the BRUFFIN ® Benedict at the Conrad Hotel in New York City. You can order online or try them at the Gansevoort Market.

Last but certainly not least, I just started working with Barre & Soul on their PR/Social Media. As soon as I walked into their Harvard Square space for my meeting, I knew I wanted to work with them. It’s a beautiful, serene space, and owner Andrea Isabelle Lucas is full of great ideas and philosophies, not to mention incredibly fit with a great, healthy attitude toward fitness and wellness. Her blog can be found here. I love that they offer virtual classes too; those will come in handy if this winter ends up being like last!