#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨
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Food and Life

Recipe: Smashed Chickpea & Avocado Salad Sandwich {A Week of Vegetarian Lunches}

June 4, 2012 · Narrative

Smashed Chickpea and Avocado Salad Sandwich
When I came home last Sunday with our monster-sized haul of fruits and vegetables, I thought it would be fun to do a week’s worth of vegetarian lunches.  I started the week off with this favorite tried-and-true recipe for Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad, and a few roasted vegetable sandwiches, and when I saw this recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod recently on Pinterest, the Smashed Chickpea and Avocado Salad Sandwich, it was the perfect finish.

Truth be told, avocado and I are closerthanthis.  On any given day, we have several on our kitchen counter, in smattering degrees of ripeness.  My 9-year-old son, Nick, and I will have one or two with dinner, or I’ll have one in various sandwich incarnations.  He likes an avocado drizzled with a little bit of olive oil, hot sauce, and kosher salt.  I do too.  It’s an awesome way to bring out the full, buttery, creamy rich flavor of the avocado.

This Smashed Chickpea and Avocado Salad Sandwich became my lunch on Thursday.  I almost skipped the “shell the chickpea” step.  I mean, really, I can honestly say I have never thought of shelling chickpeas when I’ve used them before, but to try the dish in its original form the first time, I shelled.all.the.chickpeas.  Each and every one.  Man, super tedious work.  A task I should have put one of my little helpers to, but luckily for them, they were outside enjoying a few moments of (rare) sunshine.

…

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Five Minute Review: Danny Meyer’s Maialino

February 3, 2011 · Narrative

Those within radio distance of New York’s Z100 know that the popular Six Second Reviews is a popular weekly event from Moviefone.  Today has been a day.  And a half.  Like the kind where I might have spilled over into tomorrow’s fun and challenges, and I don’t want to press my luck any further and would like to wrap up today.  Like now. So in the spirit of Moviefone’s Six Second Reviews, how about a Five Minute Review on Danny Meyer’s Maialino restaurant in NYC … long on pictures, short on words.  Sound good?  Let’s go.

The City BeckonsOne of my favorite parts of going into the city is seeing the skyline as I approach.

Never a Good SignWhen I don’t know where I’m going, this is not a good sign.

Look - Blue Skies!Gorgeous blue skies and big white, fluffy clouds today, along with a balmy temp of 36. Not complaining at all, will gladly take this over what we’ve had lately.

MenuGreeted at hostess stand and seated within minutes. The menu for our luncheon today. Decisions, decisions.

My SaladI went with the salad for the first course, being virtuous and all that. Sarah got the ravioli, which smelled divine. The salad? Amazing. Never would have put celery, fennel, hazelnuts and cheese together, but it created a magical little bite that we all inhaled.

Sarah's RavioliThe road not traveled.

Sea BassI try to pick things I’ve never had before, and this was my first time for Sea Bass. I know, I’ve apparently led a sheltered life. I would totally get this again. Light, buttery, flaky, sublime. The radicchio salad did nothing for me, but I’m not a fan of radicchio usually so I’m biased and willing to admit that.

DessertHave no idea what the dessert was, but Sarah and I shared the first piece with the pine nuts on it. It tasted a little like Key Lime, but I don’t believe it was. Whatever it was, it was gone quickly.

Me and SarahCan’t have a blogger lunch without a snap of the bloggers, right? Luckily only one grey hair shows up on camera. On me. Sarah, being 10 years younger (!!), has a ways to go ’till she earns her grey.  If she tells me again that she was graduating high school when I was getting married … ;)…

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨

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