A Garden Update.

Things are REALLY looking good so far this veggie season. Just a quick update on our tastings....

After the "Fall of the Broccoli" (a well-documented piece of history in our book now), we had a grieving period followed by supreme pride & elation in our Lettuce! It's like it KNEW we were in mourning and gave us a little something to smile about. Thank you, Baby Romaine. We've enjoyed the fruits of your labor for over a month now, and there's no end in site to be seen!

Tomatos --- looking STRONG. Babies on there just growing away. New members every day! We even had to extend the steak in the Cherry Tom because it had a serious growth spurt over the last week or so. I'm a proud Mommy. Beef Steak is right behind Cherry --- a close race at this point. Soon we'll enjoy Baby Romaine w/ some Cherry Tom accompaniments.  Followed closely by my all time fave -  Beef Steak Tomato sammies. Mmmmm. Slice of deli American, tiny bit of mayo, salt and pepper...in between two pieces of soft Wheat. It's the taste of Summer.

And finally, the peppers. Got some blossoms coming in now. Looking like the Sweet Banana will beat out the Green Bell in this race to yield. Fine by me because I'm trying to make some homemade banana pepper pizzas on the grill! NOMS. I'd say in the next 2 weeks, we'll be pepper-eatin' fools (and by 'we' I mean ME because J is a picky-ass eater). So, I might need to recruit some fellow pepper-lovers to join in my feasting. Any takers? Going once!!!!

Enjoy the day, all.

XOXO
ERSM

Seasonal Tasting To Share.

Def. of NOMS = Good Looking Food.

One of my very favorite times of year to try new recipes and cook delicious at-home meals is, yes, you guessed it...SUMMER! Everything is fresh. Everything makes my parched mouth water. Full plates are so pretty to look at (ref. right pic), even if it is 'all going to the same place'. NOMS.

I love Summer cooking for many reasons, the main one being the heat source. Grilling has got to be one of our favorite past times April through October (we even get into off-season grilling -- it's warm in front of that propane!!). Food prep outside cuts back on dishes, BGE bills, excess heat from the oven on these scorchers of days, which only make the AC work harder and consequently take a big not-so-tasty bite out of our bank account. The food also just plain tastes better grilled if you ask me.

Perfect example for ya'll to feast your eyes on. Here:

Grilled Tilapia w/ Homemade Mango Salsa & Red Quinoa (or "oa" as J calls it for short -- phonetically that's "wahh")

This was din din last night. So delicious. The mango salsa prep was the hardest part and that was a breeze in itself, and FUN if you're as into veggie and fruit chopping as I am (again, a fave past time of mine. Should have been a prep-chef....hmmmm...possible career shift?). I've posted this recipe here, because it's THAT good and everyone needs to give it a whirl. Any fish you like would work great --- salmon, catfish, seared tuna. I was drooling over the Chilean Sea Bass at Whole Foods yesterday but made the responsible decision to stick with Tilapia. $24.99/lb vs. $9.99/lb. The choice was obvious, but still tough, given my undying love for Sea Bass. Mmmmmm Sea Bass.

So, GET OUT THERE ON YOUR GRILL and start enjoying the season for more than just sunbathing and day drinking, people!!!

 P.S. SUMMER TOES!

Summer Toes. Can't remember the name, so Summer Toes will do.

P.P.S. Dia Frampton is playing right now. She rules. I know many people hate The Voice, but I'm slightly obsessed and it's mainly because of Dia herself. Thanks, Dia.

Pics to prove it.

Due to my strange out-of-the-blue post-lunch Monday headache, I'm simply posting pictures to prove how freaking awesome my (purple, then grey, tanktop-wearing) husbot & (really handy & not to mention good sport) Daddy are. They did THIS on Saturday. In this order. All day Saturday. And it looks amazing. We literally stare at it for hours. Set up chairs & fill our cups like we're attending a summer concert. 

Professional landscapers, apparently. Who knew?!

Evidently, Jeremy dreamt about this project & design on Friday night. And then just....did it the next day. The question is  --- was he wearing the purple tank top in the dream, too? It's a critical detail.

Scoping the design.

More Scope-age.

Expanding the bed.

Digging the "mote".

Sand to level the 'mote'.

Before the flagstone laying began.

Tanktop change & strategic flagstone application.

Is the circle perfectly placed?

Almost done! Only mulch left.

Mulched!! Proud mens.

Great work. Now if my hydrangeas would just appreciate a little of this effort and give me a damn blossom or two!

Summer Nostalgia.

Once again, I was inspired by my girl Kelle Hampton. When June rolls around & the sun gets hotter, I am overtaken with nostalgic feelings of Junes that came before. Finishing up finals... the last couple nights of the end of Spring Semester celebration winding down...one last Bagel Place run before packing up my blue Geo Prism (donned in Saves the Day & Taking Back Sunday stickers) and heading home from College Park to Baltimore for the summer. Driving up 95, windows down (clearly no AC in that hunk 'a junk), sticking to the seats with sweat containing last night's party remnants, in cahoots with my best gals & guys making plans for the first night home. Souris? The Kent? Those were the biggest decisions on our plates --- that along with what to wear & if we'd straighten our hair that night or not. ;)

Rough lives.

Days were filled with 8 hours of nannying poolside -- best tan of my LIFE. Followed by free meals at home, and again, the big decisions - What to wear? Hair straightened? And if it was Wednesday, what time we'd meet at The Crease for ladies night ice picks?

I practically wore my bathing suit for 40 plus hours a week during those months -- my uniform. Main goal each summer?  How tan can we get and how blond can we be....wait that still exists...just with Bronzed Bombshell spray tan and frequent highlight appointments at Grapevine Hair Studio ;)

There were no mortgages, grad school classes, stressful jobs, friends moving overseas, engagements, pregnancies, marriages...just SMU's newest suit line, Banana Boat & Sun-In, Rita's Italian Ice (Mango was my go-to), cheep booze and crusin' in "Patty the Party-Mobile Prism" to the next stop, all the while listening to the latest rap compilation CD specially made for that night and that night only.

So, things obviously have changed & change is good. But I will forever and always be envious of the girls I see in their bathing suits & VS cover-ups, freshly sun-kissed from a long, hard day at the pool, shopping at Loehmann's for that evening's discount attire.

Those are some of my favorite days logged. Can't get them back, that's for sure, but won't forget them either.

Happy June, ya'll. And if you're one of those 21 year olds leaving your Junior year, headed home for your last freedom summer, PLEASE soak it up. Soak it up for those of us who can't any longer & would kill for those days! Plus, you only have one more left before the "real world" slaps you right in the face!

XOXO
-ERSM

If I had a boat...

Mainly today's blog is simply the vehicle for sharing this uniquely mysterious yet beautiful song with you all. I am having major brain lapse for interesting blog topics this week. Apologies. This song though, to me, deserves it's own post entirely. Give it a listen. And if you're into it, watch this video that Shawful shared with me this morning. It'll give you goosebumps that climb higher than the highest hair on your head. And if you're where I am in life at this particular moment, it'll make you say 'screw the "two year plan"! lets get this family makin' rollin'!' 

Back to reality... And back to our four-legged offspring that I love to pieces. It'll do... for now ;)


XOXO
-ERSM

A truly memorable memorial day weekend.

A 4-day beach weekend. That's what we just had. Good food & drinks. Even better friends & company. Tons of laughing and Catch Phrase (new fave game, btw). Hot, hot sun & perfectly chilled, salty Atlantic Ocean water to cool off in.

Cape May, NJ -- A place I'd hit up again in a second. Quiet beach town with beautiful Victorian homes, covered front porches with rocking chairs & massive fans - right up my alley. Morning coffee was so peaceful. You can walk or ride a bike everywhere in this haven - away from heavy traffic, sirens, and questionable characters (minus Jeremy hehe). I felt like I traveled back in time.

We bunked up at The Wedding Cake Cottage on Washington St (coincidence this was a wedding gift, too!) in the historic district. I don't think any further detail is needed given the available picture. Just. Plain. Adorable. Not to mention the heated pool surrounded with a perfectly manicured backyard, and massive back deck equipped with gas grill and plenty of patio furniture for all 8 adults & three kiddos. The perfect setting for a low-key holiday weekend. And it was. 

Beach time during the day was key because the weather was unseasonably warm -- 90's and higher during peak hours. Great for balancing out my spray tan vs. regular (farmer's) tan battle that ensued all weekend. A quick dip in the pool to cool off & de-salt from the ocean remnants & 15 minute walk back to the cottage was fully taken advantage of. For sure my favorite time of the day during a beach vacay -- 4pm: pre-shower but post-beach. Little pool time. Perhaps enjoy a cocktail of some kind or a refreshing Corona with extra tart lime, while the sun peaks away behind the shaded portion of the yard and your parched skin can finally relax and breath. Favorite time, for sure.

Sunset Beach was a hit for all -- "adults" & kiddies alike. Pebbles in all shapes, colors & sizes covered the entire beach. They were mesmerizing to search through (again, for both "adults" & kids), sifting for Cape May diamonds or just interesting souvenires to take home with us. The sunset itself wasn't too shabby, either, which was a relief since that's the name of the beach.

Other evenings were spent playing in the yard with the kids, grilling out on the back deck, enjoying the night sounds & the friends surrounding us, having more than enough to drink resulting in some incredibly competitive 2am rounds of Catch Phrase, which the ladies CLEARLY won (every time) since it's a game about listening & paying attention...sorry guys. 

It was a perfect long weekend. Many young couples have these sort of vacations & travels each year with the closest of friends -- we don't usually. It was a pleasant change of pace for us, and something we've all agreed to make a yearly tradition. Every Memorial Day Weekend (when we're usually the ONLY lame-o's in Baltimore NOT at the beach or out of town), we'll head to a new destination...explore a new place. Or head right back to The Wedding Cake Cottage and Cape May -- I don't see a single thing wrong with that.

A huge, huge, HUGE thanks to Larry & Katie for one of the best wedding gifts we could have received & for prompting our new traditions!