I usually share my download posts at the end of each week, but this one got pushed out a few days later because we snuck away for the weekend to celebrate some of our best friends getting married! It was the most beautiful weekend for a wedding, and we had a crazy amount of fun drinking and dancing and partying it up with our best buddies. It was proof that I can still party like a college girl, but also very solid proof that I recover from partying like a 30-something mom of a toddler. I’m moving a little bit slower than usual on this Monday morning; strong coffee and the promise of an early bedtime are keeping me motivated. While I recover from my bridesmaid duties, I hope you’ll enjoy my stream of consciousness on recipes, books, and the end of summer: 
read more
I’ve been buckling down this week on a long list of tasks for work and life and the book! A busy week is just the kind I like though, it makes the weekends (especially summer weekends) feel all that much sweeter. I am crossing our fingers the forecast brings us a bit of sun so we can soak up these last summer days with some beaching and al fresco dining. Before we get there, I’m sharing a few links, recipes, and products to wrap up the week!
read more
I’m really looking forward to this weekend; we have a perfect amount of fun-plans and downtime on the calendar. I’m heading into Boston for a girls night with my best pals, plan to hit up a barbecue with friends, and will do a little grilling of our own too! I am acutely aware of the madness that is about to start as summer turns to fall and my book comes out. I spent much of this week working on event plans for the book launch, and as my fall calendar fills up, I’m relishing in these lightly scheduled summer days. Here’s hoping you also have a some quiet summer days ahead – before you get there, a few Friday links to get you to the weekend!
read more
Last night, Mike and I got to go on a super fun (kid-free!) excursion in Boston thanks to the team at Marshalls. We started the afternoon off at the Marshalls Fenway store, heard about their partnership with the Red Sox, and got a sneak peek at some of the trends and products that are coming for fall and the back to school season (lots of denim, athleisure, and comfortable spins on classic autumn looks). After we heard about the trends, we actually got to shop them and explored the store for a bit. I came home with a really pretty fall blazer in a soft sage-army green with leather sleeves that I’m SO excited to wear!
read more
We have been packing our weekends with all sorts of fun summertime activities lately. Last weekend we partnered with Fidelity and MEFA to attend The WGBH Fun Fest and visit the U.Fund Dreams Tour! We are big WGBH fans at our house so it was a blast. Given Jane’s affinity for a lot of the WGBH kids shows, I was so excited to see her interact with the life-sized characters. She was really interested in them, and trying to figure out how her favorite TV characters were there in person!There were also tons of ice cream brands that popped up and we tried a flavor at just about every tent at the event – Jane is ice cream obsessed (and so is her mom!).
read more
It’s my first day back to reality after our awesome beach vacation and the struggle is real. I actually felt incredibly well rested and happy to get back into the swing of things when we arrived home over the weekend, but Monday has rolled in and my momentum hasn’t exactly picked back up yet. Unpacking beach bags, folding laundry and digging out of that post-vacation inbox are all on my to-do-list today. So naturally I’m avoiding those fun tasks at all costs and thought I’d share a few recipes, links, and finds that have caught my eye in the last week!
Someone asked me recently if I’m “busy” and my answer to that question is almost always and exasperated yes — too busy. But this time I answered honestly — I’m busy enough. I’m so lucky to have flexibility with my work schedule now and have been trying hard to capitalize on it while the weather is warm (and before the madness of my book launch in the fall! We’ve been cooking out most nights, enjoying walks down to the waterfront in our seaside neighborhood, and are gearing up for a family beach trip too! It can be hard to turn off the never-ending feeling that I should be crushing to-do-lists and hustling towards new goals, but the reward for taking it a little bit slower this summer has been sweet. Sharing some more of these summer moments, trips, recipes and reads below:
read more
We are halfway through the year (ah!) and I sat down this week to do a little bit of mid-year planning for the blog and my business. It involved the fun stuff: mapping out content, brainstorming ideas and events for my cookbook coming out this fall, and digging through my inspiration files. It also involved the not so fun stuff: finances and budgeting. Admittedly, I procrastinate that part as much as possible, until I can no longer avoid thinking about it. But, once I sit down and actually do the work, I always feel a lot better – like I have a clear plan and know what I need to do next. In reality, I should probably do that part first so I feel more relaxed and focused before I embark on the fun part. The process got me thinking about personal finances too, and how the same practices shift over when talking about all of those pit-in-your-stomach topics like savings and budgets.
read more
June is flying by in the blink of an eye, thanks to lots of time spent on the road this month. I spent almost a week in NY visiting family and working out my parents’ house, came home and turned right around for a weekend getaway with my best girlfriends in Portland, Maine, and then I spent an overnight in Boston for a fun work event. Phew! I’m getting really really good at packing (still obsessed with packing cubes!) and even better at ignoring the growing piles of laundry. That’s how summer always seems to go though, gone in the blink of an eye as we cram all of our adventures into these few short weeks of warm weather. Sharing a few more of my summer adventures, warm-weather recipes, and reading list:
read more
I had the opportunity earlier this week to spend the most amazing day in Copley Square with the team at Yankee Magazine. This year is the 40th anniversary of Massachusetts Farmer’s Markets, and the Copley Square market (one of my favorites) is one of the oldest continuously running markets in the state. We got the chance to tour the market with the Executive Director and meet with many of the farmers and vendors, and even enjoyed a big picnic lunch thanks to the chef at OAK Long Bar + Kitchen in the Fairmont Copley Plaza. The sun was shining, the food was tasty, and it was the most inspiring summer day. 
read more
