Sunset Over Fenway

This is from a couple of weeks ago.

Not bad, eh?

Fenway is really an amazing experience. I grew up as a Rockies fan. Aka I wasn't a proper baseball fan till I was in the 4th grade. My first views from the ballpark were of the Rocky Mountains. My next park, AT&T, has views of the Bay. Not bad, not bad.

Even with those amazing views, I think the sunset I caught at Fenway has to be among the most beautiful view I've ever seen while watching our national pastime. It's so amazing to attend a ball game at a field with such a history. The stadiums 100 year anniversary was this war. Pretty cool.

xo,
eb

I love me some Sweet Cheeks!

There's a place in Fenway that does BBQ right. 

Oh yea, and their cocktails are amazing. Their biscuits are delicious. Their salads are fresh. And the Mac 'n Cheese ain't bad either. 

If you find yourself in need of some meat, head over to Fenway's Sweet Cheeks. It was opened by Tiffani Faison (her claim to fame is placing second on Bravo's Top Chef) and is yummy, yummy, yummy. Head over to get your fill of meat and a vast array of sides, stat.

BBQup!

xo, 

eb

Vodka sweet teas. Perfect for the days of 90% humidity.

Fried pickles!

Biscuit anyone?

MEAT.

My Ride

Gone is my daily ride to work. 

Sigh....

Guess intervals will have to do. 

Sadface, 

eb

Go Read

Last week, I went exploring in Boston's Public Library. Just like a lot of things in this town, it's old. Established in 1848, it was the first large library to open in the US, and the first to check out books. Crazy. It's the second largest library in this great country, with 8.9 million books. In a world of 140 characters, that's a lot of words. 

There are two main entrances to the library which lead to two vastly different main buildings. I entered on the Boylston side through the Johnson building, a 1972 addition to the main library. This building, well, is a little, errr depressing? It's what you would expect from a municipal building built in the 70s: few windows and a vast amount grey concrete. People have likened it to a mausoleum. Yikes.

At any rate, there's still much to explore and tons of people watching to be done in the Johnson building. I walked by a public talk on the past and future of local jazz in Boston. Pretty cool. The real magic, however, is passing through the Johnson building to the McKim building. The McKim building was erected in 1895 and was called the "palace for the people." And today, it still feels like it. Quiet, serene and totally peaceful, you can't help but imagine the about of learning that has happened there. I was totally surprised to stumble upon a beautiful courtyard that was almost Alhambra-like in its subtle and simple beauty. 

I got lost in the library for a couple of hours, it's easy to do with all the titles of public record books from the days of the first Pilgrims and the earliest Americans. It's still summer here, but something tells me that the library might be a good place to hibranate in the coming winter months. 

Read on, people! Read on...

xo, 

eb

The front of the McKim building. It faces Trinity Church and Copley Square, 

which all sit in the shadow of the John Hancock building.

I think that says 1895.

(ok - I only know that thanks to Wiki)

The grand entrance to the McKim building.

I loved these lights in the Johnson (read: retro) building.

Miles o' miles o' books.

For all the surfers in my life.

Old stuff.

First page of old stuff:

Emigrants; religious exiles; political rebels. 

An amazing book of all the names of the rule breakers from days of ol'.

Social life in Old New Englad?

Wonder how it's different from social life in New New England.

And can we talk about the Customs and Fashions in Old New Englad?

Hmmm....

#bestcoast

The courtyard. Amazing. Quiet. Peaceful. Happy place.

Straight from a movie set.

I wanted to steal this lamp. 

It's a turtle!

The front of the McKim building. Check out those insane lamps.

Like I said, keep reading people. Keep reading. 

Or one day, we could lose these amazing public institutes.

Home cookin'

If you've read any of my previous posts, you know one thing: I love to eat out.

To me, my perfect night out and about is a good dinner with great friends. I love the ritual of trying new food with a great bottle of wine. There's no better way to catch up with a someone or, when I'm dining solo (which can happen in a new city), it's the best way to people watch and people meet. I've met some amazing new friends when dining by myself at the bar of a great neighborhood restaurant.

However, as you can imagine (for the sake of my health and my bank account), I do make my food from time to time. Although I'm not a natural wiz in the kitchen, I'd like to think I do an ok job. I try to cook with simple ingredients. You can't go wrong with olive oil and lemons with a little salt and pepper to taste. And of course, when I'm feeling hungry and a little lazy and want to eat at home, nothing is better than an amazing cheese and a baguette.

Check out some of my favorite home cooked meals.

xo,
eb

Nom pie: fresh mozzarella and goat cheese, tomatoes, red peppers, fresh basil with olive oil

Nom queso: local pepper jack, Wisconsin cheddar, queso fresco and goat cheese

with sauteed jalepeños, peppers, onions and garlic. 

Classic. My favorite New England bakery, When Pigs Fly, make the best and nuttiest loafs.

My go-to: Arugula salad with olive oil and lemons, topped with parmigiano reggiano and

Atlantic salmon (not as good as Chinook, but still delish!), with asparagus and sweet potatoes.

Sauteed garlic shrimp Mexican medley: black beans, cabbage mix, peppers and cotija cheese

on a olive oil fried tortilla.

Nom, breakfast. OJ. Veggie egg scramble with asparagus, red bell peppers, spinach and goat cheese.

Greek yogurt with Maine blueberries, topped with Bob's Red Natural Honey Almond Granola.

My first time making tuna. Guess what! It's really easy. 

Seared ahi tuna steak, with asparagus and sweet potatoes.

My new jam! Southwest Stuffed Peppers. 

Peppers stuffed with black beans, red quinoa, peppers, onions, corn, cilantro

and topped with lcoal pepperjack.

And yes! 

I buy mostly fruits and veggies.

I try to buy local, organic and sustainable.

Unless of course, it's cheese ;)

Brunch at Coppa

Oops. Turns out I've taken the past month off. Apologies. But don't worry, I've done plenty of exploring to share with you!

Let's start with brunch...

I think I've posted about Coppa before (remember my meal after my first day of work?) and since then, I've been frequenting it for everything from an evening meal to a casual glass of wine. It's my neighborhood go to for something delicious. A few weeks ago, I stopped by for a Sunday brunch. 

Coppa doesn't disappoint for the first meal of the day. A friend and I started out with a housemade yogurt, fruit and granola dish. It was topped with fresh apricot jam, which we also ordered a side of for a sourdough toast. Nom. For the main course, we split the "Hang Over 'Za," which was slightly fitting for our morning.  This deliciousness is topped with bacon, prosciutto, potatoes and two over easy farm eggs. Yup. It's as good as it sounds. We washed it all down with a pitcher of Blood Orange mimosas - fresh and refreshing. 

Overall, perfect for a weekend brunch. Grab a spot on the patio, enjoy the people (read: dogs) watching of the South End and get ya fill. 

xo, 

eb

That's the jam!

This granola is the real deal.

I love pizza - anytime of the day.