run to eat :: repeat

:: SPRING BREAK—SEE YOU IN JUNE! :: gang, I’m...

Mon, 14 May 2012 20:44:00 -0400

:: SPRING BREAK—SEE YOU IN JUNE! ::

gang, I’m battening down the hatches for a virtual Spring Break—off the grid for the next 4 weeks

I’ll be busy researching and writing a feature for one of Boston’s magazines, and I’ll give you the full details and a link to the piece once it publishes / (hint: it will include some serious eating/drinking adventures :)

so please keep running and lifting and cross-fitting and cooking, because I’ll still be checking in on you / and otherwise, this isn’t goodbye—I’ll see you guys in June!

5/13: HOME COOKIN’ W/ JOHN :: steamers (cooked w/ vermouth...

Sun, 13 May 2012 22:00:00 -0400

5/13: HOME COOKIN’ W/ JOHN

:: steamers (cooked w/ vermouth and onion) + soft-shell crab sliders w/ homemade tartar sauce (mayo, diced sweet and spicy pickles, and a dash of pickle juice) + slaw + potato salad ::

SUNDAY SEAFOOD SPECIAL

what to do w/ the crabs: rinse, wash in egg, dredge in flour, then fry for ~two and a half minutes on each side / then load up the tartar on a toasted bun, position your crabby, and enjoy!

John really crushed it w/ cooking today—this whole meal was his inspiration / I am one lucky lady to share a kitchen w/ him :)

5/12: GLOUCESTER’S TWIN LIGHTS HALF MARATHON :: 1:53:02,...

Sat, 12 May 2012 17:44:00 -0400

5/12: GLOUCESTER’S TWIN LIGHTS HALF MARATHON

:: 1:53:02, PR! ::

ENDLESS ELEVATION. SO. MANY. HILLS. 8:36 MINUTE MILES, BABY!

NOW LET’S GO DRINK SOME BEERS!!! :)

5/9 MILEAGE: 4 MILES (SOUTH BOSTON) // ROUTE: Apt. - A St. - up...

Wed, 09 May 2012 21:36:00 -0400

5/9 MILEAGE: 4 MILES (SOUTH BOSTON)

// ROUTE: Apt. - A St. - up the stairs to Summer St. - East 1st St. - Farragut St. and back //

:: 63 degrees, rainy ::

6:30 PM: brain was fried, legs jellied, that level of exhaustion where you can feel your sense of focus literally pulling away from you, wrangling from the grip of the back of your eyes as it strains its way toward your neck—loving the work you’re doing, throwing yourself into it when boom, your stamina quits / …let’s go get massages—kneading deep into our shoulders—and we’ll split dessert somewhere afterward, yes??

cut to a thudding, inelegant jog to where East First hits Farragut and I’ve paused to rest and soak in this mild, misty air for a moment when the driver of a passing SUV nods, toots his horn, and signals thumbs-up as he maneuvers the intersection / …I’ve been told I have one thousand doppelgangers in South Boston so perhaps he thought we were pals, or maybe I looked more bedraggled than I can willingly admit, but honey, whoever the hell you were, you lent encouragement right when I needed it—thank you for motivating me into moving like I meant it, to find my form and focus

a virtual nod to all of you guys: keep going, you’ve got this

5/8: HOME COOKIN’ :: homemade spaghetti sauce (w/ chicken...

Wed, 09 May 2012 08:32:34 -0400

5/8: HOME COOKIN’

:: homemade spaghetti sauce (w/ chicken sausage, diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, white wine, green pepper and spices) over rigatoni w/ a glass of white while cooking and a bottle of red between us w/ the meal ::

…A people with no sauces has one thousand vices; a people with one sauce has only nine hundred and ninety-nine. For every sauce invented and accepted, a vice is renounced and forgiven. - Ambrose Bierce

5/4 - 5/7: RUNNING + EATING 5/4: whisky gingers and apps w/...

Mon, 07 May 2012 20:57:00 -0400

5/4 - 5/7: RUNNING + EATING

5/4: whisky gingers and apps w/ Shannon and Ben at West End Johnnie’s (if you’re here to pre-game, show up early before the crowds close in) + Playoff Game 2, Celtics v. Hawks at the Boston Garden—so psyched to see the return of Ray Allen!—followed by nightcaps at the always alluring Lucca in the North End

5/5: 9 MILES along the esplanade—gray, and chilly + biking to Cambridge for yet again, yummy sushi w/ Steph at Thelonious Monkfish / their Gaga Monster roll (pictured) is a mashup of octopus, cucumber, tiger shrimp, kanikama (crab stick), raw tuna, tobiko, and ponzu sauce—a loud and very awesome amalgamation that could have looked insane, yet appeared (and tasted) quite lovely on the plate

5/6: Lone Star Taco Bar in Allston w/ Kate, a newly-opened, neighboring offshoot from the discerning folks of Deep Ellum / their super creamy guac w/ homemade, real-good-level of oily, crunchy corn chips + cocktails mixed w/ mezcal and orange blossom water + corn tortilla tacos that were to die for (grilled avocado w/ griddled queso, and beer battered fish w/ a chili mango aioli) made for an afternoon to swoon into

later, rallied for biking to Parlor Sports, in Inman—a recent back-room conversion of space from the peeps of Trina’s Starlight Lounge—where the Celtics clipped the Hawks from huge TVs and beers ranging from Coors to Dogfish Head Saison du BUFF were swallowed up by the bar / …then a supermoon guided us home!

5/7: 4 MILES + home cookin’ w/ a chill week ahead gearing up for this Saturday’s Gloucester Half Marathon / they’re predicting ~60 and sunny—I’ll take it :)

…I hope you all had a great weekend!

5/2: WHISKY CLASSIC :: sponsored by the Whisky Guild :: this...

Fri, 04 May 2012 16:40:17 -0400

5/2: WHISKY CLASSIC

:: sponsored by the Whisky Guild ::

this event was UNBELIEVABLE: over 200 whiskys, bourbons, and single malts to sample aboard the Spirit of Boston, with whisky retailer of the year Joe Howell in the house of Federal Wine and Spirits, and a huge buffet of ham, pastas and potato salad to stop yourself from falling overboard

learned that I love Laphroaig’s 10 year old cask—massively smoky with sea salt, like breathing in cold, wet dirt below a mossy bank / and Jefferson’s Presidential Select had traces of Pappy in it (what!) w/ a hot, exquisitely cherry finish

be on the lookout, DC and New York—this event is coming your way next!

4/30: 4 MILES + HOME COOKIN’ John and I took inspiration...

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:46:10 -0400

4/30: 4 MILES + HOME COOKIN’

John and I took inspiration from this White Bean Ragout w/ Toast recipe in bon appétit magazine, featured in a FAST, EASY, FRESH column that spoke to simple yet seriously tasty weeknight cooking

they championed a solid flavor base, with an onion, tomato and red pepper soffritto taking this dish to the next level

next time, we won’t just toast our bread, we’ll put a baguette in the oven as their instructions recommended, yet we will use just as much parmesan and olive oil and garlic because dammmn that was delicious

merci, bon appétit!

4/28: SWEET CHEEKS Q (FENWAY) :: tray of Berkshire pulled pork +...

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 17:02:01 -0400

4/28: SWEET CHEEKS Q (FENWAY)

:: tray of Berkshire pulled pork + slaw + mac ‘n cheese + Houston afb gin cocktail + glass of Pretty Things’ Fluffy White Rabbits ::

thank you, Tiffani Faison (of Top Chef’s Season 1) for bringing down-home, heaping portions of BBQ to Boston

I forked my way through a pulled pork MOUNTAIN, pausing at the watershed of my refreshing jar of gin, switchbacking along ridges of chopped mayo-y slaw and piles of pickles w/ thinly sliced sweet onion / my kind of hike!

their gooey, lightly breaded ‘roni is stick-to-the-ribs delicious, and my sampling of the Berkshire pork ribs had a pink-lined, bona fide smokiness

…few meals have left me as satisfied, flushed, or as exquisitely exhausted / Tif and co., please keep doin’ what you’re doin’

4/28: 8 MILES (SOUTH BOSTON/DORCHESTER) // ROUTE: William J Day...

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:12:57 -0400

4/28: 8 MILES (SOUTH BOSTON/DORCHESTER)

// ROUTE: William J Day Blvd - Castle Island Causeway - South Boston Harborwalk - Dorchester Harborwalk - JFK Library and back //

:: 50 degrees, windy ::

immediately made my list of Boston’s best routes for running: along the water the entire time w/ zero traffic interruptions, several water fountains, and wide, clean lanes so you don’t get that biker/walker/baby stroller get out of my way crush of the esplanade experience / and the Harborwalk here is gorgeous, so well maintained and manicured / TBHA, you’re doing one hell of an incredible job

…looking forward to taking on the Gloucester Twin Lights half marathon in a couple weeks, on Saturday, May 12th / supposedly quite hilly… / let me know if you’ve taken it on before, I’d love to hear your advice/words of wisdom!

4/27: Dinner Party at our place w/ Ash and Josh :: short ribs,...

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 13:48:43 -0400

4/27: Dinner Party at our place w/ Ash and Josh

:: short ribs, broccoli rabe (w/ pine nuts, lemon zest), and root veg (turnips, carrots) + a bottle of Mollydooker “The Boxer” Shiraz + tastes of Balvenie + several bourbon cocktails w/ Luxardo Maraschino cherries ::

John braised the short ribs for hours, soaking in a red wine reduction (the most heavenly, heady scent drifting from the oven into the kitchen), and when it came time to dig in the meat slid right off the bone, succulent and steamy

and we ended the evening w/ Luxardo Maraschino cherries on top of Rob Roys and Red Hooks, w/ a smooth side of Balvenie, neat / gotta love the dinner party excuse to go bonkers w/ a killer meal and drinks ;)

4/27 MILEAGE: 4 MILES (SOUTH BOSTON) // ROUTE: Apt. - A St. - up...

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:08:35 -0400

4/27 MILEAGE: 4 MILES (SOUTH BOSTON)

// ROUTE: Apt. - A St. - up the stairs to Summer St. - East 1st St. - Farragut St. and back //

:: 50 degrees (20 MPH winds) ::

the eye of the skyline opens, wipes the sand away… guys, I finally went running in the morning! woo!

I hope your Fridays are good to you :)

4/25 MILEAGE: 4 MILES (SOUTH BOSTON) // ROUTE: Apt. - A St. - up...

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 21:18:00 -0400

4/25 MILEAGE: 4 MILES (SOUTH BOSTON)

// ROUTE: Apt. - A St. - up the stairs to Summer St. - East 1st St. - Farragut St. and back //

:: 59 degrees ::

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything,
That’s how the light gets in.
- Leonard Cohen

4/24: TREMONT 647 (SOUTH END) :: Gypsy cocktail + on the fly...

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 07:55:14 -0400

4/24: TREMONT 647 (SOUTH END)

:: Gypsy cocktail + on the fly homemade white sangria + split between two of us: guacamole + fried fish tacos (w/ cabbage salad and cilantro aioli) + veggie tacos (w/ garlicky spinach, cauliflower, black bean salsa and goat cheese) + Banana Cream Pie (w/ bacon almond bark) ::

Taco Tuesday, the South End—I can’t quit you / the low price of your delectable tacos and the seats we secured at the bar, you make everything so serenely easy / now, could you just propel us from Tuesday into Friday? / Thanks!! ;)

4/20 - 4/22 MILEAGE: 8 MILES :: 4 on Friday, 4 on Saturday, 0...

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 22:35:00 -0400

4/20 - 4/22 MILEAGE: 8 MILES

:: 4 on Friday, 4 on Saturday, 0 on Sunday ::

…because rainy Sundays are meant for homemade lattes and pancakes, and bacon!

4/20: WINE RIOT :: 43 vendors w/ at least 3 samples of wine...

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 22:11:21 -0400

4/20: WINE RIOT

:: 43 vendors w/ at least 3 samples of wine apiece = thank God for the presence of Upper Crust, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese + free cookies from Cow & Crumb ::

crazy props to Morgan First, fellow Emerson graduate + co-founder/CEO of the apropos Second Glass, host of Boston’s Wine Riot—the biggest, baddest wine tasting I’ve been to

they created a free mobile app for easy, idiot-proof tracking of every wine you sipped, + a breakdown of the event’s Top Wines and a list of wines you “Liked,” + a cleanly mapped lay of the land by table, vendor, and region w/in the Park Plaza Castle, so you could opt to hit the tables numerically or cruise from Spain and Portugal to Greece, South Africa, etc. / so well-organized, in sync

totally lively yet not too crowded—sold out on opening night—w/ outgoing reps from Mouton Noir (LOVED their swag, their labels, and O.P.P.—Other People’s Pinot), Cypher Winery of madly robust Peasant, Heretic and Anarchy reds from Paso Robles, and 90+ Cellars w/ their Lot 23 Old Vine Malbec and Lot 57 Super Tuscan

Wine Riot has extended into six other cities across the U.S.—NYC, DC, Chicago, Austin, LA, San Fran—and no wonder / you’re killing it, Morgan!

4/19: PARK (HARVARD SQUARE) :: Maximilian Affair (mezcal, St....

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 19:51:33 -0400

4/19: PARK (HARVARD SQUARE)

:: Maximilian Affair (mezcal, St. Germain, Punt e Mes and lemon juice) + Bacon 3-way + Don Sebastiani Petit Syrah + Meat Pie of the Day ::

its sign still reads Redline—likely an intentional move by the Grafton Group as they reinvent their digs, keeping things covert as they work out the kinks—although I have to wonder how their new signage will speak to dining instead of parking as PARK lives beneath a parking garage (good thing they’ve got brick columned barriers lining their entrance)

and even though I never frequented the former danceparty/DJ-centric space (as I’ve been told), I can report that PARK was cavernous, dim, affording our party of 6 comfortable conversation levels, plenty of room to breathe, and their prices are on point—$9-$11 cocktails, $7-$12 glasses of wine, and their most expensive entree is 23 bucks

when Kate asked the table, “What’s the bacon menage?” in reference to the menu’s “Bacon 3-way,” a server appeared out of nowhere and took his sweet, slow time explaining the Mediterranean lamb bacon w/ feta and black olive, the American “BLT” w/ house-cured maple bacon, confit tomato, and arugula, and the Italian w/ pancetta, parsley, brioche croutons, and red pepper / his sell was quite possibly as enticing as each tapa, and I could have eaten about 17 more of those BLT bites (note: this order is perfect for 2 to share)

and when it comes to ordering dinner, mind your Ms & Ps: a.k.a., the Meat Pie, w/ Mushy Peas / mine had lamb inside that block you’re seeing twice, just so you can take a good, hard look at its construction / pretty dope

wasn’t a fan of the pub cheese that arrived drizzled with a port wine reduction and good, thin crispy crackers in lieu of your standard bread and butter, but half our table went apeshit about it so maybe I’m just missing the memo

overall, a solid tavern experience—not necessarily reinventing the wheel, but not leaving you out on the curb, either

give me a shout when you see that new sign

4/18 MILEAGE: 4 MILES // ROUTE: Apt. - A St. - Congress St. -...

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:27:46 -0400

4/18 MILEAGE: 4 MILES

// ROUTE: Apt. - A St. - Congress St. - Fort Point Harborwalk - over the Northern Ave. bridge - Downtown Harborwalk (past Rowes Wharf, the Aquarium) - Atlantic Ave. - Commercial Ave. - the Charlestown Bridge and back //

:: 51 degrees ::

like the city suddenly has ribbons in its hair

4/17: 4 MILES + HOME COOKIN’ W/ JOHN :: a full, roasted...

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:47:00 -0400

4/17: 4 MILES + HOME COOKIN’ W/ JOHN

:: a full, roasted chicken stuffed w/ lemon atop vidalia onion, sweet potato and carrot ::

It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken - Frank Perdue

(I’m lucky enough to know ;)

4/13 - 4/15: RUNNING + EATING FRIDAY: Red Sox home opener BBQ at...

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 21:11:07 -0400

4/13 - 4/15: RUNNING + EATING

FRIDAY: Red Sox home opener BBQ at work + 5 MILES along the esplanade (packed w/ an influx of marathon-inspired joggers) w/ a side of strength training via Equinox guest pass + home cookin’ w/ linguini and clam sauce and a bottle of dry white wine for two

SATURDAY: 5 MILES along the esplanade (same route as yesterday, same uptick of sneakered feet) + dinner and drinks at Firebrand Saints w/ good pals / loved the your choice of 3 mezze bar options—could have flirted w/ the whipped celery root w/ dates and goat cheese endlessly—and their Third and Broadway Manhattan variation w/ rye, Punt e Mes, bitters and burnt orange went down deliciously

SUNDAY: .2 MILE walk to the new Fort Point dock armed w/ beach chairs, books and the Wall Street Journal for +70-degree vitamin D consumption + home cookin’ w/ bolognese and a bottle of Barbara d’Alba (on sale at Whole Foods this week for $10.99) / what a GORGEOUS day!

…thinking positive, cool, chilly Antarctic thoughts for everyone running Boston tomorrow, including one of my best buddies, Ashley / she raised over $12,000 for Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, and has been training her legs off for weeks—so inspiring / …you’ve got this, baby!! :)