Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcake
Did someone say cupcakes? No, I think they said curly cakes. Specifically, Isabelle’s Curly Cakes, the hip new cupcake shop in Beacon Hill that’s owned by celeb chef Todd English and daughter Isabelle. When my friend Ryan suggested that we stop in one Sunday, I couldn’t resist sampling a few cupcakes to see what the buzz was all about.
A Pathway in Regent's Park, London by Jessica Gioglio
Excuse me while I indulge in a serious case of Wanderlust. A regret of mine in 2010 was hoarding my vacation time for a trip that I didn’t end up taking. Though it’s not a huge sob story, as a twist of fate had me landing a great new job, I learned a valuable lesson: There’s no time like the present to travel.
Interestingly, as I was plotting my escape (er….getaway), I was delighted to learn that my roommates had also been bitten by the travel bug. We’re not planning to travel together, or during the same timeframe even, but our vacation goals are pretty similar: leisure time in a locale worth exploring, combined with good friends and plenty of fresh air.
Sounds pretty simple, right? Call me crazy, but vacations don’t need to be so complicated. Nor do they need to revolve around having a travel companion. If you’re anything like me, you have a running list of places that you’ve been wanting to go to. So, what’s holding you back?
Before I get accused of sounding overly idealistic, let it be known that I’ve made every excuse in the book not to travel – money, work demands, nobody to vacation with. It’s almost too easy to find a reason not to travel and stay home. Perhaps it’s that I keep inching closer to 30, or that life keeps asking more of me, but I finally realized that the busier I get, the less that I should listen to those excuses and just go.
Carving out time for yourself may not always be easy, but you can do it. So far this year I’ve embraced my wanderlust with a quick jaunt to San Francisco following a business trip, and am looking forward to adventures in London, New York City and Punta Cana over the next three months. Not too shabby for someone who only hopped on a plane once last year!
Next up is London….and I can’t think of a better way to carve out some ‘me’ time.
Are you traveling to anywhere fun this year? Leave a comment below about where you’re going and what motivated you to go. Perhaps it will inspire others!
Fenway Park by Jessica Gioglio
There’s a new SavvyBostonian in town and she’s set up shop on a brand spanking new Tumblr page! Filled with vibrant photos of Boston, fashion, food, compelling quotes and more, my goal for this site is to make it a daily inspiration page.
Launched nearly two weeks ago, I’ve quickly realized that Tumblr is the perfect place to indulge in my photography obsession. And, indulge I have. From fab fashion bloggers, to foodies, social media strategists, my follower list is eclectic at best. Unfortunately, where I’m lacking is discovering where all of the dynamic Boston-area Tumblr enthusiasts are.
Any Bostonians out there on Tumblr? Know of a cool site I show follow? Leave a comment below with your Tumblr url, or follow my site. I’d love to see how you’re leveraging Tumblr as your personal inspiration page….
http://savvybostonian.tumblr.com/
Three cheers for the Boston blogging community! Recently, the lovely Kinsey Michaels popped into my inbox with an exciting announcement: a swanky new website dedicated to shining a spotlight on local bloggers. Please give a warm welcome to BostonBloggers.com.
Though I’ve been blogging since 2006 and read many local blogs, nothing could have prepared me for the extensive blogroll on BostonBloggers.com. Who knew there were so many of us? And, that we’re all such a talented bunch of writers, photographers, chefs and thought leaders? The words astonished, proud and excited come to mind.
In addition to linking to local blogs, this site features profiles of local bloggers, plus events to encourage the Boston blogging community to meet in person. A big thanks to Kinsey for creating and continually populating this site with fresh, relevant content.
Please visit BostonBloggers.com and immerse yourself in our amazing local blogging community. And, if you’re a Boston Blogger, don’t forget to get yourself on the list!
Roasted Butternut Squash by Jessica Gioglio
Simple, yet delicious, roasted butternut squash is a side dish that I’ve been introducing to friends and family members for some time now. If you enjoy potatoes, or sweet potatoes, you should definitely consider swapping to butternut squash on occasion. Not only is it flavorful, but it’s also a lot lower in calories than the average potato. FitSugar.com notes that one cup of butternut squash is 63 calories, while one cup of sweet potatoes is 130 calories.
Nutritional stats aside, butternut squash is a versatile veggie. From pureeing into a soup, to lightening up breakfast potatoes, perking up a stir-fry, or tossing into a salad, I keep coming up with new ways to leverage my favorite squash. While I’ll eventually get to sharing all of my incredible squash recipes, I recommend starting simple by roasting the squash with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and fresh rosemary.