Ah, what a week. Busier than most, it was filled with fun events, brunches, exploring Boston, and more. From speaking at the PRSA Boston social media conference, to seeing Mayor Menino speak at the Rosoff Awards, a fantastic brunch with a good friend and exploring the new Restoration Hardware store, here are a few highlights.
When it comes to the destination wedding of a good friend, you simply go with the flow and hope for the best. Such was the case with a destination wedding in Atlantic Beach, Florida. That was, until I saw where the wedding was being hosted: One Ocean Resort & Spa. I’ll confess – I’m not a huge beach person, but in scrolling through the website and TripAdvisor reviews, I started to get pretty excited. With a great gym, spa and plenty of local shops and restaurants within walking distance, I hoped this could be a nice mini getaway.
One of the (many, many) things I enjoy about London is when I order a cappuccino and a work of art arrives. The cappuccino in the photo is from the Tomtom Coffee House in Belgravia. A dear friend who knows all of the best cafes in the area brought me there and it’s lovely. In addition to being a charming coffee shop with indoor and outdoor seating, Tomtom has a full menu. In a unique twist, Tomtom also specializes in cigars and has a shop around the corner dedicated to selling them.
However, what really got me about Tomtom was the delicious cappuccino that I almost didn’t want to drink because it was so pretty. But, let’s be real, that didn’t last very long.
Tomtom Coffee House is located at 114 Ebury Street in Belgravia, London.
Just an opinion, but every warm-ish fall day should be treated as though it might be the last, especially with daylight savings time hitting this weekend. From taking long strolls, to patio dining, I’ve been enjoying Boston as much as possible. Recently, I celebrated a warm day by snagging a prime patio table at Trattoria Newbury for lunch and couldn’t resist sharing a photo of my amazing Panzanella Salad.
Panzanella is an Italian bread salad that typically includes tomatoes, lettuce, cheese and beans. The version at Trattoria Newbury ($11.95) features a mix of bread, grilled chicken, fresh tomato, cannellini beans, arugula, basil, fresh mozzarella and red wine vinegar. The flavors worked very well together, though I’m not sure the cannellini beans were needed with the massive portion of grilled chicken.
The best part of this salad? It would be so easy to make at home for a dinner party! For color and a little more crunch, I might swap lima beans for cannellini beans and add a splash of balsamic vinegar to the dressing. But, that’s just me…
Trattoria Newbury is located at 264 Newbury Street in Boston’s Back Bay.
