Bittersweet

After 13 long days in Rhode Island, my husband called me Saturday afternoon with a surprise, of sorts: He was coming home! But just for a day. A part that the ship's crew was waiting on didn't come in, so the CO (that's commanding officer, for you non-military folk) gave the guys liberty for the rest of the weekend. 

G didn't arrive in Union City until almost 7:30 Saturday night, so after catching up and taking the dogs out for a walk, all we had time for was a late dinner of just-OK Chinese take-out. (We're slowly discovering which eateries in our neighborhood are good and not-so-good.) Knowing he had to get back to the boat Sunday night to be ready for work at dawn on Monday, we tried to make the most of our short time together. In a perfect world, I would have woken up early to do so, but G kindly let me sleep in. I'm not a morning person, never have been, but while the hubs has been away I've been waking up early every day to take the dogs out. (Jasper usually starts ruffing in my ear around 6 or 6:30, sometimes earlier.) So my loving husband, who always rises with the sun, took the pups on their morning walk and let me snooze until 9. That's love. I say that jokingly, and yet with all sincerity.

Once I was ready, we headed over to—where else?!—Target, to get a few must-have items for the apartment: a shower rod and curtain so I can get clean without splashing water all over the floor, semi-sheer white curtains for the sliding glass door in our bedroom, to offer a bit more privacy, and since our apartment was less-than-pristine upon moving in, a few cleaning supplies—including a Swiffer WetJet that I truly hope lives up to the hype because these apartment floors are dirty. After our Target run, we took the mutts to the Lincoln Harbor Dog Park, which is only a short car ride away from our apartment but, unfortunately, due to a big cliff and hilly terrain is pretty impossible for me to walk to. We then took a quite detour down Washington Street, the main drag in Hoboken, to see what's there (read: to see what we're missing) and give ourselves complete real estate envy.

Finally, with the afternoon passing into the evening, my sweet hubby said all he wanted to do was spend quality time with me, sans errands. So we went out for a nice, fancy-but-casual dinner at Chart House Weehawken. Located right on the Hudson River, it boasts incredible views of the New York City skyline, inside and outside the restaurant.

The food's not too shabby, either. We had the lobster bisque to start, followed by Mac Nut mahi for him (with warm peanut sauce, mango relish, soy glaze and mashed purple sweet potato) and a slightly spicy Chilean sea bass for me (with Yukon gold mashed potatoes and a refreshing tomato-cucumber gazpacho sauce). We then sent ourselves into a full-on food coma with the hot chocolate lava cake for dessert.

Since our leisurely dinner went longer than planned, G had to hightail it out of here the moment we got home. I didn't want to say goodbye, especially not knowing when he'd be back, and instantly missed him the second he walked out the door. The dogs did, too. I had told the hubs not to make a fuss about leaving, so Jasper kept waiting (and sometimes barking) at the door for Daddy to come back. 

Being married to a military man, you know what you signed up for. He's not going to be home all the time. He's going to get deployed every so often. Fortunately with the Coast Guard, he's not gone as long as he might be with other branches of the service. But it doesn't make it any easier, especially when you are in a new city with no friends or family (and still no furniture, TV or most of your wardrobe). Not to mention I'm still kind of new to this whole military wife thing. So here's hoping it's not another two weeks before this Rhode Island dry dock business is resolved and that my man can come back home and stay for longer than a day... before getting underway, again.

Weekend Recap : Arts & Eats in St. Pete

What a fun weekend it was! Perhaps a little too fun, since I feel like I'm in recovery mode over here, making for a not very productive Monday. (Though, to my credit, I have managed to do a few interviews for another freelance story assignment my former editor sent me; yay!) If I had to sum up our weekend in three words it would be these: arts, eats and drinks. We only have six weeks left here in St. Petersburg and I am determined to make the most of our time and cross off items on my Florida bucket list (which I've added a few more must-dos to). 

To that end, on Thursday night we went to downtown St. Pete to check out the Museum of Fine Arts, which offers discounted admission on Thursday nights: $5 after 5 p.m. We browsed two of the current exhibitions—"Monet to Matisse" and "Life's A Beach"—and quickly explored some of the museum's permanent collection before running off to meet friends at Red Mesa Cantina for a birthday dinner. On Friday, the hubs and I had a little date night, starting with drinks at The Canopy, The Birchwood's gorgeous rooftop lounge (which I previously wrote about here and here), and then dinner and dessert at Annata, the tapas-style wine bar where Jen and I had a fabulous girls' night back in February. I knew G would love it as much as we did and Annata didn't disappoint; it was just as delicious as last time. On Saturday, we laid low, cleaned the house, and the hubby slow-cooked a pork shoulder for hours to make us Hawaiian-inspired teriyaki pulled pork tacos for dinner. 

Yesterday, Sunday, we ventured back to downtown St. Pete for the annual Mainsail Arts Festival in Vinoy Park (a few snapshots, above). Unfortunately, the heat and humidity were a bit too much to bear, coupled with a strong gusty wind that kept blowing my dress, shawl and hair this way and that. (I wore the complete wrong outfit for the occasion. Don't you hate when that happens?) So we didn't stick around long and instead sought refuge and cool drinks along Beach Drive. First a late lunch at 400 Beach, followed by leisurely drinks (again) at The Canopy and then a little champagne (for me) and oysters at the Sundial's newest upscale eatery, Sea Salt. 

Now you know why I'm feeling a little sluggish this Monday. But, I have to say, it was all worth it.

I'll be back with more on our visits to the Museum of Fine Arts, Annata and Sea Salt, later!

Our First Married Valentine's Day

Did you have a nice long weekend? Ours was fairly low key, spent chilling on the couch watching TV when not running errands, but we did get dressed up and go out for a nice dinner on Saturday night, for our first married Valentine's Day. G surprised me that morning with a beautiful bouquet of pink- and peach-hued tulips, my favorite flower next to dahlias. (I may have dropped a couple hints over the past few weeks, ooh-ing and aah-ing whenever I saw a bunch of tulips at the store. He's a good man and picked up on my not-so-subtle cues.) He then made us a delicious lunch at home, a chicken pesto risotto, and we exchanged gifts. 

Though I told G that we should keep gifts small this year since we have lots of travel expenses coming up, he took to heart my longing for a new, large, sturdy purse and bought me a big beautiful bag—complete with fringe! He said he thought it would come in handy when I fly to California, since it can fit my laptop, kindle and wallet with ease. Men, always thinking about function and practicality. But it is truly a gorgeous bag and I was even more impressed to hear that he went downtown to browse small boutiques to find it. G's card also came with a sparkling layered necklace. He's such a good hubby. I, on the other hand, did keep my gift simple. To encourage his new hobby, I ordered him two unique, hand-forged guitar picks from UncommonGoods: a glass glazed stoneware pick (in ocean) and a ridged glass pick (in surf). G tried them out and was pleased with the look, feel and sound, so I'd call it a success. 

After opening presents, I finished one more surprise for him: homemade chocolate truffles. (I'll be sharing the incredibly simple recipe later this week!) We ate a couple that afternoon, and a few more after we got home from our Valentine's dinner at RumFish Grill in St. Pete Beach, and we finished off the plate by Sunday.

Photos from our day, if you'd like to see...

Weekend Recap : Localtopia 2015

[ A great crowd came out for the second annual Localtopia. ]

On Saturday, G and I ventured to Williams Park in downtown St. Pete to celebrate all things local—to eat, drink, shop and listen to—at the 2nd annual Localtopia. It was a beautiful, 70-degree, blue sky day. The Florida sun was shining and the community was out en masse to support small, independent businesses and local makers of all kinds. The park was packed, and while at times it was a bit difficult to maneuver around all the attendees, plus their strollers and dogs, and the lines for the ATM and (massive!) draft beer truck rivaled Disneyland at times, it was wonderful to see hundreds of people come together under the banner of Keep Saint Petersburg Local. The festival showcased more than 100 vendors, many of which we were first introduced to at this Localicious event last October. After surviving the long lines to get cash, beer and food, the hubby and I had a fantastic time browsing the expansive marketplace—and we even picked up a few goodies along the way! 

Here's a few photos from our afternoon, if you'd like to see...

Weekend Eats : Tapas, Sushi & Brunch

[ Snapped from a parking structure: A view of the waterfront and pier in downtown St. Pete. ]

This is almost embarrassing to reflect on, but this past weekend was most certainly a weekend of eating. We sort of back-slid on our resolution to cut back on eating out. But sometimes, life comes in and changes your plans. When friends invite you to gather over a meal, who are we to say no?

On Saturday, G and I made our way downtown to the Saturday Morning Market to pick up some fresh veggies for the week. But let it be known: Don't go to the market hungry! Because if you do, you will want to eat and/or buy every delicious-looking thing in sight. Like a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie as big as your head. A homemade chicken pot pie for later. Garlicky jarred spreads. And then, finally, the veggies we came for. At least we can feel good about supporting local small businesses, yes? For the record, we did admire (and buy) non-edible things, too, such as handmade jewelry, wine glass charms, hand-thrown pottery and more. (I desperately wanted that gorgeous pink and green platter! But the hubby said we didn't really need it. Sad face.)

After our trip to the market, where we tasted a few things and ate half of the above-mentioned cookie, we decided to get ourselves a proper lunch. The hubs and I decided to give Ceviche another try, since the last time we were there we were fairly tipsy and somehow managed to order all the wrong things. But we had heard good reviews about the tapas restaurant and the outside patios are usually packed with people, so we thought it deserved another shot. We ordered up several small plates, and while we weren't a fan of Ceviche's shrimp ceviche, ceviche de gambas, the other dishes were good—just not great, and ultimately, we thought, not worthy of the price. The huevos rellenos, or homemade deviled eggs, were tasty, but nothing special. The patatas bravas, fried potatoes in a spicy aioli, were also winners but it is hard to mess up fried spuds. We were most disappointed with the chorizo y pimientos, five types of chorizo sausage in a tomato sauce with roasted peppers and onions. The description should have said five slices of chorizo sausage, because that's all we got. The gambas al ajillo, however, a plate of gulf shrimp tossed in a light but creamy garlic chili sauce that was delivered to us accidentally, was a pleasant surprise. If we were to return to Ceviche, I think we would just sit on the patio, sip sangria and nibble on the complimentary bread served with a yummy pesto dipping sauce, and take in the view and the people passing by. That's the best part.

While at lunch, we got an invitation to join our friends for sushi that night. We met up at Hook's, which is obviously a local favorite judging by the line out the door. I am not big on raw fish, so I ordered the Mexican roll (hold the smelt roe), which is filled with tempura shrimp, asparagus spears and avocado, and served with a streak of Sriracha. My dinner companions ordered much more elaborate and colorful rolls; they really looked beautiful! And everyone cleared their plates so I guess they were a hit.

On Sunday, the hubs dropped me off in downtown St. Pete for a girls' brunch at Lucky Dill. It was a lovely, cool day so we sat outside, sipped our free mimosas and noshed on the New York-style cafe's hearty breakfasts (fried green tomato bennys with avocado and bacon for Laura and I, and the day's special, an apple cinnamon french toast, for Blair).

So while I consumed far too many calories this weekend, I'm going to give myself a pass since it was all in the name of friendship and fun.

How was your weekend?

Our First Married Christmas

[ Christmas Eve service in Tampa. ]

Have you fully recovered from Christmas? I'm not sure I have! These last few days were just a flurry of activity. Much more than I had expected, especially since I had initially thought we'd be spending our first married Christmas alone, as just us two. Instead, we were surrounded by people.

On Christmas Eve, the hubs and I went to an afternoon service at Grace Family Church in Tampa before heading over to Jen (of Letters & Pearls) and Matthew's house for dinner. I made an heirloom tomato bruschetta to share (we finally made use of one of the wood appetizer platters we received as a wedding gift!), G baked up a batch of cinnamon-y snickerdoodle cookies, and the Fricks put together a delicious meal of herb stuffed pork, green beans, and red velvet cake. Oh, and I can't forget to mention the incredible bacon-wrapped dates we noshed on before. I'm not even a big bacon lover, but those little morsels were so good. Jen's tablescape was lovely, too. 

[ Christmas Eve dinner. ]

But of course, even more wonderful was the company. While I had not yet met Matthew, and G didn't know the Fricks at all, we had an awesome time chatting about life, love, work, the military. It was a night of great conversation and lots of laughs. I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend Christmas Eve.

[ Christmas Eve at the Fricks. ]

Christmas Day was even busier. Not long after waking, I got to work making blueberry muffins (using this easy recipe) and slicing kiwi. When breakfast was ready, we settled in on the couch with glasses of bubbly (Amour de L'Orange from Wiens, our favorite Temecula winery) and opened gifts. First, our gifts to each other (the biggies: G got me a Kindle Fire and I got him a white Eric Weddle Chargers jersey), then the gifts from the hubs' parents, who we called to thank later. I FaceTime'd my bestie in California so we could open our gifts to each other together, and it was so nice to be able to see her face-to-face! Technology is amazing, isn't it? I wanted to Skype with my family but, alas, they don't have a webcam. So we settled for opening gifts while talking on the phone. Not as easy as it sounds but it was still nice to be able to hear their reactions as they opened their gifts. Because that's the best part about gift giving, right? Experiencing the receivers joy and surprise.

[ Christmas breakfast. ]

After all the gifts were open, the wrapping paper mess thrown away, I was back in the kitchen cooking rice pudding with raspberry sauce, the traditional Danish dessert I grew up eating every Christmas (stay tuned for the recipe!). For my first time making the dish, it turned out great, just like my mom's. We took it over in individual ramekins to Laura and Jeremy's house, who like Jen and Matthew had graciously invited us over for dinner. Again, it was such a treat to be able to spend the holiday with friends. We ate good food, had great conversation, and I even learned a new card game.

[ Christmas Day selfie, taken at Laura & Jeremy's house. ]

Friday we decided to give the pups some dedicated attention and play time. We took them with us to lunch at Cassis in downtown St. Pete, where they got much love and affection from strangers passing by, and then we spent some time walking around the waterfront parks.

[ The dogs exploring downtown St. Pete. In typical dog fashion, Cali chased a squirrel. ]

Sunday was, of course, dedicated to football, but we don't want to talk about that. (Long story short: the Chargers lost and kissed their playoff chances goodbye.) We did take Cali and Jasper with us again though, and they were mostly good as we hung out at World of Beer and then next door, at the Avenue. We looked like quite the Chargers family—G in his new jersey, me in my girly Chargers shirt, and the dogs in their Bolts bandanas (handmade by G's mom for Christmas). If only all our paraphernalia had brought the team a little luck. Hopefully we'll be better next season... In 2015!

[ G scored tons of Chargers gear for Christmas, in time for what would be the last game of the season. ]

I hope you had a wonderful, joy-full holiday as well! Can you believe the new year is almost here? Just a few days of 2014 left... let's make the most of it!

Weekend Recap : Christmas Sparkle

On Friday night, in lieu of attending Sector St. Pete's ugly sweater party at a neighborhood sports bar (sorrynotsorry—I was hoping for something a little more glam), I slipped into my new cute holiday sweater (cheaper here), put on red booties and a bright red lip (this + this), and convinced the hubs to go look at Christmas lights. But first, coffee. To get that extra cozy wintertime feeling, we stopped at Starbucks and ordered up the new holiday drink, a chestnut praline latte (yum!), and then we were off, headed for south St. Petersburg. While having lunch at a local sandwich shop a week ago, I spied a flyer advertising the Oakdale Christmas House, considered one of the biggest and best light displays in the country, so I figured we just had to check it out. With about 1/2-million lights over a half-acre, it really was quite the sight to behold, almost blinding in its beauty. My eyes didn't know where to look! I was in awe at the sheer magnitude of the display and all the time, energy and money it must take to put it up each year. Free and open to the public, the Oakdale Christmas House had many other visitors that night, and a line formed to walk a path that winds around the house and the huge yard, giving adults and kids a closer look at all the quaint (and sometimes strange) decorations, which included illuminated figures, dolls, stuffed animals, inflatables, and even a miniature railroad. While the display definitely delivers Christmas cheer, I also felt the spirit of the season exuded from all the people, strangers, who gathered together in one place to marvel at the magical scene.

Here's a glimpse into our evening...

Have you visited any stellar Christmas displays this year?

The Colorful World of Chihuly

On Saturday afternoon, the hubby and I finally visited the spectacular Chihuly Collection, presented by the Morean Arts Center, in downtown St. Pete. It was an inspiring experience, and I'm thrilled to share it with you today. If you're an art lover, or just an admirer of pretty things, grab a cup of joe and settle in for some eye candy. 

But first, a little about the man behind the work.

“One of the most important inspirations for me is the glass itself—the glassblowing process. This wondrous event of blowing human air down a blowpipe and out comes this form. Many things inspire me including architecture, nature, cars, great films, beautiful objects and books." -Chihuly, when asked where his ideas come from

Dale Chihuly is a world-renowned artist most widely recognized for his vibrant blown glass installations, though he draws and paints, too.

Born in Tacoma, and now living in Seattle, the Pacific Northwest-based artist was always interested in glass, and the way light passes through it, as a kid but it wasn’t until a weaving class at the University of Washington (where he was studying interior design) in the early 1960s that he first used it artistically—he wove small pieces of glass into tapestries, of all things. A few years later, inspired by a poster on his wall depicting a glassblower with its cheeks puffed up, Chihuly gave the medium that has made him famous a try. He melted some glass in an oven and blew a bubble. The rest, as the say, is history.

Well, it wasn’t quite that easy. There was a stint as a commercial fisherman in Alaska to raise money for grad school, earning two Master’s degrees (one in sculpture, one in fine arts), and a scholarship to work at a glass factory on the Venetian island of Murano, where he first observed the team approach to blowing glass. 

That is the way Chihuly works now, following a serious car accident in England in 1976 left him blind in his left eye and lacking depth perception. (He is sometimes referred to as a pirate because of his wild hair and black eye patch.) After the accident, Chihuly stopped blowing the glass himself and started directing his team.

“Glass is very durable, but it’s also fragile and can break at any moment. I’ve always tried to push the medium as far as I could in terms of shape and scale. It is a challenge to see how big we can blow and stretch the material.” -Chihuly, on the challenges of working with his primary medium

Today, Chihuly's work is included in more than 200 museum collections worldwide. I was first introduced to the colorful, wonderful world of Chihuly as a college student, when Pepperdine University’s small on-campus art house, the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art, exhibited—incredibly—some of the international artist’s pieces.

When I stayed at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas years ago I witnessed his work again, giddily pointing up at the massive ceiling installation and whisper-shouting at my then-boyfriend, “that’s Chihuly!” as we walked through the lobby. So when I found out there was a permanent Chihuly exhibition here in St. Petersburg, I knew I had to go.

Marked at the entrance by a 20-foot crimson sculpture (Rose Crystal Tower) created specifically for the St. Pete location, the Chihuly Collection is stunning inside, of course, and not just for the art. The 10,000-square-foot space was thoughtfully designed so that the art and architecture would work together, and that fact, coupled with the lighting, makes quite the showcase for the small-scale works and the large, complex, multi-component glass sculptures like Ruby Red Icicle Chandelier.

“Surround yourself with artists and see as much art as possible. Go with your gut and create something that nobody has ever seen before.” -Chihuly’s advice for aspiring artists

With my humble iPhone camera I did my best to capture Chihuly’s creations in all their color and beauty (you’ll see why the man says he’s never met a hue he didn’t like) but I highly recommend visiting an exhibition if you ever have the chance. It is truly incredible getting up-close-and-personal with these unique works, especially when you think about all the time, energy and vision it took to forge each one.

Now, let’s go on a journey through the Chihuly Collection (with the opening act of “Tidal,” a complementary mini exhibition of sea-inspired glass sculptures by Kait Rhoads)…

Weekend Recap : Saturday Morning Market

This weekend the hubs and I were pretty productive in terms of crossing items off my list of fun to-do's, also known as my fall bucket list. We finally visited The Chihuly Collection (but more on that later). And we picked up the ingredients necessary to make a simple apple tart, though Sunday ended up being dedicated to football, of course, and barbecue: We turned our leftover Thanksgiving cranberry sauce into a BBQ glaze (loosely following this recipe) and slow-cooked a pork shoulder for eight hours to make pulled pork sliders. So, the tart didn't get made—yet.

But we did make it out to St. Pete's Saturday Morning Market. It took some time and patience to get there—turns out there were a lot of other events happening in downtown St. Petersburg this past Saturday, including a boat show, the annual Santa Parade and Snowfest—but we eventually made our way through the congested city streets and parked with still plenty of time to browse the weekly market.

Today is all gray skies and sprinkles, but Saturday was a gorgeous, sunny fall day; a perfect day to walk around the outdoor bazaar filled with farm-fresh produce, ready-to-eat and take-home treats, handmade artisan goods and wares, and much more. We picked up some gourmet dry pasta (rosemary garlic linguine), homemade dog treats, and dried herb seasonings that make delicious olive oil dips and rubs for meat. G ordered up some pad thai for lunch and, just before we left, we both got a fruit smoothie to cool down (pineapple-mango for me). 

Though we didn't buy any that day, I loved looking at all the beautiful produce. We look forward to going back in a week or two and doing some grocery shopping. Nothing better than fresh-picked fruits and veggies, don't you agree?

Here's a look at our trip around the market...

Miami Memories : Books & Bites on Lincoln Road

[ A colorful fountain at Lincoln Road Mall in Miami. ]

On our last day in Miami, after our morning walk along the beach, we headed over to Lincoln Road Mall to check out the stacks at Books & Books, considered the city's best bookstore, where we picked up Celebrity Cocktails, a large and chic Assouline volume, and the Penguin Drop Caps version of Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass". 

Once we had our fill of browsing luxury and unique titles, we walked around the outdoor "mall" that reminded this California girl a little bit of Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. I pulled my hubby into Anthropologie for a spell because I'm powerless to resist its charms, and then we decided it was time for lunch. 

While I had thought we'd grab a bite at the Cafe at Books & Books, G and I passed by a Cuban restaurant, Havana 1957, and felt it only appropriate that we have some Cuban cuisine while in Miami. The meal began with a silver pail piled high with thin and crispy plantain chips and we quickly ordered up two mojitos: Clasico for the hubs, Fresh Kiwi for me. I am not a big mojito fan since they typically have too much mint for my liking (I don't enjoy slurping up leaves-- a cocktail is for drinking, not for chewing!), but these ones were perfect. Light, refreshing, not too sweet and just the right amount of mint delicately muddled in the bottom of our glasses. 

We weren't sure what entrees to choose but, with the help of our server, finally settled on some meats: Masa de Puerco Frita (fried cubed pork topped with grilled onions, served with moro rice and boiled yuca with Cuban mojo) for me and Vaca Frita (grilled shredded beef with onions in Cuban mojo, served with white rice and black beans) for the hubs.

Even though we are back home in St. Pete, I've put it on my list to find a fabulous Cuban restaurant here in the Tampa Bay area. (I haven't done my research yet but I'm certain there has to be something good locally.) When in Rome, right? Well, "when in Florida..."

[ A room of luxury titles at Books & Books. ]

[ G browsing the stacks at Books & Books. ] 

[ Wall of lovely, wise quotes at Books & Books. ] 

[ So many books! Including volumes of Flordiana. ] 

[ My dress seemed to fit in with the colors in this room of books. ] 

[ Perfect mojitos at Havana 1957, where mojito-lovers have endless options. ] 

[ Scenes from a Cuban lunch at Havana 1957. ]