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?

Sparkle & Pop : Look-at-Me Party Pieces

Agean Sea Beaded Cluster Necklace // Chelsea Crew Lola Peep Toe Pumps // Elyza Lace Striped Dress

One of the perks of being a maid of honor and planning fabulous parties for your best friend/bride-to-be is the excuse to go shopping. Because clearly I need a new outfit for the bridal shower, the bachelorette, the rehearsal dinner... (I already know what I'm wearing to the wedding!) Of course my husband would take one look at my closet and completely disagree with that theory and he might have a point but this dress-aholic (yes, it is a mostly dress-specific problem I have) finds a way to ignore him.

So the other day, I took a break from my MOH planning duties to do a little online window shopping. At first I was on the hunt for a new black dress for the bachelorette, since the "theme" for our big night out on the town—drinks, dinner, dancing—is "bling it on." The bride's ladies will be wearing black dresses with sparkling accessories. But finding a LBD that excites me enough to open my wallet—me, the one who is drawn to COLOR! PRINTS! FLORALS! as well as boho styles that don't quite fit the gone-clubbing aesthetic—proved difficult.

But when I saw the chic, black-and-white striped number at Francesca's I knew it would be perfect for the bridal shower. Now, I'm still keeping the theme for the shower a secret (just in case the bride spies this post) but I'm sure many of you can put these party pieces together and figure it out. In addition to the glitzy, golden peep toe pumps and the bright blue, almost confetti-like statement necklace, I'm planning on adding a hot pink belt to the ensemble. Or, perhaps I'll just tie a raspberry-hued grosgrain ribbon around my waist. Effective and affordable. (My hubby would approve.)

Since I'm a coupon googling master, I was able to find a 20% off code and score the above outfit for less than $100. Nevertheless, I know I can't drop a C-note on a new outfit for every party, so (hubs, are you listening?) I've resigned myself to making a black dress I already have hanging in my closet work for the bachelorette. The frock has tiny gold stitching throughout so it would fit the bling theme perfectly. Plus, now I have a pair of gold heels for the occasion.

But, of course, I am feeling like I need a little more glitz and glamour. (My jewelry box is more about color than sparkle.) These beauties from Anthropologie would definitely fit the bill. A girl can dream, right?

Labradorite Shimmer Round Ring // Rio Jeweled Drops // Lacespark Bib Necklace

Girls' Night Out : Anise Global Gastrobar

Last night, Jen (of Letters & Pearls) and I left our handsome hubbies at home and met up in Tampa for a girls' dinner. A much-needed one, at that! It had been so long since I had some quality girl time... In fact, the only real one-on-one I've had with a friend here in St. Pete was when Jen and I first met, face-to-face, for a quick coffee date at the Oxford Exchange. So it was lovely to get together once again and have real talk. You know the kind: When you have a friend that you are so comfortable with that you just talk about anything and everything and the evening goes on for hours.. and before you know it, you've been at a restaurant for almost four hours! That was us last night. Even though we've only known each other a couple months, Jen and I just seemed to click instantly, and I'm so grateful that we were able to find each other through this crazy blogging world. Sometimes it's nice to get out of the house, leave your man and dogs behind, and enjoy the uplifting energy of a girl who just gets it.

Since she lives in Tampa and I'm in St. Pete, we had the task of figuring out on which side of the bridge to go to dinner. A bartender at one of G and I's fave St. Petersburg restaurants, BellaBrava, had previously recommended to us her other workplace, Anise Global Gastrobar. The hubs and I had actually walked by it when we were at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park for Oktoberfest, so I remembered peering in and thinking it looked like a cute place, and the perfect spot for a friend date. Unfortunately, I'm not terribly knowledgable about the Tampa food scene, so it was my one and only recommendation. But it worked out! Jen is currently on a vegan challenge, and Anise's tapas-style menu offers several vegan-friendly options.

We both started with a glass of Sangre The Blackbird, a refreshing, not-too-sweet white sangria made with blackberry, peach and elderflower. The cocktail's pretty hue perfectly matched the pink flowers on the table. As they say, on Wednesdays we wear drink pink! (OK, so maybe that's not a thing but it should be.) Jen and I then shared a basked of truffled tater tots with lemon parsley crème fraiche and an order of fried zucchini with crispy garlic "stinky bunz" (a kind-of Asian-style slider, for which Anise is known, from the restaurant's food truck days). 

The tots were delicious, of course, because, well, they are little golden nuggets of crispy fried potato, so how could they not be? And the buns lived up to their hype. We've already decided we need to return to try all the flavors (pork belly included). I'm pretty sure anything stuffed into those airy, pillowy bread buns would be good. I would have never thought to put a slab of fried zucchini in a sandwich but that's just was Anise did and I loved it.

Finally, for our entrées, Jen chose the Jap Chae noodle bowl, filled with gluten free noodles, sautéed veggies, tofu and sesame seeds while I decided to go light and fresh with the roasted beet and arugula salad with toasted pine nuts and a grapefruit vinaigrette (I held the goat cheese). All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. I just wish I had saved room for dessert! The deep fried sweet bunz, one with strawberries and nutella and another with bananas and a crispy cookie spread, sound out of this world amazing.

Good thing there's always a next time. And I know I'll have good company.

P.S. Many thanks to Jen for taking far better photos of our meal than I did! Stole a few for the above collage :)

Wedding Wednesdays : Confessions of a Maid of Honor

Lately, I have weddings on the brain. Not my own; my bestie's. I'm the maid of honor. (Technically, matron of honor, but no one better dare call me that!) The last six months or so, despite being 3,000 miles apart, I have been working hard to be the BEST best-friend-of-the-bride I can be. Which means I am part cheerleader, part counselor, part confidant. I listen, I advise, I encourage. As anyone who has planned a wedding knows, it is an incredibly stressful time, draining physically, mentally and emotionally. Weddings bring up all the feelings, good and bad. So I've been trying to help her navigate those sometimes rocky waters while also always being at least emotionally available (a phone call, text or email away) as her life boat, her life preserver, when the waves of planning, researching, budgeting, and overall decision-making get too much to withstand. While planning my wedding last year, I too, for different but likewise difficult reasons and circumstances, was often overcome by stress and sadness that seemed to push me to the brink. Marielle was there for me. It's my turn to be there for her.

At the same time, I've been trying to uphold my end of the party planning. I am throwing her bridal shower and organizing the bachelorette. Rough plans, ideas, themes have been in the works for months but the actual planning has intensified these last eight weeks as I try to coordinate with the bride, the bridesmaids and other party guests. The bachelorette—a long weekend in San Diego, kicked off with a day of wine tasting in Temecula—is finally booked as of Monday. Other than ordering some fun bachelorette shirts and making restaurant reservations, that party is done, planned. Now I can turn my attention back to the bridal shower, for which I have a venue, a (secret!) theme, some supplies and decor purchased, a general idea of the day's menu, and assignments out to the bridesmaids who are itching to contribute. My primary to-do at this point is to assemble, address and send out the beautiful invitations I ordered. (I promise I'll share all about the shower at some point, I just don't want to spoil the surprise!)

So just like when I was a bride planning my own wedding, being a maid of honor is both fun and hard. I'm excited and exhausted. But also like with my wedding, the thing that makes all the to-do lists and late nights worth it is LOVE. I love my best friend (of 22 years!) and even though she has learned and felt the truth that I discovered a year ago—that planning a wedding can, more often than not, suck the joy out of what society insists should be the happiest time in a young woman's life—I want to give her at least a few truly joyful days where she doesn't think about the stresses of planning, the decisions left to make, how she and her fiancé are going to pay for everything. My dear friend, the bride, deserves days where she just feels filled with happiness, celebrated by the people who love and support her.

Even though it's not always the case, that's what a wedding should be about.

(Photos by heidi-o-photo, bottom image of 
my bestie/MOH toasting G and I at our wedding)

Winter/Spring Bucket List

Happy Monday, world! After being mostly MIA last week (due to too many open tabs) I'm back and mostly ready for action. This weekend was more low-key than others we've had, but it was nice to just chill at home. Saturday was spent cleaning and organizing, but we did venture out of the house when we got a last-minute invite to hang with friends, make s'mores and drink spiked hot chocolate. Sunday started with an amazing homemade brunch (complete with Bloody Marys!) cooked up by the hubs, and the rest of the day was spent watching football, researching places to eat during my bestie's upcoming bachelorette party, and live tweeting the Golden Globes red carpet fashion (my fave part of awards show season!), for which the hubs again exercised his drink-making prowess by whipping up a martini for me and a margarita for him.

Now that we're almost two weeks into the new year, it got me thinking about how we don't have all that much time left here in St. Pete. I'll be flying back to California (yay!) in mid-February to fulfill my maid of honor duties, G will join me a few weeks later for my bestie's wedding plus another, and we'll be staying a few days after the wedding festivities are over, through my 30th birthday at the end of March. So once we get back to Florida we will just have April and May before it's time to pack up and move north, to Jersey.

With all that in mind, I thought I should compose another bucket list of fun to-dos I hope to accomplish before leaving this (other, east coast) land of perpetual sunshine, where people vacation but we (currently) are lucky to live.

1. Browse the vintage and vintage-inspired treasures at St. Pete's monthly Brocante Market (which my friend Jen of Letters & Pearls just visited) and Rare Hues in Tampa (I learned of the latter this weekend after spying a friend's gorgeous and functional bar cart). We definitely don't have room in our apartment for me to go on a shopping spree, but it is almost just as fun to check out all the pretty, unique goods we are bound to find.

2. Soak up more of Tampa Bay's art and culture scene. Get lost in the surrealist works at The Dali, wander through "Monet to Matisse" and the photographic exhibition "Life's A Beach" at the Museum of Fine Arts and relish more of my favorite medium at the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts. This was on my fall bucket list, too, but we've only managed to visit the Chihuly Collection.

3. Admire the architecture and the American craft artwork housed inside the Craftsman House. We've strolled by this bungalow several times but I never realized it was public gallery, pottery studio and cafe. As someone who adores the details and character in craftsman style homes, I just thought it was the epitome of my dream house.

4. Shop and dine at St. Pete's new foodie haven, Locale Market, a gourmet, farm-to-table restaurant and curated marketplace brought to the Sundial shopping center by celebrity chefs Michael Mina and Don Pintabona.

5. Explore St. Petersburg's EDGE District. (The next "Third Thursdays in the EDGE" market is happening Jan. 15.) We've been to the main downtown corridor plenty, but we haven't spent much time in the fringe district along Central Avenue, which is filled with unique boutiques, galleries, eateries and bars. I especially want to try Bodega, a highly-rated spot for Cuban food. The Lechon sandwich sounds delish.

6. Attend and support another market celebrating local businesses and handmade goods: Localtopia 2015! The free event happening Feb. 7 will feature tons of indie artists and makers, a craft beer garden and food court, live music and more. The event is hosted by Keep St. Petersburg Local, the same live-local advocacy group that put on the Localicious beer-focused farmer's market we attended in October.

7. Book a staycation at St. Pete's luxury waterfront hotel, the Vinoy Renaissance Resort (to celebrate our one-year wedding anniversary, maybe?). At the very least, G and I should grab a tropical drink on the pink hotel's front porch since I've heard it is the best place for people-watching, with the added perk of having a stellar view of the bay.

Now, if the hubby was contributing to this list, he'd add the following: take in a sporting event—hockey preferably, but baseball would work, too. (We did catch a Buccaneers football game already.)

That's it! What's on your bucket list, currently? 

(Top image of a recent sunset over Tampa Bay seen from the Gandy Bridge, 

bottom image taken while strolling the waterfront in downtown St. Pete)

Too Many Tabs Open

This print totally sums up both my brain and my computer this week. 

My laptop, literally, has had an unmanageable, headache-inducing amount of tabs open the past few days as I try to finalize the plans (and all the little details) concerning my best friend's bridal shower and bachelorette party, happening next month in Southern California. I can't wait to share all about these parties but for now some of it is top secret! I can tell you we'll be having her final fling before the ring in sunny San Diego, with a day of wine tasting in Temecula. And! I just got the shower invitations delivered to my doorstep minutes ago and they look amazing. So, all in all, exciting stuff, but there's still lots to do and plan and book. I was up on the phone with the bride-to-be until the wee hours of the morning last night and my cup of hazelnut coffee just isn't enough to remedy having only five hours of sleep.

Second, my brain has been swirling with my own personal to-dos, from the mundane (do the laundry, clean the dishes, schedule doctor appointments and vet visits) to the meaningful (planning for 2015, setting goals, being bold and taking action).

Yes, too many tabs open indeed. So off I go to start closing some... Just gotta breathe, exhale, focus. And get 'er done.

Do you feel like your to-do lists are miles long, too? What tabs are lingering open in your brain?

(Art print by A Pair of Pears)

Meatless Mondays : Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce

All the sweets, carbs and booze of the holiday season have left me feeling weighed down, in more ways than one. Yes, my jeans are fitting a bit tighter than I'd like (eek!) but I just feel sluggish overall, like I need to hit the reset button on my body—and my habits. But it's near impossible to resist the urge to pour another glass of wine, or reach for cookies, candy, chocolate, all of the above, when you've been giving into that urge for weeks now, all in the name of celebration.

That's why the hubs and I have decided to focus, once again, on eating more healthfully, like we were before our wedding last May. Post-wedding, circumstances practically pushed us into poor eating habits: We honeymooned (lots of dining out). We made a big move, and had to drive across the country to get there (hello, fast food). We wanted to explore our new city (and one of our favorite pastimes is visiting new restaurants). And then we were a little lonely (cue emotional eating). Yep, we gave ourselves plenty of reasons to eat, drink and be merry. The holidays were literal icing on the cake—not to mention a more socially acceptable excuse to indulge.

Starting a new diet or exercise plan and losing weight is a top New Year's resolution for many, so G and I are in good company. But, to be successful, you have to be reasonable with yourself. Going to extremes might get fast results but it is not sustainable long term. Healthy living is a lifestyle so, as with anything, you've gotta cut yourself a little slack to keep from going insane. To that end, we're planning to cut back on eating out, to enjoy wine and cocktails in moderation just three days a week, to get our butts into the gym and ... to eat more vegetables. Which leads me to today's post.

I'm sure you've heard of "Meatless Mondays"—there's a whole website dedicated to it!—but when I proposed the idea to my hubby, he gave me a look and a smirk. "I'm not making it up," I exclaimed with a laugh. "It's a thing." I told him it would be good for us to commit one day a week to eating just fruits, veggies and whole grains. We're not big meat eaters, it's mostly fish and chicken in our house, but nevertheless. More veggies is always a good thing. To inspire our cooking, I picked up what is veritably one of the best all-veg cookbooks on the market: "Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London's Ottolenghi."

Tonight, our first Meatless Monday, we will be making the dish that so beautifully graces the cover of Yotam Ottolenghi's critically-acclaimed vegetarian-friendly tome: Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce. We stopped by St. Pete's Saturday Morning Market this weekend and picked up two gorgeous eggplants for the occasion. While I have no idea how it will all turn out, the recipe looks and sounds mighty delicious, so I'd love to invite you to cook along with us! I'll post our results on Instagram.

Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce

Recipe from "Plenty" by Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves 4 as a starter or side, or as a light meal when accompanied by crusty white bread or pita

Ingredients

2 large and long eggplants

1/3 cup olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoon lemon thyme leaves, plus a few whole sprigs to garnish

Maldon sea salt and black pepper

1 pomegranate (handy how-to video on getting the seeds out)

1 teaspoon za'atar (if you can't find this Middle Eastern spice blend, you can make it at home, traditionally with thyme or untraditionally with oregano; the trick then is finding sumac)

Sauce

9 tablespoons buttermilk (you can also make this yourself, with milk and lemon/vinegar!)

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, plus a drizzle to finish

1 small garlic clove, crushed

Pinch of salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, cutting straight through the green stalk (the stalk is for the look; don't eat it). Using a small sharp knife, make three or four parallel incisions in the cut side of each eggplant half, without cutting through to the skin. Repeat at a 45-degree angle to get a diamond-shaped (or crosshatch) pattern.

Place the eggplant halves, cut-side up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush them with olive oil—keep on brushing until all of the oil has been absorbed by the flesh. Sprinkle with the lemon thyme leaves and some salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, at which point the flesh should be soft, flavorful and nicely browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

While the eggplants are in the oven, seed the pomegranate. (You can use the cut-and-whack method, using a wooden spoon to beat the seeds out of a halved pomegranate, or you can use the cut-then-pull-apart-while-submerged method, shown in this tutorial, which promises less mess.) Once you have all the seeds removed, sift through to remove any bits of white skin or membrane.

To make the sauce, whisk together all of the ingredients. Taste for seasoning, then keep cold until needed.

To serve: Spoon plenty of buttermilk sauce over the eggplant halves without covering the stalks. Sprinkle za'atar and plenty of pomegranate seeds on top and garnish with lemon thyme. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

As always, if you give this recipe a try I'd love to hear your thoughts. Fingers crossed we can find za'atar, or at least sumac, at the store this afternoon. If you have any favorite vegetarian recipes, please share—we need all the Meatless Monday inspiration we can get!

(Top photo taken by me at the Saturday Morning Market, 

Plenty book image via Chronicle Books)