Newport Classics

August 5, 2011

Aside from the wonderful meals at Belle’s and Corner Café, here are some other highlights from Newport that I highly recommend if ever traveling through. We grabbed a late lunch at The Landing, and ended up staying there until sunset, which offered phenomenal views with an acoustic performance in the background and the bar becoming lively by evening. The Clarke Cooke House, also a popular destination, is just around the corner with four floors of various dining options. If you’re feeling ambitious, a stroll through the market at Aquidneck Lobster Co. provides plenty of options for a home-cooked meal, yet Barking Crab just up the road has delicious seafood prepared for you. As for drinks, it doesn’t get much better than Del’s Lemonade, a Rhode Island favorite, and their trucks are conveniently plotted around town for easy access.

If only I could go back again this weekend to do it all over again. Have a good one! x

Yellow tomatoes, feta cheese, asparagus and vinaigrette from The Landing

Salad at The Landing

Aquidneck Lobster Co.

Fresh fish at the Lobster Aquidneck Co.

Del's Lemonade

Spinach and artichoke dip at Barking Crab

Naked lobster roll at Barking Crab

Penne with chicken in a parmigiano cream reduction with mushrooms, tomato, basil, and toasted almonds at Clarke Cooke House

Corner Café

August 4, 2011

This cute little café a few blocks up from the harbor in Newport, Rhode Island is one of the best breakfast and lunch places in town. We were seated in the corner window table with pillows and paper lanterns, and browsed through travel magazines that they had out, being inspired on where to venture to next. We tried their quesadilla that had all my favorite foods wrapped into one– gorgonzola cheese, cranberries, turkey, bacon and avocado. For a taste of breakfast, their hash browns with seasoning were amazing with a fresh glass of their signature cleanser– cranberry, red raspberry and grape juice.

Quesadilla

Hashbrowns

Pig Roast

July 26, 2011

Although not the most beautiful looking food shots, pig roasts have become such a tradition in today’s food culture, I just had to post it. This past weekend, two wonderful friends of mine got married in Ellicottville in Western New York, and to keep the festivities going all weekend long, had a pig roast at the family camp Sunday afternoon. Other highlights included picnic favorites– the famous salt potatoes of Syracuse and steamed corn on the cob.

Preparing the pig

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with homemade BBQ sauce

Bartaco

July 22, 2011

When the sun is shining and the afternoon is young, Bartaco’s outdoor patio is a perfect option for lunch. Catching up with a friend, I enjoyed some tacos, a margarita and cheese quesadillas. Tucked against the river in Port Chester, NY, its part surf shack part Mexican vibe does just the trick to make you feel as though you’re on a beach holiday without a care in the world.

Have a great weekend! x

Pork Belly Taco

Bartaco Margarita

Chicken taco

Pool Party

July 20, 2011

Back in a New York state of mind, I recently had some girlfriends over for poolside entertaining at my parent’s house. While my dad took care of the sliders with mac & cheese, I had fun throwing together some dips and bruschetta from Wegman’s, a regional favorite supermarket here in the Northeast. I spread asiago cheese & artichoke dip on the pita and topped with tomatoes and fresh cucumber. And then just plain bruschetta on bread slices, followed by a taste of good old fashioned grape licorice.

Artichoke & Asiago Cheese Dip, Bruschetta, Pita bread and Cucumber

Grape Licorice & Grilled Pita Bread

Sliders with mac & cheese to go with the appetizers

Lunch in Bozeman

July 18, 2011

Bozeman was one of my favorite towns we visited in Montana. With its young and eccentric feel, it gave off a different vibe than the others– the perfect combination of western lifestyle with a hint of a trendsetting city. I heard good things about dining at Plonk Wine, so figured I would try it out for myself. While enjoying our salads, pizza and quiche, we admired the back garden filled with colorful flowers, paintings and sunshine.

Capri Salad

Pizza special of the day with steak and feta

Quiche

Cooke City

July 12, 2011

After spending a morning driving 11,000 ft above sea level through the winding roads of Beartooth Highway through Montana and Wyoming, we stopped for lunch in Cooke City. A tourist destination for those traveling to Yellowstone National Park, there’s nothing more than a few restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops, but it’s certainly full of character with a picture perfect backdrop.

Cooke City General Store

 

Chicken and tomato wrap from the Ore House Saloon at Soda Butte Lodge

 

Burger & Fries

 

The Juicy Lucy Burger stuffed with cheese and peppers

Homespun Foods

June 16, 2011

Gazing out my office window at the sunshine, I desperately want to rewind back to my relaxing weekend lunch in the back garden at Homespun Foods in Beacon.  A quaint little dining retreat in town, the staff was welcoming and the food produced locally including cage-free eggs from Feather Ridge Farm, grass-fed beef from Bittersweet Farm, Wallkill smoked salmon and Murray’s poultry. Top on my list was most likely the cheddar cheese sandwich with cranberry apple chutney, definitely easy enough to repeat at home, and the baba ganoosh had me going back for seconds as well.

Pita bread and dressing

Cheddar and Chutney Sandwich: sharp cheddar cheese with cranberry apple chutney

Mac & Cheese

Middle Eastern Platter: Hummus, baba ganoosh, tabouli, feta, olives, cucumbers and tomatoes with pita bread

Salad

Mac & Cheese with a colorful salad

Southampton IPA

Happy Memorial Day!

May 30, 2011

Wishing everyone a wonderful Memorial Day filled with plentiful barbecues, picnics, sunshine and relaxation.

Little Red Lighthouse and some grilled vegetables

Four cheese toropitas

Olive and rosemary crisps

Mini hotdogs

Lunch at Bergdorf’s

May 16, 2011

After spending a day shopping around Manhattan with out of town friends, a little lunch break at Bergdorf’s Bar 5F was the perfect remedy.

Lobster salad wrap with avocado, bacon and mixed greens

Smoked turkey wrap