Showing posts with label favorites. Show all posts
Showing posts with label favorites. Show all posts

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Favorites: The New England Soup Factory

On Sunday mornings, Guinness and I like to watch The Phantom Gourmet. The Phantom Gourment is a local foodie type show that reviews restaurants in the Greater Boston/Providence area. Basically, it's just a hour of straight advertisement and I don't believe it for a second. The film work is great though, it makes the food look soooo good. Even though I don't believe that any of the reviews are at all genuine (come on...most of the commercials are for the same restaurants they are reviewing....seriously) I find myself sucked in every week, and even sad if I forget to watch.

A few weeks ago there was a review of a soup restaurant in Newton called "The New England Soup Factory". I don't think I've had much for cravings so far in this pregnancy. When I say craving, I mean like TV sitcom cravings. I haven't wanted to get ice cream with pickles on top, or like my work-study boss in college, pasta with ketchup instead of sauce. The closest I've had to a "craving" is that I want to eat soup ALL THE TIME! Honestly, I'm not sure how different this is to my normal, non pregnant life. I really am a lover of soup.

The soup on this segment looked absolutely AMAZING and I wanted it immediately. I yelled to Hubs to come and look at the TV (he was in the kitchen), and asked if we could go get it for lunch. His response was "I am NOT going to Newton for SOUP!" In his defense, it was snowing out, but, that soup just looked amazing. I got over my disappointment and life went on.

A few days later, I was making plans to meet for dinner with some of my friends from my last job. They suggested going to The New England Soup Factory. I was pumped! That night I got the Tomato Cheddar Jalapeno soup and chicken curry salad sandwich. Both were superb. Don't they look delicious (yup...I take pictures of my food):



I ordered the same thing for Hubs on the way out and took it to go. He absolutely devoured it when I brought it home.

Since then we've "gone to Newton for soup" quite a few times. The Phantom Gourmet was absolutely right on this one :)

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Favorites: Guinness

Sometimes, when I really stop to think about it, the last few weeks of my life, really the entire month of July, has been like walking through a tornado (figuratively speaking of course). I can't say that July has been my best month ever. There's been a lot of drama and anxiety, and sadly a few too many tears. Yesterday, one of my co-workers, the only one that is even close to my age, gave his notice. There's only four people in my department. It really didn't help to raise the mood level of the month.

This morning, when I was thinking about what I was going to write about in the blog today, I was just coming up with blanks. I've been doing tons of thinking about sewing, but haven't actually sewed anything for a bit. I'm planning for a big craft marathon this weekend:) Once I got to work, I got a little frustrated and decided to write a blog article about my pet peeves. The first one, and the impetus for the entire article, was going to be when you are in a room and people talk about you like you aren't there. Boy, does that make me wild with anger. After a few minutes, when I cooled down, it just seemed a little too negative of a topic, for a place that I try to keep negativity free. I asked Hubby what I should write about. He said to write another favorites article.

I figured it was a good idea, maybe it would even get me in the positive thinking mood. I thought to myself, what favorite should I write about? During my gym shower I started to think about topics for the favorites article. Maybe I should write about running. I do love running, but this week I've been less than stellar, so I decided to wait. I thought maybe I'd write about ice cream on a cone with jimmies, my perennial favorite summer treat. I've already wrote about ice cream though, so I tossed that idea too. Then I thought "wonder what Guinness is doing at home now"....and struck gold. Guinness!! I had found my article topic! Enlightenment....




Guinness is mine and Hubby's miniature dachshund. To be honest, he's our baby, though most of the world sees him as a dog. I am obsessed with Guinness. He is really the man, and he just brings me so much happiness. Guinness came into our lives 4 years ago, basically right after we got engaged. We had been talking about getting a dog for a long time, and settled on a dachshund because they were perfectly sized for an apartment. Hubby heard that there were a bunch of daschaunds down at the MSPCA in Brockton, so we decided to break into our vacation money and go see about getting a dog.




Hubs went down to the MSPCA while I was working with his mom and sister. There were a bunch of little wiener doggies at the pound, but he fell in love with a tiny black and tan one called Russell. The dog totally didn't know his name yet, and I had always wanted to name my dog Guinness. It was decided, the tiny black and tan doggie was bought, booked for a neutering, and his name changed to Guinness. Hubs and I were the proud parents of a "long little doggie"!




Guinness was so quiet, skinny and scared for the first few months we had him. He had been rescued from a puppy mill, and wasn't treated very well for the first two years of his life. He warmed up to us, and as we found out a little later, became very protective of us and nervous when we weren't around. Because of the nervousness and aggressiveness our little Guinness has been a student at The Pawsitive Dog obedience school in Roxbury for the last three years. It's been expensive.....but it's so been worth it. He's such a calmer dog now.




I honestly, could talk about Guinness for hours. When Hubs and I are at home we have a voice for the dog, and we pretend he's talking to us. He's quite a little character. During the election he was a staunch Obama supporter devising his own rawhide based economics plan (doggie economics) which fueled his desire to vote democratic. Basically, our friends think we are crazy.




Maybe I am crazy, but I swear the dog knows what I'm saying. If he could talk, for real, I know he'd say he's wildly in love with hubs and I. Guins the man. He really is. I just love him to death. And I don't think anyone could argue that the best thing in the world is coming home to someone who loves you unconditionally.....even if that person is a dog (and sits two inches from the ground).


Friday, June 18, 2010

Favorites : Ice Cream



Summer, for me, means ice cream.  When I was little my parents would pile us into the car on a warm summer's evening and drive us over the the Dairy Joy for a treat.  This was my favorite.  I would usually get a vanilla soft serve in a cone (always in a cone) with rainbow jimmies (in Maine they are ALL called jimmies, not just the chocolate ones). When I got older, I moved on to the blizzard like treats (until self consciousness and lactose intolerance stopped me from eating those).
Sometimes, and this was really the best, if it was really really hot, my mom wouldn't want to make dinner.  Instead we would have ice cream sundaes.  Ice Cream for dinner was the best (probably most unhealthy) creation my parents ever made.  I've been trying to work this into my marriage/live in relationship for about the past six years.  I was horribly unsuccessful until earlier this year.  I'd had a terrible day at work, and hubby was trying to cheer me up. He suggested ice cream for dinner....it worked, and he was (as I knew he would be)  instantly hooked.  Ice cream for dinner is a bad habit that I hope to pass on to my children.  It may not be "healthy" but it's oh so very good.
I digress.  Due to my love of ice cream Hubby and I always have a carton in the house.  Honestly, it doesn't last too long.  We like to round out our evenings with a scoop or two of ice cream.  Why not right?  We usually buy light ice cream, so that makes it healthy.  I know this isn't true deep down, but don't really care to accept it.   The flavor of the moment is Edy's Slow Churned Limited Edition Smores.  We have to buy another carton tonight, because it's limited.  We must eat as much of it as possible before it runs out. 
I know some of you are thinking, aren't you trying to be healthy and lose weight.  Yes, and I feel that the ice cream may be what is making all of this harder.  But, I have to ask myself, is a life without ice cream a life worth living?  I keep coming up with the same answer. No....not really.  Ice cream stays.  I'll just cut out other foods. Or run more.... 

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Favorites: Boston Common Coffee Company


I thought it might be fun to share a few of my favorite places/things around Boston with you. For the premier entry I decided to go with, my one true love (besides Hubby of course) COFFEE!!  There are lots of places around town to get coffee, especially with how here is a Dunks or a starbucks on basically every corner. I do love Dunks, don't get me wrong, but it just can't compare to the small coffee house atmosphere. Starbucks, sorry you can't either.

So, if you're in Boston and you need a coffee go to Boston Common Coffee Company. It's soooo good. There is food too, great sandwiches salads and treats. You can't beat the brewed fresh, made here and not in a warehouse in Rhode Island taste.

Second favorite coffee: Coffee Break Cafe. 3 locations in Quincy. 1 in Braintree.

I swear I'm not getting paid (though hubby and I have spent a substantial sum in either place since moving in together five years ago)  I am just really serious about my coffee.
 

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