Wedding Planning: Copley Chamber Players

Can you believe that today is exactly one year from our wedding day?  Bret and I got engaged in May of 2010 and we purposely chose a wedding date far in advance so that we would have plenty of time to plan our wedding without adding a lot of stress to our lives.  But time has flown by quickly and we have a lot of wedding planning to do!

We've knocked some major items off our "to do" list, including picking a venue (which includes the caterer), purchasing a wedding dress, and securing a photographer.  Just yesterday, we crossed another item off our list - our ceremony and cocktail hour music.  My future mother-in-law graciously had Copley Chamber Players send us over their demo CD for us to listen to.  Bret's sister used Copley Chamber Players at her wedding and her entire family loved them!  Bret and I listened to the CD on the way to Amherst a few weeks ago and we loved the violin, viola and cello arrangement.  Since I have been incredibly busy lately, I was very grateful when my future mother-in-law took care of all the details to book the Copley Chamber Players for our wedding!

Next, we're onto booking a DJ for the reception.  I'd love to hear your wedding DJ suggestions!

Madrid | Eat Like a Local

Our time spent eating out in Madrid was defined by humble tapas bars as opposed to high end dining rooms. Before departing we were fortunate enough to receive restaurant recommendations from a co-workers niece who resides in the city. Having a locals insight was one of the most helpful aspects as far as exploring from a culinary standpoint goes, and we could not have been more appreciative. This post details the three of my favorite spots we might never have stumbled upon otherwise; which I am highly inclined to recommend to future travelers.

We visited the taberna lined Calle Cava Baja on more than one occasion, this popular curvy street that lies just south of Plaza Mayor in the La Latina neighborhood quickly became one of my favorites.
I read that it actually has the highest number of bars per square meter in of all Madrid; no wonder I was a fan! The area looks to offer a solid mix of both traditional and modern tapas and cuisine.

The rustic yet sophisticated Taberna Tempranillo for dinner is an excellent place to start. 

We felt immediately welcome, greeted by both the bartender and the waiter when we entered the cozy, semi-crowded tapas bar. We were seated right away at a table for two in an earth toned atmosphere of exposed brick and weathered wooden beams. Trendy low hanging light fixtures highlight the bar backed by an impressive wall of vinos españoles. It seemed we had just dodged the real crowd, as more clientele poured in and the bar grew three people deep, many onlookers waiting for a table - a sure sign we were steered to a quality spot! Adam and I discovered early on that usually three tapas plates (after the bread and complimentary olives, of course) were enough to fill us up. Especially when we're ordering Placa de Quesos like this one. A medley of the finest Spanish cheese varying in firmness, texture and taste, graced our palates. I wish I could remember the names, but this was a month ago now and our waiter spoke limited English. I can tell you that all of them were excellent. We also filled our bellies for what was sure to be a late night out on the town with Codorniz with salmorejo - which is grilled quail with a tomato and garlic spread on baguette slices. I loved this simple preparation with quality ingredients. And since this was one of our first meals in Spain, we couldn't pass up the coveted Jamón ibérico - deliciously tender cured ham which comes from free-range black Iberian pigs. The jamon was nicely complimented by toasted baguette slices and a generous drizzle of olive oil.

Another visit to the beloved Cava Baja saw is in for an afternoon delight at Casa Lucas. The modern airy space was home to a lively crowd of regulars and maintained a minimal yet tasteful decor. Most of the patrons were larger groups convened at tables, so we lucked out with two stools at the small bar. The male duo behind the bar were not overly attentive but still pleasant, they seemed eager to please a string of familiar faces that swept in and out, some with young children even. Adam sipped on Mahou (the official beer of Madrid) while I enjoyed a copa de cava. In addition to a bowl of small olives and some thick slices of jamon over toasted bread, we snacked on a Pinchos Frios (cold tapas) and a Pinchos Calientes (hot tapas) each. The Junilla consisting of pastel de espsinacias y puerros con gambas or a spinach and leek pie with roasted red pepper and shrimp, was a distinctive and flavorful preparation. I didn't know what to make of the square "pie" of spinach and leek at first, but I definitely enjoyed the interpretation lending a soft and velvety texture. I only wished the shrimp was a little more substantial. The Alella pollo en salsa de soja con cebolla morada y mousse de maiz con aceite de sesamo or chicken with soy sauce, purple onion, corn mousse and sesame oil was a standout. A decent sized piece of juicy chicken intermingled with complimentary soy and sesame flavors, and that subtly sweet corn mousse was innovative and enticing. Casa Lucas was one of those situations where I felt like we were forced to get comfortable with the uncomfortable, in the sense that we were unfamiliar faces in a neighborhood haunt. The staff isn't going to hold your hand, but they are going to serve you some remarkably unique tapas. Another fantastic neighborhood to dine out is the Barrio Malasaña located at the metro stop Tribunal. La Dominga on Calle Espiritu Santo was actually our first meal in Madrid, and easily one of the most memorable of the trip. Beautiful Spanish dishes are served in an ideal atmosphere by a friendly and attentive waitstaff. They have a great selection of wine, I enjoyed a glass of Rioja Blanco.We got a kick out of the snifter the size of my head containing Adam's go to drink - Dewars on the Rocks. Side note - Dewars is known as White Label and only White Label in Spain (and elsewhere in Europe too - a British couple we met had no idea what Dewars was, but "ohhhh while label, yea we know that!") Light bulb moment! No wonder bartenders have no idea what Adam's been ordering unless he points it out on the shelf. Thank goodness we cleared that one up. We were served a tasty shooter of gazpacho before some of the most attractive looking plates of food I've ever seen came out of the kitchen. Adam raved the entire trip about his Carrilleras de Iberico al vino tinto which are Iberian pork cheeks in red wine. Simply unparalleled, these were tender, succulent and fully coated in a rich red wine sauce with side of the smoothest, creamiest potatoes bathing in a bright green herbal emulsion. I was just as enamored with my Canelones crujientes de confit de pato y setas acompanado de chutney de mango or Crispy confit of duck and mushroom cannelloni with mango chutney. The preparation of the duck meat encased in a slender flaky shell was remarkable, its flavor profiles complimented by both a light, clean salad of fresh greens and cherry tomatoes and a heavenly mango chutney. La Dominga felt like the epitome of a local secret, exuding laid back charm with just a touch of hip minus any pretentions, I'd most certainly frequent this restaurant if I lived in Madrid. In fact, I'd frequent all three of these delicious destinations. Food (and wine!) this good is worthy of seconds.

Lunch At Blue Inc.

Way back at the beginning of September on the Friday before Labor Day, Daisy and I met for a final summer lunch. It was her last day of having Fridays off for the summer and my last day of having half-day Fridays, so we knew we'd have to pick a momentous place. Since neither of us had been yet, we decided on Jason Santos' Blue Inc. Santos is easily recognized by his blue hair. You may have even seen him on Hell's Kitchen. At Blue Inc. he combines Asian, French, and American influences, as well as surprises diners with whimsical touches like liquid nitrogen. 

We started our lunch with cocktails. I went with the "Anorexic Model," not because of the name but because of the ingredients: Pierre Ferrand cognac, lychee bubbles, St-Germain, twiggy & berries. The drink was refreshing, and I loved the use of champagne grapes as "berries."

Confronted with so many choices, we thought the best way to tackle the menu would be to order a few things to share. First up, lobster tacos. The thick, crisp taco shells came filled with mayonnaise-dressed lobster chunks, bits of mango, red onion, cilantro, and lime. We both enjoyed the mango and wished there was more of it. The lobster would have been better without the mayo, but I still liked the tacos overall.

The black truffle and gouda tater tots (hiding on the "sides" menu) called out to both of us immediately. Unfortunately, they sound better than they actually are. A small chunk of gouda was embedded in each tot, and I wondered why the gouda wasn't stirred into the potatoes and dispersed throughout the tots. Other than that, the tots were crisp and salty, and as you can see, there were generous shavings of black truffle on top.

Sticking with the black truffle theme, we ordered the Hell's Kitchen wedge, which came with red grapes, candied walnuts, crumbled goat cheese, and black truffle vinaigrette. The salad was a bit weak, as was the black truffle vinaigrette. I think this salad could have been really great had it started with a better chunk of iceberg lettuce, had a few more ingredients, and had a more flavorful dressing. Maybe we should have tried the old school wedge instead.

We were intrigued by the half dozen mini Kobe corn dogs and decided to give them a try. For some reason, I thought the dog part of the corn dog would be mini as well, but we bit into the onion-and-cheese-batter to find chunks of full-size hot dogs. I would have liked a little thicker batter and a little less dog, but these were still interesting. Also, they are grease bombs, and six of them for two people is way too many. I'd suggest ordering them with a bigger a group. The dogs came with a trio of dipping sauces including a homemade ketchup, honey mustard, and a spicy sauce.

Up until this point, I hadn't had any dishes that really wowed me. They were good, they had interesting concepts, but I could see areas where all of them could improve.

Rather than end on a blah note, we split a root beer and toasted marshmallow milkshake. They actually split the milkshake into two glasses for us, and both of our glasses arrived with liquid nitrogen pouring out (and when our waitress saw that we wanted to take pictures, she added a little more for us). The milkshake was frozen--so much so that I could pick the glass up by the straws. It was kind of cool. We had to use the straws to kind of break into the milkshake to find the less frozen parts below. The flavor was really good, and I'm glad we ended our lunch with this sweet treat.

And with the bill came another sweet treat: a lollipop for each of us to take home.

All in all, I had a nice visit with Daisy, great service, and some interesting dishes.

Have you been to Blue Inc.? What did you think?

Zen - My favorite sushi place...

I have been looking for a good go-to sushi place since I moved to Boston.  After trying a few places in Chinatown, Watertown, and in Beacon Hill (Ma Soba) I was still left wanting - that is until I went to Zen Sushi Bar on top of the Hill right next to the State House.  Prior to actually going there, I had walked by numerous times without giving it a second thought until a co-worker suggested it was worth trying.  Nick and I figured "why not?", and thank goodness we did because it was some of the best sushi in town.

After craving sushi for awhile Nick and I decided to head up to this new favorite spot for a little dinner.  Lucky for us it was still warm enough that we were able to sit out on the patio and enjoy some of the last days of summer.  In sticking with the Japanese theme, we of course went with some BIG Asian beers: a Kirin and a Sapporo.

Big Beers

To begin the massive order - I always want to sample a ton and my eyes are bigger than my stomach (luckily Nick does not judge, he joins right in).  Nick went with the seaweed salad, one of his stand-bys.  On this evening it was just as fresh and delicious as always with a tasty sesame dressing.

Seaweed Salad

Having just jumped on the miso soup bandwagon, I was all about ordering some from Zen and it was warm and full of flavor.

Miso Soup

I usually go with a big and a little roll (and maybe a third depending on my hunger levels).  For my big roll I got the Alligator Maki, which was shrimp tempura roll covered by eel, crabstick, avocado, roe and scallions.  For a little roll I got the Tekka roll, which was a straight-up tuna roll.

Erica's Sushi!

Nick went with two special rolls and one little guy.  The first was the Zen Special Tuna Torch Maki, which has cucumber, roe and spicy mayo inside with seared tuna on top with mayo and sweet soy sauce.  The second special roll was the Crazy Maki with large shrimp tempura, cucumber, avocado roe with spicy mayo.  The little roll was the Spicy Hamachi Maki with cucumber.

Nick's sushi

As always the rolls were fresh and delicious.  While there are the more traditional rolls listed on their menu, there are also plenty of rolls showing Zen's creative combinations that you do not see everywhere.  The sushi is so reliably fresh and tasty - every roll, never a bad bite!  Zen definitely stands out among a number of sushi places in the city.  The best part is that it is super convenient to home - what more do you need?

Where do you go for good sushi?

A Cape Cod Wedding

Why yes, I am going to dedicate a post to the wedding I attended about a month ago. I've been traveling, you understand. Plus, this was one amazing wedding that could not go un-blogged. Enjoy!

On August 27th at 4:30pm our good friends Mike and Trisha were married at the historic Highfield Hall in Falmouth, MA. Narrowly escaping Hurricane Irene - my heart goes out to the couple whose wedding at this very same venue for Sunday, August 28th, was canceled. Can you imagine? (Understanding, the devastation of Irene proved much worse for many, I'm not discounting that fact for a second.) But back to the blissfully happy, incredible fun weekend at hand. Adam and Mike are childhood friends, so since Adam was in the wedding we arrived on Friday afternoon in anticipation of the rehearsal dinner. We checked into our downtown Falmouth hotel - The Inn on the Square, settled into our room,and explored our quaint surroundings on North Main St. Even though I grew up on Cape Cod, the extent of my visits to Falmouth were high school soccer games and track meets. It is a good 30-45 minute drive from my hometown of Yarmouth Port and typically, if I do any additional travel during my visits to Cape Cod, it is to the Lower Cape. (Orleans, Nauset Beach, Wellfleet, Truro, Provincetown.) As you can see, Falmouth is a lovely town, highlighted by a sunny, blue skied afternoon (no doubt, the calm before the storm.) We woke up on Saturday to a thick blanket of fog and impending rainstorms. After a swim in the hotel pool, a hearty breakfast at Persy's Place and few relaxing hours in the room, it was off to Highfield Hall!The ceremony and reception were already moved indoors, where special touches adorned the space, like the bride and groom's initials hanging on the wall above them and a happily ever after banner strung below.The groomsmen kept it casual with tan linen pants, the lightest shade of sea foam green collared shirts and brown reef sandals.
The bridesmaids all wore a different shade of blue and varying styles of strapless dresses. I loved how they all looked unique yet cohesive. And the bride was of course, stunning. The ceremony was personalized and touching. Aww. Happily ever after indeed!Cocktail hour was held on the back wraparound porch.It proved to be a quintessential Cape Cod Wedding through and through. From the tastefully done beach themed table locators and decor, to the raw bars freshly shucked oysters, clams and shrimp cocktail.There was a lobster bake dinner complete with clam chowder and a whole lobster each with all the fixins. Were talking a mesh bag full of briny steamers, plump mussels and fork tender red bliss potatoes with a side of crispy, lightly dressed coleslaw and the sweetest late summer corn on the cob. Plus a slice of bread and lots of warm melted butter. You just cant beat a feast like this one. (The wedding officiator to my right, is allergic to shellfish - so I think that explains the face.)We tied on the traditional plastic lobster bibs and dug in. The rest of the evening was filled with joyous wedding festivities as they go. The bride and groom cake was adorned with golden sprinkles to look like sand, frosting seashells, classic Adirondack beach chairs and a white picket dune fence. Vanilla cupcakes with a citrusy orange frosting topped with gold sprinkles and candy starfish for the guests, were divine. There was a photo booth - one of the most amusing I've ever taken part in.
And of course, dancing. Lots of it.......late into the evening after the reception ended at Liam Maguire's Irish Pub downtown. We had such a blast that night, and the next morning as we dodged falling trees and narrowly escaped the hurricane. Luckily, it seemed everyone had already evacuated or buckled down, as we were one of the few cars on the road proving the quickest ride off Cape all summer.

Where was the last wedding you attended?