Focus Board

For the new year, we created a focus board to keep track of all of our resolutions. We wanted this board to be something that we'd see every day to remind us of what we want to accomplish. I also wanted to be able to update it frequently so we could add goals to it throughout the year. We divided it up into four sections: one for short term goals; one for long term goals; another for places we want to visit; and one for general happenings. 

It was pretty simple to make. I found the board at Target and used ribbon to make the sections. I found this app called PicLab HD to make the beautiful pictures with text overlay to display our resolutions. I also cut some things out of magazines that I either wanted to try it display. It's a little girly, but Jeff is excited to have something to keep us focused and inspired. 

Chocolate Dipped Graham Crackers with Crushed Candy Canes

In between all the madness of Christmas shopping and last minute madness, Jeff and I found time to make some holiday goodies. Earlier in the week, we had stocked up on everything--including 3 lb bags of chocolate from BJ's! We got up early on Sunday morning, headed out to get some breakfast and pick up a few more things, and then settled in at home for a day of crafting. Jeff already has his own signature items that he makes for Christmas: pistachio and dried cranberry chocolate bark and lemon marmalade. I was inspired to make my own this year. I present to you chocolate dipped graham crackers with crushed candy canes.

They were relatively easy to make and could be a fun project if you have little ones that want to help. Before I started melting the chocolate, I crushed up a few candy canes. You want to make sure you leave some good chunks of candy cane, about the size of an eraser on a pencil. Once you have the candy canes crushed, it's time to melt the chocolate. Feel free to melt it any way you prefer. Since I didn't have a double boiler, i just used a glass bowl sitting on top of a pot with some water in it. Works just the same. You could also microwave the chocolate and just stir it every 20 to 30 seconds until it's smooth.

Once the chocolate is melted, I poured it into a container that was big enough to fit a graham cracker in, but tall enough that the chocolate was at a good height for the dipping. After breaking each graham cracker in half so I had squares, I dipped each one so only the top where my fingers were wasn't covered in chocolate. Shake off the excess chocolate and lay out on a cookie sheet or wax paper. After every 3 or 4 crackers, I would sprinkle the chunks of candy cane onto the wet chocolate. Gently press down on each bit so that it will really stick to the chocolate when it's dry. Then I finished each one with a dusting of the candy cane powder.

After trying one of the dipped graham crackers, I thought that it might be a little too much chocolate so I tried a chocolate drizzle instead. Just dip a fork in the melted chocolate and whip it back and forth over the graham cracker quickly to get a nice drizzle. Sprinkle the candy canes on top just as before. I wound up really liking the way they looked so each bag in the end got one of each.

I was really excited for the way we packaged each treat. The cellophane bags and Christmas tags were from Target and we found the twine at Walmart. We were in the kitchen most of the day, but it will all be worth it to share some yummy treats with everyone.

Chocolate Dipped Graham Crackers with Crushed Candy Canes

1 box of graham crackers
1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
12 candy canes


1. Crush candy canes until no piece is bigger than the eraser of a pencil.
2. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave.
3. Dip graham crackers in the chocolate and shake off any excess chocolate. Place dipped graham cracker on a cookie sheet or wax paper.
4. Before chocolate has cooled, sprinkle the crushed candy canes on each graham cracker. Gently press the candy canes into the chocolate.
5. Place finished graham crackers in the fridge for 15 minutes or until the chocolate hardens.

Blinged Out Bottle

One of my best friend’s birthdays was at the beginning of this month. And it wasn’t just any birthday. It was his 21^st! Of course, alcohol is the proper gift for any 21-year-old. But this gift was not about being proper! I had seen ideas of nips baskets on Pinterest before. And I was so close to doing one. However, I had a judgment call and instead decided to bling out a bottle of alcohol. Tequila is my friend’s drink of choice, so I went with a nice bottle of 1800 Tequila.

It was really quite a simple project. I did it over two nights while watching TV after dinner. If I were to do it again, however, I’d try to figure out a way to maybe spray the bottle so all of the rhinestones stay on better. The humidity combined with a cold fridge didn’t bode well for the rubber cement I had used. Either way, it came out great and who doesn’t like jewel-covered tequila?

What you’ll need:

• Clear and colored rhinestones (can be found at Walmart)
• Rubber Cement (also at Walmart)
• Any bottle of alcohol
•  Patience for sticky fingers

I had an idea of how I wanted the bottle to look, but like most projects I take on, I just start doing them and hope for the best. I figured it would look better if it wasn’t stiffly planned, and it came out great. The “21” on the back of the bottle was a little tricky, but I got it figured out. I would just brush on rubber cement onto a small working area—it dries pretty quickly. Then I would lay down some rhinestones and move on to the next area. I would suggest having a heavy hand with the rubber cement, as the areas that I did a smaller layer seemed to have lost their sticky pretty quickly.

Unfortunately, my friend already had a bottle of Patron the night of this birthday, so we didn’t crack this bad boy open. Wait a second—who am I kidding? FORTUNATELY, my friend had a bottle of Patron that we very much enjoyed and he will be saving this bottle for a future date. This was so much fun to decorate and I’m sure it will be even more fun to consume. Definitely a great idea for anyone that is looking for a creative birthday present.

Duckfat in Portland, ME

Yesterday I promised a post about the restaurant Duckfat and I shall deliver. Before going up to Portland, Jeff had told me that it was known for being a foodie town. It was almost overwhelming to sift through the amazing reviews left on Yelp for dozens of restaurants in the area. But one of the names caught our eye: Duckfat.

On the Food Network in particular, I had heard so many of the chefs go absolutely gaga when it came to all things duck fat. Curious what the hype was all about, we figured we’d try it for ourselves. It was a beautiful day as we walked down the block of the restaurant. I got very excited when I saw a ton of people waiting outside. A good trick when you’re not sure where to eat: follow the line. People are waiting for a reason.

There was some seating outside and the inside was a small room with as many seats as possible crammed in to supply their customers with a daily dose of duck fat. It had a grunge atmosphere with the exposed brick on the wall and magnetic boards lined the tables to make amusing phrases while you waited for your food. Water was served by the pitcher with mason jars for glasses. We don’t really drink much, but it seemed like they had good choices for local brews.

Of course we had to order the duck fat fries. Yes, they are fried in duck fat. I was a little skeptical at how much of a difference it could be and was happily blown away by the most amazing fries I have ever tasted. It almost tasted like it was a bacon potato…so crispy and full of flavor. It came with a dipping sauce made from their fresh, in-house mayo. We opted for garlic but some of the other flavors included Thai chili and truffle ketchup. Not sure why we thought getting a small order would be OK…next time I’d pay the extra $1.50 to get the large!

Duck fat fries with a garlic mayo dipping sauce.

Duck fat fries. Yum!!

While their menu wasn’t too extensive, their food was phenomenal. It really is quality over quantity.  They were big on paninis and charcuterie. We stuck to the sandwiches and fried goodness this time around. Jeff got the BGT, a bacon, goat cheese, and tomato panini, while I got the current special: pork loin with a spicy tomato chutney, feta, and fresh cilantro. The bread was so crunchy that I’m convinced they slather a little duck fat on top before pressing it.

We ended the meal with duck fat fried doughnut holes. Excuse me while I drool thinking about these. There was a touch of lemon zest in the dough and they were so crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The perfect little dessert. And as if we weren’t gluttonous enough, we added a dipping sauce of duck fat caramel. Holy moly. Do not pass on the caramel! It is worth every single calorie. I basically had to stop Jeff from up and licking the little cup it came in when we were finished.

Duck fat doughnut holes.

The amazing duck fat caramel sauce.

Overall, Duckfat was an amazing place with simple, yet amazing, food. I would recommend getting there a little early or else you might end up waiting for quite a bit. There aren’t too many seats so it’s tough to get in once it gets busy. Also, they don’t take reservations, so factor that into your plans.

Exploring Portland, ME

Jeff and I are making sure we use our weekends to their full potential and our streak of day trips continues. So far this summer, we’ve gone to three different beach towns, did a scavenger hunt in the Back Bay part of Boston, and yesterday we ventured up to Portland, ME. I had never been before, so exploring a new city is always exciting. After stopping for a quick breakfast and some gas, it took us a little less than 2 hours to get up there. A little warning to anyone traveling south of New Hampshire, be prepared to pay $6 in 3 different tolls each way. We were a little surprised with how much it was costing just to get to Portland, but now we know for next time.

On our way!

Not knowing any better, we parked at the first garage we saw. It was $3 an hour so it didn’t seem too horrible. Unsure of how long we’d be there anyway, we were fine with our decision. We walked out onto the street and were greeted by one of the nicest days New England has seen all season. It was the perfect temperature with a light breeze and not a cloud in the sky. For a second, I almost thought I was back in California! We perused a few shops and grabbed a grilled muffin and coffee from one of the corner stores. We were sitting down enjoying our second breakfast and looked over to see a sign that said $5 for all day parking. Clearly we got robbed finding a place to leave our car for the day! We decided to head back to the garage and find either metered parking or get to that $5 lot.

No luck.

We couldn’t find anywhere to park under $10 now that we had forfeited our place in the garage. We gave up on main drag and after driving around aimlessly, we finally settled on parking in front of one of the government buildings. We happily paid $2 for 2 hours and it was only after walking passed several expired meters that we noticed it’s free parking on Sundays! Everyone, please learn from our mistakes! If you are in Portland on a Sunday…DO NOT PAY FOR PARKING! I’d much rather spend my money in the shops or at a restaurant then on a place to leave my car.

Anyway, parking aside, we had an amazing time in Portland. We ate at this amazing restaurant called Duckfat that was a quick walk from the Old Port District. I’ve decided that Duckfat was such an awesome meal that it deserved its own post, so see tomorrow for more details. I will leave you with this fries fried in duckfat and lemon zest donut holes with duckfat caramel sauce were some of the best things I’ve ever tasted.

After what was a fattening—but delicious—lunch, we figured we should probably work some of that duckfat off. There is a beautiful park at the edge of Portland that was built with the public in mind, the Eastern Promenade. Free parking lines the street (if you can’t tell, I hate paying for parking) and there are so many different activities you could do. We saw kayakers and paddle boarders, swimmers and bicyclists, even people just lying on the grass enjoying a good book. We took a nice walk along the coastal trail, loving the cool breeze that was coming from the water. We headed back to the car, exhausted after a nice, long day in the sun. After stopping at one of the nicest rest stops we’ve been to—Maine knows how to do things right—we were ready to be home. Until next weekend! 

Day Trip to Rockport

Ever since the Fourth of July, Jeff and I have been taking advantage of New England’s North Shore and heading to the beach on the weekend. Last weekend we went to Hampton Beach in New Hampshire, and by recommendation of a coworker, we ventured out to Rockport, MA this weekend. The little town of Rockport was very quaint. After our hour-long drive, we pulled down the main street that was filled with small shops and already a ton of people. We made sure to get there early so we could get a good spot on the beach. While there are parts of the town with metered parking, we were able to find a free spot just up the hill from the Front Beach. We unloaded the car and set up away from the main cluster of people. (After seeing the tide come in around 1, it’s obvious why nobody staked a claim in the area we were at…it was under water by lunch time!) We sunned ourselves for a while and enjoyed the beautiful buildings that were just along the coast. My favorite building of the day is the one pictured below all the way to the right. We could see them setting up a canopy in that huge window and later found it that it was for a wedding. How beautiful!

The view from just behind our chairs at the beach.

While the water was relatively warm, the temperature outside was still a little cool with the sea breeze. The sun was hot though, so we knew it would be a beautiful day. Also, after wearing glasses since high school and just starting to wear contacts more often, I was very happy to wear my first pair of sunglasses. Sure, they were from Marshalls…but it was so nice not to have to squint all day!

By 11:30, we had left the beach to go explore what the town of Rockport had in store for us. Just up the street from the beach is a long row of unique shops. Each building as different as the next. At the end of the street lies the ocean and you can watch all of the boats and kayaks out on the water. We promised ourselves that next time we’ll rent a kayak to go out there on our own.

 We had lunch at a hot dog place called Top Dog. Jeff got the Bad Dog (bacon, cheese, grilled onions) and I got the Purebred (plain with condiments to add). The hot dogs were GREAT! I would definitely go back and get another. Other clever names included the Golden Retriever with mac n cheese or the Boston Terrier with Boston baked beans on it. It might not have been the fanciest place on the block, but it sure was tasty!

Sitting on the edge of the marina overlooking the beach.

After walking around for most of the afternoon, we decided to head back to the beach and cool off. The tide had come up so far that only a small, crowded portion of the beach was left. That didn't really bother us as we dropped our stuff off and headed straight into the “warm” water. It took a couple minutes to get used to, but once we went under, it was heaven. It was so refreshing on such a beautiful day. We really loved Rockport and will be back soon for the kayaks!!

My Golden Birthday

So most, if not all, of my readers on this blog are probably coming from Facebook…so it should be no surprise that today is my birthday. My golden year. Turning 22 on the 22^nd.  However, going to work on my birthday and going about my routines as usual has made me realize one thing: I am officially an adult. Honestly, I’m not sure why Taylor Swift was so excited about feeling 22, because for me, it’s sadly just the year after 21.

Your 21^st birthday is a sacred birthday that most of us have probably looked forward to from the day we realized what alcohol even was. Sure, 18 was fun, but knowing you can legally buy lottery tickets and cigarettes only gets you so far. You quickly realize that you’re only an adult on paper anyway.  Turning 21 is simply a rite of passage. A year ago today I was waking up in a hotel room after being out at Mohegan until the early hours of the morning. The only bad thing that happened that night was that they stopped serving alcohol at 2 am! Otherwise, it was the perfect evening filled with great food, amazing people, and winning! That’s right! I won right out the bat on my first machine: Wheel of Fortune. It might have only been $100, but it was my glorious birthday slot machine miracle.  We gambled and drank most of the night and woke up with no regrets. But as I sit here at my desk on my 22^nd birthday, I can’t help but think of where all the birthday magic went.

Something about this year just doesn’t seem as exciting as all of my other birthdays. Maybe it’s the fact that laundry still needed to be done yesterday, lunch had to be made today, and I have to work 9 to 5. Responsibilities don’t really start just because you entered the world 22 years ago today. However, the upside to this non-excitement is the little expectation I have of the day. That means that everything that happens is that much better because I really wasn’t anticipating any hubbub. So when my mom had Mrs. Fields cookies delivered, I was all too pumped to rip open the plastic and fill my face. And my mom is a clever little one, as she suggested leaving them out on my desk so I have an excuse to let anyone who stops by know that it’s my birthday.

What a dangerous little box to have on my desk all day!

Also, the Royal Baby and I now share the same birthday...so I've got that going for me today!

It's a boy!!