summer 2014

fall in love with your life...

the days are slowly beginning to shorten and the nights have begun whispering that summer
is starting to unwind.  i am hanging on to these final days of summer.  i am planning on starting the
long weekend early...      thanks to an awesome interim boss...

5 things to look forward to this holiday weekend.

#1.   coffee - yes every day,  but i love the lingering kind that the long weekend offers.

#2.  flowers.  this time of year they are spectacular.  surrounding yourself with them is sure to make you smile.

#3.  beaches and browns lobster pound.  can't be labor day without them.

#4.   family.  love eachother.  it's what makes it all worth while.
grampy and mikey quahogging.

#5.   bike rides and another picnic.

can we restart summer?
here's to sand and surf, salty air and seaside dreams.  maybe even oysters and champagne.  hope your late summer weekend is off to a fantastic start.

enjoy,
love sent, xo
#forever summer

a beautiful sunset in august

i hope everyone has had a great august.  it has flown by here.  this summer the song i have listened to most often and it has kept me upbeat everyday listen here.  on a really great day it would  be blasting in my car.  "yes, i should have known that kind of feeling would last longer than that weekend."  i have had some amazing summer days, they involved lots of sunscreen, masses of fresh air, beach dinners, picnics, never rushing into the office, long evenings with a glass of wine.   i wouldn't trade this summer for anything.  this past weekend at the cape my camera battery died so i only had a few not so good phone pictures, but i have the memory and i will remember it for a long, long time.

there was incredible love.  feed the ones you love, the best "chowda" i have ever eaten and serve them aperol spritz, a drink that will bring them right back to those sunny days in venice.

then feed them again, and again. take long walks along the canal, share photos and memories. breathe in the feeling of fall, throw on a sweatshirt  and  keep warm around the firepit.  so many laughs. 
 i love you guys!!

thanks for the love. xo

blueberry, marscapone, won ton dessert

4 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup ricotta cheese 
3/4 cup mascarpone cheese

2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
20 wonton wrappers
cooking oil for frying.

add ricotta, mascarpone, honey, confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and zest to a medium bowl. beat until smooth. cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour before assembly. 

heat a skillet over medium heat. add about 1/4 to 1/2 of cooking oil and allow it to heat up. add wonton wrappers to oil and cook until lightly golden brown (about 30 seconds). flip them and cook until opposite side is lightly golden brown. remove wontons to a wire rack to drain and cool. set aside until ready for assembly.
combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and nuts in a medium bowl. stir to fully combine. drizzle melted butter over the mixture and toss with a fork until mixture is
 coated. set aside until ready for assembly.

place a fried wonton wrapper on a plate. add 2-3 tablespoons of cheese filling and smooth it out to the edges of the wonton.
sprinkle about a tablespoon of graham cracker crumble over the cheese filling. 
add a layer of blueberries to the cheese filling and graham cracker crumbs.
repeat the first four layers again. serve immediately.

enjoy
love sent, xo

it's a beautiful day....

                                                          i think i want to marry you...

what an incredible wedding.  it was so much fun.  thanks sue and steve for hosting such a beautiful affair. congratulations to the amazing couple and wishing you a life time of happiness.  

days like these make us all stop and realize how truly lucky we are.  

my whole heart will be yours forever.  congratulations mr. & mrs. normandin.

                                                     stunning - love you guys...

                                                                 

                                          i love this picture, it really was a magical night. 

                            may the rest of your journey through life be as fun as your wedding!!!

love sent, xoxo

rip...

it is so sad to hear of robin williams passing. he fought so hard for his sobriety and happiness. he was truly a comedic genius and will be missed.

"no matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world."  - robin williams.



sending love to all those struggling.

xo

super moon

just beautiful..

it really was spectacular!


love sent, xo

beach days...

is anyone else wondering how it can already be august?  yeah, we can't believe it either.
life has been really amazing lately. this has been our best summer in a long time.
life is full and the days are long.   the weather has been amazing.  we have gone to lots of places, caught up with lots of friends and in general,  just rocked it.  after a very long winter we are so, so,  grateful.  i am not giving up here tho, i am planning to continue riding this wave as long as possible.

we have so many memories from so many years at the beach. 
going to the beach is such a place to bond.  my family has spent so many hours just hanging out at the shore.  lots of things have changed in the past twenty years but one thing remains the same, 
we still want to be with the people we love and who love us back no matter what we actually do.

the little things have always made the biggest memories.

making pancakes in the morning
long walks along the shore
road races in newburyport
sleeping bags all over the beach house
watching wrestling with eddie
riding bikes everywhere with the cousins
shopping at market basket with elaine and donna (who seriously take longer to shop than anyone on the planet)
walking to the "rocks"
gathering buckets of crabs
rocking babies to sleep
tony's amazing sand castles
kayaking
pizza parties
late night ice cream
beach days that never end
bike rides all the way to york
wine at sunset
endless friends in and out
movies on rainy days
the hampton theater every saturday
music and...  more music
eating fried food on the beach at sunset
kite flying contests
tubing and getting pounded by the waves.
the kids selling home made jewelry
paddle boarding
skee ball at hampton
beach bocce
fireworks
taking up so much space at browns

hope you are having an amazing summer as well.



love sent, xoxo