YouHaveToGoThere

Dinner in Boston

If you have plans to be in Boston, I have two great dining recommendations.

Stephanie's on Newbury - a fabulous stop for lunch.  Cobb Salad and Sesame Chile Chicken Skewers with chilled sobe noodles...amazing.  There are much better items on the menu so check them out!  And..request the porch, it's worth the wait.

Dolce Vita Ristorante - perfectly authentic Italian.  And equally excellent, is the atmosphere.  A old wrinkly man playing an accordion and singing Italian love songs kept us entertained until dinner arrived, followed with a restaurant wide-chorus, "That's Amore", led by the owner, Franco.  Great times and the best Italian food I've ever had.    

Jeni's Ice Cream

If you're living in Columbus or just visiting,  making a dessert run to Jeni's is a must.  Grab samples and pick your 3 favorites for a trio.  You can't leave with just one!

Find a location

Byrdy Cake - A healthy alternative to traditional chocolate cake

Matt's mother made a fabulous chocolate cake this weekend.  Not the least bit sponge-y..full with thick chocolate goodness.  So of course I called her for the recipe and made a version appropriate for this (now) healthy home.  I was shocked at how great it tasted when I was done.  I use all non-fat, sugar free, naturals - with the exception of the starting mix.  I promise this one will be a hit!  Well, here it is...straight from the Byrdy test kitchen, moments ago.

• 1 box Devils Chocolate food cake mix (dry mix)
• 1 small box Fat-free, Sugar-free Instant Chocolate Pudding (dry mix)
• 1 1/3 Cups Unsweetened Apple Sauce (this replaces using eggs)
• 1 Cup Fat-Free Sour Cream
• 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 Cup water
• (optional - I did not use this in the healthier version) grate 2 small blocks of semi-sweet baking chocolate into batter. 

Spray a 9x13 glass dish and sprinkle with whole wheat flour to lightly coat.  Spread batter evenly in dish.  Bake at 350 for 35-40 min.

Breakfast smoothie...healthy and yummy!

Try this great Emeril Lagasse smoothie recipe for breakfast:

1 large ripe banana, peeled and sliced
1 cup hulled strawberries
1/2 cup raspberries, or peeled and sliced kiwi (about 2)
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
**I like to add a little ice....1/4 cup

Enjoy!

Planning a honeymoon or vacation?

Photo from Villagreenleaf.com

My husband and I were complete opposites when it came to selecting a honeymoon spot.  If it were his choice we would have been in a log cabin, built by us, in some undiscovered mountainous region surviving off freshly caught fish from a nearby stream.  Exaggerating?  Ok...maybe a little but he's a rustic kind of guy.  The thought of overcrowded tourist-y resorts made him cringe.  If it were my choice, we would have spent 2 weeks in Europe, most likely in an adorable bed and breakfast with gourmet meals, bike rides to local markets, and visits to every hole-in-the-wall authentic Italian restaurant nearby. 

So.  We settled on a place we would come to recognize as a dream vacation.  We spent one week at a top-rate B&B in the center of St. Croix island.   Space is limited so I'll get to the point of why you should make St. Croix, specifically Villa Greenleaf, your next vacation destination.

• 3-course gourmet breakfast every morning.
• 5 star quality rooms.
• A super friendly and incredibly helpful/knowledgeable hostess (Erica) - whatever restaurants she recommends, go there.  You will not be disappointed.
• Perfectly delicious food.  Ask the waiter what their best dish is and order it. 
• Top rated dive sites.
• So much do to on a small budget. 

I could go on.  Check out the Villa Greenleaf site for more information.  I'll share video from our travels as soon as I can get it posted!

Get flavor at Flavors Eatery

Most of you have probably never heard of this place, but I promise your first visit will be the start of many to come!  Opened in 1997, Flavors Eatery boasts a healthy and incredibly flavorful menu.  With a wide variety of pizzas, burritos, soups, treats, and a tasty twist on chips and salsa, you'll always find something delicious and unique at this California-style cafe restaurant.  If you're in Columbus, check out the Bexley location...one of three locations.  I've been to the original Flavors Eatery, in Centerville, several times and would highly recommend you check it out if you're in the Dayton area!  The place is packed at lunch so I'd suggest picking off-hours.

If you visit, share your favorites here!

Super cheap and last minute travel

                     

If you're anything like me, you have no real travel plans...just an itch to go someplace sweet as soon as the price is right.  Sure, I have a few places I'm dying to visit but most of the time I'm just looking to go where the airfare is ridiculously low and you usually won't find that out until several weeks, or days, before you leave. 

Last July, my mom and I made a very short trip to NYC.  I found an INCREDIBLELY low plane ticket from CMH to LGA...$102 round-trip after taxes!  We left Columbus around 6 AM on Monday, arrived in New York an hr-ish later, stayed one night and departed the next evening at 9 PM (of course there were some amazing restaurants and shopping between the arrival and departure!). 

My source?  Travelzoo.  I happened upon this site a few years ago when I was planning a vacation for some friends.  This site posts some incredible deals that were dug up and passed the test to make it into the top 20.  Every Wednesday these deals are emailed to Travelzoo subscribers everywhere and time stops as we all scroll down the list.  Many times, these deals sell-out within the hour so have your price and time-frame lined up when Wednesday rolls around!

Having trouble planning your dream honeymoon?  Beautiful beach vacations, romantic cruises, top rated resorts all over the world... you can plan up to the last minute with Travelzoo.  We did:)

Brown Bag Deli - (My) Columbus favorite!

The best soup and sandwiches in town can be found at the corner of Whittier and Mohawk, in German Village.  Lucky for me, The Brown Bag Deli is a short walk from my place...making it easy to get there before they sell out of their famous Creamy Tomato and Spinach soup!  The place is adorable with a super friendly staff, top notch food and nice wine selection.  The best time to go is before noon and after 1:30 - quite crowded at lunch, but worth the wait.   They do serve dinner and offer a nice carry-out dinner - a daily menu special for two, under $10.  You can still order of the regular menu but give the specials a try.  They never fail your taste buds! 

A few MUST-HAVE menu items include the Creamy Tomato & Spinach Soup (act fast, this stuff goes quick), Mohawk Stroller, Smoked Turkey and Hummus Grilled Sandwich - a Special, so snag it next time it's on the board, Vegetable Chowder, and any of their salad specials.  This barely covers the amazing selection, but it's worth grabbing these on your first visit.  I've heard the Village Addiction with cranberry mayo (interesting?) is fabulous.  Also, If you love your fruit, they prepare a crisp/fresh fruit salad daily.  I would definitely recommend signing up for their Daily Specials email.  You'll get a notice of their specials for the day...look for it between 10 and 11 am.   

AND!  Don't leave without stopping by Gingham Bakery for THE BEST cupcakes you've ever had.  This deserves it's own post....so more to come!

About me

Have you ever found yourself driving home from work, smiling as you approach your neighborhood....not because you're glad to finally leave the office but because your surroundings, your home, actually gives you a sense of happiness?  For me, Yes.  Everyday. 

I recently moved from the suburbs to an adorable area of Columbus, called German Village - or - "The Village".  The move came after a raving neighborhood review from my boss (also lives in GV). My husband and I decided to check it out.  It didn't take long to realize this would become home.  Less then 1 month later we were packing, calling in the troops and making our 3rd move in less than 2 years.  We - or maybe just I - love change.  This was a GREAT change.

So, here's a brief "About Me":   

I grew up in a Military family.  Scattered through the past 20+ years has been moves or visits to almost every state in the US.  Outside the US:  I was born in Guam.  I've visited Canada, St. Croix, Dominica (not the Dominican Republic) and Puerto Rico.  My (hopefully) next few trips.... Italy, Greece, Germany, Belize and Guam.  In 2006, I graduated from Mount Vernon Nazarene University with a degree in Marketing.  I work as an Account Executive on the Big Lots! account at SBC Advertising, in Columbus, Ohio.  I have 2 adorable Maltese puppies - Milo and Murphy.  The best trip was my dream honeymoon to St. Croix in July 06 - so much to say about St. Croix in later posts.  And...that's the short of it.  My favorites: Dining out, Iced Tea (I find the best brews), the smell of coffee...hate the taste, fresh cut flowers, veggies from a home garden, traveling, weddings, Italian food, farmers markets, picking each bead of juice out of the inside of an orange,  and cooking and baking for my friends and family.

Come back to visit so I can share with you all the restaurants you HAVE to dine at and the coolest places you have visit - locally and beyond.  If you ever find a great place you want to share, pass it along so I can make the trip and spread the word!