Birthday Fun

It bugs me when people don't like to acknowledge their birthdays.  I know a few of these sorts of people, who either get sad when the day rolls around and begrudgingly thank you when you offer well wishes or cupcakes or they try to ignore it completely.  In my opinion, you should always celebrate something when you get the chance, and having a birthday is so much better than the alternative of ....not having a birthday, right?  Would you rather be dead?  I didn't think so.  So shut up, be grateful for the good experiences and friends that your years have brought you, look forward to those to come, and have a piece of cake, for cryin' out loud.

Anyhoooo.....this year, my birthday landed on a Friday, so I grabbed GK and we headed out for a celebratory night on the town.  First, we hit up Silvertone Bar & Grill, my go-to dinner spot if I'm in the Boston Common area.  We started with a round of festive drinks;  she went for the Raspberry Fizz (Silvertone's own raspberry vodka, muddled lime, and soda) while I chose the Amaretto Sour.  Don't they look good together?

Since it was my birthday, and everyone knows that calories don't count on your birthday, I decided to go all in and order a burger.  The burger at Silvertone is definitely one of, if not THE best burger that I've found in Boston.  Huge, juicy, covered in your choice of Swiss, Cheddar, or American cheese, and paired with a bun that never seems to get soggy.  And it's a messy one.  If you're concerned about looking like a lady, this might not be for you.

Apologies for the murky photos...one of Silvertone's charms is its romantical mood lighting.  All the better for gazing lovingly into this...

GK made it a burger party and got one too.  With a side of sweet potato fries.  We thought that we'd be good and throw in some veggies somewhere.

After cleaning our plates, we made our way to one of my other favorite Boston haunts, the W Lounge in the W Hotel.  It was a rather chilly night so we grabbed a table by the fire to warm up.

Feeling in the mood for some bubbles as well as something fruity, I found the perfect thing on the cocktail menu:  the Champagne Mojito.

 

Sparkling wine, spiced rum, lime and mint in a beautiful birthday-sized glass.  GK went for the Blood Orange Clover, with vodka, Solerno, Lillet Rose, lemon and raspberries.  We were both happy girls.

We kept the pretty cocktails coming as we chatted about things both serious and silly and people-watched from our perch near the fire.

I love the W Lounge because it feels fancy and sophisticated, without being pretentious.  If you want to get dressed up and feel elegant but still feel like its a casual night, you should check it out.  And even the bathrooms are pretty!

I've always thought that you can tell a lot about a place by the cleanliness and decor of its bathrooms. 

After I returned to our table, GK and I decided that it was high time for dessert.  I obviously needed cake and went for the chocolate lava variety.

GK chose the Meyer Lemon Meringue Tart.  

The tart was tangy and refreshing, and better than the lava cake, in my opinion, but they were both good and beautifully presented.

At this point, the sugar and the booze were going a bit to our heads, and things started to get silly.

 However, we became deadly serious once again when we realized that there were fries on the menu. Clearly, the only choice was to finish the night out with that classic combo of fries and champagne.

And these weren't just any fries.  They were herb fries with "spiked" ketchup that had a hint of heat and basil aioli.  Seriously the best fries in the history of the world.  We were super excited and did a little dance in our seats.

When the fries and the bubbles were gone, we realized that we had been at it for so long that it was no longer my birthday.  At which point, this mustachioed fella turned up and told us that it was time to hit the road and get our butts home, and we listened.

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Foodie Friday

Hey everyone, sorry for the long blog silence.  It's been a crazy couple of weeks, but I've got some exciting changes coming up that I'll be sharing with you soon.  In the meantime, settle into your Friday with some food porn, all of which came from a recent trip to one of my favorites, Posto.  Here's to hoping that you find some good eats this weekend too.

Lemon risotto arancini and calamari

 Tortellini with crab, butternut vellutata and and parmesan crema

Chocolate hazelnut torte with a salted caramel sauce and vanilla gelato

Happy Weekend!

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Foodie Friday

Melon and Strawberry Margaritas from a much-needed girls' night at the Border Cafe.  The Strawberry was the winner.

Warm Crab and Artichoke Dip from an early birthday celebration at The Cheesecake Factory.
Which was followed by Chris' Outrageous Cheesecake (layers of chocolate cake, brownie, chocolate chip coconut cheesecake and toasted coconut-pecan frosting) for Mom...

and the Oreo Dream Extreme Cheesecake for me.

 

 This is my kind of birthday cake.

Happy Weekend!

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Grilled Cheese at the Cellar

It's one of the most mysterious, but certain, laws of the universe that there are some dishes that, despite being really easy to make by oneself, always taste better when someone else makes them for you.  I find that most breakfast options (French toast, pancakes, omelets) abide by this rule, as does the classic combination of grilled cheese and tomato soup.  When GK and I are in the mood for the latter, our go-to place is Garden at the Cellar, located between Harvard and Central Squares in Cambridge.  On a recent Saturday, we both had a grilled cheese hankering that just couldn't be resisted and met up there for dinner.  After a long day of slaving away over homework, GK was excited to be out and about and within reach of a cocktail.

 

We arrived on the early side of dinnertime, which was good because we managed to grab the last free table.  The Garden at the Cellar is quite small, so it doesn't take reservations, but as a result it feels quite cozy and intimate, and if you end up having to wait, it will be worth it, I promise.

GK and I started with a round of pork belly buns, with pickled vegetables and cilantro.

 The bun itself wasn't the best that I've had, but the pork belly was juicy and rich and the pickled veggies and cilantro gave it an unexpected burst of brightness that made it even more exciting.

Unfortunately, after we had placed the order, we realized that the pork was cooked in sesame oil, which GK is allergic to, so I made the sacrifice and ate both of them. What can I say?  I am such a good friend.

 After my unapologetic display of gluttony, our waitress arrived with the grilled cheese and tomato soup and we both dug in.

 First let's talk about the soup.  Rich, creamy, and bursting with tomato-y flavor that's earthy and sweet at the same time.  After trying this stuff, you'll never go back to Campbell's again, I guarantee it.  And just look at the adorable bowl that it comes in!

And then there's the grilled cheese.  Crusty, buttery slices of bread with a thick, gooey layer of Vermont cheddar in the middle, toasted to perfection. 

And this is not the time for manners.  These sandwiches must be dipped, and double dipped into the soup.  

If you don't end up with bread crumbs and drips of soup all over you, you're doing it wrong. 

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Concord Jaunt

Recently, C and L came to visit from across the pond for a long weekend.  After a somewhat rowdy and late Saturday night, we tried to ease ourselves into Sunday with brunch at the Plough and Stars and then decided to make the drive out to Concord, Mass., to explore the cute little town and pop into a few shops. As soon as we arrived, GK and I dragged C and L into The Toy Shop of Concord, a great little place for both kiddos and young-at-heart adults alike.  Obviously, we had to try out all the toys and model all the costumes on display.

Next, we attempted to act a little more mature and checked out the kitchen wares at The Famous Concord Shop.

GK and I fell in love with this looker.  Isn't he handsome?

 

Unfortunately, many of the other shops were closed since it was a Sunday, so we strolled through the streets and admired the picturesque buildings and the colonial feel of the place.

 At this point, we felt that we had more than worked off brunch and needed a pick-me-up so we stopped by Helen's and faceplanted into the most ginormous ice cream sundaes that I have ever seen.  C and L were impressed by the awesome display of American portion sizes.

 GK went for the Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae.

 L got the Chocolate Lava Cake Sundae.

I chose the PB&B Sundae....peanut butter and brownie.

 

If you ever make the trip to Concord, I'd definitely recommend stopping by Helen's.  It's a super cute restaurant that's right on Main Street, and it's always packed with people, which is a testament to the food and service.  They have real food on the menu as well as dessert, but the ice cream is divine.

Just be careful if you order one of the sundaes.  GK practically had to roll me back to the car after I had finished with mine.

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