Post Tagged with: "getalongandgo.com"

I’ve never been more excited for a week to wrap up than I am right now.  Happy Friday! It’s been a trying few weeks living outside of my house while repairs are being done, and guess what – they’re finished!  We get to move back tomorrow morning.  Its a good thing too – I’m not sure I could handle one more night on my air mattress.

Last night was the first night I was able to connect to the internet at my temporary home (two weeks without internet and I went a little nuts).  I spent a good hour combing through Pinterest looking at some amazing business cards.  I’m thinking of reconfiguring ours before we head out to Alt Summit NYC in a few weeks (nothing like last minute thinking).  There are so many good designs and concepts for business cards out there.  I found this really simple and very effective idea by Fischer Portugal on Design Vagabond.  It’s a self inking stamp designed to imprint a ‘business card’ on just about anything.  The person represented is an environmental consultant.  So clever, I love it!  Now to just think of something equally as clever for Get Along and Go.  No pressure….

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Lorien and I love a good cocktail, so naturally we’re excited about the Eddy!  This new cocktail bar opened in Providence and we can’t keep away.  Jay Carr and his team of bartenders know what they’re doing when it comes to the libations.  And it helps that it’s a block away from our office.  I can’t think of a better place to wander into after a long day of work, particularly when you’re ready for someone else to take care you.  You don’t even have to put much thought into ordering, because their Bartender’s Choice option on the menu has you covered.  Jay – the brains behind the operation – mixes up custom drinks based on your preference.  Order the Bartender’s Choice and you’ll be asked a few simple questions about what type of spirits you enjoy, ‘citrusy’ or ‘boozy’….from there on out it’s easy going, just sit back and enjoy.  Jay says, ‘So as far as the inspiration for a bartenders choice, that’s where the customer comes in to play. We ask you specific questions to see what your particular tastes are and how adventurous you want to get and tailor a cocktail to that.’

Joanna ordered: Go figure that I order the drink titled ‘The Boozy Drink’.  After the week I’ve had, not surprising at all.  I told Jay I’m game for just about anything (but not quite ready for the egg in the cocktail).  He served me up this tasty concoction of rye whiskey, vermouth, bitters, and more.  The drink was smooth and had the tiniest sweetness to balance the bitters and citrus, but certainly not a sweet drink (I’m not typically a fan of sweet cocktails).  A bit dangerous really – I could see this drink creeping up on me after I’ve ordered a few.  Thankfully the Eddy has a simple but tasty offering of small plates and snacks to accompany their cocktail menu.  With items like pickles and pretzels on the menu – I’m an easy sell.  I’m going to try my hand at this cocktail at home.  I think it would make a great drink for a party.

Here’s the recipe:

Boozy drink

• 2 oz. old overholt rye whiskey
• .5 oz. averna
• .5 oz. carpano antica formula sweet vermouth
• 1 barspoon luxardo maraschino liqueur
• 1 dash regan’s orange bitters
• stir on ice, servers up in a coupe with a lemon twist.

It was delicious, refreshing, and just strong enough to forget the stresses of the day.  What else could I really want.  Perfect, thank you Jay!

Lorien ordered: the Eddy has become one of my new favorite places to go for drinks because you know you’re in good hands. Each drink is thoughtfully and expertly made. The combination of flavors they create are unique and complex, they make it easy to step out of my comfort zone and order new drinks I’ve never tried before (they also have a nice selection of beer and wine). This is why I never get nervous about ordering the Bartender’s Choice.

In the spirit of the warm weather, I asked Jay for something citrusy and bright. I wanted something light, something that I could potentially drink all Summer long and with just a few words from me, Jay got it. He made a delicious drink that was citrusy, floral, light, sweet but definitely not too sweet (which I loved/wanted). The drink was complex and all the flavors blended so perfectly together, but you could still taste each ingredient. Every time I sipped I got a burst of the lime, followed up a hint of the basil, each sip was delicious! Thanks Jay!

Here’s the recipe:

Basil Cocktail

• 1.5 oz. square one basil vodka
• .5 oz. simple syrup
• .75 oz. fresh lime juice
• .25 oz. green chartreuse
• 1 dash lavender bitters
• shaken on ice and served up in a coupe

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OK – I’m almost back living in my house (it’s been under construction for almost two weeks and move-in is Friday), and I’m longing to cook a meal, spend time with friends, and sleep in my own bed.  I’m missing my creature comforts….particularly during this busy time of year – every weekend seems to be taken up with a wedding, a trip to here or there, or out-of-town guests.  These are the events that make summer so exciting and so exhausting at the same time.  And as if I need another obligation on my plate, I’ve decided to host a birthday BBQ for Ben and I (our birthdays are a week apart in July).  I really love entertaining, so it’s really something I’m looking forward to.  I’ve already started thinking about the menu, and with the garden in full bloom at that time, I’ll likely make everything from scratch, including my BBQ sauce.  After checking out a bunch of recipes – it turns out BBQ sauce is really simple to make, and easy to customize to your own liking (plus the homemade sauce can be made without the high fructose corn syrup most store bought varieties have).  I’m going to try a variation of this recipe for Sweet and Tangy BBQ sauce from the Kitchn.   I may add some fresh hot peepers (jalapenos or serranos) from the garden.

It’s such a simple recipe, I thought – why not make a huge batch, buy a few inexpensive glass bottles here, and send guests away with their own BBQ sauce party favors.  I love the idea of people taking a small token away, and particularly if it’s something that inspires more BBQ’s.

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Ok, I’m having a major indecisive moment (not surprising), and I can’t seem to commit to a new lighting fixture for my living room/dining room.  I’m over thinking it, and I may have just reached the point where I need to walk away and let someone else choose.  The six here are what I’ve managed to narrow it down to.  I thought for sure I’d be picking one from my fave Schoolhouse Electric, but then I found a few others that I like too….ahhhhh – which do you think will look best in my living room?  The walls are being painted a warm grey, the ceilings are rather high, and there is natural brick exposed nearby.  This particular fixture will be hanging nearly over the dining table (but not perfectly centered which makes me shy away from the pendants a little??) What do you think?

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With all the chatter about the newest Gatsby movie, I can’t help but want to revisit the book.  Being a big fan of the novel, I’m having a difficult time buying into this uber modern Baz Luhrmann version.  I’ve heard mixed reviews, and the one’s that have surprised me come from critics who thought they’d hate the film, but walked away from the screen impressed and surprised.  Part of me wants to give it a chance, and allow myself to be pleasantly surprised too, but to be honest, I’ve never really enjoyed Luhrmann’s style, and I’m afraid he could ruin my interpretation of the book.

I’ve always been such a visual person, so naturally when I read a novel every place has a landscape, every face has characteristics (I think I subconsciously fill in the details left out by the author).  I need to be able to picture every detail as the story unfolds.  For this reason, cover art has always been hugely important when choosing an edition.  Similar to how I shop for wine by the label (bad habit), I pick my books by the cover, and continuously refer back to it as I make my way through the story.   My first time reading Gatsby I read the version above, the classic painting by Francis Cugat, which was commissioned before the book was completed, and was beloved by Fitzgerald – so much so that it’s been said he wrote it into the book.

The second time I read the story I read the edition above (on the bottom right).  What a different experience….maybe it was the cover art, maybe it’s the nature of years past in-between readings.  Who knows – probably both.  Of all the covers I found in my search (here, here, and here), right now I’m liking the one above (on the bottom left).  I think I’d like to have that one in my collection.  Is it strange to collect multiple copies of the same book just for the cover art?  I don’t think so, but I also collect milk bottle caps.

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Worishofer 505 / Sweedish Hasbeens / Madewell Mini Wedge / Crossed Wedges

Today’s weather is gorgeous! Dry, mid-70′s, sunny, just perfect.  Of course with days like these, my mind wanders to my summer wardrobe, and what I’m missing.  I’m due for a new pair of summer sandals and these four are on the tip top of my list.  Deciding is going to be the hard part…I want a pair of each…

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Lorien and I were in need of some retail therapy, and where better to go than Benny’s??  Their tagline is ‘your favorite store’, and I think they’re right.  We love Benny’s.  It’s got that old school hardware store feel, reminiscent of times before the giant Home Depots.  They have everything from paint supplies, to gardening tools, to kitchen supplies and camping gear…plus other more obscure knick knacks.  Just what we were looking for.

Joanna’s finds:  After much deliberation, and poking around, I settled on some awesome accessories for gardening this season (I had to have restraint to not fill my carriage).  I’ve done a fair amount of research on gardening hoses, and was so shocked to find out most of them contain lead that seeps into the water over time and grows into vegetables (gross).  After many unsuccessful searches for a ‘drinking water safe’ hose at the bigger garden centers, I found what I was looking for at Benny’s (this happens all the time – they have all the good brands).  This never-kink hose is made for boats and campers and is safe for watering veggies.  Plus – it never kinks…..or so it says.

I also found these replacement lids for Ball canning jars.  I suppose I could have ordered them online, but I kept forgetting to do it.  The lids always rust after being used, so you need to replace them each time you use the glass for pickling.  Of course they had them at Benny’s.  I finished of my shopping with some natural bamboo stakes for the garden.  Believe it or not the bigger garden center only had the died green stakes, which I think are kind of terrible looking, so score again at Benny’s.  I’m not exaggerating (and they’re not paying me) when I say that I always leave this place pleasantly surprised with their inventory.  Cheers to a successful shopping trip!

Lorien’s Finds: One can spend hours in Benny’s and find a million of reasons to buy pretty much everything in the store…. all of a sudden I found myself wanting a dart board, to paint my walls, to buy tons of tupperware, beach chairs, a grill….you really can find everything you want at Benny’s. But once I started to focus, I realized they had a lot of things for my kitchen, I’ve been needing to put the finishing touches on the corner that surrounds our large hutch…..

First up, I found a nice collection of frames that were the perfect size for two prints I’ve been wanting to hang up FOREVER, one from Craftland and the other from Jill Bliss. Most of the frames at Benny’s were black, but that worked out for me since most of the frames I have in my home are also black. And for $7.99 and $10.99, the prices are hard to beat ( We totally sound like Benny’s salespeople but it’s so easy to get on the Benny’s bandwagon once you’ve been).

Then I actually found a bicycle basket for $10 that I want to use for storage for knick knacks. It’s a little weird and unconventional, but it’s actually perfect size for my kitchen. The part that would go over the handles is perfect for hanging up, I just have to get a little handy and a little DIY. There is actually a larger basket that I want to go back for, it will be great to hold my magazines and books for the family room.

Who knew Benny’s would be the place to go for cutting boards? They have such a selection of sizes and prices of cutting boards… which was fantastic since I needed a large cutting board to cover the surface of our hutch, we basically needed something to act like a big coaster. Since it’s a good size, it will also act as tray when we eat outside on our porch…and as the perfect cheese platter.. gotta love Benny’s.

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Life has been so busy recently, I haven’t even talked with my mom about mother’s day plans yet.  When I scheduled this post, I thought I’d already have something lined up for Sunday, but here I am planning a hypothetical Mother’s Day gathering (it will likely unfold in some version of this).

Holidays like Mother’s Day are all about seasonal food, easy outdoor entertaining, and relaxing with the fam.  All this brings to mind three things: lawn games, fresh salad, and refreshing cocktails made with citrus.  Here are three ideas that are super simple to pull off and perfect for a sunny spring day.

Lawn Games:There’s so many to choose from, but my personal fave is bocce (or petanque/boules).  This game is inexpensive to buy (the set pictured is fancy, but you can get less expensive sets here), great for a group and really casual – so if you need to pause for dinner that’s just fine.  No special skills are required.  Grandma can play and so can the tikes.  It’s like bowling without gutters.  Bocce makes a good Mother’s Day gift too.

Fresh Salad: I made the most amazing salad the other day, and of course, I forgot to snap a pic, so I’ll just give you a brief run down.  First – it’s very easy to make, and without any leafy greens, this salad travels well.  Make it ahead of time – no problem.  You’ll need: 1 cucumber sliced into thin half rounds (I like the seedless English cucumbers), 1 bunch of radishes sliced into thin half rounds, 1/2 cup of red grapes slices in half,  1/2 cup of pineapple in small chunks, 1/2 cup cojita cheese crumbled, 1 bunch of cilantro, 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, olive oil, white vinegar, and fresh ground pepper.

In a large bowl combine the cucumber, radish, grapes, pineapple, and cheese.  In food processor combine jalapeno, cilantro, 1/2 cup of olive oil and 1/4 cup of vinegar.  Process until smooth (if you don’t have a food processor you can chop everything very fine and then whisk together).  Pour dressing over the chopped friuts and vegetables.  Toss to coat.  Done.

Refreshing Cocktail: Who doesn’t like grapefruit juice, gin, lillet rose and flowers? These are the four simple ingredients that go into this pretty drink.  Just a few ingredients, and combine, nothing fancy, but wow, this is a refreshing and impressive cocktail to serve at a spring soiree.

Have a happy Mothers Day!

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Happy Friday!  I can’t say why, but some weeks just feel long, and for me, this was a very long week.  I’m looking forward to at least one free day this weekend to finish up a new outdoor project.  This one is pretty simple, but finding the time has been a struggle.  I’m building a light canopy for my back deck.  There’s so many ways to go about this, but I’ve decided to build a wire frame for the lights to hang over.  I’m far from finished, but I thought it would be good to share in two posts, so consider this post phase one.  The materials are simple….3 ten foot wooden posts (the height is important), 60 ft. of 3/32 gauge galvanized wire, 6 wire clamp sets, and 6 snap clips.  I bought it all at the hardware store for under $60.  The idea is to anchor the tall posts to my existing fence to give the canopy structure height (I’m short, but tall people will hit their heads on the lights if the posts are too low).  Each post has an eye hook at the top, and a reciprocal eye hook has been anchored to the house on the opposite side of the deck.  I’m building three strands of wire to connect each post to the hooks on the house. To build the wire pieces I’ve used these interesting clamps that pinch the wire around a metal ring to create a secure loop – who designs these things?  I love discovering solutions like these…so clever.  From there I attach a snap clip to each end of the wire.  So far – the most difficult seems to be measuring the wire pieces to make sure they will be taught when clipped to the post and house. I’ll probably have trouble getting this right (exact measurements aren’t my thing).  The end result should be a three row wire canopy ready for lights to be strung.  I’ve bought commercial grade outdoor lights that can hold a full sized bulb.  I like the effect of the larger lights (instead of the christmas light strands).  Now everyone cross their fingers for me.  I’ll post the outcome next week.  Have a great weekend!

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* photo of the Montreal Jardin Botanique shade garden

I’m very fortunate to have a raised bed vegetable garden in full sun.  It just happens to be that my side of the street is south facing and I have a vegetable patch in my front yard (not ideal for privacy though).  Now that I’ve successfully planted the veggies for a few years, I’m attempting to tackle the back garden, which has raised beds as well, but unfortunately, they only get a few hours of sun a day.  This partial shade situation has been tricky.  I’ve made a few attempts in years past that didn’t quite work out.  I wanted to grow veggies in back, but I’ve found the rumors to be true, not many vegetables thrive in shade (I was in denial and being stubborn)…so it’s time to adjust some of my expectations.  The good news is, I’ve discovered plenty of plants do very well in shaded areas – even some edible varieties.

I’ve found a good number of edible plants that will tolerate partial shade (mainly leafy greens and not ‘fruiting’ vegetables), and even more exciting, I’ve discovered really beautiful flowering plants that will grow well in shade.  My favorite flowering plants are hardy enough for cutting (for taking inside) – and luckily, many shade tolerant flowering plants are also perfect for cut flowers.

If you’re questioning what to do in your shade garden, here are a few more tips:

• Plants in shady areas shouldn’t be over-crowded.  The leaves need space to spread out and capture as much light as they can.
• For that same reason, large leafy plants do better in shade.
• Paint fences and walls near-by the garden white.  This will help to maximize your available light (you can cover boards with aluminum foil too, but I’m not that interested in aluminum foil in my garden).
• Don’t mulch or add compost until well into the hot dry season, otherwise you risk too much moisture.
• You may have a slug problem (gross I know), but the easiest solution is to pour a beer into an upside down frisbee and leave it out next to the garden.  Strange, I know, but beer is a slug magnet and it kills them…poor slugs.

Edible plants to try in partial shade: mint, parsley, wild ginger, lettuce, swiss chard, spinach, arugula, endive, radicchio, mustard greens, kale.

Flowering Plants to try in partial shade: bleeding hearts, astilbe, foxglove, lambs ears, begonias, larkspur, snap dragons, cleome

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