GPOMFW: gratuitous picture of my fiance Wednesday. This is from the Cape. It was his first time out there. He clearly has a superiority complex about the North Shore.
Filed under North Shore …
“HOMECOMING” FESTIVITIES
This weekend, Alex and I went home, and not as in going from the Lower East Side to our Brooklyn apartment. We went HOME to Massachusetts. I still feel like MA is home because I miss it very much, and I also feel like I’m still so new here in NYC. I’m still working on becoming a part of my work and neighborhood communities. I think I need to feel connections with the people around me before it feels like home.
Anyway, we arrived on the North Shore late on Friday night and went to bed (after sampling Alex’s mom’s latest sweet treat recipe – OF COURSE). We woke up to a rainy autumn Saturday with the sweet smell of strata (this is not the recipe we ate, but another very good one from Bon Appetit) rising from the kitchen. It occurs to me that I’ve never really described how fantastic it is to visit Alex’s parents. In short, we are fed SO well when we’re there. And now that we’re farther away, I think the level of tastiness has doubled. After strata, we rallied what troops we could to join us at the Ipswich Ale Harvest Festival at Green Meadows Farm in Hamilton, MA. You may remember some pictures I posted from last year, but here are a few new ones:
The epitome of FRESHLY HOPPED beer. Photo Credit: Jess G.
Other photos and much much more after the jump!!
Epic Movement
We are in Brooklyn! We made it alive and with only a few cuts and bruises.
Our journey has been long and crazy. Because it was an epic move and it means a big change in my life and blog, here is the adventurous play-by-play- in all its glory. No jumps.
Day 1
Scene: Pouring rain ALL day
We fixed a tarp from the door to the truck to keep ourselves and belongings dry.
Alex‘s brother, Matt, was unbelievably helpful and is very strong.
The rain and wind ripped our tarp down and forced us to close up the truck around 6pm. The sudden storm that got our tarp also got our electricity.
Slowed down by a break in loading and a lack of light, we got Upper Crust Pizza in Salem with Alex’s family.
Still no power after dinner. Any work was halted after the sun went down, so we went to James’ house and watched the last Red Sox game we could watch as Massachusetts residents.
Still no power after the game. We tried to work by flash- and candlelight, but it wasn’t easy.
As soon as we went to bed, the power came back on. We decided to sleep and get up early to finish packing the truck and clean the apartment.
Day 2
Scene: Sunny and 85 degrees
We had hoped to leave at 8am, but didn’t get on the road til 10:30 because of how much we couldn’t do the night before.
Alex drove the UHaul and I followed in my brother’s car (which I was so fortunately allowed to borrow while he was out of the country for the month of July).
What should have been a 4 and a half hour drive was 6 and a half. Long and hot.
We arrived in Brooklyn at 5pm, and were met by the smiling faces of my mother dearest, and good friends Dan and Britt.
With their help, and the later addition of siblings, Toby and Casey, and friends, Zach and Mel, we got the truck unloaded in an hour.
After fussing and shifting, but no real unpacking, we rested our heads.
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We can’t even begin to express our gratitude to those who helped us with our move. Our friends and family have proven true and wonderful. Thank you, thank you, thankyouthankyouthankyou. We could not have done it without you, and your smiling faces kept our spirits up.
I’m sad to have left Beverly and Boston. I feel good about the opportunities that await me here in New York, but my heart is achey. My calves are sore and my arms are tired. The moving-cuts-and-bruises are starting to heal.
My morning tea tastes a little different here. There is still a windowsill on which I can put my tea mug. I have a tendency to sit and watch out the window. In Beverly, I watched the squirrels and birds and the church parking lot outside our house. In Brooklyn, my view is a large intersection with lots of foot traffic and a cafe.
We are trying to negotiate a new kind of air flow in a very different kind of apartment. But the important things are the same. Trees outside, lots of sun, and comfortable things. All of our plants seem happy with the new sunshine they have. We are happy that it’s starting to look like a place where people live.
Grocery stores are different. They don’t carry shower curtain liners. Most shops only want cold, hard cash. People are friendly, and it’s not much louder here than in the suburbs. Casey was alarmed by how quiet a rainy Sunday morning is in Park Slope.
This neighborhood feels good and healthy. We’re so close to Prospect Park, and the guy at the hardware store already knows my face. We still have our Mario Kart. Mom bought us pretty daisies to warm our home. My urge to invite people over for dinner is very strong despite the boxes. Alex is helping me fix my bike, which will help me explore soon.
Things will be great. There is much to be done. Please come visit soon (if I know you).
SCALLOPS AND MOVING
The day is swiftly approaching. Friday we’ll pack it all into the UHaul and Saturday we rise early and drive to Brooklyn. It’s exciting and overwhelming and there’s SO much left to pack. I will be mostly M.I.A. for the next week. I have to stay on task, and I need your moral support! Soon enough I’ll be reporting from Brooklyn with LOTS to process and suss out.
Things to think about in the meantime:
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus with Lemon
Teamwork makes it happen
Panko Fried Scallops (AMAZING)
Wish me luck! See you soon, Brooklyn! I’m going to miss you so much, Boston-area!
SUPER SUMMER SUNDAY
Today was a wonderful day.
I deposited Boyfriend at the bus station so he could journey to NY to achieve job hunt joy. And so I says to myself, on a sunny, 83 degree day I really cannot rot in front of the television (we spend many Sundays with Mike Rowe, Adam and Jamie, and Tony Bourdain… or the Red Sox). I made a decision about how I’ll spend the next two days in the apartment all by myself: BEACH VACATION. I won’t put on makeup if I don’t feel like it, I’ll lounge in my swimsuit all day if I so choose, and if I want to have a beer with my lunch, goddamnit, I will have one. So, today, I started by taking a bicycle ride to the beach!
Beverly beaches are different from other Cape Ann beaches. There aren’t many tourists because the beaches are flat water, so it’s mostly the locals you see laying out. It makes for a much nicer, less crowded beach day. Also, Dane Street Beach has a grassy area (see below), which means you aren’t forced to get sand in uncomfortable places when you do go!
After the beach, I relaxed and reclined (bikini-clad), in the apartment. I followed that with a grocery store run… actually, it was more like a produce department run. All of the things I needed could be found in that section alone. PERFECT for vacation if you ask me.
A friend and her friend who was in town to visit came by for dinner. They had also been at the beach, so we were all a little sun-weary and ready for a refreshing summer meal. Oh, it was good. We had some fresh spinach fettucine I had made a few weeks ago and had frozen, and I mixed that up with some steamed asparagus, tomatoes, basil, avocado, goat cheese, and prosciutto.
The real showstopper, however, was the cocktail. I noticed it in Real Simple magazine, and I had to go for it. They call it a Cucumber and Lime Spritzer but I would call it something a little different (classier!). I also adjusted it a little bit, and made it in individual portions. My version is as follows:
Cucumber Lime Gin Fizz
1 part Gin (I used New Amsterdam)
2 parts Limeade
2 parts Club Soda
3 slices Cucumber
Stir, and serve on the rocks.
It was crisp and summery and refreshing. Mmmmmm. Make it. Soon. I don’t even like gin much and I LOVED it.
