Instead of my usual odds & ends post today, I want to do a quick recap of our recent trip to New York City. This is the third time we've been to NYC since we've been married--first a 24 hour whirlwind in the middle of our trip to Connecticut and then last August we spent a weekend there visiting my friend Katie, who had recently moved there after her June wedding.
Given that Katie's one of my favorite people ever and she happens to live in a city we really love, it was no question of whether we'd return this summer. We spent Labor Day weekend trouncing around Manhattan and the Bronx, where Katie and Matt live, and are already counting down until next year's trip! 

If you came for Odds & Ends or a recipe, come back Monday for regularly scheduled blogging! I like to capture our trips on The Sweets Life, both for the benefit of readers who might be visiting those places, and to capture memories via an online travel journal of sorts. 

A few of this year's NYC trip highlights...


Things we did:

• Visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art. None of the four of us had visited this art museum, and we had fun exploring for a few hours. Highlights included the Everyday Epiphanies photography exhibit, recognizing art from Degas and Monet and Van Gogh, and (some) of the modern art. Don't miss a visit to the rooftop, where you'll see incredible views of the city!
• Meandered through Central Park. Walking through Central Park never gets old, in part because there is so much to explore. This was the first time we walked (not ran) through the park, and it was nice to enjoy the scenery a bit more. We ate a picnic lunch, people-watched, and checked out the conservatory gardens. 
• Indulged my foodie self at the Union Square Greenmarket, Eataly, and Fish's Eddy. I drooled over the fresh cheeses and bright vegetables at the market, watched chefs make orecchiette pasta in Eataly, and wanted to bring home one of everything from Fish's Eddy! 
• Saw Jersey Boys. I love (love! love!) musicals, and couldn't resist the opportunity to see a show on Broadway while we were there. We didn't realize how much of Frankie Valli's music we'd recognize, and it was fun to see the songs come to life on stage. All four of us were blown away by the talent these actors have! 
• Went to the US Open. Okay, this was Ryan and Matt, not me, but it bears mentioning. It was by far the highlight of Ryan's weekend! The boys went Sunday night and saw Djokovic destroy Sousa as well as Li beat Jankovic in the women's singles. Ryan already has his hopes set on attending next year, and with all the hype, I'm wondering if I should join him!
• Enjoyed quality time with friends. Although we did a lot of great things over the weekend, this was the primary reason we came. It was so fantastic to spend so much time with Katie, and fun to see the boys get to know each other much better too. It's always better when the husbands love each other too, am I right?! Distance hasn't hindered our friendship in any way, but there's nothing like spending time face to face. Love you Katie!

One Year Ago: Caramelized Onion, Blue Cheese, and Bacon Pizza with Fig Jam
Two Years Ago: Pesto Berry Balsamic Flatbread with Goat Cheese
Three Years Ago: Hot Bean and Cheese Dip
Four Years Ago: Veggie Bagel Sandwich

 How does one handle a 14+ hour road trip? We frequently made the drive between St. Louis and Chicago, but 4.5 hours is nothing compared to the trek east to Kiawah Island (Charleston), South Carolina. Though Ryan's and I have driven to Charleston before, it was the second stop on our road trip route, meaning we had a few days in Nashville before continuing the journey.
 This time, we had only one destination in mind. To keep myself occupied, I decided to take a photo each hour of the trip. We set out at 4 pm from St. Louis, with Julia and Nate in our rented minivan, and found ourselves at our rented house in Kiawah around 3 pm the following day (this was with an [undocumented] several hour sleep in Knoxville, TN!).
 The hours actually passed fairly quickly (much more so than the ride home, when we did it all in one fell swoop!), in part because we were so excited about what was ahead!
 Anyway, I thought I'd change things up today and share those photos with you...enjoy the insight into our marathon road trip!














One Year Ago: Odds & Ends
Two Years Ago: Grilled Chicken and Peaches Salad
Three Years Ago: Oreo Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Truffles

One Year Ago: Odds & Ends
Two Years Ago: Peanut Butter Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Pops
Three Years Ago: Guinness and Bailey's Irish Cream Cupcakes

 A few weeks ago I mentioned that my sister Julia and I were heading to Orlando, FL for a girl's weekend with my cousin Ashlyn who moved there a year and a half ago. It was our first time visiting Ashlyn in Florida, but not the first time we'd all been there together and we had an absolute blast remembering the memories we created more than 15 years ago while also making new ones. The trip was undoubtedly one of my favorite weekends of 2013 so far and I left Orlando with so much gratitude for the fact that my family members are also my best friends! I could go on and on about how much fun we had, but I'm instead going to hit the food highlights, because I know that's what you guys care about anyway!
Eola Wine Company: We kicked off Friday happy hour (literally--sat across the street waiting for the place to open!) at this wine bar in Winter Park, FL. We sat outside with glasses of wine, catching up and people-watching on Park Ave. Although they had a great-sounding menu, we stuck to the baked brie because we had big plans for dinner. Not only was it the perfect pre-dinner snack, but we felt like our grandma, sipping wine and eating brie (her favorites!). 

Prato: I'd been looking forward to this meal for months, since Ashlyn had texted Julia and I long before to tell us she'd made reservations here, at one of her favorite restaurants in Florida. Thankfully it did not disappoint! Although the interior of the restaurant is very cool, we again sat outside, taking advantage of al fresco dining whenever we could! Our cocktails were each fantastic, but the real stars of the night were the food. We opted to split three things: the campagna salad [arugula, pancetta, almonds, and the best croutons I've ever had!], the funghi pizza [roasted mushrooms, radicchio, charred onions, and aceto]. and the whole wheat tonnarelli [pork ragu, kale, barolo]. We had no problem finishing any of the three off, but the pizza was a particular favorite. If you find yourself in the Orlando area, do yourself a favor and get thee to Prato for this pizza! It is one of the best pizzas I've ever had (rivaling Serious Pie, which held the previous record!)

Red Mesa: Saturday, we decided to head out of Orlando and over to St. Petersburg to soak up a little beach time. The day was full of adventures and we had a fun time walking the beach and eating ice cream for lunch (a vacation tradition in my family!). By the time 5 pm hit we were tired, hungry, sunburnt, and dehydrated....which turned out to be nothing Red Mesa couldn't handle! We dragged our burnt selves to their patio (notice a trend here?), where we rehydrated with a pitcher of margaritas and water, LOTS of water! Given that it was the day before cindo de mayo, Mexican food seemed fitting. At that point anything would've tasted good, but even so, our quesadillas and tacos were top notch!

Epcot - Tutto Gusto: All of Sunday was spent in nostalgia, fondly remembering the last time the three of us had been together in Disney World. We started off at Hollywood Studios (what I remember as MGM) where we harmed our eardrums listening to Julia scream her way through Tower of Terror...twice. We then met up with my friend Lauren at Epcot where we enjoyed just about every attraction there, as well as a whirlwind tour around the world! We stopped in Italy at Tutto Gusto, a wine cellar that truly feels like you're walking into a little place in Italy. After glasses of wine and a cheese & olive plate, we continued our trek, taking photos in each city along the way (pictured above: the UK).

Wolfgang Puck: We almost missed seeing my aunt and uncle, who were out of town the weekend we came, but thankfully met up with these in Downtown Disney for a quick dinner on Sunday night. Although Wolfgang Puck's menu is large enough that you can find something for everyone, we all stuck to pizzas and salads. I recommend the Greek salad and veggie pizza! Because of our VIP status (or because Ashlyn's boyfriend works there...), we found ourselves with a giant platter of dessert to finish the meal, including carrot cake, key lime pie, and molten lava chocolate cake. We pretty much rolled out of there!


All in all, while the food was great, it was the company we were really there for. Thankfully, neither disappointed! We already cannot wait to return for more Orlando adventures with Ashlyn!

One Year Ago: Oatmeal Sourdough Rolls
Two Years Ago: Individual Zucchini, Lemon, and Ricotta Galettes 
Three Years Ago: Black Bean Hummus

A few weeks ago I spent four days in San Diego for a work conference. Like most work trips, the majority of my time is spent tucked away in conference rooms, and the only time I escape is in the evenings for dinner. This trip was no different, although I did get in early enough on Monday to go for a long walk all around the Gaslamp district and along the water when the weather. It brought back great memories from my trip to San Diego a few years ago. Ryan and I still talk about those fish tacos!

I ate at a few places that deserve a mention, in case you're headed to the area anytime soon! As you can see, I didn't take many pictures except for the one above (I try not to be obnoxious on work trips), so you'll have to make do with photos I found online!

bite m.e: The day I arrived, I was still on Central time so I was starving by 5 pm. None of my coworkers were in town yet, so I ran in here and grabbed takeout. The food was good, but I was turned off because the description for the Greek salad didn't match what I received (black olives instead of kalamata olives, for one), and the server misheard my order and didn't top it with the falafel I asked for. They also forgot to give me silverware! The roasted eggplant and pillowy pita bread I got on the side made up for all of it though. Overall, this place was nothing special, but a good, reasonably priced place if you're craving mediterranean!

Basic Pizza: This pizzeria sits in what looks like a giant warehouse. It's large and most of it is open-air, with garage doors open, letting in the warm San Diego air. Basic keeps things casual, serving pizza on paper plates and maintaining a pretty basic (no pun intended) menu. They have a few pizza combinations to suggest on their menu, but for the most part it's up to you to choose your base (red or white, with or without mozzarella), and then choose from a long list of toppings, including everything from roasted red peppers to fried eggplant to meatball to mashed potato. Our group started with the only salad on the menu: mixed greens, pears, candied walnuts, and gorgonzola in a vinaigrette. Simple, but fantastic. We couldn't decide between a red or a white pizza, so we got one of each! The red pie with eggplant, sausage, tomato, and mozzarella, as well as a white pie with chicken, artichokes, spinach, and ricotta. The crust is chewy and thin, and the toppings are fresh and plentiful. The atmosphere was loud and the place was packed, especially for a Tuesday night, leading me to believe this place is an area favorite! Special thanks to Swirled Sweeties for recommending this place!

Searsucker: I'm pretty sure everyone who wasn't at Basic was at Seersucker! A group of us ate here on Wednesday night and even when we arrived after 8 pm, the place was packed. Two hours later when we left, it was still just as crowded! It had a similar warehouse decor that Basic was going for, but  a more upscale version of it! While we scanned the menu, our server brought melt-in-your-mouth cheddar puffs to the table and I immediately knew we were in for a good meal. The wine was fabulous, my fish (haddock, if I'm remembering correctly) was perfectly cooked, and each of the side dishes I sampled (fried brussels + walnuts, sugar-snap peas + carrots, cauliflower + manchego, and bacon grits) made me think an assortment of side dishes would have been a perfectly acceptable dinner! Again, like Basic, the place was loud--almost too loud--but we squeezed so many people at a table we were close enough to hear one another ;)

Lucky's Lunch Counter: Lucky's was right around the corner from my hotel, so I grabbed dinner here the night before I headed to the airport. First and foremost, I must say the service was top-notch. Both workers were incredibly friendly and didn't think I was crazy for my insane salad order. I have a tendency to go a little hog-wild when endless options are before me, and I found myself throwing anything that sounded good onto my build-your-own-salad. Olives? Of course! Avocado? Gotta have my healthy fats! A fried egg? Why not! Don't worry, I snuck some vegetables in there as well! I also tried their homemade potato chips on the side. I'm not a chip-lover by any means, but I can't ever resist fresh potato chips and these did not disappoint! Besides salads and chips, Lucky's has a large breakfast (served all day) menu as well as a number of sandwiches, hot dogs, and more. I get the feeling this tiny place is packed around lunchtime each day, and rightly so!

One Year Ago: Gooey Sandwich Cookie Bars
Two Years Ago: Chocolate Almond Layered Cheesecake
Three Years Ago: Babe Ruth Bars

Last weekend I told you about our time in Austin and this time I'm back to chat all things San Antonio. We were really only here for about a day and a half and because we stayed in a Bed and Breakfast, we did less eating out here. Still, I wanted to share the places we did get to enjoy!

Where We Stayed:

Oge House--Inn on the Riverwalk: Ryan scored two nights at this place courtesy of a Living Social deal and we were blown away by how nice it was. Located in the King William Historic District, the neighborhood was beautiful, the house was gorgeous, and the hosts were friendly. The backyard of the house backed up to the Riverwalk, making it incredibly convenient. We stayed in the Steves room which I would recommend to any future visitors. We also spent a lot of time on the front and back porches, reading and relaxing. Our breakfast each day was good--pancakes, ham, and a poached pear one morning, scrambled eggs with feta and dill, muffins, sausage, and fruit salad the next. Our favorite part was of course the cookie jar...I managed to score the recipe of our favorite cookie and will be sharing it here soon!

Where We Ate:
 Acenar: We arrived at this Tex-Mex restaurant on the Riverwalk positively famished after an afternoon of hiking (more on that below). We liked that it wasn't in the main (read: crazy busy!!) part of the River Walk and that its outdoor seating was up above the sidewalk. The place was hopping on a Sunday night and we had a short wait for seats outside. We started off with prickly pear margaritas and chips and salsa. The chips were pretty bland but the salsa had a nice smokiness to it. For entrees, Ryan ordered the crab tacos and I ordered the fish tacos. I asked for pineapple and avocado to be added to mine and was disappointed to find that they charged us a whopping $3.50 for 3 teeny tiny slivers of avocado. I don't mind paying extra for additions but would've liked a little more for my money. Even so, both of our tacos were excellent and hit the spot.

1919: This lounge was recommended to us by friends and we stopped in before dinner on a Monday night. The bar itself is in kind of a weird location, underneath another restaurant but in a very industrial area. Once inside, however, it's another world, dark and with a large bar. We ordered a few appetizers (mini pickles and peppers stuffed with ricotta and capers), but the drinks were the real hit. Mine featured a basil and corn-infused tequila which sounds crazy but was actually fantastic! Ryan had an old-fashioned of sorts that he was also pleased with--always a success when the cocktail snob approves!

Ocho: I'm so glad this place was recommended to us! It's part of Hotel Havana, a boutique hotel in San Antonio located on the Riverwalk. The restaurant sits high above the water in a glass-enclosed space that was rather beautiful when lit up at night. We split two entrees here: the chopped salad with crab and the hambuergesa torta. These might have been my two favorite entrees of the entire trip!

Amy's Ice Creams: Anyone who has read trip recaps from our other travels know ice cream is a regular occurrence and we couldn't resist stopping here on our final night. The set up is similar to Coldstone and the employees do fancy things like flip your ice cream scoop high into the air. I went simple, mixing the Mexican vanilla (maybe the best vanilla I've ever had?!) with raspberries while Ryan  had the coffee and caramel mocha flavors.

What We Did: 
Hiking in Government Canyon: On our way from Austin to San Antonio we stopped at the Government Canyon State Natural Area to hike on some of their travels. What we intended to be a 1.5 hour hike turned into 3.5 hours of hiking in the hot sun. We may or may not have run out of food and water, but were so distracted watching the trail (it was rocky!!) that we didn't realize how famished we were until our return to the car. I highly recommend heading here to hike--there are a ton of trails so you can hike for as short or as long as you'd like and even though Texas is pretty flat, there was a wide variety of terrains on the different trails (note--it costs $6/person to enter the park).

The Alamo: You can't go to San Antonio without paying a visit to the infamous Alamo. I actually really enjoyed our time here...minus the part where Ryan told me to "remember the Alamo" at least five times. Still, there's a lot to see and read and learn!

Animal World and Snake Farm Zoo: This was undoubtedly Ryan's favorite part of the whole trip. We actually found this via Groupon and joked about visiting the whole trip until Ryan made it clear he really did want to visit! I've never seen so many snakes in my life and was convinced I'd have nightmares! There were at least 50 snakes in cages inside, including the top 10 most venomous snakes in Texas. In addition to the reptiles, there were a bunch of other random animals both inside and out: crocodiles, turtles, emus, longhorns, parrots, and goats, to name a few. We spent almost two hours here and I got a big kick out of watching Ryan take it all in like a little kid ;) 

One Year Ago: Chocolate, Coconut, Almond Gobs
Two Years Ago: Orange BBQ Chicken, Pineapple, and Vegetable Kabobs
Three Years Ago: Fresh Peach Muffins