sitges & barcelona {photodiary}

I know I'm so late with this, but finally getting some warmer weather in Boston has me thinking of our trip to Sitges and Barcelona back in September.  I even wrote most of this back in September, just never got around to posting.  Well here it is:

One of the perks of having been a consultant is the travel.  Not the weekly boring stuff, but the global trainings in Europe. Work has sent me to Nice, Prague, and now Sitges for training, and I have taken full advantage by tacking on vacations following each - Cinque Terre and Rome after Nice, Venice after Prague, and most recently a few days in Barcelona.

Day 1 of vacation - Friday

Training finished around 4pm and after rounds of goodbyes it was officially vacation time!  Adam had flown out to join me, and after a day at the pool was showered and ready to party.  I smuggled some final snacks from training (leftovers) and we headed off into Sitges to explore the beach, the city, and find some good food!

april 16th

A day after the Marathon and all the events that came with it, both happy and tragic, I awoke unsure whether to go to work.  After seeing Adam off and receiving notice that my office would be open, I decided to avoid taking the T.  While I love to stroll home from the office when it's warm out, I had never before walked to work.  On any other April 16th it would have been extremely pleasant - warm enough to unbutton my coat, sun shining through the just-budding trees, a mail carrier feeding the birds, construction workers lifting wood into a 4th floor apartment for some apparent renovations.  But today, glancing towards Copley along the cross streets, I could see the area blocked off, filled with news cameras and flashing lights.  Nearing the Commons I waited at the crosswalk as a Special Ops truck pulled in front of me, turning onto Comm Ave followed by two buses full of what appeared to be military personnel.   SWAT trucks on the Commons, and all sorts of security and law enforcement officials at the street corners in the Financial District.  Amidst all of this, people seem to be going about their lives, walking dogs, getting coffee, going to work or taking a walk - a cautious 'business as usual'.  But sitting in my office I'm reminded of yesterday's events as helicopters circle the area and the occasional medevac helicopter flies by.  I still don't know how to feel about all of it.  I am saddened that so many innocent people were affected, confused not really knowing what happened, yet encouraged to hear stories of how Boston's people reached out to all the runners, bystanders, and visitors in the city.  While the overwhelming outreach is heartwarming to witness, I can only hope that Boston's people don't forget this compassion as the months and years pass.  All too often we react to the immediate presence of an event, and in the aftermath, continually relive both the sad and the uplifting moments thanks to various incarnations of the media.  I can't help but feel like this is a dramatization that we've all been pulled into.  What happens as we move on?

Never intending to stay beyond college, Boston has sneakily found a way into my heart and over the years has become my home.  I would like to see the 2013 Marathon remain present for all of us without drama or bravado.  I hope that the injured heal, families of the victims find peace, and that all of us can remember to cherish each moment and look out for one another as we go about our lives. 

sad day boston

Adam and I took the day off today to enjoy the Boston Marathon.  Although I have lived in the area for years and often cheered on runners and friends along Commonwealth Ave, I had never been to watch at the finish line.  I took this photo at Boylston & Exeter just before 1pm today, within a block of the two explosions.  We didn't stay for long, moving on to take a walk through the city.  On our way home we decided to avoid the crowds and stayed closer to the Charles.  We were crossing over Exeter when we heard the explosions.  It sounded as if a large dumpster had been dropped on the ground, but so much louder that we could feel it.  There were sirens, but we had been hearing them all day.  When we made it to Fairfield we were met with a flood of people running towards us and on towards the river in panic, crying and yelling to get out of the city.  It was surreal.  I felt as if we were in a movie, but the fear and confusion around us was very real.  We are safely at home.  Thanks to everyone who has checked in on us.  It's so shocking, scary, and sad how dramatically that scene at the finish line shifted from the positive energy we experienced at that very spot to complete fear just two hours later. 

white pizza {bacon, pear, blue cheese // 3 cheese + spinach}

I don't think I've really written about it yet, but Adam and I got a pizza stone as a Christmas gift.  It has really changed our weekly cooking routine since it's easy and quick and allows for a lot of experimentation.  It's a lot of fun too, now that we have the technique down.  We started out by recreating some of our old favorites, but have recently gotten into making 2 smaller pizzas rather than one large one.  We like the crust better this way (crispy and thin) and the variety is fun!

Since this week's dinner lineup has a lot of tomatoes, we went for white pizzas last night.

Bacon, pear, and blue cheese on one and 3 cheeses and spinach on the other.  We use Trader Joe's premade dough since it's easy and inexpensive, but you could of course make your own.

Bacon, Pear, and Blue Cheese Pizza
pizza dough
5 slices bacon
1 pear, thinly sliced (you prob won't need an entire pear)
crumbled blue cheese or Gorgonzola
ricotta
balsamic vinaigrette* 
olive oil
salt + pepper

Cook bacon until crispy.  Set aside to drain on paper towels, and break into bite-sized pieces when cool.  Roll out dough.  Thinly coat with olive oil and a sprinkling of salt.  Add layers of ricotta, blue cheese, bacon, and pear*.  Bake at 450-500 until crust is golden.
*We didn't do this, but next time I'd coat the pears in balsamic vinaigrette to add a bit of acid (as they say on all the cooking shows) and to get a bit of caramelization on the pears.  Yum.   

Three Cheese + Spinach Pizza
pizza dough
baby spinach
1/2 white onion, diced
1-3 garlic cloves, minced (we used 3, and it was super garlicky)
grated Parmesan cheese
ricotta
mozzarella (fresh or shredded)
olive oil
salt + pepper

In a skillet cook diced onion in olive oil until tender.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add garlic and spinach, stirring until spinach is wilted.  Stir in enough Parmesan cheese to gain a slightly creamy appearance.  Set aside.  
Roll out dough.  Thinly coat with olive oil and a sprinkling of salt.  Bake dough alone at 450-500 for a few minutes until crust is slightly browned.  Top with layers of ricotta, mozzarella, and spinach mixture.  Bake a few more minutes until mozzarella is melted and crust is golden brown.  

paris {photodiary}

I was so good about getting the London photodiary up, but I have completely slacked on posting the end of the trip: Paris!

It's been a while (4 months) so I honestly don't remember all the details of what we did. I know we ate tons of yummy food (mostly sandwiches, pastries, and crepes), drank lots of delicious and inexpensive wine, and walked around a whole lot.  Exactly what I wanted!