My main squeeze

While Mark went to work Lukas and I decided to walk to the trendy Newbury Street. I was at first kind of disappointed because all I saw was high end shops that I have no interest in going.

But then as I walked along and saw some really beautiful old churches, cafes and people lunching I got more intrigued and looked for a place I can park the stroller in and have a light lunch and get some shade.

I found a chic french restaurant who unlike the rest of the restaurants is only a few steps down so it's easy for me to take the stroller down.  Lukas was so amazingly well behaved and just watched all the people that passed by.  He loved all the attention he got from our lovely french waitress.  It was kind of nice to have an intimate day with him in a different environment I feel like I've been cooped up in CA for awhile so this trip was a nice change for both of us. 

Blog Fave

I've been following Rhiannon's blog  for a couple of years now and she continues to give me lots of inspiration and has kept me dreaming of old southern places, it's torn yet innocent buildings and landscapes and its sweet homey lifestyle.  Her obsession of silent films, delicate vintage dresses, and civil war era captured by her fiance in a single shot is so infectious and addicting.  So to see her progress into a new venture and have lots of success really makes me proud of her.  This week she finally opened up her own online shop and the making off her "look book" video is so endearing and sweet. I cannot wait to see what she puts up on the store.  I love women who follow their own style and pave their own path by doing what they love and dream off especially in this main stream celebrity crazed generation.  As a mom, I hope that Lukas sees me as someone who found success by being authentic and original person.  

Welcome to Boston

Target 1:

 For me the best part of the east coast is the old brick buildings and the eerie ivies that crawls up to it.

We didn't buy Lukas his own seat this time around so we were so happy to finally land to Boston and stretch our legs. Lukas was good the entire flight so it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be BUT it would probably be the first and the last time we will do this for long flights. It was just much easier for him to have his own space and also would relieve me from my worries when there's turbulence (which we had a lot of during this trip) having him not strapped in an actual seat belt just made me so uncomfortable.   Once we got to the hotel, we dropped off our luggage and walked to a restaurant to get some food.

 This restaurant served organic and sustainable food that is equally beautiful and yummy!

 The calamari has some sweetness to it which I'm guessing is honey

 Scallops and pork belly served on top of english pea puree. The color of this dish is vibrant and fresh you almost don't want to eat it

Bouillabaisse 

(clam, cod, mussles, fennel onion and fried bread)

We had a table located by an open window and Lukas slept in his stroller the entire dinner. It was indeed a perfect start to a miraculous perfect weather in Boston.  It's a great way to welcome ourselves back in this city...

It's not how well you do it, it's how well you do it everyday...

Roasted Chicken with rosemary potatoes and sauteed asparagus

Last week my hubby suggested that I take it easy for the night and he'll help with the cooking (i.e. buy something made from the store)  so I took his offer and decided to just make the sides instead.  The chicken roast was 5 bucks cheap at our local grocery store so he picked some up.  For the side, I made roasted rosemary potatoes and sauteed some asparagus.  I placed it all in one platter for rustic look and to also save more dishes to wash.  

Weekend project

We have a horrible entry way to our house and alas I couldn't take it anymore so I tried my best to dress it up without doing anything major or breaking my bank.  

 I had the vase that I bought from Home Goods 2 years ago and it has been collecting dust until now.  I added the green bamboo thing that I got from World Market and it only cost me 5 bucks.  The owl and bike is from Ross for probably 20 dollars.  The rug is also from Home Goods (can you tell that I love that place?) 

I have a perennial ability of killing plants however, succulents seems to be thriving on nothing so it's a good choice for me

 and Home Depot had awesome prices so I planted a few of different kinds!

The entry way isn't as perfect I would want it to be but it is now very welcoming and kind of sweet.  I couldn't paint the rails because it's so windy and cloudy this weekend so I'm saving that project for the next sunny weather.  

Play Land

We had an awesome day at Talbots today.  Lukas didn't get fazed by all the bigger kids who ran around him.  He was so curious and played the whole time.

He especially loved the little playhouses

 and even got to play in the slides!!!

Gloria's Sweet Corn Soup

I called this soup Gloria's Sweet Corn soup because it is inspired by my grandma's corn soup she made for us when we were little kids when it's storming outside and the school is cancelled.  The smell of it brings me back those days.  I want to start making the same memories for Lukas so I am making my own version of soup for him.  It's a little bit more time consuming but it's so worth it.  Here's how I did it.

You will need: 2 Leeks (chopped)  4 sweet corn (grated) 2-3 sweet potatoes (peeled and cut lengthwise) and 3-4 cups of boiling water

Grate all corn and set aside

Put corn cobs to a big pot then pour boiling water into the pot completely submerging the cobs.  Add chopped leeks and sweet potatoes and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, turn the heat into medium level and let it simmer for 10 minutes or so.

After the soup has been simmering for 10 minutes, take the cobs out and discard. 

Then add the grated corn into the soup and stir.  Let it reduce for another 10-15 minutes or until the soup thickens - stir occasionally.  Take out few scoops of sweet potatoes and leeks and finely chop for texture, you may skip this part and continue on pureeing the soup with an immersion blender if your baby is younger or if you prefer a smoother version.  

For Lukas who is over 10 months old I plan to mix in cooked brown rice to this soup to add more texture for his palette.  Happy eating to you all!!

*Fun Fact about Leeks and the reason why I used this instead of an onion- 

A good source of dietary fiber, leeks also contain goodly amounts of folic acid, calcium, potassium, and vitamin C. Easier to digest than standard onions