Month: November 2013

Snuck out for lunch the other day with my “besties” at PrepKitchen in Little Italy. Typically I encourage my “dates” to order something different that we can all share, but we all decided to order the same thing: the grilled local fish tacos with avocado, mango jicama slaw & chipotle aioli; It came with a healthy sized side salad dressed with a salty vinaigrette that totally balanced the sweetness of the taco. Local, farm-fresh, from scratch…all about that!

And how can you not feel uber cool in the uber cool upstairs dining room making it’s mark with huge reclaimed balusters separating the dining room from the bar, moss-riddled birch bark on the walls, and a communal hand-wash station made from a schoolyard drinking fountains – how fun is that? Besides, repurposing is still cool…

And hey look; PrepKitchen Little Italy made it to #20 on the thrillist.com list of the “coolest bars and restaurants in town.”

Has it come to this? It’s November 1st, just ONE day after Halloween and I see a post from one of my “friends” on Facebook about how disappointing it was that Target did not have all their Christmas decorations out yet.  It used be that the day AFTER Thanksgiving was the kick off to the holiday season.  But no more.  It’s time to turn on your outside holiday lights, adorn the front door with a fresh pine wreath and litter the yard with glowing snowmen and reindeer.  Think, Chevy Chase “Christmas Vacation”. These days Jingle Bells are ringing a little sooner and I guess I should just get on board.  I do love everything about this time of year (including the “stepchild” Thanksgiving).  It’s a time of eating, drinking & celebrating with family & friends.  There are countless magazines and website with ideas on how to decorate your home or how to create the perfect festive holiday table.  Here are some that caught our attention using a classic palette, dressed with a splash of color and incorporating fresh pears, white pumpkins & squashes slowly easing your way from fall into winter.  Make your own napkin holders, wrapped with ribbon and a cinnamon stick for a personal touch that not only looks amazing but also smells terrific.  Cheers, Happy Holidays!