Category: Friends

2012 will be BIG.

Published on by Marie1 Comment

2012 promises to be a huge year for me.  I have big ideas, big dreams and big goals.

This year will include a lot of milestones.  I’ll turn 24, study abroad in London covering the Summer Olympics, create and present a media thesis project, choreograph for DanceWorks Boston and Kinetic Synergy, work my 4th summer with the National Dance Alliance, finish my last 2 semesters of grad school, run a bazillion more races… the list is endless.

Goals-wise, I am all about the resolutions. I love ’em.  Not the kinds that say “I’m going to drop such-and-such amount of weight” but the ones that make you feel good when you accomplish them and make you want to work harder if they slip away from you.

I feel like this can be referred to in all aspects of life...

2012 Goals

– Run 10 5K races.  I know this is attainable.  I just need to buckle down and register.

– To go along with my 5K race goal, I want to run the 2012 Marblehead Beach to Beach 5K again this year.  It was my first ever race and I’d love to keep running it every year.

– Run a sub 27:00 5K.  That’s about a 9:00 min/mile.  I can do it.

– Run 5 longer races this year, 5-milers, 10Ks and one half marathon.  Holy crap, I can’t believe I’m writing that, but there it is, out there for the world to see.

– Choreograph 3 more dance pieces.  It took me until 2011 to realize how much I love choreographing and I don’t want to stop!

– Try out and review 1 new restaurant a month.  I want to expand my food horizons and experience as much of it as possible… on a budget.

– Work 3 NDA camps.  This one might be tough because of London, but I think three is a good compromise since I usually work 9.

– Ace my study abroad.  6 weeks, 1 class, 1 internship, 1 chance.  An internship with a huge news networks could lead to a possible job.  I want to kick ass during my time in London; it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and could set me apart from a million other applicants in the real world.

– Rock my media thesis.  No specifics just yet but it will include a website where I am happy to say I just buy the domain.  It will come with a lot of physical and mental changes and challenges.  Stay tuned.

– Finish graduate school successfully.  Without too many meltdowns would be ideal.

– Save money.  This year will be especially difficult since London alone is very expensive, but I have a number in mind and achieving it at least once this year would be great.

– Love others more.  Personal goal.  Be nicer also ties in here.

Overall, I hope 2012 will be as successful, productive and eye-opening as 2011 as been.  Thank you to all of you who read Chocolate & Wine and support me through everything I do.

I raise my glass (of Asti) to you.

Last question of 2011: What are your biggest goals for the new year?

 

2011 Recap & Wrap Up

Published on by Marie6 Comments

2011.  I feel like it went by so fast.  At this time last year, I was a completely different person and I’m happy to report that I’m a better me than I was at the close of 2010.

This year, I achieved things I never thought I ever could.  I choreographed three group routines, I started running and ran four 5K races, I got into grad school and survived my first semester, I realized what I truly want in my life and I am starting to become the person I have always wanted to be.

I worked my third summer with the National Dance Alliance, I now dance in an amazing company in Boston and BU has opened my eyes to incredible new opportunities, including an acceptance into a 6-week study abroad program to cover the London Olympics next summer.

2011 taught me to not take life too seriously.  To enjoy each day, love whole-heartedly and appreciate myself for who I am.  It’s a great feeling to look back on this year and know that I have grown in so many ways.

Back in July, I set some mid-year goals for myself.  So let’s recap them and see how I did.

1.  Work (at least) 8 NDA summer camps.  Done.  I worked 9!  I traveled everywhere from Kansas to Maryland and loved every minute of it.  

NDA friends take awesome photos.

2.  Run 2 more 5Ks.  Done.  I ran 3 more: Run for Ryan’s Cup 5K in September, Witch City 5K in October and the Lynnfield Turkey Trot 5K in November.  I wanted to run one in December as well but since I didn’t get to, I signed up for the “Run Your Hangover Off 5K” on January 1st.  I think it’s the best way to kick off 2012!

I heart bib numbers.

3.  Host a blog giveaway.  Done. I hosted my first giveaway in September for Chocolate and Wine’s 1st Blogiversary!

4.  Stick to Weight Watchers (not playing a numbers game here. Work out, eat right, follow the points, be healthy and let the body do what it will.)  Kinda done.  I don’t exactly stick to the WW plan but I did manage to drop 12 pounds this year and I am VERY happy about that.

I, I, I, I WORK OUT.

5.  Rock the first semester of my grad program at Boston University (all A’s would be sweet but we like B+s too.)  Kinda done.  1 A-, 1 B+ and 2 Bs.  I am very proud; grad school is hard, man.

Dream job.

6.  Try 1 new recipe a week.  Fail.  Sometimes when I cook, I use the same recipes over and over.  But now that I have a beautiful new crockpot, I might be able to achieve this goal in 2012.

7.  Dance in 4 DanceWorks Boston fall pieces.  Done.  I danced in 5!  6 if you include the finale/Flash Mob!  

Some of my DanceWorks family...

8.  Train for and run a 10K.  Fail.  I chickened out.  2012 will hold at least one 10K and maybe even a half marathon.

9.  Take hot yoga regularly.  Fail.  I probably did it a total of 3 times between the summer and now.

Overall, I think this has been a great year.  I achieved most of my goals and really let myself let go of the rest of the emotional baggage leftover from undergrad.

So long, 2011…On to 2012! Goals and “resolutions” to come!

It’s Almost Christmas!!!

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To start this post today, I’d like to say a very Happy Birthday to my cousin Sam!

Sam's 21st Birthday... 22 will be much calmer.

I can’t believe how fast this year flew by.  It’s crazy to me that Christmas is a mere 2 days away.  Am I ready?  YES YES YES!

Our Christmas Tree... It takes up the better half of the living room.

First, I want to give a special shout-out and thank you to to Boston.com for featuring my Cranberry & Walnut Biscotti recipe the other day.  Because of you, I reached a record number of page views for one day at Chocolate & Wine!  What a great early Christmas present for my little corner of the Internet.

You should really make these for Christmas..

Lots of people ask me what I cook this time of year for Christmas and the various holiday parties I go to.  To be honest, the list is endless.  I try not to bring the same thing to the same place so it’s always a never-ending search for new recipes to try.

This year, I narrowed it down to a few winners.

For my best friend’s ugly sweater party, I made kale chips.  The recipe could not be simpler.  Take a bunch of fresh kale and wash thoroughly (they can be gritty so really let ’em soak).  Then rip the leaves away from the stems and place on a baking sheet coated with non-stick spray.  Top with more cooking spray (instead of oil to save some cals!), a little salt and a little black pepper and pop into a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.  They become crisp and golden and melt in your mouth.  A really great snack or appetizer for hungry girls watching their waistlines!

Check out those sweaters. We don't play around.

For a Christmas Eve appetizer, I pinterest-ed a recipe (did I mention I’m on Pinterest now?  And obsessed with Pinterest?  Well, I am.) And I found mini toothpick caprese salads.  So easy, so healthy, so beautiful!  I’m even going to make a balsamic glaze to drizzle over the top.

Christmas Day is my favorite.  Because I come from a large Italian family, we do things in a traditional way.  And by tradition, I mean we eat and drink for approximately 6-8 hours and pass out in food comas at the end of the night.

Food Coma 101... Christmas 2007!

Christmas is a time for family and the Torto family’s ancient recipe for homemade raviolis.  These are no joke, my friends.  We already made them (in November) and they are sitting in plastic baggies in my aunt’s basement freezer waiting for their bath in from-scratch, simmered-for-hours tomato sauce.

Christmas day is served in multiple courses.  Antipasti, then escarole soup, then the ravs with meatballs, sausages and pork, then salad, then dessert.  Not to mention the finger foods we munch on before sitting down to the table or the bottles and bottles of Asti Spumonti and 2-Buck-Chuck red wine we go through.

This is Asti and it will be gone.

And that’s only with my family.  I mentioned that Stephen is Italian too, didn’t I?  That’s a whole ‘nother story (and food coma..)

I hope your holiday is filled with family, friends, and great food.  And maybe a surprise or two!

Beautiful pillows of ravioli perfection. Photo courtesy of Miss Ali Reed.

DanceWorks Boston Winter Show 2011 (and some good news)

Published on by Marie1 Comment

Hello all!  I am in the BEST mood today and it’s because of a few things.

Well, it’s Friday and that always puts me in a good mood.  I’m also SO close to being done with my first semester of grad school.  Also school-related, I found out this week that I got into BU’s summer program.  Read: I’m going to LONDON for 6 weeks this summer to cover the Summer Olympics.  NBD.  That’ll be a post to come but I screamed and jumped up and down on the couch when I got my e-mail.

Finally, tonight is opening night for the DanceWorks Boston winter show!

DWB Winter 2011 Choreographers... Yeah buddy!

After 3 months of intense rehearsals and an awesome tech week, DWB could not be more ready to perform tonight and tomorrow night at the Boston University Dance Theater.

I’ve said it before but DanceWorks is one of the reasons why I haven’t lost my sanity this past year.  It’s also where I have met some of my best friends in the entire world, been myself, gotten to choreograph and be choreographed.We really are a family and I am so blessed to be a part of such an incredible group.

Opening night.  Ready, set, WORK.

Lynnfield Turkey Trot 5K Recap

Published on by Marie2 Comments

November 5K – Check!

So far this year, I’ve run a 5K in May, September, October and November.  And damn, it feels good.

I decided to run the Lynnfield Turkey Trot this month for a few reasons.  First, it was super close being in the town right next to mine.  Second, it had “Turkey Trot” in the name and we all know how much I love anything holiday-themed.  Third, it started at 11am.  Hello extra sleep!

The morning of the race, I slept until 9, made my pre-race breakfast (2 slices of light wheat toast with peanut butter) with lots of water, and drove over to Lynnfield at around 10am with Stephen to pick up my race packet and free t-shirt.  Fun fact about me: I love t-shirts, especially free ones.

The race started right at 11 and I was ready for it.  I made a great playlist complete with the songs “Sexy & I Know It” and “We Need a Little Christmas” Glee version.  My strategy was simple: run slow to start, run smart the whole way.

And that’s exactly what I did.

Happy pre-race .... even with the sun in my eyes

The Highs:

– The weather.  It was the perfect day to run.  Cloudy with some sun, 60 degrees with a nice cool breeze.

– The course.  With the exception of one HUGE hill, the course was very nice.  I ran around pretty Lynnfield neighborhoods and there was still enough foliage to keep the sun off of my over-heating face.

– My stomach.  Woo hoo, it cooperated!!  The only time I wasn’t feeling so hot was when I sprinted at the very end.

The Lows:

– No PR.  I honestly thought that I had done enough to get one and when I saw the clock and realized I missed it by 40 seconds, I got upset.  Like very upset.  I crossed the finish line, grabbed a water bottle from Stephen and demanded we leave right away (I didn’t even know I missed the free bagels!).  In the car, I came very very close to tears and almost had an all-out tantrum.

But then I stopped being a 5-year-old and thought about the race.  I ran almost the entire thing without stopping.  I didn’t think I was going to throw up or pass out.  I wasn’t hurting (yet) or want to quit running right then and there.  I felt good, accomplished and for once in my whole life, I ENJOYED running.  Genuinely enjoyed it.  Go figure.

New running tights = love. Also, I love finish lines!

 December is so close and at this point, I haven’t signed up for a race yet.  Since I’m nervous about running in the snow, I wanted to do the Beverly Reindeer Run 5K on the 3rd and pray that the snow holds off.  But now I might have to do shooting for school that day.  Dilemma.

Your turn: How do you feel when you don’t PR?  Do you throw a tantrum or chalk it up to a good experience?  What holiday races in December are you running and can you recommend a good one for me?

Witch City 5K Recap

Published on by Marie1 Comment

Better late than never!

Third 5K in historic Salem.  With a running buddy.  Not my best race but still Halloween-tastic.

Running Buddies woo!

The Ups:

The weather.  Chilly, yes, but it was a gorgeous morning and the air kept me cool.

The location. Historical Salem, MA during the Halloween season is the BEST.  People (not me) were dressed in costumes, the city is adorned with all sorts of fun decorations and the course itself was lovely.

My running buddy.  My friend Kim and I started the Couch to 5K programs only weeks apart at the beginning of the year but this is the first time we ever run one together.  Seriously, even though my stomach was puke-y and she has somewhat of a bum knee at the moment, having someone running next to you who trains at a similar pace is one of the best motivations out there.  And we wore matching shirts.  What now?

The Downs:

My stomach.  Seriously stomach?  I don’t understand why I constantly feel the need to puke during every race I do.  Can anyone help me on this?  Is it my pre-race morning routine?  My pre-race dinner?  My pre-race jitters?  I don’t know but whatever it is needs to be rectified.

No PR.  I was gunning for it too.  And I was disappointed.  But ya “win” some, ya “lose” some.

Pain.  Foot for me, knee for Kim.  Aspirin post-race.  What can ya do?

Overall, it was a fun time despite the downs. 

Next up?

Well, here’s my debate.  I have a goal to run a 5K each month until the end of the year.  I rocked one in September, didn’t puke in October and now, I only have 2 months left.  I found 5Ks in both months that look promising.  But there is a very big BUT staring me in the face.

You may have heard that Massachusetts has already gotten snow.  Yes my friends, snow in October.  And yes, it is 35 degrees out.  I’m not a fan.

Now it’s November and another 5K is rapidly approaching for the end of the month and I honestly don’t know if I’m going to be able to run it in the cold weather.  Call me a baby, a wuss, a whatever.  If you have tips for me for in heavy, cold air, please let me know.

I’m probably just going to suck it up and register for both.  But any advice is much appreciated!

Who can run in this??

I want to know: When it’s cold, what do YOU run in?  Hats, scarves, special shirts/shorts? TELL ME!

Halloween in full swing

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Like I said in my last life update, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.  I got my first real kiss on Halloween (I was 15), I’ve dressed up as everything from a cowgirl to a pirate, the pink Power Ranger to a Hocus Pocus witch (Mary Sanderson complete with a floor length black and red cape), and living in the town next to Salem, Massachusetts definitely has its perks in October.  Besides Christmas, Halloween is the best day of the year.

On Friday night, a few of my BU friends ventured to Lynn to the first time to eat, drink and carve pumpkins.

Yes, it is okay to be a full time graduate student, drink yummy beverages and cut faces in pumpkins.

No judging.

My pumpkin... and why yes, it does look like a 5-year-old carved this. Thanks for noticing.

I made nachos with homemade guacamole, pizza and Hungry Girl pumpkin cupcakes with my own buttercream and a candy corn garnish.  It was the casual, college kid version of a Torto dinner party.

Notice my friend Matt wearing my Harrod's apron...

My friend, Sandy’s pumpkin:

She went to art school. Doesn't count.

Saturday brought one of the laziest days I have had in while.  I relaxed most of the day with a brand new 21-year-old and watched Halloween movies (Double Double Toil & Trouble is one of the ultimate classics.)

On Saturday night, DanceWorks Boston hosted a huge Halloween party at Au Tua Nua in Boston.  My good friend and fellow DWB-er, Devlyn, and I headed to our friend Dana’s to have some wine and get ready for the party.  For my cat costume, I wore a black, high collared lace-covered dress, black heels, white lace hand gloves, a jingle heart necklace (in place of a bell), cat ears and of course, my bright yellow contacts.  I coated my eyes with liquid eyeliner and smoky black make-up.  It was pretty cool.  Almost everyone noticed, most people freaked a little.  Loved it.

Cat. 'Nuff said.

I kept my beverage intake to a minimum knowing I would have to wake up somewhat early and do my best on my third 5K: the Witch City 5K in Salem (race report on another day!)

Sunday morning’s alarm came WAY too quickly.  And as usual, I woke up to the alarm and said “WHY DID I SIGN UP FOR THIS RACE?”  I told you I’m not super positive in the morning.  I got up, got dressed, stretched, had my pre-race toast with peanut butter, slugged some water and woke up BF who picked me up from the party on Saturday night and crashed on the couch at my house.

And sometimes he brings me pretty flowers for no reason.... I'll keep him.

The race, overall, went just okay.  Running with a friend is definitely better but my stomach was not feeling it.  It was also the coldest race I’ve done to date.  But the scenery was lovely and I finished it.  A little slower than normal, but ya “win” some, ya lose some.

Salem. Done.

Sunday also brought about some fun research.  Enough said for now.

On the baking front, I made pumpkin snickerdoodles yesterday.  I brought them to work today and everyone loves them.  They taste like pumpkin pie filling and I could’ve eaten all of the batter myself.  And I think if I neglect to post the recipe, I’ll be beaten with something.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin 'Doodles

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Adapted from pagespak.com

1/2 cup softened Brummel ‘n Brown margarine spread
3/4 cup Splenda/Brown Sugar mix (trust me on this one..)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground giner
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 2 baking sheets liberally with nonstick spray.

2) In the bowl of a stand mixer (this can also be done with a hand mixer), cream together margarine and brown sugar until smooth.  Beat in egg and vanilla and then the pumpkin.

3) In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, ginger and pumpkin pie spice. 

4) In batches, add the dry ingredients to the wet until fully incorporated.

5) Drop tablespoons of batter onto prepared baking sheets.  Bake 18 minutes until set, slightly puffed but not browned.

Happy Fall!

A Life Update

Published on by Marie5 Comments

Okay, it’s been approximately 3 or so weeks since I panicked about school and I haven’t written since.  I hope you are still out there listening to me ramble in my now dust-covered corner of the Internet.

So it’s time to tidy up a bit.

In the past three weeks, I’ve calmed down and gotten through my first few projects for my grad classes.  I survived.  And did pretty well.  Maybe I overreacted a bit at the beginning.  Maybe.

A lot has been going on here at Chocolate & Wine.  Here are some highlights:

2 weekends ago, I attended 2 weddings: my cousin George married his beautiful fiancé (of 4 years!) Julie, and my friend Raechel married the love of her life, Steve.  Both weddings were gorgeous and I cried a lot. Of course I did.  I realized how much I can’t wait to plan a wedding of my own!

George & Julie's Wedding with the family

And wedding #2..

Raechel and Steve

This past weekend, I spent Friday in the North End with Stephen and we FINALLY got to go out for his birthday surprise.  I took him to Riccardo’s Ristorante where they put on a “Mystery Cafe” show every Friday night and serve a three-course meal.  The show was hilarious, if not a bit cheesy, and the food was as genuinely Italian as you’d expect from the North End.  Highly recommended for good food and a good time.

We capped our night with beers at a bar called The Point and goodies from my favorite North End bakery.

Heart You.

Saturday was party marathon day.  Together, my two best friends and I tackled a “I’m Pretty Good at Drinking Beer” party (where we consumed no beer or any beverage other than iced coffee), taco night hosted by Alyse (which were de-lish!), a Halloween party and finally, my sister’s 21st birthday celebration at Tequila Rain in Boston.

Swy, Jeff, Alyse... That's nice.

Did you know Halloween is one of my favorite holidays? 

So freaky, so cool, so legit. Cat costumes are the way to go.

And it wouldn’t be a 21st birthday without a 16-ounce beer in each hand.

Happy 21st! Here's 2 Coors Lights.

Sunday brought another 3 events: the Boston Bruncher’s 1st Birthday Brunch at the Island Creek Oyster Bar on Comm Ave. in Boston, my good friend Miriah’s daughter’s Christening (that little baby is nothing short of an angel) and a 4-hour dance rehearsal with DanceWorks Boston (always a fun time!)

A sneak peak into Birthday Brunch!

Then on to the Christening…

You can't tell me she isn't the cutest baby in the world..

I made favors… Oreo ball truffles with a piped pink A on each one, individually wrapped with a pink ribbon and a tag.

Not bad considering I usually stink at piping.

They came out pretty freakin’ cute.

Everybody loved them. Makes me happy when people like what I make!

Along with my jam-packed weekends and filming/editing-laden school schedule, I managed to get in a couple of quick training runs for my 3rd 5K coming up this weekend!  I, along with my friend Kim, will run the Witch City 5K in Salem, maybe even dressed up a bit.

This upcoming weekend also brings pumpkin carving with my BU friends and a huge DanceWorks Boston Halloween costume party on Saturday night.  I will, unfortunately, have to keep my drinking to a minimum because of the race on Sunday morning, but that won’t stop me from wearing those cat eyes!

I promise not to wait another 3 weeks to post.  I have finally pulled myself out of a slight rut I had fallen into, but I’m back and excited.

And I had delicious Bon Me truck food for dinner the other night: a brown rice bowl with tofu, shitaki mushrooms, cilantro, pickled veggies, bean sprouts and mesclun greens.  YUM.

Healthy and filling.

I wanna know: What’s new in your life?  What would your dream wedding consist of?  And what are you being for Halloween this year?

Stressed with a side of Panic

Published on by Marie10 Comments

Disclaimer: This post is a little whiney but has a hopeful outlook.

If I haven’t lost you yet, welcome to this edition of “Life as a Grad Student: WHY THE HELL AM I DOING THIS?”

Still there?

If you’ve been reading Chocolate & Wine for a while, you probably know that I graduated from Assumption College with a Bachelor’s Degree in 2010, spent a year trying to find a job in my field (Mass Communications, English, Writing – no, I don’t want to teach) with zero luck, and finally decided to apply to grad schools.  My top three choices were Emerson, the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and Boston University.

FYI: That pretty piece of paper they call a diploma that cost about $160,000.... no, it won't get you the job that you want. Thanks for playing.

Not-So-Spoiler Alert: I chose BU.

Do I hate it? No.  Do I love it? Almost.

The Ups:

– I’m getting my Master’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism from one of the most prestigious programs in the country. (Read: There are 11 people in my program. I am the only kid from Massachusetts.)

– My professors all have good real life experience.  Anyone know who R.D. Sahl is?  Well, if you’re my mom’s age or just really like the news, you probably do.  He was the co-anchor of New England Cable News (NECN) for his entire career and still makes appearances on the news regularly.  And he’s my advisor.  Loving it.

– My classmates are awesome.  Everyone is on the same page (for the most part – my friend Sandy has WAY more experience with a camera than I do…) We are all from different states and we mesh pretty well.  And they like to party.  Me too, new friends.

We're a really good time.

– I’m super close to dance.  Always a plus.

– The BU gym.  Seriously… best gym ever.

The Downs:

– Commuting.  Yup – I’m a commuter student.  AKA one of those kids.  Sure, driving only takes about 25 minutes but I’m not driving.  I drive to Wonderland in Revere, pay 5 bucks to park, take the Blue Line all the way to Government Center, wait for a Green Line “B” train and take it 7 stops to BU East.  Sounds easy? It takes about an hour to an hour and a half one way.  Not easy.

– The workload.  I’m not a moron.  I knew signing on for this gig meant that I’d be doing a lot of work.  I guess I forgot how long things like editing take. 

– I’ve had about 3 major breakdowns since classes started a month ago.  This is the PANIC part.  I get stressed somewhat easily so it’s not really much of a surprise that I’ve been in a constant state of wanting to rip my hair out.  Remember how I said I cry not only when I’m sad but when I’m happy or scared too?  I also cry when I’m stressed.  There’s been lots of crying lately.

So my ups outweigh the downs at this point and I’m definitely sticking with this program til the end.  I am also currently looking for an apartment in Boston so hopefully we can cut my commute out of the daily routine and I can start loving my program and actually feel like a college student again.

On that note – anyone know of any friends (or maybe you?) that needs a roomie?  Preferrably on the Green Line, under/around $800 a month with most things included.  I’m really nice and I’ll cook for you!  Consider this an ad.

That's me cooking. Be my roommate!

What Boston Brunchers Means to Me

Published on by Marie4 Comments

I have been part of the Boston Brunchers* since April of this year when I went to my first-ever brunch at the Biltmore Bar & Grille courtesy of Megan’s wonderful invite.  Since then, I’ve been hooked.  I have been to many brunches (and one dinner) including Local 149, Lil’ Vin’s, Bristol Lounge, and The Cottage.

Delicious mussels from Lil' Vin's

The friends that I’ve made and the food I have eaten are all part of the experience that is the Boston Brunchers.  It is unique, fun, and I wouldn’t give it up for all the cannolis in the world (and that’s saying something; I really love cannolis…)

I also really like chocolate malts from Local 149

To really express my love for this group, I decided to write an acrostic poem for it’s 1st Birthday Blogger Brunch giveaway!

Boston.  Our home, and home to some of the best food in the country.
Overeat.  It’s okay – we don’t judge.
Support.  We love each other and each other’s blogs. ‘Nuff said.
Tweeting.  We are good at it. #BostonBrunchers #Nom
Obviously the best blogger group in Boston.
Not realistic.  How much food we think we can eat in one sitting.

Brunch. The best meal of the week. Hands down.
Recipes.  We share them.
Unbelievable. How many courses restaurants set in front of us fo’ free!
Never having to say you’re sorry – for eating too much food.
Coma. The food kind: what happens to members after brunch. Subsides after many hours.
Healthy & Happy. What all of the Boston Brunchers are.
Eater. A requirement for membership.
Renee.  Our fearless leader, boldly bringing us to new places and dealing with all of the paperwork.
Stuffed.  You probably won’t need dinner.  Or maybe even breakfast the next day.

Happy 1st Birthday Boston Brunchers!

*Check us out: www.bostonbrunchers.com !