TGIF tune: String Cheese Incident - SMILE!

I woke up with this song in my head this morning, and it's one of my favorite SCI songs. I fell in love with it when I saw them perform it at Red Rocks for their final concert. SCI concerts are the absolute best concerts I've ever been to. I love them because everyone there is so happy and dancing and enjoying life to the fullest! I think everyone should try to experience one of their shows - I was hooked the first time I saw them.

This is a very sweet song that Billy wrote for his wife. Check out the lyrics below; they are so lovely and heart-felt you can't help but smile!

Perfect for: hippy dancing, enjoying the sunshine, starting your day off on a happy note






I call you up on the phone
I call you up get you on the line
I call you up on the phone
But I cant see you smile
I think of you when Im gone
I think of you, honey, all the time
I think of you when Im gone
But I cant see you smile

How the story ends, baby, I dont know
And whats to come, I cant say
And how the story ends, baby, I dont know
Maybe Ill stop travelling some day.

I count the days while were apart
I count the days and I count the miles
I count the days that were apart
Until I can see you smile
I know that you feel just the same
You wish that I wasnt gone so long
I write this down from so far away
Now Im coming home

I love you theres no doubt
Your picture is hung above my bed
I look at it as were travelling around
But I wish I were holding you instead

Well its a long and windy road
Our love is strong and the futures bright
Its a long and windy road
Until we reach the light
I know things are going to be all right
Because youre in my dreams when I sleep at night
You turn around and you look at me
And I can see you smile

I can see you smile

uno settimane, tre minestre

I am so excited to cook the appetizers and desserts for the Engagement Party this weekend!! I have spent hours researching produce that's in season during the month of April, scouring the net for recipes, waking up in the middle of the night with crazy, spur-of-the-moment ideas... at this point I am ready for Saturday to be here to I can put all of my ideas into action!

I am a girl who loves to dream big and had so many options going through my head for the appetizers in particular - that's when my mom stepped in and told me I was allowed 3 appetizer options and 2 cookies MAX. Although I was a little bummed to be limited to a few options, I know that in the end I will be thankful for keeping things simple.

Last week I made three soups (well, four including the Vichyssoise we made in American Regional Cuisine - but that one didn't make the cut) and brought them to the office so that my colleagues could offer me their opinions on which were their favorites. I am 99.2% sure I know which one I'm going to go with... but you never know! I am still thinking of ways to even combine some of the elements of each of the soups into the final one - but I think I've come to a point in which I need to just make a decision and STICK TO IT!


Here are some pictures of the soups I prepared last week. Which one do you think will be the winner?



Fava Bean Soup with Carrot Cream





Fava beans... so much work!



















Roasted Asparagus and Potato Soup





Chilled Yellow Squash and Leek Soup with Coriander and Lemon Crème Fraîche

goin' to the chapel

Spoiler alert! Sorry Will and Amanda, but I am so excited about all of the upcoming festivities I just have to share a little something. I found this gift for Will and Amanda in NYC and realized I didn't have any appropriate gift wrap for it. So I wrapped it in some basic paper and wrote the lyrics to Goin' to the Chapel by The Dixie Cups on the package. Improvisation can turn something ordinary into something special and unique!

Next up - preparations for the St Helena engagement party! Stay tuned, party people...

i ate the big apple

I had the BEST NYC visit last week. I caught up with some wonderful friends, enjoyed navigating the streets solo and most of all I ATE! I decided that I would throw all of my good eating habits to the wind and consume anything and everything that I saw - and that I did! Here are some pics of the incredible food I enjoyed throughout the week. Hey, I didn't gain 5 lbs for nothin'!



prosciutto cotto, olive, lemon, mushroom, and mozzarella pizza at Eataly





















arugula and radicchio salad at Eataly
























fried artichoke and prosciutto pizza at the Plaza Food Emporium



















arugula red onion and parmesan cheese salad at the Plaza Food Emporium



















diet coke at the Plaza Food Emporium... so necessary























tasty D-lite


















caramel brownie from Caramel Witch, prosciutto and black pepper twist and coffee at Chelsea Market (for breakfast!)


















vanilla cupcake from Magnolia Bakery






















shrimp dumplings from Ryan's favorite restaurant in Korea Town























couldn't pass up the fried dumplings!


















chocolate chip cookie a la Jacques Torres and coffee from Ninth Street Espresso



















fried pork loin with capers chanterelles and asparagus at DBGB



















Ramen at Ippudo



















amazing dessert spread from Momofuku Milk Bar






















latte and pear & ginger scone at City Bakery



















seafood sausage at The Breslin



















fried peanut butter and banana sandwich at The Breslin



















salt bar at Chelsea Market... allie's dream come true!