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A Little Bit About a Lot of Things

A lifestyle blog with a focus on my food adventures

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Any time I am in the Natick Collection I head over to the Nordstrom Cafe to grab a quick bite. You order at the counter and they bring the food to you when it is ready (make sure to bring a little cash for a tip). All items are made to order so you can fully customize your meal. My go-to meal is usually the cilantro lime shrimp salad, but I have been in the mood for soup lately. Their soup du jour can be purchased by the cup ($3.95) or the bowl ($5.25). My favorite soup was the corn chowder a while back. Creamy but not heavy, bold in flavor but the corn was still sweet. While the soup usually isn’t enough to fill me up, I like to pair my cup with a side of their delicious fries – they are thin and light, crispy, but not overly so, perfectly salty and the perfect side to any meal!

Nordstrom Cafe

2nd Floor, Nordstrom’s – 290 Speen Street, Natick, MA

View their menu here.

Cafe Bistro - Nordstrom Natick Mall Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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I’ve been dining at department stores lately. Recently we had a girl’s day out at 40 Carrots in Bloomingdale’s in the Chestnut Hill Mall. A cute little upscale cafe, perfect for a quick bite before heading out for round 2 of shopping.

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Kim had to get the boxed water…

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They have a well rounded menu, with a little something for everyone: wraps, salads, lasagna, burgers etc. Pictured above is the Laguna wrap ($15): grilled chicken, avocado, Apline lace low fat swiss cheese, dried figs, dried cranberries, roasted walnuts, and a roasted red pepper aioli, served in a warm tortilla. Super tasty with a lot of protein. There are a lot of things going on in this wrap but they all blend together nicely – a little sweet, a little crunchy, and some smooth avocado to bring it all together!

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The Astoria spinach pie ($15) is served with a delicious Greek salad. I loved the crunch from the pie and the saltiness of the Greek salad.

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And of course, you can’t leave without trying their signature yogurt. They have a small size that you can get for $3, a regular size for $5 and a large for $7. If you’re not in the mood for a little sundae, grab the yogurt in a delicious smoothie. I topped my yogurt with strawberries and peanut butter cup chunks. Can’t have a completely healthy lunch 😉

The service was good, our server was attentive. They also offer a kids menu if you have little ones with you for $10 and the meal comes with a frozen yogurt. You have your choice of a grilled cheese, tuna salad on a pretzel roll, a kid’s omelet, mac and cheese or baked chicken fingers.

Where do you grab lunch when you are shopping?

40 Carrots

Bloomingdale’s – 225 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, MA

Check out their menu here.

40 Carrots at Bloomingdales, Chestnut Hills Mall Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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You might miss Bottega di Capri if you didn’t know where to look. This unassuming little restaurant is one of Brookline’s best kept secrets. They have delicious Italian food and more types of pasta dishes than you’ll know what to do with. You could come here for a month straight, order something new every time, and would still have options left on the menu for you to try. This most recent time we tried the meatball sandwich. The meatballs were delicious and well seasoned, but it was the bread here that put the sandwich over the top- soft, fresh and well seasoned. There was the perfect bread to filling to sauce ratio here.

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Here is a list of just some of the sauces they offer:

  • Pomodoro: Basil tomato sauce
  • Arrabbiata: Spicy tomato sauce w/white wine sauce
  • Amatriciana: Pancetta in a spicy tomato sauce
  • Puttanesca: Olives, anchovies, capers. hot peppers, tomato
  • Pesto Rosa: Tomato-cream pesta sauce with parmesan cheese
  • Rosantina: Tomato cream sauce
  • Riviera Sauce Tomato-pesta sauce
  • Carbonara: Pancelta in a cream sauce
  • Alfredo: Alfredo cream-butter sauce with parmesan cheese
  • Pesto: Our own fresh pesta w/pine nuts, basil, cheese, garlic and olive oil
  • Pesto: Creamy Alfredo-pesta sauce
  • Vongole: Red or white sea clams sauce
  • Parma: Sausages porcini mushrooms, white wine
  • Bolognese: Tomato meat sauce
  • Boscaiola: Ham, caramelized onions, sweet peas, sun-dried tomato puree, cream, parmesan cheese

What is your favorite type of sauce?

Bottega di Capri

41 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA

http://bottegadicapri.com

Bottega di Capri Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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Who does’t love cream puffs? We headed over to Chinatown to pick up a few from Beard Papa’s. The tiny shop has a few seats at the window, but most people here are grabbing them to go. Mine by the way, barely make it out of the door 😉

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You can choose which shell you’d like: the original, the eclair (topped with chocolate), the Paris brest shell (shaped like a donut) or the mini shells. The fillings are pumped into your cream puff while you wait. They have original vanilla, dark chocolate and green tea fillings and other special flavors that rotate each month.

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How cute is their logo?

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See, I barely made it out the door and I almost didn’t get a picture of it I was so excited to have one! The shell is light as air and the filling is smooth and creamy – the only bad part is that they are gone in just a few bites, so be sure to pick up a few!

Beard Papa’s

100 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA

http://beardpapa.com

Beard Papa's Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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I love to shop over at Legacy Place, except in the winter when it is super cold (it’s an outdoor mall). Even then, I still go and head over to the MET Bar and Grill Dedham to warm up and fuel up before taking on round 2. The bolognese is always a winner for me because they don’t over sauce the dish (and extra points that it isn’t that generic “red” sauce).

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This time we also tried the avocado toast ($12) that came topped with burrata and chili flakes and a beautiful mountain of Parmesan cheese. Yes, there really is toast under there, seeded seven grain to be exact. Super delicious and not just a dish that you have to enjoy for breakfast.

You can almost always get a seat without a wait at the MET Bar and Grill, they have a pretty large space. The service is friendly and efficient so you can be in and out and on your way to shop until you drop!

Where is your favorite place to get avocado toast?

MET Bar and Grill

400 Legacy Place, Dedham, MA

http://www.metbarandgrill.com

Met Bar & Grill Dedham Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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Sometimes, well for me these days it’s a lot of the time, I just don’t feel like cooking. So a great place to stop and pick up dinner is Comella’s in Chestnut Hill. They make these family size pasta “messes” that will be sure to satisfy your family. Just you? Don’t worry, their messes come in a variety of sizes: single, 1/2 bucket for 3-4, bucket for 6-8 and a double bucket for 20-25. This would be great if you’re feeding a sports team or have a school event to go to. Some of their messes include:

  • Ma’s mess: vegetarian base
  • Grandma’s Mess: with onion, mushroom and pepper
  • Plane’s Mess: with eggplant
  • Brother’s Mess: with chicken
  • Nephew’s Mess: with eggplant, meatball or sausage

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They also have a variety of hot sandwiches that I’m a fan of. Pictured above is the meatball sandwich. Other choices include:

  • eggplant parmigiana
  • chicken parmigiana
  • buffalo chicken
  • steak and cheese
  • chicken
  • culo grande

What’s your favorite mess?

Comella’s

1 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, MA

http://www.comellasrestaurants.com/

comellas Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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Chef Johnny Sheehan was named the new Executive Chef of Liquid Art House back in September. We first met Sheehan when he was working over at Tavern on the Wharf. He put out some amazing dishes and his plating skills were off the chart. We would have gone back to Plymouth to see him there but we were pleasantly surprised when he came back to work in the city. Sheehan is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu and he worked his way up the line at Ken Oringer’s Clio. The menu at Liquid Art House changes seasonally, and Chef Sheehan has expanded upon Chef Rachel Klein’s opening dumpling menu.

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We grabbed a bite at the bar, my favorite place to sit, and enjoyed the company of the great bar staff on a weekday night. I loved every dumpling we tried, each one better than the one before. Currently on the menu Liquid Art House is offering: pork and leek gyoza, goat cheese sacchetto, Lithuanian cheese dumplings and Aphil’s himalayan momo.

The menu of the dining room is diverse, here is a sampling:

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And just to leave you with your mouth watering, here is a sampling of their dessert menu:

Liquid Art House

100 Arlington Street, Boston, MA

www.liquidarthouse.com

Liquid Art House Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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Located in the South End, SRV, or Serene Republic of Venice, is the Coda group’s fourth restaurant (the other restaurants are Coda, Canary Square and The Salty Pig). The restaurant features small plates and freshly made pasta (by Stephanie Cmar!!).

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We chose to sit at the bar, which is great for people watching and it gives you a front row seat to be able to watch your plates being assembled. We started with the Baccala Manteca ($4): salt cod, black bread, herbs, garlic. Simple dish and presentation but tons of delicious flavor.

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How can you not get the polpette ($4)? They’re a pork and beef meatball, with tomato and covered with pecorino romano. So delicious and very light.

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If you’re not a pasta fan (seriously??) they have other things that might strike your fancy: monkfish with radicchio, wants and cardoon, chicken with tomato sott’olio, eggplant and creme fraiche, or lamb belly with carrot in pinzimonio, saffron yogurt and quince.

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Some pasta dishes include sweet potato tortellini with chestnuts and black truffle, squid ink bucatini with squid parsley and lemon and a brassica risotto with bone marrow, autumn olives and horseradish.

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For dessert we had the tiramisu – such a cute presentation. This would be perfect for those who don’t love super sweet desserts.

SRV 

569 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA

http://www.srvboston.com/

SRV Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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I’m always on the hunt for a great burrito. Sabroso Taqueria now has a permanent spot on Oliver Street as well as their food truck. Even though I love burritos I decided to go with a bowl this day, which came with rice, beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, crema nd hot sauce, loaded with lettuce and quest fresco. I had the carnitas for $9 but you have your choice of chicken, steak, shrimp or beans and rice. The bowl was certainly enough for two meals making it a great value. Everything was super fresh and packed with flavor. Careful with the hot sauce though!

In addition to bowls and burritos, they offer quesadillas, salads, soups and tacos.

There are a few seats in the restaurant but most people are taking their lunch to go. Service is friendly and they move you through the line quickly.

Sabroso Taqueria

2 Oliver Street, Boston, MA

http://www.sabrosotaqueria.com/

sabroso taqueria Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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About a week ago I was invited to check out the newest baby gear at Big City Moms Biggest Baby Shower Ever. If I were a first time mom, this would be a great resource (and it is a great resource even if this isn’t your first rodeo). As a veteran mom, it was fun to see what was new on the market. Over 100 companies were represented at the event which took place at the Westin Hotel down in the Seaport. The event was 6-9pm, but you could buy a super pass ticket which gets you in 30 minutes before everyone else! Don’t get overwhelmed! In addition to walking around and getting samples from the vendors at the event, ticket holders went home with a swag bag FULL of goodies. And when I say full, I mean, you’ll need to workout to carry this bag home! Plus, at the event, you can play games and enter raffles to win EVEN MORE free stuff! If that wasn’t enough, during the event they have seminars where you can hear from experts on topics like work life balance, breast feeding or navigating Boston as a new mom. So you’ll have to wait until next year for the event to come back to Boston, but if you know someone in the San Francisco area, there is an event there on February 7th.

As a mom of a child who never wants to be put down or be still, I definitely had my eye on the Nuna Leaf. The product retails for a little over $200, and it grows with your child – from baby to big kid. The chair works without batteries or cords and the motion lasts, with a gentle push, unassisted for 2 minutes.

Joovy had some fun products that caught my eye as well. The caboose, top left, is great if you have 2 kids. The stroller looks like it’s for 1 child, but fits two! There is a seat in front that has 3 positions and the second child can either stand in back on the platform or sit in back on the bench seat. Kids not into that kind of thing? Try the side by side, twin groove ultralight (pictured top center). It is lightweight, has a carry shoulder strap, both seats can recline and the stroller has a large canopy (which you don’t find in a lot of umbrella strollers).

Glass bottles are all the rage these days and Joovy has a great line of them. I definitely plan to check those out!

In addition to baby products, other companies were out sampling such as Kind Snacks, Sweetgreen, Hint water, Essentia water and Vice Ice Cream (holy smokes, you have to try this ice cream – even if you’re not pregnant!!)

I’m a HUGE babyganics fan. I use a lot (read: mostly all) of their products. I use the fragrance free laundry detergent (even on my clothes) and their stain remover (almost daily), the shampoo and body wash, the moisturizing daily lotion (after bath time), the bubble bath, the surface cleaner, you get the idea 🙂 I was excited to see their new product, the natural wool dryer balls. They are a reusable alternative to fabric softener, the reduce static and they decrease drying time up to 25%!! I’m all for lowering my energy consumption (hello heat on all the time, laundry non stop etc.)

Literally a week before I attended this event, I bought my son an oxo Nest booster seat (bottom right). It comes in 6 colors, has a three point harness and straps that can adjust to fit any chair style you might have. Kids as young as 9 months can use this chair and it brings them right up to table height. I love that it it lightweight so we can bring it with us if we go out and that it’s so easy to wipe down, because you all know that meal time can be a total tornado.

Check out Nosh Baby Munchable snacks (top left). How adorable is their packaging? I’d buy whatever they were selling just for the packaging! These rice teethers are made in “foodie flavors” like pomegranate & blueberry, broccoli pear & kale, strawberry & beet and banana & mango. They dissolve easily, are free of 8 common allergens (!!), are baked and have no artificial colors of flavors. My son, who is out of the teether phase, still loved eating these.

Fresh Wave makes all natural odor eliminating products. Stay tuned for a dedicated blog post.

My son LOVED the Happy Baby Organic Yogis. I couldn’t keep enough of them in the house and would buy out Babies R Us every time I went in. They are freeze dried yogurt drops that easily dissolve in your child’s mouth. They come in flavors like mixed berry, strawberry, strawberry banana and blueberry purple carrot.

I wasn’t a baby carrier mama, but if my son had enjoyed it, I would have loved the Tula carrier (top left). They come in fun patterns, just check out that lumberjack squirrel pattern! The carriers can be used for both front and back carry, from 15-45lbs (baby sized carrier) and from 25-60lbs (toddler sized carrier). There is an infant insert that can be used if your baby doesn’t have enough neck control or their legs aren’t long enough yet. There’s also a huge front pocket that is big enough to fit my iPhone 6 plus.

I love our Stokke Tripp Trapp chair (top center), it comes in over 10 colors and grows with your child.

And check out that stroller in the bottom right hand corner. It folds up to that cube on the table behind the stroller. Watch the video below to see it in action.

Disclaimer: I was invited to cover this event as press. I received a gift bag at the event. All opinions are my own.

 

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