weekend plans : napoli bound

Leaving on a jet plane tomorrow for a short trip to Naples, Italy.  We are excited to see Marco's Nonna and extended family.  Though it will be just a 3 day visit, we will fill those hours with leisurely meals (pasta, pizza, Italian cheeses!) spending time with fam.

I'm looking forward to Nonna and Zia Connie's cooking as well as going out for walks with Nonna, drinking superb Italian coffee, and paying more visits to the neighborhood gelato shop in 3 days than one should.

I'm excited to share some photos and stories next week.  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! xo

Here are a few photos of Marco and I on our trip to Italy with Marco's parents in October 2011.  The Amalfi coast, some Neapolitan pizza, and me having a dear diary moment in Capri. 

weekend in photos

I don't have much as far as a weekend photo dump goes.  Marco came down with a cold on Friday and was reluctant about our lazy weekend, but nurse insisted.  The only time we left the village the entire weekend was on Sunday to grab some lunch at a coffee shop in Oundle.

I made this pie to take to John and Jenevieve's for dinner on Friday night.  The crust turned out quite well for my first attempt at pie crust!  The filling was a little watery, maybe because I had to sub in a berry variety because the market was fresh out of rhubarb.  

I also made this chicken noodle soup, super tasty.  

A great garden / antique homeware shop in Oundle, Foxtail Lilly.  (Not hiring at the moment, in case you were wondering.)

A few photos from my run today.  My favorite footpath views yet.  And it ends at one of our favorite pubs, The King's Head in Wadenhoe.  

shakespeare half marathon training

I am starting to up my regular running mileage in preparation for the Shakespeare half marathon I'm running late April in Stratford-upon-Avon.

I wanted to share a few photos from a couple of my runs last week.  I usually stick to road running but there are so many footpaths and country parks to explore.  The muddy paths and hills are straining and more difficult but the views make it worth while.

Since my last marathon, I have joined the smart phone world.  Anyone heard of or use the app RunKeeper?  RunKeeper tracks your distance and locality using GPS as well as records your mile pace splits. 

Gone are the days of mapping out my runs via my '94 Dodge Caravan odometer to ensure I run the miles I need to.  Or using Google Earth path distance tool and squinting at the imagery to find trails from Arlington to the National Zoo. 

I'm looking forward to race day and post race pubbing in the historical town. 

And then a not so chilly run.

weekend in photos

It is nice to finally have weekends that aren't consumed by settling in to the cottage type errands.  Marco wanted to check out Birmingham but we didn't get to that, so another weekend.

We watched Rafe for John and Jenevieve on Friday night so they could have a nice date night out.  It was so cute to watch Marco be such a sucker.  Oh its five minutes before your bedtime but you request some juice Rafe?  And crackers too?  Yeah man, no prob dude!

We waited for an IKEA delivery all day Saturday and then had John, Jenevieve, and Rafe over Saturday night for dinner.  I made a tomato glaze meatloaf from my Smitten Kitchen book.  This braised red cabbage, and some classic roasters.  I also made this peach and honey sangria since it was an abnormally warm day.  Jenevieve made cannoli cups with fresh homemade ricotta that I am still thinking about.

Sunday morning we explored a few new trails around the village.  One used to be the old railroad (now covered) that starts at the Old Railroad House in the village.  I had run four miles of it a few days before.  Marco, Henry, and I explored two miles of it.  Village life has been good to Henry, he is looking lean.

Sunday afternoon Marco and I enjoyed a countryside drive to discover some neighboring villages and do some pub scouting.

We are finishing up the guest bedroom.  We are getting excited for our spring visitors, starting with Marco's parents in early April.

And finally, the daffodils are starting to pop up around the village.  (These are from the market, I wouldn't dare!)

my reluctant valentine

For as long as I have known Marco, he has been one of those anti Hallmark holiday people.  "Everyday is Valentine's Day for you!"

Don't get me wrong I love being gifted a fancy candle or flowers, but it really is just a day where it can be impossible to get a dinner reservation at a decent restaurant.  (Shouldn't everyday be filled with moments of thoughtfulness and appreciation towards your partner? I know, eye roll.)  So, we don't celebrate...

Until we saw Frightened Rabbit happened to be playing a show in Cambridge on February 14th.  (We played this song at our wedding.)

Still no cards to each other, or fancy candles or flowers.  But with pre-show dinner at noodle bar Wagamama followed by a show we both were excited for, it looked like we were reluctantly celebrating a silly Hallmark holiday.  We hope everyone else had a lovely Hallmark holiday too :)


*update*   Yes, Mom, I know the origin of Valentine's Day is that it is the saint's day of St. Valentine.  All those years of Catholic CCD classes did your children SOME good.  

out front of the venue, the crazy bike population in cambridge still gets me

plant lady

I can be a crazy house plant lady.  My husband/current roommate and dear friend Lauren/former roommate can attest to the fact.  Potted plants are my favorite way to decorate a space.  I would live in a terrarium of succulents and delicate ferns. 

As of recent I have attempted to edit.  To understand the whole less is more and that a small amount of potted green or floral gives a room a nice touch. Not every sunlight filled inch, space, or perimeter of the cottage needs a plant to take up real estate.  But doesn't Jenny Lewis make it look so good?



Here are my beginning stages attempts at editing.