Month: June 2015

Binge-watching: Alpha House

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Binge-watching Alpha HouseAre you binge-watching any shows right now? If you like political shows like House of Cards and Scandal, but you also appreciate smart comedy and satire, then you’ll probably love Alpha House. Someone told me about it a few months ago and it sounded so good that I wrote it down. It was the first time that I learned that Amazon Prime has original programming, similar to Netflix. Garry Trudeau, known for Doonesbury, created the series. He also writes and produces it.

Bill Murray makes frequent appearances and the series premiere opened with him. The cast members blow me away. John Goodman, Clark Johnson, Wanda Sykes, Cynthia Nixon, Amy Sedaris, Haley Joel “I see dead people” Osment, Matt Malloy, Mark Consuelos and more.

The main characters are four Republican Senators living together in one house in Washington, D.C. and is inspired by the real life living arrangements of some Democrats.

There are a ton of celebrity appearances and many actual politicians, like Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator John McCain appear as themselves too. One thing that I like about Alpha House is that while the main characters are fictional, President Obama is referred to as the President. So it feels a bit more deeply based in reality than other shows.

G and I have been binge-watching the show and we both love it. As I mentioned last week, I’m doing a free trial of Amazon Prime, so we are streaming it free online. We watched Season 1 this week and are deep into Season 2. Hopefully there will be a Season 3, but I have not been able to find out. If you’re looking for something new to watch, I highly recommend Alpha House!

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Screenshot: Here & Now (WBUR)

Burke’s Seafood – Quincy, MA

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Burke's Seafood sign and seafood platterWhen I attended Seafood Expo North America (SENA) last year, I learned so much about how we Americans consume seafood. Did you know that up to 90% of the seafood consumed in this country is imported?

According to NOAA FishWatch, “a significant portion of this imported seafood is caught by American fishermen, exported overseas for processing, and then reimported to the United States.”

That is shocking to me. It made me a lot pickier about my seafood and I started focusing on higher quality. A local place called Burke’s Seafood is a great find. Not only can you find fresh seafood, they also prepare it.

Last week, I bought a full dinner for my father’s birthday that fed four people and was under $45.00. We all loved it. Plus, there were leftovers!

You can call ahead and order your food to go or stay and eat there. I highly recommend Burke’s. There are usually a few people waiting, but not for too long.

Burke’s Seafood is located in North Quincy just off Hancock Street on Billings Road. From their website, it looks like they are closed on Mondays. But they have long hours on all the other days, so it’s easy to get a chance to stop by.

Also, they have a monthly newsletter called Fish Tales that you can subscribe to and learn about other things they sell, like beer and wine. You can receive coupons and find out their specials that month. I’ve already sent a few people over there, so I figured I’d share with you too. Hopefully when you get a craving for seafood, you’ll check them out!

Kinfolk Issue Sixteen: Rwandan-born model Nadja Giramata

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Kinfolk coverWhat a nice surprise to see that Kinfolk Volume 16 shines a light on the beautiful Nadja Giramata. I learned of the issue on Instagram.

I bought an earlier issue of Kinfolk a few years ago and have enjoyed their short films over the years. I love the magazine’s focus on slow living and gatherings with family and friends.

But it always bothered me that I never saw any people that look like me. After a while, if a publication never includes people of color, I assume that they don’t intend it for me and don’t want me buying it. I feel the same way about commercials that I see on television.

So it was quite nice to see a lovely model of color gracing Kinfolk‘s current cover. You can purchase Kinfolk on their website or on Amazon at a discount. Which I just just did. I also signed up for a free trial of Amazon Prime, so I get free shipping and it should arrive tomorrow. Can’t wait!

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Screenshot: Kinfolk Issue Sixteen

#InstaWeek: Sunrise Commute Sunset

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sunrise walkHere are some pictures from last week on Instagram. Looking for pretty sights makes the sunrise walk to the T a bit more interesting each morning.

I’ve noticed from week to week, that the flowers, trees and plants change as we move away from spring toward summer. More leaves. Different kinds of flowers. The light is different too.

trainWhen it’s nice out, there’s a certain point on my ride that is really beautiful. I always look forward to seeing the water.

sunset moonriseThe end of the day can be just as beautiful as the start. A sunrise can compete with a sunset. But there’s nothing like seeing the colors change in the sky and watching the moonrise. Happy Wednesday to you!