So glad the cold spell has broken! This past weekend was scary cold and then yesterday was such a relief.
In one day, the temperature in the Boston area went from a wind chill of around -25 degrees to in the 50s!
It rained and most of the snow melted away. Today is sunny and is supposed to be in the 40s. I started my day with a nice breakfast and some yoga and meditation. Now I feel grounded and ready for the day.
Happy Wednesday!
As I was thinking about writing a post this morning, I found this picture. I don’t remember if I blogged it before, but I do remember hearing recently that the sign might be taken down due to a change in ownership.
The Citgo sign is more than a sign. It’s a way to orient yourself as you make your way around the city. When you’ve been away, it’s a familiar sight that welcomes you back to Boston.
At night, the glow is beautiful. It’s synonymous with Kenmore Square. It’s one of those things that makes Boston, Boston. Like the gas tank on the Expressway. It’s iconic. What used to be just a sign has very much transformed into something else and I hope it will be preserved.
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To generate creative ideas, you have to start from an unusual place. But to explain those ideas, you have to connect them to something familiar. ~ Adam Grant
The above quote from an article by Adam Grant has also resonated with me lately. I’m not sure if it directly relates to the status of the sign, but somehow they are connecting in my mind….
If you follow Audrey Giannattasio on Twitter, you can see that winter weather isn’t stopping her from leading her food tours!
However, it was on a very warm summer day back in 2011, when I first met Audrey. As part of a small group of food bloggers, we had a great time touring specialty shops and restaurants in the North End, experiencing authentic Italy in Boston.
Since then, Audrey founded her own successful business, Boston Foodie Tours. For three years in a row, she has won TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence. She was also featured on Chronicle, a local television program bringing us stories about New England.
If you’re visiting Boston during a vacation, for a business trip or just taking a day trip into the city, you’ll have a great time on one of her tasty tours!
But now, let’s get to know Audrey a bit better. She’s number ten in the interview series, You Pick Six!
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What is a favorite simple recipe to prepare at home?
Toast with mashed avocado, Kosher salt, freshly-grated pepper, and olive oil. Lunch nearly every day!
What is some of the best advice you’ve ever received?
“Don’t let anyone define you.” I’m just sorry that it took me fifty years to get it right! No one will ever care about you and your future as much as you will. If you’re truly going to reach your maximum potential, you must tune out the naysayers, leave any emotional baggage behind, and run your own race. When you find that place where you’re meant to be, the world will embrace you, and you will embrace yourself!
What is a favorite childhood food memory?
Picking large, purple grapes from the backyard vines in East Boston with my Italian-speaking, maternal grandmother, and my mother’s Sunday dinners, with freshly-made “gravy” – including meatballs and my beloved pig’s feet – and mostly store-bought pasta.
What do you think that most people don’t understand about food?
That creating good food isn’t necessarily about being an accomplished cook. Rather, it begins and ends with quality ingredients, such as a freshly-made mozzarella or a true Extra Virgin Olive Oil. What you put in is what you get out.
What is a favorite cookbook?
My favorite, most-used cookbooks are Ina Garten’s, whose recipes are both simple and reliable. My most valued and cherished cookbooks, however, are Marguerite Buonopane’s the North End Italian Cookbook, from which I learned as a young woman how to cook my mother’s Italian-American peasant dishes after she passed away; and my mother’s 1955 Good Housekeeping cookbook that I inherited.
How did food become an important part of your life?
My mother! Cooking was her way of demonstrating her love for others, and, perhaps, the only skill in which she had great confidence. Though we were on a tight budget, she could always stretch a meal for last-minute guests, who were often sent home with freshly-picked vegetables from our garden, and/or food gift bags.
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Thank you so much for participating Audrey!
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Photos: Provided by Audrey Giannattasio.
Thursday afternoon, it was close to 60 degrees and I was wearing a light jacket. The next evening, I was walking in snow wearing mittens! That’s how it goes. By now I should be used to it, but I don’t think that will ever happen.
I’m starting to believe that we Bostonians have the the same coping mechanism when it comes to snow. A certain level of denial.We talk ourselves down (off the ledge) a lot.
We survived last year!
It’s not that bad!
We can handle it!
It’s almost spring!
February is always the hardest month. Even when we’ve had an easy winter so far. But anything is better than last year, so I guess I can’t really complain. But I think you hear me. I’m complaining!!! 😀
Usually I bring my lunch to work. But once a week or so, I’ll splurge and buy something. Recently I have found a new favorite meal for lunch.
If you’re looking for a lunch that is healthy and tastes amazing too, then I recommend the Power Bowl at B.Good.
I go to the location on Summer Street in Boston, but they have places all over the city. After looking at their website, I see that they are not only in other parts of Massachusetts and New England; B.Good is also in North Carolina, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Back to the Power Bowl. It’s made of kale, local egg, lentils, carrots, brussels sprouts, crunchy chickpeas, pepitas, and tomato vinaigrette. I cannot tell you how much I love this lunch! The textures and flavors mix perfectly together and I feel like I am definitely getting in a good deal of my vegetables for the day.
With taxes, the cost is a little over ten dollars, so it’s a bit pricey for my budget. But I think it’s worth it for a treat. Hope you’ll give it a try if you get the chance!
Looking at the menu, I realize that they have many other items that I’d like to try as well. Like a veggie burger, sweet potato fries and milk shake. Maybe next time!
