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A Gentle Transition

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tree + blue clouded skyThe past few days it’s been warm. In the 70s and I’ve ditched my jacket. October had some very cold days and nights.

But November has been a breath of fresh air before heading into winter. The change in seasons stepped back for a bit to let us enjoy a gentle transition.

pink flowers yellow leavesThe bright colors of the leaves only lasts for a few weeks, so I like to take pictures and notice the differences. The type of light and shadows. The blue of the sky. The fluffiness of the clouds. Each day, even minute to minute, there are subtle changes.

The contrast between yellow autumn leaves and pink summer flowers is striking. Within a couple of weeks, they will mostly be gone.

yellowish green treeThese trees will look different. A more permanent chill will have set in. But for the next few weeks, I’m enjoying the transition.

Have a good weekend!

Memorial Day 2015

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American Flags symbolic of Memorial DayHopefully you’re enjoying your long Memorial Day weekend. It’s nice to have a day off.

It’s also interesting to think about the meaning of Memorial Day and how it has changed over the years.

For many people in my generation and most of those who are younger, we think of it as a time for going to the beach. Picnics and barbecues. The first long weekend kicking of the unofficial start of summer.

For my parents and those older, it’s more solemn. Often considered a time to remember those who have passed and to visit their graves.

Traditionally it’s a time to remember the war dead. This is why we see American flags everywhere. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website gives some Memorial Day history.

Memorial Day, which is observed on the last Monday of May, commemorates the men and women who died while in the military service.  In observance of the holiday, many people visit cemeteries and memorials, and volunteers often place American flags on each grave site at national cemeteries.  A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 p.m. local time.

The 3:00 moment of remembrance is news to me, but is a nice idea and something that I may take part in today. We Americans like to talk about how much we support our troops, but sometimes that talk seems to ring rather hollow. That sentiment was reiterated in an article that I read on Stars and Stripes.

The military-civilian divide is not marked by particular animosity or resentment on the civilian side. In airports and restaurants, civilians thank men and women in uniform for their service. They cheer veterans at ballgames and car races.

What most don’t realize is how frequently such gestures ring hollow.

“So many people give you lip service and offer fake sympathy. Their sons and daughters aren’t in the military, so it’s not their war. It’s something that happens to other people,” said Phillip Ruiz, 46, a former Army staff sergeant in Tennessee who was wounded twice during three tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Douglas Pearce, a former Army lieutenant who fought in Afghanistan and is now a marriage and family counselor in Nashville, said civilians seem to think they “can assuage their guilt with five seconds in the airport.”

 “What they’re saying is, ‘I’m glad you served so that I didn’t have to, and my kids won’t have to.'”
 The article discusses the large divide between between those in the military and their families and civilians.

Surveys suggest that as many as 80% of those who serve come from a family in which a parent or sibling is also in the military. They often live in relative isolation — behind the gates of military installations such as Ft. Bragg or in the deeply military communities like Fayetteville, N.C., that surround them.

The segregation is so pronounced that it can be traced on a map: Some 49% of the 1.3 million active-duty service members in the U.S. are concentrated in just five states — California, Virginia, Texas, North Carolina and Georgia.

My father has talked about many things in his life with me. One of the things that he is most proud of is his military service in the Air Force. While he never saw combat, he spent eight years working all over this country and the world. Increasingly he talks about his friends from that time in his life and wonders what happened to them. I wonder too.

President Obama’s Plate – Dining in Massachusetts

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President Obama Charlie's Sandwich ShoppeI’m pretty excited to watch the State of the Union address tonight. Even though every president says it, no matter what the circumstances, somehow it always makes me feel good to hear that the State of the Union is strong.

Seeing gas prices dipping so low has definitely made me feel more optimistic. Since President Obama’s approval rating has been climbing recently, I’m apparently not the only one feeling that way.

While much of the country is eagerly waiting to hear what the president has to say tonight, TIME decided to examine something a bit different – The State of Obama’s Plate. The article looks at his dining destinations in each state. Take a look to see all four destinations in Massachusetts.

Since he vacations in Martha’s Vineyard, most of the restaurants are located there, but Boston did make the list too with his visit to Charlie’s Sandwich Shoppe. While the landmark closed this past June, according to an article in The Boston Globe, it’s supposed to open again this year. We’ll see. Maybe President Obama will come back for the grand opening for some more dining in the Bay State!

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Photo Credit: TIME

New England Dessert Showcase + Gift Guide

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Dessert Showcase cakeToday is a special day on this blog. It’s three full months that I’ve been blogging here!

In my opinion, anniversaries always warrant cake. Although to be perfectly honest, I believe that most everything good should include cake. So it seems like a good day to catch up on a post that is long overdue, which includes cake. By the way, the cake pictured above was amazing!

So back in October, my friend Karen, aka Fussy Eater and I went to the New England Dessert Showcase. When you get invited to eat dessert all day, it’s kind of hard to resist.

So we made our way over to the Westin Boston Waterfront and got to work. Admiring, eating and learning about the variety of desserts and more being offered in the Boston area.

The New England Dessert Showcase unites exhibitors from the gourmet dining, pastry, ice cream, baking, chocolate, catering, and liquor industries. Each exhibitor has the opportunity to connect with target consumers and those consumers have a chance to sample the best creations and experience all things dessert like never before!

There was even a s’mores table with piles of chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallows. People were gathered all around and were able to make their own s’mores!  Again, my pictures aren’t great, but take a look here and at some video that I took.

Below are some of my favorites from the Dessert Showcase. Since this is the season of parties and presents, any of these items would be nice to serve at a party or to give as a gift. Buying specialty foods is a great way to support local business and buy items that are Made in America.

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Cold Fusion Gelato

We spent a fair amount of time, though not enough time, sampling delicious flavors of gelato and sorbet from Cold Fusion Gelato.  There was a line and we had to keep it moving unfortunately. Cold Fusion Gelato is based in Walpole, Massachusetts and they have a seasonal shop in Newport, Rhode Island. The coconut gelato was my favorite! If you’re in Newport during the summer, I’d try to squeeze in some time to visit them.

 Plymouth Bay Winery

As we moved table to table for the samplings, some tables were a bit more unique, generating a great deal of interest. Plymouth Bay Winery was one of them. Their wines are “produced from locally grown, native grapes and berries” from Plymouth, Massachusetts.  They also sell wine dips. This table was busy and people were buying and tasting like crazy. I tried the wine dips and really enjoyed them too. Sadly my pictures didn’t turn out too well. Wine dips can be used to marinade meats and vegetables or use as a condiment on a sandwich or a piece of toast. A very versatile and tasty item! The flavors have fun and locally inspired names too like, Wicked Pissah and Crangasm.

Queen Cupcake Creations

Lisa Daniel is the owner of Queen Cupcake Creations. Hands down, she had the most amazing cake in the whole place. And there was a lot of cake. I must say that it was such a delight to find her, because besides the cake for the event shown above, some of the cakes and cupcakes by exhibitors looked great, but the taste was not wonderful and they were easy to resist. When we found her, the samples were small and exquisitely delicious. It was almost cruel; so we went back for more! The cake was almond flavored and so moist. If you’re looking to order some cakes for the holidays or a special event, let her know.

Charles River Bistro

As we were about to leave the showcase, the table that had the most hospitality and comfort was Charles River Bistro. It was a cold day outside and the Executive Chef was friendly and welcomed us with hot cider and a warm apple crisp. So good! Charles River Bistro is more of a seasonal place, so they are closed for the winter. However, they are located near the Esplanade and Hatch Shell, so in the warmer months, they are a great place to pick up some food for a picnic before or after an event. Or even if there isn’t an event. Something to look forward to as we dive deeper into the winter months. Spring 2015 will be here before we know it!

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Disclosure: Two tickets to the New England Dessert Showcase were provided compliments of The Anthem Group. Thank you!