The Weekend In Between

The summer slump has definitely been sticking around longer than I expected or maybe I've just been running around like a headless chicken trying to keep up with life in general. Things have been busy with work and traveling but I wouldn't want it any other way.

Last weekend I went to Toronto for a family reunion (trip recap) and now we're heading to Nashville for Labor Day weekend so this past weekend was all about relaxing and recharging those batteries. Friday evening was a quiet one with some happy hour beer on our patio and Thai takeout for dinner. I wasn't quite ready for pumpkin beer since we're still in the hot and muggy summer months but that's what K brought home to try.

On Saturday, I got to sleep in a bit and then went off to the hairdresser to do the usual highlights with a trim. From there I went to meet up with K and friends who were doing their live fantasy football draft at Dave & Buster's. We ended the night at Yard House for dinner and drinks.

If you have a Yard House in your area, I highly recommend Ahi Tuna Poke nachos as an appetizer. The photo doesn't do them justice but they were delicious minus the jalapenos which had my mouth on fire.

Sunday morning was all about coffee and relaxing before heading to the grocery store to stock up for the week and get prepped for our dinner guests.

Kate and H came over in the afternoon to hang out and catch up. I missed her birthday brunch last weekend when I was in Canada so I wanted to host a late birthday celebration.

We grilled ribs, chicken, and mixed veggies skewers along with corn on the cob and rosemary red potatoes. It was a nice Sunday spread to cap off the weekend.

Kate gave me the cutest bulldog cookie jar as a housewarming gift which I'm in love with and goes so well with our new kitchen.

Now the countdown is on for Nashville next weekend!

Joining the lovely Biana.

Toronto Weekend Whereabouts

The details from last weekend are coming to you a little late since I was in Canada for a long weekend family reunion. I love visiting Toronto in the summer and this year was our family picnic so it was the perfect opportunity to make my way up there. My sister picked me up from the airport on Friday afternoon and we all went to the adults cocktail party that evening.

The family picnic was on Saturday so we gathered at a beautiful park to have some lunch followed by our traditional family photo plus some more of the different generations. The rest of the day was filled with different sports and then cooling down at the ice cream truck.

 

That evening my (immediate) cousins went out for dinner and drinks at Hungry Brew Hops in the cute downtown area of New Market. My sister and I shared their homemade "Woodsy" pizza (mushrooms, mozzarella, roasted garlic, truffle balsamic) which was amazing!

I stayed the weekend at my cousin's house and her pup, Pepper, was the sweetest little companion in the mornings while having some coffee.



Sunday was really my only free day to explore Toronto so a few of us started the day with some dim sum in Chinatown.



We then headed to the Distillery District in Toronto to walk around the local market and check out some boutique shops. The weather was warm but comfortable, and a nice break from the sauna heat in Florida!







While walking through the cute cobblestone streets I spotted a familiar face and it was a good friend of mine from high school who now lives in Toronto. How random is that? Such a small world sometimes.

On Monday it was time to make the trek back home. My sister drove me to the airport after one last stop at Tim Horton’s for some coffee.

It was a wonderful trip and time spent with family, but...you probably already know what I’m going to say…it was TOO SHORT!

Orlando Blogger Tasting Tour

I attended one of the best blogger events to date last week hosted by OrderUp in celebration of their one year anniversary since entering the Orlando market. OrderUp is a food delivery app for your phone that currently serves more than 40 major cities nationwide.

OrderUp treated myself and about 20 other bloggers to a food tour through College Park, which is a quaint area right outside of downtown Orlando known for it’s cute shops, salons, and restaurants. We enjoyed tastings at 3 locally owned restaurants, none of which I had tried before and it was nothing short of amazing.

We met up at Jade Sushi & New Asian Bistro which is modern and very beautiful inside... perfect for a date night or girls sushi happy hour.



The chefs were hard at work and served up some amazing dishes:

Appetizer:
The WOW Bao

Main Course:
Hawaiian Poke
King Peter Roll
Yellowtail Roll
Tempura Sushi Ball

I was a little nervous about attending this event because I didn’t know anyone attending but it turned out to be tons of fun meeting other local bloggers and sharing food tastings from some hidden gems in Orlando.

Our second stop was at Peppy’s Bistro where we shared some Mediterranean and American fusion family-style dishes. The chef greeted us and gave us a brief history of the restaurant and some info about the dishes we were tasting.

Main Course:
Seccete Alla Vodka
Baked Ziti
Carnitas

Cocktail:
Ziggy Stardust

Our last stop was at Hubbly Bubbly for some casual Mediterranean eats and they just kept bringing different food samples to try. I was already quite full at this point but managed to taste everything they served because the food was so amazing and fresh.

We met the owner and his father-in-law, Georgie, who is the chef and makes all of their dishes from scratch with fresh ingredients. He spoke about how they came up with the the concept for Hubbly Bubbly and explained that most of their dishes are gluten free and vegan friendly. It was very clear that he puts his heart and soul into making the dishes that they serve and make the most authentic recipes in the area.



Appetizer:
Bubbly Salad Blend
Hubbly Hummus

Main Course:
Falafel Pita Sandwich
Mazel Tots
Fried Cauliflower

Dessert:
Baklava Fingers

Drinks:
Big Storm Amber Ale
Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

It was quite the feast and I’m so excited OrderUp offers delivery to more and more local restaurants, and some of the best spots in Orlando, all via their mobile app.

To browse OrderUp’s entire menu of on-demand delivery options, download the iOS or Android app or visit them at: http://orderup.com.

Here’s a $7 OFF coupon for first time orders: EATIT

Family Reunion Friday

Happy Friday!

I've been counting down the days for today to arrive because I'm heading to Canada for a family reunion picnic that we do every 5 years. I've kept the tradition going all these years and it's incredible to see our family tree evolve. We have to wear name tags because there's usually more than a hundred descendants from countries all around the world.

I'm mostly looking forward to spending time with my sister and my (immediate) cousins who all live in Ontario. This trip isn't about site-seeing or touristy adventures, it's more about quality time with family.

A photo recap of our last family reunion in 2011.

We got lucky this year because the eldest of our cousin pack just got married in Montego Bay, Jamaica last month so we were just all together catching up, meeting the new babies in the family, and, spending some one-on -one time chatting and catching up, which rarely ever happens.

 I hope you enjoy the weekend!

10 Girlfriend Getaways

We all know adult life gets busy but one thing that makes me ecstatic is spending time with my closest girls. The whole process of planning a trip is exciting and then all that anticipation leading up to it. I just love it.

The bestie and I recently took a long weekend trip to Cocoa Beach where we just relaxed and spent time catching up. While we were lounging on the beach, we started chatting about doing a couples trip to Europe where we would explore a few countries and then take a cruise through the Greek Islands. This is a dream trip for the both of us and something we hope to make happen when finances and the time is right.

Until then, long weekend getaways and smaller trips are still in the cards so I was researching some destinations that would be fun to visit with your best friend or even a group of girls - whether it may be to relax & unwind, explore the food scene, or take in some good old nature.

San Juan, PR

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Savannah, GA

   
Nassau, Bahamas 

Sonoma Wine Country, CA

 
Treasure Island, FL

Bonus Road Trip to Tampa: 
Tampa is only a short drive away from Treasure Island so if you happen to visit in late January hop over to check out their annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival. This is one of my favorite street festivals in Florida and Tampa goes above and beyond to put on a fun show.

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Charleston, SC

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New Orleans, LA

New York City

Orlando/Disney

San Francisco, CA

I'd love to hear your recommendations for fun/relaxing girl friend getaways!

I can't end this post without saying:

Happy birthday Kate!
2016 is going to be an extra EXCITING year for you and I'm looking forward to celebrating your birthday when I return from my trip this weekend! xo