New Haven, CT

Home to the prominent Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut is a neatly unique town to visit, inclusive of good food, good shopping, and of course, New Haven style pizza.

Yale University

When my husband and I are driving up from DC to Boston, or Newport, or Maine, New Haven makes for the perfect stop to rest our heads for the night. It's conveniently located just off I-95 and has certain hot spots that we cannot seem to go without.  For example, Pepe's Pizza.  This is New Haven pizza at its best.  Don't be foiled by the line out the door because the restaurant's concept gives it the convenience of a quick turnover, so you shouldn't have to wait more than ten to twenty minutes to get seated.

The classic New Haven menu item is the Clam pizza. It's uniquely delicious and a real local fare.  The base is a white pizza topped with cheese, garlic, and of course the main star of the dish - New England clams!

Clam Pizza

We are real suckers for the classic Tomato pie.  Our first introduction to this splendor was at Pepe's and we have been trying our best to recreate this masterpiece at home ever since.  It's back to basics - pizza dough, tomato sauce, and grated Parmesan cheese.  Simple, easy, but not at all boring to the taste.

Tomato Pie

Adam Richman, of Man v. Food, swears by Modern for pizza, and one day I would like to give it a try because I'm sure it is also a classic New Haven delight, but when we just have time to squeeze in one seating, we have a hard time straying from Pepe's...

Town Hall

A Town Hall is defined as a gathering of the community, or an informal come-to-call.  Town Hall as the restaurant located in DC couldn't be any closer to its namesake.  It truly is a place of gathering for those in the DC community.  We've had many occasions where the two of us will find our way over to Town Hall, maybe meeting another couple, maybe not, but either way we find ourselves leaving, many hours later, with multiple friends in tow.

The motto of the restaurant is "Gulp-Gather-Grub" and we surely do stick to the motto.  Their specialty cocktails are divine.  I usually head for a good old Dark 'n Stormy or the Screaming Viking, a Hendricks Gin based drink.  The boys seem to jet straight for the signature Town Hall whiskey concoction.  The beers on tap are quite plentiful in variety, usually offered at a discounted happy hour rate.  The drink menu does change from time to time, but the bartenders are always willing to whip up anything your heart may desire.  The staff is of course very friendly because it's Town Hall, a neighborhood joint.

Tuna Tartare

As for grub, some of my favorite appetizers are the grilled cheese and tomato soup, or the Tuna tartare, served atop freshly made Guacamole. The Jerk wings are also mighty tasty. For brunch I am a big fan of the Eggs in the Middle.  For dinner, I like their pasta dishes, shrimp dishes, and the pork chop served with mac 'n cheese...  wow, the Goat Mac 'n Cheese - unbelievable!  The menu does change seasonally, but they keep some of the staples year-round.

Now when you head over to Glover Park, don't get confused, because the original Town Hall location (which is actually the newly opened Mayfair & Pine that I do hope to check out soon) was moved just up the street on Wisconsin Avenue.  

Bruschetta

While there may be question on whether to pronounce it as "bru-SKEH-tah" or "bru-SHEH-tah", there is no question on whether or not it is enjoyed by all. Bruschetta is a wonderful appetizer and a quick-easy last minute fix.  We have company coming over?  NP - let me just whip up some bruschetta, surely to be a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients:
3 vine-ripened tomatoes

2-3 cloves of garlic

10 Basil Leaves

1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil

Freshly Ground Sea Salt

Freshly Ground Pepper

French baguette

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.

Chop up the tomatoes.

Dice up the garlic.

Cut the Basil.

Mix in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Set aside to absorb the flavor.

Moonrise Kingdom

It isn't playing in all movie theatres, but if you find one near you, I'd recommend going to see Moonrise Kingdom.  It is classic Wes Anderson, the director of films such as Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Darjeeling Limited, and Fantastic Mr. Fox. 

The story takes place in a north-eastern town in the 1960s with many big name actors like Bill Murray, Ed Norton, Bruce Willis, Tilda Swinton, and of course, Jason Schwartzman.  Everyone does a superb job in their individually unique roles.

And we are introduced to some new-comers to the movie scene with the main characters played by Kara Hayward and Jared Gilman.  Remember those names because they look to have a promising future to come in Hollywood.

It's an adorable story of two young lovers, lost and alone in their worlds, looking to find comfort in one another.  You can't help but love it...

Tea for One

My husband has a silly jingle about Tea for Two, and it gets me laughing every time, never fails, but when it comes down to it, I just love my Tea for One.

I acquired this cute Tea for One when we were on our honeymoon in Bermuda.  I had become more interested in tea and kept seeing cute Two for One sets during my travels, but I couldn't seem to settle on the right one.  This set had me from the start, since I am such a sucker for blue and white.  I use it now and again to enjoy a "spot" of tea, but mostly I gain satisfaction just seeing it hang out in our bookcase on display.  Practical and ornate all in one.

Tory Burch Flats

Shoe Design + Tory Burch = A Match Made in Stylish, Comfortable Foot Heaven

For years women have been packing two pairs of shoes - the fashionable footwear for the office, and the shamefully uncool commuter shoes.  Well, then along came Tory Burch, introducing both style and comfort all in one.  Good-bye old sneakers!  I absolutely love Tory Burch's Reva Ballet Flats.

I, myself, have acquired mostly practical colors of blacks and browns and neutrals, but she also makes so many fun colors and patterns, all inclusive of her signature logo - a classy "T" branding.  Styles do change seasonally, so if you don't fall in love with any of the current shoes available, don't worry, yours will make its way to the website soon.  But believe me that once you try on your first pair, you will be smitten.  It's a little different at first, and I don't recommend socks or tights, the back binds better on the bare foot.

Screen on the Green

It's summer time in DC and that means they will begin the summer series of Screen on the Green, the screen being a big movie projection screen and the green being the National Mall's grassy lawn, specifically the block between the Washington Monument and the Capitol.  So, grab your blanket and picnic basket, packed full of wine and cheese and fruit and crackers, or whatever your tummy desires. 

PAUL Bakery

In honor of Bastille Day today, I am writing to you about an amazing French bakery that has made its way to DC.  Now when I say French bakery, I legitimately mean French bakery.  It's the real deal.  PAUL bakeries can be found all over the U.K. in France and London, and now, they are right here in the U.S., with three locations in our nation's capital!  I was excited when I heard they were bringing this fine establishment to my neighborhood of Georgetown.

Halcyon Bangles

On a recent trip to Bermuda, we stumbled across these wonderfully vibrant enamel bangles.

Halcyon is a well-established brand synonymous with prestige in Great Britain. They are widely known for their enamel keepsake boxes, which have been a collector's item since the 1950s. Halcyon has been appointed three royal warrants by her majesty, the Queen, which means that they are an actual supplier of these goods to the royal family itself.  While this may be partly the reason for so many collectors, it's also a testament to the true quality of the product itself.

Pimm's Cup

Being that it is the oldest tennis tournament around, it's no surprise that Wimbledon draws tennis fans from all over the world.  Whether a fan of the sport is lucky enough to be at the actual grass courts in London, or is just watching the championship matches from the comfort of their own home, there are the traditional Wimbledon indulgences for the spectators to enjoy, and one of those would be the Pimm's Cup.

Pimm's, or more specifically Pimm's No. 1, is a gin based liquor proudly produced in Great Britain since 1840.  Hence, it is only fitting that one of London's oldest gins became the drink at one of London's oldest matches.

I have found that there are many different varieties to making a Pimm's Cup.  Some bartenders like to use sprite, some soda, some lemonade.  I prefer the latter and like to keep it nice and simple:

Ingredients:
2.5 ounces Pimm's No. 1
5 ounces of Lemonade
Lemon Wedge
Highball packed with ice

Serving Size: 1 delicious, refreshing, and tasty beverage

Mortar and Pestle

There is an on-going debate as to the initial birth date of the Mortar and Pestle; we do know it dates back thousands of years to the time of BC.  But nevertheless, from their first beginnings way back when to this very day, these wonderful artifacts continue to serve their initial purpose.

Here are my M&Ps, one of which we received as a gift for our wedding and the other we purchased shortly thereafter falling in love with the first one:

Bossypants

I just finished reading Bossypants and let me tell you, it is classic Tina Fey.  If you like Tina Fey, and Amy Poehler, and the Saturday Night Live crew, both present and old, then you will enjoy this hilarious book rightly named Bossypants.  Tina Fey is her usual self, poking fun at everything and anything, including of course Tina Fey most of the time (as to be expected for those that watch 30 Rock).

The book itself is a journey with Tina from her theatric high school beginnings in eastern Pennsylvania, on to life in Chicago at Second City, and then landing at SNL in the Big Apple.  Finally, the book provides a look into a current day in the life of Tina Fey, inclusive of her own show, in which she writes, stars, and produces, and all the while with a little one in tow.  Phew, it's exhausting just typing that, but like many females in the 21st century, she's a wonder woman that seems to do it all.