Friday. Holiday weekend. Poolside.

4 words have never sounded so sweet.

Have a great weekend, everyone! Xoxo

I love summer food. Grill food. Meals that I can make out of ingredients that have flavor and haven’t been overnighted from halfway across the country.

Take tonight- a quick breeze through Whole Foods and I had great veggies in my little reusable bag (and turkey burgers!) and was home, ready to rock. Brushed with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar, I threw them on the grill for somewhere between 2-3 show tunes (I am on a serious Broadway binge), added fresh ground pepper, sea salt, some oregano and coarsely chopped everything up. Toss in orzo and boom- grilled vegetable orzo salad.

Summer food and a long summer(ish) coming up…something tells me there’s lots more where this came from.

My awesome Grandma gifted Ryan and I with cooking lessons Chopping Block for Christmas. She knows how much we love to cook and I can honestly say this was one of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever received. Did I mention that Grandma is 95? Homegirl is on her game.

“Date Night at the Hacienda” was our chosen class so it was an evening of Mexican cooking and Spanish wine drinking. Aside from getting to cook in that amazing kitchen with all of their awesome cookware (I die for le crueset), it was a really nice evening. The Chef was knowledgeable, I learned some new techniques and it was really, really fun to do something different for date night.

The Queso Fundido and the Chocolate Cajeta Flan Cake were the standouts that we will 100% make again. I am not really a cheese person but this Queso…well, I probably had a solid pound of cheese that night so there’s that. Here’s the recipe- I highly recommend it, especially with Memorial Day weekend coming up!

Queso Fundido
1/4 pound Mexican chorizo
1 onion, medium dice
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups grated Chihuahua cheese
2 T cornstarch
1 Cup pale lager (I.e. Corona)
2 T tequila
2 T cilantro

Sauté chorizo and onions in cast iron pan over medium heat until onions are caramelized and sausage cooked. Add garlic, cook additional minute.

Toss cheese and cornstarch together. Add beer and tequila to onion mixture and cook til heated through. Gradually add cheese until melted and smooth. Stir in cilantro. Serve in pan with tortilla chips- legit, solid, non-wimpy (read: thin and breakable) tortilla chips.

I leave you with a picture of the Flan Cake business that we made…this was so much better than the strawberries and orange I had for “dessert” tonight.

We had just finished grilling and eating out on the porch when this storm started rolling in. After such a beautiful summer’esque day like today, I think falling asleep to thunder and lightening sounds lovely.

This morning, I went on a long walk with my parents on my favorite route through the city. Tonight, I am sitting on the porch drinking tea and taking in the lights. There was Thai food, errand running with Ry and a good, ridiculous cry while watching “The Vow” sandwiched in between.

There’s something about looking at a sight as big and bright as this and realizing the little things in your life that you love so much you could burst are just as big and bright. Hash tag grateful? You better believe it.

Sunday nights. Le sigh.

I hated this statue in July, thought it looked ridiculous all winter and now that she is boxed up, ready to hit the road, all I have to say is….

Please let the next sculpture in Pioneer Court not be so tacky. Or creepy/weird/huge.

For the record, 3 seconds before the Derby began, I chose “I’ll Have Another” to win. Because it’s the best name ever.

After a faux celebration glass of bubbly at POPS (faux celebration, real bubbly), we headed north for more adult merriment- a Cinco de Dinner Party.

My darling friend Kate outdid herself, cooking a Mexican feast fiesta for a party of 10. Margaritas, Kate’s infamous guac, enchiladas, shrimp fajitas, the works. The food was amazing and equally enjoyable was the company of everyone there. I adored the 3 new couples we met and long after we corked the wine/finished the last marg, everyone gathered in the living room to continue the conversation, to provide commentary on SNL. My kind of people, for sure.

Cinco de Dinner Party…I think that should be a thing now.

The first Green City Market of the season! It was a tad chilly but that didn’t keep it from being packed.

Oh, you wanted a crepe? Too bad.

Happy Saturday!

This week has been a conscious mind over matter, eye on the prize, no-i-am-not-going-to-pull-my-hair-out-right-now exercise in positivity. In other words, I was focused on the happy, meditating on the happy.

Elmo makes me happy. People living their dreams makes me happy. And since I had the apartment/Netflix to myself tonight (happy!), Being Elmo, a documentary about Kevin Clash who is the puppeteer behind Elmo, was just the ticket.

It’s interesting. And inspiring. And made me really happy.

(it’s on Netflix instant- seriously worth a watch!)

#truth