Living a tasteful life

Monday, August 31, 2015

Life Lately

The past few weeks have been busy to say the least, but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.

Instead of doing my typical weekend recap, I thought I would expand a little and share a few photos of life lately. 


I had the pleasure of sampling a few delicious dishes prepare by Josh Walker of Xiao Bao Biscuit (recap coming soon).


Our office took an afternoon boat cruise to have lunch at Vickerys, a seafood restaurant on Shem Creek in Mt. Pleasant. It was a celebratory lunch in honor of new roles for some and new beginnings for others. 





 My husband Whit and I gave babysitting a shot. We looked after our friend's sweet little girl one evening while they went out for a date night. 

After living in Charleston for almost five years now, we finally visited the Angel Oak on John's Island. We have a photo of this beautiful tree hanging in our bedroom that we received as a wedding gift and surprisingly this is the first time we've seen it in person. It truly is an impressive, historic piece of nature. 


We checked another restaurant off of our list, and had dinner at EVO, a wood-fired pizza spot located in Park Circle in North Charleston. 

 
Whit ordered the pork trifecta, pictured below and I had the margarita


I also enjoyed some quality time in the kitchen making a delicious brunch with some girlfriends.




Here's to a productive week!
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Thursday, August 27, 2015

Pizza Stuffed Mushrooms


I’m a huge fan of mushrooms, especially portobello. You may also recall that I’m a huge fan of pizza as well. There are some nights when I want the pizza flavor but without all of the carbs. Cue the pizza stuff mushrooms. It’s like you’re eating a pizza, but without the bread or the guilt. It may not be the real thing, but it’s pretty darn close. 


Pizza Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
6 large portobello mushroom caps
2 lbs lean ground turkey
1 24oz jar of marinara sauce
1 large onion (diced)
1 large green bell pepper (diced)
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
1 8oz bag of shredded mozzarella cheese
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful of fresh basil (chiffonade)
1 8oz jar of sun dried tomatoes


Instructions
1.     Preheat oven to 350 ºF.
2.     Rinse mushroom caps off and carefully remove and discard the brown gills from                the undersides of the mushrooms using a spoon.
3.     Place the mushrooms gill side down on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10            minutes.
4.     While the mushrooms bake, dice the onion and bell pepper.
5.     Warm a skillet on medium heat and sauté the garlic, diced onion and bell pepper                 until slightly browned.
6.     Remove the mushrooms from the oven, draining excess juice from the pan. Flip the           mushrooms over, cap side down in order to prepare for filling.
7.     Lightly brush the inside of the mushroom with olive oil.
8.     Remove the onion and pepper mixture from the stove, pour into a bowl and set                 aside.
9.     Using the same skillet the peppers were sautéed in, add olive oil to the pan and                  brown the turkey.
10.  Once the turkey has fully cooked through, drain any excess fat and add the pepper            and onion mixture back in the pan.
11.    Add two cups of marinara sauce or enough to fully coat the meat mixture and stir             well.
12.    Spoon the mixture out and fill the mushroom caps.
13.    Top with mozzarella cheese.
14.    Bake on 350º F for 20 minutes.
15.    Remove mushrooms from the oven, top with sun dried tomatoes, salt, pepper. and              fresh basil and serve.



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Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Home Inspiration



Whit and I bought our first home just a few weeks before our wedding. It seemed liked a crazy idea at the time, but I was so thankful that we did it.  It was really nice to come back from our honeymoon, knowing that we didn't have to begin the search for homes. Given the busy time in our lives, decorating our house took a little longer than expected. To be quite honest, we still have things left to do. This month marks our two year anniversary of being homeowners, and I thought it would be nice to share a little home inspiration with you. We have most everything we need, but it's always fun to look.


Home Inspiration

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Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Weekend Recap: New York City

I’m back from a wonderful weekend spent in New York with my girlfriends! We had such a great time catching up and exploring the city. 

Megan and I arrived early Friday morning and headed straight to our friend Melissa’s apartment, to meet her sweet little two month old baby, Tristan. 

There was a lot of good eating involved in this trip. Our first stop was for "blunch" at Blend on the Water, a Latin fusion restaurant conveniently located within walking distance from the apartment. This is a great spot to sip cocktails and enjoy the views of the East River and Manhattan. 
Blend Sunset Martini
Taquitos De Carne

Friday evening we went into the city for dinner at Catch NYC , a trendy seafood haven in the heart of Manhattan's Meatpacking District.  From the colorful tiled floor at the bar, to the industrial, red metal chairs at the table, the rooftop ambiance at Catch was warm and inviting.


 Plate after plate was delivered to the surrounding tables, each with a beautiful and unique presentation. The macaroni and lobster cream, mahi mahi wonton tacos, parmesan-truffle fries and watermelon cocktails all graced our table. The mac and cheese was absolutely delicious. This rich, warm dish of noodles, soaked in  mascarpone cheese, accompanied by large chunks of lobster meat and breadcrumbs was exactly what I had a taste for. 

Seedless Suzy

We ended the evening with a nightcap at The Standard Plaza, a super cute spot with outdoor seating in a garden-like setting. 

Saturday morning we headed out to explore Central Park and the surrounding area.




We had a late lunch at BarBacon, a lively gastropub surrounded by brick walls, providing plenty of seats and a menu full of flavor.  It’s all about the bacon at this pork loving bar. We had an awesome lunch and by a strange coincidence, we were able to meet the chef, who so graciously sent out some tasty appetizers. 

We started off with selection of artisanal bacon in several different flavors along with lobster dumplings, which haven't made their way to the menu yet, but are sure to be a hit when they do.  

I went with Shani's BLT, a delicious sandwich filled with a sunny egg, avocado, mayo, lettuce, tomato and applewood smoked bacon of course. We had such an enjoyable lunch with great service and hospitality. 

We made it back to the apartment just in time to watch the sunset over the city.  A full day of exploring called for a relaxed evening in with movies and pizza.

Our flight was scheduled for Sunday evening, giving us time to enjoy a few more hours in the city the next day. Our first stop was Laduree for a quick bite and a peak at their colorful macaroons.
Eggs Benedict

We fueled up at this dainty Parisian cafe for a much needed day of shopping. Eleven thousand steps, multiple stores, and a few purchases later, it was time to head back to the South. 

The weather was perfect, the food was great and the company was even better. I couldn't have asked for a better weekend with my girlfriends! 




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Friday, August 21, 2015

News Feed Friday

Sailboat scenes in Beaufort, SC

Bruschetta:  5 different ways

I’m not a fan of coconut, but these sure do look good. 


I thought this expert's guide to getting more Instagram likes was an interesting read.

I’m drooling over the photos from Style Me Pretty’s 65 Most Beautiful Interiors!  

A look at some must have bags for Fall.  

 These shoes are calling my name! 

Dress them up or keep it casual, I can think of several tops to wear with these jeans . 


I’m jetting off for a quick weekend trip today. Following along on Instagram to find out where I’m going!


Have a great weekend!
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Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Summer Playlist

Don’t you hate it when you’re driving in your car, you get to where you are going, and of course a great song comes on the radio? Some mornings I will be driving to work and not hear one good song, until I pull into the parking lot that is. It’s amazing how music can change your mood, or at least it does for me anyway. I enjoy listening to a little bit of everything, depending on the situation. I prefer more upbeat music for the gym, reggae music at the beach or on the boat, country music when sitting outside by a fire, and a little bit of everything when I’m taking a road trip.
Whether I’m cleaning the house, driving in my car, or working out, a good playlist is always nice to have. Today I’m sharing a mix of songs that have been on repeat for me this summer.

Listen to my Summer playlist HERE.

What kind of music do you enjoy listening to? 
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Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Swimsuit and Beach Cover-Ups

Last week I shared the exciting news that my husband and I will be traveling to Thailand in the Fall. I have one million things that have been going through my mind in regards to preparation for our travel. Obviously a big concern is what I'm going wear while I’m there. The list of things I need to pack is getting longer and longer, as well as the list of things I want to buy. I figured since vacation is on my mind, I thought I would share some things I’ve come across while browsing online. I have been on the search for a cute cover-up. It’s sometimes tough to find one that is acceptable to wear to the beach as well as appropriate for a restaurant. Don’t get me wrong, I own a few cover-ups but it’s time to add some newness to the assortment. Below are a few that caught my eyes.  

Do you  have a favorite place to shop for cover-ups?

Click the arrow to the right to view more of my picks
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Monday, August 17, 2015

Weekend Recap: Summer in Charleston

The days are getting shorter and the summer months are slowly coming to an end (although the heat isn’t). I have been trying to soak up these dog days of summer and enjoy them to the fullest. The weather in the evenings has been perfect lately, so I’ve been taking advantage and enjoying some time outside as much as possible. Friday evening was spent at home indulging in a little happy hour on our gazebo, accompanied by some casual fishing.  
On Saturday, Whit and I joined Megan, her husband and some other friends for an afternoon on the water. The weather was gorgeous. 
Saturday evening I caught up with my friend Cayce over some cocktails and sushi at one of my favorite spots, Zen Asian Fusion. This place is a hidden gem. You may recall me mentioning it before in this post. The sushi is delicious and the presentation is on point. If you haven’t dined there before, I highly recommend it. 
West Ashley Roll
I was finally able to check off another restaurant that has been on my list for quite some time.  Whit and I had Sunday brunch at The Park Cafe. I’m not sure if it was the countless number of pretty Instagram photos I’ve seen, or the rave over the avocado toast I’ve heard about, but I’ve been dying to check it out. I have to admit, this bright and trendy, downtown cafe lived up to all its hype. 
I started off with the Siddhartha, a delicious ice cold coffee with almond milk and caramel. I’m not even exaggerating when I tell you this was gone in about two minutes. For brunch I had the house omelet, topped with brie and beech mushrooms. I couldn’t eat there without ordering a side of their famous avocado toast. Let me tell you, it was dangerously good.  
Whit ordered the veggie mess with a side of almond toast. The veggie mess was pretty much a sophisticated version of scrambled eggs with vegetable curry, white cheddar cheese and avocado. 
And to accompany this savory dish,  he ordered a side of almond toast for a hint of sweetness.
Boating, brunch and beautiful weather, my idea of a well spent, summer weekend in Charleston! 

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