6.20.2010

resurfacing: or, where june went.

Dear June,

Um. Where have you gone?

Best,
Me

I feel like I blinked and a month went by. To celebrate the end of the semester (and coursework!) as well as two family birthdays, I went to Hershey and hung out with this little monster:


Sophie's tongue peeks out when she's tired. (If people really do grow to resemble their dogs, I'm in some trouble.) After some quality family time and an ill-fated culinary adventure (more on that later), I headed to Boston.

Though Philadelphia has - thoroughly and delightfully - become home, I love revisiting my old city. A., D., and G. graciously shared with me the delights of the South End this time, including cupcakes at The Buttery (delicious as its name would indicate) and a memorably wonderful small-plates feast at Coppa.

finger-licking, waddle-inducing yumminess

i want one in my neighborhood. now.

awesome turquoise cafe tables; colorful pitcher-of-aperitifs; pea and sheep's milk ricotta crostini

Parma Pizza: tomato, mozzarella, prosciutto, arugula, parmesan. oh. my.

strawberry sorbet and chocolate gelato. it took all of my restraint not to fend off the rest of the table with a fork and hoard these for myself.

lovely view, lovely evening

During a day of sunny wanderings, A. and I also stumbled upon a fun exhibit of travel posters from the 20s and 30s at the Public Library. Some of my favorites:


I also went back to BC; I love the campus in late May when it's been spruced up for commencement but all the festivities are over. The Jesuits' rose garden and the collegiate-Gothic-wonderfulness of the rare books library, two of my touchstones, remain comfortingly familiar.


After a brief stopover back in Philly, I drove to upstate New York with my family to celebrate my grandad's 80th birthday (yay!), returned home ... and came down with a whopping case of strep throat. Of course.

But now I'm rested up and ready to settle into a summer routine - and summer cooking! This week the farmers' market yielded cherries, summer squash, and kale.

quick post-farmers'-market dinner:
summer squash sauteed with garlic, thin strips of kale, and diced tomatoes, tossed warm with small cubes of fresh mozzarella


More soon. Looking forward.