Needlepoint Pillow

It's Friday and wow did this 4 day week fly by! For over a year now, I've been working on a needlepoint pillow project and I thought it would be fun to share my favorite needlepoint sources.

This is my favorite needlepoint shop, located outside of Boston, and this is my favorite needlepoint finishing services company. Needlepointing is definitely a labor of love, but I've found that it is also very relaxing. I mainly needlepoint when I'm watching a tv show or it's raining outside and I need an indoor project to work on.

I've been looking for a needlepoint shop in the DC though, does anyone have a good one? Let me know in the comment boxes below! 

                             

                              

 

Have a great weekend!

Sky

Books I'm Reading

Today I thought I would share some books that I've read recently and enjoyed! I realize all of these books have made bestselling lists at some point- so this may be nothing new- but here's what I thought of them (1-5 star scale, 5 stars being the best). Ever since I bought my Nook GlowLight, I've been cruising through books. The Nook is so light and I keep it in my purse everywhere I go.  If I have a few extra minutes here and there at lunch or at the doctor's office, I read. And the minute I finish one book, I buy another, becuase a complete library is at my fingertips!

 

5 Stars. This historical fiction is full of beautiful metaphors.

                                             

 

4 Stars. I was thouroughly entertained, but it's a light read. 

 

5 Stars. I read this book in 3 days- I had no idea how the mystery would end, until the very end!

 

5 Stars. A historical fiction that's a sweeping love story.

 

4 Stars. I was thouroughly entertained, but it's a light read.

 

 

5 Stars. A murder mystery that's incredibly funny.

 

 

 Have a great day!

Sky

Crab Deck

If you're taking a day trip to Kent Island, there's a Crab Deck near the beach that I highly recommend. It's a fun local (i.e. you can wear your bathing suit with a coverup at the deck) spot with great summer drinks.

In my opinion, there is nothing better then eating a lobster after a long day at the beach. But since this is Maryland, it will have to be crabs after the beach :) I had never opened a crab before and wow is it hard work!

Have a great day! 

Sky 

Kent Island Beach

I love living in DC, but when summer rolls around I miss Boston badly. I grew up steps from the ocean and I always appreciated having the beach at my fingertips, but it wasn't until I actually moved away that I truly realized how special it is to live in a beach community. So, I've been determined to find a great beach close DC.

Over Memorial Day weekend I went to Terrapin Park on Kent Island. The beach is small (in width), but long, and only 45 minutes from DC! Besides a few locals walking their dogs, there was no one else around. So considering it was Memorial Day weekend, I would venture to say the beach never gets very crowded. It's a beach on the bay so it's definitely not the same as an ocean side beach, but still worth visiting as a day trip to get out of DC! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Sky

Ghibellina

It's the Friday before Memorial Day weekend! I hope everyone has Memorial Monday off. Ghibellina is another one of my favorite restaurants in DC and convienantly located next to Barcelona. Just in case you want two meals in one night :)

 

Ghibellina has delicious pizza and red pepper flake olive oil (that inspired me to make my own here). Also the mango sangria tastes just like vacation. If you're hanging around town for the long weekend, it's a great time to take yourself out to a new restaurant!

                              

 

^^ a gem missing from yesterday's post :)

 

Have a great weekend. I'll be back Tuesday!

Sky

Barcelona

When I was in college in Conneticut, one of my favorite restaurants was Barcelona in West Hartford, CT. Whenever my parents came to visit I always insisted they take me there. So, I was so excited to find out there is another Barcelona location right here in Washington! Currently, Barcelona is featuring a soft shell crab tapa that is sooo delicious. 

                            

^^ beautiful summer rain on Saturday, but that meant no outdoor seating :/

 

                                                 ^^ still dreaming of the shoft shell crab                          

                             

 



^^trout pate, yum! 

Have a great day! 

Sky

Peach Lemon Frozen Yogurt

This Peach Lemon frozen yogurt is the most refreshing frozen dessert. I was inspired by my favorite gelato shop, which always has interesting flavors like lavender and honey, to test out my own frozen yogurt combinations at home.

Ingredients

2 cups plain fat free yogurt 

1 lemon, juice

4 tablespoons honey

1 package of frozen peaches 

Mix everything together in your blender and freeze!

Do you have a favorite frozen yogurt combination? Let me know in the comment box below!  

 

                               

                                   

 

Enjoy!

Sky

                 

Pearl Dive

Now that the weather in DC is so perfect and warm, all I want to do is to be outside- all the time. Especially on a Friday afternoon after a long week of working inside an air conditioned building.

Last Friday I checked out Pearl Dive on 14th street. The restaurant opens its entire front facade so that its bar is both indoors and outdoors. Very cool! Happy hour oysters were $1, another key trait I look for in a restaurant :)

P.s if you haven't noticed already, I have comment boxes at the bottom of each post for feedback! Do you have a favorite outdoor happy hour in DC? 

^I thought the mermaids on the bar were a cool touch :)

Have a great day! 

Sky

Streets of DC: California and 24th

Good morning! Here's the second installment of my "streets of DC" series: California Street and 24th.  How beautiful are all these homes and garden?! Spring really is the best time in DC.

                                      

                                      

                                      

                              

                             

                             

 

#homeinspiration :)

Have a great day!

Sky

Power Balls

Power bars are one of my weaknesses.  Larabars and Kind bars are my current favorites, but I think I've tested, and had a phase with, every other kind of healthy power bar there is. At almost $2 per bar, and a minimum of 2 a day, it has become an expensive addiction. Even more so than coffee! So I decided to experiment with making my own "power balls" at home.

Ingredients 

1 cup almond butter*

1/4 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1/4 cup chopped raisins
1/4 cup whole almonds

* Depending on the consistency of your almond butter you may need a little more or less of it!

                                   

^snack bag to bring to work! 

Have a great weekend! 

Sky 

Product: the Scoop and Spread

I got this Scoop and Spread in my stocking at Christmas and it has turned out to be the most useful tool in my kitchen. I use it almost everyday! It's basically a better version of your average spatula. It's two sided: one side is a hard flat scraper and the other side is a softer spatula scoop.  If you're looking for a small hostess gift or a present to yourself after a long week, I think the Scoop and Spread is perfect. Plus it's fun (and funny) to say :)

                    

^ it comes in other great colors! 

                   

^the hard side 

                    

 ^the scoop side! 

Hope this is useful! 

Sky 

Vanilla Honey Chia Pudding

Recently, I've been experimenting with adding chia seeds to my diet (as seen here and here). These seeds are a superfood with a mild neutral flavor- perfect for adding into dishes for extra nutrition. I haven't perfected this recipe yet, but this chia pudding is still delicious and I wanted to share my concoctions along my chia journey!

Method: 

3/4 cup vanilla almond milk

1/4 cup chia seeds

Combine into a cup and let sit in your fridge

In the Morning:

Add a little vanilla almond milk to the top (I like a more watery pudding) 

Add 2 tablespoons of honey

Also try adding fresh fruit! 

                  

^walking to work with my chia! 

                  

^same chia, different flowers :) 

 

Have a great day! 

Sky

Portobello Mushroom Goat Cheese Pizza

I love making portobello pizza during the week when I'm craving pizza but don't want anything too heavy. It's delicious and can be made easily in your toaster oven. I added bell peppers on top for extra nutrition and crunch.

Prep:

Take out the inside (remove gills) of your portobello mushroom 

Sprinkle with olive oil

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes to soften

Sautee yellow peppers in olive oil 

Make your pizza:
Spoon pizza sauce, goat cheese, and sautéed peppers on top of your portobello 

Cook for another 10 minutes at 350

Take your portobello pizza out and sprinkle basil on top 

Enjoy!

Sky