January 3rd, 2012
Noooooo, my New Year’s resolutions are still hanging in there. Right before New Year’s I made a second trip to Attman’s, an institution in Baltimore, Maryland. Back in July, on my first visit, my husband told me I ordered the wrong sandwich. “You needed to order The Original; that’s the one I saved my money for on Fridays while growing up in Baltimore”, he said. The one I really wanted to order was the Lombard Street.
So, there we were, Susie, my sister in law, Michael, my son, and I. In between our sightseeing we got hungry. The funny part was that as we were driving around downtown Baltimore we thought it was so quiet; usually not so during the week. The holidays and the forecasted warm weather sent them all to our beaches; that’s how crowded it was here.
Attman’s was the only place that was packed; the usual line; we were all the way at the back of the line. The guys behind the counter were fast; professionals. You better know what you want to order. On this second trip I was ready. I sounded like I went there every day.
Attman’s is located on “Baltimore’s Famous Corned Beef Row”, minutes from the Inner Harbor. To hear my husband tell the stories of how that street used to look like so many years ago; a marketplace, vendors on the sidewalks…… Attman’s actual address is 1019 East Lombard St., Baltimore, MD 21202. Tel. 410-563-2666. Website? www.attmansdeli.com.
If you are in Baltimore and want taste and flavor this is the place to go. The corned beef and the hot pastrami are to die for.
Besides our 3 sandwiches we ordered a green pickle, sliced.
My sandwich was The Lombard Street, the one I had been waiting for. Sorry, forgot to take the single picture. It had hot corned beef, hot pastrami, chopped liver and Russian dressing. I loved the combination of all those 3. It did not dissappoint.
Susie had The Original which is the Cloak & Dagger. This is the one my husband was talking about. It had corned beef, cole slaw and Russian dressing. It is a true original and she loved it.
Michal had the Stu Special. It had hot corned beef, hot pastrami, imported Swiss, cole slaw and Russian dressing. It was also delicious.
All sandwiches were huge. Some of us ate them all and another took half home.
I am so glad we went right before my resolutions; otherwise out the window they would have gone. My second visit was just as good as the first one; only better.
Please note that Attman’s ships anywhere, and caters throughout Maryland, Washington and Virginia.
Have a great chilly day!! Talk to you later….
December 27th, 2011
It is becoming a Holiday Tradition in my household to order a Tur-Duc-Hen. And, guess what? The company that I have tried again and again is Cajun Grocer from Lafayette, Louisiana. Have tried others; they do not compare. You can read all about it by visiting www.cajungrocer.com.
I have mentioned the Tur-Duc-Hen in the past and no, they are not sending them to me so that I can blog about them. They are really delicious, and, defiinitely, a conversation piece at a dinner table.
Cajun Grocer offers a multitude of dishes, but a specialty of theirs is this partially deboned turkey, stuffed with chicken, duck and your choice of dressing, which is my case was a creole pork and creole seasoning. Other dressings are available, but I chose the one that was gluten free.
The tur-duc-hen arrives ready to cook. It is so easy to prepare. Follow directions. I will tell you that mine took longer to cook than what it said on the package.
I like to make it my own so I put slices of bacon on the top. Once it is ready, you let it rest for a bit; just like you would with a regular turkey and then slice it.
Your guests will taste the 3 different types of poultry, along with the Cajun dressing that had been placed between each bird.
My family raves about it. We had plenty of left-overs since it weighed about 15 lbs. You will get plenty of juices in the pan to make a homemade gravy also.
I made extra gluten free stuffing on the side and other trimmings, as well.
For a sweet ending, we chose cupcakes from Cake Break, located at 7 South First St., Rehoboth Beach. Tel. 302-260-9264. Website? www.cakebreak.com. An assortment of cupcakes, including gluten free ones.
 
A hassle free Christmas dinner it was….talk to you later.
December 24th, 2011
Running out the door today to get that present that you might have missed or just to even up the stack, or really just to take a walk through Lewes. Then…..
If you get a little hungry then do like Jody and I did on Thursday when we decided to stop at Blue Sea Cafe. It is located at 108 Second St. Tel. 302-703-2161. Website? http://www.blueseacafe.com. It is a sister restaurant to Jerry’s Seafood, which is right next door. The restaurant opens for breakfast and lunch daily and Fridays and Saturdays for dinner.
Blue Sea Cafe is a little bigger than what I expected. The addition of the bar is fairly new. It has a casual atmosphere; very colorful.
We sat at a corner table, with views to Second St. People were busy, carrying packages, and chatting with one another.
We decided on iced teas, while checking the menu. I wanted something Mediterranean since the restaurant has an American and Mediterranean cuisine.
Jody’s choice was a Smoked Turkey Panini with Gouda cheese, tomato and pesto. It came with chips. A nice size panini. I think I remember her saying “this is so good”.
I had not had a Gyro in such a long time. It is, Greece’s version of a fast food. The menu said it was an Authentic Gyro, with seasoned beef and lamb, sliced paper thin and served with that traditional tzatziki sauce. It also was received very well. It was a generous portion; more than enough, but as usual, it was gone in not time.
Served on a pita bread with extra tzatziki sauce. Tzatziki sauce is traditionally made of strained yogurt, mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil, pepper and at times lemon juice and parsley. It is always served cold.
If you try Blue Sea Cafe for dinner let me know……the menu is on their website.
Note: Blue Sea Cafe offers delivery.
Time flew by. You know what? I feel so lucky…my friends are priceless!! Love getting together with them.
Again, Merry Christmas to you…..
December 21st, 2011
Warm in Rehoboth Beach. I like it that way, even though at this time of the year I really do like winter to show its face for the holidays.
Rehoboth is known for its good restaurants; great chefs introducing their innovative cuisine is what a lot of foodies in the area want to experience.
Delray Beach, Florida is known also for its restaurants. One after another you will find them on Atlantic Avenue, which is ”Main Street”. Italian, Japanese, American, French, and Latin.
Years ago another street was introduced in Delray Beach. The street is NE 2nd Ave. This is known as Pineapple Grove, due to the produce that was grown in years past. It looked, at the time, that it would end up being an extension of Atlantic Ave.
Well, it has turned out to be one of the hippest parts of town; sidewalks are lined with art, sculptures, bookstores, eateries; downtown living at its best. The residents of Pineapple Grove have everything accessible to them, including gyms and postal service. Oh, and don’t forget that they are pretty close to the beach, as well; a bike ride or a short drive.
 Early Sunday a.m. One thing that Delray Beach has taken to the next level is the availability to dine ”al fresco”. A temperate climate in South Florida is so conducive for this type of dining. In Delray you might find yourselves dining right on the sidewalk or in some private garden, as well. The sidewalks are wide enough to let the pedestrian activity run smoothly.
Brule Bistro is located at 200 NE 2nd Ave., Suite 109, Delray Beach, FL 33444. It is right on City Walk which has retail on the bottom. Tel. 561-274-2046. Website? http://www.brulebistro.com.
This past summer I went on a hot day and thought it was delicious. Again, just a few weeks ago, it was the choice for my son and I on a perfect day in the Village by the Sea.
Brule has a casual atmosphere. The bistro is known for its extensive collection of wines. It has take out; no reservations, though. It opens early and closes late. The website has a full menu for you to check out. And, specials every day.
The staff was friendly and knew the menu well. There was an excitement as I asked my server what the dish that he had just served to another table was. I ordered that lunch special of salmon over roasted beets. It was considered a salad and I did not want it to end.
I first started with a Chilled Gazpacho with a yogurt creme. The gazpacho was homemade, no canned tomato juice there.
Then came that salmon over the roasted beet salad. I usually write down what I am eating but it the excitement of it all, I forgot. At least, the photo says it all.
My son started with a Shrimp Ceviche in a citrus and chili marinade, served with avocado and the thinnest of warm house chips.
Then an order of their Brule Club with roasted turkey, bacon, arugula, tomato, avocado, Asiago and pesto aioli on a multigrain bread. It was a handsome portion, perfectly displayed. Gone in not time.
 
No desserts for us….we were perfectly happy.
If you are in the Village by the Sea….check it out and let me know what you think. You can write to me to the blog or visit AboutMyBeaches on Facebook.
December 16th, 2011
It is hard to get together with friends during the holidays. Trying to catch up with Shelley, I took Susan to Ocean City, Maryland. We thought we would have something to eat. Our choice? Liquid Assets located at 94th St. and Coastal Highway. Tel. 410-524-7037. Website? http://www.ocliquidassets.com.
It was a simple dinner before the Christmas; both of my friends were Jewish. Susan had never been to Liquid Assets. I always say that it is the perfect Bodega to have lunch or dinner. Their food is so consistent and very good; the restaurant is very unique.
The mussels are a must; that broth was so good. They were pan roasted with chorizo, shallots, garlic and grilled bread. I kept using the shells as a spoon to scoop it up. Finally, our server asked me if I needed a spoon. Too late; I was then finished.
Susan and Shelley had the Caesar Salad; hearts of romaine, crisp croutons and grana padano with grilled chicken.
I had such a good entree. It was Pan Roasted Duck Breast on top of brussel sprouts, butternut squash, boucheron cheese, truffle oil, herbs, and fluer de sel. I did not want it to end. Cooked at a temperature of medium rare; it was perfect.
Deciding that it was time to go home but not before we made a stop to see the Winterfest of Lights which is taking place until January 1st at Northside Park, 125 St. & The Bay.
It was already late so no ride through the animated wonderland on the Winterfest Express. The Winterfest of Lights is an annual event for the whole family. It started around the end of November. It brings so many people; be prepared to wait during the week-ends.
Over a million lights and hundreds of displays, which are updated every year with more added to the existing displays. There is a Winterfest Village inside a festive and heated pavilion.
It was so quiet during our stop and the 60 ft. Christmas Tree was beautiful.
$5.00 for 12 and older and free for 11 and under. You can even purchase tickets in advance at the Ocean City Community Center at 200 125th St. Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the main entrance.
Winterfest of Lights opens Sundays through Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 5:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m.
If you want to continue driving all the way into downtown O.C. then take a drive along Avenue of Trees on Baltimore Ave. from 15th St. to 32nd St. Lots of lights and sparkle showing a beautiful downtown.
Note: Santa will be available for photos at Winterfest of Lights until December 23rd.
Friends….what would you do without them….love to be with them…priceless!!
December 14th, 2011
I asked Janice; how would you described your store? It’s a woman’s store, definitely. Someone once came in and said; “estrogen infused”. We laughed. Is it? Well, you might have to find for yourselves.
Bella Luna is at 127 Rehoboth Avenue right in Downtown Rehoboth Beach. Tel. 302-227-0267. Website? www.bellalunatic.com. E-mail address? bellalunatic@gmail.com. Janice Elder is the shop owner.
Home, Body, Soul. Those words are on their storefront awning. They truly tell the customer what you will find inside. As you come into the Bella Luna soft music is usually playing. One look at the store and you will see that it is full to capacity.
I like the word whimsical. It is a fun store. Women, girls; they all love it. Guys come in to buy for their significant others.
A tiny corner just for something for young ones.
For the home you will find, art, fun plaques, Christmas Decorations, tea towels, great napkins and unique cards.
For the body, plenty of beautiful scarves, including Pashminas; textures and colors for all tastes. Gloves, hats, lotions, potions and scents.
Lots of necklaces and earrings. These earrings were from Turkey, in vermeil.
As we were talking a guy came in. He was in a slight rush. A present for someone special. He picked it out immediately; I think she might have sent him there. Ideas on how to wrap it were given. Off he went.
The Wine Wraps caught my attention. Turning a bottle of wine into a creative holiday present. Made by a company called Santa Barbara Design Studio. Names like Reindeer Reserve, and Vixen’s Vino to name a few.
Bella Luna makes one feel good. That must be the soul part of it. Janice is always very friendly. And, by the way, the young lady that was also working there is a great addition to the shop; very helpful in her suggestions.
At this time of the year when we are looking for something special for that best friend, hostess gift, or your own personal indulgence….it was the perfect place!!!
Have a good one!!…I will talk to you later….
December 4th, 2011
The coastal town of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, was founded in 1873. It is only 1.6 square miles and the name Rehoboth means “place (or space) for all”. The town has done such a great job in keeping its visitors coming year round, practically. Restaurants stay open; some might close for a couple of months only. Beach eateries, cafes, bars, bistros, all serving a variety of good food for all tastes.
So….on Friday evening, with a couple of friends, we decided on Lupo di Mare located at 247 C Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971. Tel. 302-226-2240. Website? www.lupodimarerehoboth.com. The restaurant offers take-out. And, if you are staying at Hotel Rehoboth, then, you can even order room service.
Lupo di Mare has been in the community for more than several years. It is known for its fresh cuisine; pastas and sauces are prepared daily.
Lupo di Mare serves Italian cuisine, has a very good selection of wines, including small boutique Italian wines.
A small bar is located to the right as you enter the restaurant; a full menu is available there, as well.
The room opens up; tables comfortably assembled and a little nook here or there conducive to lingering chatter. We lingered so much, we closed the restaurant. What can I say? It was relaxing!!
Sheila was our server. She was also our server back on June 13th when right before the season got crazy we went to check Lupo. She is attentive; not intrusive and her suggestions have been the best.
The first thing arriving at the table was Lupo’s focaccia bread accompanied with Virgin Olive Oil. Herbs, a tad sweet; so good.
Two starters were ordered:
The Grilled Artichokes with Sea Salt, Fresh Herbs, Lemon and Virgin Olive Oil. I have had them before and they were still so very good.
The Shaved Brussels Sprouts came just like the picture shows it. A mixture of Truffle Oil and Pecorino Cheese made this a favorite. It is also one of those “raw” foods. Please do order this starter. It is amazing.
A Fall Farm Vegetable & Mixed Green Salad was full of color and gorgeous vegetables. This was a new salad for the season.
An Arugula Salad was what I ordered and again that Pecorino Cheese, Radish, Red Wine Vinegar and Virgin Olive Oil made this salad a light and refreshing dish.
We were full of expectations for some of the entrees to arrive; new for the season were the scallops and the lamb shank.
The Pan Roasted Scallops with a cauliflower puree, shaved brussels, gold raisins and pine nuts got raved reviews. They were gorgeous and perfectly cooked and the dish looked beautiful. This dish was gluten free so my husband was delighted.
The Braised Lamb Shank, had creamy polenta, rosemary, and a winter veal fennel ragu. It was pretty chilly on Friday and this dish fit the description of “comfort food”.
I had the Pan Seared Sea Bass before. Once again I ordered it since it was so good the last time. It came with a butternut squash risotto, pancetta and spinach. It did not disappoint.
Dessert was ordered for all to share. We chose their Panna Cotta. It was glutten free and we all decided we liked custards. This Northern Italian dessert is made by simmering cream, milk and sugar together and letting it cool to form the custard. Usually, it is served with berries, caramel or chocolate. At Lupo di Mare it is served with berries. I confess; we ordered two.
I think it was time to go but not before I asked Sheila if I could take the lamb shank bone for Addy (my rescue). She had never tasted anything like it. Her review? Bring me more!!
Note: Lupo di Mare is now serving 3 courses for $19 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Check www.lupodimarerehoboth.com to check the menu. It opens daily at 5 p.m.
Have a good one!! Talk to you later….
December 3rd, 2011
Even though I just posted a few days ago how I am not fond of big malls….well, guess what? There I was on Wednesday going to the Christiana Mall near Wilmington, Delaware. Going to the Apple store I was, accompanied by my 2 sons.
The moment I saw the Apple store, there was no way I was going in. There were, practically, 400 people there. I decided they could stay and I would be doing my own thing. We were not staying too long.
As I entered Nordstrom I saw the big sign for Jo Malone. I really love this company. I have only bought their fragrances; they do have other products. This company is from London, England and the website is www.jomalone.com.
I wear cologne every single day. I love it. I think that scents can define who you are; fun, serious, or adventurous. Haven’t you been somewhere and they say “you smell good”. No inuendo whatsoever, just the fact that it was an attractive scent. Even though women are known to be the ones using more fragrances, men do have their favorites too. At times when a company makes fragrances for men and women, I buy the men’s because they are usually lighter.
I have also been in an elevator when someone has been a little heavy handed with their fragrance. Not good.
The great thing about Jo Malone fragrances is that you can combine one or two and make your own statement. I wear fresh scents; you know… citrus, light, and fresh.
I love the ones I got; French Lime Blossom and Lime Basil & Mandarin. Both of them can be used by themselves or combined.
They are pricey, but pretty much all fragrances are. Tax free shopping in Delaware helps, though. Jo Malone products do last a long time. It is a matter of an individual preference. Next time you see them, try them and let me know how you like them. They usually give plenty of samples, as well.
Right across the Apple store was Sephora. Oh, what the heck…I went in. Up and down the isles I was checking a lipstick here, mascara there…I was wondering if there was something new. One of the ladies came and I asked her what was her favorite makeup; they had so many. She said Hourglass. She also said their makeup consultant was there.
That’s how I came to know Sibel. I decided to try it. Sibel said it would not take long; it did not. Hourglass has been in existence since 2004 and the makeup is known for its innovative technology. It was started by a woman, Carisa Jones. The makeup has sun filtering ingredients; defying gravity. Interesting…
First she cleaned my face and put a primer, explaining how the primer lets your makeup really glide…and then the word gluten free. What? Yes, some of their products are gluten free; Calligraphy Liquid Liner, Film Noir Mascara, Illusion Tinted Moisturizer, Script Liquid Liner, Superficial Waterproof Bronzer, Trace Lip Liner, Veil Mineral Primer, Visionaire Eye Shadow Duo, and Vol. 6 Eye Palette.
On an on we kept talking and she then put the Veil Fluid Foundation; just a tiny bit with a brush that was made of Takelon bristles. Takelon bristles are high grade synthetic fibers, perfect for customers with allergic reactions to animal fur. PETA friendly too.
Hourglass has an ingredient matrix. All their products have not been tested on animals, are mercury free, and phthalate free. The majority are sulfate free, synthetic dye free, synthetic fragrance free, talc free and paraben free. Parabens are the most widely used preservatives in cosmetics. Others are vegan, and oil free. To check the ingredients just visit http://www.hourglasscosmetics.com and click on the individual products. A description of the ingredients will be available.
Once she was finished I thought I looked pretty good. The makeup was luminous; light, just enhancing my look. Sibel took my picture, but I don’t dare to put it here.
The cream to powder duo was great. The lip gloss felt good on my lips and the eyeliner looked nice.
Kids are kids, especially your own….I don’t think they even noticed. What did they think I was doing sitting on that chair?
Try the makeup; how far we have come….
Have a good one…talk to you later….
 
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