time at the beach

friends of ours were kind enough to gift my family a few days at their gorgeous beach house in avalon, nj.  despite the fact that the wind kept us from lounging on the beach, we enjoyed long walks, exploring town, and quite a bit of poolside relaxing!  below are just a few images of our time in avalon.

avalon beach

spiked arnold palmers -- the beach is better with cocktails

gorgeous bay house that we spotted while walking

ash & han before their bike ride (my friend and my sis)

coffees while waiting for breakfast at uncle bill's pancake house

last beach weekend

this past weekend craig & i took our good friends (cate & chad) up on their offer to enjoy a final beach weekend at chad’s parents’ beach house.

we headed down early saturday – and after a bit of traffic – arrived in seaville (outside of ocean city, nj) around 11am.

after a quick change into bathing suits, we headed to the beach.  we spent the afternoon enjoying some sun, sand and delicious sandwiches cate had prepared.  turkey, tomato, baby greens and cheddar on whole grain bread smeared with mayo & grainy mustard.  sandwiches on the beach always taste great, but this one was particularly good.  and, we even had the privilege of watching an ocean-front wedding ceremony when we first arrived!

saturday evening found us back at the house for grilled turkey burgers and a garden-fresh salad.  after a few vodka cocktails, card games and a few rounds of “never have I ever…” ensued.  fun and very college-esque : )

sunday morning, we played tennis.  boys vs. girls.  cate and i are sad to report we lost our one set match 8-6…

early afternoon, we headed to downtown ocean city for lunch at a quaint sidewalk café.  we laughed as we placed our orders, realizing that both cate & i and both guys ordered the same things.

cate and i opted for the veggie-bomb sandwich on pumpernickel bread.  the sandwich was overwhelming huge…and delicious.  homemade bread piled high with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, mixed greens, sprouts and avocado.  finished off with a bit of pesto mayo and provolone cheese.  omg.  amazing.  the guys opted for grilled chicken quesadillas, which did not disappoint, either.

the veggie bomb : )

after lunch, a long walk down the board walk reminded me of childhood summers.  the cool ocean breeze masked the hotness of the sun, and we had fun people watching before wrapping up our day.

once back at the house, craig and i quickly packed up, hoping to beat the impending rain which was threatening to slow our drive.  despite our best efforts, the rain won, and we slowly made our way back home.

it was almost fitting that our glorious (last) beach weekend was washed away by cold rain, reminding us that summer’s drawing to a close. 

craig & me

but…summer’s not over quite yet…i have my bachelorette extravaganza next weekend!!!  and i cannot wait!

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how to celebrate (the end of) summer

it's hard to believe that we're almost 2 weeks into august.  this summer has flown by, and now we're just over a month away from fall.  (my personal favorite season.)  but before we bid summer adieu, i think it's important to soak up every last bit of sun, surf & sand.

do this: stop by a local road side stand or farmers' market to enjoy the season's bounty.  fresh berries and fruit.  juicy tomatoes, zucchinis and peppers.  stock up while they last : )

credit {here}

eat this: ice cream.  the other day, craig, my sis (hannah), olive (our dog-baby) and i stopped at our favorite local ice cream place.  dilly's.  i ordered my "usual" - small (soft-serve) vanilla in a cone with rainbow sprinkles.  it tasted like my childhood.

credit {here}

wear this: sunglasses! chic sunglasses are a must for summer (well, really a "must" year-round, i guess.)  i often treat myself to a new pair each season.  they needn't be expensive - they just have to be stylish!  if you haven't indulged in a new pair, be certain to pick up some with built-in uv protection.

credit {here}

try this: slim calm sexy yoga.  there are still a few good beach weeks left, so if you have yet to start your summer workout regimen, don't fret.  better late than never!  even just the idea of getting fit will make you feel more bikini-confident.

enjoy (what's left of) the dog days of summer.  any end-of-summer plans???

summer in a bottle...i mean blog...

with memorial day just around the corner, summer won’t be far behind.  (thank god.)  so, to get us all in the mood for summertime, summertime, summer, summer, summertime, here’s an outline of some simply fabulous ways to channel warm-weather energy : )

eat this: capitalize on what’s fresh, local and abundant.  fresh berries, juicy tomatoes, sweet corn.  revel in the flavors of summer.  need some inspiration?  check out this killer (healthy) sandwich recipe {here}. 

credit {here}

wear this: cottony summer dresses are my go-to in warm weather.  they’re versatile, chic and simple.  makes getting ready for the day super easy.  and they keep you cool when things heat up  

credit {here}

do this: yoga sun salutations.  warm up your body and get ready for summer sun (and swimsuits).  yoga tones your body, calms your mind and brings you joy – the ultimate trifecta!  (if saluting outside, don’t forget the sunscreen.) don’t know what the heck a sun salutation is?  check it out {here}.

think about this: one who is at peace with herself is in harmony with the universe.  meaning…if you like yourself, good things come your way.  i like that idea : )

drink this: vodka, club & cranberry.  refreshing & summery, this is one of my go-tos in warm weather.  1.5 oz vodka, splash of cranberry, 3 (or so) oz club, squeeze of fresh lime.  sip & smile.  recipe video {here} bonus:  it’s low-calorie and any bartender can make it. 

happy (almost) summer!

dinner with friends (alternate title: champagne & jell-o shots)

champagne & jell-o shots

last night craig and i had 4 of our very best friends - cate, chad, erin & brian - over for dinner.  with summer weekends numbered, we decided to get together for one last warm weather hurrah before the fall craziness sets in.  erin & brian are getting married the end of october, so needless to say, they have a lot of busy weeks coming up.  (just to catch you up to speed, cate & chad are getting married in june of 2011, and craig & i are getting hitched november 5th, 2011!)  fun times ahead : )

well, back to the party.  we actually invited them over for a "bbq", but since i was working until 6pm, i had to make all the food in advance.  i decided to make sausage with peppers and onions.  ok, ok, i know that doesn't sound all that gourmet, but it turned out pretty good, if i do say so myself.  (i actually got caught squeegeeing my own plate last night to savor the last few remnants of sauce - good thing they're good friends!) 

i opted for chicken and turkey sausages - a spinach & feta, a mild italian and a white wine, parsley & garlic.  i sauteed chopped vidalia onions and red peppers in olive oil in a large pot.  i pan seared the sausage separately, chopped them and then added the sausage and pan drippings to the onions and peppers, added a jar or so of good marinara sauce as well as a can of chopped tomatoes and presto!  pot-o-sausage&peppers&onions.  to really make it a homerun, i made homemade bread.  (it's much easier than it sounds - but it always impresses.  thank you, hannie!)  i made a pesto loaf and also a garlic loaf.  yummy!  cate brought a fresh, delicious green salad with countless farmer's market toppings and erin made super good cauliflower & curry dip that she served with whole grain tortilla chips as an appetizer.  we ate well.  and drank well too...

i greeted my guests with two pitchers of fun summery drinks.  a simple sangria (and when i say simple, i mean simple) - one bottle of red wine plus (don't laugh) two 24oz cans of mike's hard lemonade.  yes, that's right.  i'm classy, i know.  but it did the trick.  i added fresh squeezed orange slices and added fresh peach slices and ice.  it was good and went down a little too easy.  the other pitcher was spiked iced tea.  sun tea + (don't laugh, again) two 24oz cans of twisted tea.  (don't judge, the large cans were leftovers from a fun trip to ohio to see my sis.)  again, i classed it up with some fresh lemon slices.  both drinks were refreshing and the guests had no complaints.

since i was at work all day, craig was at the helm for the day-of-party prep, and boy oh boy, did i train that boy well!  the cottage and yard looked beautiful.  the lights were on, candles were lit, dinner was simmering, music was playing, the yard was prepped with table and chairs and the fire pit was awaiting a match.  well done, craig.  well done.

after drinks & appetizers accompanied with wedding talk, girl talk and a few rounds of quoits (a yard game kind of like horseshoe but better), we enjoyed dinner at the dining room table inside.  the dinner was enjoyed by all and yes, as i mentioned, i did a hostess "no-no" and practically licked my plate clean.  (i know you've done it too at one time or another.)

on to dessert.  the boys headed outside to light the fire pit and we "prepped" dessert.  meaning i got the marshmallows, hershey's bars and graham crackers out of the pantry : )  i mean, honestly, is there anything better than s'mores on a cool summer evening?!  dessert was paired with champagne.  we uncorked the veuve clicquot that my parents gave craig and me when we got engaged and toasted to the inexplicable twist of fate that we're all engaged at the same time.  (erin, cate and i have been friends for years - i've known cate since i was two, and erin is my cousin.)  i don't think we ever would have imagined in all our childhood discussions that we'd all be at this life step at the same time.  it's wonderful and has been a lot of fun!

so what's the only thing that can make s'mores and champagne and summer and hanging with good friends even better?  raspberry jell-o shots.  chad seemed especially appreciative, but come on, what says "party!" and "fun!" more than good old-fashioned jell-o shots?!  it was a fun time.  a really fun time.

me, cate, erin

well, thanks to a brilliant team effort on all fronts, the party was a huge success.  the only one who didn't enjoy it (unfortunately) was little olive, our dog.  she hid in her crate all night.