When You're Having a Dinner Party...

It would be wrong of me to ignore the hospitality gene that has been passed down to me from my parents and grandparents. You just can't ignore the need to entertain forever, and I've just decided to give in, once and for all.

On Saturday night, Anna made the trek all the way across town to my apartment, for a nice, gluten-free gourmet dinner! To spruce the place up, I stopped by Kabloom in Coolidge Corner for some gorgeous, vibrant carnations. (And Anna brought some GORGEOUS pinkish, purplish tulips that are thriving nicely.)  Since I'm big on black and white dish and tableware, I like to add eye-catching pops of color to the table any way I can.

On the menu? California-style BLTs, with a little twist. Instead of bacon, I used proscuitto. I added avocado. AND, for the piece de resistance, I added basil mayonnaise. Believe me when I say, basil mayonnaise can take any good sandwich to an entirely different level.

Side note: shout out to Crate and Barrel for the super cute plates! I paid $5.95 for each, but it looks like I paid much, much more! (When is it appropriate to call myself a Bargain Princess?)

And for dessert? Flourless Chocolate Cake, with a generous dollop of buttercream frosting in the center.

So...I feel like no matter what I write, it actually won't do this cake proper justice. Never in my life have I made something so decadent, so rich, and yet so pleasantly light and airy. With every spoonful you get that sweet choclately taste, which is complimented by the slightly salted, very creamy buttercream frosting. It's like eating a fudgey brownie, but one that's made from chocolate clouds. I may or may not have had one for lunch today. (I did.)

Summertime means more free time, more of my favorite foods, and more dishes to be made and served. BRING ON THE WARM WEATHER THAT BRINGS ME AND MY FRIENDS TOGETHER.

You HAVE to try this basil mayonnaise recipe from The Kitchn, and of course, the Flourless Chocolate Cake from What's Gaby Cooking. But not in that order...unless that's the kind of food combining you're into.

Happy Tuesday!

You Need to Visit: The Arnold Arboretum!

The weather is finally cooperating (for the most part) in Boston, so this weekend I got the chance to cross another place off my "To Visit" list: The Arnold Arboretum! And because I like to enjoy the beauty of nature with excellent company, I invited my best friend Anna to join me!

Here we are enjoying the sun, and also enjoying the feeling of our skin not burning. Thank you, April weather. You're pleasant at 70 degrees.

I could go into lots of details and facts about the Arboretum, but I like to keep it simple: It's a giant museum for trees and natural wildlife. With almost 300 acres of space, The Arnold Arboretum is massive. It's hard to catch everything in one day, and if I were you, I'd leave the main path every once and a while and do some hiking. The views from above are breathtaking, and you never know what you'll find.

Everywhere we turned there were gorgeous patches of flowers blooming, with such vibrant colors that I was tempted to take some home as a little souvenir. But I wouldn't. Just like you wouldn't try to pluck a Monet off the wall of an art museum, you shouldn't try to take even the tiniest flower from the Arboretum.

When you see things like giant trees and creeks that run for miles, it makes you forget that you're technically still in Boston. Just twenty or so minutes from this total serenity is the hustle and bustle of the city, and yet they feel like two totally different worlds. The only reminders are the occasional sewer grates with "The City of Boston" etched on them.

Something tells me that I won't be able to live in the city forever. The Midwesterner in me, who grew up in the country, feels the need to be back in the woods. I need the quiet, and I miss seeing animals standing inches away from that aren't pigeons and park squirrels. The Arboretum is a fantastic escape, and a terrific way to spend a beautiful spring day. The only thing that would make it better? If you were allowed to picnic!

If you're in Boston, I encourage you to take the short T ride and enjoy another side of Boston. You might just catch me there!