Blog love!

Love this - it sounds like "right on" to me, but it's ride on :-) Fun

Sunday fun-day was spent tooling around town on my cruiser with the hubs and the pup! What a goooood day! BUT alas... Monday is here again! One positive about starting the work week is sitting here in front of the computer with ample time to go through the blogs I follow! Who do you follow? How often do you check? Leave a comment and share your blog love with me!

I try to check these every few days, quite a funny variety I have going here so I thought I'd post:

Martha Stewart

YEP! That's right!

ediTORIal 

Blog by Tori Spelling - she's crafty!

Nourish

A college friend and her girlfriends collaborate on this creative, fun, fashionable blog

NieNie Dialogues 

Blog by mormon mommy Stephanie Nielson - capturing her journey through daily life after a near fatal plane crash

Nie and You

Stephanie and "you" - daily photo journal from Stephanie and a different woman she chooses yearly from another country
Cjane Enjoy It
Mormon mommy blogger, Stephanie's sister Courtney, she's witty and I like her

Shutterbean

Cooking, eating, food photography, mothering

A Cup of Joe

Fashion, Design, Photography

Feitelogram

Nick - foodie, improver?, semi-celebrity after staring on one of my fav shows: Bethany Ever After

Kate Spade: Play

Just a whole bunch of cool shit :)

The Italian Dish

Such pretty food photos and recipes too

Mighty Girl

More cool shit - random - and she's funny

Brunch with Darling

Designer, mother, list-maker-sharer

Chef Frank Bonanno

Sort of a big deal chef around Denver - owns Bones, Lou's Food Bar, Mizuna, Luca d'Italia, Osteria Marco

Help Jules Get to Kili

A friend who's about to embark on a journey to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro!

Simply Me

Blog by a creative craft shop owner...

Dashing Dish

Food blog - practical foods with a healthy twist

Oh Joy! 

All kinds of cool pretty things!

Whole Living Daily

I get Whole Living (by Martha Stewart) emails daily, this is the daily blog

Summery Saturday dinner - Surf and Turf!

We spent the day at the Stapelton pool on Saturday and it totally put us in the mood for grilling out! Since I have been trying to eat more locally and seasonally, we drove by In Season Local Market - only to find out they were closed! (and three minutes early, mind you - nothing worse than showing up at 4:57 when they were supposed to close at 5:00) Sunflower Market is our go-to so we kept on, for our collection of summery goodness! I was inspired by some mozerella, beefsteak tomoato, and fresh basil already at home in my fridge and our hand basket looked like this:

Garlic and herb stuffed tri-color cheese tortolini

Deli fresh basil pesto

LOBSTER TAILS! (on sale for $4.99lb!)

A few bundles of asparagus

NY Strip - one to share

Mini Soy Delicious Neapolitan ice cream sandwiches

And in less than an hour, I had dinner on the table - which was a Mediterranean inspired surf and turf that my husband DEVOURED! He's a lucky man, I keep him well fed and know what plucks his heart strings - good food and lots of lovin {Wink}

My plate

Geoffrey's plate

Caprese salad - tastes like summer!!

Fresh mozzerella, beefsteak tomato, tiny bit of white onion, fresh chopped basil, drizzle of grapeseed oil, and balsamic reduction!

Stay tuned for the surf and turf recipe - which I'll post on my recipe blog - The Tin Lunchbox!

What to bring on a beach vacation?

We just got back from 8 days on the North Shore of Kauai. Whoa. That place is INCREDIBLE! I wanted to never ever come back, to forever live in the middle of the blue pacific on the garden island with my toes in the sand and flowers in my hair and ukelele songs playing through my head. The food, the people, the scenery, the sloooowness, the sun, the rain, it was all so very blissful. More posts to come on that, I assure you ;) Until then, I wanted to do a little run down of what I consider 10 essential things to bring on a beach vacation!

 First and foremost - we all love to get sun-kissed, but we have to be smart about it! It's not just about avoiding sunburn, you are protecting your skin from cancer and sun damage for years to come. 

1.Sunblock: Look for a paraben free formula - if you don't know what parabens are, find out here. My favorite brand is Alba botanica, found at any local health food store. Don't wait until you get to the beach to try to buy some, as you may forget and end up with a sunburn that can ruin a beach vacation! 2. Cheap sunglasses: don't bring your most expensive pair! You'll be swimming in the ocean and the pool, then tossing them in your bag when you get to a restaurant, so go buy a few cheap pairs for the trip. 3. Get a beach cover up: You don't want to mess with shorts, t-shirts, and tank tops at the beach, just pull this over and go - pick something that you would feel comfortable wearing into a grocery store or cafe. This one is great because it also has pockets and who doesn't love a dress with pockets? 4. Big floppy hat: Once you get a bit of sun on your face, put a cute floppy hat on - this will help protect your cheekies! A red face = a hot mess...

5. Sandals you can walk in: Don't bring your 4 year old worn out flip flops, as you will likely be doing quite a bit of walking around beachy towns, exploring the sites and sandy beaches. 6. Compact Umbrella: If you're going to the beach, it's probably going to be in a tropical climate, thus a good chance for seasonal rain storms. Don't let it ruin your time, keep a small umbrella in your purse just incase. Also useful for when you've left your hat and you're starting to get too much sun. 7. Maxi Dresses: These are a MUST for tropical weather. Easy, breezy, and the long length is dressy enough to wear to dinner if you want. Pair it with some bangles or a long necklace. 8. Tropical Nail Colors: Pretty fingers and toes make us feel happy and sexy, and on vacation, this is important whether you're with your hubby or maybe looking for Mr. Right... now. {wink}. 9. Shoulder Purse: For hands free walking and a bag that doubles as a beach bag, pick up a cheap over the shoulder purse. Old Navy, $12. 10. Guide books: I can't live without guide books when going someplace new. Foders or Frommers are the go-to's - they will lead you to the best beaches, restaurants, activities, and hidden local spots. Happy travels!

Weekend Love

Saturday we spent a few hours in bed - which is sort of a tradition of ours. We wake, make coffee, grab lists or books or a laptop and start the day slow. I like to blog, Geof likes to play games on my ipod touch, and the pooch lounges sleepily at our feet. It's quite nice :)

After formulating our game plan with mapquest and a Denver Parks map I had on hand, we headed down south to Bear Creek Park and Bear Creek Trail. This is different from Bear Creek Lake Park, which we also enjoy in the summer, as they have a beach! Since this was the first day with warm temps and sunshine lately, I was in a total summer picnic and hike mood! Stopping by Whole Foods for picnic supplies is such a FUN experience for me! I can get into a lot of trouble there, so we have to be careful not to spend $100 on lunch! Geoffrey is a bread/pasta/cheese/meat guy and I'm head over heels for the salads and deli items.

Our picnic lunch included:

Mixed green, mozzarella, and tomato salad with balsamic

Cheese tortollini with roasted tomato sauce

Roasted chicken and fresh veggie spring rolls with peanut sauce

Humbolt Fog goats cheese

French baguette

Herb crusted Boars Head Salami

Mixed olives

34 degree crackers

H2O!

We found a great little spot right on Bear Creek and enjoyed the spread and the pretty weather! We then took a nice long walk/jog along the creek. Water is the ultimate way to get grounded again for Geof and I. We are always trying to find water to enjoy here, as we both miss our big blue Atlantic Ocean. 

On the weekends I love to cook and take my time doing so. It's hard during the week to take your time and I wish I had more time to play in the kitchen and with food photography. On our way home we stopped by Colorado Ski and Golf for Geoffrey and then Sunflower Market to pick up a few dinner supplies as well as a local Colorado Rose and some Negra Modelo Especial with lime. After a few hours doing yard work we were ready for dinner on the grill in the spirit of SUMMER time! Here are a few pics, and I'll post recipes to my food blog: The Tin Lunch Box - Happy weekend, lovelies!

So fresh, summer time is coming!

Italian chicken breasts {for later}, chicken kabobs with BBQ sauce, and veggie kabobs!

Caprese Salad!

Grilled baguette, roasted garlic, caprese salad with balsamic reduction = love!

We grill enough for leftovers in this casa!

Oh hello summery goodness!

Find recipes on my food blog, here!

Friday - Fun Times!

- machete logo -

Not that we need an excuse to go out, but Friday is the perfect time to blow off responsible things, like the gym, and head out in Denver to see what's new. There's ALWAYS something new to check out. This Friday we ventured from our usual Highlands and LoHi happy hour and dinner spots and headed to Cherry Creek. We parked in front of Sushi Tazu, a favorite of ours when we lived closer in Capital Hill, and went in for a bite. We had the yellowtail sashimi, the Volcano Roll, the Rainbow Roll, and some Garlic-Veggie Gyoza. For a happy hour special they served us 2-for-1 hot sake. The yellowtail was the best, so fresh and amazing! As we left I took note of the entirely full restaurant and the laid back family style vibe - it was a nice departure from the typical crowd at most sushi restaurants in Denver. Try it out, I think you'll like it! {they even have fancy toilets that had all kinds of buttons for drying and washing and such - I'm not into that in a public bathroom but hey, some people might be} Sushi Tazu

Instead of going to a movie {since we couldn't decide on one and we're waiting on the Hangover 2 to come out next week} we took a stroll down the block where Geof saw some "Tequilla Umbrellas" which is never a bad thing, right? Turned out to be a great find! As we approached Machete Tequila & Taco Bar, some Slightly Stupid was playing at a fun volume and the chatter inside poured out of the full restaurant. Wally, the owner, quickly approached and asked us if we were alright with a small wait, as this was the 5th day they were open and it was a full house! We had jackets on so decided to belly up to the outdoor bar that looked into the restaurant - much like Lola's. Wally was stoked on this so he said he'd give us a shot for being cool. Who could say no to that? It's Colorado, so a slightly chilly and overcast day on a patio is really pretty standard for us! He served up three shots in thick glass shotglasses with blue rims on top, the exact style {of wine goblets} we brought back from our honeymooon in Mexico.  I like this place already!

- eats -

- drinks -

Geof ordered a Ginger Margarita and I the Skinny Margarita

I'm all about supporting new places with good people, good ideas, good food and drinks, and a great vibe and I encourage you to as well! At Machete the menu is simple street taco style and creative combinations of tequila based drinks - I see this being a great spot to post up on a sunny Sunday, for hours of pura vida!

If you don't know about the skinnygirl margarita - get with it already! It's a to-die-for recipe by Bethany Frankel, for a 100'ish calorie "skinny" margarita and a new FAV of mine! You can purchase in the bottle at liquor stores or make your own, which is what I always do. Want the recipe? You know you do! Any time I go out to a place that is known for margaritas, I try their version of a "skinny" marg. Most places have some version of it because it is made of tequilla and lime juice primarily, bolstered with agave or triple sec and a salt rim on the rocks. Perfection!

Artist Love - Bill Zindel

Poking around the internet and into the MASSIVE blogging world is such a fun way to spend time. If you don't do it, I highly suggest it. Find a blog you love, check it often, check the blog links on that blog, and before you know it you've found a treasure trove of anything you can imagine. Restaurants, art, photography, parenting, religion, design, finance, fashion, crafting, cooking, travel, and of course, celebrity blogs! { Everyone has one - really } Technically, I'm working here but heeeey - we all know we steal a few minutes each day for ourselves and to pour over the internet like it is the newest great-magazine-made-just-for-me to hit the shelves. Oh the joy! Today I was inspired to search for Typography in Fashion and ended up on Kate Spade's website, Play - which has so much EYE CANDY including "A Blog About Color", you have to see for yourself! 

Play Time!

Click: Things we Love.  

{ Ohhh ahhh fuuun }

Click: Things We Love Spring 2011. 

{ Nice, check that out - an old floppy disc turned mixed media art. I like }

Click: Bill Zindel.

 So what started on a typewriter key ring on Etsy led me within just a few minutes to an artist and graphic designer that I might just be in love with...  Yep, I said it: LoVe!

Turns out he has designed for Chipotle, Visa, Cisco, and many others.

Check it out. Get Inspired! 

See photostream here:

Flickr

10 Things to do in Colorado before you die

 

1) CLIMB A FOURTEENER { no, sadly I haven't }
At 14,060 feet, Mount Bierstadt is one of the easiest to ascend, with a wide trail that winds its way through swamps, high-mountain meadows and boulder fields. The journey begins at Guanella Pass, just south of Georgetown. If you worry about having never climbed that high before, put your fears aside. There are so many people - from young whippersnappers to truly elderly - hiking on weekends, it looks like a trip to the mall, but they'll offer assistance if you need it. Long's Peak by moonlight just might be the ultimate adventure. If that's not for you, climb one of the state's thirteeners, which are just as majestic but don't get the same attention. You're likely to see one of the state's Rocky Mountain goats staring down at you from a rocky crag, an eagle flying high above, or ubiquitous marmots on the ascent. If your health or other situations won't allow you to climb, then take the Cog Railway to the summit of Pikes Peak. Or drive to the top of Mount Evans. No matter how you get there, you really will be "on top" of the world, and there's no feeling like it.
Related: Quiz: How many of Colorado's 54 14ers can you name

Red Rocks Movie Nights

2) ATTEND A CONCERT AT RED ROCKS {yes, and a few movie nights }
Pack a picnic dinner, get there early and hope it's a full-moon night. While your immediate goal is to sway the night away to good music, the side shows all add up to an experience like no other: the moon over the stage, lights of Denver in the background, sitting on rock-hewn seats, the smell of concert-goers' drug of choice. Or go to a sunrise Easter service, no matter your faith. 

3) EXPLORE MESA VERDE { no - but want to }
Sometimes we tend to downplay what's in our own backyard, but as with other ancient ruins around the world, the cliff dwellings at this national park near Cortez should be visited over and over again. Look and marvel on your own or take a ranger-guided tour for more insight into the people who once inhabited the more than 600 dwellings. Only a small percentage of the archaeological sites have been unearthed, but there are enough open to the public to leave you with a sense of awe. Alternatively, take a full-day tour of the Ute Mountain Tribal Park, where a Ute tribal member will guide you through the park's cliff dwellings and explain Ute history and the many examples of wall paintings and petroglyphs. Tours begin at Tribal Park headquarters 20 miles south of Cortez. Special tours, including those on horseback, are available throughout the year. While there, stop at the Pottery Factory, where tribal members continue to paint traditional patterns and more modern ones on functional, museum-quality pots. 

4) SINK INTO STRAWBERRY PARK HOT SPRINGS { ohhhh yeeeah }
Let's be honest. One of the attractions of this place - besides the natural setting near Steamboat Springs - is that you can go au naturel after dark. Masonry walls create pools of different temperatures, so you can always find one that's "just right." Spend the night in one of the rustic cabins, or better yet, choose the train caboose, because how many chances will you get to spend the night in a caboose with a fireplace? Other hot springs bubble from the ground in many areas of the state, including the great kahoona - Glenwood Springs. Try some of the smaller ones for a more intimate setting: Hot Sulphur Springs near Granby has several private pools and caves; Mount Princeton Hot Springs near Buena Vista allows visitors to sit in makeshift rock pools in the Arkansas River. How cool (hot?) is that?

5) VISIT GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK { ALWAYS has been on our list - but no }
Hike to the top of one of the state's greatest natural phenomena, then snowboard down, or just walk as most people do. The park in the San Luis Valley is open 24 hours a day, so climb at sunrise or sunset or under a moonlit sky. Marvel at the beauty of Crestone Peaks, especially during the spring or late fall when the tips are coated in white. Then, in late spring or early summer, dip your toes in Medano Creek if it's flowing. Climb to the top of Star Dune, the highest at 750 feet, for spectacular views and photo opportunities. Visit during a meteor shower for an unhindered view - no lights, no obstructions - just sky and shooting stars

6) TOUCH DINOSAUR TRACKS { yes }
Once upon a time, Colorado was mired in water and mud, making it the perfect place to record the wanderings of dinosaurs small and large. You don't have to travel far to see footprints and bones from giants like the apatosaurus or those of fierce predators like the allosaurus. At Picketwire Canyonlands on the Comanche National Grasslands south of La Junta, walk an interpretive trail that includes more than 1,300 tracks. That's not the only place in the state where they left a big impression. Several museums and trails near Grand Junction allow you to view bones and tracks in situ. At Dinosaur Ridge in Morrison, tracks, bones and other fossils are etched in stone along the "dinosaur highway."

7) LISTEN TO ELK BUGLE { yes, camping in Rocky Mountain National Park }
Bring blankets, hot chocolate and other creature comforts, and plan to spend a few hours at dusk and into evening in Rocky Mountain National Park during the September-October rut, when males call out to and herd their "harems." Moraine Park is a favorite location for listeners, although it's now so overrun with cars and people that some of the magic has disappeared. Avoid the crowds by driving into the park along less-congested roadways, and you might get lucky and hear some stray calls. As an added bonus, the timing is perfect for aspen viewing, with the dancing leaves turning golden and red as night temperatures cool.

8) NAVIGATE A MOUNTAIN ROAD { YES! Amazing! }
Not those teeny passes, but big, burly, white-knuckle-inducing roads like Independence Pass between Leadville and Aspen. At 12,095 feet, the top of the pass is well above tree line: This is what it means to be in tundra. This narrow road usually closes in September and opens in late May. Independence is the state's second-highest paved road. America's highest paved automobile road is the Mount Evans Scenic Byway. That drive, completed in 1927, is less scary than Independence but just as scenic. The parking lot is at 14,130 feet, then you can hike a quarter- mile up a winding trail to the top of the peak at 14,264 feet. (Another way to stand atop the world.) A third option is Trail Ridge Road. While behind the wheel or exploring the area, you can imagine that in winter, snow drifts can get as high as 25 feet tall at the highest elevation, 12,183 feet. Even in July, cold winds blow across the tundra, but ground-hugging plants and flowers blanket the areas between lichen- covered rocks.

9) BOARD A TRAIN
{ No, but did you know they have beer, wine tastings, and dinners on the train? ON MY LIST }
The state's economy and towns once were made or broken by the presence of iron rails. Trains still hold a fascination for young and old. Step back in time and ride one of the state's refurbished rail lines, from the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad in Antonito to the Georgetown Loop narrow gauge line, to the Winter Park Ski Train. The Durango & Silverton runs daily excursions, even during the winter months. The coal-fired engines pull refurbished cars through canyons and wilderness along the same tracks once traveled by cowboys and miners - even train robbers.

10) RAFT THE ARKANSAS
{ no, but I've camped on the Arkansas and rafted the Poudre - does this count? }
Take a leisurely float trip, or if you live for those adrenaline highs, steel yourself for the bumpy ride only a Class 5 rapids provides. Whether you want a half-day or full-week excursion, steak lunches or a "classical music" cruise, you can find it through one of the area's many rafting companies. Shop around for deals, but remember the wildest water is in early May as the snow pack melts. Most companies run rafts through September, except of course, in drought years. No need to worry about that this year, if January is any indication.

Read more: Top 10 things to do in Colorado before you die - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/style/ci_5054084?source=pop#ixzz1MZCVEPrX