weekend getaway

We drove to Maine last weekend to get away and spend some much needed time together as a family. We stayed at a lovely B&B in Brunswick which was perfect in every way...very friendly and accommodating hosts, quaint room with a comfy bed, delicious food, on a quiet street but within walking distance from town, big back yard with property down to the river, a dock, and ducks, and best of all...dogs! Isaac was in HEAVEN! He visited the ducks several times a day, made sure they were well fed, then played with Wags and Mopsy to his heart's content. He was able to roam the sidewalk of Main St. and ride across big bridges, shouting down to birds and the rushing waters. He even enjoyed his first visit to a beach where he played in the lagoon pools and sand. On our way home we stopped at the LL Bean flagship store in Freeport, CT. It was incredible and Isaac finally got his very own puppy...who we now have dubbed "Poochie".

So, instead of rambling on and on about our good times, I will let the pictures show you. Enjoy!



(Look through the middle posts...that's our B&B! The restaurant in the foreground is where we ate dinner our first night and where Isaac tried shrimp for the first time.)


































Isaac picked out "Poochie" from a basket, then walked over to the dog bed section, put Puppy to "night-night", then proceeded to curl up with Poochie in the dog bed. Quite a scene.





What? No food on this blog post? Oh, don't you worry. I didn't let you down. I have featured a whoopie pie before. They are crazy about them here in New England. Well, get a load of this whoopie!


I didn't buy one of those big ones, just a little one the size of my palm. I couldn't resist. I do want to live a long, happy life...and with a whoopie pie like that...life would definitely be happy, but probably not too long. Go treat yourself today to your old school take you back to being a kid dessert of choice. (first runner up for me is a moist and delicious Hostess cupcake!) What's yours?

Love to all!!

doughnuts

I grew up next door to a man that owned a doughnut shop. On occasional school mornings, before the sun decided to wake up, he would knock on our back door and bring us a perfect white box filled with freshly made doughnuts. He was on his way home, his day of work done...and thanks to him, we got to start our day with warm apple fritters and chocolate covered twists. Then, every Saturday morning my dad would meet up with his buddies at our neighbor's shop, have coffee and doughnuts, and then bring more home so Lauren and I could watch the Smurfs and Muppet Babies while eating blueberry cake doughnuts and chocolate eclairs. My love...no, my PASSION for doughnuts has only grown through the years. They are my happy food. They make everything better. One bite and I am once again a little girl in a world where the worst thing that could happen is Gargamel has kidnapped Smurfette and is holding her captive under the close eye watch of Azreal.

Fast forward through many more doughnut loving years to when Keith and I met in Spain, where doughnuts do not exist (sad, i know). So, it wasn't until we were finally in the USofA, in the same city, that he was exposed to my "unholy passion" (his words, not mine) for doughnuts. Knowing this and the joy they bring me, he enlisted his Best Man to bring me breakfast on the morning of our wedding. Luke, dear Luke, knocked on my apartment door and delivered all my favorite kinds of doughnuts packaged in my very own perfect white box. I will tell you, with no shame, that I ate them all right in front of Luke and didn't share any!! It was the perfect way to start the perfect day. I will never forget it! (thanks honey. mua!)

But, it's not just any doughnut. I am VERY particular. For example, up here in New England, people believe that Dunkin' (gag me with a spoon!) Donuts sells doughnuts. Huh! Hockey pucks!! Thank goodness I discovered the Whitneyville Donut and Sandwich Shop just up the road that makes the largest apple fritters I have ever seen along with any other mouthwatering doughnut my little heart could desire. Mommy's had a bad week? It's off to the doughnut shop to make everything better again. If you live near me, and you are reading this blog, and you have not tried the apple fritters at this place. Go. Go NOW! You must or your taste buds will die in sorrow and misery.


Where am I going with all this...to the Doughnut Plant in NYC. That's where. Hands down, some of the best doughnuts I've ever tasted. Keith and I discovered this 8th wonder of the world while watching the Food Network one day (what else is new!). We actually made a trip there last month when we took Isaac to the Central Park Zoo. Yesterday, Isaac and I drove back to NYC meet up with Aunt Emery and her friends. With very little protest, we persuaded them to meet us at the Doughnut Plant. While we waited, Isaac and I shared a blueberry glazed and a tres leches cake doughnut. Wait...not doughnuts...DREAMS! Oh my. There is nothing like 'em. They've even got Creme Brulee doughnuts that were recently voted one of 10 best doughnuts in America!! They've got peanut butter glazed filled with blackberry jelly! They've got CARROT CAKE doughnuts filled with cream cheese! I can't go on. I might have a myocardial infarction! Un infarto! (that's a "heart attack" in English!)

So, over milk and out-of-this-world doughnuts, I began to teach my son about the finer things in life...about the simple healing properties of perfectly glazed doughnut and the purifying powers of a moist cake doughnut. I think he got the message...right down to the last gooey, glazed, sugary bite.

Come now and visit the Doughnut Plant with Isaac and I. Just, please, don't lick the screen!!













We also had a great time wandering through Chinatown, Little Italy, and Soho with Auntie Em. It was a short visit, but so worth it! Great to see you Em! Hugs to all and, please, everyone eat a doughnut this week!