WIAW – Laur’s Truly

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WIAW: Guide to the Food of Florence

Posted on January 21, 2015 by lmpicard16@gmail.com

Happy Hump Day!

I hope you enjoyed my last post – I could not be happier to be back (on the blog, not as happy to be back from studying abroad, but that goes without saying).

I moved into my off campus apartment last Saturday (which also happened to be my 21st birthday!), and I am loving it. It’s a huge, updated apartment with a full kitchen, living room, 2 double bedrooms, and 2 bathrooms. I scored and got the “master” so my direct roommate and I also share a massive (like, embarrassingly huge) walk-in closet. I will definitely be sharing some pictures of my current digs after I’ve successfully updated you all on my abroad life. I hope you stay tuned for that!

I’m very busy with the new semester beginning and it’s back to reality with hard classes… After a semester of easy abroad classes, this full course load of upper level writing intensive communication classes and research paper heavy psych courses is like getting hit with a ton of bricks. Since I have some time before the real assignments start rolling in, I figured I would get on here and share with you some of my fabulous eats in Italy! Thanks (as always) to Jenn for hosting this WIAW party!

I have about 1,000,001 food pictures from not only Florence (where I was living), but from everywhere I traveled. I don’t want to bore you with the world’s longest post of food photos (read: make you drool all over your keyboard), so I’ll start with some pictures of my favorite eats in Florence, and of course I will name drop the best restaurants in the city!

Let’s get to it!

Gusta Pizza. Yes, at Gusta’s you can get your pizza in a heart shape if you’re cute ;). Just kidding, you have to ask. My favorite had mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, arugula, and parmesan. The parmesan brought it to a whole new level. Even if you can’t get to Florence or Gusta’s, try adding parm to any old pizza – you can thank me later.

A whole wheat panino with sundried tomato, turkey, fresh tomato (Italy has the best tomatoes), and pesto spread from Gusta Panino. There are 3 restaurants (all owned by the same family) that boast the Florence-famous name, “Gusta” – Gusta Pizza, Gusta Panino, and Gusta Osteria. If you’re ever in Florence, you will undoubtedly hear this name, and let me tell you, you need to try ~~at least one of the three~~ all three.

Gusta Osteria has a great selection of meals for a really great price. I had the gorgonzola risotto with walnuts and arugula which was fabulous.

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Lo SchiacciaVino was our place. We became friends with the owners and workers, and literally went here for lunch or dinner every other day. It was even where we ate our very last meal in Florence – which speaks volumes. They have the most unbelievable tagliere, as well as perfect panini and salads with amazing bread. I want this right now.

Oh, that would be a panino the size of my head. I believe All’Antico Vinaio is ranked #1 on TripAdvisor’s list of best restaurants in Florence, and it’s obvious why. The line is always super long from about noon to 3:30, but it moves fast and is so worth the wait. Their panini are massive and absolutely incredible. The bread is so fresh and thick, and the ingredients are unreal. We learned about halfway through the semester that you can order a “half” for 3.50 euro, and it’s still huge. Miss this place.

La Prosciutteria was one of our favorite places for both lunch and dinner – we went at least twice a week. They have the best boards of meat, cheese, crostini, veggies and fruits, and their gorgonzola truffle spread is to die for (so naturally, I bought 2 jars of it to bring home). Their panini are also fantastic – so many fresh ingredients and the most delicious, salty bread. This was one of our go-to’s and I still crave it.

As you can probably tell, we were slightly obsessed with tagliere (boards with meat, cheese, and crostini), and Note Di Vino – Enoteca Wine Bar was another one of our faves. The man who owns it is the best and prepares a unique plate for you, and then comes out and explains what everything is and how to go about eating it. It’s his art and I’m a huge fan.

Salumeria Verdi (aka Pino’s). This is a cute panini shop owned by the sweetest man, Pino. He has a ton of options, or you can create your own sandwich, and he and his coworkers are the nicest people! So many students are regulars here, and for good reason. He also has a wine cellar where you can reserve a night to do the whole wine tasting experience – try ~~too many~~ wines paired with cheese, bread, and meats, learn how to drink them correctly (sight test, smell, swirl, swish, taste – the whole 9 yards), and basically just have a blast with friends.

This is an “American style” panino with turkey, provolone, pesto, sundried tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar, plus a salad with avocado, tomato, pineapple, orange slices, and balsamic. Believe it or not, most places in Florence do not have pesto as a spread option, since it is not technically Tuscan, but rather it is from the region of Cinque Terra. While this was definitely not the best panini spot in Florence, The Oil Shoppe was one of our favorites because they offered about 75(ish) different sandwich and salad options, and you could always create your own, too. Yum!

Brac is a tiny hole in the wall that my roommate and I stumbled upon one night. You need to make a reservation since there are so few tables, and keep in mind that the food is vegetarian and not traditional Italian by any means (so if you’re only in Florence for a couple days, I wouldn’t say this is a “must”). It’s modern and unique and a great place to change it up a bit if you’re not feeling the typical (yet delicious) pasta, pizza, or panino. I always ordered the plate where you pick 3 items from each section of the menu for 12 euro. My faves were the (much more fancier names that I cannot remember for the life of me) pumpkin & onion flatbread, veggies and rice, and avocado salad.

My memory must be failing me because I cannot remember the name of this place, but the food was so good. I definitely wrote it down somewhere and will edit this post to add it if I find it, but it’s located right next to Volume in Piazza Santa Spirito. I only went here once but I would’ve gone back a lot more if we had more time. A friend and I split the pear pizza (oh my gosh – cheese and fruit are the best combo ever) and the “Queen” salad that had spinach, sundried tomatoes, shaved parmesan, slivered almonds, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Heaven.

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Osteria Santa Spirito is one of the most authentic Italian restaurants I think I’ve ever been to. The pasta is so fresh and perfect, and everything on the menu is amazing. Plus, it’s fairly cheap. You can also order half portions, aka try more than one of the many delicious options. I loved the classic tomato and basil spaghetti, and the risotto with zucchini was fabulous too. You can’t go wrong here.

I had been hearing about Acqua Al 2 since probably day two in Florence, but since it is a bit more pricey, I saved it for when my parents came in late October. I had also heard to try the “samplers,” so my mom, dad, best friend, and I shared the salads, pastas (5 different crazy good dishes), and meat samplers. Everything was fantastic, but the meat stole the show, as I heard it would. The blueberry balsamic steak was to die for, as was the balsamic glaze steak. If you’re wanting some red meat or just an awesome meal, you need to go here.

Another very pricey, yet worth every euro (especially if it’s your parents’ euro 😉 ), is La Giostra. You feel like a celebrity as soon as you walk into the small, dimly lit restaurant, mostly because there are pictures of celebs and politicians covering the walls. As soon as you sit, they bring complimentary Prosecco (sparkling white wine), and an appetizer plate. One of my professors had recommended the pear ravioli, so after making the tough decision (everything sounded so good), I went with it for my meal. It looks like nothing in the picture, but it was actually a good size, very rich, and so. freaking. good.

On my parents’ last night in Florence, we went to a place I had been recommended by so many people – not just in Florence but in multiple places throughout my travels. Even a guy in London told my friends and I we had to try Trattoria 4 Leoni. Everyone told us to try the pear ravioli here as well, so I didn’t even look at the menu. It was unreal – perfectly sweet and savory, and just the right portion (although I would’ve happily eaten more even after I was in a food coma).

La Buchetta was a late discovery, and I’m pretty bummed about that. We happened upon it one night late in the semester when we were starving and wanted to try something new. The first time we went we had a board of prosciutto, salami, and cheeses, which was good but nowhere near as good as the homemade pastas. It may not look pretty, but they bring it out in scalding tin foil and unwrap it like a present in front of you. The ravioli with eggplant, zucchini, and parmesan was probably the best pasta dish I have ever had. I got it at least three more times and I wish I knew all that was in it so I could attempt to recreate it at home.

Aperitivo is one of the best things in Europe – I wish we did it in America! You order a drink for 7 or 8 euro and then you’re free to go to the buffet as many times as you want! My favorite places for this were Kitsch, Soul Kitchen, Moyo, and Biblioteca delle Oblate (yes the school library had a rooftop that was a cafe/live entertainment/bar in the evenings…what a different life they live over there!).

Oh yes, The Secret Bakery. This place was not really a “secret” since just about every abroad student raved about it, but oh my gosh, it was worth the hype. It would “open” around 1 AM every night and drunk students would make their way to the secret door by simply tracing the aromatic path of Nutella croissants and cream filled pastries. You would stand in line behind obnoxious college students and wait until the door opened, say the number of “goods” you wanted, and pay 1 euro for each one. I know that sounds like the sketchiest thing in the world, but we’re pretty sure it’s a bakery for other cafes that are open by day, and not some creepy place like it sounds (since locals and nearby restaurant owners know about it). I believe there are a few locations throughout the city, so I suggest you follow your nose if you ever find yourself out in the streets of Florence after midnight.

If you like chai lattes, gorgeous cappuccinos (in flavors like hazelnut, french vanilla, and cinnamon), and you ever find yourself in Firenze, you need to go to ChiaroScuro. The chai lattes are made with the frothiest, creamiest steamed milk, and sprinkled with loads of cinnamon. It is literally heaven in a cup and puts Starbucks to shame.

Gelato was essentially an everyday occurrence in Italy. My favorite flavors, you ask? Nutella, pistachio, biscotti (Italy’s 100x better version of cookies & cream), coffee, brown sugar, hazelnut, banana, and mixed berry. My favorite gelaterias, you ask? Gelateria de Neri, and La Carraia, although honesty, I did not discriminate.

Is anyone else starving?

Anyway, that’s all I have for you today, but I will be back soon with more European eats, abroad adventures, and much more!

xo’s

Could Not Have Picked a Better Place

Posted on January 7, 2015 by lmpicard16@gmail.com

Well, hello, hello! Or should I say “Ciao!”

It has been quite some time since we last spoke… Too long, in fact!

As some of you may know, I spent the semester abroad in Florence, Italy! It was the trip of a lifetime, and one that I really wish I could have brought you along for (as I had planned :/).

Unfortunately (or should I say, “fortunately”), I was craaazy busy with exploring Florence, taking classes, and traveling all around Europe. It was a truly incredible, life-changing experience that I am beyond grateful for.

That said, having such a jam-packed schedule (in the best way possible) meant the first thing I had to let go of was blogging. I was devastated to have to do this since this would have been the perfect place to document the amazing ride I was on.

Luckily, not posting on here certainly did not mean I forgot about my blog, or all the exciting changes I was ready to make to it! Noooo sir. Throughout the four months I spent in Europe, I journaled about my adventures, continued writing ideas for posts (lots of WIAWs!), and took a gazillion pics (for my own albums and to share with family and friends, but also to share with you guys)! Oh, and I don’t know if you noticed, but I did manage to Instagram quite a bit!

So, even though I wasn’t able to update you on all my trips and daily happenings as I had dreamed about doing (and still wish I could’ve done)…

I am b a c k and ready to tell you a l l about it!!

So get ready, because it’s about to get a whole lot more fabulous around here. (Did you miss my cheesiness? No? Didn’t think so…😉)

Screen Shot 2015-01-07 at 12.47.10 AM — Back home, and ready to fill you in!

Anywho, to start off I’m actually zooming ahead to my final week in Florence. The following post is a reflection piece I wrote for a class about my experience as a whole right before leaving in mid-December. Since being home, I changed it to the past tense, since I am obviously no longer there :(.

Without further adieu, I hope you enjoy this slightly different version of What I Ate Wednesday! As always, thank you Jenn for hosting – I am so glad to be back at the party!

Stay tuned for more abroad recaps – there is plenty more food, Florence (+ 8 other countries!) photos, fashion, and fun stories where this came from!

“Ciao belle! Panini, insalate, or tagliere per tre tonight?”

“Tagliere per tre, grazie mille!”

We partook in this (almost) daily dialogue as we stepped foot into our favorite restaurant in Florence, where we were known as “the girls who laugh,” “the girls who drink wine,” and “the girls who eat a lot.” I guess those aren’t the worst things to be called, right?

After walking past the newly refurbished, adorably decorated front counter where they cut delicious dried meats, assemble gorgeous plates of crostini and assorted cheeses, and create flavorful panini and salads, they gave us our usual “half liter of red, to start” and we headed to our typical table in the cozy back room.

We took our seats, poured the wine, and the conversation began the way that it had every night that week. One of us said how we all felt: “I’m actually going to cry. How is this already over?”

As it neared the end of our time in Florence, Italy, we couldn’t stop wondering how we were supposed to leave when we’d been in pure bliss for the past four months.

As we dove into our perfectly crafted plate of prosciutto, salami, aged pecorino, honey, crostini, and fresh bread, we began recapping some of the highlights of our abroad experience. The wine flowed, and so did the conversation as we shifted from discussing our hilarious memories and amazing travels to describing the things we love about Florence.

In less than one week, we’d have no choice but to pack our bags, a dreaded task that we knew would be done with lumps in our throats and tears in our eyes.

We liked to think that we always took the time to truly soak in our surroundings, but now that the days abroad were dwindling, doing so was more important than ever. The already vibrant place felt even more alive as we noticed every sight, sound, smell, taste, and detail of the spectacular city we spent the semester in.

From the grandeur of the Duomo, to the breathtaking view from Piazzale Michelangelo, to the bustling Signoria Square, to the quiet side streets and family owned artisan workshops, the sights of Florence are a feast for the eyes.

From the talented street musicians covering classics in Piazza Santa Croce, to the thousands of tourists speaking their native tongues, to the rush of crazy vespa drivers, to the clinking of wine glasses and forks on dishes, the sounds of Florence produce timeless music to the ears.

From the pervasive fragrance of freshly baked cannoli and biscotti in nearby bakeries, to the whiff of strong espresso shots on cafe counters, to the floral aroma of Chianti Classico, to the sweet scent of nutella crepes and tiramisù ready to be devoured, the smells of Florence make every mouth water.

From the perfect fresh tomatoes and basil atop homemade pastas, to the overwhelming flavor selection of creamy organic gelato, to the delectable aged cheeses and savory meats, to the full-bodied Brunello di Montalcino reds and crisp San Gimignano whites, the tastes of Florence are the best in the world.

As we ate the last piece of bread and sipped the last drop of wine, we looked at our empty plates and felt that disappointed, yet satisfied feeling you get after finishing something delicious.

In just one week’s time, when we’d zip up our suitcases and close the door to our apartment, we knew we’d look back at the Ponte Vecchio and feel that sad, yet content feeling you get after ending something incredible.

After our routine shot of limoncello with “our boys,” we started the walk home feeling melancholy that the meal we looked forward to all day was over, yet pleased about our choice for dinner.

We could not have picked a better place to be regulars.

We knew that after we’d make our way through the narrow streets of Florence to the airport, we’d begin the journey back to America feeling heavy-hearted that this picture-perfect adventure was complete, yet happy about our decision to study abroad, and eternally grateful for getting the opportunity to do so.

We could not have picked a better place to call our home.

‘Typical’ Won’t Be So Typical

Posted on August 20, 2014 by lmpicard16@gmail.com

Happy Hump Day!

As I said in my last post, I haven’t been able to get on here as much as I wanted to lately between working, packing, seeing friends, and getting ready to leave this Sunday for my semester abroad in Italy.

I’m packing like a mad woman these days, but I really wanted to drop by here quickly to do one last WIAW in America (til late December anyway!). My next WIAW will be in Europe. Ummm WHAT?!?

It still has yet to hit me. I think it won’t sink in until I’m literally at the airport. What has kind of hit me is that the food I eat and the things I do all the time here, my ‘typical’, if you will, won’t be so typical when I’m in Europe. I can’t wait to find out (read: taste) what my new ‘typical’ will be!

As always, thanks to Jenn for this lovely link-up!

My typical breakfast as of late has been a ‘strawberry banana mocha protein smoothie’. Looks sad, tastes like Starbucks. Just sayin’.

In the blender: 1/2 frozen banana + 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt + handful frozen strawberries & spinach + 1/2 scoop chocolate whey protein powder + ice + splash (or five) of coffee. Perfection.

I’ve been really into cheese and fruit lately. You know how much I love my eggs, so I’ve found that scrambling an egg with laughing cow mozzarella and thinly sliced fruit is fabulous (granny smith apples, white nectarines, or pears have been my go-to’s). Add some form of carbs (naturally) and you have a complete meal!

Screen Shot 2014-08-20 at 12.18.16 PM — Instagram @ FuelingFab

As good as this combo is, I absolutely cannot wait for Italian mozzarella (and every other kind of cheese). All day, everyday, baby.

I will miss my Cosi. It’s my fave, I think that’s pretty clear to see if you’ve read my blog for, like, a week.

Of course I’ll greatly miss my parents’ home cooked meals that I get so used to when I’m living at home for the summer. My mom and dad are the best (I’ll miss them for way more than their food, trust me).

And, let’s be honest, I’ll miss my wraps. Love these, maybe a little too much.

I would also say I’ll miss my daily ice-cream (or drumstick cones!), but I have a feeling that Italian gelato might give it a run for it’s money. I can’t want to try the real deal.

I know Europe will be absolutely breathtaking, but that doesn’t mean that I won’t miss this.

I will undoubtedly miss home. Both of my homes.

Screen Shot 2014-08-20 at 12.55.55 PM — Instagram @ FuelingFab

Well, unfortunately that’s all I have time for today! Time to go pack til I ~~drop~~ nap.

I will see ya soon from Italy (if I can’t get on here sooner)! Eeek!

xo’s

PS – As you know, there are a number of changes I want to make to this lil old blog of mine (becoming self-hosted, changing the title, etc).

That being said, leaving the US for a semester is a pretty big deal. Next week, I’ll likely have no internet yet, plus I’ll be very busy becoming accustomed, meeting new people, exploring my new home, getting ready for classes to begin, and having fun!

I hate to be repetitive here (and I apologize if you’re reading this for the second time), but as I said in my last post, I plan to document everything (food, fashion, ((prob not so much fitness, but maybe?)), and fun all over Europe!), so I hope you will come along for the ride. I’ll be sharing my adventures (plus outfits, eats, and all that good stuff) on here, as well as on Instagram!

So buckle up, sit tight, and join me on this journey, because it’s about to get a LOT more fabulous. 😉

Food is fun.

Posted on August 6, 2014 by lmpicard16@gmail.com

Raise your hand if you agree with me! ^

It’s fun to make, it’s fun to order, it’s fun to buy (well maybe not the actual losing money part of that exchange…but it becoming yours is fun, no?), it’s fun to look at (and drool over), and mostly it’s just fun to EAT.

Am I right?

Anyway, that’s what was on my mind today as I looked at the food photos I had chillin’ on my iPhone that didn’t make the cut in the past couple WIAWs because they weren’t consumed in Cape Cod (round 1 OR round 2).

So this week I’m ‘attending’ the hilarious Jenn‘s link up party (have you seen her Instagram hashtags? I actually laugh out loud), not with a dreamy “WIWIAW“, or with fancy shmancy eats from NYC or Cape Cod, but instead with a regular old (but still insanely yummy!) WIAW.

Enough talk. Let’s get to the good stuff.

Yesterday’s protein-packed breakfast.

Screen Shot 2014-08-05 at 3.48.21 PM — Instagram @ fuelingfab

^ What you see here are 2 scrambled eggs – one with garlic and chili powder, spinach, and a few very thin granny smith apple slices (big fan of sweet & savory over here!), and the other with cinnamon and apple slices! I know, both combos sound a little weird for eggs, but seriously, you just have to try them before you judge.

Oh, and of course I enjoyed the rest of the (huge) granny smith + plain greek yogurt with cinnamon! Then after my workout I had a cranberry almond Simple protein bar.

‘Twas a very tasty, very healthy start to the day!

No clue how long ago I took these pics, but here are more before-work meals. MorningStar Farms garden burgers, Flat Out wheat wraps, pop chips (sweet potato is my absolute favorite!), white nectarines, and Sparkling Ice. Ya know, the usual.

And a during-work lunch. Still obsessed with carbs of all kinds, especially in the form of ginormous bagels!

I’m seriously loving the almost weekly Cosi takeout thing we’ve got going this summer… How gorgeous is this salad?

Screen Shot 2014-08-05 at 3.48.05 PM — Instagram @ fuelingfab

That avocado though. I just can’t get enough of the Peruvian Palm!

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Yet another repeat offender – my fave mango salsa salmon!

A summertime classic – hamburgers and corn on off the cob! My burger was super thick so I cut it the long way and ate each half ‘open face’ with tomato, onion, mustard, hot sauce, and lettuce on top!

A snack of one nasty looking greek yogurt + frozen banana smoothie (sprinkled with cinnamon) and one of my favorite protein bars. Yes, the smoothie looks awful, but it tastes amazing.

I don’t know why, but I have always loved sloppy-joes. We had them with some clean sides – sweet potato, zucchini, and summer squash. See what I did there? 😉

Nothing like cupcakes at a party. I can’t remember the last time I had one, so as soon as I took my first bite, I remembered how stinkin’ delicious cake is. These bad boys were so moist and fudgy, I just had to have two!

This bar. Dark chocolate pretzel with sea salt. Sweet + salty = perfection.

Panera strawberry poppyseed & chicken salad. Nothing says summer quite like this!

Another thing I’m loving this summer (and all the time)?

Kind bars! I’ve liked every flavor I’ve ever tried, but my favorites are: Almond & Coconut, Almond Cashew With Flax + Omega 3, Pomegranate Blueberry Pistachio + Antioxidants, Blueberry Vanilla & Cashew, and Maple Glazed Pecan & Sea Salt. Yummmmm!

Even more fun egg creations! (See, I told ya I make the ‘best’ eggs 😉 )

Apple cinnamon ‘pancake’, a wheat wrap, and another egg scrambled with tomatoes, broccoli, green peppers, and hot sauce!

You know what I love doing no matter what time of year it is?

Sipping a mug of coffee. (And simultaneously being a complete weirdo…)

I usually make about two cups of Archer Farms coffee (the s’mores flavor is especially fabulous!) in the morning, and then sip it all. day. long. I like it at any temperature, so I’ll reheat it, put it on ice, or just drink it at room temp!

The perfect pre-workout snack = Almond butter, banana, and cinnamon whole wheat ‘pizzas’.

And last but certainly not lease, I love ending almost every summer day with ice-cream.

(And the Kardashians…)

Woohoo that was fun! I love getting to see what foods other people are loving, so I hope you enjoyed seeing some of my everyday eats!

I’ll see ya soon with a special post, so keep an eye out for that 🙂

Have a happy Hump Day!

xo’s

PS – If you want to connect and see even more food, fitness, fashion, and fun, follow me on Twitter and Instagram @ fuelingfab!

In case you missed them, here are a few of my recent posts:

Less Than 48 Hours Later… (Escape to the Cape – Part 2)

Posted on July 30, 2014 by lmpicard16@gmail.com

Hi guys! Happy Hump Day!

I feel like it’s been ages since we last spoke…

It’s been much longer than I anticipated because I did end up going back to the Cape on Thursday night, and unfortunately we had no internet.

I actually wrote an entire Thinking Out Loud post last Thursday in the car, thinking I would hit publish as soon as we got to the hotel.

Wellp that wasn’t exactly possible when we had no internet. The hotel ‘had wifi’ but for some reason it didn’t work, at least not in our room..

I was ~~a little~~ extremely frustrated at first, but then I decided to fully embrace a much needed break from technology. I didn’t use my laptop once and I only used my phone to text (and to Instagram one pic) when we were at restaurants and places where there was service. I have to admit, it was really nice to step away from the internet and social media for a couple days and just focus on my family and enjoying our little vacation.

Anywho, most of the post I wrote on Thursday is still relevant so I’ll probably edit and publish it tomorrow. Since today is Wednesday and all and I have tons of food pics, I think that calls for another WIAW, hosted by Jenn of course!

First of all, you may be wondering why I headed back to Cape Cod less than 48 hours after I returned home from there…

I got back from Chatham last Tuesday at about 8pm, worked Wednesday and then Thursday from 7am to 1. After weighing the pros and cons, I decided to give someone else my on-call shift Friday so I could head back to the Cape with my parents on Thursday afternoon. They had made these plans to go a while back, and since a few of my college friends were possibly going to be in Chatham, my goal was to at least see one of them.

Going into it, I knew that even if I didn’t end up seeing my friends, the quality family time was needed, especially since I’ll be leaving for Europe in less than a month.

After I got off work Thursday, I did a quick run and some arms, then repacked my bag (that I had basically left packed from Tuesday, just swapped out some outfits and such).

We arrived in the Cape Cod town of Yarmouth around 7pm and went right to The Skipper Restaurant & Chowder House. We had to wait an hour to be seated, but we didn’t mind!

I started with a few spoonfuls of my mom’s chowdah, which was super thick (and tasty).

For my meal, I ordered the ‘Grilled Scallop Salad’ which was fantastic. The cranberries and poppyseed dressing were just the right amount of sweetness to balance the salty scallops. I also had a piece of cornbread alongside my salad which tasted like dessert, so obviously I loved it.

We ate every bite of our meals, but there was no question about whether I would get ice cream from Skipper’s Icecream counter…

I chose the ‘Sea Salt Caramel with Walnuts’ which had some surprise chocolate caramel cups in it! I learned quite the valuable lesson by eating this ice-cream -> I don’t love plain walnuts… I guess I only like the candy-coated variety. That said, I loved everything else in this bowl of goodness that I enjoyed later on at the hotel (and I still ate all the walnuts – gotta get those healthy fats ;))

On Friday I woke up and ate a quick breakfast before heading out for a run (while my parents walked). I had some greek yogurt, a pear, and a bit of s’mores coffee pre 5 mile run, then a protein bar afterwards. Nothing too exciting, but it got the job done!

There was not a single cloud in the sky and our hotel was right on the water, so we quickly changed into our swimsuits, bathed in sunscreen, packed some lunch, and headed to the beach!

We relaxed in our chairs for a couple of hours before my mom and I took a walk along the water. When we returned, we were more than ready for lunch!

I packed a pb banana wrap, a white nectarine, and a kind bar.

Around 3:00 we decided to head back up to the hotel to lounge by the pool.

Clearly it was rough day..

For snack I had a gala apple with the rest of my pb + some almonds.

Around 4:30 I took a much needed shower and then we headed to Hyannis for dinner!

We parked our car and then walked around in search of the perfect place to eat. We came across The Black Cat Tavern where we were told it would be an hour wait. I had plans to meet up with one of my roommates (the same one I saw last week!) at 7:45 for an a Capella concert, so we said thanks anyway. As we started walking away, the hostess stopped us and said they could actually seat us right then. Score!

I chose the ‘Oven Roasted Pistachio Encrusted Salmon’ which was cooked to perfection and served on top of the most delectable orange honey glaze and creamy fruit risotto. I ate every last morsel and even used a piece of crusty bread to soak up all the delicious remnants. It was dee-lish.

We finished dinner right around 7:30 so I made it just in time to catch the Hyannis Sound concert with one of my college besties and her mom (while my parents explored town and went to ice cream, awww).

If you are ever in Cape Cod in the summer and you like good music, cute boys in Vineyard Vines, and/or having fun, you need to see one of their shows. Click here for all the info (and to listen to some of their amazing music!)

After the incredible show, we drove to my friend’s condo in Chatham where I was spending the night. On the way back we stopped for, what else, ice-cream!

I chose the ‘Purple Cow’ which was black raspberry with white and dark chocolate chunks. Yum!

We stayed up giggling like middle-schoolers and chatting away before calling it a night around 1:30.

It was a long but fabulous day!

On Saturday morning we woke up at 8:30, ate some cereal and fruit, then headed out for an easy run around downtown Chatham!

It was pretty humid out, and the pool was calling our names when we got back!

We were bummed we couldn’t see our other roommates (one had an early ferry ride to Nantucket, so the timing didn’t quite work out, and another ended up having to go to New Jersey), but we had a blast and were thankful just to see each other again!

My parents picked me up at 11:45 and as soon as we arrived back at our hotel, we got set for the beach.

It was pretty windy and the sun was going in and out of the clouds, so after about an hour I had to drape a towel over me as I ate my lunch (which was the same as Friday’s).

In an attempt to escape the sea breeze, we headed to the pool shortly after.

Around 4:00 it started to sprinkle, so I headed in for a shower before mass and dinner with my parents.

^ Lilly Pulitzer + some serious tan lines…

After church we went to The Waterfront at Lighthouse Inn in West Dennis.

I chose the ‘Sweet Salad’ which was a ginormous bowl of fruit over a bed of lettuce with seasoned shrimp. I thought it could have been tastier with spinach instead of romaine and iceberg lettuce, but the fruit and dressing were great and the shrimp was even better!

The sun was setting outside the window, which was an absolutely perfect way to end a yummy summer meal.

We then drove to Harwich Port to walk around for a bit before it got dark.

As we drove back to the hotel, we were on the lookout for a good ice cream spot. We saw tons on our way, but most were super crowded, so we decided to just head back to Skipper’s Icecream.

I got ‘Lobster Tracks’ which was vanilla ice-cream with a thick fudge swirl (oh my gosh), and red white-chocolate caramel cups. It was to die for. Definitely my favorite flavor of this trip!

^ That second photo is a massive fudge chunk. Aka a bite of heaven.

I went to sleep very happy (and very full) that night.

I got up at 7:45 on Sunday and went straight out the door for another 5 mile run. When I got back I stretched and sipped some coffee out by the pool, soaking up one last bit of sunny Cape Cod.

Once my parents were all set, we packed up, checked out, and headed to Hyannis for brunch at The SunnySide Restaurant.

We grabbed a table outside and enjoyed some breakfast while people-watching and recapping our awesome mini vacation!

I got a blueberry pancake and an over-easy egg. Once I saw my moms wheat toast and jam, I wish I had gotten eggs and toast instead of the pancake, but I was craving pancakes all weekend, so it had to be done!

We hit the road around noon, just as storm clouds rolled in and the skies opened up. Perfect timing!

Because Cape traffic can get a little crazy on Sunday afternoons, it took about 4 hours to get home, so a light lunch was needed in the car around 3:00.

I whipped out an undocumented nectarine and then topped a wheat wrap with pb and banana (while we were in motion, hence the horrendous presentation).

Plus an apple and more pb as soon as we got home!

In the summer, my parents usually throw something on the grill and we have a nice Sunday dinner with my older brothers, but since we didn’t get home until after 4:00 and were in no mood to cook, we ordered takeout around 7:00.

I got my fave Cosi salad (the Peruvian Palm). No pistachio-encrusted salmon or waterfront dining, but I still liked it!

It was such an amazing long weekend with my family (and a friend!). I’m so glad I decided to take work off to spend that time with my parents. I’m going to miss them so much when I’m abroad, so this was the perfect trip for us. Plus, the beach and food weren’t too shabby either…

Once again, thanks for enduring another photo dump/ rambling post from me! I hope you enjoyed reading it because I loved writing it.

Have a great rest of your Hump Day, and a fabulous rest of the week 🙂

I’ll see ya back here soon with some Thursday Thoughts, a ‘how to pack‘ post, and much, much more!

xo’s

PS – Don’t forget, my Twitter and Instagram handles (as well as Pinterest) are now @fuelingfab (which will possibly be my new blog title!). Your input on my blog name (once I go self-hosted) is still much appreciated 🙂

Questions of the day:

Have you gone anywhere fun this summer?
Do you have any end-of-summer plans coming up?
What is your all-time favorite ice-cream flavor?

And in case you missed them, here are some of my more recent posts…

A Quick Escape to the Cape

Posted on July 23, 2014 by lmpicard16@gmail.com

Hey hey what up on this Wednesday?

I guess someone’s a little (too) excited to be back on the blog today (and to have an app that frames pictures)…

I did stop by for a quick ‘hey!’ on Monday, but today it’s back to your regularly scheduled programming with another WIAW link-up hosted by Jenn!

As I briefly mentioned at the end of my Friday Favorites post (and made pretty obvious in Monday’s Instagram), I did end up going to Cape Cod, MA for a quick trip. A couple friends of mine have cottages there, so since I had work off and schedules aligned, I packed my bags Saturday night and headed up there with a high school friend on Sunday afternoon!

We arrived around 5:45 and went straight to one of my college roommates/ best friends’ beautiful condo. It was cool and drizzling, but I did not care one bit. I hadn’t seen her in over 2 months and I was beyond excited to reunite!

A couple of my high school friends met my roommate when they visited me at school, and since this friend was one that visited, it wasn’t awkward (not that it would’ve been even if they hadn’t met) when we drove into downtown Chatham and had a nice long catch-up sesh over a delicious dinner.

Originally we had planned to go to The Chatham Squire, but there was a 45 minute wait (must mean it’s good!) and my roommate had to be on the road by 8:00 to get back for work on Monday morning. We walked around a bit and quickly decided on The Captain’s Table, and we were soon quite glad we did!

I ordered the salad plate with salmon, which was a tossed salad topped with a salmon filet and drizzled in raspberry vinaigrette (<- my favorite). It was simple but absolutely perfect. Plus a fluffy roll dipped in the dressing (I told you it’s my favorite!) rounded out the meal.

After chatting away for almost 2 hours, we (sadly) dropped my roommate off at her condo so she could head home. Even though it was way too short, I’m sooo happy I got to see her! 🙂

We then headed to my high school friend’s adorable cottage and got settled before leaving again to get ice-cream.

When I’m on vacation (and even when I’m not…), the question isn’t “do you want ice cream tonight?”, it’s “what flavor do you want tonight?”

We went to Emack & Bolio’s and I got the ‘Salted Caramel Chocolate Pretzel’. So sweet. So salty. So. freaking. good.

It was pretty nasty out so we decided to take it back to the cottage and eat it while watching the Kardashians because come on, is there any better way to spend a rainy summer night? Not in my book.

After devouring our frozen treats and commenting on the ridiculousness that is the Kardashians, we Face-Timed one of our friends who is interning in DC. It was awesome to ‘see’ him and he (as always) had as laughing so hard my abs were sore (which is a good thing since I didn’t workout at all Monday or Tuesday). I know I say this a lot, but I am seriously so blessed to have the hilarious/ fun/ caring/ incredible friends that I have!

We went to bed super late (and I didn’t end up falling asleep til 4 am…) so on Monday we slept in until 10:30. We had brought a ton of food from home so we could just eat dinner out (and ice-cream, that’s a given) in order to save money after the NYC trip last week. Breakfast was light and uneventful, and we left the cottage around 11 to head into town!

It wasn’t raining, but it wasn’t awesome weather, either. The skies were gray but luckily the temps were prime, so we decided to park the car in town and walk ~1.5 miles to Lighthouse Beach, window shopping and chatting as we went. When we got there we realized we wanted to stay so we walked back to the car, grabbed some beach towels and headed back.

I couldn’t help but snap some photos of the gorgeous hydrangeas and breathtaking ocean views!

The 4.5 mile walk in flip flops (+ lack of sleep) meant it was nap time as soon as we found a spot to spread our towels.

It was a bit chilly and windy, but the sun peaked out for about an hour or so. The soothing sound of waves crashing and little kids giggling made me so relaxed that I almost fell completely asleep (but not quite). I had my eyes open for a total of about 30 minutes to eat a pb + banana pita, white nectarine, almonds, and a few other snacks that I honestly can’t even remember (that’s how boring they were).

At about 4:30 we decided to make the trek back to the car so we could shower before heading to dinner!

Looking out and seeing this reminded me just how good life is.

After a nice warm shower, we headed out in search of an inexpensive place to eat. As we drove into town, the sign for Sweet Tomatoes caught our eye so we turned right in, ordered at the counter, and snagged a table outside! The sun was out now, and the weather couldn’t have been better for some casual outdoor dining.

Since it was just the two of us (other friends from home couldn’t get off work, which was a huge bummer, but we made the best of it!), we decided to split a salad and a sandwich. Again, another great dinner decision!

We literally did not leave a crumb on our plates.

The salad was fresh, and the raspberry vinaigrette (see, I did it again!) + goat cheese brought it to the next level. The sandwich was on the most incredible, thick focaccia and the roasted veggies + warm goat cheese melted in our mouths.

I know I can ~~sometimes~~ always sound a bit dramatic when I describe food, but I’m just being honest, and honestly it was that good.

Once we licked our plates clean, we sat and talked for another hour before going back in and grabbing a root beer. Don’t ask why I was suddenly craving this… It was weird but I just went with it.

Naturally, we then ventured over to Harwich to go to Schoolhouse Icecream and Yogurt for our nightly ice-cream fix. After mulling over the menu for about 10 minutes, I chose the ‘Harwich Mudpie’, which I believe was coffee ice-cream, brownie bites, almonds, and a little bit of heaven sprinkled in.

We brought them back home to eat later on after digesting our dinners, and so we had something to enjoy as we ~~watched~~ suffered through the painfully awkward ‘Bachelorette: The Men Tell All’.

By that, I mean we had it on in the background as I blogged/ read blogs/ enjoyed every spoonful/ cringed at the conversations the guys had. I haven’t been watching this season, and honestly after Monday night’s episode, I don’t feel like I’m missing out on much.

While I was happy when the episode was over, I was legitimately sad when I finished my ice-cream. I could’ve eaten another cup despite the fact that this ‘small’ was literally overflowing with chocolatey goodness.

Exhausted and in mild food-comas, we happily went to our rooms around midnight, and I was asleep by 1:00.

Tuesday was a sunny day (yay!), so I woke up at 8:45 ready to beach it. Again, we ate some lame breakfast, and then grabbed Dunkin iced coffees (toasted coconut for me!), and were basking in the glorious sun by 10:20.

We laid out, chatted, people-watched, and relaxed for a solid 5 hours before we decided to call it a day so we could hit the road and be back home before dark.

In case you’re wondering (which I’m sure you aren’t) – Yes, I did apply (and reapply) sunscreen, but yes, I did still get burnt in the places that hadn’t seen the light of day all summer. My stomach, upper thighs, and random patches on my back are the color of a tomato. Ouch.

Anyway, after a quick cleanup, we were saying goodbye to the cottage and to another awesome little getaway by 4:15.

The ride home takes about 3.5 to 4 hours, so we made a pit-stop at Dunkin again, and this time I tried the blueberry coffee. I always thought it sounded pretty gross, but I went for it and was pleasantly surprised!

As we sipped away, we had the age-old Starbucks vs Dunkin debate and concluded that DD’s coffee is the way to go.

This is because 1) it’s cheaper, 2) it comes in way more flavors, and 3) it doesn’t taste like syrup. I don’t know about you, but whenever I’ve gotten a flavored iced coffee from Starbs, all I taste is syrup. Could just be a bad barista, but I still prefer the price and variety of DD’s. Starbucks is good for other things though!

I digress…

I hadn’t eaten lunch (WHAT?! I never forget to eat a meal!), so as we drove I ate another pb banana pita, almonds, and various other treats I had stuffed in my bag.

I got home at 8:00 ready for a real meal, and luckily my wonderful mother had saved me some leftovers. I also had a bowl of cinnamon chex, yogurt and fruit, and a few little granola bars throughout the night because I was suddenly starving. I guess all that sun really drained my energy!

It was an awesome quick escape to the Cape, filled with fun times with friends, fabulous food, and lots of R&R!

Also, while I was there, I thought a lot about this little blog of mine. You may have noticed that my Instagram and Twitter handles are now @fuelingfab… As I said in my short post on Monday night this may be the name of my blog once I become self hosted…or it may not.

As I commented on my Instagram photo ^, I originally titled my blog ‘Fueling a Life’ for these reasons (also explained a bit more here).

As much as I love and am always going to keep the purpose of my blog and the meaning behind the current name, I love the word ‘fabulous‘ because I think it can describe so much – from life in general to fashion to workouts to food, which is what my blog is all about! Although I may discuss some serious topics, my blog is generally meant to be a lighthearted, slightly witty read to brighten peoples’ day, so I like how ‘fabulous’ is a fun word (that I use quite often) and is shortened to ‘fab‘, which is just a little more spunky (if a word can be spunky?). Plus, I do love a good alliteration…

I guess it all boils down to what name has more of a ring to it/ makes sense/ represents my blog/ lets the reader know exactly what my site is all about right from the get-go.

As you can see, it’s a really tough decision for me, so any and all input would be greatly appreciated! And don’t worry, you won’t hurt my feelings either way 🙂

Thanks for sticking around through my long posts and listening to allll my thoughts! I hope you have a great Wednesday and a fabulous rest of the week 😉

xo’s

WIAW: Flashback to Finals

Posted on June 4, 2014 by lmpicard16@gmail.com

Well, it’s that day of the week again, which means it’s time for another “What I Ate Wednesday“ post!

This week’s WIAW features some of the foods I feasted on during finals just about a month ago. I can’t believe it’s already been a month! Phew, so glad those stressful study days are over!

I haven’t taken as many foodie pics lately as I was hoping to, so these are basically all the photos I had on my phone from the past month or so.

Anyway, enough explaining…let’s see the eats!

These are amazing with peanut or almond butter, nutella, or really any form of chocolate. Long story short, these are an awesome snack!

Another awesome snack? This yogurt flavor! Tastes like dessert, but can be eaten any time of day!

It’s safe to say that I am beyond obsessed with pop chips. I literally ate a bag every. single. day at school. I had extra dining bucks left at the end of the year (as most students at my school do) which meant I could stock up on tons of my favorite chips so I can enjoy them this summer!

No matter where I am – school, home, traveling, wherever – I always crave bagels for lunch. My faves are cinnamon raisin, whole grain/wheat, and blueberry!

We all know I like to have dessert pretty much every day, but it is a necessity when I’m studying/ writing papers all day long for weeks on end! Cookies, candy, ice cream, froyo, you name it, I want it for an after dinner treat!

Obviously, I was a little too busy studying to take tons of pics of what I ate, but that gives you a good idea of just a few of the extra snacks and such I ate during finals this past semester!

Now that I’m home for the summer, I’m back to most of my typical at-home eats, which have been featured on my blog ever since I started it almost a year ago(!!!)

Nonetheless, here are a few pics I’ve taken recently.

My fave wrap and sweet potato fries (I’ve shown this baby so many times on the blog… Such as here, here, and here – just to name a few!)

Some of my favorite protein and soft baked snack bars as of late.

And lastly, one of my favorite summertime salads from one of my favorite restaurants! The new Cosi Peruvian Palm Salad – “Peruvian peppers, hearts of palm, avocados, tomatoes, diced cucumbers and romaine with white balsamic vinaigrette”. Oh my gosh, I’m obsessed.

That’s all for now. I’ll be back soon with more fashion shtuff!

PS – Feel free to follow me on Twitter @fuelingalife! I’m also considering creating an Instagram account for the blog. Butttt, I’m still contemplating changing the name of the blog. Hmmph, I just don’t know! Decisions, decisions (not my strong suit).

Any feedback/ opinions on all of that ^ are welcome! 🙂

Hope you have a very happy Hump Day!! And as always, thanks to Jenn for hosting the fabulous WIAW link-up!

xo’s