Ward 8 - Not Just a Cocktail Anymore

When Nebo announced they were leaving their space in the outskirts of the North End for Atlantic Wharf I was curious to see what would ultimately move into the space. For those of us living in Charlestown, this location is an easy stop on the bus line, and for everyone and going to the TD Garden, it's a nice alternative to what's on Canal Street. When news spread that Ward 8 was moving in and it was from the family behind other loval favorites like Ducali, I was optimistic. Rather than serving Italian food though, Ward 8 draws inspiration from its craft cocktail namesake with a creative cocktail list and an interesting menu of bistro foods.

Moscow Mule

Carrie Nation and Highball Lounge - New on Beacon Hill

The weekend before Christmas, it just so happened that a number of Nick's college friends were in town visiting family. Since they are otherwise scattered across the U.S., we took the opportunity to get together for some dinner and drinks. Finding a table for a group of 9 on relatively short notice was a bit difficult, but luckily, new kid on the block Carrie Nation had availability for our group. Ironically named for an extreme prohibition activist who was actually known for taking her hatchet into bars and threatening the patrons, Carrie Nation (the establishment) has a great cocktail list and certain areas exude the speakeasy feel.

Archer's Evening Law: Cold River Blueberry Vodka, basil and House Lemon Cordial

Thanksgiving Day Planning and Menu

This year is a bit different for Nick and I - rather than showing up with an appetizer or dessert at a family member's or friend's house for Thanksgiving, we are hosting for the first time! This won't be anything too crazy - only 9 of us total - but I think on Thanksgiving the standards are a bit higher. Not only is the gathering bigger than what we have done before, there are a lot more courses to tie together!

Source - hopefully mine comes out that well!

Paloma Vineyards and Schramsberg Caves!

On our last day in Napa Valley we only had one appointment at 11:30, which we figured gave us time for a quick stop beforehand.  Having heard from our friends in San Francisco that Paloma Vineyards was supposed to have some great wines, we decided to give them a call the day before and make a reservation.  Like Kuleto, Paloma is up on a mountain, just on the opposite side of the valley.  As we climbed, the views just kept getting better.  After driving about 15 minutes, we arrived at Paloma.  At first, we thought we got the wrong directions because it was a house.  Shortly after getting out of the car, we were welcomed by Barbara, the owner of Paloma, who welcomed us into her home (literally).  We went straight out onto her deck, which had one of the best views.

From the decks of Paloma

More views...

Mumm Napa, Kuleto and Rubicon - Day 2 in Napa

After biking through Calistoga we were excited for a bit of an easier touring day!  Sadly, I forgot to grab my camera battery from the charger before we left for the day, so all of these photos are from my iPhone!!

Having read that Mumm Napa did free tours when they open at 10AM, we decided to head there first and hop on the tour, since we had heard great things about the vineyard.  The tour was informative, complete with a stop at a small group of grape vines, giving the guests a chance to taste the grapes that go into sparkling wine.  In addition, there was an amazing display of Ansel Adams' works (the ones you don't see on college students' walls), and they really are beautiful.  However, the tour was rather large as is the production facility itself.

Inside the production!

Biking through Calistoga - Napa Valley

Time to travel back in time a bit.  As regular readers will recall, Nick and I went to San Francisco back in September and then continued on to Napa Valley for a few days.  When we told people we were going to Napa we were given tons of great winery recommendations - I really had no idea how many wineries there were in such a small area!  Being super type-A, I took all of the suggestions and made charts based on location and tasting hours.  After some fun with Google Maps, I created a tentative itinerary, which only included three actual appointments over the 3 days of wine tasting.  This gave us enough of a plan to allow us to do all we wanted to do, but it had enough flexibility that we could change things up depending on what we saw and what recommendations we received during the day.

Along the bike trail in Calistoga

Dessert at Oak Long Bar and Kitchen

After entirely enjoying our meal at Coppa, Nick and I decided to move on to somewhere new for dessert. We wandered down Dartmouth Street back to Newbury when Nick came up with the genius idea of drinks and dessert at Oak Long Bar + Kitchen!  Having not been there since the massive renovation, I was excited for our next stop.  Upon walking in, I was totally turned around because there is an entrance in the spot where I used to sit in the big comfy chairs, and the space is about three times the size of the old Oak Room with combined dining and bar areas.  Dominated by a long, centrally located bar (go figure) the space is light and airy, but still has the imposing high ceilings to remind you of the history and opulence of the Fairmont.

The New Oak Long Bar and Kitchen

Although the space was packed, Nick and I were able to grab a table for 2 and the server had no problems with our drinks and dessert plan.  While we were looking over the menu we enjoyed a sampling of savory biscuits with a smoky bacon (we think?) dip.  I mean, the 10 minute walk from Coppa took a lot out of us!

Sam Adams Brewery and Grass Fed - a Day in JP

For Nick's birthday this year we decided to do a bunch of random Boston activities, including a trip to the Sam Adams Brewery!  While Nick had already been there, I never had, and with the weather being a bit iffy we thought this would be a good rain-or-shine activity.  The brewery is just a quick walk from the Stony Brook stop on the Orange Line.  Luckily, we happened to beat the rush and only had to wait a half hour for our tour to start.

Awarding Beers!

When the Irish Red group was called (each tour time is assigned a beer type!) we gathered in front of an old-school barrel and readied ourselves to learn about making some beer!  Sam Adams doesn't charge you to tour and taste, but do suggest you make a donation to one of three different charities they support.  These charities include one that helps start-up companies, while another provides money for the preservation of the Granary Burying Ground (resting place of Sam Adams - yay, Boston local!).

Ommegang Brewery

Back in July Nick and I had a wedding to attend in upstate New York.  Since it was going to be a long weekend of driving, we decided to take an extra couple of days and visit Cooperstown, New York, famously know as the home of the Baseball Hall of Fame.  I had only been once before and Nick had never been, and since it was only an hour from the wedding venue we figured a little Americana was good for the soul and went for a visit!  

After spending the day walking through the Hall of Fame (post to come!), we had some time to kill before heading down for the rehearsal dinner.  While Cooperstown is also home to James Fenimore Cooper and a number of museums to prove it, we had also heard rumblings of a local brewery, Ommegang, that was worth visiting (although neither of us had heard of it before this trip).  Given the option between the Farmers Museum and a Brewery, we made the obvious choice and went with the brewery (though, to be honest, I was tempted by the petting zoo!).  After about 20 minutes of meandering through the narrow upstate roads (luckily having some GPS signal for guidance) we arrived at Ommegang and were completely taken aback by the brewery complex!

Ommegang Entrance

This was an official brewery that had more than just tours to lure guests for a visit.  Between the indoor and outdoor cafe areas, gift shop and tastings, I was a happy camper!  Turns out the brewery also holds a number of concerts throughout the summer in their back field, which is naturally shaped like an amphitheater.  With names this year like Darius Rucker, Wilco and Bon Iver, the location draws a big crowd.

Vodka Class at ArtBar

Across the Charles River lies Cambridge, which can sometimes seem like the other side of the world to those of us who live in Boston.  However, it turns out that ArtBar at the Royal Sonesta is a quick 15 minute walk from Beacon Hill.  And, located right along the river, it's a beautiful spot.  The reason for our adventure was a surprise opening for Nick and I at the Vodka Cocktail Class at ArtBar.  I had tried to sign up two weeks earlier but they were booked solid, so I jumped at the opportunity.  

We arrived about 20 minutes early (we seriously thought the walk would take us longer!), so they brought us back to one of the best kept secrets - their huge patio, with fantastic views of Back Bay!  The bar back there is full service and there are plenty of tables.

View of Back Bay

Patio Bar

Nutty Irishman

When Nick and I went to Sunday River last winter for a weekend getaway I was craving the drink I always get slope-slide - the Nutty Irishman - but for some reason it was not on the menu!  I was a bit crushed, wondering if I had just dreamed about this drink as it had been a few years since I had it.  However, one night I saw it on the bar menu as we were on our way out the door (of course!) and noted the ingredients for later.

Naturally, travelling through New Hampshire, a stop at the State Liquor Store is a must!  If you haven't made the trip across the border - go, its totally worth it.  Nick and I walked out with just about every liquor they had, including Bailey's and Frangelico for the sole purpose of making some Nutty Irishman.  This past weekend when Nick and I were home prepping the food for the Superbowl, we decided to break out the ingredients and dress up our coffee a bit - Sunday Funday, right?

The Ingredients

The Necessities...