Giulia - Italian in Cambridge

When you think about heading out for Italian food in the Boston area, you immediately assume a trip to the North End is in order. However, turns out amazing Italian food can be found at Giulia, between Harvard and Porter Squares in Cambridge. Giulia offers a menu loaded with delicious food that is seemingly simple, but when you take a bite, you know a whole lot more is happening on the plate. Nick and I have been making an effort to get out to more restaurants that are a bit off our beaten path, and Giulia was one of our first stops.

Bottle of Red!

Don't Call It A Come-Back! Lambert Bridge Winery

Sometimes in life you just need to take some time away. Case in point: my blog here. If you have been following me on Twitter or Instagram, you know that I haven't stopping traveling and eating everything in sight, but have taken some time off from writing about it. However, I think enough is enough and its time to get back in the saddle. While many of these posts may be older, especially those from some of our travels, I still want to share them! So, please stay tuned over the next couple of weeks as we play a bit of catch up here at In and Around Town!

Part my inspiration for getting this post up is because we are heading back to California's Wine Country this week, and I realized that I still had one more vineyard to tell you all about. Even more, I rely on many blogger friends, like Meghan, for recommendations and missed the interactions based on these posts.

We loved this winery so much we actually are going back on our next visit! Lambert Bridge was recommended to us by one of Nick's colleagues, and from the moment you turn into the driveway, you understand why they told us this was a must-visit. With its picturesque location and delicious wine, it is definitely worth a stop while you are in Healdsburg.

Lambert Bridge

Alive and Kicking - Lobster Sandwiches

For New Englanders, lobster rolls are serious business. Boston has a few restaurants known for their lobster rolls - like the ones at Neptune Oyster - but those can get pricey and require some waiting time. When friends (from Chicago, no less) recommended Alive and Kicking as some of the best they have ever had, Nick and I knew we had to get over there.

Alive and Kicking is located in Cambridgeport, about a 10 minute walk from Central Square. On one of the first lovely, warm spring days, Nick and I walked over to a seemingly residential area where the fish market/restaurant is tucked away. Outside there are plenty of picnic tables, both out in the sunshine and covered in case of rain or cold weather.

Wonderful Wine at Truett Hurst

We're taking things back to Healdsburg today! Friends of ours were just in Northern California, and their pictures reminded me of just how outstanding that area is. Knowing that we were going to spend a day in Healdsburg on our most recent trip out there, Nick and I both asked friends familiar with the area for recommendations. When we were each separately told to go to Truett Hurst, we immediately added it to our itinerary. Meghan's recommendation and her great blog post on the winery convinced me that I needed to spend some quality time on the red adirondack chairs by the stream.

Tasting Room and Surrounding Gardens

La Brasa

Its amazing to me how much Boston and the surrounding areas are changing. When I first moved into Beacon Hill in 2006 and didn't know much about food I stuck mainly to my neighborhood, Back Bay, and the North End when craving some delicious Italian. Slowly, the food scene started to change, first with the South End and then more so in Cambridge. In the last couple of years, though, there has been an explosion in and around Boston, and chefs are scoping out newer neighborhoods to make a name for themselves. Almost every nook and cranny of the Boston area has great dining options.

La Paloma and the Eight Line Poem - tequila and mezcal based drinks, respectively

Homemade Scallion Pancakes

I'm not sure when it happened, but we recently became obsessed with scallion pancakes. What's not to like about crispy, flaky fried dough, mild onion flavor, and a savory dipping sauce? Every time we see them on a menu, whether served traditionally or in sandwich form, we have to order them. Nick and I finally decided to research how to make them at home, and one of Boston's favorites, Joanne Chang, has a recipe online that is not too difficult to follow - perfect!

Scallion Pancakes