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	<title>Sarah&#039;s Cucina Bella &#187; Vacation</title>
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		<title>Lunching with Tourism Australia</title>
		<link>http://sarahscucinabella.com/2013/03/20/australia/</link>
		<comments>http://sarahscucinabella.com/2013/03/20/australia/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 20 Mar 2013 13:00:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sarah W. Caron</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Eating Locally, Homecooking, Gardening]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vacation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://sarahscucinabella.com/?p=9753</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Confession: Australia has never been on my must-visit list. It seemed like an awfully far distance to travel to visit a country that wasn&#8217;t that different per se. I mean, sure, they have kangaroos and the Great Barrier Reef and all. But that didn&#8217;t seem like enough to travel so far for. Good thing I [...]</p><p>The post <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2013/03/20/australia/">Lunching with Tourism Australia</a> appeared first on <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com">Sarah&#039;s Cucina Bella</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><script language="JavaScript1.1" src="http://oascentral.blogher.org/RealMedia/ads/adstream_jx.ads/ReviewBadge/Australia_ReviewBadge_002/@x13"></script></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9776" src="http://sarahscucinabella.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Australia-Main.jpg" alt="Australia Main" width="600" height="906"></p>
<p>Confession: Australia has never been on my must-visit list. It seemed like an awfully far distance to travel to visit a country that wasn&#8217;t that different per se. I mean, sure, they have kangaroos and the Great Barrier Reef and all. But that didn&#8217;t seem like enough to travel so far for. Good thing I can admit when I am mistaken. Which I totally was. BlogHer recently brought me to my senses when they invited me to a <a href="http://www.australia.com/explore/australian-events/food-wine-events.aspx">Tourism Australia </a>event to learn more about the Australian food scene. I also looked into Australia a little myself and learned that Australia has the most beaches in the world &#8212; more than 10,000. And among those is Hyams Beach in Jervis Bay, New South Wales, which holds the world record for the whitest sand on Earth, according to the Guinness Book of Records.</p>
<p>Now, another confession: I&#8217;d never given a single thought to the cuisine of Australia. But let me tell you, I learned that it&#8217;s absolutely divine. Australian food is all about fresh, local flavors. And the farm-to-table movement? That&#8217;s totally their thing.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9777" src="http://sarahscucinabella.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Australia-Menu.jpg" alt="Australia Menu" width="600" height="412"></p>
<p>At the Tourism Austalia luncheon, BlogHer introduced about 20 bloggers from the New York metro area to the food and wine of Australia. It was kind of awesome. We started off with cocktails and introductions by the car at The Sunburnt Calf on 79th Street in Manhattan. Then we sat down for an interesting presentation and lunch.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9778" src="http://sarahscucinabella.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Australia-Oysters.jpg" alt="Australia Oysters" width="600" height="334"></p>
<p>We started off with shared appetizers. My favorite were the Oysters &#8220;Kilpatrick,&#8221; a tempura-fried oyster with pickled shallots and Worcestershire-bacon butter served in oyster shells. I am a huge, huge fried oyster fan, and these were absolutely a bite of heaven &#8212; sweet, salty, crunchy amazingness. The Steamed Buns (above) were pretty amazing too.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9779" src="http://sarahscucinabella.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Australia-Prawns.jpg" alt="Australia Prawns" width="600" height="400"></p>
<p>While we were enjoying these appetizers &#8212; including this Classic Prawn Cocktail with creamy cocktail sauce &#8212; they told us more about Australia food and tourism. &#8220;Real Australian food is a state of mind,&#8221; says chef Michael Moore, a top Australian chef and author of the new cookbook <em>Blood Sugar: The Family</em>. What really resonated with me is what Moore said of chefs in Australia: They aren&#8217;t in competition with each other but rather have more of a team mentality. &#8220;We connect. We work together. We are all working to do the common good of what we&#8217;ve got here,&#8221; says Moore.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9775" src="http://sarahscucinabella.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Australia-Barramundi.jpg" alt="Australia Barramundi" width="600" height="400"></p>
<p>Moore describes the food scene in Australia as sophisticated and connected, which is kind of awesome. This BBQ&#8217;d Barramundi Fillet, topped with frisee salad, new potatoes and anchovy aioli, was absolutely divine &#8212; I totally came home dreaming of recreating this dish because it was so good. (Salad on this firm, white fish? Absolutely amazing). I left The Sunburnt Calf with Australia firmly ensconced on my to-travel-to list. During the presentation, some breathtaking photos on a big screen showed how beautiful the Land Down Under is. (If I sound a little infatuated with it, I totally am now). And the Great Barrier Reef? It&#8217;s home to 500 varieties of seaweed and is the largest reef in the world &#8212; the size of the eastern coastline of the United States. That&#8217;s something to be impressed by, for sure. But then, there are lots of pretty sizable things in Australia, from the world&#8217;s largest oyster to the heaviest crab. And let&#8217;s not forget the unique wildlife like kangaroos and emus.</p>
<p>So, what can I tell you about cuisine in Australia? It&#8217;s a delicious mix of cuisines that relies on what&#8217;s fresh and local for them. Love that. I hope I can travel there to experience it for myself someday. How about you? Have you been to Australia? Do you want to go?</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><em>Disclosure: I am being compensated by BlogHer for this blog post and for attending this event. However, all opinions are, as always, my own.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2013/03/20/australia/">Lunching with Tourism Australia</a> appeared first on <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com">Sarah&#039;s Cucina Bella</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Seattle Eats: Tom Douglas&#8217; Lola</title>
		<link>http://sarahscucinabella.com/2011/06/23/seattle-eats-tom-douglas-lola/</link>
		<comments>http://sarahscucinabella.com/2011/06/23/seattle-eats-tom-douglas-lola/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jun 2011 04:55:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sarah W. Caron</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Restaurants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stuff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vacation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lola]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[restaurant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[seattle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tom douglas]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://sarahscucinabella.com/?p=4461</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>When Cate and I went to Seattle last month, we were lucky to enjoy a lot of really amazing food. Seattle is a total food town, and one that prides itself on its attention to local, sustainable ingredients. How could you not love it? On our first night there, we arrived late and hungry. Though [...]</p><p>The post <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2011/06/23/seattle-eats-tom-douglas-lola/">Seattle Eats: Tom Douglas&#8217; Lola</a> appeared first on <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com">Sarah&#039;s Cucina Bella</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a title="lola-lead by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/5862045390/"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5142/5862045390_a4ac2c3297.jpg" alt="lola-lead" width="400" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>When <a href="http://www.sweetnicks.com" target="_blank">Cate</a> and I went to <a title="Coffee Brings People Together (And Starbucks Coffee College)" href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2011/05/20/coffee-brings-people-together-and-starbucks-coffee-college/">Seattle last month</a>, we were lucky to enjoy a lot of really amazing food. Seattle is a total food town, and one that prides itself on its attention to local, sustainable ingredients. How could you not love it?</p>
<p>On our first night there, we arrived late and hungry. Though we&#8217;d hoped to try a nearby restaurant, we found that the only thing open was <a href="http://tomdouglas.com/index.php?page=lola" target="_blank">Lola</a> in the lobby of our hotel, <a href="http://hotelandra.com/" target="_blank">Hotel Andra</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a title="lola by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/5861494853/"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5227/5861494853_27b9951a5d.jpg" alt="lola" width="400" height="400" /></a></p>
<p>Fortunately, just because it was our only choice doesn&#8217;t mean it should ever be considered a last resort in Seattle. Lola, one of Tom Douglas&#8217; restaurants, serves up breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner with Greek flare. Situated in the lobby of Hotel Andra, it&#8217;s walking distance to Pike Place Market and other memorable parts of Seattle.<span id="more-4461"></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a title="lola-spread by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/5862045796/"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5104/5862045796_aeeae3a143.jpg" alt="lola-spread" width="400" height="400" /></a></p>
<p>We started off with <strong>Cauliflower Anchovy Spread</strong>, which comes with Lola&#8217;s <strong>Freshly Grilled Pita Bread</strong>. The dish was flawless &#8211; so good that I could barely stop myself from licking the bowl (don&#8217;t worry, I didn&#8217;t!). The Cauliflower Anchovy Spread was a creamy, slightly sweet, slightly salty spread. Mouthwatering. In fact, in my notes from the experience I summed it up in just two words: Freakin&#8217; awesome &#8212; and it&#8217;s so true. The pita bread was the best I have ever had &#8211; soft, light and with flavor &#8211; nothing like the hard, thin, edible spoon pita bread that you often find.</p>
<p>We also ordered two kebabs. The <strong>Halloumi Cheese, Kalamata Fig and Fig Balsamic Kebab</strong> introduced the both of us to the joyful bliss that is halloumi cheese. Wow. Who knew it was that good? The cheese is a firm one like those mozzarella blocks in the dairy section of the grocery store. Since it has a high melting point, it&#8217;s ideal for grilling and other heated dishes. The best part? When you eat it on this kebob, it&#8217;s a salty, silky bite that was a great contrast to the sweet fig balsamic. Now the figs &#8230; they were alright. I am not a fan of fig seeds, and they seemed to stand out in this dish. Still, as a whole, it was still a really good kebab.</p>
<p>Our second kebab was the <strong>Portabella, Oyster Mushrooms and Sage Kebab</strong>. It was a good, solid dish, though not a <em>wow</em>. I would certainly order it again, because the meaty mushrooms had a nice flavor. Overall? It ranked a firm OK.</p>
<p>Our dinner was so good that when we found ourselves hungry on Tuesday during our marathon lets-see-Seattle quest, we ended up eating at Lola again. Going once, when it&#8217;s the only thing open, is one thing. But going back to the same restaurant again when everything is open really says something. It was that memorably good.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a title="lola-falafel2 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/5862045622/"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3157/5862045622_b156b35641.jpg" alt="lola-falafel2" width="400" height="400" /></a></p>
<p>For lunch, we split the <strong>Garlic Falafel Gyro with Minted Cucumber Tzatziki and a Greek Salad</strong>. The falafel was crumbly and flavored with garlic and spices. Amazing, though unlike other falafel I have had. Now, the tzatziki wasn&#8217;t my favorite though, with a tart flavor that didn&#8217;t strike my fancy. I imagine others might enjoy it though. However, the greek salad was perfectly dressed and really delicious.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a title="lola-donuts by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/5862045856/"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5150/5862045856_5f5706c2dd.jpg" alt="lola-donuts" width="400" height="400" /></a></p>
<p>And finally, we had the <strong>Made to Order Doughnuts with Seasonal Jam and Vanilla Mascarpone</strong>. When I saw our server shake these babies up in a paper bag, I remembered an episode of <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/the-best-thing-i-ever-ate/totally-fried/index.html" target="_blank">The Best Thing I Ever Ate where Giada DeLaurentiis raved about these doughnuts</a>. And you know what? They were every bit as delicious as she said they would be. A soft interior with a crusty, sweet exterior. The mascarpone was such a pleasant, sweet creamy topping while the rhubarb jam that was in season then was a beautiful, tart companion. If you go there, you <em>have </em>to order these.</p>
<p>The service at Lola was impeccable. We ate at the bar both times, and both bartenders were attentive and really accommodating. In fact, when we said we were splitting the gyro at lunch, the bartender had our food brought on two plates to make it easy for us. And no matter what questions we had (and we had many), they were happy to answer. In fact, that Cauliflower Anchovy Spread? We have the recipe. (Of course, it would make like a gallon of it &#8230; so we have to work on the proportions before sharing it.)</p>
<p>If you are in Seattle, I can&#8217;t say enough good things about Lola. Just go. It was an amazing experience both times we visited the restaurant, and I would return in a heartbeat.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a title="lola-statue by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/5862045476/"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3117/5862045476_67db4f87b0.jpg" alt="lola-statue" width="400" height="400" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>LOLA</strong><br />
2000 4th Avenue<br />
Seattle, WA 98121<br />
(206) 441-1430<em></em></p>
<pre><em>Disclosure: I wasn't asked to write about this restaurant and in both cases, Cate and I paid our own way. Tom Douglas has no idea who I am. This is just my opinion after buying two meals at Lola.</em></pre>
<p>The post <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2011/06/23/seattle-eats-tom-douglas-lola/">Seattle Eats: Tom Douglas&#8217; Lola</a> appeared first on <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com">Sarah&#039;s Cucina Bella</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>A Tale of Two Thanksgivings (Thanksgiving 2010)</title>
		<link>http://sarahscucinabella.com/2010/12/01/a-tale-of-two-thanksgivings-thanksgiving-2010/</link>
		<comments>http://sarahscucinabella.com/2010/12/01/a-tale-of-two-thanksgivings-thanksgiving-2010/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Dec 2010 22:08:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sarah W. Caron</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Celebrate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Thanksgiving]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vacation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://sarahscucinabella.com/?p=3400</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>On Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, we ate but didn&#8217;t feast &#8212; at least not in the fork-to-mouth sort of way. But we did feast in the beauty of our tropical surroundings. It was bliss. When we returned to Connecticut, we prepared for the other kind of feast &#8212; the traditional one had at Thanksgiving. And on [...]</p><p>The post <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2010/12/01/a-tale-of-two-thanksgivings-thanksgiving-2010/">A Tale of Two Thanksgivings (Thanksgiving 2010)</a> appeared first on <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com">Sarah&#039;s Cucina Bella</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a title="_MG_9879 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/5224027335/"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5224027335_73dc4acb71.jpg" alt="_MG_9879" width="400" height="267" /></a></p>
<p>On Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, we ate but didn&#8217;t feast &#8212; at least not in the fork-to-mouth sort of way. But we did feast in the beauty of our tropical surroundings. It was bliss.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a title="_MG_0039 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/5224624676/"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5283/5224624676_83f9fd0163.jpg" alt="_MG_0039" width="400" height="267" /></a></p>
<p>When we returned to Connecticut, we prepared for the other kind of feast &#8212; the traditional one had at Thanksgiving. And on Sunday, we had a feast of food. It was bliss.<span id="more-3400"></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a title="_MG_9854 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/5224624786/"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/5224624786_2042be4d06.jpg" alt="_MG_9854" width="400" height="267" /></a></p>
<p>While away, we spent much time playing in the sand, building castles and tearing them down. The soft, warm sand was molded into pretend feasts, imaginary creatures and more. And when we grew tired of it, we retreated to the cool ocean waters or the warm pool.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a title="_MG_0045 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/5224624930/"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/5224624930_87c31563f0.jpg" alt="_MG_0045" width="400" height="267" /></a></p>
<p>We waited until Sunday to enjoy turkey and the fixin&#8217;s so that we could celebrate as a family. After all, isn&#8217;t that what Thanksgiving is about? Family. So, one day after returning, Shawn and I whipped up a spread that rivaled other years. Short planning time or not, we did it up.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a title="_MG_9801 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/5224624822/"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5161/5224624822_7f756977d1.jpg" alt="_MG_9801" width="400" height="267" /></a></p>
<p>On Thanksgiving Day, we ate pork and canned corn. A salad too. That night, as every other night, we settled in after dark on the balcony and listened to the roar of the Atlanta and watched the airplanes fly overhead while waves crashed below.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a title="_MG_0035 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/5224624982/"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/5224624982_863ed3c8b6.jpg" alt="_MG_0035" width="400" height="267" /></a></p>
<p>This year, we were privileged to have two Thanksgivings. We are grateful &#8230; I am grateful &#8212; for family, friends, food, pursuing my dreams, happiness, health and so much more. I am grateful. What are you grateful for?</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a title="_MG_9942 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/5224027473/"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/5224027473_30830b6a2f.jpg" alt="_MG_9942" width="250" height="375" /></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2010/12/01/a-tale-of-two-thanksgivings-thanksgiving-2010/">A Tale of Two Thanksgivings (Thanksgiving 2010)</a> appeared first on <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com">Sarah&#039;s Cucina Bella</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Long Weekend in Cape Cod</title>
		<link>http://sarahscucinabella.com/2010/10/19/long-weekend-in-cape-cod/</link>
		<comments>http://sarahscucinabella.com/2010/10/19/long-weekend-in-cape-cod/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 19 Oct 2010 04:35:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sarah W. Caron</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Restaurants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stuff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vacation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cape cod]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[orleans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[where to eat]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://sarahscucinabella.com/?p=3267</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Traveling is among my chief passions. New places, new experiences, new memories &#8230; it all comes with a good trip. This past weekend, my kids, husband and I headed to Cape Cod for a fabulous weekend of eating, enjoying and attending a close friend&#8217;s wedding. And yes, it was a good trip. Of course, we&#8217;ve [...]</p><p>The post <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2010/10/19/long-weekend-in-cape-cod/">Long Weekend in Cape Cod</a> appeared first on <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com">Sarah&#039;s Cucina Bella</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 410px"><a title="DSC00177 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/5095653666/"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/5095653666_dc2b0417cd.jpg" alt="DSC00177" width="400" height="266" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Photo by Virtual Frolic</p></div>
<p>Traveling is among my chief passions. New places, new experiences, new memories &#8230; it all comes with a good trip. This past weekend, my kids, husband and I headed to Cape Cod for a fabulous weekend of eating, enjoying and attending a close friend&#8217;s wedding. And <em>yes</em>, it was a good trip.</p>
<p>Of course, <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2009/10/27/weekend-in-cape-cod/">we&#8217;ve been to the Cape before</a> (many times for me), but this time was different. The weekend was all about seeing a dear, dear friend wed a wonderful, loving man. The ceremony was beautiful &#8212; the kind that leaves you with tears glistening in your eyes. But the moment from the wedding that will be with me forever is when the vows were done and they were officially married. The look of pure joy, pure happiness, on my friend&#8217;s face was breathtaking.</p>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 410px"><a title="IMG_8520 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/5095054831/"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5095054831_8e884ebfd0.jpg" alt="IMG_8520" width="400" height="267" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">I told him to think of something funny ...</p></div>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 410px"><a title="IMG_8334 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/5095653546/"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/5095653546_5e07a765bd.jpg" alt="IMG_8334" width="400" height="267" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">She just loves the beach.</p></div>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 410px"><a title="IMG_8454 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/5095653432/"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/5095653432_6ef2075ce9.jpg" alt="IMG_8454" width="400" height="267" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The sky was amazing.</p></div>
<p>Other than the wedding, we had a pretty laid-back, unplanned trip. The agenda was loose. The plans formed as we went and we changed directions in a heartbeat. Relaxing &#8230;</p>
<p>We visited Nauset Beach, a lovely public beach in Orleans. The surf was wild that day, with tall, crashing waves hit hard with strong winds, sending a cloud of spray back as the waves rushed forward. It was mesmerizing. As for the kids, they laughed and giggled while they ran (and fell!) in the sand.</p>
<p>Of course, the long drive? Not so relaxing &#8230; The long weekend started with the kids and I dashing from school pick up to the train station to pick up a friend to the Cape. Unfortunately, by the time we made the more than four-hour drive northeast, <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2009/10/29/1892/">the seafood restaurant we planned to eat at had closed</a> for the evening. We ended up eating at <a href="http://papaginos.com/">Papa Gino&#8217;s</a> on what seemed like the best veggie pizza and grinder ever. Honestly, we can&#8217;t say if it was hunger or truly good food influencing our opinions &#8230; Whatever it was, it was just right for the end of that day.</p>
<p>Where else did we dine?<span id="more-3267"></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Eating on the Cape: 2010</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.cookesseafood.com/">Cooke&#8217;s Seafood</a>, Orleans &#8211; After not making it to Cooke&#8217;s on our first evening, we decided to grab an early lunch there the next day. I loved that it was within walking distance to our hotel, and we took full advantage of that, walking over there. This time, I had Fried Clams, as did my friend &#8212; something <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2009/10/29/1892/">we were unable to try last time</a>. They were good &#8212; flavorful breading on tender, perfect clams &#8212; but they could have benefited from a bit more salt. Still, I would definitely eat them again. The kids had Fish and Chips, which seemed to be a little bit lightly battered. The color of the breading was also on the yellow side &#8212; not the most appealing. And the cost of this lunch (one adult meal, two kids meals, three drinks) was a bit much &#8212; over $35. Overall, we still like Cooke&#8217;s, but the high cost knocks it down a bit.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.captainelmers.com/" target="_blank">Capt&#8217;n Elmers</a>, Orleans &#8211; Remember how I said that we changed plans on a whim? That happened the night we went to Capt&#8217;n Elmers. Somehow, we drove right past the restaurant we intended to eat at and ended up here &#8230; our second choice. Well, let me tell you &#8212; it was fate. I had a special called Lazy Lobster, a fabulous casserole of big lobster chunks in a creamy, delicious sauce topped with buttery breadcrumbs. It was amazing &#8212; Ah-Freakin-Mazing. My friend said that was the slowest she&#8217;s ever seen me eat &#8212; and that&#8217;s saying a lot. I savored every last bite. As for her, she had a Lobster Roll. That was a little unusual &#8212; chunks of lobster in a roll with &#8230; globs of mayo. Definitely not the best she&#8217;s had. Skip that, and try the Fish and Chips instead. We took some back for my husband (who arrived that night). He ate every last bit of the breaded fish strips and potato wedges. As for the kids, they ordered off the kids menu, which was typical at best. I was disappointed in their kids&#8217; portions and the lack of vegetables &#8230; they would have loved a bit of steamed broccoli or something with their meal. But for that Lazy Lobster, I would go there anytime.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.cottagestreetbakery.com/" target="_blank">Cottage Street Bakery</a>, Orleans- Last year, this was a favorite stop during our trip. This year, it was just ok. We picked up brownies while there, but were disappointed in the buttercream on it, which was grainy. They were better when chilled for sure, but not the best &#8230; However, for breakfast, the kids, Shawn and I had some delightful breakfast sandwiches &#8212; egg, cheddar and ham on multigrain bread. The coffee was also pretty good (and I am super picky about that). But I will say that the breakfast sandwiches were pricey. My favorite thing from the bakery this weekend? The chocolate mousse cake we had at the wedding &#8212; delish!</li>
<li><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/sir-crickets-fish-and-chips-orleans" target="_blank">Sir Crickets</a>, Orleans &#8211; This little seafood restaurant doesn&#8217;t have a website, but what they do have is awesome prices and delicious food. Now, I wasn&#8217;t that happy with my Crab Cakes, which were too crunchy on the outside and too soft on the inside. But I can totally forget that after trying my friend&#8217;s Fried Oyster Roll &#8212; it&#8217;s my new favorite clam shack food. Those little crispy, tender, juicy bits of oysters were amazing.  And Shawn&#8217;s cup of New England Clam Chowder was superb too &#8212; creamy, packed with clams and potatoes and with excellent flavor. Shawn also loved his giant Fish and Chips, which he declared the best of the weekend. The kids had chicken fingers &#8230; and they totally devoured them. The only downside? The coleslaw was just so-so.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.hearthnkettle.com/" target="_blank">Hearth n Kettle</a>, Orleans &#8211; After another breakfast restaurant had a 30+ minute wait, we headed over to the Health N Kettle, a restaurant that I went to with my family as a child. It was everything I remembered &#8212; cozy with lots of wood and delicious food. My friend and I had the Nor&#8217;easter breakfast: a cheddar and bacon scone topped with Canadian bacon, a poached egg and cheese sauce. Delicious, decadent and absolutely wonderful. I need to figure out how to make savory scones like these tender, perfect ones. The whole dish is totally worth duplicating. Oh, and the kids and Shawn devoured their meals too (pancakes, eggs, etc). This is really as good as I remember it being.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.jtkmanagement.com/jtk.htm">Ten Clams</a>, Mystic, CT &#8211; It didn&#8217;t occur to us at the time, but this restaurant is all about inexpensive food &#8212; and it&#8217;s all under $10 (hence the name). We stopped here on the way home and had super buttery Hot Lobster Rolls, which were filled with tender lobster meat. The fries were good too.</li>
</ul>
<p>Mmm. Good eating.</p>
<p>Do you have a favorite place to dine on the Cape? Share it in the comments!</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2010/10/19/long-weekend-in-cape-cod/">Long Weekend in Cape Cod</a> appeared first on <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com">Sarah&#039;s Cucina Bella</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Summer Adventures: Cape May, New Jersey</title>
		<link>http://sarahscucinabella.com/2010/06/21/summer-adventures-cape-may-new-jersey/</link>
		<comments>http://sarahscucinabella.com/2010/06/21/summer-adventures-cape-may-new-jersey/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:26:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sarah W. Caron</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Vacation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cape may]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cape may county zoo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[morey's piers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new jersey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ponderosa campground]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[shore]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildwood]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://sarahscucinabella.com/?p=2696</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Last week, Shawn and I packed up the kids and the car (yes, my tiny Civic!) and headed south for the week. While our Connecticut home is near some lovely beaches, we went to a little spot that I adore: Cape May, New Jersey. I first visited Cape May more than 15 years ago when [...]</p><p>The post <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2010/06/21/summer-adventures-cape-may-new-jersey/">Summer Adventures: Cape May, New Jersey</a> appeared first on <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com">Sarah&#039;s Cucina Bella</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a title="DSCN0515 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4720191863/"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1347/4720191863_5b2740fe08_o.jpg" alt="DSCN0515" width="500" height="281" /></a></p>
<p>Last week, Shawn and I packed up the kids and the car (yes, my tiny Civic!) and headed south for the week. While our Connecticut home is near some lovely beaches, we went to a little spot that I adore: Cape May, New Jersey.</p>
<p>I first visited Cape May more than 15 years ago when my friend&#8217;s family took me on vacation with them a few times. With such fond memories of the trips, I have been wanting to turn to the sunny ocean-side spot for years. I am so glad to have finally done so.</p>
<p>The actual impetus to go there came when I &#8211; on a whim &#8211; Googled some combination of the words Cape May and Cabin. Up popped a listing for <a href="http://www.ponderosacampground.com/">Ponderosa Campground</a>. The site offered almost everything I could ever want in a campground cabin: electricity, a mini fridge, an in-cabin bathroom and even air conditioning (to keep the troops happy) &#8230; there was also a television, but I refused the remote and we never watched it. And the price? Just $40 a night. I called immediately and booked our vacation. It was just too perfect to pass up.</p>
<p><a title="DSCN0480 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4720841260/"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1102/4720841260_8c03c2b17d_o.jpg" alt="DSCN0480" width="500" height="281" /></a></p>
<p>I did worry that the $40 price tag would mean that it wasn&#8217;t a good place to stay, but the staff was so friendly and helpful, the cabin was immaculate, the pool was pristine. It was great. The only downside? The mattresses were as thin as they come &#8230; but who cares? We just tired ourselves out and dealt with it &#8230; it is a campground after all<span id="more-2696"></span></p>
<p><a title="DSCN0504 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4720192015/"><img class="alignright" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1085/4720192015_4818252317_m.jpg" alt="DSCN0504" width="240" height="135" /></a>Almost all week, we cooked at the cabin. PBJ for lunch, grilled something for dinner. Outside the cabin there was a charcoal grill, which we used for cooking. Although I have used charcoal before, I haven&#8217;t in a long time &#8230; furthermore, I have never lit a charcoal grill without lighter fluid. But the chimney gadget made it so easy. We just stuffed paper in the bottom, lit it and were cooking in about 15 minutes. Easy peasy!</p>
<p>There was also a firepit where we roasted marshmallows most of the nights while we were there. So fun.</p>
<p>What did we do while we were there?</p>
<ol>
<li><a title="DSCN0493 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4720191893/"><img class="alignright" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1172/4720191893_7ee4363214_m.jpg" alt="DSCN0493" width="240" height="135" /></a><a href="http://www.capemayzoo.org/">Cape May Zoo</a> &#8211; The zoo was a fabulous excursion. The kids fed ducks and goats, checked out lions and tigers and bears (and giraffes and zebra) and so much more. They loved the whole experience so much that we actually went twice. I totally recommend it. And the best part? It&#8217;s free! (But they operate on donations, so do consider giving one).</li>
<li><a title="DSCN0517 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4720841188/"><img class="alignright" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1313/4720841188_7e4e57ce29_m.jpg" alt="DSCN0517" width="240" height="135" /></a><a href="http://www.moreyspiers.com/">Morey&#8217;s Piers at Wildwood</a> &#8211; When we were driving to Wildwood, suddenly the name of the piers where I spent so many hours as a teen came to mind &#8230; and off we went. My little kids loved the many, many kids rides there. We played for about two hours before it started to pour &#8230; like seriously POUR. The only downside? It gets expensive fast. I suggest buying the family four pack of wristbands ($160) to save money.</li>
<li><a title="DSCN0570 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4720191755/"><img class="alignright" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1336/4720191755_f490891ebf_m.jpg" alt="DSCN0570" width="240" height="135" /></a>Cape May&#8217;s Boardwalk &#8211; There is a small boardwalk on Cape May&#8217;s beach with an arcade, a great pizza place, <a href="http://mmorrow001.food.officelive.com/default.aspx">Morrow&#8217;s Nuthouse</a>, McGlade&#8217;s Restataurant and more. On our last afternoon, we went and walked along it, stopping for cheese fries and to buy some fudge and taffy. It was so much fun &#8230; and when we go back (because we will), we&#8217;ll spend more days in that area since it&#8217;s so serene and relaxing.</li>
</ol>
<p>It was a great week &#8230; hope yours was too. Check in tomorrow for a fab new grill recipe.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2010/06/21/summer-adventures-cape-may-new-jersey/">Summer Adventures: Cape May, New Jersey</a> appeared first on <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com">Sarah&#039;s Cucina Bella</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Eating on the Cape</title>
		<link>http://sarahscucinabella.com/2009/10/29/1892/</link>
		<comments>http://sarahscucinabella.com/2009/10/29/1892/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:54:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sarah W. Caron</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[eating out]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Feeding Kids]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vacation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cape cod]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cooke's seafood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cottage street bakery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lobster claw restaurant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[orleans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the sunnyside]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://sarahscucinabella.com/?p=1892</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>So, where did we eat this weekend on the Cape? The Cape. It feels so unnatural to me to say Cape Cod. It&#8217;s so formal, like something that someone who hadn&#8217;t ever been there would say. But I&#8217;ve been there many times. As a child, my family would make a yearly pilgrimage to the Cape [...]</p><p>The post <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2009/10/29/1892/">Eating on the Cape</a> appeared first on <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com">Sarah&#039;s Cucina Bella</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a title="Oh, those brownies by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4050221207/"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2631/4050221207_e1d94fd8f5_o.jpg" alt="Oh, those brownies" width="300" height="446" /></a></p>
<p>So, where did we eat this weekend on the Cape?</p>
<p><em>The Cape</em>.</p>
<p>It feels so unnatural to me to say Cape Cod. It&#8217;s so formal, like something that someone who hadn&#8217;t ever been there would say. But I&#8217;ve been there many times. As a child, my family would make a yearly pilgrimage to the Cape for our massive annual family reunion. There would be volleyball and lobster. My grandmother would convene with her cousins, the ones that she&#8217;d spent summers playing on beaches and swimming with. Meanwhile, I would search the crowds (yes, crowds) for my generation of cousins &#8230; the ones who, although older, would build sandcastles on the beach with me.</p>
<p>I have a great family.</p>
<p>This past weekend was the first time that my children visited the Cape. While I doubt they will ever connect the concept of visiting the Cape with huge family gatherings like I do, I certainly hope that they do associate it would good times and good friends. I have great friends too.</p>
<p>Alright, enough musings &#8230; onto the food.<span id="more-1892"></span></p>
<p><a title="The Sunnyside side by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4050220843/"><img class="alignleft" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2798/4050220843_b6bbe99491_o.jpg" alt="The Sunnyside side" width="300" height="227" /></a><strong>The Sunnyside, Hyannis</strong> &#8211; It was pouring when we arrived in Hyannis on Saturday, intent on grabbing lunch and possibly heading out for the harbor cruise. Given the weather, eating at the clam shack by the docks was off (heck, so was the boat ride), so we headed back to Main Street and parked. When my friends spotted the words &#8220;A Family Restaurant&#8221; on The Sunnyside&#8217;s sign, we agreed it seemed perfect for our party of three adults and two little kids and dashed inside.</p>
<p>The food here is tasty and inexpensive &#8212; a very good combination. The children&#8217;s menu is basic and predictable, but that&#8217;s okay sometimes. Will had some sizable chicken fingers and Paige was happy to order a hot dog &#8212; her favorite. They both devoured their fries. Meanwhile, I polished off a flavorful and thick Monte Cristo sandwich with sweet potato fries. I definitely recommend asking to substitute sweet potato fries for the regular fries &#8230; very tasty.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.lobsterclaw.com/">The Lobster Claw</a>, Orleans</strong> &#8211; When I was a child, my grandmother and I would eat out at Howard Johnson&#8217;s every so often. While there, she would inevitably order the fried clam strips. Somehow, I fell in love with them too, in all their rubbery goodness. I&#8217;m older and wiser now though, and can really recognize a good fried clam when I <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">see</span> taste it.</p>
<p>When I tasted the fried clams at The Lobster Claw, I knew for certain that these were fabulously good fried clams. They were tender and had that hint of salty sweetness that only comes with a good, fresh clam. The pile was huge, and yes, I devoured the whole thing. The kids chose off the children&#8217;s menu &#8211; fried shrimp and fish and chips. The big fried shrimp were meaty and delish, but Will wasn&#8217;t fond of the fact that they still had the shells on (and he wasn&#8217;t entirely sure where the shell started and the shrimp meat ended). I thought they were awesome though &#8230; not that I tried any of his or anything.</p>
<p><a title="Cooke's Seafood in Orleans by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4050965420/"><img class="alignright" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2536/4050965420_86a7fdfb03_o.jpg" alt="Cooke's Seafood in Orleans" width="300" height="405" /></a><strong><a href="http://www.cookesseafood.com/index.shtml">Cooke&#8217;s Seafood</a>, Orleans</strong> &#8211; It seems like every restaurant on the Cape wants to proclaim that they have the best fried clams or lobster or whatever. I can&#8217;t really say whether Cooke&#8217;s claim of the best fried clams is valid or not, since they were out of them. But I can tell you that their fish and chips was made with beautiful fish. Will ate it all up, with not too much prodding.</p>
<p>As for their crab cakes, they were divine. I adore crab cakes. They are among my very favorite seafood dishes &#8230; and these ones? They are meaty. Some crab cakes have lots of fillers that give them a rich, bready flavor, but lack in the actual crab department. These, however, are thick and rich with lots of delicious, fresh crab meat. Total love.</p>
<p>What I wasn&#8217;t in love with though were the onion rings. I am a big onion ring fan, but my platter came with two that looked perfect from the outside but were too undercooked inside. I am just not a fan of crunching into onions when they are in fried ring form.</p>
<p>Also, just a note that their website is woefully out of date &#8230; it doesn&#8217;t even list this location, but I assure you it does exist.</p>
<p><a title="Best brownies eva by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4050221277/"><img class="alignleft" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3518/4050221277_4ce60affab_o.jpg" alt="Best brownies eva" width="300" height="389" /></a><strong><a href="http://www.cottagestreetbakery.com/">Cottage Street Bakery</a>, Orleans</strong> &#8211; If you go to Cooke&#8217;s in Orleans, then you need to pop over to Cottage Street Bakery, which is across the parking lot and just across the street. It&#8217;s a cute, small shop with a few tables inside and several picnic benches outside. The display cases are filled with all sorts of sweet confections.</p>
<p>I bought a peanut butter brownie (thick layer of brownie, thin layer of peanut butter butter cream, thin layer of chocolate ganache and peanut butter cups on top), a mint brownie (thick layer of brownie, thin layer of mint buttercream, thin layer of chocolate ganache), a coconut brownie (thick layer of brownie, thin layer of coconut buttercream, thin layer of chocolate ganache), a carrotcake cupcake with a thick swirl of creamy frosting and a peanut butter cookie. No, I didn&#8217;t eat it all myself. I shared.</p>
<p>Will and I split the coconut brownie in the car while Paige slept. But it was so good, we didn&#8217;t stop there &#8230; we split the mint one too. And the mint brownie? Absolutely to die for. It was the perfect combination of mintiness and chocolate, creamy and cakey all at once &#8230; oh, it&#8217;s so good. If it wasn&#8217;t so far away, I would drive up for another. They are just that good.</p>
<p><strong>Do you have a favorite spot to eat on the Cape? Share in the comments below!</strong></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2009/10/29/1892/">Eating on the Cape</a> appeared first on <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com">Sarah&#039;s Cucina Bella</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Weekend in Cape Cod</title>
		<link>http://sarahscucinabella.com/2009/10/27/weekend-in-cape-cod/</link>
		<comments>http://sarahscucinabella.com/2009/10/27/weekend-in-cape-cod/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:21:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sarah W. Caron</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Vacation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cape cod]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cape cod maritime museum]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cottage st. bakery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cranberry festival]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fresh cranberries]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://sarahscucinabella.com/?p=1887</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>On Friday, not long after hitting publish on previous blog post here, I loaded the kids into my trusty little Civic and headed to Cape Cod for the weekend. It was dark and rainy, but the drive was pretty easy and peaceful. And when we arrived, just after midnight, we were greeted by two of [...]</p><p>The post <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2009/10/27/weekend-in-cape-cod/">Weekend in Cape Cod</a> appeared first on <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com">Sarah&#039;s Cucina Bella</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>On Friday, not long after hitting publish on previous blog post here, I loaded the kids into my trusty little Civic and headed to Cape Cod for the weekend. It was dark and rainy, but the drive was pretty easy and peaceful. And when we arrived, just after midnight, we were greeted by two of my wonderful friends who helped me to quickly unload the car and put the kids to bed.</p>
<p><a title="Cranberries on the Cape by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4050966728/"><img class="alignright" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2750/4050966728_1f73c5af32_m.jpg" alt="Cranberries on the Cape" width="240" height="149" /></a>It was a weekend that we had talked about for more than a month, sending links back and forth and brainstorming about things to see. High on the list was visiting a cranberry bog, which unfortunately didn&#8217;t happen. But we did score three pounds each of some freshly picked cranberries. Sweet! I cannot wait to get cooking with them. I have many great things planned &#8230;</p>
<p><a title="Will meets pig by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4050221161/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2786/4050221161_2f0ba9488b_o.jpg" alt="Will meets pig" width="500" height="333" /></a></p>
<p><a title="Ballooons! by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4050965138/"><img class="alignleft" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2614/4050965138_f0e0158ce1_m.jpg" alt="Ballooons!" width="240" height="236" /></a>Missing the cranberry bog wasn&#8217;t for lack of trying &#8230; we did what we could. We dropped in on an annual cranberry festival, where we ate some dried cranberries and scooted around a barn filled with people and vendors. It wasn&#8217;t exactly what we were expecting. But the kids were pleased since they scored some balloons and got to meet a friendly pig.</p>
<p>We checked out a fake lighthouse at the fair grounds and a real one at a beach. We ate fried clams and delicious brownies. We went to a small museum, ate in a small local diner that I have been to dozens of times )but didn&#8217;t totally realize that until we were mid-meal) and managed to hit the better part of the cape. It was a total blast.</p>
<p>Many good things can be said about good food and good company &#8230; and we were blessed with both this past weekend.</p>
<p>Click through to see more photos from our trip. <span id="more-1887"></span></p>
<p><a title="Will and Paige on the beach by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4050964680/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2575/4050964680_c27282d11b_o.jpg" alt="Will and Paige on the beach" width="500" height="529" /></a></p>
<p><a title="A real lighthouse by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4050220569/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2650/4050220569_5704760223_o.jpg" alt="A real lighthouse" width="500" height="333" /></a></p>
<p><a title="Cape Cod Maritime Museum by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4050964850/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2421/4050964850_f34f9ba6ce_o.jpg" alt="Cape Cod Maritime Museum" width="500" height="296" /></a></p>
<p><a title="A ship by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4050220777/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2702/4050220777_f92b9d9e06_o.jpg" alt="A ship" width="500" height="333" /></a></p>
<p><a title="cape17 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4050965676/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2587/4050965676_de50414bdb_o.jpg" alt="cape17" width="500" height="333" /></a></p>
<p><a title="Will with kite by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4050966198/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2679/4050966198_e344856dbd.jpg" alt="Will with kite" width="333" height="500" /></a></p>
<p><a title="Playing on the sandbar by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4050222109/"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3471/4050222109_b0ecb2f19a_o.jpg" alt="Playing on the sandbar" width="500" height="333" /></a></p>
<p><a title="In the grass ... by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4050965990/"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3016/4050965990_fde673758b_o.jpg" alt="In the grass ..." width="500" height="333" /></a></p>
<p><a title="Best brownies eva by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4050221277/"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3518/4050221277_748cd881d8.jpg" alt="Best brownies eva" width="300" height="389" /></a></p>
<p><a title="Oh, those brownies by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/4050221207/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2631/4050221207_e1d94fd8f5_o.jpg" alt="Oh, those brownies" width="300" height="446" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>What did you do this weekend?</strong></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2009/10/27/weekend-in-cape-cod/">Weekend in Cape Cod</a> appeared first on <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com">Sarah&#039;s Cucina Bella</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Camping in a Cabin</title>
		<link>http://sarahscucinabella.com/2009/08/31/camping-in-a-cabin/</link>
		<comments>http://sarahscucinabella.com/2009/08/31/camping-in-a-cabin/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:44:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sarah W. Caron</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Vacation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cabin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[camping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ross hill park]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rustic]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://sarahscucinabella.com/?p=1723</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Last week, I told you all that we were headed off for a few days of camping and promised details upon my return. My apologies for the delay. I have some big new things happening in my life (more on that tomorrow!) and was bogged down with work from the moment I arrived home. But [...]</p><p>The post <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2009/08/31/camping-in-a-cabin/">Camping in a Cabin</a> appeared first on <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com">Sarah&#039;s Cucina Bella</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a title="camping8 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/3872036293/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2666/3872036293_8cd0ee4733_o.jpg" alt="camping8" width="500" height="333" /></a></p>
<p>Last week, I told you all that we were headed off for a few days of camping and promised details upon my return. My apologies for the delay. I have some big new things happening in my life (more on that tomorrow!) and was bogged down with work from the moment I arrived home. But now, I am caught up, cleaned up and ready to get back into the groove of things.</p>
<p><a title="camping4 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/3872035921/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2606/3872035921_8b2cf9f35f_o.jpg" alt="camping4" width="400" height="600" /></a></p>
<p>So, here&#8217;s the scoop.</p>
<p><span id="more-1723"></span></p>
<p>The campground we went to was called <a href="http://www.rosshillpark.com/">Ross Hill Park</a>. It was a nice, family-owned place where people can rent slots for their RVs, pop-up campers, or their semi-permanent trailers. There are also three log cabins for rent. We opted for the latter, seeing as we don&#8217;t own a tent, camper or anything like that. And yes, we really did cram everything into my teeny Honda Civic &#8212; the bigger of our two cars. See?</p>
<p><a title="camping5 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/3872036009/"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3449/3872036009_f297034d9f_o.jpg" alt="camping5" width="500" height="333" /></a></p>
<p>You should have seen the trunk. I was a packing genius.</p>
<p>So, the log cabin was two rooms &#8212; one with a bunk bed and one with a full size bed. No bathroom (there was a bathhouse about a quarter mile away, which isn&#8217;t too far really). Will slept in his sleeping bag on the lower bunk and Paige slept in her Pack &#8216;n Play. We had a mini fridge to store food in, as well as the cooler we brought.</p>
<p><a title="camping6 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/3872819904/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2650/3872819904_65b45612e2_o.jpg" alt="camping6" width="500" height="340" /></a></p>
<p>For cooking, we had this grill. It was a beast. The starter didn&#8217;t seem to work, so I had to light it from the side &#8212; which was disastrous the first night when I left the gas up all the way. Think <em>big</em> flames. But I quickly learned the ways of this contraption and was able to cook most of our meals on it (including oatmeal &#8230; which I had to serve on paper plates and dish out with tongs. Seriously, who knew that tongs were so versatile?? As they say, necessity is the mother of all invention.</p>
<p><a title="camping3 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/3872819630/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2592/3872819630_bef69ac843_o.jpg" alt="camping3" width="500" height="333" /></a></p>
<p>While were were there, we had a lot of fun. I&#8217;d brought a big roll of paper that we rolled out on the picnic table and colored on. Great times. And we had Playdoh, which became duck bills, pig snouts, bowls and more. Shawn and I had as much fun as the kids playing with it &#8230; the animal noses were his idea.</p>
<p><a title="camping1 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/3872035663/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2563/3872035663_9b8f80b8c8_o.jpg" alt="camping1" width="400" height="600" /></a></p>
<p>We also hiked &#8230; which was interesting with a toddler that&#8217;s not yet two. She was a trooper though and really loved being allowed to walk (as opposed to stroll in the stroller). I swear, Paige must have smiled the entire time. Will too &#8212; he&#8217;s definitely a fan of hiking.</p>
<p><a title="camping10 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/3872036477/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2474/3872036477_8ec9e998a7_o.jpg" alt="camping10" width="500" height="402" /></a></p>
<p>She and Will also loved swimming in the manmade pond, which was only about waist high &#8212; perfect for their little bodies. They could actually stand up in most of the pond, which made it fun for all of us since there was less to be concerned about (and they, of course, wore life vests the entire time).</p>
<p><a title="camping2 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/3872035739/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2531/3872035739_331dce1b1d_o.jpg" alt="camping2" width="500" height="343" /></a></p>
<p>At night, we roasted marshmallows and ate s&#8217;mores around the campfire (seriously, that&#8217;s a requisite of camping, isn&#8217;t it?). Frankly, the fire with the little kids freaked me out a bit. But they were really very good about it and learned the rules quickly (ie: stay away from the fire, walk behind the chairs, not in front, etc). And I would be remiss not to say that Shawn quickly learned how to build a fire &#8212; something he&#8217;d never done without a starter log before. He did a great job building and managing it.</p>
<p><a title="camping7 by Sarah :: Sarah's Cucina Bella, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cucinabella/3872036211/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2619/3872036211_9f3b0ba9d5_o.jpg" alt="camping7" width="400" height="600" /></a></p>
<p>All in all, it was a great little escape. The kids had a blast. We played, we ate and we had a lot of fun. It&#8217;s definitely something we&#8217;d do again. This was a test run to see if we could handle an excursion like this for a full week in a far off place. I think we definitely could.</p>
<p><strong>So, catch me up: how was your week?</strong></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com/2009/08/31/camping-in-a-cabin/">Camping in a Cabin</a> appeared first on <a href="http://sarahscucinabella.com">Sarah&#039;s Cucina Bella</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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