Glass Hostaria | Trastevere

When there is a Michelin-starred restaurant run by a notable chef at the top of your street, you go! Chef Cristina Bowerman's gastronomic cuisine stands out in a sea of trattorias. It is always preferable to make a reservation at a Michelin star but you wouldn't necessarily need one at Glass far in advance. Contemporary Italian fine dining is not what the crowd in Trastevere leans towards so the sleek glass and gold-accented dining room was not busy. Because we were in town so many nights dining here was a welcome change of pace, the meal certainly noteworthy. Camden slept until dessert, the little angel! 

Dueling amuse bouche to prelude meal were crisp pickled vegetable tacos and mojito globes. Yes, it is liquid inside those balancing spheres! Then, a refreshing tomato and raspberry gazpacho. The Beef Filet Tartare appetizer with celery, nashi pear, smoked Sardinan sauce and quail egg was outstanding!

Our Massolino Barolo was an elegant, savory, refined bottle of red wine. The pasta courses were small but exquisite - Tortelli stuffed with rabbit, coconut sauce, green curry and pine nuts. Gnocci with sea urchin, black garlic bagancauda, salted lemon and truffle.

Dessert + Petit Fours were on another level. The first featured condensed milk, espresso jelly and Baileys ice cream! The second amazed with passion fruit, popcorn ice cream and caramelized popcorn.

I wrote a note with our reservation request so they knew we had a baby in a stroller and to actually make sure it was OK to dine with him. They were more than welcoming and by the end of the night I think every waitress had held and got to know Camden. It was really, really sweet!!! When we were outside at Bar Del Cinque the following evening, our waitress spotted Camden and came over to see him.

Proving you can go all out Michelin Star dining with an infant, Glass Hostaria 10/10

Glass Hostaria 

Vicolo de' Cinque, 58

00153, Rome

Il Casale | Belmont Center

On Bob's birthday, Wednesday, February 27th, I was 2 days postpartum and still admitted. Baby Camden was in the NICU. I was discharged on the 28th while Camden was not quite ready. We had been visiting our sweet son at NWH and as we said our goodnights we impromptu decided to take advantage of his excellent care and head out for a birthday date night. 

Belmont Center is not too far from NWH. We arrived to Il Casale in a warm and bustling converted fire station and grabbed two seats at the bar. I eyed the martinis next to me thinking how good they looked. Suddenly my face lit up. "I can have a drink. I can actually order one of those!" It had not hit me until this glorious moment. 

I thoroughly enjoyed my 9 months of sobriety but what a moment. My first postpartum drink: the 60 day cask aged Meletti Manhattan made with overholt rye, meletti amaro + amarena cherry.  

The Buratta Salad was a wondrous portion of field greens, speck from Trentino Alto-Adige + fresh figs. All the pasta is made in house - I had a terrific Cream Mushroom Gnocchetti featuring pickled Beachwood mushrooms, charred endive, local carrots + pine nuts. It was our first time to this Il Casale location (I had been to Lexington) and it made for a lovely Friday birthday date night. 

Il Casale

50 Leonard St 

Belmont, MA 02478

NYC Babymoon

A peek into our New York City babymoon getaway the weekend before Christmas, where we stayed in a cozy Airbnb on West 10th Street with the prettiest aqua door. The West Village is infinitely charming by way of cobblestone streets, historic Federal style townhouses, underground jazz clubs, trendy bars and fantastic restaurants. Below, two of my favorite neighborhood meals. 

Barbuto (775 Washington Street) embodies the West Village's casual sophistication and cool neighborhood vibe. The elevated Italian comfort food is very good. We ate: insalata burrata ($16) red and green pears, walnut, oregano / pappardelle con bolognese ($26) veal and pork ragu, tomato, parmesan / gnocchi stagionale ($24) delicata squash, spinach, sage & hazelnut / crostata ($14) Bartlett pear & vanilla gelato / tiramisu ($11) ladyfingers, mascarpone & cocoa. 

Barbuto does not take reservations - which actually helped our cause as I hit so many dead ends with popular West Village spots. [Emphasis on popular, I simply researched who had the best reviews. I was booking a week in advance, in actuality you need about a month or two.] If you head to this chic Italian eatery I'd prepare to wait at the bar for 30 minutes until a cozy table for two opens up - preferably alongside the industrial garage doors to soak in the atmosphere both inside and out. 

Jeffrey's Grocery (172 Waverly Place) is a West Village restaurant and oyster bar with a stellar weekend brunch. As large windows bathe the understated nautical kisch in a serene Sunday morning light, I am once again enraptured by this neighborhood, reflecting on her endless eateries, bars and coffee shops tucked perfectly into every other street corner. We ate: Spinach-Artichoke Benedict ($20) poached eggs, hollandaise and home fries / Fried Egg Sandwich ($18) wilted spinach, gruyere, pickled peppers, english muffin, fries and lettuces. It was quite possibly one of the best egg sandwiches I have had in recent memory.  P.S. They've got a really good looking bloody mary menu; not to mention dinner, cocktail and late night menus; I wouldn't hesitate to check out Jeffery's at any point in your West Village stay.

We walked around a lot, seeing the traditional holiday touristy things; the tree at Rockefeller Center, the Macys windowfronts, Paddy Maguire's Ale House, the Flatiron building as we passed by. We met friends in Columbus Circle for drinks at Ascent Lounge on the 4th floor of the Time Warner Center. The elegant space was matched with gorgeous views of the circle and park, plus friendly bartenders who served Bob a perfect Manhattan. 

Of course there is quite a bit more to share before our departure from Grand Central. Stay tuned. 

Brighton Bodega

Here today with a compilation of dishes I've had at one of my favorite spots: Brighton Bodega. 

A wealth of variety is offered through globally inspired small plates which are filling and big on flavor. The beverage program is impeccable with 20 draft lines host to some of the best New England craft beers, a seasonally focused cocktail menu with house made sodas and syrups, and eclectic, boutique driven wines. 

in order (mostly!)

The Bohdi Tree - plymouth gin, matcha tea syrup, cucumber, lime + eucalyptus bitters, mint

goat cheese stuffed dates with almond za'atar and apricot honey 

smoked salmon carbonara

fresh, briny, perfectly shucked oysters

black truffle gnocchi mac n cheese (S U B L I M E)

fried burrata in San Marzano Marinara (H E A V E N)

warm fluffy bao stuffed to the brim with fried chicken, lettuce and pickles

Korean BBQ Kalbi short ribs 

more warm fluffy bao this time with crispy duck confit bathed in hoi-sin

spicy chicken drumettes

Located in Brighton Center, this spot has felt like a neighborhood godsend since it opened. 

Brighton Bodega

328 Washington St

Brighton, MA 02135