breakfast Tag

July 5, 2017 In BLR Play It Forward 2017, Do good, grow, Inspiration, Links, Photos, Restaurants, Strong Mojo, Vermont

still hearing laughter

I’m currently sitting in my travel office for this week; the counter at the Blue Benn Diner:

I can’t get enough of this place when I’m in my hometown for BLR Play It Forward week each summer, even though I miss my coffee buddy so much.

I arrived in Vermont late Sunday night, and have spent the last few days reconnecting with some of my favorite people, and putting the final touches on plans for our 6th annual event that kicks off on Friday night. Sometimes I have to pinch myself at how ridiculously gorgeous this place I grew up in, is:

That’s view of Mount Anthony and the Bennington Battle Monument above. I took this photo from the town park where we will reveal our community give back surprise on Saturday. To say I’m excited and proud is an understatement. I’m trying my best to keep things under wraps as we complete all parts and pieces, but I really want to shout from the green mountain tops about the all the good heart and effort so many people have put, into making this special gift happen. I know the families of our girls will love it.

Today this article was published in the Bennington Banner.

REMEMBER. CELEBRATE. LIVE.

It’s so important to remember where we came from, no matter how far we might go from “home.” Giving back is key. Celebrating each day, and the happy memories we have, honors those we might not be able to see in person anymore. Living, realizing today is the day, to go, be, see, and do, is how we respect the clock that doesn’t stop.

Much of this life is so bittersweet. As we carry our bruised hearts around each day, I hope the voices of laughter that remain will always inspire us to keep arms wide open.

#AlwaysLookingUp #PlayItForward #RespectTheClock

October 29, 2016 In Cool companies, De-lish, Food, Links, New York, Photos

another successful breakfast by schoolhouse maple

…by successful, I mean delicious dips in the warm maple syrup that my friends Jon & Dana Finny make. My mangled because I still can’t get the hang of flipping pancakes properly, still taste amazing, doused in this stuff:

Ahhh…warm fall balcony breakfast mornings.

Thanks Jon & Dana!

You want some? Get some! (Did somebody say holiday gifts?) Drop Jon & Dane a line:
[email protected]
Mmm…

#LessStuffGoodFriendsHappyLife #Nosh #SmallBatch

November 24, 2015 In Links, Photos, Restaurants, Vermont

baby it’s cold outside

…but It’s nice and toasty here at one of my favorite places on the planet; The Blue Benn Diner.

27 degree VT – you’ve got nothing on a hot cup of coffee and a counter seat here!

If you ever plan to travel through Southern Vermont, make sure to put this on your list of places to nosh. I’ve probably written about this place now about 100 times. Never gets old and I can never get enough. You will love it that much, too. I promise.

This is my office today. Where do you work?

#LessStuffMoreDinerHappyLife #Travel #Vermont

October 3, 2015 In Photos

“eggs in a creme brûlée dish!”

That’s what I just texted to a friend with this photo, as I giggled:

Breakfast in a new place

That title would actually be a great band name.

Perhaps I will share the story on these eggs and this dish at some point, but for now as I laugh here in my quiet space, I think of the importance of making the most of what you’ve got, and finding the fun and adventure in the little things that might not seem like any kind of adventure at all. That, and the importance of surrounding yourself with people that’ve always got your back.

Thanks, M:)

#Appreciation #Friendship #MakeTheMostOfIt

April 23, 2015 In Food, Food Porn, People, Photos

pour some sugar on me

Meet my friends, Jon & Dana:

Cheers to syrup

These two started making maple syrup as a hobby a couple years ago. (You’re looking at a toast of the good stuff, above.) They’re now cranking out a serious production as a tiny team. As far as I remember, it takes 25+ gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup. That’s right, twenty five plus gallons of sap! Talk about a labor of love:

Schoolhouse treats

*(Side note: Jon has been a travel buddy of mine for a long time. We’ve back-country camped, hiked, and road tripped across the USA together. We’ve both been writing our respective books for many years, and we’ve shared much great conversation about life over good beers. We’ve eaten Mexican food for Easter in Pueblo, Colorado after getting a speeding ticket as we drove through the middle of nowhere Kansas. Oh the adventures! Imagine my delight when he found and married Dana. It’s totally awesome when your bff guy friends find the coolest women to share their lives with. Lucky me to have such great friends.)

So what did these friends send in the mail last Friday?

I love snail mail

A mega maple syrup surprise!

Maple Syrup Goodness

Do you see the drops on the outside of the jug? Don’t tell anyone, but I definitely took a little taste of those because I was so excited. Finger-lickin’ good!

Saturday morning we made a huge batch of pancakes and found that our jug was so full, we had to dip some pancake pieces first:

Breakfast

…to make some room to pour. Mmmm:

Pancakes

(As you can see, I got so busy eating, I almost forgot to snap this photo.) Ohhh…sooo…good!

Are you jealous? You should be- this stuff tastes amazing!

Do you want to get your own? You can! Sweet! (See what I did there?:)

Jon & Dana’s School House Maple is still available to buy from this season. Here’s what they have:

Plastic Jugs:
Sampler ~ $3
1/2 Pint ~ $5
Pint ~ $10
Quart ~ $17
1/2 gallon ~ $32
Gallon ~ $58

Glass Growler or Tin:
Sampler ~ $5
Half Pint ~ $8
Pint (tin only) $14
Quart ~ $22
Half Gallon ~ $36
Gallon ~ $62

These prices are crazy good, so get some while it lasts! If you have any questions, you can email Dana directly: [email protected]

Thanks Jon & Dana! You guys are the best!

What’s your labor of love?

#MapleSyrup #Sweetness #BestKindOfFriends

April 8, 2015 In Food, Food Porn, Louisiana, People, Photos, Travel

holy crawfish boil

They say don’t play with your food, but I couldn’t resist the other day when the first of two crawfish boils began:

Crawfish playtime

Those suckers didn’t have long to live in that bucket before getting boiled up and spread out for the feast:

Bayou Feast

And I thought I got excited about food? Well, this sweet Cajun could give me a run for my food love money diving in the way he did:

Louisiana Crawfish Boil

Could his face be any closer to the table? I love it the pure focus. Three men put down 15 pounds of crawfish that night, and the next night? Another 30 pounds with a different crew at a camp site:

Crawfish Boil

I’ve been to Louisiana before, but boy this time I realize, it is indeed like a whole different country down here. My “No thank you, I don’t eat any fish/seafood” responses to meal-offerings, have left many of these kind, generous locals horrified (but I think secretly glad they can have my share of the clawed crustaceans:) I’ve opted to indulge in the 9 billion doughnuts available at various unexpected roadside shacks we’ve encountered:

Road Food

Here are two of the four we noshed on in the sunshine at the picnic table:

Breakfast

Needless to say we aren’t going hungry this week here in Cajun Country.

How do you feast locally?

#RoadFood #CajunCountry #LifeOnTheBlueLollipopRoad

April 3, 2015 In Food, Georgia, Links, Photos, Recommended reading, Restaurants, Travel, Travel Tips and Tricks

headin’ down to the bayou

There’s a Cajun in my life, so we’re heading down to where crawfish is a main food group, and hot sauce is believed to be the only condiment needed.

ROAD TRIP!

After a night in the tent at the Jellystone Campground (HA! Yes, for real) where the bathroom and shower doors were on lockdown, we stopped for breakfast feeling nice n’ greasy at the Georgia Express Diner:

BLR Breakfast

…where couldn’t wait to take a bite:

Breakfast inTthe South

“Y’alls” were swirling around this place like the Tasmanian devil on his fastest day, and we were out the door filled with pancakes, cheesy-egg biscuits, omelette’s, grits, toast, and too much coffee for $12.89:

Breakfast in The South

Our waitress fully fit the southern stereotype, sweet as pie as you’d imagine. Mornings like these I absolutely love; The randomness on the road and connecting with strangers hearing their stories in a place unfamiliar.

Tent camping, cheap diner breakfast, and learning about how other people live. Ahhh…travel.

How do you find adventure?

#RoadTrip #Georgia #Diner

February 17, 2015 In Food, Food Porn, Louisiana, Photos, TTAA

because today is mardi gras

…and my boyfriend is from Louisiana, and it is a snow day here in NC:

Beignet Breakfast

…we made beignets of course. And Chicory Coffee with our eggs for this lazy cold Tuesday breakfast:

Mardi Gras Breakfast

As you can see from the top corner of the photo below, my sweet partner in crime takes no prisoners when it comes to noshing on these deeeeeee-lish French doughnuts:

Kevin's Beignets Breakfast

…he usually has powdered sugar all over his hands, up his arms, on every button of the stove, every drawer handle, and of course- all over his face by the time the whole make and eat process is done. The kitchen often looks like a white powder bomb went off, as if a 2 year old, or the family dog found a 10 pound bag and just shook it all over the place.

A small cleaning price to pay to be able to have these treats if you ask me. I’ll clean up that mess any day to have a snuggly, warm, yummy breakfast like this with my sweet, messy, Cajun partner in crime.

How do you snuggle in on a snow day?

#MardiGras #BeignetLove #Winter

August 5, 2014 In Be active, BLR Memorial Travel Scholarship Fund, BLR Play It Forward 2014, Blue Lollipop Road Memorial Scholarship, Do good, Inspiration, Links, Live the life you want to live, People, Photos, Restaurants, Travel, Uncategorized, Vermont

“i’ll figure it out”

I love when friends send me articles like this. (Reference post title the author’s #4.)

Of course the travel & adventure part of this womans’ story are inspiring and invigorating in that I-wanna-go-out-and-do-those-things-right-now, but the best part of this is lesson is that she took action when she had an aha moment. She started really living, and didn’t just crawl under her bed.

We all know life is short, but it seems like we just don’t live like it is. I vote for more of us to wake up with that carpe diem- life is short-let’s do it now attitude, rather than not. Whaddya say?

After wrapping a 3rd Annual BLR Play It Forward Event, I’m more than ever convinced that spending time with people I love like these:

VT playing tourist

Green Mountains

…and doing work that means everything to me:

BLR Memorial Scholarship Award

BLR Play It Forward 2014

Soccer rules at BLR

…(just to share a very few)- is what’s most important. The rest of life- can always be figured out. Read this article, pass it on, then ask yourself; If you could spend time with who you wanted, and do work that really meant something to you- what would you be doing?

Find your Blue Lollipop Road. Today is the day. What are you waiting for?

#Inspiration #BLR #TodayIsTheDay

*Above photos taken in Vermont during my stay for BLR Play It Forward, 2014