Chicken salad is a bit like communication: In theory, it seems so simple but when you get right down taking a thought, sharing it with someone and having them hear, listen and understand it as you meant it to be expressed is incredibly complex. As a mayo-averse person, I tend to shy away from chicken salad as…
Author: City Living (Boston)
I am a writer and cook. I write about city living, travel, food, the arts and family. I raise my family in Cambridge & Boston and share tips for throwing cocktail parties, packing lunches, having fun on the weekend without going broke or losing your sanity.
Prep School: Garlic Oil
This year, I am trying to be a bit more efficient both out of necessity and for sanity’s sake. If I am not organized, I find myself making lunches in the early morning, then moments after the kids are off to school I am prepping my own lunch and breakfast. Then, only an hour or…
Falling for Italy in the North End: Artú
When we 1st moved to Boston there was still a highway on the horizon between Boston and its North End. Dan and I enjoyed an occasional romantic date night or late night coffee when we dared try to get ourselves from Cambridge to Boston and back (remember this was the time before GPS and iPhones and…
Return of the Weekend Guide: September 16-18th
Our long-lost friend, the Weekend Guide, is back! We live in a region that is full of options and opportunities and making a curated list of things to do each weekend is one of my favourite things to do for my readers. What I get in return is a feeling of satisfaction and joy when…
Back to Life/Back to Reality: Xfinity
School has begun for just about everyone and soon the fall sports and activities will begin to fill all our calendars. We’re still refreshed from summer, but as everything starts back up again efficiency is key. In the summer, we’re too busy playing outside to spend much time in front of a screen, and with…
Screaming Labor Day Ice Cream Cake Recipe (Sponsored)
We’re screaming because it is a party and every party needs a little noise. We’re screaming because summer is coming to an end. We’re screaming for ice cream and we’ll continue enjoying it year-round to remember all those great summer days. This is the perfect dessert for your Labor Day BBQ because it is so…
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe Mashup
I never remember how I make a recipe anymore. I’m definitely becoming my mother in a round about sort of way. I am usually a recipe follower, and technically I still am, whereas my mother is an amazing improvizational cook. In any case, for my pies I mix recipes because I have a favourite pie…
Spa Getaway Experience Without Leaving Town: Linden Square Wellesley
Every summer I spend a few weeks in Wellesley and no there isn’t a Canyon Ranch hidden between Dana Hall and Wellesley College. What I like to do though, is to put together a “me day” that I like even better than spending the entire day in one building (although Canyon Ranch is definitely an exception…
Car Treats: Summers on the Run
In the summer, we somehow find ourselves spending a lot more time in the car and a lot more time outside. From trips to the pool and beach to carpools to and from camp, the car is our home away from home. With hungry swimmers and campers, avoiding extra stops and getting from “point a”…
Picnic Like You Have a Personal Chef: Post 390
There is something idyllic about a picnic. From large family picnics at the local playground on a summer’s day staying up too late, and keeping cool by running through the sprinkler to a picnic for two with your boyfriend on a city picnic bench or at the beach. You don’t need a reservation. You can…
Red Sox and Lego: Dream Come True
This weekend and the last weekend in August the Red Sox and Lego have a few fun events for you and your little builders and batters. This Saturday is Kid Nation Day at LEGOLAND Discovery Center, the second is LEGO Day at Fenway Park during the August 31st game. This Saturday, August 6 from 11…
Too Hot to Cook: The Foodery to the Rescue
I don’t handle heat well. So summer cooking on a good day is outside on the grill or in a single pan. I’ll happily have some chopped up raw vegetables from our CSA, but the rest of the family usually wants something a little more than that. Takeout gets expensive and we easily fall into…
Leah's Life: Pearls and Oysters 