Leah's Life: Pearls and Oysters

Summer Wines

When it comes to choosing wine I end up doing the same thing I do with books. To choose a book I often judge it by it’s cover, I rely on a good librarian to help find something just right, or I recall a little blurb or review I read. For wines I rarely remember…

Bowl Kings: Step Inside

I love summer days by the ocean. Poolside afternoons and early evenings swimming until our lips are blue are a huge part of summer fun. Picking berries at the CSA and ignoring the sweltering heat because each fresh blueberry pops in our mouths with the taste of perfection defines summer. Day after beautiful day outdoors…

Swept Away by a Rug (Sponsored)

We love to be home, but being home doesn’t always mean hanging out within the walls of the house. There are front stoops, small porches, and a back deck. At our house, we have a backyard that hasn’t quite come into its own yet. Until now. Just like a sitting room, a living room, or…

Hot Diggity Dog: It’s National Hot Dog Day

Today, Wednesday, July 23rd is National Hot Dog Day. I don’t know about your fridge, but our fridge has a pack of hot dogs in it year-round with a few extras for those summer cookouts. On the one hand, we love our hot dogs, on the other hand, I never understood why when out at…

Dog Town: Boston’s Best Hot Dogs

I love a good hot dog. I’m just as likely to stop for one out on the town as I am to make one at home. If I’m cooking at home my go to dogs are these ones. My son likes the Hebrew National Reduced Fat hot dogs (Not the 97% lean – those are…

Blogger Bash NYC

Whenever fellow bloggers ask about which conferences I am or am not going to, or when asked if I’ll be at Blogher I joke that I’m allergic to those kind of conferences. The truth is I won’t break out into hives at one of the big blogger conferences, but at this moment in time for…

Sweet Suite 2014

The Big Toy Book’s Sweet Suite was part party and part connecting with brands. I found some old favorites including Faber Castell and Tomy and new discoveries such as Kurio, Fashion Angels, USAopoly, Thames and Kosmos, Hexbugs (did you know they had big robots too?), Skylanders and Disney Infinity among others. As a child, my…

Marmite vs. Vegemite

Dad and I did a breakfast taste test. Vegemite was new for us. It was milder, and a bit less sticky. It has malt extract vs. Marmite’s vegetable extract. We both prefer Marmite which has a bit more bitterness, punch, dimension and almost vinegary taste. We thought Vegemite might be a good intro to the…

Weekend Guide: July 18th 2014

You know how at your parent’s place or the beach house you have that old favorite towel. When you open the linen closet at home, you hope to see that one you really like because it’s big, or it’s soft or the fabric is not too thick. Head over to Rings Fountain at the Rose…

Dining Out New England

It seems that summer is a time to go out a little more often. Try that restaurant that you have been meaning to try. Where do you like to dine out? Follow Leah Klein’s board Dining Out: New England on Pinterest.

French Attitude: Quelques Petits Mots

We have appetizers, the French have aperitif. Ours is a small food that is eaten before a meal. Theirs describes not just the food, but the gathering, the mingling and catching up over a slow drink and a small bite. The French talk about food the way Americans talk about Disneyland. A story I like…

Crudités Redefined

There is a wonderful French song, by Jacques Brel called Les Bonbons (Candy). “Je vous ai apporté des bonbons Parce que les fleurs c’est périssable Puis les bonbons c’est tellement bon Bien que les fleurs soient plus présentables” It says, “I brought you candy, because flowers are perishable. Anyway, candy is so good even though…