Now that I'm a grown-up (if only in body if not in maturity), I can wear whatever I want to dammit. Yesterday just so happened to be V-Day and I certainly was visible. There's something about Valentine's Day that I just love. It has nothing to do with the expected urgency of declaring your deep and undying feelings for someone (being single, that wasn't a problem anyway). I think it's more to do with the pink drinks (I'm currently drinking pink kombucha at Local Sprouts as I type!), ability to wear pink and red together and eating candy all day. Like I said, kid mentality.
The day started early with a trip to Scratch Bakery to get something yummy. I found blood orange scones and pink cookies everywhere. Happiness is...Then a trip to Mr Bagel and finally work. Our Winter Carnival was a huge success and I'd like to think that was partly due to the amazing quinzee (snow shelter) my boss and I dug out on Friday. It was a lot of work but so great! I could sleep in that thing. Somehow, I also managed to make it to bootcamp class that night. That's my "raised heart rate" portion of the blog for this month : )
After our carnival, I met some girlfriends for Galentine's (get it? I didn't at first) Day at Eventide. I arrived late to the party but was still able to squeeze in a Mai Tai (tastefully served in a ceramic pineapple vessel), smashed and fried giant fingerling potatoes with side of aioli and a fried chicken bun, served with ranch, pickled watermelon and cole slaw. I was definitely full and happy after that. Maybe it had to do with the bagel and scone I had earlier and the adrenaline rush of a great day at work too.
After going home for a couple of hours to rest my tired body, I rallied and went down to Liquid Riot (formerly Infiniti) for some shuffleboard with my girl friends and all their significant others. I was the 9th wheel but that didn't phase me! Especially since I got a beautifully pink drink, served in very classy glass stemware. The Bebe at LR is served with their house-made rhum blanc, cocchi americano (apertif wine) , cranberries, lime and bitters. A couple male buddies met me there and we had another round before heading home to my cat (calm down mom, this was a total of three drinks in 9 hours). The Port Royale is very good and served over crushed ice, whereas the Bebe was served up. The former had rhum blanc, dry curaco (orange liqueur), lime, house-made pineapple syrup and Kraken dark rum float for color variation and extra yummy taste.
And so ended my Valentine's Day of fun, love and friends.
As for the top row of pictures: After a big snow, or any day that I can happily be outside without unwillingly crying because of the wind, I like to take long walks. These steps happen to belong to my good friend Leslie but they were also beautiful (and treacherous). The middle picture is at GMRI, as is the heart in the snow picture above. I went there last Thursday for their lecture series on algae. Fascinating stuff with fun and not so fun facts. Like of Korea's exported seaweed that we like to eat, 7% was tested high for radiation. Maine seaweed is definetly better and adheres to all health guidelines. Maine Sea Coast Vegetables was one of the lecturers. Check out their products at https://www.seaveg.com/shop/. I can't wait to get my hands on some sea seasonings! Protein, iodine, fiber, iron, absorption of ratio-active elements and heavy metal contaminants, do I need to continue? Instead of mmmm kale, I'm now thinking mmmmm seaweed!
Side note and plug for Sur Lie: I went here last week with my good, newly married friends. Get the chicken and biscuits. Just do it. I wanted more but that's only because I'm a bottomless pit when it comes to chicken and biscuits.
Today is Sunday and we were supposed to get this great big blizzard last night and today. Instead, this is reminiscent of the hurricane of 2011. A couple lawn chairs were tipped over in Portland I believe. Run!!!!