A Day of Dining Out
I was exhausted when I got home last night, so I skipped blogging and went straight to bed. I’m sure you guys understand!
I had taken lots of photos while dining out for lunch, dinner, and dessert yesterday, so I figured that I might as well blog about my experience today. It’s better late than never, right? 
Lunch
I met my friend, Marie, at Veggie Planet in Harvard Square for lunch. I’ve been meaning to try Veggie Planet for months now, so I was psyched to finally have a chance to go.
Veggie Planet is a funky, little vegetarian restaurant that serves healthy salads, soups, meat-free pizzas, and rice dishes.
In addition to delicious food, Veggie Planet benefits the community. Their pizza dough is baked locally at a non-profit bakery in Boston’s South End, and Veggie Planet donates 2% of their food profits and 100% of its t-shirt profits to Food For Free, a non-profit organization helping to feed the hungry in Cambridge and surrounding areas. As you can see, Veggie Planet is a pretty awesome dining establishment!
I started with a lemonade mixed with Crimson Berry iced tea. The self-serve option encouraged me to mix flavors! 
For lunch, I ordered the Open Face Grilled Cheese, which was not at all a traditional grilled cheese sandwich. It was made with Cabot Vermont cheddar, diced tomatoes, broccoli, basil, and scallions, and placed on top of coconut white rice. It wasn’t what I expected, but it was excellent!
I basically ate all of the cheese-y goodness off the top!
The portion was surprisingly huge! I could have easily shared it with someone.
After work, I met my hubby for a cocktail at The Beehive in the South End.
I love The Beehive’s outdoor dining space! Inside the eatery/bar is really funky too. I already want to go back! What a cool place!
I took a recommendation from our server and ordered the “Marani” white wine. It was light, crisp, and fruity.
Perfect for a warm summer evening!
After our cocktail, Mal and I said goodbye and headed to our respective dinner dates. Mal headed to Maggiano’s, and I met Shannon, Elina, Lauren, and Mary Kate for dinner and drinks at Scoozi on Newbury Street. (There may or may not have been a Barney Butter exchange! )
We started with a pitcher of sangria.
Mmmmm! It was wonderful!
Cheers! 
For dinner, I ordered the Hearts of Palm Salad with arugula, avocado, and hearts of palm with a vinaigrette on the side.
Light and summery!
After dinner, we considered the dessert menu at Scoozi, but decided that we’d enjoy JP Licks a lot more!
Bloggers!
I had a tough time deciding which flavor to get, but eventually picked Oreo Cookie. As always, it was heaven!
After eating ice cream at JP Licks, I had planned to meet up with Mal and our friends, but I was pooped from my long day. I ended up heading home and passing out.
What a day! At least it was filled with delicious food!
Dori — August 6, 2009 @ 12:47 pm
If I ever go to Boston, JP Licks is on the list! Your ice cream looks so great. I am in an ice cream love affair right now.
Foodie (Fab and Delicious Food) — August 6, 2009 @ 1:07 pm
Mmmm, oreo cookie ice cream!
Christie @ Quit Your Diet — August 6, 2009 @ 1:10 pm
I made homemade oreo ice cream a couple of days ago, so good!
Erica — August 6, 2009 @ 1:12 pm
What a fabulous day of eats! That open faced grilled cheese looks out of this world! I love grilled cheese
Megan (The Runner's Kitchen) — August 6, 2009 @ 1:19 pm
Ahh! I want to go to JP Licks SO bad. I’m bummed that I have to work next Thursday and miss the blogger meetup. Oh well! I will try to console myself with the ice cream in my freezer
What did you think of the hearts of palm? I’ve had them on salads before and am curious about their nutritional stats.
Danielle — August 6, 2009 @ 1:23 pm
What a fun day, no wonder you were so tired!
that open faced grilled cheese looks so great!
Emily — August 6, 2009 @ 1:24 pm
Your food really does look delicious! I always get so excited reading about the restaurants and places you visit in Boston. My boyfriend Brian lives in Somerville, and I love on the north shore, so we mostly stick to the Davis Square area – its prefect for breakfast though.
Hope you have a great Thursday!
Pam (Highway to Health) — August 6, 2009 @ 1:34 pm
On of JP Lick’s flavors of the month is Peanut Butter Oreo. I’m dying to try it!
Shannon (The Daily Balance) — August 6, 2009 @ 1:39 pm
Looks like a deliciously fantastic day! Veggie Planet looks amazing!
brandi — August 6, 2009 @ 1:43 pm
what a fun night! that opened face grilled cheese looks so, so good.
Cait (Cait's Plate) — August 6, 2009 @ 1:45 pm
Ah! That place is too cute! And that sangria looks to die for!
YAY for J.P. Licks! Oreo cookie was always one of my go-tos as well
Therese — August 6, 2009 @ 2:01 pm
I don’t know who’s night out sounds more appealing! That hearts of palm salad and sangria looks devine (duh and the ice cream) but I love love love Maggiano’s! I ate at one in Chicago and their food is out of this world.
Glad you had a fun girl’s night
Johanna B — August 6, 2009 @ 2:03 pm
My birthday was last week and I had a coupon for a free single dip with one mix-in from Coldstone Creamery. So I got coffee with mini choc chips. At the time it was spot-on what I wanted but your oreo cookie looks even better.
Britt — August 6, 2009 @ 2:04 pm
Sounds like a delicious day! That sangria looked awesome too.
Meredith (Pursuing Balance) — August 6, 2009 @ 2:11 pm
I love the giant carrot!
Becci — August 6, 2009 @ 2:16 pm
So many wonderful eats! The open faced grilled cheese looked devine!
Meghan@traveleatlove — August 6, 2009 @ 2:26 pm
I love Veggie Planet; I wish it was close to my office! Your dinner at Scoozi looks like a lot of fun too.
Beehive is a great place for drinks and music, but everything I have ever eaten there has been meh at best and at times inedible. The last time we went the server took my plate away while I was in the middle of a bite, half plate of food left, then spilled it all over the table!
Elina — August 6, 2009 @ 2:36 pm
The dinner was so fun… and I’m so glad we decided to hit up JP Licks. It’s the best!
Julie — August 6, 2009 @ 2:46 pm
Oreo cookie is my all time fave.
Question – why are all the fun, healthy places to eat all have to be in town?? Us lazy suburbanites (aka – me) don’t want to go all the way in there just to dine out healthfully! Lame.
K — August 6, 2009 @ 2:48 pm
I can not wait until I get back to Boston – I foresee a HUGE bowl of JP Licks in my future
Missy (Missy Maintains) — August 6, 2009 @ 2:57 pm
That sangria looks perfect!! I love when it is filled with fruit! And of course I NEED that ice cream!! Oreo is my favorite thing ever!
kay (eating machine) — August 6, 2009 @ 3:00 pm
that open faced grilled cheese looks so good! and i love their carrot sign!
Jenn Eats Nutritiously Now — August 6, 2009 @ 3:16 pm
Ooh that sangria looks so tempting!
Tay — August 6, 2009 @ 3:17 pm
WOW veggie plant looks so good! Wish we had something like that near me. What a cute sangria pitcher!! And that ice cream looks like heaven. I like how it REALLY looks like oreo cookie ice cream (with all the chocolatey goodness) rather than just vanilla with chunks of oreo.
Angharad — August 6, 2009 @ 3:19 pm
Oreo Cookie is the best. It’s official! Mmmm I am so in the mood for a nice cold glass of white wine. How cute is that sangria jug?!
Meg C. — August 6, 2009 @ 3:37 pm
those are some great spots! I’ve always wanted to try veggie planet.
Rose — August 6, 2009 @ 3:43 pm
Wow! Lots of good food yesterday. I really want to go to Veggie Planet. I think my friend has one in Indiana state (maybe?) and she always says how much I’d love to go.
Emily (The Experimentarian) — August 6, 2009 @ 3:44 pm
OMG! I don’t drink, but I could totally dive right into that fruit in the sangria! That looks amazing. What a fun night
Sarah — August 6, 2009 @ 3:44 pm
Veggie planet sounds like such a neat place! I like the idea of an open-faced grilled cheese
The ice cream sounds amazing too…well, most things you put pictures up of do, haha. But seriously, yum!
Sagan — August 6, 2009 @ 3:47 pm
That looks great! I love that spin on a grilled cheese and the pitcher of sangria looks super tasty (it’s my favorite drink). So much fun!
Anna — August 6, 2009 @ 4:18 pm
Oh my lord that Veggie Planet place looks awesome. The name alone makes me want to go there. And you can’t beat JP Licks, that’s for sure.
Maria — August 6, 2009 @ 4:25 pm
We don’t eat out very often but this week we had some friends in town so they took us out 2 nights in a row. Sushi and then Italian, food was outstanding, but I am looking forward to a night in. I am ready for my own kitchen, food, and relaxation!
Kristen — August 6, 2009 @ 6:00 pm
How fun to meet up with bloggers! I recognized Lauren! Your salad looks great; just the right amount of everything!
Rebecca — August 6, 2009 @ 6:12 pm
Your post makes me want to go back to Boston. I really just want to move there!
christina mindful living — August 6, 2009 @ 6:16 pm
woahhhh i usually am not one for cookies n creme type icecreams- but that LOOKS AWESOME!!!
Leianna — August 6, 2009 @ 6:30 pm
You make great decisions when faced with eating out twice in one day! I would definetely be overwhelmed! And to end with ice cream, oreo non the less, YUMMY!
She-Fit — August 6, 2009 @ 6:30 pm
YUM! Your ice cream looks so good. I think I am going to go get some right now. Glad you had such a great day!
Debbie (Green Apple A Day) — August 6, 2009 @ 7:14 pm
I love J.P. Licks! I haven’t been there since my college days, but it will always have a special place in my heart
katey — August 6, 2009 @ 7:18 pm
That vegetarian restaurant looks awesome! I wish there were some by me!
Natalie (Will Jog for Food) — August 6, 2009 @ 7:21 pm
All that food looks SO good
The JP licks ice cream looks so tempting, I want some!!
Emily — August 6, 2009 @ 7:44 pm
what a cute sangria pitcher! i wonder where one (I) can get one of those…
Kelsey — August 6, 2009 @ 7:58 pm
what a fun time! veggie planet seems like a really awesome company!
Melissa — August 6, 2009 @ 8:08 pm
Sangria.
Ashley — August 6, 2009 @ 8:27 pm
Every time I read your blog I miss Boston a little more. Veggie Planet was one of my favorite places in college. Glad you liked it.
Lynn (The Actors Diet) — August 6, 2009 @ 8:40 pm
mmmm i love jp licks!!! i had a hard time picking out an ice cream flavor whenever i was there….
Deva — August 6, 2009 @ 9:23 pm
Wow, that is one awesome open faced grilled cheese – very different and vegetabley!
Lele — August 6, 2009 @ 10:10 pm
Food for Free sounds like an amazing organization! I definitely just contacted them about an internship! Thanks for hooking a nutrition-minded Boston college girl up!
Cynthia (it all changes) — August 6, 2009 @ 11:00 pm
You food looks amazing. Everytime you eat out I add new restaurants to my list of must try for visiting Boston.
Sues — August 6, 2009 @ 11:22 pm
Oooh I didn’t realize Beehive had such a nice patio. WIll definitely have to check that out! I love seeing other people’s fun in Boston
Caroline — August 6, 2009 @ 11:41 pm
Yum! Sangria and avocado, all in the same meal!
Mairssa — August 7, 2009 @ 3:32 am
Anything Oreo has to be good!!
Madelin @ What is for breakfast? — August 7, 2009 @ 9:53 am
Yum that Sangria looks great!