Good morning! Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July weekend. Mine was especially nice because I got to spend the majority of it with Mal’s family. His sister and her husband were in town from Seattle, so we did some of our favorite East coast things with them.
On Saturday afternoon, we met Mal’s parents, his sister, and her husband in Harvard Square. My father-in-law is a Harvard alum, so he offered to give everyone a tour of Harvard Yard. Mal has done the tour several times already and I used to work at Harvard and it was 91 degrees (+ humidity) outside, so we skipped it and headed straight for the air conditioned downstairs bar at Russell House Tavern.
Mal and I hadn’t been to the Russell House Tavern since our second wedding anniversary (our fifth is this Friday), so it had been quite awhile since our last visit. When Mal and I reminisced about our second anniversary, it really didn’t seem likeĀ that long ago, definitely not three years ago! Hey, time flies when you’re having fun!
I ordered a couple of āmocktailsāĀ while at Russell House Tavern. The first was made with ginger beer, lime juice, raspberry syrup, and orange bitters, and the second was made with cucumber shrub, mint, lime juice, and soda water. Both were really good, and I didn’t even miss the alcohol. (FYI: I just picked a fun cocktail from the drink menu and asked the bartender to make it without booze.)
We also ordered honey-roasted Brussels sprouts, French fries, and oysters to munch on while we enjoyed our drinks.
After drinks and apps, the whole group walked over to Legal Sea Foods for dinner. Since we already ate some appetizers and dessert was on the agenda for later in the evening, Mal and I decided to share a few small plates for dinner.Ā We had the Blackened Raw Tuna āSashimiāĀ with sesame chili vinaigrette.
Steamers.
And Barbeque Sweet Potato Chips. All three apps were deliciousāāI especially liked the tuna. It was so āmeatyāĀ and flavorful. The Barbeque Sweet Potato Chips were also pretty amazing. The seasoning was out of this world!
After dinner, we took a stroll through Harvard Square and over to Finale for dessert.
Instead of just grabbing something for dessert, we made our visit into an event. We sat down at a table, perused the menu, debated what to get, ordered coffee and dessert, and then chatted and laughed a lot while we enjoyed our treats. It was a fabulous way to end the night.
I ordered the Dark Chocolate Decadence, which was a flourless dark chocolate cake served with a scoop of chocolate sorbet. The inside of the cake was like a dark chocolate truffle. It was incredibly rich and fudgy. Amazing.
After dessert, we all said goodbye and made plans to meet the next morning in Newport, Rhode Island, which is another one of our favorite places!
The fam!
Our first activity of the day was lunch at Mudville Pub, which is one of my father-in-law’s favorite places to grab a bite to eat and watch football in the fall.
For lunch, I ordered a salad with grilled chicken and a side of pesto. One of the sandwiches on the menu had pesto on it, so I asked for it on the side of my salad instead of the usual salad dressing. It was tasty and great for dipping chicken!
I also ordered a side of sweet potato fries to share with Mal, but he ate like two, and I ate the rest.
After lunch, we went on a āsightsailingāĀ cruise around the bay. Mal and I did this exact same sail a couple of years ago with some of our friends and had a blast, so we suggested it to the family.
It was a beautiful day for sailing!
My father-in-law and sister-in-law both helped pull up the sails!
So pretty!
I love Newport!
Questions of the Day
Do you like sailing?
Have you ever ordered aāmocktailāĀ at a bar?
Dark chocolate, milk chocolate or white chocolate?
69 Comments
My mother is an amazing sailor – she grew up in NY and they went sailing almost every weekend.
Dark chocolate – but I’m not turning up my nose at ANYTHING chocolate š
Haven’t ordered anything alcoholic in a while but generally I don’t mocktail a beverage – I’ll go for a raspberry lemonade or something – but I think it’s a terrific idea to get a fancier drink without the alcohol!!!
Honey roasted brussels – those sound fabulous. I want to try and make them some time.
sounds like such a fun weekend with lots of great food (that cake–yum)! our weekend was filled with cleaning & painting in our new house–a lot of work but fun once it’s all done. we live by the lake and every time we see sailboats out there, we cross our fingers that we might be able to have that luxury some day! looks like so much fun.
If I’m at a bar, it’s 90% sure I am having a drink or a beer. Otherwise it’s just water for me, if I’m drivin!
I would love to go sailing….looks very relaxing! All of the food that you enjoyed looks so tasty. I love tuna and those sweet potato chips…. yum!
I have never been to the East Coast or ridden on a sail boat for that matter but it looks like so much fun! It’s very Kennedy-esque.
I never mocktail a drink unless I’m pregnant… Momma needs her medicine. But I do drink Shirley Temples for the pure joy of it.
And I like all chocolates… all of them. If I could I would melt them all together and swim in a vat of it. But that’s kind of weird so we should pretend like I didn’t say that š
@Nina @ Too Hottie For That Body:
I’m the same way about mock tails…do you have an announcement to make, Tina? I’ve been waiting years for a tiny Haupert! š
Ha! No, I drank on the 4th (and 5th), so I’m giving my colon a break.
Eek! I grew up (and my parents still live) in Newport, so those pictures are making me homesick! š
I am so sad to say that I have never been on a sailboat, but I LOVE all things that involve water so I’m sure I would like that too.
I think that I would be in love with that Finale place…Coffee and dessert are two of my most favorite things ever š
Mhmm those honey roasted brussel sprouts looks so good! And don’t even get me started on that dark chocolate decadence cake. My eyes are popping out of my head at the moment!
I’m also so jealous of your sailing adventures! Being right on the coast, you’d think I’d be out on the ocean more!
That chocolate cake looks like my perfect dessert…mmm! I love dark chocolate, like milk chocolate, and dislike white chocolate haha. I have never ordered a mocktail (at least since I have been legally able to drink) but those both sound delicious.
Dark chocolate all the way! If you weren’t eating raw tuna and shellfish I’d think you might be pregnant with all those mocktails! š
Happy early Anniversary!! š
I did mocktails while I was pregnant. I had a really good non-alcoholic blueberry mojito made for me … it was awesome!
Such a fun weekend! I love sailing. I’ve only done it once or twice, but I really enjoyed it!
Oh wow what a fantastic weekend!! i personally have no idea how to sail, but my best friend and her dad are amazing so I love going out with them during the summer. it’s soo much fun. all that food looks delicious, ahh i love newport š and im a dark chocolate fan myself but every once in a while some milk chocolate really hits the spot!
I love Newport! I’m definitely going to have to try out Finale! I’m going to FoMu tonight which is a necessity! (Do you know about FoMu? It’s COCONUT MILK based ice cream with the all vegan toppings & a lot of them are gluten free, sweetened with agave, etc.. There’s one in JP and in Allston).
Dark chocolate definitely wins.
And, I always HOUSE any “shared” sweet potato fries dish. My poor boyfriend. š
My Aunt and Uncle live on the Eastern Shore (Maryland) and we go out on their sailboat whenever we visit. I get a little nervous on it though…I am convinced it will tip over!
Milk chocolate all the way! However, if it’s chocolate, I will eat it no matter what :).
Looks like your guys had fun in Newport. I’ve never been there, but it looks beautiful!
Hmmm…mocktail? Do you have some news for us?
I’ve gone two days without taking any steroids! š
I’ve always wanted to learn how to sail. I love being in the water. Glad you guys had an awesome weekend. Those sweet potato fries look super delicious. I’ve had a shirley temple, does that count as a mocktail?
I’ve never been sailing, but I would love to try it (with a professional, of course)! What a fun weekend! š
Love, love, love sailing in Anapolis, MD! WHITE CHOCOLATE all the way!
I’ve never tried sailing before but maybe some day I will. It looks like you had a good time. You look so radiant and healthy
Dark chocolate is my favorite since I love the strong taste of the cocoa.
I’m looking forwards to the future posts š
Green chartreuse is a liqueur. š I love that you guys went sailing! My dad’s a sailor so I have definitely learned to love it over the years.
What a fun time! All of the food looks delicious, especially those barbecue sweet potato chips and that flourless chocolate cake – wowee!
I love all chocolate… I guess if I had to put them in order, it’d go dark, milk, white!
What a wonderful looking weekend!! I went sailing once and really liked it. I went with one of my professors (he’d invite a whole group of students every summer) and I even got to drive the boat for a bit. While I was terrified I’d crash his very expensive boat, it was a great time!
The blackened raw tuna dish was a dead giveaway that you don’t have ‘that kind’ of news for us. š
I love the idea of ordering a drink off the drink menu sans alcohol. I’m pregnant and thought about asking the bartender to make me a mocktail of his choice, but I’m not too sure how they feel about that.
Definitely not pregnant! I also had some cocktails on July 4th!
How fun! I love boat trips and spending time by the water!:)
Looks like beautiful weather!
One of our ‘bucket list’ trips is to sail in the Caribbean–my b-f knows how to sail so I’d leave it up to him!
Yay…it’s always so nice to able to spend time with family! Looks like you had an awesome time!
I’ve never tried sailing before, but it looks like lots of fun!
Dark chocolate is my fav!
Fun! I also hit up Newport on Tues and did the Cliff walk and went to lunch on the water.
We watched all the sailboats and made a plan to do one next time we head down.
Dark chocolate for me.
I dont order mocktails, if I am not drinking beer, I will just order seltzer w/spritz of cranberry or pineapple juice.
That is so funny that you were in Newport yesterday because I was too! I was on the other side of town though at Easton’s Beach and the Atlantic Beach Club. It was the absolute perfect day down there!
Dark chocolate is my favorite and milk chocolate is my second favorite. I really don’t care for white chocolate.
I’ve never had a mocktail. I’m not a big drinker so maybe I’ll ask for one next time I go out with friends.
Aw. You make me miss Newport. I grew up in Rhode Island, but now live in Montana. I exchanged the oceans for the mountains. I would love some clam cakes and chowder right about now.
Looks like a fun weekend! I’m definitely a dark chocolate girl. Your dessert looks amazing!
I sailed the British Virgin Islands with friends 2 years ago.. sailing is fun, but MUCH more work than a power boat. Shockingly I have never been to Newport, but I’ve lived in MA my whole life. I guess when you are a “cape” person you just never venture off?
Mlk Chocolate for sure!
I eat my calories, so I’m, not a mocktail type of gal, although we had some fun mocktails at a shower recently.
Dark chocolate…I used to only love milk chocolate but my tastes have changed and I am dark chocolate all the way.
That all looks amazing! I’m on a big sweet potato kick so those chips and fries caught my eye. I love sailing, but I haven’t been in a long time. I got to sail around the British Virgin Islands about 10 years ago and I have to say that’s the ultimate sailing trip if you can do it!
Ahh Russell House Tavern. I was just there last week. I agree, their cocktails are awesome!
Never ordered a mocktail though. This girl loves the cocktails.
I’m a dark chocolate fan, will settle for milk and turn up my nose at white.
Newport looks fantastic. I’ve never been but maybe this summer I’ll try and get down there!
I just started ordering mocktails last week to take a break from constantly drinking, and felt quite awkward! I was going to ask you how you came about trying mocktails instead of just getting water/juice/tea.
Maybe my experience was just awkward because I was with a bunch of friends who were drinking, but I’d like to start working more of those days in. You really don’t miss the alcohol!
Those BBQ sweet potato chips look truly amazing!!! I wish I could try some :).
I would eat any of those chocolates that you listed š Those sweet potato fries are calling my name, now I must add them to my meal plan this week!
Dark chocolate. The darker and richer the better. I think I felt drool down my face when I saw your dessert. I wish I was lying. Can’t say I’ve ever had a mocktail but I was a bartender and made them all the time for people. Myself, though…make it a double.
Haha! It was pretty amazing!
The only time I’ve ever been on a boat, we had to unload everything because the filter broke. I have good luck with boats š
I went to Finale while I was in Boston for my birthday a few years ago and fell in love. I also had that cake! I am a dark chocolate girl all the way.
If I want a mocktail I usually have soda water with a splash of cranberry and a lime. I add citron or absolute mandarin to it if I want alcohol.
I love sailing! Also, that tuna looks fantastic and the mocktails look yummy as well! I always order my drinks that way if there’s something that looks delicious but has vodka in it. I’m not a vodka person so I’d rather enjoy a yummy drink and ditch the booze sometimes.
Dark chocolate for sure but really, any chocolate is good! Btw, that blue striped top is so cute!
Thanks! It’s actually a dress! š
I have been sailing once and I loved it! It’s so peaceful. I love any kind of chocolate! I really enjoy white though, just can’t eat much because I find it pretty sweet…
Seriously? All chocolate!!!!! Dark if I’m in a healthy mood, milk for treats and white for super special occasions!
I love Russell House AND Finale — and I also spent my Saturday afternoon in Harvard Square! Looks like you had a great weekend too š
-Emily K.
I was thinking of going to Newport in August for the Jazz Festival. Love the suggestions! š