A Super Special Birthday

This Saturday was the birthday of a very important person in my life....

the boyfriend!

Yay! He turned *cough* (27) *cough*

We had a great weekend that involved some gifts...

...then some hanging of the gifts...

Isn't our new apartment finally coming together?

Then we had some celebratory drinks...

...and got all dolled up for a night on the town!

It was such a fun weekend, and I think the birthday boy had a blast too ;-)

Any December babies out there? Sean said he feels like he gets "jipped" on gifts since his birthday is so close to Christmas. Thoughts?

Five Favorite Fall Beers

Tis the season....for BEER! (Although in my opinion, it is always the season for beer.)

 

In all seriousness, though--autumn weather combined with pastimes like tailgating, football, pumpkin picking, and bonfires work harmoniously with a bold autumn brew.

 

I've come up with 5 of my favorite fall seasonal beers, although I could easily name 100.

 

The first 4 can be found almost anywhere in the United States (although in some areas more heavily than others), and the last is a Baltimore home brew that I just had to add because I love it all year round.

1. Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale (8% ABV)

http://weyerbacher.com/blog/2010/02/imperial-pumpkin-ale/

 

Weyerbacher Pumkin is what first got me on the pumpkin beer bandwagon about a year ago. It was on draft at a local bar, and on a whim, I ordered it, not sure what to expect. As soon as I took a sip of this hearty, spicy, bold amber ale, I was a believer. Just don't drink it too fast--it's a strong one, guys. At 8% ABV, this ale is much stronger than a typical light beer's 3 to 5%.

 

2. Dogfish Head Punkin (7% ABV)

http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/seasonal-brews/punkin-ale.htm

 

A pretty little 4-pack of this brew was waiting for me on Friday when I got home from work (brownie points for the boyfriend!), and it is already gone. This beer is made with organic brown sugar & spices, and is the perfect compliment to a brisk fall day.

 

3. Southern Tier Pumking (8.6%)

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/3818/38394

http://www.stbcbeer.com/stbc/seasonals/seasonal-imperial/pumking-beer-page/

 

Out of all the beers on this list, Southern Tier's Pumking definitely packs the biggest punch at 8.6% ABV. With hints of pecan, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg, you can't go wrong. This stuff is like crack.

 

4. Fat Tire Amber Ale (5.2% ABV)

http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/detail.aspx?id=7c5b394b-d7b7-486a-ac9a-316256a7b0ee

 

Fat Tire has many seasonal blends, but I am a big fan of their Amber Ale, which consists of "toasty, biscuit-like malt flavors coasting in equilibrium with hoppy freshness." This brew is popping up on taps all over Baltimore, and I couldn't be happier. Plus, I will gladly endorse any company with the belief that "we're not only passionate about great beer, it's also important to us to try to be a role model of sustainable business practices." (check it out here).

Oh, and there's a snazzy red bicycle on the label. 'Nuff said.

 

5. Brewer's Art Ozzy (7.25% ABV)

http://www.thebrewersart.com/housebeer.html

 

This is a Baltimore exclusive. Located in the Mt. Vernon neighborhood, The Brewer's Art is a restaurant with amazing food, unique atmosphere, and of course, home-brewed beers. My favorite is Ozzy, a Belgian-style that is "Both rich and dry...this beer is
all too easy to consume in large quantities".

 

What are some of your favorite beers for the autumn season?

I am always up for trying new-to-me brews.

Le Weekend

This was the first weekend in a very long time that the boy and I had absolutely no plans. None whatsoever. No family parties, or pressing errands to run, or dinners to attend.

Friday night, we hung out at home, had dinner, and finally decided around 11pm to go out and do something. We headed to the Fells Point neighborhood and went to The Waterfront Hotel (which is actually a restaurant/bar, not a hotel like the name would suggest) for some live music:

The band was playing a great set filled with some of our favorite hits of the 90's (Oasis' Sally Can Wait, anyone?!), so it was a lot of fun.

Saturday morning, Sean and I did end up having an important errand to run--the necklace he gave me for my birthday broke! I was ready to wear it out on Friday night and the chain broke. We went to Smyth, where we were greeted with free refreshments, fresh-baked cookies, and an incredibly helpful saleswoman who assured us the necklace will be good as new in a week--and it was free. Definitely a great place to go for fine jewelry in the Baltimore area.

After our trip to the jeweler, we went to look at some backsplash options for our kitchen. We recently got granite countertops, and a backsplash seems like a cheap and attractive way to add a little somethin' extra to the small space. We agreed on this tile design, and bought one 12 x 12 square of it to "test" out in our kitchen:

What do you think? I like how the neutral tones tie in with the countertops, while the blue tones pick up the wall color.

Then, yesterday afternoon, Sean went to the gym while I did an at-home yoga and stability ball workout. (He has a gym membership and I do not, so I have to get creative with my workouts since it is now averaging 95 degrees in Baltimore so I can't work out outside). I took a shower and randomly decided to get all dolled up in a dress. When Sean got home from the gym around 4:30, he declared that I was looking way too pretty to sit on the couch all night. What a guy.

We went through our Baltimore Magazine Best of Baltimore issue and picked out a new-to-us burger joint, Abbey Burger Bistro, for dinner. The place is known for its expansive beer list and specialty burgers (they have lamb, bison, duck, etc), as well as a make-your-own burger option. I pondered making my own, but decided against it--and boy, was I pleasantly surprised. I ordered the Santa Fe Burger, which is Black Angus beef with jalapenos, salsa, guacamole, spicy creme fraiche, and pepper jack cheese. Check this baby out:

And yes, I like my burger practically still mooing. Honestly, anything darker than medium makes me cringe. It is just so much more flavorful and juicy when it is pink inside! Anyone with me? To compliment my delicious meal (with sweet potato fries--yum!), I also tried a new-to-me brew--Otter Creek Summer Ale, brewed in Vermont. Is anyone familiar with this line of beers? I had never tried it before but I loved their summer ale so much, I ended up having another as an after-dinner treat.

After dinner, we went out for a drink or two and then headed home to catch up on our DVR and get some shut-eye.

Today, we plan on having a pretty typical, boring Sunday--relaxing, cleaning, and laundry. How was your weekend?

Question of the day: What is your favorite summer ale? Now that we are transitioning back into fall, I am trying to get my fill of light, summery beers before it's too late!

Chillin' at the Cape

Long time no talk, bloggy friends!

Sorry for the absence, but I just returned from a simply glooorious trip to Cape Charles, VA. A cozy little beach town on the Chesapeake Bay. Sean and I stayed in a gorgeous house:

There was a little of this:

And of course, plenty of this:



Hope you all are enjoying (what's left) of your summer! I am currently going through some major life changes that I'll reveal as soon as I am able. All positive things, or so I am hoping!

A review and giveaway may also be in the works, so be on the lookout.

Happy Thursday!

Scenes from the Weekend

I love Baltimore.

How was your weekend?

St. Patrick would be Proud

Hope your St. Patrick's Day was filled with as much

fun, sunshine, drinks, food, and friendship as mine was <3

BBQ Beer Chicken Chili

Here's a perfect easy-peasy weekend crock-pot recipe that tastes yummy, takes 5 minutes to prep, and makes the house smell amazing! Plus, it's moderately healthy and a hit

with men since it's got beer and a spicy kick ;-)

BBQ Beer Chicken Chili

(yields: 4-6 servings)

What You'll Need:

-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

-1 16oz can dark red kidney beans

-1 16oz can black beans

-1 small can yellow corn with red and green peppers

-1 cup BBQ sauce & 1 can beer (or, if you're lazy like me, you can buy a pre-made BBQ beer sauce like this one)

-desired amount of hot sauce/tobasco (I used about 2 tablespoons--we like it hot!)

-Old Bay seasoning (I'm from Baltimore so I add this to practically every recipe)

-red pepper flakes

-salt and pepper to taste

-rice (optional--we served ours mixed with rice for some staying power, but this chili is perfectly delicious on its own, too!)

Instructions:

1. Dice chicken breasts into cubes. Season with red pepper flakes and Old Bay. Brown chicken in frying pan on medium-high heat until cooked through.

2. Add kidney beans, black beans, corn, and BBQ/beer sauce to crock pot.

3. Add browned, diced chicken.

4. Stir to thoroughly mix all ingredients.

5. Add desired amount of hot sauce and more Old Bay, red pepper flakes, and salt & pepper, if desired.

6. Stir all ingredients.

7. Set crock-pot/slow-cooker to low heat.

8. Cook for 6-8 hours on low (or 4-5 hours on high).

9. Ladle into bowls, add rice if desired, serve, and enjoy!

That's it! It's so simple, and so very delicious.

Football, Booze, and a dusting of Snow

Last weekend was a doozy!

Friday, I had the day all to myself. Since I worked the weekend before, I gave myself a nice little treat to look forward to--a 3-day weekend! It was fantastic.

Thursday night, Sean and I tried out a "new" restaurant nearby--it used to be called Fins, but a new owner took over and changed the atmosphere. We didn't eat so I can't comment on the menu, but my drink(s) were STRONG and I was ready for bed by 11pm!

Friday, I slept in (which now means 8 am these days--my college self would be disgusted) and then went shopping and bought myself a big old burrito at Chipotle. Then, when Sean got home from work, we had a nice little happy hour at home, and then headed to one of our favorite places for drinks with another couple. When we left the bar around midnight, it was snowing. The white powder was gorgeous and made the two of us want to cozy up in our sweatpants, so we headed home and called it an early (snowy!!!) night.

View from our front window:

On Saturday, I slept in until 11am (!!!!) and awoke to the boy making coffee. Both our tummies were rumbling, and the snow had pretty much melted (it turned to rain overnight), so we headed a mile down the street to Nacho Mama's, a Baltimore landmark that also happens to be one of our personal favorites. We both were indulgent and had some quesadillas. Chicken for Sean, and Spinach and Mushroom for me :-)

Sunday, we awoke for THE BIG GAME. In case you didn't know, I live in Baltimore and grew up here and am therefore a BALTIMORE RAVENS fan. Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Patriots was a nailbiter! Sean and I decided to go early (or what we thought would be early enough) to Fell's Point to a bar we love called Alexander's. We got there an hour before game time, and there was nowhere to sit or stand--yikes! After browsing a couple different bars, we finally settled on Dogwatch Tavern. Neither of us had been before, and although it was also super crowded, we LOVED the atmosphere and knew it was our game spot. We ended up doing some of this with some college frat boys (hey, you only live once, right?):

aaaand we kicked their butts, just sayin'.

After our glorious pong win, we obviously needed some grub:

(hummus tray for me...it was decent, but not incredible)

(burger for the boy with a generous portion of fries, some of which I snagged)

...and of course PLENTY of beer was consumed.

After the Ravens lost, we were sad, so we came home, relaxed, and called it an early night.

************

Now I am back to the daily grind. My first 5-day work week in awhile, but luckily it has flown by--so far. Only 1.5 days until the weekend!

Tomorrow I'll be posting another Coffee Cutback update, so stay tuned!

How was your weekend? Was it as indulgent and lazy as mine? What are your plans for the upcoming weekend?