Spicy Coleslaw with Cumin-Lime Dressing

I hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing weekend.  Dan and I certainly had an eventful one spent with great friends.  We hosted our second official barbecue of the season, an annual tradition that immediately follows the Philadelphia International Cycling Championship.  Every year, we get together with a few of our friends, pack up our bikes and head to Lemon Hill where we spread ourselves out on the grass and eat sandwiches, cheese, and drink wine while basking in the sun and watching an always exciting cycling race.  It's one of the best days of the year.

On Saturday we had some major prepping to do and procured an abundance of fruits and vegetables from the market in the morning.  There were so many, in fact, that I had to empty my bags outside, on the patio table, to sort through everything.  

On the menu: Bangkok BBQ Chicken, rustic Panzanella, spicy Coleslaw with Cumin-Lime Dressing, grilled corn, curried potatoes and Summer-Fruit Angel-food Cake with Mascarpone.  Everything was delicious.

Ginger Sewalong

I hereby announce my participation in the Ginger Sewalong.

Earlier this week, while skimming through a few of my favorite blogs, I saw that Sunni of A Fashionable Stitch is hosting a sewalong for the new Ginger Skirt by Colette Patterns.  I was a fan of the Ginger skirt ever since I saw it, but it wasn't until I saw Sunni's blue floral version that I was completely sold.  

A Fashionable Stich

A Fashionable Stich

I know it was the piping and buttons that did it for me.  According to Sunni, the pattern booklet, which is geared toward beginners (whew!), includes helpful hints such as adding piping and pockets.  I've been wanting to participate in a sewalong for quite sometime now, and this one seems to be the perfect fit for me.  It's geared to the beginner sewist, such as myself, and seems quick enough to sew up, so I can finish it in a short amount of time, if needed.

I immediately hopped on over to the Colette Patterns site and purchased my own pattern.  It arrived yesterday and I can't wait to get started.  All I need to do now is figure out what fabric to use.  Oh, the choices!  If you are interested in participating in a sewalong, I suggest you look into Sunni's Ginger Sewalong.  I'll keep you all posted as I make my way through the pattern!

Dreaming of days like this

After just one week back, the humidity of the city has got me dreaming of cool mornings on the beach, watching Dan fish.

Dan's new love - Kite Flying

One of my favorite images from our trip.

Early morning kite flying.  Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. 

The Banker Horses of the Barrier Islands

On our second day in the Outer Banks, a few of us took a day trip to the Currituck Outer Banks to see the wild horses that live along the northern beaches.  Known as the Banker Horses, these wild mustangs have been well documented on the Outer Banks since the eighteenth century. 

Many believe the arrival of the horses dates as far back as the sixteenth century, when they arrived with Spanish colonists.  Though no one can be certain, it is thought that they were either abandoned on the barrier islands on exploratory expeditions, or that they may have even survived shipwrecks.

The end of a wonderful, wonderful week

I have so much catching up to do.  Dan and I just returned from an amazing week in the Outer Banks, NC- celebrating the wedding of two of our dear friends and taking in the absolute joy of being around so many amazing people in such a gorgeous area of the United States. 

Coca Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA

Dan and I just returned from a long weekend in Pittsburgh, where we jaunted all over the city- visiting family; exploring breweries; eating delicious pirogies, kolski, and gumbo; visiting the Andy Warhol Museum; and we even squeezed in a little consignment store shopping.  It was such a great trip that I wanted to share with you all some of the wonderful places that we visited.  

First up is Coca Cafe, in the Lawrenceville section of the city.  Dan spotted this little gem amongst the many other cafes in the neighborhood.  We started with a simple latte.  While drinking this latte, it occurred to me that I could not remember the last time I sat at a cafe and enjoyed a deliciously, frothy latte straight out of a mug rather than in a cardboard cup racing around the city.  It was a sad realization and I've vowed to myself to make some room for more quite cafe time with a good book or good company.  Also, that latte was delicious.  

For lunch, we each ordered a sandwich.  Dan got the Club Panini - Turkey, ham, turkey bacon, cheddar, Jarlsberg & tomato grilled on country white bread - with a side of black beans and rice.  He said it was delicious and he gobbled it all up.  Even the rice and beans.  I snuck a bit of those and can attest that they too, were delicious.  (Please excuse the excessive use of the word "delicious".)