Happy {time flies} Weekend

How did it get to be July already??  With this being my first weekend in awhile that I don't have major plans, I'm going to embrace the downtime and have a little fun.  Here's to movie night with the ladies, catching up on bad reality tv, getting back into yoga - and perhaps a cocktail or two :)  Oh, and a very Happy 7th Birthday to this little guy!  Griffin - Auntie Stephie loves you!!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

instagram pic of dinner on erika's new deck this week

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad

Happy 32nd Anniversary to the world's greatest parents!!  They are the best role models when it comes to happiness and love - and the fact that they haven't killed each other after completely remodeling a house for the past year is pretty amazing :)  Here's to many many more to come - I love you both so much!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

pic from the Disneyland trip of 2010

The Happiness Project

I recently finished reading "The Happiness Project" after months of it sitting on my shelf.  I'm fascinated by what makes people happy, and am always seeking ways to make myself generally happier.  The book chronicles the author's year-long journey to be happier, focusing on a different aspect of her life each month.  While not all of her resolutions jumped out at me as things I want to attempt right now, a few really stuck with me that I've been trying to incorporate into my daily life:

• Toss, Restore, Organize - I've realized that while I don't really enjoy cleaning, I enjoy a clean living space.  So it's time to start dividing my apartment into manageable chunks (desk, bathroom cupboards, closet) and get rid of stuff I don't use or need.
• Tackle a Nagging Task - I have so many things on my long term To Do list, like hang my kitchen shelves, buy a screen for my bedroom window, and start using the yoga pass I bought several months ago.  I'll feel so much better when I cross these things off my list.
• Exercise Better - Once I found a workout I liked, and scheduled time for it in my day, I began actually going regularly and am finally seeing results.  
• Indulge in a Modest Splurge - This directly ties in with "exercise better".  My workout isn't cheap, but it's something I really enjoy, so I splurge each month and get a lot of happiness from it.
• Keep a Food Diary - My boss and I have been trying to keep each other accountable for what we snack on during the day.  It's amazing how all the little treats add up - and how much better I feel after snacking on an apple and peanut butter instead of potato chips (not that I won't eat the chips every now and then - let's not be ridiculous)

Have you read the book (I'd hightly recommend it)?  Are there any key principles that you are trying to follow from it?  To learn more about The Happiness Project, click here.

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Teach Me How to Dougie

At the wedding this weekend, Erin brought out her old standby party trick - teaching us how to "Dougie".  Her students taught her the dance, and this time, she passed along her skills to Lizzie.  I'm sure if you ask Lizzie, it was the best wedding present they got all night :)  Erin - you are awesome!!  Enjoy!

 

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Just Married {Nick & Lizzie}

This past weekend, we all got together to celebrate Nick and Lizzie finally tying the knot.  Everything was absolutely gorgeous - from the old brick church where they said their "I Do's" to the modern reception venue and the bride herself.  It was one of the sweetest and most endearing weddings I've been to, and I may have teared up on more than one occasion.  When you're around these two, it's impossible not to feel the genuine love and adoration they have for each other.  Nick and Lizzie, I wish you many, many, MANY years of love and happiness ahead - and thanks for throwing a fabulous party :)

first kiss

amazing reception space

 beautiful bride

 erin and the incredible cake she made - even strangers were taking photos of it!

 maddie and me

 happy anniversary (today!) you two

 me and erika (not quite sure what autumn is doing in the background, but love it)

 with the bride and groom

mr. and mrs. battaglia

xoxo,

stephanie marie

The Sexton {ladies night}

Last night the girls met up with Kimber and Karen (who were in town) at The Sexton in Ballard for strong drinks, southern food, and good ol' girl talk.  This place is great - the small plates are yummy and shareable, and my favorite drink is spicy and strong - just how I like it :)  I treasure my friendships with all of these ladies, and am so grateful to have them in my life.  Can't wait to see everyone on Saturday for the big wedding!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Summertime

What did you do for the first day of summer?  While the rest of the country was enduring a record setting heatwave, Seattle was perfect with sunshine and temps in the mid 70's.  I spent the evening at David's new apartment (which just happens to be Erika's old one!), eating shrimp quesadillas (his specialty), drinking wine, meeting neighborhood kitties, and looking at old pictures of him in high school (amazing).  Since summer is officially upon us, it's time to get working on that list I made :)  Here's to warm evenings, sunny mornings, and many fun adventures to come!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

diana pic from Maddie's parent's house last summer

Cod with Leeks & Tomatoes

Apparently, I'm on a seafood kick.  But when the sun peeks out (and I remember that I have a dress I want to fit into in a few weeks), nothing sounds better than a good piece of fish and some fresh veggies.  I found this recipe for Cod with Leeks and Tomatoes while flipping through the original Great Food Fast cookbook, and since the last cod recipe was so delicious, I had to give it a try.  I loved the taste of the roasted veggies with the fish, and the only thing I would do differently next time is to add a bit more lemon juice to the fish itself before cooking.  Otherwise, yummers :)  I halved the recipe, served it over some brown rice, and enjoyed dinner while watching my newest obsession - Superhero movies.  Apparently I'm a 12 year old boy :)

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Weekend {in photos}

pretty peonies from nana's garden that quickly made it to my apartment

 homemade chicken tacos, iced tea, and Mad Men catch up on Friday night

 an increasingly empty childhood home

 necessities in the cupboard at my parents new house

 mom's new kitchen

 grandpa's attempt at taking an iPhone photo :)

AND - a Happy Happy Birthday to Miss Kimber!  Can't wait to see you in just a few short days :)

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Stefanie's Bachelorette

This past Saturday we celebrated Stefanie's Bachelorette Party.  This time, we kept the chaos on Capitol Hill, where, after a delicious dinner at La Spiga, we split up into two teams for an epic scavenger hunt.  Team Stefanie was the clear winner (completing all of our tasks before midnight and arriving at Cha Cha before the other team), and while there isn't enough time to show you everything from our jaunt around the Hill, here are a few highlights of the hunt:

 "teach a guy on the street the Bend & Snap"

 "get a guy to take off his underwear and show you" - these guys were way too happy to oblige

chatting with some officers on the street - they were quite intrigued with our "mission"

 "find a guy to show you a hidden tattoo" - ouch!  (ironically, this guy was on a birthday scavenger hunt!)

"take a team pic with the hottest guy(s) in the bar" - even if they end up being 22...

Hope you had a great night, Stef!!  Can't wait for July 6 :)

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Dad's Day

"hey dad, what's goin' on over there?  maybe we should check it out....."

"dad - whatcha drinkin'?  let me hold it for you.  i promise i won't try it...."

"hmmm.....well this smells yummy.  i bet no one will notice if i just take one sip...."

"move along people.  nothin' to see here"

Happy Father's Day, Dad!!  Thanks for always sharing the important things :)  Love ya!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

pics from when i was just a little thing

Cafe Campagne

Stefanie and I have been saying for weeks that we need to go to happy hour, and last night we finally made it happen.  We chose Cafe Campagne since it had been years since we had both been, and it was the perfect choice.  The restaurant was virtually empty, and situated right on the corner of Post Alley, it was the perfect spot to catch up while sneaking glimpses of the market dwellers out the window.  They have an incredibly impressive wine selection at happy hour (Monday thru Friday, 4-6PM) and yummy small plates for sharing.  After filling up on happy hour hors d'oeuvres, we headed over to Dulces Bistro & Wine for their free Wednesday night wine tastings, where we got much more than we bargained for - mini tastings of 6 delicious wines and cheese & crackers - all free!  It was a lovely Seattle evening that is sure to be replicated many times over :)

 rosé 

 slow cooked duck & pork rillette and haricots verts with grilled bacon

 mini lamb burgers

 basket of pommes frites

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Steamed Cod with Ginger & Scallions

Lately, I've been craving fish.  With summer right around the corner and tons of fresh selections at the grocery store, it's hard to resist.  The other night I decided to make one of the quickest and most flavorful dishes I could think of, Everyday Food's Steamed Cod with Ginger and Scallions.  With only a few ingredients, you can have dinner on the couch table in 20 minutes or less.  Steaming the cod keeps the fish moist, and the ginger, rice vinegar, and soy sauce are a match made in food heaven.  I served it over a bed of brown rice, and while I halved the original recipe, I still had plenty leftover for lunch the next day.  I highly recommend making this on a night when you want something tasty, but would rather enjoy your company (or favorite reality TV show:) than spend the whole evening in the kitchen.

Steamed Cod with Ginger & Scallions

Ingredients

4 skinless cod fillets, 6-8 oz each

3 tblsp rice vinegar

2 tblsp soy sauce

2 tblsp finely grated, peeled ginger

Salt and Pepper

6 scallions, green parts cut into 3 inch pieces

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, combine rice vinegar, soy sauce, and ginger.

2. Season both sides of the cod with salt and pepper.  Place in skillet with vinegar mixture.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until fish is almost opaque throughout, about 6-8 minutes.

3. Scatter scallions over fish.  Recover and cook until fish is opaque throughout and scallions are just beginning to wilt, about 2 minutes.

adapted from Everyday Food

xoxo,

stephanie marie