stay at home drama

STAY AT HOME DRAMA IS BACCCKKK!! I’ve been busy guys, not just with two crazy toddlers who are turning 4 and 6 in April (IDK how!) BUT, I started my own business (The Creative Gene @thecreativegeneRI). Doing DIY décor, florals and events, I’ve put this blog on the back burner! SHAME SHAME. However, with all that being said, there’s so much in store for all of you! Including–but not limited to, DIY tutorial videos, recipes, crafts, blogging, vlogging and family adventures! Get ready because 2019 has A LOT of material. Sooooo, as toddler parents we take ANY AND ALL chances to escape the crazies–I mean “get mommy and daddy time”. Our go-to-spot is almost ALWAYS Bayberry Beer Hall, for obvious reasons (DEEEELISH food, atmosphere MADE for good conversation, and local ciders, etc). The owners are SO welcoming and wonderful and it truly is the spot that we bring our friends when we venture out with our peeps. Everything is local and fresh, EVEN what’s on tap, and “when it’s gone, it’s gone!” Even our kids love it–but most times we don’t invite them. HA! Funny, the last blog post I made (in March 2018–how neglectful am I!?) was about Bayberry!

Lately, we’ve tried some new spots, recommended by friends and figured we’d branch out out a little. Last weekend we tried Tavern In The Square (“TITS” …haha!) and it was GREAT. Apparently they’ve got several locations in Boston, but this is their first in RI and it just so happens to be in Craaaaaanston! To start, I grabbed a “Ruby Seltzer” from the BAHHH. (Grapefruit Deep Eddy, rosé, club soda & a grapefruit wedge!) It was refreshing and divine and so, yeah–I’ll be replicating those suckers by the pool all summer long!!

We shared the triple layer dip once we got the table and loved that too. Simple but full of flavor! Guac//Some insanely amazing homemade salty-cottage cheese-queso-layer//their homemade black bean salsa on the bottom, and Tortilla & plantain chips for dunking. making it a perfect snack before the main course!

When I saw General Tso’s chicken on the menu, I HAD TO. It came with coconut jasmine rice and their bang bang broccoli–essentially battered & fried broccoli with this awesome sauce and a kick of heat…as your side to the GSC. Glad I decided to order that, and ended up with leftovers for the next days’ lunch. Golden.

It doesn’t matter how horrendously full I am, I. Always. Order. Dessert. My husband usually complains about me wanting SAID dessert, and then steals 5 bites when it comes. Hmmm. Here’s what we got. THE PROFITEROLE SUNDAE. So, yup–ice cream in a cream puff shell, rolled in toffee and chocolate bits, topped with whipped cream and hot fudge. YAS QUEEN. Ordered another Ruby seltzer and called it a night. Funny thing was, that night we were all GUNG HO about being out partying all night and then ate way too much, forgot the house keys, and went and sat in our driveway to wait for my parents to meet up with us (kids in tow) and open the door. A couple of winners, we are!

Last night, we tried XACO TACO for my brother in laws birthday and it was GREAT! Started off here with the Charred Orange Mule…I know, I know, I’m at a Mexican joint I should drink tequila–blah blah BUT I’m a Tito’s girl, can’t help it. Orange Deep Eddy, ginger beer, charred orange. Good stuff. The plates at XACO are small, which I LOVE because you can order 77 things and try it all in one shot. OR, you can get as many or as few tacos as you want and add rice & beans to make up a platter! We loved their food and the freshness of the flavor!! Did I mention I tried GRASSHOPPERS? Yes, they sound gross and yesssss they got stuck in your teeth, but they honestly tasted like sunflower seeds (shell on) seasoned with paprika and salt. I ate two. ‘Cause I’m a champion.

My husband will never make out with me again. He said it.

In between eating bugs, never making out, and guacamole, we joked about mom problems and drinking 4-89 times a week as our “norm” and “it’s fine”. For apps we ordered an awesome Mexican pizza loaded with beans/feta/chorizo, a really great shrimp and octopus cold salad with avocado, their Guac, and empanadas! Again, smaller portions–except for the pizza–so we tried a bunch!! I loved them so much I forgot to take pics!

The above plate was my entrée. Carne Asada taco and a shrimp taco with fried queso. Spicy, and GREAT. Beans and rice cooked perfectly and fresh! Good stuff. Fun spot for a group. It’s Kid friendly there (if you dare) and casual!

Dulce de leche cake with banana. YUP.

Funny how everyone made fun of me when I ordered the “chocolate pudding” and then whipped out their spoons when it came to the table. Huh. Rude! This was an avocado chocolate based pudding dessert with almonds, crunched pepito corn, and delicious cherries in between. I loved it! We also ate churro doughnuts which aren’t pictured because everyone scarfed them down the second they hit the table top. They came with a hot chocolate sauce for dipping. Ahhhh.

New marriage goal is to DATE NIGHT 2 times a month! We’re not picky. We’ll do it alone, with couples/a herd of friends, even other people’s kids (hahaha kidding). Also, we aren’t against putting those beasts to bed and making a dinner/drinking wine in peace at home. Have you noticed when you have toddlers you can’t even finish a sentence without someone screaming? It’s nice to get out…KIDLESS!

Stay tuned for all the great meals we’ve been making at home. Between the cast iron, the instant pot and our newest member…the “sous vide” we’re getting pretty SEXY in the kitchen.

Love yaaaaa,

Byyyyyeeeee!!

it’s what we do. gluttons for gluten. which will NOT be helping me get my abs back in time for the ‘grand pool opening weekend’ in may. guys, it’s FUNNN to eat. the hubby and i love to try out new local spots when we get the chance to “escape”. such an accurate word to use when referring to leaving your kids behind. who doesn’t love a good burger…besides a vegetarian?!

we went a little hard this week with the “who feels like cooking?” mentality. started ourselves off with a deliciously fresh-tasting raw tuna wonton app. the above pile of heaven is courtesy of the brand spankin’ new bj’s brewhouse that just popped up where sears service center used to be at the rhode island mall. my parents told us that you could sign up to give them a ‘test run’ while the staff was in their training period–and get to try the food. FREE food? be right there! we signed up for a lunch date there, and found it to be a fabulous chain. tossed with avocado, scallions, a light slaw & soy sauce–it was an addicting tuna appetizer. as previously stated, BURGER. that burger you see above, had bacon & bleu cheese on top, with a crunchy layer of fried cheddar. their fries were crunchy and the tomato was sliced at a perfect thickness. there were tons of staff there, and service was great. food was complimentary, but not the booze. CLEARLY, i can’t go somewhere at 12:15 and resist a framboise. #boujie despite the fact that I continuously order $11 “beer”, my husband still takes me places, and let’s me do me. we did “splitzies” with the burger and jambalaya. just enough spice, and loaded with shrimp, andouille & chicken-we’d order it again! the concept of their “soft opening” was great, because each table got different pages of the menu –which we’ve heard is as big as cheesecake factory’s– and they politely asked patrons to order different dishes so their kitchen and wait staff could get a hang of it all. i forget what the heck they called this dessert–but the ice cream scoops were stacked on top of each other before this guy was handed a spoon! literally the gooeist, best baked cookie, brownie-ish deep dish delight! ugh. P.M.S. it’s a super casual, kid friendly restaurant with good prices and tasty plates. can’t wait to re-visit! ollie spilled his entire root beer (which they make in-house) all over the place, and they still liked us. it’s a win. even the big shot almost 3-year-old loved his chicago style pizza!

we’re total suckers for the red meat and brioche bun. we figured, let’s celebrate my 31st on the friday night, and eat healthy. hahahaha, NOPE. have you been to bayberry beer hall? nestled right next to planet fitness in providence–so you can think about that treadmill while polishing off your smashed tiny potatoes that accompany the cow. bayberry is definitely our new spot. since they’ve opened, we’ve gone 6-8 times and each time, LOVED IT. what’s not to love?

BEER. i’m not a beer girl. they’ve got rosé though–and fabulous fruity sours and ciders. this burger looks so simple, yet the craftsmanship is perfection! i took the picture after eating several smashed potatoes, but you get it. they’ve perfected their own ketchup…along with the smoked bacony-whatever-the-hell-sauce-it-was and topped the burger with local cheese and their own smoked tomato roumelade of sorts. clearly, if they’re going that far– the bun was butter grittled. we’re obsessed. The concept is really cool, it’s a german inspired “beer hall”, so you sit at communal tables, order your food up at the counter and get a pager when it’s ready. everything/most things are local to the north east and change constantly. their beers come in small quantities and once they’re gone, they’re gone.

going in reverse order, such is my behavior, we snacked on the beer cheese & r.i. little necks before getting that burger. we found ourselves actually drinking-like pigs at the trough-the ginger/soy/garlic/god knows what else/ sauce …ugh. so good. such awful breath the next day, though. it’s cool, i sweat garlic anyway.

the salad we chose (gotta get the greens in) had local ricotta from a creamery in newport, blood orange and citrus, crispy onions and pistachios atop butter lettuce. like, why? oh- because it’s BOMB. i’m sad I don’t have a picture of that mermaid aqua can of delicious black currant sour “beer” i was drinking along side these plates, because it was really cool. must go back soon and order another. before it’s gone! even cooler, i was their 5k follower and won a $25 gift card. yayyyy me. left there, came here. pastiche. the over 30 year old yummy pastry shop on the back side of atwells ave. If you’re a rhode islander, i need not explain. you walk in to a heavenly case of ROUGH decision making, and a sweet smell of cappuccino! its the greatest late night spot for the sweet-tooth satisfaction! i’m a lemon lover. always have been! after teeter tottering back and forth about my choices–because if there were olympic medals for horrendous decision making, i’d take the GOLD-I decided to try the lemon mousse cake. holy hell, I will always and forever order this cake slice. ’til death to us TART. so fluffy and light, without that phony lemon taste. instead, it’s got a buttercream, non-sugary frosting and layers of tart, real lemon mousse. woof. the red stuff? real raspberry tart reduction to DUNK your forkful into. #killinit sorry if this post made you drool. bj’s & bayberry …doin’ good things!

Okay, so I may have jumped the gun on my last post considering my birthday isn’t until March! Ill take the earplugs and wine for Christmas, though.

Let’s talk game food. BCCS. Balsamic Chicken Caprese Salad. If balsamic chicken had a kid with a caprese salad, this would be their kid. It’s easy, healthy and fun finger food for football Sundays. 

What you’ll need is easy! {2-4 cooked chicken breast-depending on the crowd, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, balsamic glaze (trader joes $2.99!), fresh basil, 4-6 medium sized tomatoes, log of fresh mozz, salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried parsley, and a pretty display dish!} 

We first seasoned the chicken breasts (or tenders if you’d rather)  on each side with sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper, and garlic powder and cooked them on 350 for about 13-14 minutes each side.  Chop up or pull the chicken into a “chicken salad” consistency and set aside in a bowl to cool (fridge or counter is fine!)  While the chicken is cooling off, I sliced the tomatoes about 1/3 of an inch thick and placed them on my plate. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Next you want to separate the basil leaves from their stems, leaving them whole, and then slice the mozzarella. Feeling lazy? They sell the logs pre-sliced sometimes! You want to cut those slightly thinner than your tomatoes. Place a slice of cheese and a basil leaf “cup side up” on every tomato. I set aside about 6 basil leaves to chop up and sprinkle over the top of the plate once ready to serve. 

Lastly, in a bowl– add balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a little dried parsley TO TASTE, and toss like a chicken salad. Again, this Italian never measures unless baking, so just eyeball it and make sure your “chicken salad” is nice and moist. Gently spoon the chicken salad inside each basil leaf, and drizzle balsamic glaze right over the top! Chop up those extra basil leaves and sprinkle over the entire plate!  It’s finger food your friends will love. Great game food and tasty, too. 

We used 4 chicken breasts and it got us 16-18 stacks. Can’t remember!

It’ll get messy so a fork is helpful. Enjoy. GO PATS! 

So, I love Halloween. I own about 4 boxes of décor-each year adding a few items, and was thinking how I don’t have anything festive for my porch. Digging through the bins I spotted two orange pumpkin plastic trick-or-treat buckets  and an idea popped into the ‘ole noggin. My porch pendant lights could be GLOWING PUMPKINS! …and so cheap! Check it out- easiest DIY session I’ve had in a while!🎃



Simple stuff, here guys. Grab 2-$1 pumpkin trick-or-treat buckets from target/wal-mart/rite-aid/ANYWHERE, a pair of tough kitchen scissors, and get to work! {I got lucky and saved two from last year} Cut the entire back out of the bucket–including half of the bottom circle base.
It doesn’t have to look pretty when you cut it, just has to be able to cover your outdoor pendant light and stay on! Go outside and pop it right onto your outdoor light! {we use LED bulbs so they don’t get warm} You may have to keep cutting bit by bit and “custom” fitting it until it’s snug over your lights. Our porch is covered and protected from New England weather, but if yours isn’t then grab either floral wire or fishing line to secure them around the light. 

{TECHNICALLY we have two entrances to our house from the front so I’ll need to grab 2 more pumpkin buckets for the other door, making my investment $4! …if I didn’t save those two buckets from last year–so really TWO BUCKS!  Whoopie.} 

This trick could totally work in your bathroom over pendant lighting, on a lamp post outside, garage ligthing against the house–you name it! 

🎃GET CREATIVE! 🎃