Wednesday Date Night – Caiolas Restaurant

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Ali

Miek and I wandered into Caiola’s this week for our Wednesday Date Night. Located on the West End, it’s a cozy, neighborhood gem boasting antique pendant lights, warm wood accents, and a bustling kitchen serving up thoughtful, inventive dishes.

It was very busy for a weeknight (next time we will make a reservation) – a testament to Portland’s strong foodie contingent.

After a root ginger beer Dark and Stormy and Miek’s usual Stoli soda, we were led through the kitchen to our table near the back patio. We decided to order a bunch of appetizers to sample the menu: a Gorgonzola sformato accompanied by a sweet-tart cherry compote and date shavings, polenta fries with a sinful cheddar-parmesan cheese sauce and red pepper and tomato fresh relish, the braised beef taquito with tempura fried peppers, mussels in a tomato broth spiked with toasted garlic and grana padano, and a caesar salad topped with fried oysters.

DIY Nailpolish Rack

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Ali

It has been a productive evening – I am covered in wood glue and silver spray paint.

For a while I kept my nail polish addiction under wraps, neatly stowing bottles of color away in a bathroom drawer or in sundry cosmetic cases. As my love for nail art blossomed, so did my collection of polishes. I ran out of places to tuck them away. Soon I had a large bowl of the stuff in my living room, rows of bottles lining window sills, OPI and Sephora swag falling out of purses, carry-ons, my car. The first step to getting help is acknowledging you have a problem.

So I drove Jazzy the Jeep to the nearest Lowes, picked up some pre-cut oak boards, wood glue, metallic silver spray paint (got IDed to prove that I was over 18 – nice ego boost), and some nails of the hardware store variety. I didn’t measure anything really … I blame my “bang it out” impatience.

Regardless, I have a cool new nail polish rack that I plan on embellishing down the line with jewels and a nice moulding. I accidentally spray-painted some of my backyard, too. But that’s ok, it just looks like Tinkerbell paid a visit.

xo Al

Tigger’s Annual Visit

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Ali

My best friend Brooke flew in from Brooklyn on Friday night for our annual summer sister visit. Our friendship is one of those rare and awesome ones that allows for sitting in silence together with good books, some sunshine and a glass of wine.

Portland Has A Music Festival

Posted on August 7, 2012 by Ali

This past weekend, rows of porta-potties were set up, two stages erected on Portland’s East End, houses decorated and food trucks parked to welcome over 15,000 mustache-sporting festival-goers for Mumford and Sons’ Gentlemen of the Road stopover show.

My old Bates roomie and dear friend Emily took the train up from Boston to visit, and we grabbed a blanket, plenty of sunscreen and water and hit the hill.

The headliners put on a flawless show. The setting was beautiful, with a bobbing Atlantic as the backdrop, some anchored boats dancing in the ebb and flow of the water. As the sun set behind us, the sky turned pink.

This was all very lovely. However, my most-favorite moment of the day was HAIM’s set. Three LA sisters graced the stage, all middle-parted long hair and dangerously short cut-offs. Danielle’s stint with Julian Casablancas showed in her guitar solos. The bass player, pardon my language, kicked some serious ass. And all three closed their set with some primal drumming.

So good.

The fried dough wasn’t bad either.