Happy May! I honestly can’t believe we’re 5 months into 2021 already, time goes by so quickly! This new month means it’s time to start planning Mother’s Day Brunch. I love brunch, it’s my favorite meal and it’s the perfect way to celebrate your mom. This Sunday holiday calls for a casual brunch with delicious […]
Author: jlkalloch
Did you know that tulips are celebrated across the U.S. at festivals dedicated entirely to them?!?!?! I had no idea! We went to The Netherlands to gawk at the tulips a couple years ago( which was so much fun and the flowers did not disappoint) but there are festivals right here in the U.S. These […]
I have never been to Italy but it is on my ever growing list of destinations I must visit. I helped my parents plan a trip a couple of years ago and it definitely sparked an interest in this country full of historic sites and delicious food. So here we go, date night in with […]
Spring has sprung in Maine! We’ve had the windows open during the day and little signs of spring are popping up everywhere. We have a little garden in our backyard that Andrew tends to, he grows some salad greens, hot peppers, cucumbers and a ton of herbs. I thought I would help get the herbs […]
Maine is speckled with lighthouses up and down its rocky and often foggy coastline. I love lighthouses, it may be because I grew up with three just a bike ride away. Many Maine lighthouses date back to the 19th century and some were commissioned before the United States was even formed! If you’re visiting Maine […]
Spring is in the air! The sun is shining, birds are chirping, days are getting longer. I love this time of year when everything seems new again. Maybe even new adventures are on the horizon? I recently I got my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and I can see the light at the end […]
I love soda bread year round but this time of year it seems to pop up everywhere. It’s a surprisingly versatile bread and super easy to make. It’s great for breakfast, an afternoon snack with some jam or an accompaniment to a hearty, warming soup. I’ve had this recipe for ages and I have no […]
Growing up we ate a lot of chicken. Like a lot. My brother wouldn’t eat any other protien. So, many of the meals my mom made were chicken based. We still had shepherd’s pie, meatloaf, pork chops, homemade mac and cheese but there was alot of chicken consumption. She’d even make him his own chicken […]
When I started my side gig working at my local airport the first international trip that I wanted to take was to Ireland. We hadn’t been there and I come from a very Irish family. Our quick trip was everything that I thought it would be and I can’t wait to explore more the beautiful […]
I’ve been following the account liemessa on instagram for years. I first stumbled across this account when I was mindlessly scrolling and saw a beautiful chocolate cake with cherries, it looked so good and I had to make it! After clicking on picture I found out that belongs to Jenni Hayrinen who is a Finnish […]
I’m a native Mainer and it’s no secret that I love where I live, but Maine winters can be long. They are bitter cold and snowy and if you don’t have fun things to do they seem neverending. I didn’t grow up skiing but since meeting Andrew 14 years ago I’ve broadened my winter activity […]
We’re in the 2nd week of February so that means it’s time for another date night in! The first date night in with a French theme was a casual Apéro, which is a great way to spend an afternoon or evening in. But Valentine’s Day is a week away and today’s French date night is […]
We’re coming up on Valentine’s Day and what country would be more fitting for a romantic date night in than France? I can’t think of one! I’m going to share a couple of date night in options from this favorite country of mine. First up is a more casual date night in, more of a […]
There’s just something so nice about catching the bus or train and having it transport you to another destination. I love that the bus/rail system in Europe is so easy to navigate. The USA could learn a thing or two about public transport from Europe! When we made last minute plans in 2018 to visit […]
My husband, Andrew, is part Finnish. He’s super proud of this fact and will tell anyone who will listen. He has a Finnish flag decal on his car and before our front porch was redone he flew the Finnish flag outside our home. See, super proud. We haven’t had the chance to visit Finland yet […]
It’s the second week of January and I wanted to share some mocktails that I’ve been enjoying this month. After the holiday season I always try to cut back on alcohol, sweets and heavy meals. Do a bit of a reset for my body. This year, I especially wanted to cut back on the alcohol […]
This is hard. Staying home all the time, not being able to have friends over for dinner or meet up for drinks to catch up. I don’t mind a quiet evening in, but I like to do things out and about too! Plus I’m running out of Netflix to watch (help!) The other day I […]
We love a theme night! I know this isn’t the first time that I’ve told you this. We’ll pick a recipe, get some tunes going and imagine we’re somewhere else for the evening. We’ve been doing this for years but 2020 gave us the opportunity to do them even more. Travel doesn’t seem to be […]
The New Year is only days away! Can you believe it?!?!? Usually I’d be finalizing plans with friends, booking a manicure apt and trying to put together a sparkly outfit. Not this year though. This New Years it will just be me, Andrew and the kitties. And that is ok with me. As much as […]
2020 is finally coming to a close. Thank goodness! I must admit though, and I don’t even want to say this out loud but I have a feeling that 2021 may not look that different. So instead of a woe is me attitude I want to prepare for the new year with some new ideas. […]
We’ve been hosting Christmas morning breakfast at our place for years. The menu has changed and evolved over time, you learn pretty quickly that made to order eggs are not fun on a holiday morning! We’ve made a delicious holiday hash with root vegetables, a variety of frittatas, brioche cinnamon bread, breakfast strata, the list […]