A night with Zuma

Something very exiting happened in Boston this week! Zuma, located at the new Four Seasons One Dalton, hosted they’re soft opening! There are Zuma restaurants all over the world and now Boston has joined the list. I went with my friend Elissa, be sure to check out her blog Style Wire, and we were treated to one of the best meals I’ve ever had.

We tried a bunch of different dishes. The menu has everything from sushi, Robata grilled vegetables and fish, as well as traditional entrees. To say things exceeded my expectations would be an understatement. From the moment we walked we were greeted by the beautiful atmosphere and friendly hosts. There was even a live DJ playing the bar area!

We were so happy to be seated at the bar overlooking the Robata grill. Getting to watch the chefs at work was a real treat! The service was exceptional from beginning to end, our server was helpful, all the runners were able to speak to each dish we tried, and the manager was wonderful!

This was without a doubt my favorite dish! Seared Boston Scallops with sea urchin and black truffle. They scallops were so fresh, and the sea urchin and truffle all came together delectably as it all melted in your mouth. I almost considered ordered a second dish of these at the end of our meal they were so phenomenal!

Another scallop dish, of you don’t enjoy seafood you might be at the wrong restaurant. Zuma has plenty of other dishes to offer, but you are seriously missing out! These were the Grilled Scallops with pickled plum, shiso, and mentaiko. Behind the scallops is the Soft Shell Crab served with a wasabi mayonnaise, a classic and it was as delicious as expected! It was lightly fried but didn’t feel heavy at all.

If you love sushi you will love this Seared Tune with chili daikon and ponzu sauce.

Remember when I said you better like seafood if you’re visiting Zuma? Well I may have forgotten to mention all the amazing dishes out there for my friends who prefer turf to surf. These Robata skewers with beef and shishito peppers we incredible. I am not a big beef eater but these were cooked to perfection and the flavor and spicy were incredible!

With out a doubt the best part of the meal was the Roasted Boston Lobster. I love lobster and was thoroughly impressed by how well this was prepared, a perfect balance of butter and lemon. We ended the meal with some dessert. Honestly you can’t go wrong with any of the dessert selections, I had the Buddha chocolate mouse cake served with mango sorbet. And Elissa got the fruit platter. After dinner we stopped at the bar for a cocktail. Our bartender Alejandro was fantastic, he was able to tell us so much about the different drinks on the menu, order the “Burning History” for a real show!

Thank you so much adorable an incredible evening Zuma. I can’t wait to see what else One Dalton has in store for this city!

Zuma was kind enough to host us, but as always all opinions are my own.

Pure Barre Review

For the past month I have been going to Pure Barre on Newbury Street. They have a really great first time member deal, 1 month unlimited for $100. It’s a really great deal if you go several times a week!

I had taken a few barre classes in the past but had never really gotten into it so I was curious to try Pure. Here are my thoughts after attending for a month, bottom line I definitely recommend trying it!

The studio: the studio is on the second floor of the building right next to Starbucks. It is clean and bright and the staff is so friendly. There is water for sale if you forget yours, large and clean bathrooms, and changing rooms. I definitely felt comfortable showing up for my first class. It may sound silly but I definitely get gym anxious! I have been to a lot of different gyms and work out studios over the years and it can be a bit nerve wracking to show up by yourself not really knowing what to expect. The staff at Pure Barre made me feel comfortable right away, they gave me a quick tour of the studio, went through some terminology, and the instructor took the time to introduce herself to all the first timers. This made me feel completely welcome and comfortable. If you get anxious about new work outs too it can be helpful to bring a friend along.

The work out is great! It may look easy, the movements are small, weights are light, but be ready to hurt the next day! Hydrate before class and take advantage of the stretching you do during the class. After attending for 1 month I have definitely noticed a difference in my body, my arms look thinner, butt looks firmer, and I overall feel stronger. I have really crappy knees from years of soccer so this work out was perfect for me because it didn’t put to much pressure on my joints (I know I’m 22 but I’m really just an old lady inside).

If you are looking for a new work out to help you feel good inside and out I definitely recommend taking advantage of the first time member offer at Pure Barre the Newbury Street location is conveniently located right next to the Haynes Convention stop on the B, C, and D line!

If you liked this review let me know! In the past I haven’t blogged much about my fitness and nutrition routines but would love to start sharing a little here and there!

Lillying around Newport

I love summer for the sole reason that I get to wear all the cute Lilly Pulitzer pieces I have. Sometimes wearing Lilly in Boston in the middle of winter just doesn’t make sense. I love breaking out my brightest outfits during the summer because come Fall they get tossed in the back of my closet and I don’t see them again until Memorial Day.

Last weekend I went to Newport with one of my good friends Elyssa. We decided to go for the Newport Flower show hosted by the Newport Preservation Society at the Rosecliff mansion. Rosecliff is so beautiful, fun fact the old Great Gatsby movie featured Rosecliff in some of their scenes! We started the day with brunch and then strolled around downtown Newport for a little while. Thames Street is so great for shopping and people watching! We stopped at the Smoke House for some mudslides before heading over to the Flower Show. (BTW please excuse the ever present hair elastic on my wrist in all of the photos 🙄)

The Flower Show was fabulous! There were tons of vendors sent up and you can’t beat the view! We strolled through the ball room taking it all in.

After the Flower Show we headed over to Newport Vineyards to do a wine tasting. I love doing wine tastings, and Newport Vineyards is one of my favorite wineries in New England! We had a great bartender Brenden who was so helpful and fun. One of my favorite wines there is the Great White, it is the perfect crisp white wine for a summer day. It was Elyssa’s first time there and she loved the Dry Rose!

To end the day we headed over to my favorite spot in Newport, Castle Hill Inn. It is an absolutely stunning property and the view over the water can’t be beat. They have a gorgeous lawn with adirondack chairs that you can hang out in and have a cocktail. We grabbed dinner out on the patio. The food is delicious, but it wad the sunset that stole the show! We go there about an hour before sunset and it was so breathtaking to watch while we enjoyed a delicious dinner. The bartenders here know what they’re doing and make some of the best cocktails in Newport! I got a dark and stormy which didn’t disappoint.  

It was a perfect day in Newport. Its just a short drive from Boston but when I do make the trip down I like to fit as much as possible into the trip! Newport has so much to offer, I can’t wait to go back.

 

Outfit details: Romper- Lilly Pulitzer, Sunglasses- J.Crew (old), Purse- Kate Spade, Shoes- Jack Rogers

 

 

Tucker Blair Showroom and Gift Guide

Tucker Blair has always been one of those companies that I obsess over, they are so classic and preppy, how could you not love them? You may not know that their showroom is tucked right in Beacon Hill. This week I had the opportunity to visit the showroom and check out some of their latest products. Tucker Blair has traditionally done Men’s accessories but have really expanded their selection for women. I am so excited about their new Ladies Blair Wallets, these are so perfect and would make a great gift for any girl in your life.

 I am in love with this banana leaf wallet! I encourage all the ladies out there to put this at the top of your Christmas list!

Tucker Blair is such a fantastic company! They truly believe in quality above all else and they really care about their customers. I was so happy to check out the adorable show room they have here in Boston.

Needlepoint accessories are a staple in any preppy closet. Need some stocking stuffers? Pick up a Needlepoint Keychain! I got the red Labrador keychain to match my puppies. One of the first Tucker Blair items I ever owned was a needlepoint sunglasses strap. With so many fun patterns these make another great stocking stuffer for anyone.

Merry Christmas everyone, I hope there is something from Tucker Blair under all your trees Christmas morning.

Keychain and Wallet c/0 Tucker Blair

Port of McCall Watch Co.

As we head into the holiday season I am in constant shopping mode! I have already started my list of what I am getting for various people on my list, and a new Port of McCall Watch makes the list a few times!

If you haven’t heard of Port of McCall Watch Co. they are a new company that designs high quality adorable watches! I love the canvas strap because it allows the watch to be dressed up and styled for a more casual day to day look. I’m so excited to give these as gifts this Christmas! I think that watches make perfect gifts for everyone and anyone. And with the different options for straps provided by Port of McCall you can find style watch that your dad, little sister, and cousin will all like!

I highly recommend a Port of McCall watch, if not for someone on your Christmas list then for yourself! Use code #PORTOFMcCALL for 25% off your order!

Watch c/o Port of McCall Watch Co.

Discount code: #PORTOFMcCALL