Happy Fright Night!

I'll be the first to admit that Halloween is not my favorite holiday. Don't get me wrong, I really do understand the hype. But it tends to sneak up on me every year leaving me with an incredibly lame costume and last minute plans.

Last year I actually planned for Halloween, I even had two outfits!

One for Friday,

and one for Saturday.

This year it was back to normal - the details fell into place completely and utterly last minute with little thought put into plans or attire.  I'm hoping to redeem myself with lots of candy for tonight's trick or treaters and possibly an orange and black wreath on the door. And hey, there's always next year, right?

P.S. I'm laughing thinking back at the year that my dad went to Sam's Club to buy Halloween candy for the neighborhood kids. He literally bought a box of 100 king-sized Snickers bars. Needless to say, it was a huge hit.

Get up, stand up

{I'm taking this Saturday morning to post a shameless plug for one of my favorite companies. But don't click away now, you're going to want to see this video...}

BOTE is a stand up paddle board company based out of Destin, FL that has it going on. The company was started in 2009 by Ross' cousin Corey and his wife Magda.  In just a few years BOTE has evolved into a major player in the fastest growing sport in the United States. 

The brand was recently featured in a promo for Fly Nation TV, showcasing the versatility {and beauty} of the boards.

{Featuring Intro by The XX}

Fun fact: Most people refer to stand up paddle boards as YOLO boards, when in fact YOLO is just another brand.  I like to refer to BOTE as the Apple of the stand up paddle board world. They're sleek, attractive and just better than the competition, no matter which way you look at it.  So hats off to YOLO for coining the term {you only live once}, and cheers to BOTE for taking the stand up paddle board industry to the next level.

It's 5 o'clock somewhere.

I'm just a little excited right now thinking about what will be happening today 5:00pm.

Ross and I have a hot date at The Boathouse, tossing back oysters and a pitcher or two of beer to kick off the weekend.

{ oh the perks of living at the beach... :) }

Pita Pizza

It's so simple. The perfect portion. The salad goes on top.

It takes no more than 15 minutes from start to finish.

Oh yes.

Spoon your favorite smoky chipotle salsa {or bbq sauce} onto a pita and spread to the edges. Top with shredded rotisserie chicken then sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake at 350° for 5 or 10 minutes {until the cheese has melted}, then top with arugula salad {arugula + a splash of greek salad dressing}.

Wanderlust

It never fails. After taking a few months to get settled into my new home, I'm ready to go. 

No, not to up and move to the next city or town on my list, but to travel and explore. {To be inspired by cultures I've yet to experience, or to revisit those which inspired me in years past.}

It's not that I don't love where I live, or that I haven't loved where I've lived in the past. It's that I love traveling as much as I love food, so staying put for too long just won't do.

{Insert reality check here.} As much as I'd love to be a jetsetter, continent hopping and dining beneath La Tour Eiffel, I haven't the time off work nor the funds to make it happen. So rather than physically traveling the world, I'm thinking a tour of my favorite worldly dishes will have to suffice until my money tree hits a growth spurt. 

{Thai Red Curry} Something about the sweet coconut milk takes this dish one step above its Indian counterparts.

{Croque-Monsieur} A hot ham and cheese topped with béchamel and more cheese. Yes, yes, yes. A thousand times yes.  Avec un coca light s'il vous plaît!

{Fried Plantains} Just say yes and never look back.

{Paella} One of the many things I love about Spanish culture, paella packed with seafood and saffron, then comes the siesta...

{Belgian Waffles} When in Brussels, one of the most adorable cities in all of Europe, you must walk the cobblestone streets and nosh on belgian waffles. You can find these delectable treats on every street corner, making them impossible to pass up.

I can safely say that writing this post has not helped at all with my craving to be leaving on a jet plane, but it will just have to do for now.