Allison Cafe

Beautiful May Flowers, Orange and Blue Contrasts Captured My Attention!

Hello everyone! I know I have taken a long break from posting any news. But I have good reason! So far 2010 has brought all kinds of good change. Kind of like how after the cold of winter and the rains of spring, flowers begin to thrive. Well, so has our life lately. In the last month we have moved into our first home (as first time homeowners!), which also meant we relocated to North County San Diego and after months of unemployment I am now employed!

We are still settling in to the new place. And since I am now working full-time, there really has not been enough time to write about the whole home buying experience. But now that things are starting to calm down a bit, I am thrilled to have a few minutes to write again and think creatively. More to come on our home journey.

This past weekend we celebrated Mother’s Day early with my mom. I took the above photo of one of the many adorable vases filled with fresh blooms that could be found all over my brother and sister-in-law’s house. These particular little roses in this blue vase captured my attention from across the room and I just couldn’t resist taking their photo.

Stay tuned for more house photos as we unpack! Happy Spring everyone!

Vespa parking in downtown Southport, CT

Well, our trip the East Coast has come to an end. And what a trip it was! We are so grateful to have such wonderful

Sweet, flaky, and mouth watering Red Mullet

family and friends, and were so excited to have 2 weeks to spend with them. Much like the first half of our trip, we laughed with friends and family that we hadn’t seen for awhile, ate the most amazing eats that we can’t get anywhere else and we saw beautiful new things.

After the birthday bash we had for Dad, we ventured up to Boston for a couple of days to visit friends and to see a new city. I had never been to Boston before, and I loved the city.

The Old State Building, Boston

Ali in the North End of Boston

I was taken back by the history and the sight of the old buildings mixed with new skyscrapers. We started in Boston’s South End and walked our way through the North End, Boston Commons and several neighborhoods in-between. We learned about the difference between inbound and outbound on the “T”, or subway, and we saw Paul Revere’s house and grave site as well.

On our drive back to Connecticut from Boston, we stopped in charming Newport, Rhode Island as well. This was my first visit to Newport. It was a beautiful, nautical city but also home to some of the largest mansions I had ever seen. We didn’t have time to venture inside the many mansions, but just driving by them was quite a sight. We enjoyed day dreaming about what life must have been like at The Breakers or the Astors’ Beechwood Mansions.

Astors' Beechwood Mansion

Seaside in Newport, RI

Of course, no trip to the area would have been complete without trying a lobster roll. Thanks to Steve’s iPhone, we found a review on Trip Advisor’s website raving about the classic lobster rolls at Flo’s Clam Shack in Newport. The rolls were basically fresh lobster meat and lettuce on a hot dog roll with mayo on the side. They tasted amazing, especially after a day of driving in the heat and humidity of the Eastern seaboard. I had forgotten about humidity until this trip, I didn’t miss it at all!

Flo's Clam Shack, a Newport Must See and Taste

After our road trip to Boston and Newport, we returned to Southport, CT and had several more days to walk by all the beautiful homes, peaceful harbors and relax with family.

Southport Harbor

The old bank building in Southport, CT

We are back home today in San Diego and reminiscing about our trip. Thankfully we have many wonderful photos and memories as souvenirs. And a bad cold that I picked up along the way, but thankfully the humidity didn’t follow us home so I am recovering in the cool climate on the West Coast. To our family and friends on the East Coast, we miss you all already and can’t wait to see you again soon!

Flowers in Bloom in Southport, CT

Summertime is here. Which also means that tons of delicious fruits and veggies are in season. And what better excuse to sample fresh produce than by visiting a local farmers market!

We decided to try a new San Diego farmers market last weekend. We ventured downtown to Little Italy’s Mercato on Saturday morning. The Little Italy Mercato spans a couple of city blocks near the heart of Little Italy. As we strolled the length of the market, we could enjoy the sounds of live, musical performances. There was a wide array of food and craft vendors alike.

Unlike some other markets around town, we were able to stroll the streets with our little furry friend, Hayley. At other markets we often have to leave her outside.

With so many wonderful flavors to choose from, we had a great time selecting fresh corn on the cob, heirloom tomatoes, feta and other Greek cheeses, Bing cherries, pink roses and even a whole chicken from local farmers. If not for the 2 hour limit on the parking meter, we might have stayed longer.

There is such an unmistakable difference in the quality of the food that we buy from the local markets. We have been enjoying the fruits of our adventure all week with fresh salads, and taking in the beauty of the fresh flowers that we bought as well. Take the time to find a market near you, not only will you enjoy the fresh product and handmade crafts available for purchase, you could also find that it is a great excuse to have some fun family time while supporting your local growers and artisans.