Hot N Juicy Crawfish

After getting lucky at the casinos, B and I took our hard earned cash to Hot N Juicy Crawfish in Chinatown, Las Vegas. We chowed down on 2lb of crawfish and crab legs that were smothered in their special Hot'n'Juicy sauce. We smelled like garlic for the rest of that night.

Melissa & Alex's Sliders

Congratulations to Melissa and Alex on gettin' hitched the old fashioned way... in Vegas! And double props for having these crazy good sliders during cocktail hour! They were a great compliment to the Elvis impersonator performance.

Yabbie's Coastal Kitchen

This is exactly how a Warm Octopus Salad should be made. With LOTS of octopus! Dinner at Yabbie's Coastal Kitchen, which is a few blocks away from Maggie's apartment in Russian Hill, San Francisco.

Heirloom Tomatoes

Fresh, summery heirloom tomatoes from Preston Vineyards for sale.

Healdsburg

Before hitting up the wineries in Sonoma Valley, we decided to grab some lunch from a charming little town called Healdsburg. We were lucky enough to catch an arts and crafts fair, where they also served deliciously smokey BBQ oysters. They're lightly grilled and topped with a secret cocktail sauce. Then, I had an uber fresh avocado and turkey sandwich at a cute diner in the same area.

Hog Island Oyster Co.

If you're in San Francisco and happen to love oysters, be sure to check out the Hog Island Oyster Co. It's located in the back of the Ferry Building Marketplace, which is a great to explore in itself. B and I split a platter of 2 dozen oysters, four of six types. The one shown at the top is my favorite out of all of them: the Sand Isle Kumamoto. So plump and sweet, I think that the Kumamoto is an easy  "starter oyster" for those who are new to the delicacy. The second photo shows a bowl of savory steamers with beans and grounded meat.

Spaghetti

Spaghetti mixed with my oven-roasted tomatoes from yesterday, some spicy soppressatta, mortadella with pistachio and topped with fresh grated parmesan reggiano. This was a fantastic dinner for two.

Salumeria Rosi

I found a hidden gem on the Upper West Side with my good friend C this weekend. Salumeria Rosi Parmacotto has a great assortment of meats. Top to bottom: Buttery Mortadella with pistachio that brings back enhanced childhood memories. Assortment of meats to taste including prosciutto, soppresatta, capicola, and more!

Oven-roasted Tomatoes

I came across this mouthwatering post from Our Best Bites on how to make your own oven-roasted tomatoes and was excited to try it out for myself. I picked up a pack of 40 cocktail tomatoes from Zabar's and garlic from Chinatown. Keep in mind that the recipe calls for minced garlic and I've never minced anything before (that was an adventure in itself).

Prosciutto and Peach Bundle

The right appetizer for any occasion? When in doubt, make these. Prosciutto, peach (or nectarine), and arugula bundles. Sweet, salty, savory and delicious. Just make sure that your guests like prosciutto, which shouldn't be all that difficult... but you never know!

BBQ Chicken

Smoky barbeque chicken and pork chops (not shown) at BSmith's BBQ. Tasty.

Sangria

Viognier + Peach + Pear + Strawberry + Club Soda + Sugar Water = Tasty Sangria