It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

It's actually gray and rainy, but no matter. I can tell it's going to be a great day. I have very exciting lunch plans with my friends Sara and Lyle, who I was in Paris with. I've seen them both individually since then, and they've seen each other in Boston, but with us all together it'll just just like old times! Well, just like old times with the exception that we'll be speaking English. We're still waiting to see if our friend Lindsay will be able to get home from Rhode Island fast enough... I hope she does!

Now, on to the eats! (Gotta keep myself distracted some way!)

I had a bowl of 0% Fage with clementines and grapes around 5 yesterday...


And who can say no to freshly baked bread? This is not a Secret Santa item; I baked a loaf of cream-of-oatmeal bread (half for the parents, half for Ari & co). It's been a long time since I had real oatmeal bread, and it was delish. Being the genius that I am, however, I forgot to add the sugar to the dough, so after it rose I just kneaded in some honey. It worked perfectly, and I think it may have been even better!

I had a thin slice with Lavender honey:


Dinner was so much fun. I haven't seen Lisa in a mighty long time, and I hadn't see Lizzie since high school graduation. So, what better way to make up then with Mexican food and sangria at La Palapa?

I always feel so much pressure to go somewhere new, especially now that I'm blogging about it, but I have never had a bad time at La Palapa. They have AMAZING quesadillas and finger foods, and their sangria is out of this world!

Lisa and I split plantains to start. They came with a little queso fresco crumbled on top, and we didn't end up using the sour cream it came with.


This isn't the most beautiful picture... But I had about four of these.


I ordered the Ensalata Romantica (romaine, avocado, beets, craisins, pine nuts, queso fresco) with dressing on the side. I ate every last bite! I only used about half the dressing.


Lisa come hither-ing the white hibiscus sangria:


It was so much fun to see my friends, and I was still home and in bed by midnight. Woohoo!

We were both a little sleepy this morning... Java me up, please!


I wasn't too hungry so I just had a bowl of mixed fruit (cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple, orange, grapes) and two slices of whole wheat toast with butter and grape jelly. The only time I use real butter is when I'm at a diner. There's something about diner toast that just can't be recreated outside of its space. (It might be because they put the bread on the griddle and fry it up...)


I'm going to read some more Twilight (it made me blush on the subway last night) before I have to pick Lyle up from the bus stop. Have a lovely day!