November Favorites

Hi there everyone!

I decided I am going to start a new series on the blog called __ Favorites where each month I take a break from sharing my foodie finds and unload on you my current obsessions.

 

 

- As the weather changes so do my style choices. Winter is without a doubt my favorite shopping season. There is something about comfy sweaters, boots, and over the knee socks that I am loving right now. Another favorite? Body suits. You never have to worry about your shirt riding up and you can style them with both shirts and pants like so:

 

Also, the skirt I am wearing in the first picture is from Anthropoligie. And yes, I am
obsessed with it. It seriously looks amazing with anything. Also, Rebel by Mac is seriously
the greatest lipstick I have ever owned. Obviously I am rocking it in all three pictures.


- Speaking of sweaters, my next obsession? The sweater weather scent from bath and body works. I currently have a wall plug in next to my desk and it instantly puts me in a good mood. I also bought a sweater weather candle from bath and body works which comes in a ceramic holder that looks like a sweater. I have not burned it yet because I am trying to quickly finish up my pumpkin scented candles before the Christmas season truly begins. Bath & Body Works really has the best quality candles. The scent lingers for a couple of days, and they are always having their three wick 2 for 22 candle sale. You really can't beat it. Just ask the girl who has a whole drawer full of them.

 

 



- While we are on the subject of Bath & Body works I have to talk about my current favorite scent that I have been wearing almost everyday. It is the Bath & Body Works body mist in the scent Noel. It literally smells like sugar cookies.

 



 

 

 

- As the holidays approach, I have been searching for affordable ways to decorate my work space for the holidays. There is something about a little Christmas cheer to brighten your day. There are tons of free printables online for all of the seasons that are a quick way to decorate your space for practically nothing. I currently have a banner that says "Give Thanks" on my desk for Thanksgiving, but after searching today I found a couple Christmas banners that I just can't wait to put up. (After thanksgiving of course!)

 

 

 

 



- American Horror Story. My boyfriend and I are currently watching American Horror Story Coven and we love it. We also went out and bought the Asylum season since we never watched that one and we love that one even more! After not being into the first season we kind of gave up on it, but the fact that they have a different story line every season means that there is always something for everyone. I absolutely love this concept, and I can not wait to see what they come up with next!

Our second TV obsession of the moment? The Following with Kevin Bacon. They finally added the first season to Netflix and so we just began watching - and we are hooked! Can not wait for the new season to start in January.

 

 

- My last obsession? This blog. In the recent months I have been coming up with more and more posts for you that go beyond just restaurant reviews. My love for writing and creating keeps growing, and it is all thanks to the amazing support that I have received from my friends and family.

I recently found out that Creatively Casey is being featured on Dante's Kitchen in East Greenwich's website and I could not be more excited.

 

 

 

So in the spirit of Thanksgiving I want to say thank you to everyone who continues to read my blog. It is because of you that I am so passionate about what I do.

 

 

Stay tuned, there is much more to come!

The Restaurant Re-Review

Sometimes I have a great experience at a restaurant and want to tell you all about it right away. I am always so excited to go back hoping that it lives up to my expectations. Some places, like Julians and Pane Vino are always great time after time, and some places turn out to be one hit wonders - you know the one's that blow you away and then when you expect more they just can't deliver.

So here are two very different re-reviews of places that have fallen since my first visit - one that I will be giving a second try and the other I will not be returning to.

 

First up is Dante's located on Main Street in East Greenwich.

When Dante's Kitchen opened I was stoked. Southern Breakfast? Heck yes! It was awesome; everything from the yummy chicken and waffles to the coffee served in mason jars. So when my boyfriend moved back to Rhode Island I was very excited to bring him to what looked to be like one of my new favorite breakfast spots. And then they kinda let me down.

I ordered the pulled pork hash which came with two poached eggs and a homemade biscuit. The hash was good, although it was kind of lacking in flavor and my eggs were not cooked through. J ordered scrambled eggs with sausage and cheese grits. The sausage patties were like hockey pucks: very dry and flavorless. The waitress brought over a plate of bacon which was very good and a nice gesture on their part. The cheese grits were extremely watery and had a few shreds of cold cheese on top. Pretty disappointing seeing as how blown away I was on my first visit to Dante's. I am a pro at finding amazing breakfast places and let me tell you, I felt like I was dropping the ball a little. Inconsistency is not what you want in a restaurant, but I am hoping that this was just a one time fluke. I am still wanting to go back to Dante's for lunch and give their Fried green tomato BLT a try.

 

 

The second place I have been a few times before and have had mediocre experiences all around. Not amazing but not bad, but after my last visit to Mediterraneos on Federal Hill- me and J will not be returning. I had a $35 dollar gift card so we decided to go and have some drinks at the bar and split an appetizer. Their antipasto salad sounded like a no brainer. The menu description was as followed: Mixed selection of imported Parma prosciutto, hot soppressara, sharp imported provolone, Parmigiano-Reggiano, house made mozzarella, stuffed cherry peppers, grilled marinated eggplant, olive tapenade crostini, red and yellow pickled peppers, potato croquets, arancini, and assorted olives.. Dang. We were excited. This sounded wonderful and like more than enough food for the two of us to share. We were wrong. The tiny round dinner plate came out with one slice of the prosciutto, one small taste of each of the hot items, a couple cubes of cheese, and a over abundance of marinated peppers. The entire plate tasted like vinegar. It was quite overpowering.

The second issue was that we could not even hold a conversation because the bartender was standing directly in front of us on her phone the entire time. I felt like this was not only rude but unnecessary seeing as that the bar (which only had two other people at it) was quite large and she could have easily stood on the other end where no one was sitting. Feeling quiote awkward we paid our check and left.

 I still had a gift card to Pane Vino so we walked down there, got a table, ordered an appetizer, some drinks, and had a lovely time as we do every time we visit Pane Vino. Greqat food, polite service, and a romantic atmosphere-what more could you ask for?

 

We will never make the mistake of going anywhere on the hill but Pane Vinno when we are in the mood for a nice antipasto. They are simply the best.

 

-Sorry for the very wordy post but I felt like I needed to share these experiences with my fellow foodies!

-What is your favorite restaurant on the hill? Is there somewhere that you consider a one hit wonder? I would love to hear!

 



The Secret Life of the American Fast Food Menu

We have all heard about them - the secret menu items that exist at many of the popular fast food restaurants. It makes people curious, and it makes me curious to know if anyone actually orders these things.

 

Recently Panera Bread aka "my second home" added their secret menu items to their regular menu. This includes a couple healthy bowl options for breakfast and lunch

 

 

But what about other restaurants? Here are the top five items I am dying to try!

 

5. Starbucks - Biscotti Frappuccino. You can order any Frappuccino with a biscotti blended into it.

 

4. Kentucky Fried Chicken - Poutine. This includes French fries, fried cheese curds, and gravy layered together.

 

3. Taco Bell - Doritos Locos Cheesy Gordita Crunch. The name says it all. You can also get a Volcano Taco Cheesy Gordita Crunch and a Fiery Doritos Locos Cheesy Gordita Crunch. Just ask and you shall receive.

 

2. Chipotle - Nachos. You can order Nachos at Chipotle. WHAT! Obviously they have all the components but I just never thought about doing this. But Nachos made with their amazing guac? Heaven.

 

1. Chipotle - The Quesorito. A burrito made out of a cheese quesadilla. OH. MY. GOD.

You can find out more about this marvelous concoction here.

 

 

Did you notice my last two are both found at Chipotle? Yes, the obsession lives on. And it is not going anywhere any time soon.

 

 

What secret menu options are you dying to try?

Obviously I am most interested in the Mexican variety.

 

 

 



Fridge or Pantry?

Does ____ belong in the fridge or in the pantry? A debate that some of my family members have often. Some of the most popular food items? Ketchup, syrup, peanut butter, and butter. For me, all of these things belong in the fridge (well, peanut butter is a toss up; all natural stuff belongs in the fridge, but feel free to keep that Jiffy in the cupboard!). To others, they are seriously against any of these products being near the fridge. But seriously, what's better then a warm pancake with some cool syrup or a hot French fry dipped in cold ketchup?

 

But what about other things such as produce? I've got some answers for you.

 

1. Stone Fruit. This first one is a trick question. Things like peaches and plums actually have their place in both the fridge and the pantry. These types of fruits will not ripen in the fridge. Keep them on the counter until they are nice and juicy, and then move them to the fridge to prolong their shelf life.

 

2. Tomatoes. Keep these guys out of the fridge. The cold temperatures will lead to a mealy texture.

 

3. Berries. These guys belong in the fridge. Being left on the counter will only speed up their decay.

 

4. Cooking Oils. Every oil is used differently and the same should go for their storage. Olive oil and Canola oil can be kept in the pantry. Sesame oil, peanut oil, and truffle oil however should be kept in the fridge or it will go rancid.

 

5. Onions. Like tomatoes, onions take on a "too soft" texture in the fridge.

 

6. Potatoes. When kept in the fridge, potatoes can take on an oddly sweet flavor when cooked. To keep them fresh, keep potatoes in a paper bag in a dark place. Once they start to sprout you know it is time to throw them away.

 

Hope these tips help you prevent spoilage of your favorite foods!

What tips do you have for me? I would love to hear them!



Coffee Equals Water?

This morning as I was drinking my coffee and reading my favorite blogs I came across the newest post on fitfoodiefinds.com where Lee talks about how she almost passed out in one of her classes due to lack of water. She had realized that while driving to her class at 6:45pm she had not had any water all day, just her coffee.

 

I thought to myself "I do that everyday!" I began thinking about how much water I drink daily vrs. how much coffee I drink. Yesterday alone I did not drink a glass of water until 9:30pm, meanwhile I drank 3 cups of coffee throughout the day. I guess I feel like I am putting liquid in my body so I do not notice the lack of water intake.

I then began to think of the increasing amount of headaches I have been getting the past two weeks.

 

Could these be linked? Yes Casey.

 

 

Water hydrates your body while Coffee actually dehydrates you.

Dehydration: when your body does not have as much water and fluids as it should.

Symptoms include but are not limited to:

1. dry mouth

2. lethargy

3. dark urine

3. dizziness

4. light headedness

 

Besides the obvious there are many benefits of drinking more water:

1. It boosts your metabolism

2. Reduces the risk of headaches (there it is!)

3. It boosts brain power

4. Shinier hair and younger skin

5. lowers stress levels

 

So how much water should you be drinking daily? According to WebMD (the leader in all things medical related, right?) you should drink 6-8 eight ounce glasses of water a day.

 

Get bored with just plain ol' H2O? How about making an infused water. They are an easy and flavorful way to get in your daily water without any additives.

 

 

 

So there it is folks. If you are like me you are probably dehydrating yourself with the amount of coffee you drink to "make it through the day".

Join me in my pledge to drink more water today!