work trip to harrisburg

My husband's job at a metal fabrication company involves him designing and drawing a lot of parts to be produced out of sheet metal in the shop. He uses a certain software to make all this stuff. A few weeks ago, he was working on a project in bed while I was reading. Blueprints were spread all over our bed and I was secretly watching him make precise measurements, calculations and designs. He is so smart and talented at what he does. Can you tell I am very proud of him?

His boss decided to send him away for software training in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Aaaand here's the thing... I'm kind of a wimp. I hated the thought of sleeping in our house alone, and also being away from him. So I asked my boss if I could just go with him and work from my laptop in the hotel room while he was in training. He was totally fine with it, so a few days later we were off to Harrisburg!

This was my office for a few days. Not terrible.

And this was my view for those days... a messy, unmade bed. Nice, right?

Working from a hotel room is a little over rated. The good part: I stayed in my pajamas and kept the Food Network on in the background all day. Awesome. The bad part: I was lonely! I am used to working in a building with other people, and sitting in a pretty office with tons of windows.

Of course it was a work trip, so it wasn't necessarily supposed to be fun. Michael was at training from 8 to 5 and I was stuck in the hotel room working like crazy and counting the minutes until Michael came back so I could have some human interaction.

But after work, we had a ton of fun going out to eat at local restaurants and exploring downtown Harrisburg. We splurged a lot and had dessert after dinner every night.

My favorite meal of the trip was at Appalachian Brewing Company in Camp Hill. I had a grilled chicken sandwich on brioche, that was topped with melted brie cheese, fresh spinach, walnuts and sweet honey. It was so different (I've never had whole walnuts on a sandwich) but delicious!

 

We drove around downtown Harrisburg one night, and stopped at this beautiful spot to enjoy the view.

Then we stopped by the Pennsylvania State Capitol, which was incredible. I wish it had been open so we could see inside.

The last day of our trip was my day to adventure out of the hotel room and around Pennsylvania. My boss sent me with a few hundred of our Southern Delaware Visitors Guides to deliver to Visitors Centers in the Harrisburg area.

One stop was in the adorable town of Carlisle. It was really fun to meet people who are doing the same thing as me, but in a different state. We talked for awhile about visitation, group tours, itineraries and other things people in the tourism world talk about.

Michael and I got home around 9:00 last night, unpacked as fast as we could, took a shower and crawled into bed. I can't tell you how great it felt to be back in my own bed.

As fun as it is to go away (even just for a work trip), it's even better to come back home.

honeymoon - reservation under "mr. and mrs."

With all the wedding planning going on, Michael and I were really looking forward to booking our honeymoon. It's been so much fun to look around online and read travel magazines to plan our first vacation together. We don't live together and we have never traveled together for more than a weekend . So this whole honeymoon thing means we get to fall asleep in the same bed and wake up in the same bed.

Our first thought was Jamaica. We definitely wanted the Caribbean. Something warm, tropical and total honeymoon cliche.

Then we started thinking about airports, checking luggage, long travel hours and complicated taxi rides in a foreign country. We know we will be so tired after our wedding, and honestly we just want to go relax somewhere close by!

A few weeks later, I was reading a travel magazine at work (it's okay, I work in tourism) and saw an article on "Romantic Getaways". There was a review on this hotel and I knew it was the one. It's a total winter wonderland hidden in the mountains in Western Maryland, to match our winter-themed wedding in January.

I read, "This bed-and-breakfast's Arts and Crafts-style decor, wraparound porch with rockers and lakeside views are enough to relax the most tightly wound person. There's plenty at the Inn to keep you busy if you feel like staying put. The staff continually restocks the homemade chocolate chip cookie tray and fruit bowl and light hors d'oeuvres are served in the evening. A log-burning fire is lit in the living room; spiced cider is served, too."

Fireplaces? Relaxation? Lakeside views? Chocolate chip cookies? Spiced cider? Take me there now.

We read some reviews on Trip Advisor too. I love Trip Advisor. Do you guys use it as much as I do? I totally trust all those strangers opinions.

Most people said it was the best bed and breakfast type hotel they've ever stayed in - and have been back numerous times over the years, some 4 and 5 times a year! They said the complimentary "gourmet" breakfasts are amazing, and there are snacks and drinks available for free all day. At night, you can roast marshmallows around a fire and chat with the other guests at the Inn. It's situated right on the lake with beautiful views and fresh mountain air.

My favorite part is that there are only 10 rooms. All the hotels in Jamaica we looked at had like 400 or 500 rooms. We wanted total peace and quiet.

All of the rooms at the Inn have gas fireplaces and beautiful views. But you get to pick which room you want based on the photos.

We chose this room. Can you guess why?

Hello beautiful snowy mountain view and jacuzzi tub right next to the fireplace.

We can snuggle up by the fire in the bed, those comfy chairs or the bathtub. There is also a steam shower and 100% Egyptian cotton sheets. Romantic much?

We are getting a hot stone couples massage while we are there. 80 minutes of happiness. Doesn't that woman look blissful? That will be me in like 250 days.

There are some fun things to do close by. The Inn is right across the street from a beautiful ski resort where we can buy day passes to go snow tubing and ice skating. We can also rent snow mobiles and ride a "mountain coaster" that winds it's way down the snowy mountain through the forest. We can even go on horse-drawn sleigh rides.

I know the drive up there will be so beautiful, and it's only a 4 hour drive from where we are getting married.

Everything about it is perfect and we couldn't be more excited. It's all booked, done and paid for with a reservation under Mr. and Mrs. Beard... so crazy!

I know Michael is happy because he loves the mountains and he loves me - so he gets both at once. We both love snow and all the coziness it brings when you are inside cuddled up next to a fire. We will spend 5 happy days there. It's perfect to complete our winter wedding.


Article from The Pittsburgh Post Gazette and photos from Lake Pointe Inn.

my new job

I know it seems like I have fallen off the planet, but I promise I am still alive and well, better then ever actually. I am one week into my new job and loving it. (Hi, Aubrey!)

I work for my county's tourism office. We promote events, accommodations, recreations and restaurants for Sussex County through our website and other advertisements. I've been working on this website by adding events to the event calendar, adding buttons to the homepage and generally updating content.

Working in Marketing is totally different than working in finance. My new boss is encouraging me to dig into my passions and bring them out in the workplace. For example, we have talked about featuring a "Restaurant of the Week" on the homepage.

 
That "Come to the Culinary Coast" button is a new campaign designed to promote restaurants in our area, therefore increasing tourism. I have a feeling this campaign will become my biggest project and I can't wait to see how it all plays out. This summer, we want to focus on farm-to-table restaurants. There are tons of restaurants who work with our local farmers and cook with their fresh produce.

photo by michael beard photography

Delaware is kind of beautiful, huh?

Basically, I love the work and the people I work with. It's one big, huge blessing for Michael and I both.

rachel and jon - photo by latte da imagery

This transition has kept me very busy. Plus I've been packing, getting my bridesmaids dress hemmed, shopping and getting ready for this weekend in Arkansas to see those 2 get married. I fly out on Thursday and come back on Sunday. When I come back, food blog mania will continue.

I have so missed calmly stirring a bowl of cake batter... piping frosting on cupcakes... the smell of hot cookies in my kitchen... chopping up fresh veggies and garlic cloves...

See you soon, dear friends.

wedding venue and date - check!

Thank you guys for hanging in here with me while the insanity that is my life has taken me far, far away from the world of food blogging.

Michael and I got engaged a little over 3 weeks ago. I started a new job this week. My sister is having a precious baby boy. I am flying out to Arkansas next week for a dear friend's wedding.

It's been crazy, but by the time I get back from Rachel's wedding in 2 weeks, life should calm down and start to be normal again.

Michael and I have been in wedding planning mode for awhile. We talked about our budget and guest list first and decided on 125 of the best people we know to invite to our wedding. Then we went on a mad wedding venue search that took us all over Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. I must have called 30 places trying to find someone that would be willing to work with our budget and wishes. We found that having a wedding on a Sunday saved us thousands of dollars, no big deal. It's just one day over and totally worth it.

Two weekends were taken up with traveling, meetings, menu options, proposals and talking about money. It was overwhelming at first. But 3 of my very best girlfriends got engaged right before Michael and I... I remember them going through the "picking a venue" stage of wedding planning and was encouraged by them that we would find the perfect place.

And we did! Three weeks later, Michael and I booked a lovely restaurant right on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. They have a ballroom on the second floor for wedding receptions. There are these huge windows that look out onto the water and a giant chandelier in the middle of the dance floor. I am in love with it!

They were in the process of setting up for a wedding in these pictures, so it's a little jumbled. But I already have ideas for centerpieces, place cards, flowers and all that fun stuff.

So we are officially getting married on Sunday, January 22, 2012! I cried when we booked it. I know that's crazy, but I'm sure you ladies understand. It feels so official now and I am so incredibly happy to be marrying this man.

They also have a lovely room for our ceremony, which is conveniently located right next to the ballroom. Our guests will just have to walk into the next room to get to our reception.

The next steps are figuring out our bridal party, booking a DJ and hiring our wedding photographer. You know we are picky about that, but we have someone in mind that I think will be perfect.

I hope everyone is having a great week!

new york = great friends, great food, happy girl

I am forever grateful for the 4 years I spent in New York City. I remember people telling me, "Enjoy being in college while you can, you will look back and wish you had appreciated it more." This is not the case for me. I knew how good it was while I had it. I laid down and rolled around in it, enjoying every precious moment.

With that said, I feel the same way about this time in my life now. Maybe it's a good thing to appreciate every stage in your life. My Dad always tells me, "Focus on the blessings." He is so wise.

When this small town life starts to get a little dull, I so enjoy going back to the city that was once mine. It is exciting and fun and exhausting... I am not used to walking so much any more. My suburbia legs were struggling to keep up with the pace.

I had 4 places on my list to go to, one of them thanks to my blogger friend Amy at Elephant Eats. Thanks, Amy!

Fishs Eddy
City Bakery
Levain Bakery
Popover Cafe

I am so proud that at least one thing was not food related. Most of my places to visit are food related. I'm just saying.

My dear friend, Jill, joined me on Saturday afternoon. We took the 6 downtown to 23rd street and walked a little ways to City Bakery for some of the best hot chocolate ever. It was thick and creamy, like they just melted a dark chocolate candy bar into a mug and slopped a homemade marshmallow on top.

Fishs Eddy is one of my favorites. I shop online sometimes for cute dishes and glasses.

But nothing beats the real store. So authentic and cool.

After a fun night celebrating my wonderful friend Ame's birthday, we woke up early to have breakfast with Chris, who is in the city from LA looking for grad schools. He is beyond hysterical. He had Ame and I in tears, laughing, the whole breakfast.

Sitting across the table from these 2 was good for my heart. It was bursting with happiness.

This place was not new to me. Popover Cafe and I go way back. I've been going there since I was a freshman in college, especially whenever my sister was in town to visit.

They make eggy, delicious popovers served with whipped strawberry butter. They are so different and delicious. It's one of my favorite places to eat breakfast. They also have the best hot drinks - chai latte and Mexican hot chocolate being my favorites.

When I think of enjoying a relaxing breakfast on a chilly winter morning, I think about Popover Cafe on the Upper West Side. There are some Sunday mornings that I consider taking the train up just to enjoy breakfast there and then come home again. But then my good sense kicks in.

Side note: After opening his bacon and cheese omelette and saying, "There is an entire pig in here...." Chris put it in his popover and exclaimed, "This is the best decision I have made all day!"

Next stop: Levain Bakery. Home of the most delicious, outrageous, Heavenly cookies on the planet.

It's a hole-in-the-wall type of place. Just my style. Low key, easy going and so delicious. They only make 4 types of cookies so you know they do them right. See the huge bags of sugar? And the dough balls about to be put in the oven? Huge mounds of dough. That's a good way to bake a cookie.

I got a dark chocolate chocolate chip cookie and a glass of milk. They serve milk with their cookies. Does it get better than that?

(Christi, these look a lot like your cookies!!)

Chris and Ame both had their signature cookie, chocolate chip walnut. I agree with their decision because I got to try it. See how big they are? My cookie is the size of my hand.

After our breakfast together, we sadly parted ways. Chris went off to work, Ame to church and I went to Penn Station to take my train home. My grandfather upgraded me to Amtrak, which means a much shorter and comfortable trip. Thanks, Nana and Papa! :)

It was a wonderful weekend. I got to go to all the places on my list and still had time to lay around Ame's apartment, reading and relaxing. But it was the first time I felt disconnected from the city in a way. I think it's all a part of my transition into realizing that my life is different now.

I was sad to leave it all behind... again. But then, after a 2 hour ride, my train pulled into Wilmington station and I stared out the window at a handsome man standing on the platform with his hands in his pockets... smiling and eagerly looking through the windows of the train to find me.

photos from williamsburg, virginia

I went to Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia last November (2010) with my grandparents and my cousin, Devon. We stayed at the cutest house and had a great time.

Nana and Papa took my sister Ashley, Devon and I to Williamsburg almost every year when we were little. We have so many happy memories there.

I was looking back through some pictures and wanted to post ones I had looked over before, but now see how beautiful they are.

This tavern is a restaurant, and a darn good one. They make spoon bread that is to. die. for.

Devon told me before we went, "I don't want anything but spoon bread for dinner tonight. I want to eat spoon bread until it's coming out of my ears ... and then I want to eat some more."

Happy Wednesday, everyone! You're almost to the weekend. Love.

tour the brick house tavern shop

During my recent weekend trip toWilliamsburg with my family, we rented a Colonial house right off the main street through town. The house sat behind the Brick House Tavern, which is now a hotel with 16 rooms. This little house apparently used to be a shop for the tavern, but has now been renovated beautifully. It's so cute.

I thought I would give you a little tour, in case you were ever looking for a unique place to stay in Virginia.

There are 20 something restored Colonial houses you can rent all throughout Williamsburg. You rent them through the fancy-shmancy Williamsburg Inn, so you get the benefits of being a guest at the Inn. Score.

Just resist the urge to trip someone when you walk through the Inn. The people are so pretentious I wanted to die.

You walk in to the sitting room on the first floor. There is a beautiful fire place, sofa, two arm chairs and a huge armoire with a TV that we never turned on.

Please ignore the super creepy picture above the fireplace. Don't talk about it. I can't.

While you are ignoring the picture, notice the pattern on the sofa. Love!

Devon and I spent a lot of time relaxing, reading and enjoying the fire in those chairs. I really liked the curtains and the the thick wood blinds.

There is a bedroom with a King size bed on the first floor, with it's own bathroom. I forgot to get pictures of that room of course. But the bed has a beautiful canopy, similar to the pattern on the curtains.

Go up the stairs to get to the second bedroom, where Devon and I stayed.

The bedroom upstairs has 2 double beds. We felt like we were in Heaven. We stayed at this house years ago, and remember there only being twin beds.

Thank you, Williamsburg, for providing me the space to sleep diagonally.

This is the door from the stairs, and the bathroom across the hall. I love the door handle and the dark wood floors.

This was our bathroom, so bright and white. The shower was incredible too - one of those shower heads in the ceiling that rains water down on you. Devon and I both took showers that left our hands wrinkly, just to stand under the falling wall of water for 30 minutes.

Back downstairs to the side of the house, which leads to a garden. I looked out my window one morning and saw 2 men dressed in full Colonial attire building a little house down the street with hammer and nails. They really get into character around there.

If you are ever traveling through Williamsburg, Virginia - I recommend trying out one of the houses they have there. It's a fun, authentic way to enjoy the history that just oozes out of that place.