Thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends. Today is a nice opportunity to be grateful and thankful and I wanted to share a short list with you. 

In no particular order, here is what I'm thankful for right now, this year and always.

Thanksgiving 2014

That this kind man found somewhere to go today. 

My dog, even when she does things like this.

 

My friends. Near and far, old and new.

The fact that Louie was found.

My family, whom I'll see soon.

Finding this cute sign.
 
Wine.

This pretty song because I like the words.

Pizza from here. The corn pizza specifically.

Laughter.

Champagne. And any reason to celebrate.

That every year brings something new and great into my life.

Coffee.

Surprises.

That I can walk through this spectacular display every night.

Impromptu reunions with college friends.

The wishbone tradition that I will share with my mom in a few hours. 

You.

I hope you have a lovely day with your friends and family. 
 
xo,
Your friend,
Caroline

Lists.

Hi friends,

I happened to come across this article tonight. And, it's not very nice about the people where I live and love. Although the comments are pretty entertaining.

Basically. We were named to the list of least attractive people by Travel and Leisure. I'm particularity amused by the Pat's and Geno's reference.

OK. Ouch. But, I've been here a while and have found many beautiful people, inside and out. Yes, I've seen some scary things or outfits and experienced some questionable behavior but that's for another time. Most of the time, I think anywhere you go, you can see something beautiful. This cute little site is based on this very thing. I always do. I'm lucky.

I hope the next time our friends at T+L come to town, they call me. I'll show them around.

In fact, I'd probably invite them to go with me on a dog walk. Much like the one I had tonight.

The scene. I'm walking Kennedy outside and I'm in a big puffy dog-walking coat with my hair pulled back. A man walks by and says something as we pass each other and I catch the word "beautiful" at the end. Here's the rest.

Me: Thank you. (My standard response because I'm sure he's talking about my dog, as most people do. This is a thing. On Friday, someone stopped me and asked to take a picture of my dog. Yes, the dog.)
Him: Married?
Me: (laughing and still walking away) Nope.
Him: Single?
Me: No.
Him: Can I marry you?

I turned him down, but, it all started with the word beautiful. So, T+L, let's have chat and I can at least tell you where you can get a better cheesesteak.

xoxo
Your friend,
Caroline

Hi friends,
None of us have any idea of what will happen next - today or tomorrow. But what I do believe is that during these moments of wonder, life happens. And it's up to us to take full advantage. But, don't take my word for it.

Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.
-Ernest Hemingway

I believe this. In this vein, I wanted to share a few details about how I lived today and the moments that stood out. First, I spent some time with miss Kennedy at the dog park and made some new friends from Ohio who had Airedales. (People who spend time in Ohio stick together, you see. People who know Airedales share a special kinship.)

Then there were some of my favorite hours of the day between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. where I went to one of my all-time favorite spots in Philadelphia, Headhouse Farmer's Market, grabbed coffees at Bodhi before my man friend and I walked to Kennett for brunch, where we sat outside. In November. I loved the lamb meatballs and I had my go-to dish, the breakfast pizza. The detail here is to get extra maple syrup on the pizza that is basically just eggs, cheese and bacon. Then, I spent quality time with long-time friend Adrienne (and reason why I live here now) and her new baby, Henry, who stole my heart and chunks of my hair (at the same time). Henry - you little heart breaker, you. I brought them this lasagna because Adrienne adores it. (There are a few alternations to it in my version. If you want to know, ask.)

And to save the best detail of my day for last - this Friday marked my friend Holley's birthday. Since she has not been to one of my favorite restaurants we went to Will, where no detail is ever overlooked. Ever. I wrote about it when I went on my birthday a few year's ago and tonight's visit surpassed all other visits. And given Chef Christopher Kearse's recent three-bell upgrade you know you're in for something spectacular.

There were a few killer details tonight that must be discussed - the uni fettuccine was a standout for me. It's a new addition and was served with a knife and fork, which is the polite way to serve it. Being a good Italian, I twirled mine with my fork. The second detail was the staff who mentioned Holley's birthday throughout the evening. Finally - the surprise pot de creme that arrived for Holley to try. 

One final detail that I'll share is something I find to be beautiful - the image of a dinner party that has concluded. There is a certain charm about it, just before you have to take away the glasses and dishes and clean them. It shows that people met and hopefully had a lovely time and shared details about their lives over wine and dinner. I know I did tonight.

Wherever you are, I hope you had a lovely evening and shared your own details.

xo,

Your friend, 

Caroline

Philadelphia mornings.

Dear Philadelphia,
I wanted to let you know, you're my favorite in the morning. I'll be specific: early in the morning, before the city wakes. The first time I remember thinking this was in 2003 on my walks to the Broad Street Line. I'd walk from 1810 Pine Street to Walnut Street. And on my six block walk, I'd watch the city slowly wake. The streets would become bustling, the stores would become full and not dark and empty, restaurants would open, commuters and cars would take over the sidewalks and streets. But on my short strolls, I was early enough to catch Rittenhouse Square's sleepy charm. I loved that I was walking in the city before it became busy and chaotic. There was something almost cathartic about it.

I've always thought you were the prettiest in the mornings for a myriad of reasons and this morning was no different. I walked my dog in the sunlight today and not the darkness, thank you Daylight Savings. We were walking around our new neighborhood at our normal time. (So much for gaining an extra hour of sleep with a puppy in the house. I know parents of small children know what I'm talking about.) But, even though it was early, our sunlit walk was a welcome change from the last few weeks when we'd walk outside at zero dark thirty, quite literally.

I will look forward to the long sunny days in a few months when I can sit outside with my friends and my dog well past 8 p.m. But, even today, on my least favorite day of the year, I thought you were still very lovely, crisp and cool. Today was a perfect fall day.

I've never been a fan of the dark nights that start in the afternoon. But until we see the sun at both ends of the day, I'll watch your gorgeous fall and winter sunsets from my office building and be content during my morning commute, that is once again, along Walnut Street -- in the daylight.

xoxo
Your Friend,
Caroline

Sbraga...finally!

Hi friends, I hope you had a lovely Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Boxing Day and New Years since we last spoke.

For 2014, I have a series of restaurants on my list and Sbraga was one of them and I'm pleased to report...I went last night! I also have plans to focus on Your Friend, Caroline.

At Sbraga, we both had the four-course tasting menu and you can select your courses from the menu, which is nice. The courses are all sized perfectly.

We sat down and ordered a cocktail (for Mark) and wine (for me, a pinot). Then, the bread was served, but, it was more of an over-sized gougeres. Sbraga's version is a larger puffed airy bread with a hint of Gruyere. I would have eaten 10 more, had they offered and I'm glad they did not. 

Mark had the lobster roll, which was a deconstructed version of what our friends in Maine or at Luke's Lobster are famous for serving.

I had the potato ceviche with avocado. It was light and fresh and popped in my mouth. But, no surprise here, the lobster roll won the first round.

For the second course, I had the octopus with harissa. It was grilled to perfection and this by far, was the best part of the entire meal. My favorite octopus in the city is at Osteria on their grilled octopus salad, but this, is a very very close second.

Mark had the smoked trout, with broccoli couscous and tiny onions, which to me, shows the kitchen's dedication. Again, this was great. Mark was talking about it hours after we had left. 

And now for the main course. I had the falafel, eggplant and artichoke option and Mark chose the lamb rigatoni. The falafel was delightfully plated and just the right amount of spice. It was very good but when I return, I would opt to have a larger portion of the octopus for my third course. The waitress suggested that for those of us who aren't huge meat eaters, like me. Mark's looked great and he polished the plate. But the best part for me are the dollops of ricotta cheese on top.

Dessert took some debating. I had the dirt pudding, with homemade cream and gummy worms. And for the record, I.do.not.like.gummy.candy. Yet, I loved these!

Mark had the eggnog cheesecake with cherry compote. It was not overly eggnog-y and on a thick cookie crust.

I also had the Night Capp cocktail with coffee spirits, vanilla vodka and Bailey's. The foam on top was identical to any perfectly brewed espresso drink.

Definitely try Sbraga, if you haven't. The only downfall? The noise. It was very hard to have a conversation and I could hear the tables next to me very easily. But, you really should run and not walk to try the octopus, if you like octopus.

Enjoy!
Your friend,
Caroline

Southwark.

Hi friends,
I moved to Queen Village recently and have had fun exploring my new neighborhood during the past month.

Last night, my friend Mark and I went to Southwark. I've been to this restaurant, at the corner of Fourth and Bainbridge, before but only for a drink at the bar. They are known for their classic cocktails, or old-man drinks, that pair well with its speakeasy vibe. It's always been a recommendation from friends as a spot for dinner or drinks and I am glad I [finally] made it past the bar.

It was outstanding.

I knew they had a patio but was pleasantly surprised when it was quite garden party-ish. 

I had the Chad Pinot Noir and already knew I would go back for this glass of wine.

The menu boasts creatively paired local ingredients. If you are in doubt, order it. You will not be disappointed. I'm only a little sad I missed the oysters and the garden salad with Birchrun blue cheese, spiced pecans with a leek vinaigrette. For an entree, I also debated between the pork belly, the trout and the polenta with fresh cheese curds. But, I will be going back very soon since it's only a handful of blocks away.

 

I opted for the fluke with perfectly grilled carrots, an arugula salad and rye berries. It came highly recommended from our knowledgeable waitress. I will dream about this dish. Mark ordered the beef tongue entree. And, while I did not try the tongue myself, his clean plate led me to believe he enjoyed it. I did try the heirloom tomato and corn salad that accompanied the beef. The salad was dressed with a salsa verde but it seemed closer to a pesto dressing. It was a burst of freshness.

We opted to skip dessert (in favor of heading to Kennett) and out came two bites of salted caramel. They were a perfect combination of salty sweetness at the end of our meal.

For an impromptu, late dinner on an early fall evening, we were pleasantly surprised.

The patio will be open through Thanksgiving, our waitress said, so before the weather turns, head to Southwark, enjoy an adult beverage outside.

Enjoy!
xo
Your friend, Caroline 

My best friend.

Her name was Delaney.

She was my partner in crime. My sidekick on walks in the city and in the park. She was my greeter. She was my boss. She was my child. She was my shopping buddy. She was there for me through the best. She was there for me through the worst. She was there for me with everything in between. She never met a tennis ball she didn't love. She made people smile. She made people happy everywhere she went. She was named for the 1800 block of Delancey Street in Philadelphia, which is where she grew up. 

Our first day and trip to Rittenhouse Square. 

Still a baby. Still living in Rittenhouse.

I lost my best friend. Two weeks ago, we were spending our last Sunday together. She was on her couch and I was on mine. We were watching each other and even though she couldn't use words, she was communicating with me.

She had been sick. After learning she was in renal failure in March, my only goal was to give her the best time - for however long she had with me. I know I succeeded in that and she lived out her days with me just as her last seven years. She was treated to new toys and like royalty. She ate better than most humans - including me. I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Her fifth birthday.

She was even a regular at Race Street Cafe and joined me quite often on our al fresco dining adventures. I always preferred to be with her, than without. I know she felt the same.

I'll never forget when a bus driver stopped his bus, with passengers, to say hello to her. Or how she befriended a horse carriage driver who stopped on his rides to pet her.

 Delaney with Pete, the dog-friendly horse.

There were countless people on the street who stopped us to meet her. And she always looked at people as if to say "let's be friends." She and I were alike in that. She was my dog soul-mate - always smiling and happy to meet new friends and old. She was always happy to please and would gladly perform a trick or two. Her friend and dog trainer, Nicole, taught her a few good ones.

I'm entirely grateful for the love and support we both received this year. Most of all, from my amazing friend who took great care of her each day. Jaime, who owns Happy Tails of Philly, spent a lot of time with her each day and told me how she was doing. And she usually had funny stories about their time together. Delaney loved Jaime and Jaime loved Delaney. Jaime's compassion to us was unmatched and I'm thankful to call Jaime a dear friend.

The outpouring of support from my friends from around the world was amazing and a true testament of how loved she was.

Even if she purposely sat in a giant puddle of mud immediately after being groomed.

I feel a tremendous amount of sadness right now. I have a nagging feeling that I'm forgetting something and that I need to go home and walk her. She was my family in Philadelphia. She was my best friend. The consistent theme shared with me was that she was lucky to have me. I disagree. I was the lucky one to have her in my life. Our years were cut short but we had the best time and those are the times I will cherish and keep in my heart forever.

 She wanted to be a reindeer when she grew up. She told me.

She even got to meet Santa. Twice. 

 

Delaney, wherever you are. I miss you. I miss your nose. I miss your happy smile. I miss your comical spirit. I hope you are somewhere surrounded by tennis balls and getting a great neck scratch.

...and that you have a pool in which you can swim. 

With her first friend, Murph.

Memorial Day, 2013.

Thank you for always being the best girl.
xoxo.
Your mom and best friend.
Caroline