Americone Dream Come True

I did it again.

As you may recall, last summer, I successfully led an effort to get Ben & Jerry's to come and give free ice cream to my coworkers. In fact, it was exactly this week that the ice cream truck rolled up to our building and gave out servings of tasty Ben & Jerry's ice cream to all who wanted it.

Well, Ben & Jerry's is at it again this summer, and so was I. All month long, I've been tweeting at @benjerrystruck to get them to come to our office, and Monday, when I saw that they'd be in Waltham and Lexington a day later, I really stepped up my efforts, enlisting the entire office to tweet and get the truck to come our way.

Late Monday evening I received confirmation that our efforts would be rewarded, and Tuesday afternoon, the truck arrived. Hundreds of my coworkers enjoyed delicious Americone Dream scooped fresh from the truck, and others got cups of Cookie Dough, Cherry Garcia, and other flavors. It was a perfect day: Meeting-free (for some folks, anyway), gorgeous weather ... and free Ben & Jerry's. What could be bad?

And I'll remind you, this all came about because of Twitter. For the small "price" of a few tweets saying how much I (and others) love Ben & Jerry's, we got lots of free ice cream. Ben & Jerry's got lots of "free" marketing and exposure, and generated lots of goodwill for its brand. It was a win-win for everyone involved.

Between the ice cream and Pretzel Crisps, plus good relationships I've developed, plenty of connections I've made, lots of information I've learned, and fun times I've had, I'd say Twitter's been very good to me. If you're not using it, I still say you're missing out.

Chicago, I Love You

It's official: I love Chicago. I mean, I love Boston a little bit more. But in a head to head competition, these days I may have a tough time picking between the two cities. If I ever left Boston for good (and I have no plans to do that), I'd make a beeline to Chicago. That's just how I feel after a fantastic long (and yet still too short) weekend in the Windy City. It was my annual July 4 trip to Chicago, which means I also spent time in Michigan City, Indiana. Combined, it was just awesome. Some highlights:

• For the first time in a while, I hung out on Michigan Ave. with people, and that made for a more fun day (and better pictures too). Typically I get a day on my own because, you know, folks have to work. While that's fine, and I can very easily (too easily) amuse myself downtown, it was so much better to spend the day wandering around with friends.



• In Michigan City, I was crowned Drunken Salami King — an honor I shared with Sporkful podcast co-host Dan Pashman. What's Drunken Salami? That's a secret. But suffice it to say, it's a salami that's been marinated for months (seriously) in scotch and Russian dressing (and maybe some other stuff too) and then cooked on the BBQ grill. It's delicious. (Really.) Every year there's a king or queen crowned, and suffice it to say, it's a very big honor.

Other highlights? I don't know ... It was all good. I'm not going to go on and on about my awesome Blizzard from Dairy Queen, or my first trip to Sprinkles, or the ominous-looking clouds over Chicago on Friday that passed right over, or the great conversations, or the Sporkful meetup, or the fact that I got a sunburn but not really, or the awesome fireworks pictures I took Saturday night, or the great flights on Southwest Airlines. The whole trip was a highlight.

Best of all was that I was out of Dodge, I was happy, I relaxed, I laughed, and I really enjoyed myself. Just sitting on the beach Saturday afternoon, listening to the waves crash on the shore ... That didn't suck. I needed this trip, and it delivered. If only I'd stayed longer.

So now I long for my next trip to Chicago, and look forward to the next time I'll be able to see the people, the buildings, the Bean, my friends, the whole scene. Damn, I love that city.

Tasty Treat

One of the problems with the cupcake scene in the Boston area — other than the fact that there's no Crumbs within the state lines — is that most of the places just don't live up to their names, or the hype. Kickass Cupcakes don't. Sweet's are not. Shot Cakes, while tasty and worth the trip, don't include alcohol shots. (Okay, fine. Maybe that one's a stretch.) And so on. Now there's Treat in Needham Center, and, well, finally the name fits. I went in on day two this past weekend (it opened on July 4), had a cupcake called the Plain Jane, and fell in love.

Let me tell you about the Plain Jane. First of all, the name is inaccurate. This cupcake was not plain in the least: it was chocolate cake with what looked like a scoop of classic vanilla buttercream frosting, chocolate fudge drizzle, sprinkles, and a thin slice of waffle cone. If you ask me, it should have been called the Ice Cream Sundae cupcake, because that's what it looked like. But that aside, it was awesome. The cake was moist, the frosting creamy and dense enough. Yum.

The Plain Jane cupcake was so awesome that I promptly bought six more to share with my coworkers the next day. Suffice it to say, they were a big hit. One person called the Triple Chocolate the best cupcake she'd ever had (I ate half of it, and let out a big "wow" after the first bite). Another said the Plain Jane/Sundae one was "fan-friggin-tastic." People were equally rhapsodic about the Red Velvet, Needham Cream Pie, Peanut Butter Overload, and Vanilla/Vanilla Plain Jane. I promised I'd bring more in sometime soon.

In the meantime, I'm telling you all. Treat is located at 1450 Highland Ave. in Needham (dangerously close to where I live). It's on Facebook and on Twitter. Technically, the store is in "soft opening" mode right now, and won't have an official grand opening till September, but it's already doing great business. Get over there before the word spreads even further and you're waiting out the door before you can enjoy one of these tasty treats. In fact, according to Treat's Facebook page, this weekend it'll be debuting the Lemon Drop, Hugs, Creamsicle, and Pink Lemonade cupcakes. Yum. Will I see you there?

Summer in Michigan City

Growing up in suburban New York, I never thought that one day I'd get really excited about spending July 4 in Michigan City, Indiana. But after going there last year and having a great time, that's what's happened. So that's why I went to Chicago this weekend. Thursday and Friday I wandered around town (about 6 miles of walking, in fact), took a day trip to Evanston to see Northwestern (just for fun), checked out two of Chicago's leading cupcake places (Molly's and Sweet Mandy B's — both of which were tasty, but not as good as the hype), had some custom-made rapid-frozen ice cream at a place called iCream (really, that's its name), and finally got to meet my friends' daughter, who is totally cute. But spending the weekend in Lake Michigan was the highlight of the trip.

Like last year (and every other year), there was Drunken Salami (i.e.: salami that's been marinating in Scotch and Russian dressing for months, and then grilled — yum), beach time, sun, an awesome sunset, fireworks on the beach, a bonfire, s'mores, good friends, and a good time. "Chuck Wagon" was there, as were some other folks I had met last year. A bunch of young kids added extra excitement to this year's festivities. Oh yeah, and we also stopped at Dairy Queen on the way home. Can't go to Michigan City without doing that. It's been nice to be included in this traditional gathering now for two years, and it's no exaggeration to say that I'm already looking forward to next year's celebration. (And this is coming from a guy who used to think there was no better place for July 4th than Boston. How times have changed.)

Overall, like trips to Chicago in the past, this was a great one. Beautiful weather (alright, fine, maybe it was a little too hot), I went to went to favorite places (like the Bean), saw and did some new things too, and came home thinking I should go back more often. And as a bonus, I came home with a tan! So yeah, a good time had by all.

Want to see pictures?
Chicago and Evanston
Weekend in Michigan City

Take Your Shot

Do you remember Trani, that unfortunately named place in the North End where the featured menu item was cupcakes injected with ice cream? I definitely remember it. Well, it has closed and been replaced by a pizza place — yes, just what the North End needed, another pizza place.

But last week, on my birthday, a coworker (thanks, Suzy!) came into the office with exciting news. It seems a new place just like Trani has opened up in the Burlington Mall, of all places. It's called Shot Cakes, and it has the same basic premise: cupcakes injected with ice cream. There's one big difference, though: Whereas Trani had basic chocolate and vanilla cupcakes that you wouldn't necessarily want to eat without the ice cream, Shot Cakes has a whole selection of awesome flavors that are great as is. Red Velvet, Cookie Dough, Cookies and Cream, Brownie, Frosted with sprinkles, and so on. Add in ice cream and some hot fudge (or any of the other toppings, like peanut butter or caramel) and, well, WOW!

Barry and I went to check this place out on Saturday, and I had a Chip Shot Cake Quake. That's a chocolate cookie dough cupcake, injected with vanilla ice cream, topped with hot fudge, and served in a cup. It's kind of like a sundae, minus the whipped cream. A-MA-ZING. Moist cake, yummy fudge, and ice cream too. It wasn't overwhelmingly heavy or filling. And it cost less than $4. Had I been alone, I might have had a second. (Or a third.)

One curiosity was why there was not a bigger crowd waiting for their own Shot Cakes. Maybe we were there at an off time (who knew such a thing existed at a mall food court), but on the off chance that this place isn't getting the attention it deserves, I wanted to put up a blog post here (yeah, 'cause that will bring the place LOTS of attention). If you like cupcakes and ice cream — and really, who doesn't? — then by all means make a trip to Burlington and check this place out. (Just get in line behind me.)

You Know You Want to Try It Too

When I saw on CBS' Sunday Morning today that there was a pancake batter in a can product called Batter Blaster, I was simultaneously horrified, skeptical, and curious. I mean, pancake batter in a can? With a name that sounds more like a comic-book villain? Seriously? But as someone who likes his pancakes (and waffles) on a Sunday morning, I decided I had to do what any other self-(dis)respecting person would do, and try it.

According to the website, Batter Blaster isn't available everywhere, but it can be found at Stop & Shop (near the eggs and whipped cream), so I went there. Five dollars and a conversation with an amused and excited fellow shopper later, I was home and cooking. The batter (which, by the way, is made mostly with organic ingredients) didn't come out in the same whipped-cream style that I'd seen on TV (it was much runnier, despite my shaking of the can), and the pancakes might not have been the thickest ones I've had, but they were, as advertised, light and fluffy. Tasty too. I was very impressed. So I kept on cooking and had myself a very good breakfast.

And there you go. I've learned something today: Pancakes from a can can actually be good. And now, when I want to have pancakes or waffles on a Sunday morning, I don't have to worry about mixing up the flour and eggs and other stuff. I just have to look in my refrigerator. Score.

An Addict and an Enabler

They say admitting you have a problem is the first step in curing yourself of an addiction, and while I hate to make light of addiction, I must say to you all: Hello, my name is Martin Lieberman and I am addicted to cupcakes. I have no willpower, so I am helpless whenever I see one of those mini-cakes with frosting on them.

I've known of this problem for some time, of course. I mean, why else would I have gotten so up-in-arms about Johnny Cupcakes not selling actual cupcakes? But it's gotten worse lately.

Last summer, I made cookies-and-cream cupcakes and brought them into work. Then other people started baking cupcakes and bringing them in. We even declared an almost-weekly holiday: Cupcake Monday. Once, I participated in a taste test with a couple of my coworkers to see whose cupcakes were better: Hostess or Mrs. Freshley's. (Believe it or not, Mrs. Freshley's won.)

Things got so bad around the end of the year, right after our Super-Duper Cupcake Monday Extravaganza (which featured seven different varieties of cupcakes in one day), that I had to declare January a "frosting-free" month. When that didn't last more than a few days, I declared the next month "Frosting-Free February" (mostly because it had a nice ring to it). But you can guess how long that lasted. Cupcake Monday did, actually, take a break, but it was back in a big way last week when it was someone's birthday.

My problem isn't contained to just my own eating, either. My niece, Abby, doesn't seem to like cake (or cookies or ice cream or anything sweet). It's very sad. But that hasn't stopped me from trying to convert her. This past weekend, I brought her some cupcakes that were decorated in the style of things she does like: Elmo, Abby Cadabby, and ducks. (They came from Party Favors in Coolidge Corner.) I thought this would convince her that cupcakes were the way to eternal happiness, and if nothing else, that they were better-tasting than those silly Goldfish Crackers she likes so much. No dice. She wouldn't eat them. So I had to console myself by returning to the one group of people I can always count on to indulge my love of cupcakes: my coworkers. On the way home from New York yesterday, I stopped at Crumbs and picked up a dozen.

To backtrack, I guess more important to the process of curing an addiction than admitting you have a problem is actually wanting to change. And truthfully, I don't want to cure myself of this. Not yet, anyway. I know I need to exercise some restraint (it was one of my New Years resolutions this year) but why should I when such yumminess exists in the world, and my addiction and enabling of others brings such happiness? (Not including Abby, of course.) I don't appear to be gaining any weight from my cupcake love, and I'm eating better otherwise, so it all balances out. Right?

I'm Martin Lieberman, and I like cupcakes. Is that so wrong?

A Weekend for Manly Men

In all the years I've lived in Boston (that's 13, if you're wondering), and with all the winters that my mom has spent in Florida, my dad has never come up by himself for a "Boys Weekend." At least, that was the case before this past weekend.

Dad came up Saturday morning, and we did the kinds of things that men do. For example, we went on a tour of Fenway Park, we went to the TD Garden and tried to get into the New England Sports Museum (but it was closed), we went out for steaks at our favorite restaurant (Ruth's Chris, like you didn't know), we played some Wii, we drove around town listening to sports radio, slept late on Sunday, took our time getting out the door, and then ended the weekend with more food (at Mel's Commonwealth Cafe). Minus the strippers, gambling, and grunting, I'd say it was indeed a manly men kind of visit.

Back to Ruth's Chris for a second. Have I mentioned lately how much I love this restaurant? No? Well then allow me to sing its praises again. First of all, the place is located in Old City Hall, in what I've deemed the Meat Mecca of Boston because it's right around the corner from another of my favorite places, Sam LaGrassa's. And what a meal we had last night. My filet — 11 ounces of meat, perfectly seasoned (salt, pepper, butter, etc.) and cooked, juicy, and served on a steaming hot plate to keep it warm — was just about as perfect as meat could be. Coupled with a good iceberg wedge salad, creamed spinach, shoestring potatoes, and chocolate mousse for dessert (oh, and don't forget the wine), it was just an incredible meal. We had great service, sat in a nice part of the restaurant, and left quite contented (and stuffed). Ruth's Chris is always worth a plug, and this more-than-satisfied customer is more than happy to give a testimonial — and to go back anytime anyone wants to.

But anyway, it was a great weekend with Dad. Weather was ideal (for mid January, anyway), we did fun things, and I got to show off my city a little bit more than I can when both my parents come up. I hope we'll get to do this again soon.

I Resolve To ...

Like it or not, January and 2010 are both here. Among other things, that means it's time to stop looking back and start to look forward. In most cases, that also means coming up with some resolutions for things to change in the new year. Generally, I don't make New Year's resolutions because I'm never able to keep them. But this year I'm going to publish my list of resolutions here, and I'm hoping that the public declaration will help me stick to them.

So with that in mind, I resolve to ...

1. Not gain weight, or more specifically, to weigh as much as — or preferably less than — I do now when the clock strikes 12:00 a.m. on January 1, 2011. Part of that will involve showing some restraint when I see leftover cake or cookies in my office kitchen (or if I'm at Costco), and part of it will involve finally going to the gym in my condo complex (and working out when I'm there).

2. Put myself out there more. Which means I'm going to stop being so much of a homebody, stop spending so much time by myself, and I'm going to try to be more open to meeting new people.

3. Read more. Books yes, but also Twitter feeds, industry websites/blogs, and other things that will help me be better at my job.

4. Go on vacation. An actual vacation. That means I hope not just to travel, but to go somewhere warm, nice, relaxing, and fun. It's been a long time — too long — since I went on such a trip. I think I'm due.

Alright, four resolutions is enough, some more realistic than others. Today is January 1. I hope you'll help me stick to these goals this year.

Life Was Good

Generally, I'm not a fan of New Year's Eve, but this year especially, I'm not looking forward to it at all. You see, unlike many people I know, and contrary to general trends in the economy, 2009 was a great year for me. Really and truly it was. So perhaps I jumped the gun when I called 2008 "The Year of Martin" because I enjoyed 2009 so much more.

Here are some of the reasons why.

2009 was the year I started a new job. And yes, I know you're not supposed to make your job the source of so much happiness, but I can't help it. I feel truly lucky to have a) found a new job, b) found this job, c) found a job at this company, and d) found a job with these people — ones who love argyle, golf, and cupcakes as much as I do. Every day I go to work happy, and every day I leave happy. I couldn't say that a year ago.

2009 was the year I started going to concerts again. There was a single week in April when I saw Flight of the Conchords, Lily Allen, and Bruce Springsteen (twice!). But I also saw Dave Matthews Band on night one and night two of their Fenway shows, Billy Joel and Elton John, Kelly Clarkson, Train, Joshua Radin, and yes, Bruce Springsteen for a third time.

2009 was the year I finally got an iPhone after two years of wanting one, and upgraded my TV, but more significantly, it was the year I finally got a new car after nearly 11 years with my old one. Another exciting acquisition: my Slanket.

2009 was the year I started cooking again, and ate ... if not better, then at least more: there was a munchkin-eating contest, an all-you-can-eat chocolate buffet, and the Old Country Buffet. So much for my plans to lose weight.

2009 was the year I traveled a lot (at least for me). I went to Miami, Washington D.C., New York, and Chicago for work, but I also spent my own personal time in Florida and Chicago (plus two days in Michigan City, Indiana, for Fourth of July).

2009 was the year I got to sit on a jury and deliberate a case — and I actually enjoyed it.

2009 was the year I said goodbye to one of my favorite singers and hello to a brand-new president.

2009 was the year I got to interview John Stamos.

2009 was the year my niece, Abby, came to visit me in Boston three times: New Year's weekend, Labor Day weekend, and Christmas weekend. So what if she wasn't a fan of my Slanket; by the end of the year she was saying my name over and over and over.

In short, 2009 was the year I was happy.

And that's why, when the clock strikes midnight tonight, I'll be the one raising a glass not to the future but to the past. I think it's safe to say that by comparison, 2010 is going to suck. (Though I hope not.)

Happy New Year!

This Place Takes the Cake

Just wanted to post a quick little thing about my experience last night at Post 390. I'd wanted to go to this Back Bay hot spot for a while now, and had been there for drinks a month ago, but it wasn't until last night that I actually sat down to eat. Sara K and I both tried the Beer and Bacon Macaroni and Cheese (yes, I said Beer and Bacon Macaroni and Cheese), and it was fine, but the place truly won me over with its dessert. I had the Chocolate Layer Cake, with "Mom's fudge frosting" and vanilla creme, and all I can say is wow. Just wow. The cake was moist, very sweet, and nearly perfect in every way. The frosting was an ideal compliment, and just incredible. It was worth trudging out on a very cold evening and waiting more than a half hour for a table just to eat this very tasty treat.

I eat a lot of cake — indeed, too much cake — so it takes a lot for me to really rave about one piece in particular, but I have to say, this Chocolate Layer Cake (not to be confused with the Sliver of Dark Chocolate Cake) was worth a quick public shout-out. So there you go.

Now That Was a Great Meal

I think that if I could, I would like to eat at least one meal every week at Ruth's Chris Steak House. Sure, I'd probably wind up (at least) 100 pounds heavier, but what the heck? The food is so good there, and I can't recall a time when I haven't walked out extremely full and extremely happy.

Case in point: I went to Ruth's Chris Saturday night with my friend Kelly — it was her first time — and instantly we were smacked in the face with the aroma of steak, well seasoned, on a sizzling-hot plate. Yum. Since neither of us had really eaten all day, we couldn't wait to order and get our food. For me, it was the usual: Lettuce Wedge salad (with the lemon basil dressing), Filet (medium rare), shoestring potatoes, and the Chocolate Explosion cake for dessert. Heck, I was enjoying myself so much that I even tried some of Kelly's creamed spinach — and liked it! Wow wow wow. This meal was so yummy. So good. So damned filling — though I swear, I probably could have eaten more of that steak. It goes down so easily, and for some reason, it never seems to fill me up entirely.

Seriously, I so so so so so so so love this restaurant. Maybe you've heard me say that once or twice (or three times). But every time I go, I feel like I have to post a rave on here. No other restaurant regularly provokes such a response in me. For steaks, there is no better place.

We had a great time Saturday night. Now I can not wait to go back. Again.

A Toast to the Friendly Toast

You might think from its kitchy, retro décor that the Friendly Toast is just some too-hip restaurant that's almost too cool for its Cambridge locale. But after my first visit on Sunday, I can safely say this much: don't judge a book solely by its cover.

The Friendly Toast is one of those perfect brunch places. It's homey, intimate, local, and fun, and the food is pretty darned terrific too. But better than that is this aspect of the menu: A few of the items can be ordered a la carte. How many times have I gone places like Johnny's Luncheonette and bemoaned the fact that I couldn't order a little of this and a little of that? At the Friendly Toast, you can do just that. In fact, that's just what I did on Sunday: I ordered one piece of French Toast (on the cinnamon raisin bread) to go with my waffle. The waffle was actually a late decision. I almost ordered one pancake instead. Anyway, both were yummy. Amy, who went with me, ordered the King Cakes and said they, too, were good.

The Friendly Toast has only been in Cambridge (near the Kendall Square movie theater) for about six months, but it's got quite a following (no doubt partly due to its other location up in Portsmouth, NH). At 11 a.m., we were quoted an hour to an hour and a half wait. But then we saw two seats open up at the bar and we sat right down. It was worth it.

I'm always looking for good, "new to me" brunch places that make basic brunch food well — none of that chi chi frou frou fancy schmancy stuff that masquerades as "brunch" — and I have found a winner in the Friendly Toast. Can't wait to go back.

There's No Shame in Losing

Well, so much for my clothes fitting better, and any thoughts I had about losing weight. Yesterday at work I participated in a munchkin-eating contest, and to cut to the chase, I ate 77 of those glazed bites of, um, air-puffed sugary cake. Why? I don't know exactly. I mean, one line of thinking was that if I could handle Old Country Buffet, how hard could it be to eat a few munchkins? But it was fun. (And then it sort of wasn't.) And what may stun you is that 77 only earned me fifth place. Yes, that's right. The winner ate a whopping 105 munchkins — and he probably could have eaten more.

So what was the deal with the MEC? Why did we do it? There was no reason. It was proposed by one of the departments, and as soon as folks heard about it, they signed up to participate. A total of 18 people took part, including two women. We all paid $11 each, and rumor has it the coordinators purchased 1,400 munchkins from Dunkin' Donuts for us to eat. 1,400!!! (That's about 77 per person.)

The way it worked was this: We started with a box of 25. When we finished that, we got a plate of 10, and we'd be given 10 more for as long as we could keep up. And then, at the end of 30 minutes, whoever had eaten the most munchkins would win. Actually, it was whoever had put the most munchkins in their mouth would be the winner. Which is why at the buzzer, two guys stuffed a handful in and then had a hard time swallowing them. We only ate glazed munchkins — which had its pros and cons — and could not dunk them while we ate. Water and other beverages were allowed, however.

If you're curious, there was no secret to how I was able to eat 77 munchkins (and do so rather easily), although I think the combination of eating a little lettuce and taking some Tums beforehand helped. It certainly vaulted me above the people next to me, who only ate 60 (yes, I said only). Actually, I had every intention of quitting after 75, but another plate showed up so I kept on keeping on and managed to eat two more.

Amazingly, I wasn't even sick after those 30 minutes. Full, yes. But not sick. Instead, I was on a sugar high for the rest of the day, bouncing off the walls and unable to focus on anything. And no, I didn't eat anything else. Not even dinner. In fact, now that all the dust has cleared and I have figured out that I basically ingested about 3,850 calories in only 30 minutes (nearly double the suggested daily allowance), it would probably be good if I didn't eat another thing for a little while.

Kobayashi I am not. And that's more than okay with me.

Tupelo Honey

I'm a fan of any place that demonstrates good customer service, so I thought I'd post something here about my meal last night at Tupelo, a southern food joint in Inman Square. My friend Nina and I ate there for dinner, and to make a long story short, her food was not to her liking (it was too salty and a little overcooked). So even though she had eaten about half of it, she said something to the waiter, and he offered to get her something else. Not only did he bring that something else, but he also brought her a side dish that she had asked about earlier but hadn't ordered. In addition to being very friendly, the waiter checked on us multiple times to make sure we were alright, and always had a smile on his face.

The kicker to the experience is that when the check came, neither Nina's original dish, the replacement, or the extra side dish was on it. That showed a commitment to customer satisfaction that's pretty rare these days, especially at a time when many small businesses are feeling the pinch of a tough economy, and we were really impressed. And for the record, I very much enjoyed my meal. I had the barbecued half chicken; it was prepared well and was delicious.

Tupelo was chosen as the Best Restaurant in Inman Square by Boston magazine earlier this year, and it's not hard to see why. I'd recommend this place and look forward to going back.

Eat It

I don't buy this whole diet thing. Oh, sure, you could probably tell by some of the things I post on here that I'm not the healthiest of eaters (exhibit a or exhibit b, anyone?). But in true Gemini style, there's an opposite side of me that truly does want to lose some weight. And it's been a constant struggle between the two sides for a long time now. Doesn't take a genius to figure out which one is winning.

I don't mind telling you that August was supposed to be the start of Martin Eats Healthy — or at least, Martin Eats Healthier. And I have made some impressive strides in that department (relatively speaking). For example, I rarely eat frozen chicken nuggets for dinner anymore. Now my meals consist more of actual meat — chicken, mostly. And instead of eating pasta as a side dish, I have either eaten corn on the cob, or broccoli, or carrots, or string beans, or some combination of them. For breakfast, I've stopped eating chocolate chip muffins, and now I eat a yogurt every day with some fruit (cantaloupe).

Generally, it's alright. I have actually become somewhat addicted to corn on the cob this summer (much to the dismay of my teeth). But the yogurts? I have tried a few different flavors, and a couple different brands, but they all basically have the same tart taste, no matter what the flavor supposedly is. I've even been to that new place, Chill, in Cleveland Circle, and had the tart yogurt — but I have to say, it wasn't great (I mean, compared to real ice cream, anyway). I've had salad for lunch, but it's just not filling enough, and nor is a yogurt in the morning. A couple hours later and I'm hungry again.

Of course, I haven't cut out bad foods entirely (still a few of those), but yeah, at least I'm trying. Eventually I'll get it through my skull that eating better (relatively speaking) is only half the puzzle, and the other half is I need to exercise more. But that'll happen in due time. Maybe if I start to see some actual results, it'll encourage me to do more. But until then, I'm just not sure I'm cut out for this whole diet thing.

Single Minded

I won't lie: I'd like to be in a relationship right now. But the reality is that I'm not, and I'm fine with it. Actually, it's quite nice.

Case in point: last weekend I had an unfortunate cooking incident involving pancakes (don't ask), so this morning when I woke up, I decided I didn't want to mess around with imperfection. I got in my car and drove to a place where I knew I could have good griddle cakes: IHOP. In Harvard Square, of all places. I took a magazine with me, and I sat there at my table, alone, eating my breakfast. And I was happy. (It wasn't the first time I've dined by myself, either.) Spur of the moment idea, instant activity. No one to convince, no one to stop me. And sure enough, the pancakes were tasty and I was content. With no other place to be, I walked off my meal by wandering around the Square, popping into one store or another, stopping to browse a magazine or two at the Out-of-Town newsstand. I even hung out at a farmer's market. And when I was ready, I left.

Yesterday, I had a similar kind of day. I needed an activity, so because the weather was so nice, I decided to go on a drive — all the way to the Stoughton Triangle, my name for the intersection where you'll find IKEA, Costco, and Jordan's Furniture all next-door to each other. Yes, the last time I went to IKEA, I was let down, but so what? Even if all I did was have lunch, it would still have been something to do. So I got in my car, rolled down the windows, turned up the radio and went. Thankfully, I found what I needed (and then some), and I had a tasty lunch as well. Then I had a tasty "snack" at Costco, and after buying a thing or two, I meandered my way back to the city. Mission accomplished.

When you're single and unattached, with no obligations, you can do such things. You keep your own schedule, going where you want to go, doing what you want to do, and doing it when you want to do it. And sure, maybe I'm a little too used to it at this point — it's probably not such a good thing to be so comfortable hanging out solo at age 35 — but do you see me complaining?

Chocolate Goodness

There's a certain freedom that comes from knowing that as much as I may want to lose weight, it's more fun to not even try. So that's why when I saw on the Travel Channel or the Food Network or some other channel earlier this year that there was a Chocolate Bar at the Langham Hotel here in Boston, I knew I'd get there sooner or later. Thankfully, Nina felt the same way I did, so we went with her husband today to celebrate my birthday, his birthday, and their anniversary in gluttonous style.

I won't go into great detail about how much I ate, but let's just say I had my fill. The mini whoopie pies were delicious, as was the chocolate croissant bread pudding, marshmallow crunch cup, flourless chocolate cake, s'mores cup ... actually, it was all delicious. Yes, it's true: I had a chocolate crepe stuffed with M&Ms, white chocolate, and Oreo pieces. Yes, I called cotton candy (sprinkled with cocoa powder) a "palate cleanser." Yes, there was a chocolate fountain. No, I did not make my own chocolate bar. And no, I did not eat everything I took on my plate the three times I went up to the buffet; after a while, I was getting stuffed just looking at it. But I feel like I certainly got my money's worth (the whole thing costs a rather high $38 per person).

Clearly, buffets are my weakness. But damn ... how tasty and fun it is to indulge once in a while.

Sweeter on Sweet

It took three or four loops around Harvard Square Thursday night before I finally found a parking spot, and I must not have been paying any attention to where I was driving. I was there to have dinner at Border Cafe with Amy, Amy's mom, and AmyMac, and as good as the margaritas were (especially on such a hot day), you can only imagine how excited I was when AmyMac mentioned that a new cupcake place had opened in the Square. What was funny is that I had driven right by it those four times and didn't even notice. How could I have been so blind?

Well anyway, this was no "new" cupcake place. It was a new, second location for Sweet, the Back Bay store that didn't really blow me away when I tried it last year. And I have to say, I don't know if it was the company I was with or the cake itself, but I certainly enjoyed my Sweet Cake with chocolate buttercream frosting more last night than the one I had exactly one year ago today. There was a very strong vanilla flavor, the icing was, well, sweet, and while the cupcake was small, it was definitely an ideal size given how full I was from dinner.

What I also missed while driving around: Tory Row had opened in the space formerly occupied by the Greenhouse. Next time I'm driving around Harvard Square looking for parking, I'm going to have to be better about looking around and seeing where I am. I can only imagine what other tasty treats I may have missed.

One More Thing Off My List

Today was one of those days where I was playing tourist in my own city. Nina and I met up for lunch (at Vlora in Copley Square) and then just decided to walk. Our first destination? The Swan Boats in the Public Gardens. I'd made this loop before, but Nina had not, and I was happy to indulge her in this activity. The quiet, peaceful loop around the Gardens was actually kinda nice, and the sun peaking through the clouds made it even better.

We continued on through the Common and Nina asked if I had ever had the Boston Cream Pie at the Omni Parker House. I had not, and neither had she. So we decided we couldn't really be proper Bostonians until we could say we had tried the pie, and we headed over to the hotel. I wish I could say I was impressed and that the pie lived up the the hype. It did not. The round, individual-sized cake was just not very moist and it didn't have nearly enough cream in it. Yes, there were also crushed nuts all along the outside of the cake, and I don't like nuts, but I got over that. So, a disappointment. On the other hand, the Parker House rolls, which I had also never had there before, were yummy, and they made the experience worth it.

We finished off our snack and continued on to a primo touristy destination, Faneuil Hall, where we walked around, saw some street performers, and even did a little shopping. But that was enough, so after that we called it a day.

Now I have another activity I can cross off my to-do list. After more than 12 years of living in Boston (16 if you include college), I can say I've had the trademark foods at the Omni Parker House.