June 2026
Food:
I’m not going to lie—I went a little cookie crazy this month. I started by testing a new cookie base recipe, and once I realized how good it was, I just ran with it. That meant plenty of experimenting and a whole lineup of different flavor combinations.
Over the past few weeks, I baked up white chocolate macadamia, mini M&M, toffee crunch, and even a batch inspired by the classic Fluffer Nutter sandwich. Needless to say, there were a lot of cookies coming out of my kitchen this month—and I’m not even a little sorry about it.
We decided it would be rude to wait any longer to kick off lobster roll season, so we headed to Gloucester, MA, and stopped by Blue Collar Lobster to enjoy our first lobster roll of the summer right on the water.
Was it the best lobster roll I've ever had? No. But I did love their fries and onion rings. I also found the chowder to be a little too bacon-heavy for my taste. That said, we really enjoyed sitting outside by the water, and it was a huge bonus that we could bring our dog along.
Overall, it was a great way to start the summer lobster season, and you can't beat the waterfront views!
Now that the weather in the Boston area has done a complete 180 and officially feels like summer, we've decided it's time to put our BBQ to good use. Not just think about using it every now and then, but actually make it part of our daily routine.
I'm happy to report that we've already been grilling a lot of our dinners, and we're loving it. Honestly, meat, vegetables, and fish all taste so much better on the BBQ. There's just something about that smoky, grilled flavor that makes everything more delicious.
We're excited to keep the grill going all summer long!
I know I'm a little late to the party since we've lived so close to this spot for almost two years, but I finally tried Rang's Indian Bistro in Stoneham for Indian food—and it did not disappoint!
I ordered the chicken tikka masala, chana saag, onion naan, and paratha. Everything was absolutely delicious. I especially loved that the meal came with Indian pickles and a variety of sauces, which added so much extra flavor.
I'll definitely be ordering from there again!
We went back to one of our favorite spots, Noah's Kitchen, to celebrate a friend's birthday over an incredible Sichuan feast. As always, everything we ordered was absolutely delicious, and every dish was packed with bold, authentic flavors.
This continues to be one of my favorite restaurants, and it never disappoints. If you haven't given Noah's Kitchen a try yet, I highly recommend adding it to your list!
Like I mentioned, we’ve been using our grill every chance we get, so I made some of my dad’s brined pork chops—and they came out perfectly! Juicy, flavorful, and exactly what summer grilling is all about.
We had the fourth installment of our Cookbook Club, and this time we chose the ultimate summer cookbook: Wishbone Kitchen by Meredith Hayden. We put together quite the feast, including chicken cutlet sandwiches, spicy crab dip, baked potatoes with caviar, a tomato galette, roasted chili cauliflower, broccoli cavatelli, and the peaches-and-cream olive oil cake for dessert.
And of course, we couldn't skip the blueberry basil vodka cocktail—it was the perfect summery drink to go with the meal!
We made our way up to Mr. Tuna in Portland, Maine, for a lovely Friday lunch on a day off. This spot remains one of our favorite day trips and always feels like such a treat.
We can never resist their hand rolls, the Mr. Tuna Roll, and one of their incredible salads. This time, we tried the wakame salad, and it was absolutely amazing. Every visit reminds us why we love Mr. Tuna so much—we're already looking forward to our next trip back!
I finally made it up to Ipswich, MA, to try Sandpiper Bakery, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. We sampled four different pastries, and somehow each one was even better than the last.
We ordered the savory quiche, a blueberry hand pie, a cinnamon roll, and a sweet biscuit served with clotted cream and homemade apricot jam. While everything was delicious, the biscuit was the standout for me. I'm still thinking about it, and I already can't wait to go back!
I made the Sticky Short Ribs with Herb and Peanut Rice from MOB Kitchen, and it was absolutely delicious! It was such a fun twist on a classic short rib recipe, with bold, vibrant flavors in every bite. I loved how they took a rich, hearty dish and balanced it with fresh herbs and bright, punchy flavors. This one is definitely earning a spot in our regular recipe rotation.
We were in Cohasset for Father's Day and stopped by Rocky Neck Fish Co. to pick up some stuffed clams and lobster cakes for dinner. We served them alongside our take on a Cobb salad, and it made for such a delicious meal.
The lobster cake was the standout for me—it was like a crab cake, but made with lobster meat, and it was absolutely delicious. The stuffed clam was good, but a little too bready for my taste. I'd definitely go back for the lobster cakes!
Okay, I know Pressed Cafe isn't exactly new to the Boston area, but I finally stopped in to try one of their fresh-pressed juices, and I can already tell they're going to be my summer hyperfixation. I went with the Immune Kick, made with carrots, apple, and ginger, and absolutely loved it. It's so refreshing and the perfect pick-me-up for a hot summer day!
I made a major local discovery: Bohemian Coffeehouse in Melrose, MA. They make the most incredible homemade muffins I've ever had. This week we tried the Morning Glory (my personal favorite), Orange Cranberry, Raspberry Chocolate Chip, and Lemon Blueberry Crumble. Every single one was soft, fresh, and absolutely delicious.
I can already tell this place is going to become a weekend tradition. I'm pretty sure I'll be stopping by every weekend from now on!
While we're definitely not new to Cibo in Wakefield, we were new to their breakfast menu—and I can confidently say it's just as delicious as everything else they serve! We built our own breakfast sandwiches and paired them with a couple of their fun specialty coffee drinks. It made for such a great breakfast, and we'll definitely be back.
My work friends and I decided to head to Boston's Chinatown for a pho lunch and finally tried Phở Pasteur for the first time. It was the perfect lunch spot—delicious, quick, and so convenient to my office. I ordered a bowl of pho, which was incredibly flavorful, and we also shared the spring rolls, which were fantastic. I'll definitely be adding this one to my regular lunch rotation!
Other:
This summer, my goal is to spend more time by the water and remind myself that I live close to so many amazing spots. We kicked things off with a day trip to Gloucester and lunch by the water, and it was the perfect start. I’m hoping to take a lot more day trips this summer, soak up as much coastal time as possible, and enjoy plenty of killer beach sandwiches along the way.
It’s both the actual World Cup and my personal World Cup because Love Island UK and Love Island USA are airing at the same time. So between all the soccer and all the Love Island, my TV has been working overtime lately. There’s a ton of soccer being watched in my house and a lotttt of Love Island, too. Honestly? I’m absolutely loving it.
My friend tracked down the Hand Roll Jellycat for me, and it absolutely made my month! It's such a fun addition to my collection, and I couldn't have been more excited.
I made a trip to the Topsfield Antique Market and, while I only came home with one thing, it was definitely worth it! I found this large green vintage Pyrex bowl to add to my growing collection of colorful Pyrex pieces. It's such a fun addition, and I'm always excited to find another unique piece for the collection.
My garden has officially started producing, and this is always the most exciting part of the season! No tomatoes just yet, but we've already harvested some snow peas, a hot pepper, and plenty of fresh herbs. There's nothing better than being able to step outside and pick ingredients straight from the garden—I can't wait to see what comes next!
I joined a new gym, Fit Life in Melrose, MA, and I've been loving it so far! The classes have been challenging in the best way, and all of the instructors have been fantastic. It's been a great addition to my routine, and I'm excited to keep going!
We decided to be spontaneous and grabbed last-minute tickets to the World Cup Round of 32 match between Germany and Paraguay in Boston—and it ended up being one of the most unforgettable experiences. The atmosphere was absolutely electric, and getting to witness a World Cup match in person felt surreal.
This was definitely a bucket-list moment and a core memory for my husband, and I'm so grateful we got to experience it together. It was such an incredible day that we'll be talking about for years to come!
Lenny:
