waffles, beer, + chocolate: antwerp, belgium

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Sarah S.

Yesterday I wrote about my favorite Dutch foods (stroopwafels and cookie butter included). So today, here’s a look at some of the delicacies I enjoyed on a recent trip to Antwerp, Belgium. The day trip into Belgium was one of the last trips I took in Europe this summer, so I knew from the start I wanted to savor it. Thankfully, Belgian chocolate, beer, and waffles made the savoring very easy.

Belgian Waffles.

View of the Mas Museum.

Frites with mayo, curry sauce, and onions.

The beautiful Belgian city of Antwerp.

Coffee in the city.

The Belgian server: “It’s filled with alcohol. Is that okay”

Me: “Um, yes, totally.”

Server: “Because most people do not expect a hedgehog to be filled with alcohol.”

True enough.

Belgian beer, of course.

Panoramic views from the Mas Museum.

Belgian cuberdon. Sweet cones filled with gushy deliciousness.

Maybe cycling is just a way to burn off all the Belgian calorie goodness…

One day, I’ll be back in Belgium to enjoy theses delicious treats again. Until then, I’ll have to make due savoring the stroopwafels I brought back with me from Holland.

au revoir!

Sarah

This post is #87 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima

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eat like the dutch

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Sarah S.

When you think of the Dutch, what type of food comes to mind? Gouda probably. And maybe herring.

I’m admit it, The Netherlands isn’t my number one choice for cuisine, but the Dutch do have some really tasty dishes. Here are my favorites:

Cheese sandwiches. But not just cheese sandwiches. Super delicious varieties with mayo, mustard, avocado, and more.

Dutch coffee. Neither an espresso nor an Americano, Dutch coffee is somewhere perfectly in between. And it always comes with a cookies, so there’s that too.

Kibbeling. Cheap and delicious.

Dutch Cookie Butter #100DaysofMiaPrima

Cookie butter. Obviously this is one of the best things to ever come out of the Netherlands. Add some hagelslag on top and your mind will be blown.

Dutch Puffed Pancakes #100DaysofMiaPrima

Poffertjes Tiny puffed pancakes. So yeah, they’re awesome.

Dutch Apple Pie #100DaysofMiaPrima

Apple pie tart. Why is this so much better than any apple pie I’ve eaten in America?!

Dutch Stroopwafel Cookies #100DaysofMiaPrima

No words can describe the majesty of the stroopwafel. (By the way, it’s not a real waffle…it’s 1000x better than that)

Yummy Dutch Gummies #100DaysofMiaprima

Gummies. So. Many. Gummies.

Dutch White Asparagus #100DaysofMiaprima

White asparagus. Okay, yes, it looks…weird. But trust me– it’s delicious!

Belgian Beer #100daysofmiaprima

Belgian beer. Okay, not it’s Dutch per se…but Belgium is so close that their beer in incredibly easy to come by in the Netherlands.

Frites with Curry Sauce in Antwerp, Belgium #100DaysofMiaPrima

Frites. Technically also Belgian. But these deliciously cheap fries (complete with Dutch mayo) are everywhere.

Do you have a Dutch favorite that I missed?

tot ziens!

Sarah

This post is #86 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima

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Posted on May 19, 2015 by Sarah S.

When in Paris…

…enjoy as much pastries, coffee, and sweet things as you can!

I know I did. 🙂

à bientôt!

Sarah

This post is #37 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima.

there is something about a place

Posted on May 12, 2015 by Sarah S.

there is something about a place

to gather

(maybe only with books and unused sugar packets)

windows open to spring breezes

or closed to icy chills

but always a coffee

(maybe a tea)

and silence for study

or the hiss of steam and clamor of old friends found

(maybe also a gasp when Elizabeth realizes Darcy’s truth)

from cities of steel

to snow

to harbours

to canals

there is (always) something about a place

for coffee

(maybe tea)

Tot ziens!

Sarah

This post is #32 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima.

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harbourside coffee in newburyport

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Sarah S.

Today I made a trip to Newburyport, Massachusetts, stopping at one of my favorite locales…and trying out a new one. And I wasn’t disappointed with either! My first stop was the Plum Island Coffee Roasters, a quaint cafe tucked away at the water’s edge of a marina. A bit tricky to find, the cafe was well worth the search with its delicious coffee (today’s roast was “port wine”) and harbor views.

The next stop was Giuseppe‘s, my family’s go-to Italian restaurant. Giuseppe’s made a name for themselves with their delicious take out and have recently opened a sit-in restaurant as well. We picked up some arrabbiata sauce and a Mediterranean sandwiches (absolutely delicious!). Makes me very excited to head to Europe- and Italy- in just a week!

Cheers,

Sarah

This post is #23 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima.

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new england coffee house charm

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Sarah S.

I always enjoy visiting the charming New England town of Exeter, New Hampshire. Small but brimming with history, Exeter never ceases to delight me in some way. Today, I visited D Squared Java and enjoyed a made-to-order pour over coffee and a vegan gluten free cookie. D Squared proved to be a quality coffee house with an endearing atmosphere.

D Squared Java Exeter, NH #100DaysofMiaPrima
Cheers!

Sarah

This post is #19 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima.

when i think of amsterdam

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Sarah S.

…I imagine:

photo credit // lovelybylucy

photo credit // manuel orero

photo credit // theriverjordyn

photo credit // afterdrk

photo credit // barbara nowak

For more Dutch-inspired style, follow my inspiration board here.

Only 12 days until I fly to Amsterdam!

Cheers,

Sarah

This post is #16 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima.

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Adventures in Pittsburgh: Big Dog Coffee and the Kindest of Strangers

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Sarah S.

When I lived in Europe, it was not uncommon to share a table with strangers. That’s how I met an Australian woman who’s daughter had just ended a engagement with an Italian man. And the kindest pair of old Sicilian men who insisted my sister and I partake in their homemade Easter meal. And those Canadian students traveling around the world. Maybe it was because many of us were foreigners and travelers. Traveling makes one so adventurous. You’re willing to strike up a conversation with anyone who can point you in the right direction or offer up their recommendation for the perfect restaurant. But how often do we keep that adventurous spirit when we get home?

Not often. Which is why I swore to explore a new place in Pittsburgh every weekend; hence this “Adventures in Pittsburgh” series. My adventurous spirit comes out in a myriad of ways, from asking the bar tender to pour me his favorite draft, to venturing to a local brewery alone and meeting a group of young Midwesterners willing to share a counter and their choice beers, to what happened today at Big Dog Coffee: offering a couple to share a table with me because all other seats were taken. It seemed like the right thing to do. An Australian in an Italian cafe would do it. A couple of Canadian girls would do it at Dublin hostel breakfast table. So of course I would too.

What touched me was how unexpected the couple felt the gesture was. How pleasantly unexpected. And intriguing. And adventuresome! Pretty soon we were chatting about our jobs, our education, how we found ourselves settling in Pittsburgh. And as soon as the topic turned to sports (are you surprised?), we had the whole coffee shop chatting.

Surely it’s the small things in life that make each day feel new. And surely we can all create a little adventure and camaraderie, whether we’re are exploring cathedrals in Palermo, climbing bunks in dirty Parisian hostels, or kicking back with a great cup of coffee in our own town. I’m pretty sure everyone at Big Dog had a morning they won’t forget for a long time; a small reminder that we’re all living our own adventures in the same big, awesome world.

Oh, and the coffee here is excellent. I dare you to try it. And maybe you’ll ask to share a table with strangers while you’re at it.

Cheers!
Sarah

Adventures in Pittsburgh: The Strip District

Posted on March 17, 2014 by Sarah S.

To an outsider’s ear, the Strip District doesn’t exactly sound like a place you want to spend a lovely Sunday morning. Let alone a place you’d pick up a slew of produce at dirt cheap prices or stock up on bulk locally roasted coffee or admire beautiful art from local artists. But the Strip is just the place to go for that sort of adventure. For the first seven months of living in the city, I actively avoided going to the Strip. The traffic is awful. Parking is worse. And there are so. many. people.

But let me tell you, it’s worth every minute you spend stuck waiting for j-walking pedestrians or battling your fellow drivers for a just-barely-big-enough stretch of curb to park on.

Why exactly?

Adventures in Pittsburgh: Vegan Groceries, Coffe, and Art in the Strip District miaprimacasa.com

Firstly, because I bought a week’s worth of produce for $15. FIFTEEN DOLLARS! In the middle of the city! I even found daikon root. I still don’t really know what it is, but it was less than a dollar and tastes delicious in fried rice.

Adventures in Pittsburgh: Vegan Groceries, Coffe, and Art in the Strip District miaprimacasa.com

Secondly, because the Asian markets are numerous and well priced. I bought a jar of umeboshi plums for $6. The same sized jar costs about $9 at my local co-op. I did my shopping at the first place I found, which was a small Korean market with an extremely helpful owner who tolerated my request for lotus root. But I was told that Lotus is also a great Asian market (and presumably also has lotus root…).

Adventures in Pittsburgh: Vegan Groceries, Coffe, and Art in the Strip District miaprimacasa.com

Thirdly, because coffee. So much coffee! I even asked the guy behind the counter if I could buy one of their empty coffee sacks. Yes, yes I could. So I did. For $2, which means I now have the cheapest wall art ever.

Adventures in Pittsburgh: Vegan Groceries, Coffe, and Art in the Strip District miaprimacasa.com

And fourthly, because of the people. Ok, I know the vendors might be overly friendly because you have a wad of cash in your pocket, but trust me, I’ve seen vendors in northern Italy blatantly insult customers, so… I was satisfied. There was the bread guy who went into his (then closed) shop to find me olive oil. There was the Russian photographer who chatted with about being a Pittsburgh newcomer (“No matter what they say, you don’t have to be a Steelers fan.”), and whose beautiful photo of the city is now hanging in my living room.

With it’s fresh, affordable produce and Asian markets, the Strip District is a vegan’s dream. Toss in some quality coffee and some quality people, and you have a recipe for one of the best Sunday mornings you can find in this town.

Cheers!

Sarah

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Coffee, Anyone?

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Sarah S.

In September, I drew up these plans to turn an empty nook in my dining room into an coffee bar (naturally). I was looking for cute hooks, shelving, a “coffee” sign, and a set of matching mugs. What I ended up creating was a chalkboard from an old picture (tutorial to follow soon!) that I will soon paint with an adorable coffee saying of my choosing. I added some red hooks and monogram mugs from Antrhopologie to bring the look together- not to mention Ball jars to hold my coffee grounds and sugar, a vintage-inspired cow cream holder, and a floral serving tray. Can’t wait for the coffee bar to come together completely! Next project…the bar cart. Now that’s going to be fun.

Coffee Bar Plans