We Are Not Weekend "Warriors"

More like Weekend Snugglers.

This past weekend the hubs and I escaped from the city to relax at my family's house down the shore. The water had been turned back on after a frigid winter, but there was still no phone, no internet, and no cable. It was just us and the sound of the waves, some books... and maybe a DVD or two that we brought along for good measure.

All photos taken via iPhone

One of the biggest requirements for our weekend was to build a fire in a fireplace that has been dormant for roughly the last decade. The flue was largely rusted, but open, so our fire drew nicely, and it set the scene for a snuggly evening.

As the house has been empty since September, there was no food that we did not bring in ourselves. (Not even a Maggie Cube in the pantry.) Thank goodness for Joe Leone's amazing selections. We were "roughing it" with things like homemade pasta, mozzarella, ciabatta, and seafood salad.

That is my kind of "roughing" it.

After a rainy Friday, we woke up to this on Saturday morning.

Glorious.

I think 55º and sunny may be my new favorite beach weather.

After a few hours spent with my extended family at a lovely baby shower for my cousin (the real impetus for our weekend journey) we took a bundled-up walk on the beach, and I have decided this year is the year of the snail shell.

Every year seems to have one particular shell or item that washes up more than anything else. Some years it's periwinkles, others lady slippers. I'm putting it out that that this year will be snail shells.

And, apparently, dead Christmas trees.

There was one other magical element to our weekend, and that is that I found a very special pasta while at the aforementioned Joe Leone's, which Mike and I had in Florence while on our honeymoon.

Four cheese & pear fiocchi - little drawstring purses of deliciousness.

Find it.

Poor iPhone photography

Served in a simple sage brown butter sauce, it was sublime.

It would have been equally delicious simply dressed in a good infused olive oil.

I went the more decadent route because it's what we had on hand.

Oh darn!

This meal, in front of a roaring fireplace, and watching "Clue" (which we watched together on our first date) made for a wonderful stolen weekend.

I suggest making time for one of your own in the near future.

We're totally going back for Spring Break.