I enoyed the decor, from the shiny, dark hardwood floors to the brightly painted green walls. Floors not pictured.

They also use art created by local kids. This canvas is from the Dunbar Community Center. Very charming.

Photographic evidence that this place is indeed called Dillweedz.

Choosing Holyoke as a place to make our home has been a wonderful decision so far. And it’s a decision made even more wonderful when friends buy houses within walking distance. Jennifer and Scott celebrated their recent purchase with a housewarming yesterday — it included delicious pancakes and the music of The Primate Fiasco. Photos here.

We spent the early afternoon dipping in the cool water of a small river. Rapids sang above us while we waded and chatted and co-existed peacefully with the nudity.

Afterwards, we headed over to Shelburne Falls for an early dinner at the West End Pub.

I have such highs during the weekends that it’s hard to get motivated to get ready for work this morning.

Following our trip to Brimfield, I spent some time in the kitchen, figuring out something to do with all of our leftover parsley. The great thing about parsley is that it costs almost nothing, it comes in an abundance, and will last a decent amount of time stored in the crisper.

We originally purchased the parsley to make this fantastic salmon recipe for Mother’s Day. A week later, there I was, looking up recipes in Mark Bittman’s How To Cook Everything Vegetarian.

I’ve been trying to cut down on high-fat foods these days, in anticipation of our vacation next month (next month!?!), and this recipe fits the bill as a nice substitute for a sandwich condiment, such as mayonnaise. I modified it slightly by using less olive oil than was called for (4 TBSP instead of 1/2 cup) and two garlic cloves instead of a one-half clove. I think Matthew would have rather I put less garlic, because as he says, I am more “garlic obsessed” than he.

The recipe appears as part of a clam entree in the NY Times, but stands alone in Bittman’s cookbook.

The above photo was unenhanced. That’s the true color of the parsley puree.

The basic idea is this: For a flat rate of $10, Big Y will shop for groceries for you. Four hours later you can go pick up your groceries at the store.

This concept appeals to me on so many levels. First of all, I’m online all the time and happen to love online shopping. Think of it this way. If I research a recipe online, I can order ingredients right then and there. I don’t have to print out the recipe and take it to the store with me. That’s awesome.

Second of all, I have so little time these days to enjoy life outside of work. Chores like grocery shopping can sometimes fill up a whole night for me. $10 isn’t all that much to me these days if it means I can save time.

The downside is that Big Y is so much more expensive than Stop & Shop. I generally prefer going to Stop & Shop, too. And, of course, the program is not available – just yet – at a Big Y near me.

I applaud a relatively small family-owned chain like Big Y taking a chance with this forward-thinking idea, because it shows that they’re willing to try new things and that they are keeping their customers in mind. Now if they could just come down on their prices, we’d all be much happier.

I had been looking at the mural all night. It was obvious right away that it is a play on The Last Supper, but it didn’t sink in until close to the end of our evening that it was a representation of the future of that block of town, which is complete annihilation. Note blueprint on the table and the wrecking balls off in the distance. We asked the owner about the mural and he explained its history as well as what he sees for the future of Green Street Cafe. The restaurant will be open for the next five years, but beyond that is anyone’s guess, even his.

Check out Jeff Mack’s site for more information about the mural.

Nice to see blue skies lately.

I ordered a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and my partner-in-crime ordered a red. We both went for the cheapest wines on the menu, not because we’re cheap, but because that’s just how it happened. There were only, I think, three wine-by-the glass options for red and three for white. If the cabernet had been more expensive, I’d still have gotten it.

The menu was one sheet and organized by main ingredient (flora, fish, chicken, etc.). The prices were not as high as I’d thought they would be, which we later learned was by design. In the summer months, many of the dishes are served in smaller portions, encouraging the patron to choose a variety of things off the menu. Despite this, I opted for a full-priced dish – the chicken with peaches and sage, served with a brown rice – and a salad with blue cheese. For the life of me I can’t remember the vegetable that came with the entree. Isn’t that crazy? I am setting you up for this memorable dinner experience that I can’t even remember.

The salad arrived perfectly drizzled with an oil-based dressing. The blue cheese was as fresh as blue cheese can taste without becoming an oxymoron.

I sometimes worry about ordering chicken at restaurants. It runs the risk of being too dried out and flavorless if not prepared correctly. This was a pan-seared breast and shoulder with the skin on and I had nothing to worry about. The brown rice was delicious – most definitely it was cooked in butter. Any chef that isn’t afraid of butter is alright in my book. My partner-in-crime ordered the catch-of-the-day, which was a bluefish with mashed potatoes. I had a few bites of his, but was too busy enjoying mine to take mental notes.

What’s this? Another lunch hour squandered.