Sunday's True Confession

I'm obsessed with French Bulldogs.

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 

True Confession part deux: I have a fictitious French Bulldog named Pierre and my friends and I talk about him as if he exists.

JUGs Jams, Spring Mix

Well, we're finally in the midst of spring weather!  This means the start of deck/backyard parties BBQs and more.  I created a playlist from some of my favorite jams recently that I've been listening to at work to pass the day (pausing when the phone rings, of course).  Most of these will sure to be included at our next event.  You can listen via Spotify.

Comment if you have a new favorite we should know about!  Happy Friday!



- Meredith

Who's That Gal? Vol. 1: Anna from {Dear Friend}

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We've mentioned {dear friend} on our blog before, but we really can't get over Anna. For that reason we couldn't think of anyone better to be "our first" for our new interview series on Just Us Gals. We love meeting new gals and learning about what drives them, whether it be blogging, art, their careers, or any other passion. We find it inspiring, encouraging, and just overall awesome and thought what's a better place to talk about these stories than on our blog?!

So to get right to it, here's what we learned about Anna when we spent a lovely Saturday afternoon getting to know her...

1. How did you start your blog?

I started because two of my friends had a blog that talked about J.Crew and other products they liked in a really funny way, and I wanted to do something similar. I began blogging four years ago - literally just talking about things I liked - silly things, like my Canon camera or a new sauce from Burger King. At first, it was just for me; no one was reading it but my family and friends. Then, my friend’s husband, a graphic designer, suggested I get a dot com. I didn’t want it to be my name anymore, that’s when I retitled my blog “Dear Friend”  and started posting more seriously. The new blog name was inspired from how my friends call each other “Friend,” and because I love writing letters. After that, my subject matter began to evolve and I also got more involved in the blogging community.

2. What blogs are on your daily read list?

Ordinary Tales - I really liked her because I felt like we were in the same place. I actually met her in NYC and now she is my friend.

Nat the Fat Rat - She inspires me to be spontaneous.

E Tells Tales - Her life story just sucked me in right away.

I like NYC blogs for some reason. And mom blogs. For Boston blogs I like Tales of Me and My Husband. She’s a mom too. Love Taza is another great NYC photo blog.

3. How do you like living in Boston?

I love living in Boston. I love that Boston is walkable, the architecture and the neighborhood “pockets.”

4. Is there anything that you wish you could bring from Syracuse?

I’m a lake person, I didn’t grow up on the ocean so what is missing is Skaneateles Lake. I feel like people that grow up on oceans are strictly ocean people and same for people that grow up around lakes.

5. On an average Saturday what could we find you doing in Boston?

Taking the train in either Beacon Hill or Back Bay and walking around, taking pictures.

6. Favorite meal in Boston?

Toro (South End) - Corn on the cob and the potatoes with that dipping sauce.

7. We love the photography from your blog. What is your favorite subject to photograph?

Cities. I love architecture...and streets.

8. What is the next city you want to photograph?

Definitely San Francisco. This summer I want to drive from San Francisco up the coast to Seattle.

9.  This or That?

-ICA or MFA

MFA

-Plane or Train

Train

-Polka Dots or Stripes

Polka Dots

-Coffee or Tea

Coffee

10. Last book you read?

The Hobbit, I didn't like it. I’m a Harry Potter person. The last book I read and loved though was The Time Traveler’s Wife.

We'd like to express a big t h a n k  y o u to Anna for being our first interview, we were so nervous! 

By now I'm sure some of our readers are wondering who we, the JUGs, are... but don't worry! We did a secret little photo shoot with Anna and will be debuting our own personal interviews, bios, and photos from that shoot in the upcoming weeks, so stay tuned!

JUGs in the Kitchen: Brown Sugar-Glazed Salmon

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Those of us that like to cook end up collecting a lot of recipes. From cookbooks to pinterest, we all have a lot on our "recipes to try" list. So, what happens if you need to cook something for company but don't know if any recipes in your collection are any good? Duh, you ask your friends! My friend Steph found this brown sugar-glazed salmon recipe in Real Simple, tried it, and has passed on a raving endorsement! I can't wait to try it. Full disclosure: I've never cooked fish before, so this should be interesting!

Serves 8
Time: 25 min

Ingredients

-2  cups  long-grain white rice
-2   tablespoons  plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
-1 1/2  pounds  green beans, trimmed
-2  shallots, thinly sliced
-4  cloves garlic, thinly sliced
-kosher salt and black pepper
-1/2  cup  light brown sugar
-2  teaspoons  balsamic vinegar
-8  6-ounce pieces skinless salmon fillet
-lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

-Cook the rice according to the package directions.

-Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the green beans, shallots, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the beans are crisp-tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Add ½ cup water, cover, and cook until the beans are tender and the water has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes more.

-Heat broiler. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, vinegar, the remaining teaspoon of oil, and ½ teaspoon salt (the mixture will be very thick).

-Place the salmon on a foil-lined broilerproof large rimmed baking sheet and broil for 5 minutes. Spoon the brown sugar mixture over the salmon, return to oven, and broil, basting twice with the liquid in the pan, until the salmon is opaque throughout, 2 to 4 minutes more.

-Reserve half the salmon, green beans, and rice for tomorrow’s dinner. Serve the remaining salmon, rice, and green beans with the lemon wedges.

-Reheat and serve: Reheat the salmon and green beans in a covered baking dish at 350° F for 10 to 12 minutes. Microwave the rice in a microwave-safe bowl covered with a damp paper towel on high for 1 to 2 minutes.

- Cameron