Beach + Food = Summer so far

I haven't posted in a while because we've done a whole lot of nothing on 119 in the last month...unless you count starting at paint samples on the walls because I've done a lot of that. It's overwhelming the amount of things I want to do to this place and frustrating that there just isn't the money for it.  We went to Crate & Barrel this weekend for inspiration and decided that when we are rich we will just fully furnish our house from their showroom. We didn't buy anything but we got a whole lot of free inspiration like this amazing reclaimed barn wood table:

 Which reminded me a lot of this DIY reclaimed wood table I found HERE the other day:

 Now I'm stalking Craigslist to find old barn wood to make shelves or possibly a dining room table.

When I'm not daydreaming about house projects I've been busy enjoying my summer. I realized recently that I had accumulated plenty of vacation time and needed to use it or lose it so I took 2 weeks off from work. It has been amazing and I'm pretty sure someone is going to have to drag me back to the office next week. Here are a few photo highlights of the last month:

We just discovered that the beaches at Atlantic City are free and not totally disgusting like we had imagined. I've been three times in the last few weeks and I love that its clean, life guarded, has calmer waves and if you are smart you can find free 3 hour parking!

I also discovered that my bread machine has a pizza dough option and with just a few simple ingredients I can make the most amazing pizza this side of Mangias/Kate &Als. We've had this delicious tofu sausage, onions and peppers pizza twice now and this weekend experimented with a BBQ chicken and carmalized onion pie (using soy chicken nuggets)...amazing!

On my first day of vacation my Dad and I went kayaking- it was so wonderful to be out on the water again- away from people and cell phones, work and distractions. told my dad I felt like I was literally drinking in nature and it seriously felt like the first drink of water I'd had in ages.

Then we traveled back to the Jersey Shore again for the 4th of July weekend. Seaside and its wild ways never dissapoint! It was a great get away with friends, dogs, boardwalk food and gorgeous clear water. The only downside was the infestation of fish eggs which felt really awkward to pick out of our hair and bathing suits... the fish tacos however were perfection. Oh surf taco- it was so beautiful to see you again (I might have eaten 6 containers of salsa...maybe).  *the lovely photo of Island Beach State Park was taken by Vikki Bell <3

Seriously- could this post be any more about food? We stumbled upon this gas station gem after a morning of yardsales and we couldn't resist their claim to fame 4$ giant 12inch hoagies. We took a risk and we were not disappointed by Grandpa Dar's hospitality and our delicious 4$ lunch. Check them out if you are in South Jersey.


 I started this post with a bit of frustration about the lack of change around here but my Project Manager (aka: husband) just came home with a ton of ideas and a plan of action for this week so hopefully by next  Monday we will have at least painted over all of the paint swatches covering the walls.

Enjoy the sun! 

The perfect summer dish

Before I met Surf Taco the thought of a "fish taco" made me sick. I imagined something really fishy/salty and strange...man was I wrong!

Oh Surf Taco...how you have changed my life and hooked me on your amazing coastal cuisine! Unfortunately ST only exists down the shore (1.5 hours away) and even though I sometimes schedule work meetings there (just to enjoy a taco or two) its just never enough!

Lucky for me a few nights ago I re-discovered a recipe for fish tacos in a favorite/retired magazine- Domino (remember this glorious publication?)! It was a messy meal to make but it was so so very worth it. Mike and I pretended we were at our favorite beachy Surf Taco as we sat out on the porch and enjoyed this...

As I was taking this picture he was already a few bites in and told me that I needed to seriously put the camera down and take a bite...quickly! He was right- it was so stinkin good. The slight saltiness of the grilled fish, the crunch of the cabbage, the richness of the avocado and the refreshing blast of cilantro/salsa made for the perfect summer meal.

It was so fresh and delicious I think you should make it for dinner tonight...you wont be disappointed.

Fish- We used cod but you can use any kind of thick, white fish. Cover both sides of the fish in olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and grill 5-8 min both sides.
Fresh Salsa- Chop 4-5 plum tomatoes, 1 red onion, jalapeño pepper and fresh cilantro in a food processor- add in a splash of olive oil, fresh squeezed lime juice and salt to taste.
Avocado Drizzle- Blend 2 ripe avocados with 1/2 cup of sour cream and salt to taste.
Red Cabbage Crunch- Shred 1/2 of a red cabbage and season with 2 tsp. of white vinegar and salt.
Tortillas- Let the tortillas heat up a bit on the grill (just a minute or two).

Mmmmm....I think I might substitute shrimp for cod tonight just so I can have this again.
Other than this amazing meal...what is your perfect summer dish?