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Gina DiMartino

~ finding beauty in pain

Gina DiMartino

Monthly Archives: April 2015

From a foodie in Boston

23 Thursday Apr 2015

Posted by ginamd in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Boston, Bova's, Foodie, J.P. Licks, Pie in the Sky, The Thinking Cup

I am on the plane to Boston and all I’m thinking about is food. It may have something to do with the fact that I didn’t eat lunch, but it probably has more to do with the fact that Boston is one of my most favoritest places to EAT.
I grew up in an Italian/Portuguese family with a love of food and lots of good cooks. You could always expect amazing food at our family gatherings. Boston brings me back to my Italian & Portuguese roots.
The North End hosts an endless array of Italian bakeries, cafes, and restaurants with some of the best pastries you will ever have. I can’t wait to go to Bova’s Bakery and down a lobster tail, a crispy, flaky pastry with a creamy filling. And from there to Mike’s for a chocolate whoopie pie as big as your head. We’ll venture down a little brick alley way to Bricco, a little secret bread shop that only locals know about. Over by Paul reveres house is Limoncello, one of the most delicious Italian restaurants I have ever been to. And then there’s  la famiglia giorgio ….gah their pumpkin ravioli in sage cream sauce melts in your mouth and is one of the most succulent, perfect dishes I have ever had. The Green Dragon Tavern is just outside of the North End towards Quincy Market. It is the tavern where Paul Revere and the other patriots used to meet to discuss strategy on how to defeat the British.
Quincy Market is always a bustling hub with “fast food” restaurant supplying you with clam chowder, lobster bisque, oysters and all thing delicious. I always get lobster bisque in a bread bowl from bisque from Boston Chowda. Yum.
A short walk from there and you can get succulent snow crab at The Barking Crab. Barking crab isn’t that awesome, but I love it for being on the water and for having huge picnic tables, and live music. If you head towards Boston Common, you will run into Jacob Wirth’s and their corn bread is to die for. Sonsie on Newburry is the perfect place to dine on a warm summer night. The whole front of the shop opens and you can enjoy the warm breezes. Po Boy in Newtonville is a bit out-of-the-way but with a cheery owner who will give you free fresh made onion rings and a huge Po Boy sandwich with shrimp and catfish, well, its worth it.
If you need coffee and sweets, head over to The Thinking Cup. A coffee shop using coffee from Portland’s Stumptown roasters and brewed to perfection. A latte with a tulip latte art and a macaron please. The hipster historical decorations of this coffee shop have landed it a spot in one of my favorite coffee shops ever.  On Newburry Street you will find Sweet Cupcakes, and J.P. Licks, best ice cream ever.
For breakfast check out Flour Bakery and have one of Joanne Cheng’s famous sticky buns. Ooey gooey deliciousness.
Au Bon Pain is another favorite breakfast stop with their oatmeal bar and fresh squeezed orange juice. It’s a chain, but its acceptable because it is so good!
If you have time for a little day trip drive about an hour and a half north to Pie in the Sky bakery in York, Maine. Worth the drive. Believe me. They have these coconut blueberry bars that are as big as your face and one of the most heavenly things you will ever sink your teeth into. The pie is about $6 a slice you might skip over it thinking that’s way too much to spend on pie…but I am telling you, buy the whole pie and you will thank me that I just made you spend $40. In fact you will probably want to mail me another $40 because your taste buds will be so happy. Best pie you will ever have.
There’s never enough time in Boston to eat all the good food. Plus it can end up costing a ton of money, but where are your priorities? $50 for new ballet flats? No way. $50 for homemade Italian pastries? Where do I sign? Maybe my priorities are a bit skewed. Maybe this is why i have those extra pounds hanging on for dear life. I have no excuse. I love good food. And if that means I have to work out twice a day to fit into my dress for Laura’s wedding next week, then, so be it. It’s a sacrifice I am willing to make.
I could go on and on. And I could write just as extensive list about any city I have visited. But for today, here are my Boston favorites. Please go up there and try them out!

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev

09 Thursday Apr 2015

Posted by ginamd in Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

#bostonbombing, #deathpenalty, #dzhokhartsarnaev, #GinaDiMartino, #judgement, #officialstatement, #tsarnaev, Boston Marathon Bombing, Bostonstrong

I’ve been getting calls from the media, and questions from people throughout the day. Even the woman at my rental office asked me if I had heard about the sentencing. I couldn’t decide if I should comment about it or not. Tsarnaev was found guilty of all 30 charges against him. The trial will now move on to decide if he will get life in prison or the death penalty. I hate speaking with the media because they skew everything you say and use it for their own purposes. So I have been formulating my thoughts and present them here as my official opinion on the trial.

Yes, he hurt me and many of my loved ones. Yes, our lives are changed forever and some of us will live in pain the rest of our lives. What he did was wrong and as a consequence he was found guilty of all 30 charges. As for the death penalty, I believe the Bible is true and has many things to say about this situation. I am basing my position on the following verses:

Romans 13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

Titus 3:1 be submissive to rulers and authorities

Romans 12:19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

As survivor of these crimes committed by Tsarnaev, I choose to pray for the jury and judges. For the governing authorities. Who have been put in that place of authority by God, the ultimate Judge. I pray that they make the right and just decision. I choose not to seek revenge. I choose to leave him to the wrath, or mercy, of God.

Counting to 3

04 Saturday Apr 2015

Posted by ginamd in Uncategorized

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Darkness fell, His friends scattered, hope seemed lost – But heaven just started counting to three.

Bob Goff

Good?

03 Friday Apr 2015

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Susan & Lucy saw the Lion slowly walking away from them into the wood. Without a word they both followed him. On and on he led them, into dark shadows and out into pale moonlight, getting their feet wet with the heavy dew. He looked somehow different from the Aslan they knew. His tail and his head hung low and he walked slowly as if he were very, very tired. Then, when they were crossing a wide open place where there were no shadows for them to hide in, he stopped and looked round.

“Oh, children, children, why are you following me?”

“We couldn’t sleep,” and Lucy

“Please, may we come with you – wherever you’re going?” asked Susan.

“Well – ” said Aslan, and seemed to be thinking. Then he said, “I should be glad of company tonight. Yes, you may come, if you will promise to stop when I tell you, and after that leave me to go on alone.”

Then He said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

And so the girls did what they would never have dared to do without his permission, but what they had longed to do ever since they first saw him – buried their cold hands in the beautiful sea of fur and stroked it and, so doing, walked with him. And presently they saw that they were going with him up the slope of the hill on which the Stone Table stood. They went up at the side where the trees came furthest up, and when they got to the last tree, Aslan stopped and said,

“Oh children, children. Here you must stop. And whatever happens, do not let yourself be seen. Farewell.”

Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise and let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

And both the girls cried bitterly and clung to the Lion and kissed his mane and his nose and his paws and his great, sad eyes.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 

The witch gave a wild fierce laugh. “The fool!” she cried. “The fool has come. Bind him fast.”

They rolled the huge Lion over on his back and tied all his four paws together, shouting and cheering as if they had done something brave, though, had the Lion chosen, one of those paws could have bent he death of them all. But he made no noise, even when the enemies, straining and tugging, pulled the cords so tight that they cut into his flesh. “Stop!” said the Witch. “Let him first be shaved.”

I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. (Isaiah 50:6)

And they surged round Aslan, jeering at him, saying things like, “Puss, Puss! Poor Pussy,” and, “How many mice have you caught today, Cat?” and, “Would you like a saucer of milk, Pussums?”

Now the mend who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?”

At last she drew near. She stood by Aslan’s head. She stooped down and said in a quivering voice, “And now, who has won? Fool, did you think that by all this you would save the human traitor? Understand that you have given me Narnia for ever, you have lost your own life and you have not saved his. In that knowledge, despair and die.”

And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. 

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

The Bible English Standard Version

LUSH

01 Wednesday Apr 2015

Posted by ginamd in Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Cosmetics, Healthy Living, LUSH, Think Dirty

I recently got an app on my phone called “Think Dirty”. I know, sounds bad. But its an app that tells you what’s in the cosmetics that you use and how good (or bad) they are for you. It shows all the ingredients and rates things on a scale from 0 (good for you) to 10 (really bad). Naturally, I looked up everything I currently have in my bathroom. Soap, shampoo, lotions etc. I was shocked. I guess I haven’t taken great pains to make sure everything I have is “healthy”, but I am a HUGE fan of LUSH and their stuff seems so good for you since they are “fresh handmade cosmetics”. Here are a few quotes from the LUSH website.

“At LUSH, we believe in protecting people, animals and the planet.”

“We take our commitment to this seriously. The core of our philosophy is based on the highest levels of ethical standards with the lowest possible impact on the environment.”

“In designing our products, we go for natural ingredients and use as few synthetics as possible.”

“We’re proud of every single ingredient we use in our products.”

I currently have 9 products in my bathroom from LUSH ranging from shampoo, lotion, soap, and face masks. I spend SO much money at this store throughout the year. All the products when looked up in the Think Dirty App are a 9. Yes, a 9. That means they are BAD. I was horrified and SO upset that I have been spending so much money at this store that claims to have such great natural products and all the while their products contain things like:

Perfume
Fragrance
Methylparaben (causes breast tumors)
Proplylparaben (causes breast tumors, endocrine disruptor and is banned in several countries)
Isoeugenol (causes respiratory and skin irritation and is banned or restricted in several countries)
Phenoxyethanol (causes skin irritation and depresses the central nervous system)
Talc (causes ovarian cancer, respiratory & skin irritation and is a carcinogen)

Needless to say I will no longer be shopping at LUSH and will begin the search for healthier cosmetic options.

From a former LUSH fanatic

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