I interrupt the initial post I had planned in my head for this morning to bring you scenes from yesterday’s random excursion.
My son didn’t go to camp yesterday because the trip scheduled for his group (his camp program this summer involves three days playing in camp and two days where they go on day trips) involved an activity he couldn’t participate in due to his broken thumb.
I wasn’t really sure what we would do but I always come up with something because I don’t know how to sit home unless I am trapped by a snowstorm or a stomach virus.
I never liked the the zoo. I don’t care for museums. Although I always enjoyed taking him to the Children’s Museum since it was hands-on and not boring.
Regardless, I leave the educational and sometimes-smelly animal fun to the grandparents.
I prefer to culture with out-of-the-box places like flagship department stores, sporting events, specialty food establishments and Kardashian nonsense.
Call me crazy but I have been determined all summer to check out in person the DASH store that popped up in Southampton which will appear on the new season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians this fall.
I needed a weekday for the occasion since weekends are way too busy out east not to mention I heard that on Saturdays there is known to be a forty minute wait just to get into the DASH store.
My son is always up for a random excursion with me, especially since he knows I will plan it around somewhere good to eat.
We had no celebrity sightings, no paparazzi, but it was still fun.
It’s a tiny little store but super cute. Blends in with the rest of the town.
I didn’t buy anything. I wanted a Dash long sleeve top but I wasn’t paying sixty dollars for it.
We walked around town and stopped for lunch at The Golden Pear Café.
I ordered The Water Mill sandwich which involved a serious stack of roasted vegetables on a large whole wheat roll and a side salad.
The long roasted carrots inside the sandwich were superb.
My son went with a bagel, lox and vegetable cream cheese.
He clearly knows his roots.
I may not be as entertaining as a day camp or too keen on walking through museum exhibits or animal farms but I think I provide a cultural experience and, without a doubt, always offer dessert.
It was hot outside so I encouraged him to go with ice cream.
Vanilla Fudge Swirl. Not what I would have selected but he let me have some and it was good.
Somehow on the way home he convinced me to let him bake cookies by himself.
By himself as in he cracks the eggs, measures the ingredients and mixes while I handle the oven and cleaning up.
He rattled off a recipe he pulled from a website but we had to make lots of substitutions based upon what I had on hand which created a completely different yet actually really tasty cookie worth quickly sharing with you today.
Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
*1 cup brown sugar
*1/2 cup granulated sugar
*1/2 cup Earth Balance (or other butter you have on hand)
*1/2 cup nut butter of choice (we used Crunch Time Peanut Butter)
*Two organic eggs
*1 tsp vanilla
*2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
*1 tsp baking soda
*Pinch of salt
*1 cup (or more) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix butter, peanut butter and sugars together until smooth. Add in eggs one at a time plus the vanilla and mix. Combine flour, baking soda and salt and then mix until combined with your wet ingredients. Add in chocolate chips.
Drop on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for about nine minutes.
I was actually really surprised at how soft, chewy, buttery and delicious these cookies came out.
Sometimes I don’t like baking cookies with whole wheat flour but this recipe really worked well. And I think I really like baking with Earth Balance in place of actual butter.
I may play around with this recipe to see if I can make the cookie totally vegan by replacing the egg and using non-dairy chips.
Better yet, I will let my son attempt it when camp ends in less than two weeks.
We will need what to do in addition to our new end-of-summer-quest to hit every ice cream parlor on the East End of Long Island.
**********************
Do you have a favorite museum?
Favorite reality television show? Do you want to admit you watch Kardashian?
What’s on your end-of-summer bucket list?
I definitely like your version of a cultural experience. Far more preferable (and tasty) than any I ever went on with school. And 60 for a long sleeve? If it isn’t made of tech fabric, no thank you. And even then, I can get that on sale from TJ Maxx lol
Susie @ SuzLyfe recently posted…The Long Run: Running is a Bad Boy (Justin Bobby)
I would have paid thirty for the top but not sixty. Way too much for what it was. School trips were terrible! I am much more entertaining.
The fact that your son went to Dash with you- That is true love. Is it like the NYC store with kris jenners books everywhere?
Arman @ thebigmansworld recently posted…Marinated Pesto Potato Salad
Totally books everywhere along with every other Kardashian product imaginable. But I guess it’s there store so it makes sense to push the stuff there.
Interesting, I would never have though of using earth balance….but not sure I could afford to either, they do look good though, and they soounnnddd delicious! I love the look of your sandwich, its nice when restaurants put time into their veggie options, rather than punishing people for choosing it by just throwing things together.
Tina Muir recently posted…Meatless Monday: Super Super Sweet Potatoes
Totally agree. Nothing worse than going to a restaurant which has little to offer when it comes to vegetable/vegetarian options. Happened to me at Friday’s last year. All I had for dinner was a crummy salad side…Earth’s Balance is pricey but it was all I had and let me say, it works terrific in cookies! Might be worth it on occasion, was only 1/2 cup.
I admit I have watched Keeping Up With The Kardashians before. It is one of those shows you can’t stand but they are so ridiculous you can’t stop watching haha.
Hilary recently posted…Inspiration Through Song
I have little issue admitting I love watching it!
Unfortunately I tend to watch a lot of reality TV..haha- and I feel like I am killing brain cells by the minute. But, sometimes you just need some mindless entertainment like the Kardashians.
Your photos are totally making me miss the summers I spent in the Hamptons.
Aw, next summer you should make sure to head out here for a weekend!
omg you took your son on a field trip to DASH. Please adopt me…pleaaaaaaase.
Davida @ The Healthy Maven recently posted…Peach and Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
Ha, right?! I think I am a cool mom. It was a good time.
Your lunch looks deeelicious! I am loving the sound of those carrots!
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl recently posted…How to Cut a Cantaloupe
I used to watch the Kardashians but I’m kinda tired of them. These days my guilty pleasures are Bachelor in Paradise and Dance Moms. I DVR them and watch them before my husband comes home from work… I’m sneaky like that 😉
Ginette @ Half To Be Happy recently posted…Shark week ~~~^~~~\o/
My son and I used to love Dance Moms! I sort of lost interest when the moms and Abby started going overboard with the hating on each other lol. Now I resort to Kardashians and Honey Boo Boo. Love that family lol.
Those cookies look good and chewy! I made some whole wheat oatmeal cookies this week.
Tina@GottaRunNow recently posted…Just Run to the Fountain
I’ll admit that Keeping Up With The Kardashians was the only reality TV show that I ever watched… but I think I only ever managed to catch something like 10 episodes. I suck at TV. I do love a good cookie, though! Especially straight out of the oven when the chocolate chips are little molten bringers of pain 😆
Amanda @ .running with spoons. recently posted…. vegan chocolate chip cookie dough {bites, bars, spoonfuls} .