Stone Mad Irish Pub in Cleveland Ohio was the hot spot as we sipped on ice cold beers and enjoyed the steamed mussels in a rich broth with onions and red peppers.

Sunny skies gave way to a cool crisp night as the sun went down on the stone extravaganza that is Stone Mad.

The rich woods and carved stone create an ambiance that will have you thinking you are in the heart of the Irish countryside.

The mussels are classic and great with beer.

The salmon and noodles was one of Chef Michael Fadel’s specials and was very good and easily shared by two.

Romantic and cozy; this is a great date spot and will be even better come summer.

The gorgeous stone patio with fireplace and quixotic atmosphere beckons.

Meatless Monday! Was Pizza Night for us this week.

The girls were in charge.

I picked up dough at my favorite pizza spot; $3.50 for one large dough which makes a 17 inch pizza. That is a great value and a tremendous time saver. Plus, you know that it will be perfect every time.

We made tomato and basil, shiitake and spinach, pesto and pine nut, and a red sauce and cheese.

For the shiitake and spinach I sautéed the mushrooms and spinach in olive oil before adding them to the pizza. For the base I spread parmesan, garlic and olive oil cream sauce spread which I made beforehand then topped it off with shredded mozzarella cheese. Delish!

The tomato, basil and mozzarella pizza was fantastic! After preparing the dough we coated the top with a drizzle of olive oil then laid on the veggies…..this one was best; Belle’s creation! Gorgeous!

Homemade pesto, a few pine nuts and mozzarella made a great light pizza which was great with the Blue Moon Belgian wheat beer.

This is not only Meatless Monday! But family night and Pizzalicious!

Roger Ebert waxes poetic about the beauty of fellowship and community which surrounds food.

He reminisces about the flavors and textures that he misses most since he has lost his ability to eat and drink.

Nostalgia stirs the memory of childhood pleasures and eating in diners.

Nil by Mouth brings a fresh look at why we love food.

This is my new favorite place to be.

Leave it to my bff M to make a fantastic discovery. Still shopping for furniture, which is fine with me because it leads to so much fun and mischief!

Lilly’s offers a superior selection of wine, beer and liquors. The specialty chocolates are amazing and made by hand at Lilly’s.

They offer pairings of beers and chocolates including Lambic Framboise with raspberry dark chocolate and Hitachino Nest West Ginger beer with peanut butter, kaffir, lime leaves, srirancha, white chocolate.

Truly sophisticated and fashion forward, Lilly’s is a true gem in Tremont and everywhere!

Order on line and treat yourself to something extraordinary.

Potatoes fried in Duck fat with garlic and rosemary. These are quite possibly the best French fries ever.

These fries are hardy food. They come with spicy mayo dipping sauces and stand alone with rich Cabernets or Belgian wheats.

Be forewarned; these fries are addictive and will leave you craving more, every time!

The wine and beer list at Bar Cento in Cleveland, OH is excellent and is rivaled by few.

Come for the fries and beer and stay for an inspired menu of ecclectic, innovative comfort food with a sophistcated twist.

What a great way to spend a rainy Friday afternoon. My bff M and I drove all over town sofa shopping. M just bought a pied-a-terre in Chicago and decorating it is half the fun.

A comfy yet stylish sleeper sofa is a must so I have the feeling that this may take a few trips. I am hoping that I get a chance to sleep on it few times, myself!

In the meantime we were having fun listening to Barbra Streisand’s new CD, Love is the Answer . Bette, Madonna and Celine were also along for the ride which made for an afternoon of Divas and dishing! Streisand’s latest album is a collection of smooth, super mellow standards that will slowly melt you into sublime submission and have you wishing for love and romance.

We ended up at a gorgeous Irish Pub that looks as though it was plucked out of the middle ages. The food was anything but medieval.

The seafood linguine at Stone Mad was light and fresh with a delicate lemon butter sauce.

The food was better than expected, since Irish Pub food has never been a huge favorite fof mine. They also have great beer and nice wine selections. M had the burger and said that it is one of the best he’s ever had.

The waiter offered to make us a Guiness float and as intriguing as that sounded at the time, I am quite sure that my stomach would protest!