My Week in Photos: 2/10 - 2/16

1. BryGuy and I typically don't do anything for Valentine's Day since our anniversary used to be in early February. But he surprised me at work this Vday with a beautiful arrangement. And I have to say he did a wonderful job! I was excited that it wasn't red roses... not that I have anything against them, they're just not my favorite. I really love hydrangeas and orchids and the tulips were just a great springy touch.

My Week in Photos: 2/2 - 2/9

I wasn't so good about taking photos last week. So I'm throwing in a few that stretch past the designated time frame. Please forgive me. I'll do better next week. 

1. A much-needed Sunday morning breakfast with delicious coffee (and maybe a Bloody Mary too) at one of my favorite restaurants in Manayunk: Agiato

The BEST Barbecue Chicken Ever

About a million people have asked me for this recipe. Okay, a million might be an exaggeration, but at least a handful of people have asked, so here it is. Really, I can't take credit for it. I found it online and adapted it to my needs.

The story of this chicken in my life begins last summer. BryGuy and I typically do red meat (burgers, steaks, etc.) on the grill. Not because I don't like other meat, but because I've never had barbecue chicken that I really liked. Most of it was tough, dry, and not all that appealing. Well, I turned to the web to find a bbq chicken recipe that would make my mouth water, and I stumbled upon this gem that quickly became a household staple. The most important part about this recipe is the grilling process, low and slow is the name of the game. 

Do you want to know the best part? Once you invest in the spices, it's super cheap to make. I usually buy a big family pack of thighs and drumsticks so I can feed 6-10 people for less than $15 with this recipe. 

My Week in Photos: 1/26 - 2/2

There's a great blog that I follow called ...Love Maegan this woman is truly an inspiration. Not just because of her keen sense of fashion and design, but also because of her ability to be candid and just put herself out there to the world. When you read her blog you feel like you know her, and I would be remiss if I did not say that she has inspired Marissa Says... in many ways. So, I'm being totally honest when I say that I'm "borrowing" her idea for this post. Every week she does a quick recap of the Instagram photos that she's taken throughout the week. 

Well, I love the idea and want to try it out with you. I'll give you a weekly peek into the photos I've posted on Instagram and tell you a little more about them.

1. A cappuccino from my favorite coffee spot in Manayunk - Volo Coffeehouse

2. The stairs leading back to our apartment. I have a love-hate relationship with them. 

Industrial Radiators

You know how I mentioned in my previous living room post that I had super cool industrial radiators in my new apartment? Well here they are, they are like large industrial sculptures in each room and I really like them. It's a funky mix with the modern flooring and appliances throughout the house. 

Moist, Flavorful, and Simple Roast Chicken

When it comes to the roast chicken, simplicity is best. I make mine with a little butter, garlic, salt, pepper and rosemary. I stuff a lemon, onion and some garlic cloves into the cavity and voilà  a couple of hours later, you have a delicious, moist and fragrant dinner.

Okay, maybe it's not that simple, but it's pretty darn close. My first word of advice, buy a bird with a popper. There's nothing worse than not knowing if it's cooked through and jabbing that poor little guy with a thermometer twenty times just to find out that it's still not done. 

First, I cut up some onion, lemon and rosemary to put in the cavity. This time around I also put three whole garlic cloves in there as well. 

Arts and Crafts for a Cause

Every year, my husband's company encourages its employees to participate in Martin Luther King's Day of Service. Let me start off by saying that I think this is a wonderful thing that this company does, not only do they sponsor the event, but they have a list of activities that employees can sign up for and they welcome family participation. Last year, we traveled up to Bucks county and painted a home for a family that was in transition and needed a fresh start. This year, BryGuy signed us up for "bowl making" with a few of his coworkers. You might be asking, "how is bowl making considered community service?" I was thinking the same thing when he told me what we'd be doing for the day.

BryGuy gets down with the bowl making

One Year of CrossFitting

I looked at the calendar today and realized that it's exactly one year, to the day, that I started CrossFit. And oh, what a year it has been. When we first started, BryGuy and I had signed up for a membership that allowed us to go to classes twice a week. The workouts were posted online so I could see what was in store for me later that day. Honestly, it would give me anxiety. How was I going to make it through that workout? What was that move again? Sometimes, if it was a workout that I was uncomfortable with, I would just decide to go another day that week. (Real talk: I'm scared to try new things. Always have been.)

On the days I was determined to go, a.k.a. BryGuy was making me, I would be thinking about the workout all day long – looking up videos online if I wasn't sure what the movement/exercise was. I would get home from work, change my clothes, and the butterflies in my stomach would start. At that time, our gym was on the fourth floor of a storage unit and while climbing those stairs I was seriously wondering if I should just turn around and go back home. Luckily, BryGuy is fearless in situations like this, and he was always right next to me, dragging my ass up the stairs and telling me, "It's not that bad, you'll be fine."