But Seriously, This Tomato Sandwich

I have invented (one of) the very best tomato sandwiches ever to grace this earth. I've been eating a version of this sandwich on almost a daily basis, and will continue to gorge myself on them until tomato season has faded. And then I will mourn its absence until next July.

Summer is not my favorite season, especially in New York...constant heat and sticky, stifling humidity are not qualities I look for in a city. Sometimes it gets so hot waiting for the subway that it's difficult to breathe. But! One redeeming thing about summer almost entirely makes up for its faults: The explosion of farmer's market bounty. Above, pearls and gold corn, yellow peaches, blueberries, summer squash, zucchini, and --the stars of the show-- heirloom tomatoes.

Here's how to make the sandwich to end all sandwiches: Toast two slices of bread (I used pumpernickel, but any hearty, whole-grain loaf will work). Meanwhile, slice the heirloom tomatoes of your choice. Once the toast is crispy, take a clove of garlic and rub it over the surface of the toasted bread.

Spread some good mayo over the garlic toast (or make your own aioli, if you're feeling fancy. I generally am not). Layer on the thick, juicy slices of tomato and sprinkle with sea salt and a few grinds of fresh peppercorns. The tangy juice of the tomato will combine with the mayo and garlic and will soften the toast slightly to create something incredible. I crumbled a little bacon on my sandwich because I had some on hand, but it's not a requirement. Finally, top with whatever herbs you have...I used thyme since I have some growing on my windowsill, and I highly recommend it, but basil, parsley, cilantro, or even a little finely chopped rosemary would be delicious as well.

This open-faced sandwich is super easy to throw together, plus so, so incredibly delicious. I stand by my plan of eating at least one of these every day. Go make one right now. On the left, the summer squash I sliced, rubbed with olive oil, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, a little oregano, and lime juice, broiled until crispy on the bottoms, flipped, and broiled a little more. Unctuous and fabulous.

Close-up of some of the small heirlooms I swiped. The red and yellow one on the right is seriously the best tomato I have ever had, but I don't know what it's called! The internet tells me it could be Old German or German Stripe, and the guy at the farmer's market said it was Striped Cavern, but it doesn't look like the pictures of those. If anyone knows, please tell me, so when I have a garden I can plant millions of these babies.

A's vs. O's

The Chesapeake bay in Baltimore, Maryland! Devin and I took the bus to this fair city last weekend with some friends to take in an Oakland Athletics and Baltimore Orioles game at Camden Yards. I forgot my camera battery, so theses are iPhoned and Instagramed.

Everything in Baltimore is made out of bricks, even the ground! It's really rare to see a brick building in California (earthquakes and all that; we tend to build with stucco, wood, and iron-reinforced concrete), so it's always exciting for me to see a place where brick is the prime building material of choice. Adds an element of (imaginary) danger!

It's cool to think that ships like this really did populate Chesapeake Bay back in the 1700s! History, it's exciting stuff.

What did I tell you about the brick?

An awesome planter outside Baltimore's mall. Purple leaves

Devin walking towards the stadium in his festive shirt!

Welcome to Camden Yards which, as you may imagine, is made out of brick.

The fabric of Devin's A's shirt: MLB logo, A's logo, california poppies, and an oak tree. And this is just a bit of the residents of the shirt.

The O's mascot is cute!

I wore orange less to swear allegiance to the O's (I'm a non-partisan baseball peruser, but I do have to go with my home state's team) and more because it's the least warm item of clothing I own. Mid Atlantic summers are sticky.

Crowded and orange!

Thanks to our native Baltimorean friend, we had some amazing seats. Though Devin has been a lifelong baseball fan and game attendee, this was the closest he's ever gotten to sit in his whole life! The game highlight for me was the awesome pulled pork sandwich which came with a side of beans and coleslaw and the mammoth diet coke I consumed while there. Good times were had by all.

Baltimore

Last weekend, we visited Baltimore, Maryland with some friends. It's the only other state besides New York that I've been to on the East Coast, and it was pretty exciting. These photos were all taken with my iPhone from the back of a moving bus and then filtered through Instagram. I kind of love them.

One House.

I'm Never Getting Over Wires Against Sky.

Crack in the Sidewalk, Link in the Fence.

Paneless Windows.

Limestone and Calcium Deposits.

Man Waits for Bus.

Row Houses.

Almost Back in New York City, Ugh.

I'm Not One of These Yet.

Our Eighth Anniversary

Devin and I have been dating since he was fifteen and I was sixteen. Eight years is a long time, especially since we're both so young, and people are always surprised when they find out. In terms of the public school system, our relationship is in third grade already. 

In many ways, we've grown up together. We met when we were still kids, and now we're adults, living in our own apartment on the other side of the country.

I'm so grateful I get to spend every day with my best friend.

Before we met, I was never a believer in high school sweethearts. Thanks for changing my mind. I love you.