The best fish and chips in the (Rock)land! Harbour House in Piermont

The parking lot exterior of the Harbour House doesn't necessarily scream "good eats." Located at the abrupt end of Piermont Avenue in the quaint riverside village of Piermont, NY, the restaurant doesn't have prime riverfront real estate like other area eateries do or a spot on either side of well-shopped Piermont Ave. But don't you judge this book by its cover! The food at this little pub is outstanding!

I ordered the fish and chips with steak fries for lunch on a recent visit and my husband and I agreed that these were the best fish and chips we have ever had--and he lived for years in Ireland! The batter was so light and crispy and the fish perfectly moist and flaky. Served with tartar sauce and a huge side of tasty steak fries, it made for a sinfully delicious lunch, but one that didn't leave me overfull. 

Matt had a yummy bowl of cream of potato soup and mussels in white wine sauce that were out of this world. I am actually a bit afraid to eat mussels because of how they look, but I gobbled these right up. They were so, so flavorful and not a bit gummy or gritty (or scary). Needless to say, Matt was over the moon about his meal. And he made it a point to find out if the chef was from Ireland since the food really brought him back to when he lived there (the chef was not Irish; the owner is). 

And all this deliciousness only cost around $35!! Seriously, we get close to spending that much at McDonald's sometimes. 

The atmosphere at Harbour House is great too. Its not stuffy, but not too divey either. And you can definitely bring kids there (they have highchairs.) Our only complaint--we were there on a Saturday afternoon and it seemed like there was only one waiter servicing the whole restaurant. Our delicious meal came out really quickly, but, after that, it was hard to track down the waiter again for drink refills and malt vinegar for our chips. 

We finally flagged him down, though, and we'll definitely be back for more Harbour House fare soon. If you're interested in trying it out, check out their website or just swing by: 

Harbour House

457 Piermont Ave

Piermont, NY 10968

T.845-398-9802

Read More

Snort! Giveaway & Review of A Pug's Tale!

I'm braving through one tyrant of a summer cold today because I have to tell you about A PUG'S TALE by Alison Pace (released today from Berkley!). I LOVE this book and have actually been working with Alison to get the word out to other bloggers about its release today. And I've gotta tell you--all the bloggers who have read A PUG'S TALE just adore it!

**About the book:

Metropolitan Museum of Art paintings restorer Hope McNeill feels like she finally has it all. Aside from the dream job, she has an amazing boyfriend who has left his adorable black pug Max in her care while he's overseas on a humanitarian mission. That she’s able to sneak Max into work with her is just the icing on the cake--that is, until an art heist on her watch brings everything tumbling down.

When Hope discovers that a priceless oil painting is missing, her boss and the museum’s development head keep it quiet in hopes that they can retrieve the painting themselves. But Hope is certain that she is their top suspect and secretly takes things into her own hands. Following anonymous clues on a scavenger hunt throughout the museum--and letting guidance from a wealthy museum benefactress and even Max help her along the way--Hope inches closer and closer to a truth that will change her life forever.** 

What I loved most about this book are the things that everybody seems to be raving about too. First, the descriptions of pugs in A PUG'S TALE are just spot-on perfect! If you have ever met (and loved) a snorting pug, you will be laughing aloud at the pug antics in this book. Also, I was just riveted by the behind the scenes museum details in the book, and the scavenger hunt throughout the museum left me thirsting for more (really, I would like to go on my own scavenger hunt through the Met!) 

Also, A PUG'S TALE is actually a standalone to another great book, PUG HILL, and I was so happy to be "reunited" with Hope again. I really fell in love with the character and her lovable, so-New-York neurose in the first novel, and I was just so glad to see her get what she wanted in life (but I won't tell you anymore or that would be spoiling the fun!) And, Alison's writing is just so much fun and so witty that, with both books, I found myself laughing out loud or marking down passages to share with friends. Now that's the hallmark of a good book--the want to share it with others!

Ok, enough of my blathering. Check out the first chapter of the book for yourself HERE, visit Alison's website for more info, and then enter below to win your very own copy of A PUG'S TALE courtesy of Berkley. All you have to do is follow Rockland Mother and comment below before 11:59pm on June 12, 2011.

Disclosure: I work with Alison Pace and was provided a copy of A PUG'S TALE to give away by Berkley. The opinions above are my honest opinions and were in no way paid for. 

Read More

Gnomeo & Juliet - Fun for Mom & Dad Too!

Gnomeo & Juliet is out on DVD! We never got around to seeing it in the theater--you know, because bringing a one-year-old into a packed movie theater doesn't always turn out well--so I was thrilled to see the DVD for sale ($16) at our local Toys R Us.

I really, really enjoyed this movie! It is an adorable take on the star-crossed lovers storyline, with two lawn gnomes in England, from feuding yards, falling in love. Elton John worked on the movie and the entire film is set to a dance-inducing soundtrack of his classics. Plus, he wrote and sings one amazing, tear-jerking new song in the movie called "Love Builds a Garden."

The graphics are colorful and attention-grabbing for the little ones, and the array of lawn characters are hilarious--a gnome wearing a Borat-like bathing suit, a plastic flamingo with an adorable latin accent, a fisherman gnome who is excited to keep catching the one fish perpetually attached to his hook, etc. And, as I said earlier, the music and dancing will get them onto their feet!

Adults will definitely get some of the jokes more than their kids do ("There was a squirrel... and he dropped his nuts!") and there are also very sad moments that might need explaining and might cause older kids and parents to shed a few tears (a family breaks up, Featherstone the flamingo loses his mate, Gnomeo is presumed dead at one point, just like in Romeo & Juliet). Also, as the whole movie is based around a feud between the blue and the red lawn gnomes, there is a ton of animated lawn warfare! Gnomes get smashed and lawns defaced--this movie is rated G, but sensitive kids might be frightened by the battles.

All that said, Gnomeo & Juliet really has the makings of a film that the entire family can enjoy and I wholeheartedly recommend that you check it out. You should also check out "Love Builds a Garden" on YouTube or elsewhere. With bittersweet lyrics like the following, you'll be inspired to give your own little flowers extra kisses to ensure a frost never touches your own garden:


We'd get a little rain
Then the sun came out again
But a frost it's hard to fight
Once it takes hold flowers die
There's only so much you can do
To keep some things alive

And love builds a garden
Grew it from the ground up
Each one of us knowing
Every inch of it was us
We pulled it all together
Hoping and believing
That love built this garden
For the two of us to dream in

Read More

Mickey Mouse Flip Open Sofa Bed Review (My 200th Post!)

Hot dog!

This is officially my 200th post! It would have come sooner if my poor little one wasn't so sick with a cough and cold this week, Please send some healing vibes his way!

Last week, we finally went ahead and got our little guy a little flip open sofa bed (ok, my mom went out and got it for him.) They are kind of expensive ($45 at BRU; $35-$50 at Walmart), so I tried for awhile to resist or find alternatives to buying it. But he is just too small to get into any of the kids chairs that were handed down to us--and his grandma couldn't resist making him smile with this toddler-friendly Mickey Mouse couch.

Honestly, this sofa makes all of us smile! Andrew loves to just chill out in it with a drink and a snack. He's even been napping in it while he's sick so I can be close by when he chokes on flegm (poor baby!) Last week his friend used it as an impromptu napping spot as well and he and said friend then sat in it together for some best buddy time in front of the TV today. Very. Fricken. Cute.

When folded up like a seat, the sofa is about 6 inches from the ground and easy for a small munchkin like Andrew to get in and out of. The low height and soft foam chair material also prevent any high altitude chair tip overs (and resulting tears).

Flipped out, it has enough napping space for him to spare--and it comes complete with a Mickey blanket that zips to the foot of the bed creating a sleeping bag effect. Thankfully, the blanket and the entire sofa cover zip off for machine washing, so don't flip out (sorry, a pun) if your little one spills juice all over it.

The only drawbacks? The fabric on the underside of the blanket is a bit scratchy, so you won't necessarily want to drape it over baby's bare legs. Also, while the manufacture states that the couch will seat 2 children up to age 6, I'm not certain they will actually fit--although I've laid down with Andrew in the bed and felt just fine and cozy!

Read More