Sorry, I've been such a slacker lately with my posts. Life has been insane. Work has been insane. Nothing has really changed because we're still as busy as ever, but I thought if I don't blog about this trip now, it's going to expire in my brain. Last month while home for Anthony's graduation, we extended our stay in order to tour Boston with two of our Virginia friends, Natalie & Mark. Natalie works for a company with a Boston headquarters, and she was in town for work earlier that week. We met up on Thursday night to experience the North End. I'll admit it; yes, this was my first time to the North End! Growing up in Marshfield, we didn't really venture out of the South Shore unless it was to go to a concert, visit family, travel for a sporting event, or go to work. When I moved back home after college, my trips to the city were limited to nights out with my friends at the bars in the financial district or construction meetings in Post Office Square. Of course, I made it to Fenway and the Gahden on more than one occasion, but there are a lot of places and things I haven't experienced in my city.
Back to the North End. For those of you unfamiliar with Boston, the North End is our "Little Italy". There are an abundance of authentic Italian restaurants throughout the neighborhood. Friends of mine recommended that we dine at a place called Giacomo's Ristorante. Only catch was it was a cash only, no reservation type of place with only a handful of tables. The control freak in me was kind of skeptical with this choice, "what no reservations on Open Table?" Don't worry, I made a backup reservation at another great restaurant for a later time, just in case. Luckily when we arrived there was a four top with our name on it. We enjoyed an excellent meal with fresh seafood and handmade pasta, while sipping ridiculously inexpensive wine (I think it was only $15 a bottle).
Our bellies were full from all the wine and pasta, so what do you think we did next?? We walked down the street for a few more drinks before indulging in dessert at Mike's Pastries. My grandmother used to bring Mike's home every Friday night after work. I had my typical Mocha Cake, Craig had a peanut butter / chocolate cannoli, and Natalie and Mark (mostly Mark) shared a piece of Boston Cream Pie, a Whoopie pie, and to die for, Oreo cake. Just when we thought we couldn't eat or drink anymore, we hopped in a cab to travel across town to the Top of the Hub. Another Boston attraction, I had never visited, The Prudential Center. There was a per person minimum in order to get a table, and so we found ourselves ordering more food and drinks;)
Seeing the Mocha Cake now makes me want another...
Boston believes in the Bruins...
Picture of Natalie & I outside Mike's (Mark ran into a friend from UVA at this point)...
Boston at Night from the Top of the Hub
Natalie & Mark
Friday morning, we traveled on the Orange Line (another thing I had never done) out to Jamaica Plain to visit the Sam Adams Brewery. If you are in the area and haven't done the tour, I recommend it. Not only do you get to see how and where the beer is made, but you also get to sample it. We were able to taste a few different types including one that hasn't been released yet. We continued our touristy trip with lunch at Doyle's, which is a pub down the street from the brewery. This pub has been in most of the big Boston films like Mystic River. Because we had visited the brewery they gave us a free Sam Adams pint glass when we ordered a beer. I haven't really been drinking much beer these days, but Natalie and I tried their Cherry Wheat and it was DELISH!
Yummmy, Beer...
Nothing wrong with having a beer at 11:00 AM...
Maybe we'll go see Jockamo the Giant Ant Eater at the Franklin Park Zoo next ;)
We left Jamaica Plain and headed up town to Cambridge where we got wicked smaht at Harvard. Harvard's campus is so beautiful, and full of so much history. Walking through campus reminded me of how I used to want to go to Harvard Law School. It stemmed from seeing that movie with Brendan Fraser in it, "With Honors". You know the one with the Madonna song "I'll Remember" as the theme. My friend Mary and I did a review of that movie in French Class one year. Sorry, I'm digressing...ugh, and now I have that song stuck in my head!!! After a visit to the Harvard book store so I could get a tee shirt (hey, a girl can pretend), we met Heather and Vaughan in Boston Common, and stopped by Cheers for a beer (in my case and iced tea).
Harvard
Craig soaking up some smahts...
Vaughan is always so happy :)
Paul Revere believes in Boston
"...and their always glad you came."
Saturday was kind of a wash. It rained most of the day, so we visited the New England Aquarium and saw an IMAX movie. We also visited the seals, and captured a funny video (see below).
Yes, that is the seal making that noise...
Saturday night the four of us had dinner with my parents, my sister, Julie, and my cousin, John, at Abe & Louie's. It was by far, one of the best meals I've had. I'm not a huge steak person, but this steak was to die for! As I'm typing this, I realize we ate A LOT that weekend. But along with the good food, good drinks, good family and friends, we also had a little taste of Boston. :)
