We had the opportunity last weekend to leave rainy Portland (which actually wasn't rainy the day we left but instead was unseasonably warm and sunny) to jet off to sunny (but FREEZING) Boston. Wyatt was invited to interview at Tufts Dental School and there was NO way I was going to let him have all the fun of Boston without me. So he was kind enough to oblige my requests (threats) to accompany him on his trip east.
We took the Friday night redeye and arrived in Boston at 7am Saturday morning. As a tangent, perhaps I'm a bit biased since my mom works for United but American Airlines' planes suck. Usually I have no problem sleeping on a plane and can spend the majority of a flight center stage in my dreams. This was not the case this flight. I even took (don't judge me) a half-dose of Benedryl to try and stimulate some sleep. Perhaps I've never grown out of the "may cause excitability" my mom said she used to encounter when I was a kid and she gave me medicine. Or perhaps I am tainted since I've had the fortune of flying first and business class several times before. (The joys of being an airline brat.) Yes, it could be anyone of these reasons I didn't receive any sleep. But today I am going to blame the plane. I mean, it didn't even have those headrest side-thingys that you can extend to rest your head on to prevent it from breaking off from your neck. I regress...
It is for this reason that Wyatt and I were elated when our hotel let us check in seven-hours early! Hallelujah! Had they not let us check-in early we would've been wandering the streets as zombies, ornery from little sleep, and probably at each others necks. Thanks Holiday Inn for saving our marriage. After a MUCH needed nap and some cleaning up - we took to the streets of Boston.
To those history buffs out there, I apologize ahead of time for the disappointment you're about to encounter. I don't remember the name of all the sights we saw, and I'm ashamed to say that we didn't give them the attention they deserved. It was freezing! We really had to approach the situation like one would skiing. Brave the cold for a bit...then go into the lodge to warm up...brave the cold...go to the lodge. I have forgotten what bone chill'n cold means. And it wasn't more than four years ago I lived in Chicago. Yikes!
Day 1: Beacon Hill, Freedom Trail, Boston Commons, famous graveyard, Fenual Hall, Quincy Market, Paul Revere's house*, Mike's Pastry, Brown Sugar Thai restaurant, Boston University campus
*We didn't actually make it inside Paul Revere's house since we blew all our $17 cash at Mike's Pastry on four cannolis and a slice of Boston cream pie. Yeah, we're pretty awesome. Clearly we have our priorities straight - food over American history.
We took the Friday night redeye and arrived in Boston at 7am Saturday morning. As a tangent, perhaps I'm a bit biased since my mom works for United but American Airlines' planes suck. Usually I have no problem sleeping on a plane and can spend the majority of a flight center stage in my dreams. This was not the case this flight. I even took (don't judge me) a half-dose of Benedryl to try and stimulate some sleep. Perhaps I've never grown out of the "may cause excitability" my mom said she used to encounter when I was a kid and she gave me medicine. Or perhaps I am tainted since I've had the fortune of flying first and business class several times before. (The joys of being an airline brat.) Yes, it could be anyone of these reasons I didn't receive any sleep. But today I am going to blame the plane. I mean, it didn't even have those headrest side-thingys that you can extend to rest your head on to prevent it from breaking off from your neck. I regress...
It is for this reason that Wyatt and I were elated when our hotel let us check in seven-hours early! Hallelujah! Had they not let us check-in early we would've been wandering the streets as zombies, ornery from little sleep, and probably at each others necks. Thanks Holiday Inn for saving our marriage. After a MUCH needed nap and some cleaning up - we took to the streets of Boston.
To those history buffs out there, I apologize ahead of time for the disappointment you're about to encounter. I don't remember the name of all the sights we saw, and I'm ashamed to say that we didn't give them the attention they deserved. It was freezing! We really had to approach the situation like one would skiing. Brave the cold for a bit...then go into the lodge to warm up...brave the cold...go to the lodge. I have forgotten what bone chill'n cold means. And it wasn't more than four years ago I lived in Chicago. Yikes!
Day 1: Beacon Hill, Freedom Trail, Boston Commons, famous graveyard, Fenual Hall, Quincy Market, Paul Revere's house*, Mike's Pastry, Brown Sugar Thai restaurant, Boston University campus
*We didn't actually make it inside Paul Revere's house since we blew all our $17 cash at Mike's Pastry on four cannolis and a slice of Boston cream pie. Yeah, we're pretty awesome. Clearly we have our priorities straight - food over American history.
Beacon Hill
Boston Commons
(graveyard where Paul Revere, John Hancock, Sam Adams, Mary (Mother Goose), Ben Franklin's family is buried)
Boston Chowda at Quincy Market - YUM!
(high-five Paul Revere!)
process of enjoying a cannoli from Mike's Pastry, demonstrated by WyattDay 2: church, Harvard campus, Pizzeria Ragina
We took it easy on Day 2. For one, we were still exhausted from the lack of sleep from our redeye flight, and two, it was freezing cold, again. We took the T across the river to church (on MIT campus) and a bit further to Harvard Square to visit the campus.
You'll never guess who we ran into at church. I promise you, you never will, so I'll just tell you. My cousin Dane (and wife) Bridgette! The reason you'd never guess it was them that we ran into is because they don't even live in Boston. They just happened to (on a whim) fly to Boston the same weekend we did to visit Bridgette's brother and fam. I was shocked to see them walk into church on Sunday. What a small, small world. We had a pleasant short visit that had to be cut short so they could get to the airport for their flight home to Houston. So fun!
We took it easy on Day 2. For one, we were still exhausted from the lack of sleep from our redeye flight, and two, it was freezing cold, again. We took the T across the river to church (on MIT campus) and a bit further to Harvard Square to visit the campus.
You'll never guess who we ran into at church. I promise you, you never will, so I'll just tell you. My cousin Dane (and wife) Bridgette! The reason you'd never guess it was them that we ran into is because they don't even live in Boston. They just happened to (on a whim) fly to Boston the same weekend we did to visit Bridgette's brother and fam. I was shocked to see them walk into church on Sunday. What a small, small world. We had a pleasant short visit that had to be cut short so they could get to the airport for their flight home to Houston. So fun!
waiting for the T
church (behind us) - the building was an old factory - very cool!
Dane, Bridgette, me, Wyatt
walking in the freezing cold trying to find Harvard campus (yeah, we're pretty blind)
found it! Harvard campus
brick oven pizza from Raginas - oh so goodDay 3: Wyatt's interview at Tufts, running along the Charles River, Fenway Park, more Fanual Hall/Quincy Market, Dunkin Donuts, and home
I sent Wyatt off to his interview in the morning then bundled up for my run along the Charles river. Monday was noticeably warmer then the previous two days but it was still cold. I've forgotten what running in the freezing weather is like. No complaints though. Once I warmed up I was just fine...plus there was a giant ball of sunshine in the sky!
Next stop was Fenway Park. Too bad it wasn't summer time, I really would've enjoyed going to a game here. After my walk around the park I noticed some people on a tour. I'm kind of kicking myself for not inquiring more about it since it would be even cooler to see the actual field. Oh well, maybe next time?
Next on the list was Quincy Market again. What caused the double visit you ask? The food of course. Food pretty much sums up our whole trip - the variable that influenced everything we did. This time it was the seafood chowder at Boston Chowda that called me for a return. Oh so yummy! I indulged. And I topped it off with a chocolate chocolate donut from Dunkin Donuts. I'll admit it, I was a bit disappointed. I think this is one of the cases where nostalgia has corrupted my memory and has inflated the real deal. It was okay but not like I remember. But then again, what can I expect from a cheap donut chain?
I sent Wyatt off to his interview in the morning then bundled up for my run along the Charles river. Monday was noticeably warmer then the previous two days but it was still cold. I've forgotten what running in the freezing weather is like. No complaints though. Once I warmed up I was just fine...plus there was a giant ball of sunshine in the sky!
Next stop was Fenway Park. Too bad it wasn't summer time, I really would've enjoyed going to a game here. After my walk around the park I noticed some people on a tour. I'm kind of kicking myself for not inquiring more about it since it would be even cooler to see the actual field. Oh well, maybe next time?
Next on the list was Quincy Market again. What caused the double visit you ask? The food of course. Food pretty much sums up our whole trip - the variable that influenced everything we did. This time it was the seafood chowder at Boston Chowda that called me for a return. Oh so yummy! I indulged. And I topped it off with a chocolate chocolate donut from Dunkin Donuts. I'll admit it, I was a bit disappointed. I think this is one of the cases where nostalgia has corrupted my memory and has inflated the real deal. It was okay but not like I remember. But then again, what can I expect from a cheap donut chain?
Wyatt looking sharp for his interview
Charles river
running along the Charles river
Fenway Park
We had a grand time in Boston! It was the perfect weekend getaway. I wish I could say that we'll be back...in the "to live" sense of the phrase, but I don't think this is true. Not that I have a lack of confidence in my husband and his ability to be acceptance into the school. And not that I don't think the idea is glamorous, or appealing or something I would really LOVE to do. I just don't see it in the cards for us. Don't you hate it when that happens? It's just that sometimes someone else has a better plan in store for you... (at this point I'm still in denial that it's a better plan then the one I had).
3 comments:
oh man, fun stuff. i definitely would rather visit boston in the summer. looks cold. but hey, ya gotta do what ya gotta do. i love that you spent all your cash on cannolis and pie! it would be so fun to live there!
When did you post this? I have been checking your blog for days and guess I just must have missed it for some reason.
And only ONE comment about a cool weekend trip? LAME!
Looks like you had a lot of fun. Thanks for the vote for United. In all the airlines that I traveled on over the years for business, United got my vote. Even though lots of the FA's then had a reputation for being rude and surly.
Not now! Plus I personally think Boeing and Airbus make better planes than American's MD's. United's even look better when you look up and see them in the sky.
Love, Momma
One of the funniest things about this is all the talk of junk food for an up-in-coming dentist. Anyway, glad you made it out East, but sorry you're not coming back to stay, not that I get up to Boston too much anyway.
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