Visting "The City on a Hill"

Last week during my furlough I traveled to Boston for family, fun, and food!

My parents and I went to two great museums.

One day we went to the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA). And in addition to viewing their regular galleries we got to see a stunning limited0-time Chihuly exhibit.


Chihuly is an artist that creates amazing glass art.

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Chihuly's work on display at the MFA included several giant chandeliers, a room where the entire ceiling is made up of hundreds of glass sculptures, a "garden" made filled with glass, a boat of glass, and an amazing forest of glass and real trees.


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Such amazing stuff!

Another day my Dad and I visited the Institute of Contemporary Art. I can't really say I love super modern contemporary art. I just don't "get it". But it was cool the see the museum and discuss the art.

There are great views from the ICA out onto the Boston Harbor.

We also ate at some amazing restaurants! I highly recommend all of these places....

Carmen in the North End for dinner, Mike's Pastry for dessert, Shabu-Zen in Chinatown for lunch, Legal Seafood by the Aquarium for Dinner, Atlantic Fish Co in the Back Bay for lunch, and The Helmand for Dinner.


My Mom and I at Helmand.

We also did a bunch of shopping and a TON of walking around the city.



The Old City Hall


Long Wharf

All and all, a great trip to "The City on a Hill."

Furloughed and Heading to Boston

I am on "furlough" for work this week. Basically, due to budget cuts my company is having a bunch of us take mandatory vacation. A little forced "spring break," if you will.

But I'm 100% OK with that because tonight I'm flying on a red-eye to Boston to see my bi-coastal (doesn't that term sound so friggin' snobby? Hilarious.) parents for the week!

Last time I was in Boston was Fall 2009.

You can read about that amazing trip here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 , Part 4

I plan to spend the week checking out fantastic museums (like newly renovated MFA), eating great seafood, and enjoying time with my Mom and Dad. I love Boston!

The Mr. is envious because he has to stay in LA to work. But I'll be back on Saturday so that we can still spend Easter Sunday together.

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Also, I've been on a bit a giveaway bonanza lately. This may be my last one for a little while, but it's a good one, so you should definitely enter. It's ANOTHER $100 Amazon.com gift card! All you have to do is read about my experience tasting all five "Levels" of Seattle's Best Coffee and then comment on that post about which level you think you'd like. Super simple!

I ain't afraid of no ghost: Boston Trip, Part 4

In honor of Halloween, I'm sharing the creepiest and final part of our Boston Trip, the Boston Ghosts and Gravestones tour!


Boston Ghosts and Gravestones tour is two hour trip to several Boston graveyards after dark.

They drive guests around in a spooky trolley and then open up the locked graveyards to let everyone walk around while telling tales of the graveyards and people buried there.

Our "doom buggy" (aka evil trolley)



All of the guides dress up in costume and are in character, even the driver of the trolley.


We were scared!

Just kidding, I ain't afraid of no ghost.

These old graveyards at night really look like a movie set.


They told us all kinds of stories of the shipwrecks, serial killers, ghosts, gravediggers, and legends of Boston.


They also shared that the largest graveyard in Boston is actually the Boston Common (the big park in the middle of Boston). However, it is an unmarked graveyard. Apparently, back in the early days of Boston it was used to hang people that were convicted of crimes. But it was too much trouble to bury criminals, so they just would give them shallow grave in the Boston Common . Creepy, right?

Our lovely tour guide decided to demonstrate on the Mr. of what a hanging in the Boston Common looked like.

I'm pretty sure this should be our Christmas Card this year. No?

The funniest part was when our tour guide pretended to lock our tour group in one of the graveyard and ran off. We stood there for minute feeling confused and suddenly an another guide popped out from behind a grave!

So crazy!

It was such an interesting, fun, and unique tour!


But just remember...

When the sun goes down in Boston...


The spooks come out at night!

(This is actually the view from my Mom's apartment. Pretty amazing, huh?)
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Are your just joining us for our Boston/New England trip recap?

You can find first three parts here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
And you can view our full trip itinerary in chronological order, click here.

There once was man from Nantucket: Boston Trip, Part 3

In the middle of our week in New England we headed out to Nantucket Island for a little getaway in the middle of our vacation!

Nantucket looks like a movie set of a New England seaside village. There are over 800 homes on Nantucket that were built before the Civil War!

We took the ferry from Cape Cod over to Nantucket. This is the view heading into port in Nantucket. I love the little lighthouse!


And here is the Mr. on the boat. It was COLD. I sat inside. Ha!


We found an adorable B&B called the Seven Sea Street Inn. I don't think the innkeepers knew what to make of us considering that most of their patrons are retirees -- especially in October!

Regardless, the inn was just so charming!


When we checked into the Inn the innkeeper gave us the lowdown on what to do on Nantucket. When he said that there was a great brewery/vineyard on the island (in fact, the only one on the island) we knew what we were going to do for the rest of that day!

Biking is a great mode of transportation on Nantucket, considering that the island is pretty tiny.

We we rented bikes at Young's Bicycle shop and got to hear about the Nantucket vs. Martha's Vineyard rivalry from the townies working in the shop. Priceless.

Then we biked about two miles out to Cisco Brewers/Nantucket Vineyard.


We started off wine tasting.


No, they don't grow the grapes on the island. They have them shipped in from Oregon/Washington and then make the wine on Nantucket.

Then we did beer tasting.


I'd definitely say that beer is their speciality! But the wine was pretty good too.

After three hours of wine and beer tasting we headed back to the Inn to get ready for dinner.

We had dinner at a chic little place called LoLa 41. It was expensive, but really good. Their speciality is serving food from the 41st latitude line. Interesting, right?

Outside of LoLa.


The next morning we had breakfast at the Inn and then did a 20 mile round trip bike ride out to Sconset, the East end of the island.

We rode on some beautiful bike paths.


And saw some nice fall foliage.


On our way saw lots of historic homes. Including this old captain's house.


Note: I don't want to post pictures of beautiful Nantucket homes we saw, because I feel like it's odd to post pictures of homes that aren't mine. Just do a google image search of "Sconset" to see the adorable homes out there.

We finally made it out to Sconset and got a picture with the big old lighthouse. Lighthouses are so "New England" aren't they?


It was starting to get stormy out at sea, so we took a few more pictures along the coast and then headed back to town.


Good thing we rode back when we did, because when we got back to town it started pouring rain. So we spent our final afternoon on Nantucket indoors eating and shopping. Check out this shirt we found in one shop! I died laughing.


We were on Nantucket island for a little over 24 hours and had a fabulous time. But that was as long of a trip as this city girl would have wanted. Nantucket is just so small, quiet, and slow-paced! Especially in the fall. However, it was very relaxing!

See here and here for part 1 and part 2 of our Boston/New England trip. And to see our full trip itinerary in chronological order, click here.

Stay tuned for the final Boston post tomorrow!

Ask not what your country can do for you: Boston Trip, Part 2

The University of Massachusetts in Boston is home to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum, which we spent a rainy afternoon visiting.



If you've never been to Presidential Library, you should definitely go. Such interesting American history!

(If you couldn't tell this already, I really really love History, particularly American History. Not to brag, but in High School I scored a "5" on my AP US History Exam! Hehe.)

The outside of the JFK Library & Museum, which is right on the water.


Here were inside of it with the harbor in the background. Since JFK loved sailing so much it was important to his family that the Library be on the water. I can definitely relate!


His sailboat is even on the lawn!


The museum has all kinds facinating memorabilia. I love to see how political campaigns have changed over the years!


Did you know that JFK started the Peace Corps? This pictures is for my best friend, Laurel and her hubby, who are currently in the Peace Corps in Central America.



They have whole room about Jackie Kennedy too. I loved seeing her dresses! She was such as style icon. Check out this adorable dress and coat by Oleg Cassini.


The Mr. really liked seeing all of the stuff on the US Space Program that Kennedy started.


Speaking of JFK, we also visited JFK's Alma Mater, Harvard.

My Mom and me in Harvard Yard!


Harvard is such a beautiful campus. It's what you think of when you picture the quintessential American university.


We also walked around Cambridge and went the Harvard Bookstore.

Look at this beautiful old church in Cambridge.


And look at this overgrown home! The ivy has totally overtaken it.


There are 44 Colleges and Universities in Boston. Talk about a college town! Everywhere you look there are students!

We also visited MIT... but I didn't take any pictures because it is really ugly (sorry MIT alums, that's just my opinion!)

My Mom works at Emerson College, so we visited the Emerson Campus on the Boston Common.

Here is my Mom and me in her office. Doesn't she have a great view?


Note: These recaps are by "theme" and are not in chronological order. To see how we did our trip in chronological order, click here.

What's the next New England recap? I'll give you a hint... "there once was a man from..."

The Cradle of Liberty: Boston Trip, Part 1

One of the best things about Boston is the plethora of amazing historic sites, many of which can be found along the Freedom Trail. If being in Boston doesn't make you feel at least a little more patriot, nothing will.

We stayed at my Mom's apartment which is literally ON the Freedom Trail across from the Old State House, so we spent parts of three days touring the trail.

The Freedom Trail is a 2.5 mile red-brick walking trail that features many nationally significant historic sites such as The Old North Church, the site of the Boston Massacre, Paul Revere's home, several burial grounds, Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, the USS Constitution, and many more churches and historical buildings. It also takes you through the historic North End which is home to delicious Italian food and pastries.

Here are some of our highlights from our fun on the Freedom Trail....


Granary burial grounds



Grave of Samuel Adams


Grave of Paul Revere


Grave of John Hancock

(Note: this phallic monument was erected for John in honor of his large... signature on the Declaration of Independence. Ha!)

Drinking Samuel Adams Beers across the street from the grave of Samuel Adams at the Beantown Pub.


I drink this Samuel Adams is in honor of Samuel Adams

So fun!


Faneuil Hall Area




Union Oyster House

The oldest restaurant in America



Along the Trail

See the red bricks to guide us? I think the Mr. made a friend!



Paul Revere House



The amazing restored home of Paul Revere and his family



Mike's Pastry

Cannolis! Yum!



The Old North Church




"One if by land, two if by sea"


Inside the Old North Church in the "booth-style" pews. So different from church now! These booth pews were purchased on an annual basis by colonial families to attend chruch for as much as $25,000 a year in today's currency!


The giant organ piano at the Old North Church



Boston Harbor Cruise

Riding back to the Aquarium from the USS Constitution.


Legal Seafoods

The Harbor Cruise drops you off at the Aquarium, which is right by Legal Seafoods! Where we had some of the best seafood in America.



Note: To see a snapshot of our trip in chronological order click here.