Two days ago, F and I landed at BOS after a long day of travel. We immediately went downtown Boston for him to show me around his city. Quincy Market arrived first on the list as we needed food, and fast. We made a beeline for Durgin Park, "Established Before You Were Born, " to eat some typical New England staples in a place that screams 'I'm in Boston:' checker table cloths, old outfits, and heavy Boston accents. Cornbread started us off before our bowl of clam chowder warmed us up. We split fish and chips and shepard's pie, finally filled up after not eating a proper meal all day.
I bought a Boston Strong T shirt while browsing Quincy Market and F pointed out different places significant to him as we walked along the harbor, past Post Office square to the car. F's family dog awaited him at home after a long separation, so day 1 ended pretty mellow as they reunited and we rested after too much time on a plane.
Day 2 started slowly, as our plans to start with an early morning run quickly vanished. We drove to Flour Bakery for some morning eats and coffee/hot chocolate. I guess the lady that started this place was originally some sort of super smart scientist but feel in love with baking and opened her this! I'm glad she did because her gluten free blackberry poppy seed bread hit the spot and F seemed happy with his breakfast sandwich and pop-tart esq pastry.
We crossed the bridge, stopping to peek into the Boston Tea Party Museum/gift shop, before walking to the New England Aquarium. The staff at the aquarium is by far the most involved and interactive I've ever experienced. They had numerous feedings and touch stations and a special demonstration with Axotals. Staff walks in the water with the fish, answering questions and pointing out fish and turtles and sting rays as they swim by. Unfortunately, the center exhibit has been closed for the past 10 months for renovation. We happened to be there as they were refilling it for the first time since 1984, a large project! We had a great time and when we left, the sun welcomed us for a day of exploring the city.
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| George Washington in Public Gardens |
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| 85 Year Old Turtle |
We headed to Chinatown before walking through Public Gardens, then down Newbury Street. My mom would love this street: full of all the shopping you could possibly want and more, as well as a cafe for each boutique you pass. We stopped at Copley Square to see the memorials from the Boston Marathon bombings. People hung their running shoes along with flowers and signs to pay respects to the tragedy.
After returning home and back downtown, we had a quick, satisfying dinner at Eastern Standard. Burgers, steak, asparagus, and of course drinks/oysters to kick it all off. We somewhat rushed so we could make our way to Fenway Park!
Red Sox vs Twins. The stadium is old and outstanding. Not a bad seat in the house. Boston accents calling out with clam chowder and popcorn. Old fashioned score board and the new screens mock the same colors and design as the Green Monstah (the wall that eats the ball when swinging for the stands). We got our tickets' worth as the game tied up and stretched 11 innings. F almost caught a foul ball. I've never had so much fun at a baseball game as I did last night. Unforgettable. Short T ride back to the car and goodnight.
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| F's turn to touch a shark! |
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| Shark & Sting Ray Petting! |
As M departed to run some afternoon errands, F and I made our way to Chinatown to buy some ingredients to make dinner. Even though I had meandered through Chinatown numerous times, I'd never bought groceries there, and it's quite the experience. They don't have the clean cut organization you'd find in a conventional grocery store like Safeway or Trader Joe's. Cardboard boxes of produce line the aisles as people crowd all around. The fish - well see the pictures below. And I'm pretty sure it's always crowded in these stores. Anyways, F picked up what we needed, making an excellent dinner later that night.
