Boston

I. Really. Love. Boston. A lot.

Growing up I always thought of Boston being on par with NYC, which I have traveled to a few times. Both times I've been to Boston I've asked my friend (and tour guide) Stephen where downtown really was. I was expecting the conglomeration of ridiculously tall buildings, horns and miscellaneous noises crowding the air, and bustling people in business suits running into you on the sidewalk. Boston is not like that in the least. 

Without having all those negatives of a big city I think it has a lot of the highlights- a great selection of cuisine, events happening all the time, public transportation, a huge airport, etc. Stephen lives between Chinatown, the Business District, and the Boston Commons with the Paramount and shopping district right down the street from him. It is an ideal location for me to get to crash on his blow up bed!

I was so excited to go on a mini vacation and to hang out with my hilarious, upbeat friend that I didn't even care what we did. But, it's Stephen and it's Boston, so we had a full schedule of great activities. 

We began with a fabulous dim sum feast and lots of catching up.




Then we headed over to the Museum of Art where I was floored with their fabulous collection. The museum, though definitely well attended, was not packed. It was quiet and there seemed to be a respect amongst the visitors that other museums lack.

Van Gogh anyone?

How about Monet? 

Renoir fit your fancy?

The museum has a Chihuly piece- nothing in comparison to the Oklahoma museum of art!

Sangria was definitely a theme of this trip; I could think of worse themes for sure.

Brick oven pizza for the win

I think this pastry was my favorite part of Boston. I have thought about it many times a day since enjoying it. Uncle Kee, is this the relationship you have with cinnamon rolls? I have since been to two places on island to try to get a comparable pastry and BOTH were out of cinnamon rolls when I went! The travesty! 

We went to the Harvard Museum of Natural History. I wanted to visit both the Natty history museum and MOFA on my last trip to Boston, but there just weren't enough hours in the day (we did SO much stuff i.e. 15 miles on the Freedom Trail). I was really glad Stephen was up for trekking around Boston's museums with a natural history AND art fanatic. That takes a real friend.

I'm really missing this little oasis! Back to island life for me. Though I have the beach at my fingertips I'm without AC, CVS, the T and all those other great letters they have in the USA.

One of my good friends from high school, James, came back from a family reunion in DC Sunday, defended his thesis (he passed!) on Monday, had breakfast with me Tuesday, and moved to Wisconsin for a fellowship on Wednesday! Even though my trip didn't coincide with a RedSox game (just wanted to go for the experience), it did coincide with Stephen's day off and getting to see James. I'll call it a win.