New York City

When one of my favorite bands, Dispatch, announced they would be playing a show at Madison Square Garden, I knew we had to try to get tickets.  Dispatch is infamous for selling out places like MSG in ten minuets so it was quite lucky that JO managed to get us tickets to the show.

We ended up taking a Bolt Bus from South Station to Penn Station.  We had a pretty good experience with the bus.  We stayed at a hotel right next to MSG, which made the logistics of the whole weekend really easy.

We hit up a few bars around MSG prior to the show and enjoyed chatting up fellow Dispatch fans.

The show was phenomenal.  I'm always amazed at the age range of the audience.  We were sitting behind a group of guys who clearly were still in college and next to a couple in their 50s, self proclaimed "empty nesters" who were at their first Dispatch show after discovering them on Pandora.  There is something pretty magical about all of MSG singing along together!

On Sunday we didn't have to get on the bus until 3:30 so we had time to do some sightseeing.  We went to Times Square which blew my mind.  I think it may have been crazier than Vegas!  We checked out the Nintendo World store before grabbing lunch at Grand Central Station (great people watching!)

We even squeezed in a trip up the Empire State Building and were treating to fantastic views!

It was a really fun summer adventure and the bus was super convenient.

Spontaneous Night Out in Union Square

JO and I were headed to New York City on Saturday, so we had planned to stay in on Friday and relax.  That all changed when I started craving oysters.  We were going to head to Bisq, but neither of us were too excited about this option.  We didn't want to have a crazy expensive meal the night before a weekend getaway.  After some brainstorming we settled on The Independent in Union.  Our plan was to eat dinner there too, but on the way CasaB Tapas caught our eye.

We grabbed a drink and oysters at the bar at The Independent.  The oysters were yummy and we were really enjoying ourselves.  We almost stayed there and got dinner, but we pulled ourselves away to try a new place.

CasaB is a Peruvian/Caribbean tapas bar.  It's been open for about a year and has gotten really good reviews.  I'd hesitated trying it because I'm not overly familiar with Peruvian or Caribbean food but we both loved the atmosphere when we had walked by earlier in the night.  We were given two seats at the bar in front of the food prep station which was really fun.  It was neat to see the chefs preparing the dishes in front of us.  The atmosphere in the restaurant is lovely.  It's dimly lit, has lots of character in the decor, and is small and intimate.  It's definitely a romantic restaurant but also a place to enjoy a nice meal with good friends.

JO ordered the daiquiri and it was as good as it looked.

We ordered four different tapas and they were all appropriately sized for sharing, unlike our experience at Bisq.  The chicken with crispy shallots was delicious.

My favorite was the Peruvian pot roast made with short ribs.  It was absolutely delicious.  The meat melted in your mouth and was seasoned perfectly.  While we were eating we watched one of the chefs put together the most decadent looking dessert.  We knew we had to order it.

I absolutely loved this restaurant and can't wait to go back!

The Legacy of the 15ers- We Believed!

The 15ers did it!  The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team won the World Cup, in inspiring fashion.  When the tournament started I didn't think we would make it to the final, let alone win the whole thing.  This team just kept going, kept getting better, and in the process took the entire nation on their journey!  Our favorite sports bar, Parlor Sports, was unfortunately closed on Sunday so we headed to the viewing party on City Hall Plaza in Boston.  By the start of the game it was standing room only, and in a funny coincidence, we were sitting next to fellow Parlor Sports refugees!

I felt like we would win but I never thought we would win in such resounding fashion!  Each goal brought a frenzied celebration!  Carli Lloyd is my new favorite athlete, and yes, I ordered her 3 star jersey!

I'm so happy we got to experience such a defining moment in sports.  I had a blast watching all of the post game coverage, the ticker tape parade, and the rallies!  I had a blast following this team for the past five weeks.  #shebelieves #ibelieve #1nation1team

A Pre-Game Rally for USA- Oh Wait it's 4th of July

As I see it, this year the 4th of July was all a pre-game rally for team USA's game today!

After dinner with friends at Hops N Scotch we headed down to the banks of the Charles in the Kendall Square area to watch the fireworks.

The fireworks were great, especially the smiley faces and USA ones!  It was a great night with great friends!  And it was a great way to gear up to cheering on this awesome USA team!  Let's do this 15ers!!!

A Lovely Boston Evening

The weather has been really nice lately and we decided to take advantage of it on Thursday night.  We started with a picnic in Christopher Columbus Park.  We grabbed food at the Faneuil Hall Marketplace and enjoyed the beautiful views the park has to offer.

After relaxing for a bit we decided to do a little urban hiking exploration in the Seaport.  We walked along the Harbor Walk.  We were tempted to stop at the Boston Harbor Hotel and listen to the live band that they had in their pavilion area but we resisted and kept going.  When we turned the next corner we spotted The Lookout at the Envoy Hotel.  This place recently opened up and I had heard good things so we decided to check in out.

The roof deck looked pretty crowded so we weren't sure if we would be able to get up there but the hostess in the lobby sent us up on the elevator.  The roof deck is huge and really well planned out.  There's a bar against the back wall with lots of seating.  There are lots of tables and some couches plus plenty of room to stand and take in the views.  There was music playing, but it wasn't too loud, which we really appreciate.

The views are phenomenal from the deck.  You get Boston buildings, the torches from the Intercontinental across the street, and water views.  The sun sets behind the buildings and we were treated to a beautiful city sunset.  This is definitely a place I want to go back to.

After The Lookout we headed across the street to check out the Intercontinental patio.  It looked like a great place but was too crowded for us so we headed next door to the patio at Smith and Wollensky's.  I love lounge seating and this place offered plenty of it.  The patio is really pretty, with lots of flowers and shrubs.  There's an outdoor bar, with a lot of seating, for a city patio.  We grabbed two comfy lounge chairs and split a slice of New York style cheesecake.  A  waiter showed up with a canister of homemade whipped cream!  Delicious!!!

It was a beautiful city night and just what we needed to start the holiday weekend!

World Cup Frenzy at Parlor Sports

In 1999 my dad and I decided to get tickets to the Women's World Cup game at Foxboro Stadium.  Neither of us knew who Mia Hamm was and I didn't know the rules of soccer at all.  I had no idea what was at stake in that tournament but when game 3 in the group stage rolled around we knew we had made the right choice.  I remember everything about that day.  I wore a navy blue tank top, it was 90+ degrees out, as we entered the stadium there were drummers and people with their faces painted.  I clutched my homemade Made in America (MIA) sign and got chills as we took our seats.  Something big was happening and we were lucky enough to be part of it.  Tisha Venturini scored twice, did her trademark back flips, and the USA was on to the next stage of the cup.  For the next few weeks my family and I gathered around our tvs to watch every story about the team and held our collective breaths during the entire final that finished in a USA victory in PKs.  I remember running around the house and jumping up and down.  I was hooked.  We started going to all the games we could and when the professional league started up we got our tickets.  I was 25 and this was one of the first times I saw female athletes take over the country like this and it made me proud.

Well, I feel like it's 1999 all over again.  Maybe it's because the tournament is on our continent so the games are in primetime, maybe it's because this team was such an underdog at the beginning, or maybe it's just that it's time to make history again!  The energy surrounding this team's run has been phenomenal.  We've been watching the games at Parlor Sports and it's been fantastic.  From the fantastic playlists (American Woman before the first game, 90s Chick after) to the bar decorations and the chalkboard sign it's been so much fun.  Also, I love that I'm not the only one wearing my Mia Hamm jersey!  This is my kind of crowd!  I will never forget that during game 6 of the NBA finals no one asked for the tv to be changed.  Every tv was on the USA and no one there wanted to watch Lebron James.  They wanted to watch female athletes playing at the top of their games!  Now that's progress!

This was my favorite!

We've had to keep getting there earlier and earlier because it's been reaching capacity.  For the semis I had to get there two hours early (but that's fine because I'm on vacation!)  The energy has been unreal!  I even took my dad for game 3 and it made me feel like it really was 1999 again.

Carli Lloyd's PK against Germany- and the crowd goes wild

National Anthem- I'm not an anthem person but chills!

No matter the outcome on Sunday this team will go down as the 15ers, they no longer live in the shadow of the 99ers!

My Students are Growing Up

I've been teaching for 15 years and as a result my former students are now growing up to be young adults.  One particular student has grown up and become a professional soccer player, just like she told me she would when she was in 4th grade.  Last weekend I had the chance to see her play professionally against the Boston Breakers.

Even though it was a cold, rainy night in June (I may have donned gloves and earmuffs for the walk home) it was a thrill to see a former student living her dream.  I know big things are in store for her and I look forward to the day when I can say, "I knew her when!"  

It had been a while since I'd been to a Breakers game and I have to fix that.  Women's sports is something I really believe in and I have to support the league.  JO and I already have tickets for next week's game!  Tickets are inexpensive, the field is nice, and for us it's a short walk from Harvard Square.  I really hope the league can capitalize on some of the excitement from the World Cup.  We need the league to stick around!

Saturday Fun Day

Vacation is the best!  Not having to correct a ton of papers on the weekend, or worry about lesson plans, or how figure out how I'm going to squeeze three months of curriculum into two weeks before MCAS, really makes a difference in my quality of life.

Saturday morning I headed into Harvard Square for my first morning in the Square.  My favorite thing about summer is grabbing a coffee and sitting in Harvard Yard reading a book.  My kids all complain when I talk to them about summer reading but I'm like, "It's summer.  I can finally read a book!"

I stayed in the Square and did some shopping before JO met me for lunch on the roof deck of Felipe's.

Then we headed to the Brattle to watch an independent summer "blockbuster" starring Samuel L. Jackson and a Finnish boy.  Big Game was actually quite good and a fun movie to see at the Brattle.

We capped the evening with dinner at Hops N Scotch!  Now that's how you do Summer Vacation!

Cambridge Dance Party

You know it's officially summer when it's time for the Cambridge Dance Party.  I love that my city closes down a part of Mass Ave, reroutes buses, sets up lights, and hires a dj so that we can dance in the streets.  Each year the event gets bigger and bigger and funner and funner.

Summer Vacation Finally Arrives

Summer vacation finally arrived, six days late, courtesy of the epic winter.  I managed to get my classroom all packed up in time to leave right when the bell rang on the last day of school.  I headed home and patiently waited for JO to get home.  We have a tradition of going out and doing something fun to celebrate the start of vacation.

This year we decided to have dinner on the patio at Nubar.  Of course, this place is extra special to us because we got married there.  The patio is lovely and serene and it didn't hurt that it was an absolutely beautiful night.  The food at the Nubar is always so good.  I can't say enough good things about it.  I'm loving their summer special appetizer of lobster and morel mushroom risotto.  The big chunks of lobster paired perfectly with the cheese and mushrooms.

After dinner we didn't want the night to end so we headed further into the Square.  Our first choice was the new roof deck at Felipe's.  Felipe's burritos are really good and the fact that you can eat them on a roof deck, complete with a tiki bar, is pretty fabulous.  The roof deck is huge with lots of seating and standing room.  We were lucky enough to get a table and enjoyed some summer beverages while taking in the ariel view of the Square.  I loved the awesome 80s jams that had on the radio.  I definitely want to go back here before the summer is over.  It felt so nice to be on vacation and it was a great way to start summer in the city!

Kendall Square Sundays

We woke up one Sunday in June to an absolutely spectacular early summer day.  We knew we wanted to have lunch outside but figured Harvard Square would be a mess.  Instead, JO suggested we head over to Kendall Square.  On the weekends Kendall is so quiet, even when it's crazy busy you can get an outdoor table.  Of course, it might be tougher now that Tommy Doyle's closed but still it's your best bet for outdoor seating in Cambridge.

We ended up checking out Commonwealth and their market before settling in at a table at Za's Pizza.  Za's has a great Mexican salad and yummy pizzas.  We both enjoyed the sunny weather while admiring the peacefulness of the neighborhood.

Ghosts and Gravestones

For a friend's bachelorette party I organized a visit to the Ghosts and Gravestones Trolley Tour.  I've seen the tour out and about in Boston several times and it was the perfect thing for this friend, who is Halloween obsessed.

I wasn't sure what to expect but I have to say it was well worth the price of the ticket.  We chose to go on the 9:00 pm tour and I'm glad we did.  The darkness definitely added to the atmosphere.  The tour takes you to two cemeteries, the Common, and all over the city telling Boston "ghost" stories.  Half the fun for me was driving around Beacon Hill and the Back Bay.  I love that part of the city and it didn't bother me that the trolley driver was taking the "scenic" way around to pass some time.  We lucked out with a great tour guide who really enjoyed his role.

Loyal Nine

Loyal Nine is yet another Cambridge restaurant sure to land on some "best of" lists in the near future.  JO and I stopped in one night on our return walk home from the mall.  Loyal Nine is located half way between the mall and Inman on Cambridge Street.  There seems to be a lot of new places popping up in this area which is nice to see.

When I first heard of Loyal Nine's concept, modern colonial food, I was confused.  How is this a thing?  I still haven't tried the food, we just stopped in for drinks, but I get what they are doing.  The space is, surprise, surprise, modern rustic with an open kitchen.  They have a great patio that functions as a coffee/pastry shop in the morning and afternoon.

The Cava I got was excellent and JO liked his beer.  The bartender was really friendly and come to find out, the owners are Puritan alums.  I'd definitely love to try their food one night and hit up the coffee shop this summer.

I seriously can't keep up with all of the new restaurants popping up!

Bisq

Inman Square is fast becoming a dining hot spot.  We have Trina's, Puritan and Co., and Bergamont.  Of course, we have lots of other great places but these places are culinary destinations in the city.  Soon to be joining that list will be Bisq, a sister restaurant to Bergamont.

We were a bit disappointed to hear that this was the place moving in next to Clover restaurant.  Bergamont is really expensive, and we were hoping for a more friendly priced restaurant.  We were still intrigued enough to check it out one night, when surprise, surprise, school was stressing me out.

The design team did an absolutely fabulous job with the space.  It's totally modern, rustic but with a hint of European wine bar thrown in.  The main dining room gives way to a separate bar area in the back.  It's small and intimate and perfect for our neighborhood.

The beer and wine feature lots of interesting choices and the bartender really knows her stuff when it comes to wine.  The menu is small and pricey and the portions are small.  I know this is a "small plates" concept but the portions were almost to small to share.

That being said, everything was delicious.  I've been on a recent oyster kick since trying them on Mother's Day with JO's parents.  I couldn't resist ordering them here and they didn't disappoint.

This is certainly not a place we can go to often, but it's a nice addition to the Square.

Gracie's Ice Cream

A while back I joined the Fitbit nation.  I was really disappointed in myself for not being able to finish the Freedom Run 5K and I thought the Fitbit might be a good motivation tool.  Really, all I needed was for summer vacation to hurry up and get here, but the Fitbit didn't hurt.

One of the first nights I had it I was sitting on the couch trying to recover from a crazy June day at school.  We had planned on going climbing but I just didn't have it in me.  I was a bit mad at myself for not getting my steps in when JO suggested we go for a walk.  It was almost 9:00 pm but I felt like it was good idea so we headed out.  We didn't really have a plan for where we would walk but we found ourselves in Union Square, near the newest homemade ice cream shop, Gracie's.

Gracie's is known for their really unique flavors, and for things like a fluff torched cone (even better than it sounds).  We're loyal Christina's Ice Cream patrons but it's always good to branch out.  We grabbed some ice cream and sat outside and just enjoyed the nice weather and peaceful vibe in Union.  I had been running around like a crazy person and it was nice to just relax.

Gracie's was really good and we will definitely be going back.  I was stupid to not order the fluff torched cone.  I won't make that mistake a second time!

Meat Market at Puritan

It's no secret that I love our local restaurant Puritan and Co.  They are rocking the modern rustic, farm to table trend.  On top of their delicious food, I love their staff.  They really make a point of getting to know their customers.  The only bad thing is that the food is a bit pricey so we can't go there all the time.  So when Puritan announced their Meat Market Saturday Sandwich shop we were thrilled.

On Saturdays, between 12:00 and 2:00 you can now get the most delicious old school sandwiches.  My favorite is the meatball sub, but the Italian Cold Cut sub is delicious and the peppers and onions on the pulled port sub smell scrumptious.

Sadly, we've been busy a lot of Saturdays but when we are home we hit up Puritan for a delicious lunch!

On Point Live

Every now and then you have to treat yourself.  Sure, I didn't need to spend the money on a ticket to see On Point Live with Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild.  My crazy June calendar certainly indicate that this was a good idea, but I needed to take advantage of city living, so I did!

By this point in June I knew I would have to pack up my entire classroom for a move upstairs.  June is tough enough, but having to pack up your entire classroom, knowing you'll just be unpacking those boxes in a short six weeks is pretty awful.  Escaping to the city for a night listening to a live interview with Cheryl Strayed seemed like the perfect way to escape reality for a little while.

One of the things I love most about living where we live is that I can go to these events in the city and it's not a production.  I hop on the T and I'm in the city in 15 minutes.  I even had time to stop for a quick pre-show drink at Sip, a great wine bar next to the Paramount Theater.

It was so neat to see a production of On Point Live recorded live.  Cheryl Strayed is a really deep, thoughtful person with a great view on life, especially grief and recovery.  To say the whole thing was inspirational would be a major understatement.