Some Final Summer Fun in the City

Finally, the humidity broke.  This past week has been brutal.  It hasn't been super hot but humidity levels have been pushing 80% so it's been hard to spend too much time out and about.  I was definitely all about taking advantage of the gorgeous weather!

For sure, that means starting my morning in Harvard Yard reading and enjoying an iced coffee.  Once again, I forgot that Harvard takes my tables away during the last week of August to make room for their "Back to School" events.  I was a little disappointed but I was able to relocate further into the Yard since they dumped all the chairs in the Quad.  The trees there offered ample shade and each morning I stayed longer than normal, just soaking in the peacefulness.  Even though there was some hustle and bustle with new students arriving it was still so relaxing.  Of all the great things about being on summer vacation, I think this morning ritual is the one I miss the most.  It's just such a perfect way to start the day- unlike how I spend my mornings during the school year, running around planning and setting up for the school day, while fielding tons of email and filling out countless forms.

On Friday night JO and I headed out to the Seaport as early as possible in hopes of enjoying a drink at The Lookout, the place our summer adventures started.  Unfortunately, the secret's out of the bag with this place and there was a 45 minute wait to get up.  We quickly regrouped and headed to The Daily Catch, a place we found last October on that gorgeous summer/fall day we had.  I was a little disappointed with the shift in plans, but the views at the Daily Catch, and the yummy blueberry beverage made up for it.

Our friend met us there and we decided it was time to find a place for dinner.  Eating outside seemed like the only reasonable choice we could make so we headed over to NeBo in hopes of getting a table on their patio.  It was our lucky night, because after only 20 minutes there we were sitting on a fabulous patio overlooking the Rose Kennedy Greenway.

This was our first time here at this location of NeBo.  The inside features high ceilings and an urban, loft style with exposed brick and pipes.  The bar and lounge area is large and the dining area is on the other side.  The atmosphere was great and everything smelled so good.  The patio is large, for this part of the city.  The tables are a bit close together but nothing that detracts from the experience.  I loved this place, and the food was delicious!

My original plan for the evening was to head home after dinner, but it was gorgeous out and JO suggested we walk up through Post Office Square since we never really explore that area.

I am so glad we did, since we discovered what I think is my new favorite place in Boston.  As I'm sure you know, I love hotel bars so when we walked past the Langham Hotel I couldn't resist peaking in to see what their lounge was like.  I wasn't planning on staying but Bond, the hotel lounge, had me at the first chandelier I spotted.

Bond has 20-30 foot high tres ceilings and that old world Boston charm that is a throwback to an age of elegance.  There is ample seating- tables, cozy curved booths, and couches and ottomans.  The colors are dark brown and red with lighter tans to brighten things up just a tad.  There is a large bar in the back with elegant lighting illuminating champagne bottles stacked to the ceiling.  The main design feature is, of course, the stunning chandeliers.  There is even a balcony area that can be rented out for parties (like my 40th birthday JO).  They were beautiful.  There was even live music.  I'm in love with this place.  It's just so beautiful and so perfect and has a great atmosphere.

We stayed for about an hour or so and even sampled the s'mores dessert which was scrumptious.  These are the kinds of nights that stick with you- great friends, great adventures, great memories!  I can't believe this is my life sometimes.

A Second Chance

After climbing this week JO and I decided to give Bukowski's a second chance.  The open garage doors/windows were too much to resist.  We got a table right next to the open windows but other than that, I was once again disappointed.

JO ordered a burger and I got the heirloom tomato and mozzarella salad.  The food didn't disappoint, just like last time.  The food is cooked well, although JO's side salad was so drenched in some kind of vinegar dressing that even I, who adores all things tangy and vinegary, had trouble with eating it.

The beer selection has become a bit limited, which is surprising for a bar that was known for it's crazy selection.  And the beers have gotten really expensive.  Now I know this is a problem around the city but this was a bit much.   Plus, just like the old version, it's really loud in there and we can't figure out why.  It wasn't crowded but it was still hard to hear each other.

Even with how loud it was, I was able to hear the people at the table next to us.  I quite enjoyed their conversation.  From what I could gather, three of the four people at the table had just moved to the area for grad school.  The fourth guy was their friend who already lived here and was acting like a tour guide.  I'm not quite sure how good he was at that because when the girl saw people walking by with ice cream (that was sure from Christina's next door) he mentioned Toscanini's in Central and he even convinced his friends to hit up the Beehive, which "was pretty close" as the next bar.  The Beehive is in the South End and isn't exactly nearby Inman, even via Uber.  I did love how excited this group was about living in Cambridge.  They kept talking about how many awesome things are around them and how they can't wait to try everything.  I totally know how they are feeling!

Ole

When my friend suggested we go out to dinner at Ole I was excited.  I had tried to go there for lunch the week before but they have summer hours and don't do lunch in August.  As a result, I was left craving some delicious Mexican food.

We tried to go here a really long time ago but got rejected when we said we didn't have reservations.  Since then I haven't had any problems getting in without a reservation.  So I was surprised when we showed up and the place was packed and the host didn't seem optimistic about us getting a table but we ended up getting lucky and got seated right away.

Of course the first thing we did was order the made to order guacamole and two margaritas!  I was really hoping for chicken enchiladas with a tomatillo sauce but unfortunately they didn't have that on their menu.  Their menu tends to change every few months, and although I tend to like the new dishes, I do miss old favorites.  I ended up ordering the New England quesadilla- lobster, chorizo, cheese, and corn served on a bed of arugula.  The quesadilla didn't resemble a traditional quesadilla.  Instead it was more shaped liked rangoons.  I loved it!  It was delicious and light, surprisingly.  Sometimes a lobster quesadilla can be too heavy and this one was perfect.

We enjoyed catching up with each other.  It had been a few weeks and so much had gone on.  Plus, while talking about my upcoming school year, my friend made me realize, "It's practically summer vacation again!"  If only :-)

A Perfect City Afternoon

One of my favorite "city people" was back in town this week and we planned on a little city adventure for Monday.

We started with lunch at Grotto.  Grotto is my favorite restaurant in the city.  Well, it might actually be tied with it's sister restaurant Marliave.  Both restaurants are fabulous and never disappoint.  Whenever someone asks for a Boston restaurant recommendation these two are always at the top of the list.  Grotto is a small, subterranean (basement) Italian restaurant on Beacon Hill with beautifully crafted dishes that compliment their lovely selection of wine.

My friend had never been to Grotto and I knew she would love it so I suggested we go there for lunch before wandering around Charles Street.  It's Restaurant Week so we were able to each get an appetizer and entree for $20.  We both loved our food, I of course, went with the short rib gnocchi dish.  The service was great and the waiter did a great job recommending a dish for my friend who couldn't make up her mind.  Grotto is a great place to enjoy a special lunch in the city.  I was reminiscing about the night, in the middle of the horrible winter last year, when JO planned a night out here because we had to get out of our neighborhood.

After lunch we wandered down Charles Street and then up Newbury Street.  Our plan was to go to City Table, as in the City Table I just ate at last week and loved, for bubbles.  Unfortunately, City Table and City Bar both are closed between 2:00 and 4:30.  We were totally stumped for a place to go.  Everywhere we thought of seemed to be closed.  Hawthorne, Wink and Nod, and a few others were all closed.  Who knew it was so hard to grab a drink during the afternoon in the city.  We ended up asking the Bell Boys if they had a suggestion, which was rough since I live here and she used to live on Comm Ave.  We should have been able to think of a place but we were drawing a blank.  The Bell Boy recommended Bar Boulud at the Mandarin Hotel so we headed over there.

Bar Boulud is an open, airy space.  One side is the bar and lounge and the other side is the dining room.  The bar has great, big comfy seats with a sturdy back.  I'm sick of sitting in stools or the almost backless chairs that a lot of bars feature now.  We were the only ones at the bar and the bartender spent some time explaining the difference between Cava and Prosecco to us before pouring our glasses.  We had a great time catching up and talking about how much had happened in the year in between her move and her visit.  You know you have a great friend when you can pick up right where you left off after an entire year.

I really enjoyed the day out in the city.  It was a great way to spend the Monday of my last week of vacation!  (In other news- I am so not ready to have a schedule again.  I'm not sure if I can do it.)

Ricardo's Ristorante and Carrie Nation Cocktail Club

Wow!  I can't believe I'm almost caught up with the blog....just in time to go back to school in a week.  I really have to push myself to be better about blogging in a timely fashion.  I love going back and looking at the posts from previous years but it's so easy to fall behind.  I'm really going to work on that this year.

Anyways, back to the present.  Last night we went out to celebrate a good friend's birthday.  His summer birthday has become a bit of a reunion for a group of friends that doesn't get to see each other nearly enough as we would like.  This year featured the East Coast return of one of the gang that had moved to Oregon last year.  It was nice to see her again and to be out in Boston with her like the old days.  She was always up for a city adventure and I've definitely missed having her around this past year.

The evening started at Ricardo's Ristorante in the North End.  The North End is always a fun place to explore and you're probably not going to get a bad plate of food ever. The food was definitely delicious but the atmosphere was definitely lacking.  We were a big party so they sat us upstairs in a room with a leaky ceiling, a big tv (which I don't like seeing in North End restaurants),  and zero personality.  Like I said though, the food was delicious and pretty reasonably priced.

After dinner we hiked over to Carrie Nation Cocktail Club in Beacon Hill.   I was looking forward to checking this place out.  I went once last summer when my friend from France was in town but I didn't get to try a cocktail.  We were supposed to go for Valentine's Day but the T was shut down due to a medical emergency and we missed our reservation so I was definitely happy to hear this was the post dinner location.

Carrie Nation has two parts:  the main dining room and lounge decorated in rich reds and creams and the back "speakeasy" room decorated in black, crushed velvet curtains, and purple lights.  The back room has a great vibe but it smelled like rotting fruit and was really loud so we staked out a spot in the main bar area.  I ordered the Hemingway Daiquiri and it was pretty good, not as good as the Old Cuban at Noir though.  It was good but I probably wouldn't order it again.  I ended the night with some prosecco but I was a bit disappointed to see that they use those split bottles.  They are almost never as good as a prosecco from a full bottle.

We had a great time catching up with a really great group of people and I liked that Carrie Nation had a lot of room for us to mingle and it wasn't loud so we could actually have a conversation.

City Table

A few years ago I had the chance to mentor a new teacher in my building.  It was a great experience and I ended up learning so much from her.  She's left our school but we've stayed in touch.  She totally understands my love of the city and recently moved to Somerville.  It had been way too long since we had seen each other.  Thankfully, Friday night we fixed that and met up at City Table at the Lennox Hotel for dinner.  I've been wanting to check this place out so I was excited when this was the restaurant she picked.  It also happened to be Restaurant Week which worked out perfectly.

I can't say enough great things about this place!  The restaurant isn't huge and it's split into three spaces:  the bar/lounge with hightop tables and two smaller dining room areas which seat about 15-20 people.  The restaurant features really high ceilings with a gold tin roof and lots of crown molding.  The restaurant is decorated in rich chocolate browns and tans.  It definitely passes the "you can hear each other talk" test that is becoming so vital as I get older (and not because my hearing is going but because I don't want to work so hard to hear the person I'm having dinner with.)

We went with the restaurant menu, but they also gave us the regular menu so I had a chance to take a look at it.  I was impressed with the variety of choices and price points.  You could easily come and have an expensive city meal.  There are lots of a apps, a couple pizza choices, sandwiches, and entrees.

I started with the chopped salad which had been plated using a salad mold, so it was a packed cylindrical shape.   It was stuffed with olives, feta, and tomatoes.  I enjoyed it but my friend got the duo of tacos and those looked amazing!  It was practically a meal in itself.  For my entree I went with the roasted chicken with truffle whipped potatoes and mushroom sauce with a touch of lemon.  This was one of the best chicken dishes I have had in the city!  The truffle was perfect in the potatoes and not overwhelming at all.  The mushrooms were earthy and the sauce went with the chicken perfectly.  For dessert I got the chocolate torte and my gosh was it decadent.  It was basically liquid chocolate fudge in a delicious crust with soft, light homemade cream on the top.

If all of that wasn't great, what sealed the deal for me with this place was the prosecco.  Anyone who knows me knows that I adore all things bubbles.  I don't pretend to know anything about types, brands, vintages, etc.  So what I'm about to say comes with no hint of authority but the prosecco I had at City Table was the best glass of prosecco in the city!  The funny thing was that I was torn between ordering a cocktail or a prosecco when I noticed the woman at the table next to me sipping her bubbles out of a beautiful champagne flute.  I'm a big stickler for bubbles being served in the right kind of glass.  I want elegance when I'm drinking my bubbles and I hate the stemless glasses at Brass Union and Highball Lounge, or the lowball glass they serve prosecco in at Parlor Sports (although in their defense, who orders prosecco there?)  They looked a bit like those pictured, but even better.  I texted JO on my way home and let him know we would be going back to get those bubbles again!

On our way out of the restaurant we exited out of the hotel entrance.  That's when I noticed City Bar, the bar inside the lobby.  It looks fabulous, uplighting and sleek, and I bet they serve the same prosecco in there, and I do have a slight obsession with hotel bars so we definitely have to come back.

It was great to catch up with a good friend at such a great spot in the city.

Casa Portugal

Speaking of our favorite restaurants, Casa Portugal is definitely on this list.  The prices are great, the atmosphere is great, and so is the food!  Last week we had our first condo association meeting and it lasted a lot longer than we thought it would.  We were both starving and Casa Portugal seemed like the right choice!

This place never disappoints and at this point the staff could probably place our order, minus entrees, upon our arrival.  We always get a salad to split, the littleneck clams, a half bottle of Cabriz wine, and the flan dessert.  Everything is so delicious!

We had fun debriefing about the meeting and thinking about how lucky we were to have been able to purchase our apartment.

A Lovely Inman Square Night

Last Monday JO and I had planned on going climbing, but with temps in the 90s and humidity levels as high as 70% we just couldn't do it.  Instead, we opted for dinner at Hops 'N Scotch.  Hops 'N Scotch has been a positive addition to the neighborhood.  The staff is friendly and the food is yummy.  I do think it's prices are a bit high but there are enough salads and sandwich options so I don't feel like I always have to order a pricier entree.  A new addition to the menu is a Cobb Salad and I was glad to see it.  There's nothing special about the Cobb Salad but it was yummy and you could add an extra protein for a minimal charge.  I loved that everything was chopped up into smaller pieces and the balsamic vinaigrette was tangy but not overpowering.

We were having such a fun time that when we were done JO suggested we grab another drink at Puritan.  I can never say no to Puritan!  Clearly it's been a while because our favorite bartender welcomed us back.  We had fun talking about our next National Parks adventure.  While it's still in the planning stages it's starting to take shape and it's always fun to see how much we can fit into a week long road trip.

It was so nice to enjoy our neighborhood and to get back to some of our favorite places.  With so many new restaurants opening it gets hard to fit in trips to our old favorites!

Inman Square Movie Night

I love all of the neighborhood events the Inman Square Business Association puts on throughout the year.  From the Harvest Hoedown to Inmanween to Shop Inman by Moonlight to Inman Movie Night, the Business Association really works hard to make Inman Square more than just a place to live.  Inman has a real sense of community and these events are a real big part of that.  I love how all of the restaurants and shops get involved.

This year the movie was Goonies so there was no chance we were going to miss it.  The turnout was quite good.  Looking around I realized that there were a lot of people our age.  There was definitely some "80s Nostalgia" going on.  At one point, one father had to take his son to the bathroom and he was visibly annoyed and was muttering "but this is the best part!"

As usual we had a great time and I'm already thinking about pumpkin carving ideas for Inmanween!

My In-Laws are Cooler Than Us

I don't normally highlight places outside of the city but JO's parents introduced us to two places that were too good to pass up.

JO's parents are really loving retirement and getting the most out of it.  We often joke about how we have to try to outdo them with our trips and adventures.  Last weekend they wanted to show us some of their favorite spots and we happily obliged.

The first spot was one they had been raving about for a while now.  The Coachmen's Lodge is in Bellingham and has one of the most beautiful outdoor areas I have ever seen.  The Lodge does weddings in their backyard so of course it's beautifully manicured but what I couldn't get over was the detail on the other parts of the patio.  When you enter the outdoor space you first enter the outdoor bar.  It a large, rectangular bar with a wooden roof, with heigh ceilings and ceiling fans.  It reminds me of something you would see on the Cape.  There are lots of wrought iron tables around the bar area.  The restaurant opens onto a wrap around porch with tables overlooking the manicured lawns and pond.  The atmosphere is really festive and carefree.  We enjoyed catching up with each other over drinks and steamers.  I love steamers and it definitely like summer eating them at this beautiful patio.  I have to say, if I lived near this place I would go here every day.  I can completely understand why JO's parents like it so much.

After the Coachmen's Lodge, JO's parents drove us to one of their favorite summer places, Bristol, Rhode Island.  I've never been here before and I really loved it.  It's a small town right on the water and has the feel of the Cape crossed with Newport.  His parents really wanted to take us to Agave and we were able to get seats on the patio overlooking the bay.  I know this made JO's mom really happy because I think she loves outdoor dining just as much as me.  The views were delightful and the food and atmosphere was quite good.

After dinner we walked along the boardwalk and his parents pointed out even more cool places that they have been.  I really hope that JO and I are able to have as much fun as they do when we are retired.

The whole day just felt like summer and it made me feel great to be having so much fun with such great people!

Seaport Lounge Crawl

It feels like ever since the snow melted we have been talking about having a "Seaport Lounge Crawl."  This was inspired by our epic fall day last year, in which we made our way around the Seaport trying new restaurants and lounges by just ordering an appetizer at each place.  This is a great way to sample several places in one night.

Last Friday, the weather was absolutely stunning and we jumped on it.  One of our good friends met us at our first stop, Lawn on D.  I've been really wanting to go here since JO went last spring, when I was stuck working on report cards and end of year assessments.  Back then, JO had asked me what the Lawn on the D was when our friends said they were going.  I knew enough to describe it as "A playground for adults" and after seeing it in person that is exactly what it is.

The lawn is a decent sized "lawn" and patio covered by an awning featuring some food options and beer and wine!  There are also big, circular swing and lawn games, although they are always being used.  You can bring a blanket and your own games.  Lots of times there is live music.  I loved this place and wish I had discovered it earlier in the summer.

After enjoying some time at the Lawn we started looking for a patio for stop number two.  I love the Seaport because if you just go one street away from Legal's and Jerry Remy's you can usually find a nice patio with plentiful seating.  We picked M.C. Spiedo at the Renaissance Hotel.  We ate here back in the spring on a spontaneous night out in the Seaport and we remembered it being pretty good.  We easily got a table on the patio, but unfortunately it was directly in front of the open doors that led into the main restaurant so we were constantly being attacked by the arctic air conditioned air streaming out of the dining room.  It was actually really cold and slightly uncomfortable.  We ordered the meat and cheese tray and a pizza.  I loved the pizza.  It wasn't anything fancy but it was yummy!  Looking inside reminded of what a great indoor lounge they have and how fun it would be on a snowy night.

Next, we headed to Tamo, our go-to patio in the Seaport.  We loved the food and the patio that features tables and couches.  We had fun talking about the fun things to look forward to over the next few months.

Our final spot was Gather, by the ICA.  Gather was definitely on my "I really want to go list" and I was so glad JO directed us over that way after Tamo.  We were able to get a seat on the patio.  I had really wanted to order the steamers because they are steamed in lots of yummy things like garlic, lemon, and Sam Adams.  I didn't end up getting hem but wish I had.  (Really, this is just a nice excuse to head back in the near future.) I got some oysters and those were pretty yummy and I enjoyed my cocktail featuring gin, lime juice, pomegranate juice, and prosecco.

It was a really awesome night, with awesome company, and really helped me get over my "August Blues."

Post Climbing Night Out

My "City Mojo" was slowly coming back.  My classroom was coming together, there was a stretch of beautiful weather, and I was back to going to Harvard Square (which strongly correlates with my mood!)  Since another heatwave was headed our way I wanted to make sure we took advantage of the beautiful weather that was before it.

After climbing on Thursday night we decided to go to Union Square and see if we could get a table outside.  We ended up at Brass Union.  Their patio has been under construction for a while and it had just opened back up.  They got rid of their giant sized Jenga and Connect 4, and I think they also ditched their corn hole.  I'm hoping those things come back because it's what made Brass Union quirky and unique.

Despite the missing games, I really enjoy this place.  The menu features mixes of small plates and some larger portion entrees so you have some nice options.  I would love a little more lighting on the patio and they would be smart to do what The Independent did with their patio and enclose the patio in fencing.  For all the changes in Union Square there's still some "riff raff" as we experienced when an individual spent several minutes shouting gibberish at the hostess before sitting in the bus vestibule for quite a long time.

Even with that, I loved everything about that night.  It was so nice to just be out and about in the city.  We are so lucky to live here and we need to make sure we take advantage of it!

Some Days You Just Need a Roofdeck

JO and I hit up the roof deck at Daedalus a few weeks ago.  It was a lovely Sunday night and neither of us wanted to waste it so we headed into Harvard Square.  We were really lucky to get a table on the roof deck and it was actually cool enough to wear a sweater, if you were smart enough to bring one :-)

I love Daedalus, and it's my usual go-to recommendation when people ask me for restaurant recommendations.  That being said, they must have changed chefs or something and I'm starting to get worried.  The menu has been changed a bit.  My beloved Cobb Salad (if you can actually have a beloved salad) and the fried artichoke hearts are no more.  The menu is lacking some variety and the food was good, but not as good as it had been in the past.

One thing that has improved is the roof deck.  I wrote about the changes a while back and they really are great.  There are more spaces for "just drinks" so I think the tables turn over a bit more so more people can eat up there.  The corner of the deck seems more open without the tables and the atmosphere is just fabulous, as always.

Even with the changes in the menu I will never pass up a chance to spend some time on the roof deck.  It's what city living is all about!

We're Being Invaded- by Breweries

There's been an invasion in Cambridge, East Cambridge/Somerville line to be specific, lately.  It's not bugs or critters, thank goodness!  It's an invasion of breweries.  It started with Aeronaut, ok they aren't in Cambridge but they are nearby and have been very successful since opening last year.  Within a two mile radius from us we now have, or in the near future will have, Slumbrew, Lord Hobo Brewery, Lamplighter Brewery, and at least one more that I can't remember.

A while back JO and I decided to have a city adventure and set out to find the Slumbrew brewery.  It's about a 25 minute walk from our house, in the Boynton Yards area.  We had to do a little bit of wandering through a business park at night to get there so I was pretty happy when we finally arrived at our destination.

The brewery has a large bar, several tables, and lots of counter space along the back wall.  You can see the brew tanks behind the bar.  The lighting is soft and there was good music playing.  Since I love Happy Sol I ordered that but I think JO tried one of their other beers.  We had already had dinner but checked out the food menu just to be "informed."  The menu looked good and I could definitely see us coming back for dinner after a crazy day at school.

I love how these areas in Cambridge are being transformed and gentrified and making our neighborhood even more enticing than it already is!

Quebec City

JO had a great idea for a spontaneous trip to Quebec City to beat the heat we were experiencing in Cambridge.  We had had to cancel a West Coast trip at the last minute and I think we both were hoping to do a little traveling so this trip also filled that void.

We left around 10:00 a.m. on a Sunday and were in Quebec City by 4:30.  The drive was long, but manageable.  The only downside was that once we crossed the Canadian border we had to turn off cellular on our phones so we actually had to use handwritten directions and paper maps.  Oh the horrors!

We stayed right in the old city at the Hotel Champlain and so we were exploring by 5:00 pm.  I was actually worried that we might not be able to find a place to eat, thinking things might close early on a Sunday, but that wasn't the case.  Everything stayed open late and we were able to do a lot of exploring that first night.

The old city is enclosed by a wall and you are able to walk all around that wall.  It's a really neat way to take in the views and see what the city has to offer.  After walking around the wall we headed down all of the streets, visiting shops, scoping out restaurants, and watching the street performers.  JO was really excited to check out the Castle, which is now a the Fairmont Hotel Frontenac so we headed over that way.  The Castle is so cool and it is kind of like walking back in time when you are on the grounds.  We headed inside, checked out the art at the gallery, and "somehow" ended up at the hotel bar (you know I love a good hotel bar) 1608.  

1608 is a really classic, old time bar that reminded me a lot of the Last Hurrah at the Omni Parker in Boston.  The bar is a semi-circle in the middle of the circular room facing the St. Lawrence River, so you get some nice views our the almost floor to ceiling windows.  We grabbed two seats at the bar, grabbed some drinks, and toasted to being on, and having the ability to take, a spontaneous adventure.

After our drinks we continued exploring the old city before settling on a restaurant with a nice patio for dinner.  One of the things I loved most about Quebec City is all of the patio dining.  Every restaurant has a patio, which is usually pretty large and sometimes two levels, so you can get an outdoor table with ease.  The patios are usually really well decorated and adorned in flowers and plants which just adds to the atmosphere.  Plus, the weather was perfect for dining outside and we made sure to take full advantage of it while we there.

We wanted to continue the night so we grabbed dessert and bubbles on another patio before heading back to our hotel for the night.  Quebec City loves their uplighting and I kind of wish Boston would do something like this.  The uplighting gave the city such a neat feeling!

This is actually a manufacturing plant but you would never know

 The next morning we headed to the Park de la Montmorency to see the waterfalls.

Then we spent the rest of afternoon driving around Ile d'Orleans, a decent sized island just a short drive from Quebec City.  Orleans is known for it's wineries, cheese shops, and chocolate shops.  We pretty much ate our way around the island, stopping at everything we saw.  We had a lovely lunch on the patio of one winery overlooking the grape fields and St. Lawrence River.

Life is good!

On our drive back JO may have used this giant potted plant as a rotary (although in his defense we went back to see if anyone else did the same thing and sure enough we saw someone drive around it like a rotary, but I still don't think it's a real rotary!)

We were pretty tired after all that eating so we took a nap at the hotel before going out for dinner.  We headed just outside the old city walls to explore the strip of restaurants we had seen on our way into the city.  We had another fun patio dinner before heading back to explore the boardwalk and lower part of the city.  Quebec City is a city made of different levels along the cliffs and the lowest part is known as "Little Champlain."  I love the quaint feel of Little Champlain.  It's so calm and cozy and adorable.  We grabbed some gelato and walked around keeping an eye out for the art in the alley ways.  Eventually we walked up the long flight of stairs back to our hotel.

Just some "alley art" made out of garbage bags and lit up with blue lights

The view of the castle from Little Champlain

The next day we didn't exactly know what to do so we set out walking towards the Citadel, because everyone said we should visit it.  We ended up taking the wrong route along the boardwalk, and it was actually a bit warm, so when we did actually end up at the Citadel we ended up passing on the tour.  By this point we had already walked a bunch but we decided to head towards the Fine Arts Museum, which ended up being a bit further than we thought it would be.

The main exhibit was actually on loan from the MFA in Boston but we did enjoy looking at some of the other galleries.  By this point my feet were really hurting so we headed down Rue de Jacque Custeau to check out the shops and patios there.  We found a lovely two tiered patio, with an awning to keep the sun at bay.  Lunch was perfect!

By the time we got back to the hotel my feet were throbbing and when I checked my Iphone I realized we had walked eight miles.  Our plan for our last night was to not do as much walking, but we ended up walking almost another four miles exploring the craft show along the docks, avoiding the rainstorm, dining in Little Champlain at a great Italian restaurant, and grabbing another drink at 1608.

Double Rainbow

These were delicious!

The next morning we headed home, recharged and just in time for the heat wave to have left Cambridge!  I loved everything about Quebec City, well maybe not the 11 miles of walking in the wrong shoes, but everything else was perfect!  I loved how you were in a foreign country that speaks a foreign language but everyone can speak English, the plentiful outdoor dining, the stunning views, and the spring/fall like weather.  I would love to go back again!