Monday found us shirking all of our adult responsibilities for some quality patio time at the Independent! You can't let perfect patio nights pass you by! We had such a great time, hanging with friends, eating yummy food, enjoying the warm breeze of a perfect summer night! I love how the patio at the Independent is completely enclosed so you can't see the outside world. It's definitely a nice city retreat!
Now, it's Tuesday and raining and that means no patio tonight 😒 Good thing we went yesterday! 😀
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Tiles and Tiles and Tiles, Oh My
We've started our journey on a bathroom renovation. Down the road, we also have a kitchen renovation planned. The kitchen reno seems easy, because, other than the flooring, I'm pretty sure we know what we want in terms of colors, counters, fixtures, etc. This bathroom thing, on the other hand, is lacking a lot of focus on our parts 😂 Plus, I'm feeling a bit of pressure not to mess this up. It's night like you can just do another renovation if things don't work out.
So, in an effort to get this thing off the ground, JO and I have been visiting tile shops, in hopes of getting some inspiration. Seriously, I had no idea there were so many options out there: ceramic, porcelain, cement, glass, travertine, marble, etc. Then there's the "to hexagon or not to hexagon question?" Who knew I loved hexagons so much! Do we go bold with a funky mosaic, or play it safe with neutrals? Just when I think I have a strong feeling one way or the other, it slips away when I become distracted by yet another tile type. We spent a while in a tile shop the other day and came home with one single sample tile. Just one! Our hopes rest on one glass tile that looked too blue in the store but seems tame at home.
Hopefully we figure this out soon, because the bathroom situation is a bit desperate and we've kind of crossed that line where we aren't willing to fix and/or clean things if we're just going to rip them out soon anyways! That's never a good place to be in 😂
So, in an effort to get this thing off the ground, JO and I have been visiting tile shops, in hopes of getting some inspiration. Seriously, I had no idea there were so many options out there: ceramic, porcelain, cement, glass, travertine, marble, etc. Then there's the "to hexagon or not to hexagon question?" Who knew I loved hexagons so much! Do we go bold with a funky mosaic, or play it safe with neutrals? Just when I think I have a strong feeling one way or the other, it slips away when I become distracted by yet another tile type. We spent a while in a tile shop the other day and came home with one single sample tile. Just one! Our hopes rest on one glass tile that looked too blue in the store but seems tame at home.
Hopefully we figure this out soon, because the bathroom situation is a bit desperate and we've kind of crossed that line where we aren't willing to fix and/or clean things if we're just going to rip them out soon anyways! That's never a good place to be in 😂
Another Breakers Game
These Breakers season tickets are really working out quite well for me. On a beautiful, sunny Saturday afternoon I got to watch a great soccer game featuring an awesome 4th grader all grown up! The young women behind me kept saying they wished that this was around when they were growing up! The league really matters!
I can't say enough good things about these games! I especially love that I can walk to the stadium and back home again!
LuLa Wiles at Passim
Yes, we were back at Club Passim again! This time we were there to see LuLa Wiles (remember, a few posts back I said they were my new favorite band.) We had seen one of the singers, Ellie Buckland, perform solo twice since the beginning of May and I had pretty much been listening to the LuLa Wiles cd non-stop since purchasing it at a show a few weeks back. I was so excited for this show, and excited for a night out in Harvard Square!
The show did not disappoint! LuLa Wiles is pretty much magic on stage. You can tell how deeply their friendship runs from their funny interactions with each other. You can also tell just how much they believe in their songs. They have some real stage presence, much more than they should at their young ages (yes, their young ages of early 20s...I feel old). I was excited to hear a bunch of songs that were not from their self-titled album, indicating a chance for a second album in the near future. 
Since I have "all of the free time" because of summer vacation, I've been able to do a substantial amount of Instagram stalking (I mean information gathering) and found out that in the last two years they've actually played a lot of shows right in Inman and Kendall. I might need to get on Instagram just to keep up with all of their shows, because I do not want to miss any of them! Here's their newest music video for the song, Anymore, probably my favorite song from their album!
Check out:
LuLa Wiles Instagram
A write up on LuLa Wiles from Sound of Boston
A whole bunch of videos (which I now have to watch right now)
Summer Patio Nights~ Brass Union Style
I love meals on the patio! It's pretty much what spring and summer and made for in the city. In my book, there are winter restaurants and summer restaurants (and a few that pull double duty). After climbing last Thursday, the weather was perfect for a night on the patio, so we took advantage. May had been a rough month, when it comes to patio opportunities, with all the rain and cold, so we have to make up for lost time now.
We decided to walk home through Union Square because there are a few restaurants there with patios that usually have free tables. Since we had recently been to The Independent, we decided to check out Brass Union. This is one of those restaurants that is great in any season. The interior is a great basement level space decorated in a funky hexagon floor (which I've recently fallen in love with during our bathroom renovation research), dark wood tables, bar, and benches, and dim lighting. The outdoor patio deserves some props too, with their awesome strings of edison bulbs that criss cross above the tables.
We've eaten here before, and the food never disappoints. I got the chicken and risotto and it was out of this world! JO's steak looked delicious and everyone's cocktails that I saw brought up from the stairs next to our table looked delicious too!
So far, summer was pretty much perfect!
We decided to walk home through Union Square because there are a few restaurants there with patios that usually have free tables. Since we had recently been to The Independent, we decided to check out Brass Union. This is one of those restaurants that is great in any season. The interior is a great basement level space decorated in a funky hexagon floor (which I've recently fallen in love with during our bathroom renovation research), dark wood tables, bar, and benches, and dim lighting. The outdoor patio deserves some props too, with their awesome strings of edison bulbs that criss cross above the tables.
We've eaten here before, and the food never disappoints. I got the chicken and risotto and it was out of this world! JO's steak looked delicious and everyone's cocktails that I saw brought up from the stairs next to our table looked delicious too!
So far, summer was pretty much perfect!
Let the Summer Mornings Commence
As much as I love a perfect night out, the real start to summer comes when I walk to Harvard Square, grab a coffee, find a seat in Harvard Yard, and read a book. This is what summer is all about to me! It's so relaxing, and I almost never have time to read a real book during the school year. I live for these mornings and get annoyed when it's too hot to venture out, or I have to run an errand that interferes. These mornings are sacred to me! I still marvel at the fact that I can just walk here and do this like it's no big deal!
So, obviously, the first morning of summer vacation found me sitting at my favorite table, sipping a coffee, and finishing Carli Lloyd's memoir. The weather was perfect and the morning was perfect and my city life is still pretty awesome, eleven years in!
So, obviously, the first morning of summer vacation found me sitting at my favorite table, sipping a coffee, and finishing Carli Lloyd's memoir. The weather was perfect and the morning was perfect and my city life is still pretty awesome, eleven years in!
Sail Boston 2017
My last day of school was last Wednesday and I had asked JO to skip Guy's Night Out so we could do something fun to celebrate, and then, feeling overwhelmed with the end of the school year, couldn't decided what I wanted to do. I was so glad when JO texted to say we should get dinner in the Seaport and check out the tall ships that were in town for Sail Boston.
The final bell rang at 3:00, and I said goodbye to an amazing group of kids that I will truly miss, and headed home. (side note~ As much as I was looking forward to summer vacation I did not want to let this group go. They all just functioned so well together and I could count on one hand the amount of times they stressed me out this year. Most of the time, I'm so completely exhausted and spent by the last day of school that it takes me several weeks of summer to recover. Not this year! These kids were amazing to work with!)
JO had made reservations at Gather. They have a great patio and I figured we wouldn't have a problem getting a table because I've never seen the place truly packed. My mistake. Apparently this tall ships thing was a lot bigger of a deal than I thought they were because the Seaport was wrecked! There were tons of people and the streets were flooded with pedestrians. I think most of the restaurants were truly overwhelmed. The Seaport is never super crowded, even in the summer. It took awhile for a waitress to come over to take our order, and we missed out on a patio table, but over all I really enjoyed the food and atmosphere at Gather. Plus, with their floor to (really high) ceiling windows it was practically like we were outside.
After dinner, we decided to wait in line to get a closer look at some of the ships. I'm so glad we did because they were really neat! I'll let the pictures do the talking!
Since it was a gorgeous night out, we decided to stop at Tamo to see if we could get a patio seat. It was our lucky night, because there was one table for two left with nice views of the harbor, and one of the tall ships all lit up.
This was the perfect way to start summer! I can't thank JO enough for thinking of this special night out!
The final bell rang at 3:00, and I said goodbye to an amazing group of kids that I will truly miss, and headed home. (side note~ As much as I was looking forward to summer vacation I did not want to let this group go. They all just functioned so well together and I could count on one hand the amount of times they stressed me out this year. Most of the time, I'm so completely exhausted and spent by the last day of school that it takes me several weeks of summer to recover. Not this year! These kids were amazing to work with!)
JO had made reservations at Gather. They have a great patio and I figured we wouldn't have a problem getting a table because I've never seen the place truly packed. My mistake. Apparently this tall ships thing was a lot bigger of a deal than I thought they were because the Seaport was wrecked! There were tons of people and the streets were flooded with pedestrians. I think most of the restaurants were truly overwhelmed. The Seaport is never super crowded, even in the summer. It took awhile for a waitress to come over to take our order, and we missed out on a patio table, but over all I really enjoyed the food and atmosphere at Gather. Plus, with their floor to (really high) ceiling windows it was practically like we were outside.
Since it was a gorgeous night out, we decided to stop at Tamo to see if we could get a patio seat. It was our lucky night, because there was one table for two left with nice views of the harbor, and one of the tall ships all lit up.
This was the perfect way to start summer! I can't thank JO enough for thinking of this special night out!
Father's Day = Seafood and the Almost Start to Summer
It seems like, for the last few years, Father's Day has fallen right before the last few days of school. JO's parents enjoy visiting Maine or New Hampshire for a seafood dinner which puts perfectly in summer vacation mode. This year was no different.
On Saturday, we headed up to Perkin's Cove. I'd never been here before and I must say me and Maine get along quite well. We had a lovely dinner at Jackie's Too, which has pretty much the best outdoor seating in the little town. If you don't believe me, click on the link and you'll see what I mean. We had steamers, fried clams, and lobster rolls, which all pretty much mean it's time for vacation!
After dinner we walked the Marginal Way over to the town of Ogunquit. The views were stellar (although it was a tad bit chilly) and downtown Ogunquit is filled with so many fun shops and restaurants to visit and look at.
The next day we met up with my dad and went to Legal's on the Mystic at Assembly Row. This ended up working out really well, as they had some seating inside, but near the big windows, which made for a great atmosphere. I got more steamers, because, really, I was practically on vacation at this point! The whole weekend was a lot of fun, and pretty relaxing! Only three more days stood in between me and the summer off!
On Saturday, we headed up to Perkin's Cove. I'd never been here before and I must say me and Maine get along quite well. We had a lovely dinner at Jackie's Too, which has pretty much the best outdoor seating in the little town. If you don't believe me, click on the link and you'll see what I mean. We had steamers, fried clams, and lobster rolls, which all pretty much mean it's time for vacation!
The next day we met up with my dad and went to Legal's on the Mystic at Assembly Row. This ended up working out really well, as they had some seating inside, but near the big windows, which made for a great atmosphere. I got more steamers, because, really, I was practically on vacation at this point! The whole weekend was a lot of fun, and pretty relaxing! Only three more days stood in between me and the summer off!
Monday, June 26, 2017
The Final Countdown calls for Moona
After almost eleven years together, JO knows exactly how to help me get through the last week of school. With dinner out, of course! It was rainy and gross and kind of late on a Friday night to mobilize, but JO was pleasantly surprised when there was a reservation for two still available at Moona.
When we arrived, the waiter seemed a little confused and asked us if we might want to sit at the bar. I love their bar so I said sure. We were both still kind of confused so JO checked his Open Table app. Sure enough, we had made reservations at Moona in Pennsylvania 😂 We got a good laugh out of that!
Of course, the Cava and the food were all perfect. Moona does a wonderful job crafting their small plates. The carrots in this couscous dish were the best carrots I have ever eaten in my life!
We loved everything we ordered and enjoyed a really nice talk about the neighborhood with the bartender. I love when other people recognize just how special this neighborhood is!
When we arrived, the waiter seemed a little confused and asked us if we might want to sit at the bar. I love their bar so I said sure. We were both still kind of confused so JO checked his Open Table app. Sure enough, we had made reservations at Moona in Pennsylvania 😂 We got a good laugh out of that!
Of course, the Cava and the food were all perfect. Moona does a wonderful job crafting their small plates. The carrots in this couscous dish were the best carrots I have ever eaten in my life!
We loved everything we ordered and enjoyed a really nice talk about the neighborhood with the bartender. I love when other people recognize just how special this neighborhood is!
Desfina's and some Tourists
Sometimes I get in this zone where I must have a Greek Salad immediately, nothing else will do. My neighborhood is seriously lacking when it comes to the Greek Salad department, which used to pose a problem until we discovered Desfina's, in East Cambridge, last fall. Desfina's is a twenty minute walk away but the salad is worth it!
After surviving two days of PD, a heat wave, and Field Day I found myself in one of these Greek Salad zones so I headed over to Desfina's and grabbed a seat at the bar. Desfina's is a great place to go with others, but it's also a great place to go if you're eating solo. You can usually find a seat at the bar and there's lots going on to occupy your attention. Obviously, I love going out with JO and/or friends but after six hours of Field Day fun, I really just wanted some alone time :-)
I decided to try out their mojito, because I had survived Field Day after all, and to my delight it was delicious! As I was waiting for salad, two women sat down next to me. It was clear they had been to this restaurant before but it was also clear that they were tourists so I was a little confused. They were super friendly, so I wasn't confused for too long. Both women were from Oklahoma, and in town for business. One of the women had discovered Desfina's last year when she was here for work. The women had come three nights in a row and made friends with the chef, bartender, and hostess. We got to talking because they were really interested in Cambridge. They loved how many different people were out and about (something I still take for granted sometimes because it's just the norm here and I'm so used to it.) We talked about the "People's Republic of Cambridge" and what Cantabrigians are really like. I even planned their day off for them with an itinerary of the Seaport, North End, and Faneiul Hall. It was such a fun night and exactly what I love about living in the city!
After surviving two days of PD, a heat wave, and Field Day I found myself in one of these Greek Salad zones so I headed over to Desfina's and grabbed a seat at the bar. Desfina's is a great place to go with others, but it's also a great place to go if you're eating solo. You can usually find a seat at the bar and there's lots going on to occupy your attention. Obviously, I love going out with JO and/or friends but after six hours of Field Day fun, I really just wanted some alone time :-)
I decided to try out their mojito, because I had survived Field Day after all, and to my delight it was delicious! As I was waiting for salad, two women sat down next to me. It was clear they had been to this restaurant before but it was also clear that they were tourists so I was a little confused. They were super friendly, so I wasn't confused for too long. Both women were from Oklahoma, and in town for business. One of the women had discovered Desfina's last year when she was here for work. The women had come three nights in a row and made friends with the chef, bartender, and hostess. We got to talking because they were really interested in Cambridge. They loved how many different people were out and about (something I still take for granted sometimes because it's just the norm here and I'm so used to it.) We talked about the "People's Republic of Cambridge" and what Cantabrigians are really like. I even planned their day off for them with an itinerary of the Seaport, North End, and Faneiul Hall. It was such a fun night and exactly what I love about living in the city!
Article 24 in Brighton
It's rare that we venture out of the city for a meal, but after having spent the day at various tile shops researching a bathroom renovation, we were both a bit frazzled. Who knew there were so many shades of white, so many sized tiles, and products to learn about? It was all a bit overwhelming so when we spotted Article 24 on our way home, with funky signage and open windows, we parked the car and headed in.
This place is great. It's got a large, rectangular bar in the middle, and lots of seating. You can see straight through the whole restaurant from the front door and all of the windows in the front open all the way up. The bartender was super friendly and the food was yummy. We got the nachos and they were epic with lots of toppings so you didn't run into the dreaded "plain chip" syndrome that many nacho plates suffer from. Plus it features a super cool tequila bar downstairs.
Who knows, we might venture out this way again, only on purpose this time!
This place is great. It's got a large, rectangular bar in the middle, and lots of seating. You can see straight through the whole restaurant from the front door and all of the windows in the front open all the way up. The bartender was super friendly and the food was yummy. We got the nachos and they were epic with lots of toppings so you didn't run into the dreaded "plain chip" syndrome that many nacho plates suffer from. Plus it features a super cool tequila bar downstairs.
Who knows, we might venture out this way again, only on purpose this time!
Freedom Run 5K
Another 5K, the last of the spring season, came and went in early June. It was a beautiful morning for a run. I love that this course runs right through Inman and ends with a small uphill before a lovely downhill section to the finish! Even though I hadn't been able to run consistently, which was quite frustrating, I somehow managed to get another personal record!
More Fun in Kendall~ Za and State Park
Another Friday night found us heading over to Kendall for another night out. This night found us headed over to restaurant row on Third Street. This little restaurant row houses Za Pizza, Evoo, Kikas Tapas, an Indian restaurant, and Commonwealth Market and Restaurant. Each restaurant has large patios and ample indoor seating so finding a table, inside or outside, is usually pretty easy. We opted for Za Pizza, and of course, once again it looked like it would rain, so we took a seat inside.
Za Pizza is a good replacement for our weekly outings to the now closed Emma's Pizza that we had gotten in the habit of back in the fall. There are a lot of pizza options, funky and standard, and salads too. The atmosphere is fun inside, super casual but with table service. We had fun planning our summer road trip.
After dinner, I decided the evening needed to continue so we headed over to State Park (we were going to walk past it anyways). A few years back I stumbled upon this delicious cocktail called an Old Cuban~ mint, dark rum, lemon and bubbles, and State Park has the best one in the city (even though it's not really on the menu anymore...but go ahead and ask for it, they will make it for you.) We were fortunate to get two seats at the bar, with the awesome bartender that makes the drink perfectly. I say it every time I go to State Park, the designer nailed everything about the concept. I still feel like I've walked into a dive bar out West every time I go through the green screen door. This place is a perfect escape from some of the more bourgeoisie places cropping up in Cambridge lately. No, on a run of the mill night out I don't want quail eggs, dipped in uni, and rolled in sea urchin paste! That stuff has a place, and is usually marvelously done, but I'm all for more traditional, affordable bar options at a neighborhood (although this is Kendall so I use that term loosely, since you can't really live anywhere near State Park) place like State Park. Anyways, I got two of those Old Cubans and the first was perfection, the second a little heavy on the lemon. I guess that means, we'll just have to go back.
Za Pizza is a good replacement for our weekly outings to the now closed Emma's Pizza that we had gotten in the habit of back in the fall. There are a lot of pizza options, funky and standard, and salads too. The atmosphere is fun inside, super casual but with table service. We had fun planning our summer road trip.
After dinner, I decided the evening needed to continue so we headed over to State Park (we were going to walk past it anyways). A few years back I stumbled upon this delicious cocktail called an Old Cuban~ mint, dark rum, lemon and bubbles, and State Park has the best one in the city (even though it's not really on the menu anymore...but go ahead and ask for it, they will make it for you.) We were fortunate to get two seats at the bar, with the awesome bartender that makes the drink perfectly. I say it every time I go to State Park, the designer nailed everything about the concept. I still feel like I've walked into a dive bar out West every time I go through the green screen door. This place is a perfect escape from some of the more bourgeoisie places cropping up in Cambridge lately. No, on a run of the mill night out I don't want quail eggs, dipped in uni, and rolled in sea urchin paste! That stuff has a place, and is usually marvelously done, but I'm all for more traditional, affordable bar options at a neighborhood (although this is Kendall so I use that term loosely, since you can't really live anywhere near State Park) place like State Park. Anyways, I got two of those Old Cubans and the first was perfection, the second a little heavy on the lemon. I guess that means, we'll just have to go back.
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Sulmona
You know what I said about that strange thing that happens to teachers in May, well come June a lot of the stress goes away. You don't have to pretend summer vacation isn't coming, most of the stuff you were worrying about not finishing just a few weeks ago are done, or almost done, and if your kids are acting up, it's ok because it's June! You can embrace the elephant in the room, summer vacation, and you join in this unspoken alliance with your kids to make it in one piece, together.
I was feeling much better about things, and it was sunny and beautiful out (really, the weather in May was awful, I actually had to wear a winter coat at one point), and I needed a night out (even though it was a Thursday.) JO and I headed off to try out Sulmona, the new Italian restaurant in Kendall. There are actually not many Italian restaurants in Cambridge~ Amelia's, Guilia, and Toscano's are pretty much all there is. Those are all great options, although Guilia's is the kind of place you need to make a reservation for a month out, but the more options the better.
I will sum up our visit like this~ I am in love! They don't have a patio but do have large windows that open so you get some nice breezes flowing through the open space. There is a dining room area and a bar area, separated by a half wall. The bar area looked awesome and was packed. Despite the crowds, at our table along the half wall in the dining area, the noise was not a problem. In fact, the noise was perfect. There was enough buzz to give the space energy, and some soft music in the background (fun modern stuff) to make it feel fun and youthful (I can't believe I just said youthful...I'm not old, I promise.) We ordered some drinks and of course I got prosecco. This was one quite tasty, so I ended up with two! It was almost June after all!
We got the fried artichoke appetizer. The presentation was lovely, but I was a bit disappointed with this (but I repeat, I am in love with this place.) I was expecting fried artichoke hearts. This was a hard to eat and I was unsure if I should eat the spiny parts of the leaves.
For dinner, I got the carbonara. It was perfectly prepared with just the right balance of salty, creamy, garlicky goodness.
JO got the wild boar ragu, and he gave it rave reviews.
And for dessert, we got the affagato which was perfection! I must come back again, soon, just for this dessert!
I was feeling much better about things, and it was sunny and beautiful out (really, the weather in May was awful, I actually had to wear a winter coat at one point), and I needed a night out (even though it was a Thursday.) JO and I headed off to try out Sulmona, the new Italian restaurant in Kendall. There are actually not many Italian restaurants in Cambridge~ Amelia's, Guilia, and Toscano's are pretty much all there is. Those are all great options, although Guilia's is the kind of place you need to make a reservation for a month out, but the more options the better.
I will sum up our visit like this~ I am in love! They don't have a patio but do have large windows that open so you get some nice breezes flowing through the open space. There is a dining room area and a bar area, separated by a half wall. The bar area looked awesome and was packed. Despite the crowds, at our table along the half wall in the dining area, the noise was not a problem. In fact, the noise was perfect. There was enough buzz to give the space energy, and some soft music in the background (fun modern stuff) to make it feel fun and youthful (I can't believe I just said youthful...I'm not old, I promise.) We ordered some drinks and of course I got prosecco. This was one quite tasty, so I ended up with two! It was almost June after all!
We got the fried artichoke appetizer. The presentation was lovely, but I was a bit disappointed with this (but I repeat, I am in love with this place.) I was expecting fried artichoke hearts. This was a hard to eat and I was unsure if I should eat the spiny parts of the leaves.
For dinner, I got the carbonara. It was perfectly prepared with just the right balance of salty, creamy, garlicky goodness.
JO got the wild boar ragu, and he gave it rave reviews.
And for dessert, we got the affagato which was perfection! I must come back again, soon, just for this dessert!
Memorial Day Weekend
My teacher stress level was on overdrive heading into Memorial Day Weekend. I had my heart set on finally going hiking to offset all the crazy school work I had to do, but Mother Nature had other plans. Most of the weekend was rainy and cold and made me pretty miserable. Although I spent most of the weekend in a funk, we were able to sneak in a few fun outings.
The sun broke out for a few hours on Saturday, and we were able to score a table on the roof deck at Daedalus. Of course, we headed home afterwards so I could do school work, but that little bit of roof deck time did a body good.
On Sunday night I was sick of being cooped inside, so we decided to check on the Campfire festival at Club Passim. For four straight days, all day and evening, Passim has different artists performing in the round. We caught a few of the evening sets and it was delightful!
The sun broke out for a few hours on Saturday, and we were able to score a table on the roof deck at Daedalus. Of course, we headed home afterwards so I could do school work, but that little bit of roof deck time did a body good.
On Sunday night I was sick of being cooped inside, so we decided to check on the Campfire festival at Club Passim. For four straight days, all day and evening, Passim has different artists performing in the round. We caught a few of the evening sets and it was delightful!
Back to Club Passim~ Ellie Buckland and Corporate Punk
We're approaching "regulars" status at Club Passim. Back when we saw Mark Erelli, Ellie Buckland opened for him. She caught our attention with her beautiful voice and ethereal vibe. She was performing solo but is also part of Lula Wiles (my new favorite band, but more on that in a future post because I didn't know about them at this point.) When I saw that Ellie was playing another show at Passim we scooped up tickets.
At the Erelli show, Buckland played a set with just her guitar, violin, and some keyboard accompaniments. At this show she played with a full band featuring members of the second act, Corporate Punk. I preferred her more acoustic show from earlier in the month but once again she hooked me with her heartfelt lyrics and beautiful voice. Intrigued, I ended up buying a Lulu Wiles CD which I've pretty much been playing non-stop ever since.
Corporate Punk was unlike anything I was expecting. They were a full fledged punk band rocking out little, old Club Passim. I didn't love them but that's more because they just aren't my taste. They put on a solid show and the electric guitarist really went with it with his outfit/costume.
On our way out, I noticed a poster advertising an upcoming Lula Wiles show. Before leaving, we made sure to buy tickets for that show.
At the Erelli show, Buckland played a set with just her guitar, violin, and some keyboard accompaniments. At this show she played with a full band featuring members of the second act, Corporate Punk. I preferred her more acoustic show from earlier in the month but once again she hooked me with her heartfelt lyrics and beautiful voice. Intrigued, I ended up buying a Lulu Wiles CD which I've pretty much been playing non-stop ever since.
Inman Eats
Back in the fall, the Inman Square Business Association folded and our local businesses joined the East Cambridge Business Association. Unfortunately, some businesses in our neighborhood have had to close, and the neighborhood just couldn't support it's own business association. There are some real positives about joining the ECBA but I was a bit worried that we would lose our neighborhood events that do so much to give the neighborhood a sense of community and neighborhoodness (hey, if the president can make up words, so can I.)
Thankfully, the ECBA recognized the importance of keeping Inman Inman and worked hard to organize the first big event of the year, Inman Eats! Even though it was a perfect day for hiking (and there weren't many of those in May) we decided to stay local and support our neighborhood. I was thinking the event would be on the side street by Ole, but instead it was right on Cambridge Street. They shut down the portion of the street in the neighborhood and local restaurants set up shop selling tasty treats in exchange for Inman Bucks! There was live music and a beer garden and a general awesome vibe in the neighborhood. The turnout was way more than any of the smaller events the ISBA had hosted in the past, which I think is a great sign. I loved that the event was right in the main part of the neighborhood. It was a great way to show off all the great things going on in Inman.
Thankfully, the ECBA recognized the importance of keeping Inman Inman and worked hard to organize the first big event of the year, Inman Eats! Even though it was a perfect day for hiking (and there weren't many of those in May) we decided to stay local and support our neighborhood. I was thinking the event would be on the side street by Ole, but instead it was right on Cambridge Street. They shut down the portion of the street in the neighborhood and local restaurants set up shop selling tasty treats in exchange for Inman Bucks! There was live music and a beer garden and a general awesome vibe in the neighborhood. The turnout was way more than any of the smaller events the ISBA had hosted in the past, which I think is a great sign. I loved that the event was right in the main part of the neighborhood. It was a great way to show off all the great things going on in Inman.
Boston Ballet's Sleeping Beauty
If our crazy week of city adventures couldn't get any busier, we celebrated Friday by going to the Boston Ballet's performance of Sleeping Beauty. We ended up getting there really early so we stopped in at Teatro for a pre-ballet drink. We could never say no to two seats at the bar at Teatro, right? This mojito hit the spot! It was the first warm day in forever and I was a bit parched after the train ride!
I love everything about going to the ballet~ getting dressed up, walking into the majestic lobby of the Opera House, and seeing the beautiful sets and costumes, not to mention fantastic dancing. I could not get over the sets in this production. I totally understand why they are bringing back the show next season. I'm already pondering which ballets I want to go to next year :-)
I love everything about going to the ballet~ getting dressed up, walking into the majestic lobby of the Opera House, and seeing the beautiful sets and costumes, not to mention fantastic dancing. I could not get over the sets in this production. I totally understand why they are bringing back the show next season. I'm already pondering which ballets I want to go to next year :-)
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