Summer Vacation Starts and a Freezepop Show

 I made it.  I made it to summer vacation.  And unlike last year, I actually have a patio I can enjoy my mornings at.  I do miss walking into Harvard Square and I will forever treasure those mornings spent in Harvard Yard, but the ease of rolling out of bed and onto my patio for coffee and a book is just too good!

After sleeping for like 12 hours, I finally got back to working out.  I love, love, love my workout space in our new place and it was nice to be back at the barre.  I'm trying to get to 500 classes before OpenFit merges with Beach Body.  (Yes, I'm 44 and motivated by e-badges.)

We also went to the Freezepop show at the Crystal Ballroom.  This is a cool, new (well old but old in the sense that it used to be in Allston and moved over here recently) venue and Freezepop is always a fun band to see.

Before the show we had dinner at Five Horses Tavern in Davis, and I have to say, each time we go to Davis I wonder why we don't go here more often.  I really liked Five Horses and loved the variety on their menu.  Plus it was nice to get to enjoy a patio night.  

So far, summer vacation is meeting my expectations!

Spending Time in the Mountains Does a Body Good

 Because of snow days, we had a long weekend before the last day of school.  Finally having caught up on everything, I found myself with a lot of free time.  JO and I visited with his family for Father's Day.  We hung out in Ongonquit, Maine.  I'll never say no lunch with a view and bubbles by a fire pit.

The next day, we headed up to Mt. Moosilauke for a great day of hiking.  It was so nice to be up in the mountains and away from distractions.  This is my favorite hike in New England.  I love being above tree line and I actually love the windy weather you can encounter up on the summit.

We celebrated with a beer at the Woodstock Inn Brewery which is now going to be my go to destination after hiking this mountain.  

It certainly felt like I was on vacation, even though I really didn't want to come home for that last day.

Barn Star at Passim

 I've heard nothing but amazing things about a Barn Star show so when it popped up on the Passim calendar I grabbed tickets and didn't think twice.  

The show was on a Friday in June and to be honest, when I got home from school I was so tired I thought about skipping it.  Thankfully, I rallied.  I had no idea what to expect but I certainly wasn't expecting this:

The band basically threw all their songs and some random stuff (like storytelling) into a bingo ball dispenser and let it fly.  It was a night of great music and lots of laughs.  Just what I needed heading into the end of the school year.

Anamanaguchi at Big Night Live

When JO mentioned he was going to the Anamanaguchi show I decided to join him.  Anamanaguchi is a video game band.  I've seen them once before at a PaxEast and they are pretty fun.  Plus, I needed something to get through the end of school and it was in a new venue in the North Station area. 

The venue was very corporate and not that great, in my opinion, but the band put on quite the show, and being able to take the Green Line in and out made it super convenient.  

Swan Lake

 I had one last ballet for the season.  Some school stuff came up at the last minute and I wasn't able to go out to eat and JO had to be my Uber, but I made it and I'm so glad I did.  Swan Lake never disappoints but this particular performance was nothing short of exquisite.  I love all the modern ballets that Boston Ballet performs but there is something about this classic ballet, with it's beautiful costuming and multiple ensemble dances that blend seamlessly with the featured dances, that gets me every time.  I will never say no to seeing Swan Lake.  If I hadn't been to one of the last shows, I would have definitely gotten a ticket to another performance.  It has been such a pleasure to have live ballet back this year and I feel like the dancers were brining something extra to each of the shows I went to.  

Fox and The Knife~ Go Hungry Because You Will Want to Eat Everything

 A while back this pasta dish started popping up on my Instagram feed.  It was a ravioli carbonara at this restaurant in Boston called Fox and The Knife.  You could just tell from the picture that this dish was going to be delicious and beautifully crafted.  Like the love and care was coming through in a picture and that's not an exaggeration.  This was back in February so we weren't really booking reservations but this pasta dish kept showing up in my feed enough that I started following the restaurant.  Back in April I hit a wall where a dizzying combination of stress and angst for my old city life crashed into each other.  I opened a tab, set about getting a reservation (which isn't easy but isn't Contessa hard), and patiently waited until the end of May.  (Again, the weather was cool and I found myself having to wear not cute spring clothes, but I digress.)

First, let's start with the fact that this restaurant is just so cozy and cute.  There are lots of blue velvet, cognac leather chairs, a neon sign stating simply "Stay Foxy," funky tile floors at the bar that melt into perfectly worn wooden floors in the dining area.  There's a bar seating area and a cozy dining room space. The large, front features windows that open that I imagine would be great on a normal, warm spring night.  We were seated in the bar area which I enjoyed.  I could watch the bartender make drinks and since I also had a view of the open kitchen prep space I could watch the goings on there too.  

Our waitress asked us if this was our first time and I said yes and mentioned the carbonara ravioli dish.  She basically all but said she quit her regular job to become a waitress here because of that dish.  And after trying it myself, I think she was right to take the leap of faith.  We started with some drinks and I had to get the Aperol Spritz because it seemed to fit nicely with the Italian style of the restaurant.  JO got their version of a French 75 and it was delicious too!

Our waitress suggested ordering a bread item, a few apps, and then some pasta dishes.  We, of course, took her advice.  We started with the fried dough with mortadella (this was a miss for me but more because I don't like mortadella...JO wanted this one and I didn't want to be a dining dictator) and the burrata.  The burrata was topped with a warm walnut vinaigrette and crispy shallots and it was a whole vibe that was out of this world.  

We also got to try the sunchoke pasta dish by accident because of a mixup and it was out of this world.  It may have even been better than the carbonara ravioli.  

Then it was time for the the main courses.  JO got the bolognese, as he always does, and I got the life changing ravioli carbonara.  It's everything that is perfect about carbonara pasta neatly packaged in the most fluffy, light ravioli I have ever had.  They even put the egg inside so when you cut into the ravioli the egg runs through the sauce.  Like seriously, this is Iron Chef level stuff.

The meal was such a great experience that it didn't take me too long to book another table for later this week.  I was visiting with a friend the other day and she asked me if I had heard of this restaurant, "Some animal with a fork" and I basically went into a monologue about how amazing my experience had been.  

Seaport Day

JO and I decided to have a Seaport Day a few weeks ago, even though the weather wasn't exactly cooperating.  The sun kept dipping in and out of the clouds and the temps were cold enough to kind of need a puffer. 

We got this idea to go to the Lookout at the Envoy Hotel right when they opened because if you go any later you probably won't get up there.  This roof deck bar has what I would call, the best views of the city.  I love how you see the Faneuil Hall area and the hotels and the water and the bridge.  It's also always really hard to get up here so this was a nice treat.  

Spring Days in the City

 There are some spring days that are just too good to pass up.  No amount of school work or life stuff can stand in the way of getting out and enjoying the sunshine.  A few weekends ago, we had one of those days.  As much as I felt like I needed to do work, I knew I needed to get out and enjoy this spring city day more!

JO and I took the Green Line over to Lechmere (how convenient) for a picnic in North Point Park.  We got off the train and walked over to Tatte to get some food.  Then we wondered through North Point until we found the perfect picnic spot with a great view.

It was so nice to just relax. I feel like I really never have time for that and when I do, I tend to get stressed out about how I need to relax 😜. So sitting in this park, on a beautiful spring day was just what I needed to remind myself to take a little time for myself.

Boston Ballet's Mindscape

 May found me having to find a new pre-ballet routine (and wearing not spring clothes again due to chilly temps) since Teatro had officially closed.  Teatro checked so many (well all of) the boxes when it comes to perfect place to eat before the ballet.  I was having a hard time thinking of an alternative so I tried The Last Hurrah at the Omni Parker.  I love the Last Hurrah for it's historical charm and cozy atmosphere.

In terms of location, it's perfect for me because I can get off the Green Line at Government Center and walk right over.  (check)

It was surprisingly crowded but I did mange to get a spot at the bar.  The British guy next to me kept falling asleep and at one point the bartender had to ask him to leave.  This wasn't a big deal but did make for some funny catching of the eyes between me and the bartender.  (neutral- I don't want to go to a place where it's stressful to get a spot at the bar but I think I could've gotten a small window table so I guess it wasn't a big deal.)

The drink menu no longer features a good prosecco which was kind of a bummer but I got a cocktail and it was really great.  (strike for no bubbles but check for a good drink)

The food menu is limiting.  There really isn't much on there, although everything I got was yummy and decently priced.  Teatro had this amazing antipasto board and it was perfect for munching and killing time, if needed.  Which on this night I need to kill time because I had gotten there much earlier than I was expecting.  (strike- the food tasted good but it didn't lend itself to the experience I was really looking for)

Let's talk location again- this was great because I could easily walk a few blocks to the theater.  It's a fun walk past the park and I always do love walking in the city.

Now let's talk the ballet.  Mindscape was exactly that, a landscape for your mind.  The three acts were so different and so beautifully performed.  When it was over it left me wishing I had tickets to another performance so I could take it all in again.  (Also, shout out to Boston Ballet for still having a vax and mask policy.)

Trade Again

We headed back to Trade, the fantastic Greek restaurant in the South Station area, on a cool day in May.  (I remember it being cool because I was annoyed that I couldn't wear spring clothes!) This place is fast becoming my favorite spot in the city.  It's the perfect combination of bohemian decor, music that adds but doesn't distract, lighting that makes everything look better, and food that is just so, so good without any crazy tricks.  

After our second meal there I can definitely say, this place is not a one hit wonder and it deserves to be in the rotation regularly!

Sub Rosa at Passim

 A few weeks after the Ellie show, we were back at Passim for the Sub Rosa show.  This is the show that introduced us to Passim, and for that I will be forever thankful.  It's also a show that features all of our favorite local acts so it's always one we look forward to.  This show was also like a reunion in some ways.  Before March 2020, we would see these artists quite regularly at Passim or other venues in our area.  It was great to see that these artists had survived.  I'm sure they would say they owe a lot of that to Club Passim, who pivoted almost instantly to livestreams and fundraised thousands and thousands of dollars to support musicians at a time when they couldn't play live shows.

This is my regular push~ get yourself to Passim, you won't be disappointed.

Lucius at The Road Runner

 Like I said, we are slowly easing back into "regular life."  I'm still not a huge fan of going to super crowded indoor places but I couldn't resist getting tickets to Lucius' show at The Road Runner.  I discovered Lucius when they opened for one of my favorite bands many years ago.  I instantly got hooked on their vintagy style, cool melodies, and overall awesome vibe.  JO and I had gone to one of their shows a while back and had had a really great time.  

This shows was fantastic.  I'll let the pictures do the talking (or should I say, writing!) Also, The Road Runner is an excellent venue.

Loving Life in Somerville (But I still miss Cambridge)

 We did our first real Somerville thing a while back.  We attended our first Porch Fest as residents of Somerville.  We made a whole Union Square day of it. The weather was gorgeous and it was just one of those days that you knew you would forget about anything on your to do list so you could soak up every last bit of warm weather.  (This spring had been so windy and cool that when this gorgeous day rolled around you couldn't help but enjoy it.)

We started by hitting up Union Square Donuts

Followed by wine and oysters (and patio puppies) at Bow Market

Before checking out the various musical acts in our area

We stopped at the Tower of course

When we got home, we continued the fun by enjoying our fabulous patio!

My heart will always be in Cambridge but Somerville life is treating us really well and I can't complain.