Harvard Square's Oktoberfest

Twice a year, Harvard Square puts on a big, outdoor festival- May Fair and Oktoberfest.  Oktoberfest is one of my favorite fall events of the year.  I love that it's on the Columbus Day long weekend, since I always feel ready to enjoy the day with the extra day off to prep for school.  

This year, the weather was perfect.  High 60s and lots of sunshine.  It definitely felt like fall, but it was so nice out that you could walk around for hours.  Our first stop was lunch at the Beat Hotel.  I had heard they were turning the space into a German Biergarten so I was excited to check it out.  The German band was great and definitely put us in the Oktoberfest mood!

After lunch we wandered around listening to the Honk bands and checking out all of the vendors.

We ended the day with drinks at the Legal's Outdoor Patio because we figured there weren't too many more chances to drink outside this year.

Casa de Portugal

A few Fridays ago I was totally beat.  It had been a rough week at school, and I had stayed in my classroom until almost 6:00 in an attempt to feel like I wasn't drowning.  JO had plans to go to a game night later in the evening so I figured I would be on my own for dinner.  I really needed a little city outing to get my mojo back, but I figured I would have to wait until Saturday.  But in true JO fashion, he was able to squeeze in a trip to Casa de Portugal before leaving for his game night.

Casa de Portugal is one of those things that makes Inman Square so great.  It's a family owned and run restaurant.  It's cozy and it makes you feel like you are somewhere in the North End, without having to leave your neighborhood.  The waitstaff always greets us with a warm welcome and the food is always yummy!  I decided to try a different meal this time, I always get the chicken with mushrooms, and it didn't disappoint.  The steak with mustard and wine sauce was so tasty, and came with the delicious Portuguese potatoes that are a staple here.  I felt so much better after dinner, and ready to enjoy the long weekend!

Sometimes you just need to be in your neighborhood to feel alive!

Oktoberfest 5K and Smoke This Rib Fest

 Some days are filled with so much fun city time that it almost doesn't seem fair :-)

A few Sundays ago we ran the Cambridge 5K Oktoberfest.  The race was great and the weather was perfect.  It started in Kendall Square, down Broadway near Harvard Square and back up Harvard Street to Kendall.  The course was a fast one, although it was a bit crowded towards the end.  After the race there was a big block party in the park next to Catalyst and Area IV.  I cut my time by over two minutes from the last race so I was pretty pleased.






After the race we headed home to get ready for the East Cambridge Smoke This Rib Festival.  This is a great even put on by the East Cambridge Business Association.  They close down a huge portion of Cambridge Street, tons of local restaurants cook up delicious ribs, and there is live music.  We had a great time tasting all of the ribs and trying to figure out which one we would vote for.  Our favorite was East by Northeast.  My friend and I had to stop after our 8th rib, but JO and his dad sampled all ten.  It really was a fun way to enjoy a fall day!

Cuteness Overload

For a while now, JO and I have been talking about getting a pet.  Since JO wants nothing to do with walking, and cleaning up after, a dog we settled on getting a kitten.  We were on the lookout for a gray kitten, with white paws, to adopt.  Well, we ended up finding two gray kittens with white paws.

Meet

Denali (or as we have nicknamed him- Fat Cat Tubber Cat)

and Rainier

So far the kittens are adjusting well.  I love how playful they are, especially when they are having "rumble" time.  JO even had an excuse to buy a jigsaw, which for some reason he has really been wanting, so that he could install a pet door in the extra bathroom.  JO also has had fun building box structures for the kittens.

Del Frisco's

I don't usually post about places outside of the city but Del Frisco's in Burlington deserves a shout out.  Over the summer my friend and I tried to have dinner here but were denied on a Wednesday night because we didn't have a reservation.  This time around, we made a reservation for a Friday night, and made sure to be on time since they don't hold your reservation for very long.

I really like the way the restaurant is set up.  There are two levels, with an upstairs roof deck.  Each floor has a bar, and the space is pretty open.  The lighting is a bit on the dim side, but it adds to the relaxed feel.

There are so many options on the menu so we spent some time analyzing before ordering.  We both enjoyed the pomegranate margarita which was a nice alternative to a traditional margarita.  We both had some questions about the appetizers and our waitress provided us with helpful advice.  We settled on two different apps- the grilled artichoke (who knew you could grill an artichoke) in a lemon vinaigrette and the steak egg rolls.  Both were delicious, especially the artichoke.  Although it was extremely messy to eat, I would go back just for the artichoke.  It was grilled and dressed perfectly and left you wanting even more.  The egg rolls were also a solid choice.

I got the steak salad for my entree, since it had the deviled eggs in it that I had wanted to try from the appetizer list and it didn't disappoint.  It was a hefty portion, with perfectly cooked pieces of steak, and lots of blue cheese.  What could be wrong?

Overall, I have to say that this was a really fun restaurant and a great addition to the Burlington restaurant scene.

Three Year Anniversary

Our anniversary tradition continued, with drinks at the Kendall Hotel followed by dinner at NuBar at the Sheraton Commander Hotel.  I love that these special places are so close that we can go back whenever we want, especially on our anniversary.  We had a great time reminiscing about our special day and all the fun we had with our friends and family.  

Summer Day (I mean Fall Day)

 The first weekend of October brought the most beautiful summer day of the year.  Yes, you read that correctly.  It was in the mid-eighties, no clouds in the sky, a soft breeze, and no humidity.  JO and I had set aside our entire day to enjoy the weather in the city.  We figured it would be one of the last outdoor days and we planned to take full advantage of the day!

Our plan was to do a little "lounge crawl" in the Seaport.  We would order drinks and an appetizer at a few different places.  Our first stop was the Barking Crab for steamers and beer.  After all, summer days call for steamers.  With the reggae band, yellow and red awning, and water views I almost thought we had driven to the Cape.

Our next stop was across the street at The Daily Catch.  Unfortunately, the only table they had for us had this view.

I kid you not, they actually said this was the "only" table they had and they hoped it was ok.  Ummm, yes...it was ok!  We ordered some salads, since vegetables had been seriously lacking in our diets, enjoyed the views and felt utterly relaxed.  We talked about how great our summer was and how much we have to look forward to this fall.


Then, we walked along the Harbor Walk, hung out in Faneuil Hall for a while (where we saw some huge Indian wedding), and then took the T over to Harvard Square.

We wandered around Harvard Square, enjoying all the people that were out on such a gorgeous day.  We didn't want the evening to end so we headed to Daedalus.  It was our lucky day because for some strange reason there was no wait for a table on the roof deck.  We enjoyed delicious food, a yummy cocktail, and the best day of the summer, even if it was in October.

Oleana

We've lived in Inman Square for five and half years, and in those five and half years we have walked by Oleana countless times and never tried it.  More than once, after telling someone where we live, and saying that we haven't eaten at Oleana, we've gotten the "you've got to be kidding" look.  We decided this had to change so two weeks in advance we made reservations for dinner on a Friday night.

Upon walking in I was kicking myself for not having gone earlier.  The atmosphere is absolutely lovely.  The hostess was very pleasant and led us to our table quickly.  The decor is middle eastern, but not over the top.  The color palette, of soft oranges, purples, and browns, gives the space a really cozy feeling.  The tile tabled give you a sense of the cuisine and ethnic flair of the restaurant.  The dinning room is split into two parts, by a 3/4 wall. One side is strictly dining, the other dining and bar area.  There is a wood burning stove in one corner, although I'm not sure if that is just decoration or not.

The menu is full of small plates and some main sized entrees.  We decided we would try a couple of small plates, and order main meals, so we could taste a lot of different dishes.  We started with the deviled eggs and they were pretty delicious.  I would never have thought of putting tuna on an egg but it really works.  The black olives were not overpowering, as evidenced by "Mr. Anti-Olive" JO eating them.

I got the lemon chicken, and JO had the halibut and we split the flattened potatoes.  The food is a true experience.  I love that there are definite middle eastern flavors, but nothing overpowering.  The lemon chicken was perfectly cooked, with a most delicious crust.  The lemon made the whole dish taste so vibrant and the flattened potatoes were the perfect accompaniment.  In fact, the potatoes were phenomenal and a reason to go back on their own.

Over the course of the night we had really been impressed by our waitress.  She was knowledgable, friendly, and authentic.  She gave us the scoop on the gorgeous patio, no reservations are accepted.  Instead, you have to get in line and hope for the best.   Get there early for the best chance for a patio table.  But what she did for us during our dessert course made me send an email to her boss the next day.  We had told her the story of how we had liven in the  neighborhood for a long time and never tried the restaurant.  We ordered the "special of the night" dessert but when she brought us our dessert she also included, free of charge, an order of the Turkish style profiteroles.  She explained that the dessert we picked was delicious but she wanted us to experience the profiteroles because they are the signature dish and our first visit wouldn't be complete without tasting them.  She was so right!  They were delicious, creamy, and covered in a sesame caramel sauce.

The restaurant is definitely pricey so we can't go here all the time, but we'll definitely be back!  Plus, the bar looks great so we could sneak in for drinks from time to time!  Overall, I give Oleana 4 stars...a true Inman Square gem!

Fall Classic 5K

Some how we managed to sign up for five 5Ks this fall, starting with the Fall Classic at the end of September.  Unfortunately, I acquired a lovely fall cold a few days before the race.  I was so disappointed because I didn't think I would be able to run the race.  I couldn't take a sick day to recover, since it was too early in the year (such is the life of a teacher.)

I went with JO to pick up the race gear and was still feeling like I wouldn't be able to do the race.  As the night went on I felt a little bit better and JO, and our friend Ernie, seized the opportunity to give me a mega pep talk.  All of a sudden, I was running the race and that was that.

I woke up in the morning, not feeling wonderful, but good enough to give it a try.  I went through my pre-race prep of coffee, cheerios, and gearing up.  It was pretty humid out and rather warm but I somehow managed to make it through the race.  It helped that the course was pretty flat, and one I was pretty familiar with.  I was a few minutes off my personal best, but that was to be expected, and I was so proud of myself for finishing.

After the race we enjoyed the post race party, complete with drinks and a DJ.  It was a beautiful day in the city and race number 1 was complete!  Only four more to go!

USA Basketball at Parlor Sports

We're gearing up for the new UConn Husky basketball season that starts soon.  When I heard that there was a women's USA Basketball game that was going to be televised we made sure to reserve the date for a trip to our favorite sports bar, Parlor Sports.

We hadn't been in all summer, so we spent some time catching up with our favorite bartender, John.  We talked sports, neighborhood, and jobs before we settled in to watch some UConn legends like Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, and Breanna Stewert play together and be coached by Geno Auriemma.  It was a really fun way to spend a Monday night in Inman Square!

Three Mile Island

Sometimes you just need to get away from everything.  School, the city, your condo, your mail, your schoolwork, your obligations, etc.  Each fall, my dad does just that by going to Three Mile Island on Lake Winnipesaukee.  It's an "unplugged" experience with no electricity, except in the lodge, and no real facilities.  Every year I whine in the days leading up to the trip because I have too much to do, and every year I get teary eyed when we leave.  I can't really put the experience into words, other than to say it changes you.  I also absolutely love getting to see my dad hang out with his friends.  He seems to shed twenty years and I love seeing him so happy.

This year it was a bit chilly, well downright cold, but it was still a lot of fun.  We had delicious meals, beautiful views, fun times playing cards and "Happy Hour" in the mist by the fire.

Brass Union

The first week of school left me exhausted and stressed.  So it's no surprise that JO found me curled up on the bed on the first Friday night of school at 6:30 p.m.  JO rallied me with threats of "loosing my city cred" and before I knew it we were headed out to find a patio table.  It was a beautiful night to sit outside, and in September you certainly start to feel the "threat of winter" and no more outdoor dining so you want to take advantage while you still can.

We found ourselves sitting on the patio at Brass Union surrounded by super-sized Connect 4 and Jenga.

I have to say, I really like this place.  The service is always very friendly and efficient and the food has yet to disappoint.  The menu focuses more on small plates, but they do offer a few entree sized options as well.  We each got a plate and then split an order of brussels sprouts with cheese.  I got the steak with porcini butter and cress salad, and although the portion isn't huge it's pretty filling and quite delicious.  The brussels are pretty addictive and the drink menu is solid.

We played a rather fun game of Jenga, although with pieces that big the game gets a little dangerous towards the end.  Neither of us wanted the night to end so we headed inside for cocktails and shuffleboard.  I had a lovely drink with rosemary, thyme, simple syrup, bubbles, gin, and lemon but I lost the shuffleboard.  

It was nice to be reminded that school is just a part of my life, not my whole life!  Thank goodness we live in an area with access to so many fun spots!

Beautiful Nights Under the Patio Lights

My school schedule had us going back to work for a day before enjoying a four day Labor Day weekend.  I had high hopes for one last hurrah before heading back to school for real, and Labor Day weekend didn't disappoint.

My main goal, crossing off the one and only thing I had on my "Summer Bucket List"~ drinks on the patio of the Belly Bar. I decided to only put one thing on my list this year, in order to guarantee success but it took me all the way to the end of summer to tackle this one.

Thankfully, we had a lovely Friday night, although I did need to wear a jacket, and we were able to get a table pretty easily.  I really love this bar and I don't think we go enough.  Our friend went with us, and the three of us split a bottle of red and some meats and cheeses.  The patio is absolutely beautiful and a hidden gem, in my opinion.  I really wish we had done this earlier, so we could've visited a few more times before the weather turned cold....but there's always next summer :-)

The next night we hung out with some of our good friends in the Seaport area.  JO and I had discovered this great spot, Tamo,  a week before when we were out and about.  When our friends wanted to extend the night past dinner we suggested we head back to Tamo. It didn't disappoint.  On a Saturday night, they were able to accommodate six people at a lovely table with couch seating.  The patio has some water views, but more importantly has a great, relaxed atmosphere.  We had a great time catching up with friends we don't get a chance to see anymore.  City nights are always extra special under those patio lights!