Dumping House, Spring Classic 5K, and the Tatte Bakery

Burger and burrito places seem to be popping up all over the place in Cambridge.  I mean, you can't go one block in Harvard Square without hitting a Shake Shack, Tasty Burger, Flat Patties, Fillipe's, or Taco Truck.  That being said, a similar situation is happening along Mass Ave., but with dumplings.  I have to say I'm not sad about this recent development.  Who doesn't love a good dumpling?

 JO and I were in Central Square to pick up our bibs for the Spring Classic 5K.  We grabbed our bibs, shirts, and glasses at the Asgard and were headed home when the Dumpling House caught our eye.  We decided to give it a try.

The Dumpling House is a very simple restaurant, offering seating for about 20 people.  They have a couple of options for soup- miso and hot and sour.  The dumpling selection is small, maybe 8-10 options total and a "special dumpling of the day."  Additionally, they serve a few teas and smoothie drinks.  The prices can't be beat, and each serving of dumplings has 4-6 good sized dumplings on the plate.

We really enjoyed both dumplings we tried, and the sauces were a good compliment to the dumpling itself.  By no means is this the best food I have ever had but it's a great option for an inexpensive, tasty lunch or dinner.  My only complaint was the miso soup.  It's got quite a kick, thanks to a lot of black pepper, which I liked at first but after a few sips I found the soup inedible.  It's definitely a good addition to Central Square, since I find the dining options a bit limited in that area.

The next day we ran the Spring Classic 5K.  It was another great race through Central Square and Cambridgport.  I wish I had studied the route map a bit more though, because I had trouble pacing myself towards the end.  Unfortunately it was raining so we didn't stay too long at the after-party.

Instead, we chose to try to find a place for brunch.  We had thoughts of going to the Friendly Toast in Kendall Square but as we were looking for parking we noticed the Tatte Bakery.  I'd been hearing good things about this place so we decided to try it.  I really enjoyed my croque monsieur and the coffee was excellent.  We all agreed it was a great cafe!

Spring Perfection

 As my April vacation winded down I was desperate to soak up some much needed city time before heading back to school for the race to the last day of school.  The time from April Vacation to the last day of school is absolutely crazy for elementary teachers and I knew I needed my city meter to be completely full before heading back.

A good friend happens to be in between jobs right now, so when she suggested we get pedicures and then hang out at her place on Comm Ave for the night I eagerly said yes.  Spring's arrival is truly reality when you get your first pedicure of the season :-)

After visiting a nail salon on Newbury Street (sometimes I have to pinch myself to remind myself that this is my life now) we headed back to her apartment.  A while later the rest of our crew joined us and were eating guacamole and salsa on the stoop, sipping on some festive drinks, on a perfect spring night.

As we watched the sun set over the famous Citgo sign I couldn't help but smile.

Some nights, simply taking in the beauty of the city, is all I need to be reenergized!

Boston Public Library Memorial Display

Maybe I should have gone to the Marathon Memorial Display at the BPL prior to going to the marathon but I wasn't able to fit it into my schedule until the day after the marathon.  The memorial display included lots of memorabilia that was left at the bombing memorial on Boylston.  I could go on and on about how moving this display was but I'll let the pictures do the talking.

After touring the display I headed to the courtyard cafe to grab some lunch before finding a table in the courtyard to sit at.  The courtyard at the BPL is absolutely stunning and is pretty much an oasis in the hustle and bustle of Back Bay.  It was another gorgeous spring day and another perfect April vacation day for me!  I definitely want to head back to the courtyard for more al fresco dining, especially since you can bring your own food!

Marathon Monday

 I could use the same old excuse, too much school work, to explain my recent absence, but in reality it was that I never felt like I had the time necessary to commit to a post about Marathon Monday.

After the bombings last year, Boston vowed to go on, to host a bigger, stronger marathon the following year, and I vowed to be there.  I felt compelled to be out and about in the city on Marathon Monday and to celebrate my city.

Marathon Monday 2014 was a beautiful spring day.  After a long, grueling winter it was the kind of day that makes you happy.  The sun was shining, there was a slight breeze, and all the flowers were blooming in the city.  I suppose it was a bit too hot for the runners, but as a spectator I couldn't have asked for much more.

When I got off the train at Park Street I was greeted by these stealthy looking helicopters that were apparently sweeping for radioactive material.

I decided to head down to the finish line area to see if I could get in.  Security was tight but after a quick bag check and wanding I found myself walking down a near empty Newbury Street.  I don't remember shops being closed on Newbury Street during prior marathons, but maybe the security had something to do with it.  It was a bit surreal to be walking down the center of the street, but it was oddly peaceful at the same time.

After a short walk, I headed over to Boylston Street.  It was fun to see the city all decked out for Marathon Monday.

I found myself walking up the street, past the finish line, and behind the infamous grandstands that were the center of the first explosion last year.  There was a respectful restraint in the crowd, and it seemed appropriate.  Everyone was having fun, but everyone was remembering back a year ago.

I kept walking until I got to the intersection with the large jumbo-tron tv and was able to watch the race for a while.  The crowd cheered every time they showed the American leaders.  While I watched the race I took in the crowd around me.  I remembered back to those first few hours last year, after the bombing, when everything seemed so horrible and hopeless.  Boston was really back!  We were standing on Boylston, cheering on the runners, on Patriots Day in April!

I stayed there for quite a while before heading up to Comm Ave. to meet up with some friends.  We watched the runners make the turn onto Comm Ave. and go under the overpass.  Everyone you looked you say Boston Strong shirts and you couldn't help but feel the strength in the city.

We headed over to Deuxave for lunch.  Marathon Monday is the only day Deuxave is open for lunch and it was well worth it.  We sat inside, me with a gorgeous view of the Prudential Building, my friends with views of the hustle and bustle outside.  Deuxave prides itself of farm to table, clean flavored foods and they didn't disappoint.  We reminisced about the feelings and emotions we all experienced a year ago.  It was cathartic to talk about that dark time on this beautiful city day.

After lunch we headed back to our friend's house on Comm Ave. and spent the rest of the afternoon watching the racers from her stoop.  At one point some runners who had finished the race and were headed back to their hotel stopped and thanked our friends for their help last year.  People living all along Comm Ave. raced out of their buildings last year when the race was stopped to pass out food and clothing.  These runners said they came back this year to repay the city of Boston and to give them something to celebrate.  (I'm actually tearing up as I write this because it was that touching.)

None of us wanted the day to end so when JO asked if he should join us when he got back from work, of course the answer was yes.

We all headed over to Piattini Wine Cafe for some outdoor dining.  It was great to see the racers walk by, off to celebrate their accomplishments.  It was a quintessential spring day in the city but it was so much more than just a day out in the city.  It was a day to take back our city and to cleanse it off all the sadness associated with last year's marathon.  I'm thankful I got to experience this special day in the city.  #BostonStrong

Puritan and Co

I say it all the time, but one of the things I love most about our neighborhood is how the local restaurants really take the time to get to know their neighborhood regulars.  For example, after my Huskies won two national championships, Parlor Sports presented me with a signed bottle of Geno Auriemma wine.  Neighborhood love has also been on display at another of our favorites, Puritan and Co.

JO's parents came down for Easter and his brother's birthday.  We had lunch in Harvard Square but wanted to get dessert around Inman because we love showing off our neighborhood.  We headed over to Puritan and Co. and they were nice enough to seat us for dessert and drinks, even though it was super busy and they were in the middle of dinner service.  

And just last weekend, when I was having a serious case of the Sunday Blues/house hunting stress we headed over to Puritan for dessert and a drink only to find out that they were doing a Mother's Day dinner and closing earlier than usual.  They could have easily turned us away, but instead they opened up some seats at the bar for us because people were still finishing their meals.  They didn't have to do this, but they did, and it was really sweet.  We had fun catching up with the bartender, since we hadn't been in there for a while.  He even overheard us talking about paint colors and offered to find out the name of the paint they used on the walls of the restaurant.  

Inman is such a special neighborhood and I can't imagine living anywhere else!

State Park

After our lovely spring day in the city we decided to go out for dinner in Kendall Square.  It was still pretty nice out so we figured we could eat outside at Tommy Doyle's.  As I've said in the past, Tommy Doyle's is one of the few places in Cambridge that you can pretty much guarantee an outside table.   When we got there it was totally empty so we grabbed a table and placed our order.  Much to our demise, the temp dropped pretty quickly but we gutted it out.  We were both shivering when dinner was over so we decided to check out a new bar across the courtyard.

I had heard about State Park on a Boston blog and was intrigued.  The bar is underground and you enter through an old screen door that reminded me of what you would see at your grandparents' house.  The "vestibule," for lack of a better word, is covered in wooden shingles.

JO and I had trouble figuring out exactly how to describe this place to our friends.  The best we could do was to liken State Park to a "nouveau wilderness bar."  The interior looks like it's been around for ages.  The bar has action figures planted between the liquor bottles and the walls are adorned by tons of retro Budweiser neon signs.  There are a couple of pool tables, pinball machines, and a shuffle board table to keep you occupied.  The menu is eclectic and features lots of new spins on retro foods.

I give this place major props for pulling off the setting so perfectly.  Even though it's only been open for a few months, State Park has the feel of a bar that's been around for many years and has lots of stories to tell.

First Signs of Spring

April vacation started with the first really nice day of spring.  It also happened to be the opening day for the Swan Boats.  JO and I headed into the city for a "city morning."  We have this running joke that we aren't really a city couple since we don't walk around sipping coffee on the weekend mornings.  So on this day, I got a coffee and JO got a tea in Central Square, took the train to Charles MGH, and walked down Charles Street towards the Public Gardens.

Charles Street is such a beautiful street in the city and I'm remiss that we don't spend more time there.  I love the architecture and quaint shops.  We took our time, popping into some of the antique shops along the way.  After such a long, cold winter it was nice to be able to be outside without shivering.

Eventually, we made our way to the Public Gardens.  Across the way we could see the Commons being set up for the marathon on Monday.  It dawned on us that exactly a year ago we were stuck inside during the "Shelter in Place" order.  A year ago, we could only stare outside as a beautiful spring day passed us by.  It made the whole walk even that much better.

We were fortunate that there wasn't a long line at the Swan Boats.  The Swan Boats is one of my favorite places in the city.  No matter how stressed I feel, the 15 minute ride can melt it all away.

 Loved the Ducklings all ready for the Marathon.

After the boat ride we walked back up Charles Street and had lunch outside at a small cafe.  It really was a perfect way to start vacation!