oh...boston.
For posterity and myself (shitty memory, be damned!):
-Thursday, 7/3: Worked half a day. Got yelled at by a patient over the phone, which made me cry in front of a few of my classmates. Embarrassing, to say the least. Dr. Williams took care of it for me. Came home, called Kris and said that I might not be coming to Boston. She told me to come. I packed my bags and sailed off around 1:30 PM. Sat in traffic in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. Rush hour right before a three-day weekend is an absolute bitch. What a nightmare. Finally made it to Cambridge around 9:30 PM. Had a joyous reunion with wifey. I was delirious at this point. We decided to get a bottle of wine. There was much debate at the liquor store, but Kris finally chose a nice muscadet. She had forgotten her ID at home, and the cashier (who recognized Kris) gave her a hard time about it, in a motherly sort of way. Since Dunkin Donuts is right next door, we went in and got two "healthy" donuts: apple spice and lemon. I don't think I needed the wine, but we drank and talked and munched happily until around 2:30.
-Friday, 7/4: I woke up at 7:45. This is what almost always happens when I drink: I fall asleep just fine, but can't sleep much later than 7 or so. Kris was sleeping peacefully, so I took my beloved Step 2 Secrets and my trusty notebook to the couch, where I proceeded to finish off GI and general surgery for the next hour and 45 minutes. Kris woke up and we sat around and talked some more. Apparently, we had a lot to discuss!
I showered and went over to my brother's place. He gave me a great hug (he's the perfect height and hugs so tightly), then introduced me to his roommate and their two overnight guests. The grand tour commenced. His place is falling apart in some ways, but rather comfortable in others. We walked to S & S in the rain/mist. Mmmm bagel with lox! I discovered that my digital camera battery was dead :( We talked for a while, then went to his lab, where he borrowed a tripod and showed me around. Back at his place, he played me some music and we waited for his girlfriend. Once she arrived, we went to their friend Angela's place for a little barbecue. Kris arrived a little while later. We decided to park at the Prospect St. Whole Foods and walk into Boston from there. Walked down Newbury St. for a while, stepping into some shops here and there. Couldn't resist the big sale at Lucky. Had a long-ish dinner at BarLola (most memorable items: awesome sangria, the small paella, the little crostini with anchovies, baked dates wrapped in bacon, the incredible flan, and the yummy, interesting tarta de queso).
Walking back across Mass Ave was rather surreal. The street was closed to vehicles, and people were just pouring across the bridge. Kris got some good photos. We spent quite a while trying to locate Leo's crew. They had set up a blanket someplace near the MIT sailing pavilion, but it was mighty crowded! I kept calling Leo's cell and getting his voice mail, but finally he texted me to say that they were "past food, before pottys," which was perfect. His crew is fun. They were painting each other's nails red, white and blue and playing Scrabble with just tiles when we arrived. Kris and I tried to paint my nails blue, which was a hilarious feat accomplished by holding a flashlight and trying not to smear the nail polish. The fireworks display was phenomenal. Our vantage point was pretty much perfect. What a lovely evening. I was SO delighted to see that my car was the last car in the Whole Foods parking lot (I think this was around 11:45 PM), and even happier at the wonderful route that my GPS provided us with when I asked it to avoid the traffic-filled Mass Ave.
Saturday, 7/5: I had set my alarm for 7:45 in order to feed the parking meter, but we ended up just getting up and not going back to bed. We drove out to Wellesley and discovered Cafe Mangal to be closed for the long weekend! How very sad. We consoled ourselves with sausage, egg and cheese sandwiches at Rosie's, then made a requisite stop at The Cheese Shop (hello, perfect five-star reviews!). We sampled a few recommended cheeses and decided on a lovely brie and a delicious gruyere, along with two of the amazing Vosges chocolate bars (white chocolate and olive and the red fire bar, in case you were wondering!) These goodies sat in the car while were traipsed about Wellesley's campus for a good while, snapping photos and exclaiming over and over again, "We went to school here. Do you realize that we went to school here??" It is just too gorgeous for words. In summer, it is so quiet and serene. It's incredibly lush, too. I don't think I've ever seen it so green and overgrown with vegetation, although I was probably just too busy to notice. Sigh. I kind of fell in love with the Wang. That building is all to beautiful, and I wish it had been there when we were students.
Of course, we ventured over the Stone-D. We sat in the courtyard for a while, pondering how to get into the building. It was so odd to be outside of the building that was our home for four years, and feel as though we were trespassing. I dissuaded Kris from attempting to climb into an open window and we walked around the front. Who should we find there but DON! He had just arrived from the Ville with Starbucks coffee for Sylvia and Emily. We were so happy to see him, and he was thrilled to see us. Sylvia let us in and we stood around the bell desk and talked for a while. Then Don offered us the master key to the dorm, so that we could visit our old rooms! Amazing. We first stopped in the living room, where we commenced our lunges. It was for old time's sake; we used to do lunges across the dorm as exercise. My glutes and hamstrings are on serious fire today. After the lunges, we went into our first year rooms, Kris' sophomore year room, and then went up to the fourth floor to visit my sophomore year room. We didn't knock on the door, since we thought there was no one living in the dorm. Oops! I unlocked the door, discovered a girl watching TV, said, "I'm so sorry!" and walked out quickly. Kris knocked politely and did damage control. Thank goodness she's less uncouth than I.
After our Wellesley adventure, we went back to Cambridge and met up with Jeff for a lunch-type meal. I had chili cheese fries (yum) and we chatted aimlessly. Walked back to Whole Foods (parking location of choice), drove to Coolidge Corner for a bit of shopping before meeting Elaine. Kris had a crepe at the Paris Creperie and then we went to the Brookline Booksmith. I freaking love that place. Such a good selection of used and new books, coupled with the large collection of eclectic gifts and cards. Fun. We then headed over to Good Vibes (don't know what's up with all the negative reviews), where we met up with Elaine and browsed for quite some time. Then we had the most incredible dinner at Shiki. If you're in or around Boston, I highly recommend this place. Elaine is a total genius for suggesting it. Favorites: the broiled mackarel (oh my god, so salty and fatty and delicious), scallop tartare, ochazuke with cod roe (this beautifully presented "Japanese comfort food"--a bowl of artfully molded rice, topped with shiso leaf, seaweed, some herbs, and the roe, accompanied by a teapot of broth. you pour the broth over the rice, mix it around, and eat it as a hearty soup. simple and tasty), broiled eel with poached egg, and the incredible beef tataki. YUM. It was incredibly affordable, too! Eight of the little plates only cost about $62 total.
Following this dinner, I went to a party for one of my brother's astro grad friends and spent quite some time talking to Jenny (Leo's new-ish girlfriend). She's so sweet, and quite funny. I like her a lot, and they seem very happy together. Yay!
Sunday, 7/6: Got up at 8:45. Showered, packed, went to Porter Square Books for sweet breakfast goodies, stopped at CVS for cash back and nail polish, went back to the bookstore to buy a few fresh Vietnamese rolls, and hit the road after saying goodbye to my kitty. Was home by 5 PM. Not too bad.
It was a wonderful weekend. Kris is undoubtedly a friend for life and one of the most important people, and I am sad that she's moving to the west coast this fall. Boo! I will just have to visit. My brother was so sweet. He introduced me to everyone, made me feel so welcome, and just acted like such an adult. It's strange to interact as independent adults, outside the context of our family unit. It is very comforting to know that our friendship will continue into our adult lives.
Photos will be posted soon. I know you're all waiting on the edge of your seats!
-Thursday, 7/3: Worked half a day. Got yelled at by a patient over the phone, which made me cry in front of a few of my classmates. Embarrassing, to say the least. Dr. Williams took care of it for me. Came home, called Kris and said that I might not be coming to Boston. She told me to come. I packed my bags and sailed off around 1:30 PM. Sat in traffic in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. Rush hour right before a three-day weekend is an absolute bitch. What a nightmare. Finally made it to Cambridge around 9:30 PM. Had a joyous reunion with wifey. I was delirious at this point. We decided to get a bottle of wine. There was much debate at the liquor store, but Kris finally chose a nice muscadet. She had forgotten her ID at home, and the cashier (who recognized Kris) gave her a hard time about it, in a motherly sort of way. Since Dunkin Donuts is right next door, we went in and got two "healthy" donuts: apple spice and lemon. I don't think I needed the wine, but we drank and talked and munched happily until around 2:30.
-Friday, 7/4: I woke up at 7:45. This is what almost always happens when I drink: I fall asleep just fine, but can't sleep much later than 7 or so. Kris was sleeping peacefully, so I took my beloved Step 2 Secrets and my trusty notebook to the couch, where I proceeded to finish off GI and general surgery for the next hour and 45 minutes. Kris woke up and we sat around and talked some more. Apparently, we had a lot to discuss!
I showered and went over to my brother's place. He gave me a great hug (he's the perfect height and hugs so tightly), then introduced me to his roommate and their two overnight guests. The grand tour commenced. His place is falling apart in some ways, but rather comfortable in others. We walked to S & S in the rain/mist. Mmmm bagel with lox! I discovered that my digital camera battery was dead :( We talked for a while, then went to his lab, where he borrowed a tripod and showed me around. Back at his place, he played me some music and we waited for his girlfriend. Once she arrived, we went to their friend Angela's place for a little barbecue. Kris arrived a little while later. We decided to park at the Prospect St. Whole Foods and walk into Boston from there. Walked down Newbury St. for a while, stepping into some shops here and there. Couldn't resist the big sale at Lucky. Had a long-ish dinner at BarLola (most memorable items: awesome sangria, the small paella, the little crostini with anchovies, baked dates wrapped in bacon, the incredible flan, and the yummy, interesting tarta de queso).
Walking back across Mass Ave was rather surreal. The street was closed to vehicles, and people were just pouring across the bridge. Kris got some good photos. We spent quite a while trying to locate Leo's crew. They had set up a blanket someplace near the MIT sailing pavilion, but it was mighty crowded! I kept calling Leo's cell and getting his voice mail, but finally he texted me to say that they were "past food, before pottys," which was perfect. His crew is fun. They were painting each other's nails red, white and blue and playing Scrabble with just tiles when we arrived. Kris and I tried to paint my nails blue, which was a hilarious feat accomplished by holding a flashlight and trying not to smear the nail polish. The fireworks display was phenomenal. Our vantage point was pretty much perfect. What a lovely evening. I was SO delighted to see that my car was the last car in the Whole Foods parking lot (I think this was around 11:45 PM), and even happier at the wonderful route that my GPS provided us with when I asked it to avoid the traffic-filled Mass Ave.
Saturday, 7/5: I had set my alarm for 7:45 in order to feed the parking meter, but we ended up just getting up and not going back to bed. We drove out to Wellesley and discovered Cafe Mangal to be closed for the long weekend! How very sad. We consoled ourselves with sausage, egg and cheese sandwiches at Rosie's, then made a requisite stop at The Cheese Shop (hello, perfect five-star reviews!). We sampled a few recommended cheeses and decided on a lovely brie and a delicious gruyere, along with two of the amazing Vosges chocolate bars (white chocolate and olive and the red fire bar, in case you were wondering!) These goodies sat in the car while were traipsed about Wellesley's campus for a good while, snapping photos and exclaiming over and over again, "We went to school here. Do you realize that we went to school here??" It is just too gorgeous for words. In summer, it is so quiet and serene. It's incredibly lush, too. I don't think I've ever seen it so green and overgrown with vegetation, although I was probably just too busy to notice. Sigh. I kind of fell in love with the Wang. That building is all to beautiful, and I wish it had been there when we were students.
Of course, we ventured over the Stone-D. We sat in the courtyard for a while, pondering how to get into the building. It was so odd to be outside of the building that was our home for four years, and feel as though we were trespassing. I dissuaded Kris from attempting to climb into an open window and we walked around the front. Who should we find there but DON! He had just arrived from the Ville with Starbucks coffee for Sylvia and Emily. We were so happy to see him, and he was thrilled to see us. Sylvia let us in and we stood around the bell desk and talked for a while. Then Don offered us the master key to the dorm, so that we could visit our old rooms! Amazing. We first stopped in the living room, where we commenced our lunges. It was for old time's sake; we used to do lunges across the dorm as exercise. My glutes and hamstrings are on serious fire today. After the lunges, we went into our first year rooms, Kris' sophomore year room, and then went up to the fourth floor to visit my sophomore year room. We didn't knock on the door, since we thought there was no one living in the dorm. Oops! I unlocked the door, discovered a girl watching TV, said, "I'm so sorry!" and walked out quickly. Kris knocked politely and did damage control. Thank goodness she's less uncouth than I.
After our Wellesley adventure, we went back to Cambridge and met up with Jeff for a lunch-type meal. I had chili cheese fries (yum) and we chatted aimlessly. Walked back to Whole Foods (parking location of choice), drove to Coolidge Corner for a bit of shopping before meeting Elaine. Kris had a crepe at the Paris Creperie and then we went to the Brookline Booksmith. I freaking love that place. Such a good selection of used and new books, coupled with the large collection of eclectic gifts and cards. Fun. We then headed over to Good Vibes (don't know what's up with all the negative reviews), where we met up with Elaine and browsed for quite some time. Then we had the most incredible dinner at Shiki. If you're in or around Boston, I highly recommend this place. Elaine is a total genius for suggesting it. Favorites: the broiled mackarel (oh my god, so salty and fatty and delicious), scallop tartare, ochazuke with cod roe (this beautifully presented "Japanese comfort food"--a bowl of artfully molded rice, topped with shiso leaf, seaweed, some herbs, and the roe, accompanied by a teapot of broth. you pour the broth over the rice, mix it around, and eat it as a hearty soup. simple and tasty), broiled eel with poached egg, and the incredible beef tataki. YUM. It was incredibly affordable, too! Eight of the little plates only cost about $62 total.
Following this dinner, I went to a party for one of my brother's astro grad friends and spent quite some time talking to Jenny (Leo's new-ish girlfriend). She's so sweet, and quite funny. I like her a lot, and they seem very happy together. Yay!
Sunday, 7/6: Got up at 8:45. Showered, packed, went to Porter Square Books for sweet breakfast goodies, stopped at CVS for cash back and nail polish, went back to the bookstore to buy a few fresh Vietnamese rolls, and hit the road after saying goodbye to my kitty. Was home by 5 PM. Not too bad.
It was a wonderful weekend. Kris is undoubtedly a friend for life and one of the most important people, and I am sad that she's moving to the west coast this fall. Boo! I will just have to visit. My brother was so sweet. He introduced me to everyone, made me feel so welcome, and just acted like such an adult. It's strange to interact as independent adults, outside the context of our family unit. It is very comforting to know that our friendship will continue into our adult lives.
Photos will be posted soon. I know you're all waiting on the edge of your seats!