2 States
3 Days and 1 Night
130 Miles
6 Restaurants
13 Bakeries
2 Whole Foods Markets (total is now 66)
It was the third annual family gathering in Rhode Island. As usual, more traveling was incorporated to make the most of the time and cost. With all these trips to New England over four decades Boston is routinely crisscrossed and there is an occasional stop; but I haven’t played tourist there since 1989. It was overdue to get immersed in one of our country’s most historic cities (with Philadelphia) before and after Saturday’s family event.
Friday, July 13th, 2012
Direct to the airport after work for a direct flight to Logan. Subway from Logan underneath Boston Bay to downtown.
On the way to the Hyatt deliberately passed through the Downtown Crossing shopping district.
Checked in and getting to my room found it was upgraded. Yep, that girl at the front desk dug me.
Saturday, July 14th, 2012
The morning run went through Boston Common.
Up through Beacon Hill, a beautiful residential neighborhood just NW of downtown.
Along the Charles River.
And ended an hour later going up and down Newbury and Boyleston Streets. I kept looking for Spenser, Susan and Hawk. (Robert Parker fans will get that.)
The Parker House Hotel invented the Parker House Roll, Boston Scrod and Boston Cream Pie.
Placing my order the waiter declared, “Breakfast of champions!”
Granary Burying Ground holds the remains of Paul Revere, Samuel Adams and John Hancock; among other great Americans.
Made the hour drive to Barrington, Rhode Island on the eastern portion of Narragansett Bay to Uncle Ben and Aunt Betty’s.
Arrived to sadly find cousin Jeff and family could not make it as daughter Morgan was having kidney stone surgery. Fortunately she is fine.
In addition to our excellent hosts (back left & front right) appearing was Uncle Harry and his wife Joyce, cousin Michael, his wife Jean (2nd on right), adorable 8 year old daughter Lauren and Mom and stepdad Jim.
There was socializing.
There was eating. One does not go hungry at Aunt Betty’s.
Uncle Ben, Lauren and I went kayaking.
We were fortunate to have a beautiful day.
Uncle Ben, Uncle Harry, Jim and I went out on the boat.
At Uncle Harry’s age one spontaneously falls asleep or wets themselves. Maybe both.
More food!
Sunday, July 15th, 2012
Left Tiverton, Rhode Island and headed up highway 24 back to Boston.
Returned the rental and started hoofing it to the Park Plaza hotel in Back Bay.
“I’m hungry.” Altered the route to pass through Chinatown.
Because that means bakeries!
Preserved Egg Bun, Lotus Bean Paste.
Minced Meat Roll, Coconut Tart.
Duffel bag unburdened in the room hit the Freedom Trail of all the sites known so well to me from dozens of history books and biographies.
State House was built in 1798 on land owned by John Hancock.
Park Street Church, 1810.
Old South Meeting Hall was built in 1729. Benjamin Franklin was baptized here.
On December 16th, 1773 5,000 Bostonians crowded inside to debate what to do about the tea tax on the cargo from the British ship floating in the harbor. Samuel Adams gave a fiery speech and ultimately they decided to dress as Indians and dump the tea overboard.
See that group at the left? That is the Boston Massacre Site where on March 5th, 1770 British Army soldiers fired on provoking Bostonians. The subsequent propaganda ignited the American Revolution. The building is the Old State House where among many historical events the Declaration of Independence was first read in Boston from that balcony on July 18th, 1776.
In this chamber future president John Adams defended the British soldiers from the Boston Massacre attack.
How cool is this? Just imagine, John Hancock wore that. A gun from the Boston Massacre.
Faneuil Hall has housed shops on its ground floor since 1742...
...and a meeting room on its second floor. Just imagine the debates that occurred here! Samuel Adams, George Washington, Susan B. Anthony.
Quincy Market was built behind Faneuil Hall in 1826 to expand the merchant space.
Kept seeing myself at these same sites through the years.
Union Oyster House is the oldest restaurant in the U.S..
Bypassed the 2 floors of intricately decorated dining rooms to eat at the same oyster bar Daniel Webster would polish off 6 plates.
Platter of 4 oysters (2 Blue Point) and 2 cherrystones.
Blackstone Block is the last area of Boston with the original street pattern.
Isolated from the rest of Boston by water and Wharf District Park (which covers the Big Dig) the North End evokes a sense of deep history going back to 1630 interplaying with it being an Italian encalve since the early 1900s.
Italian you say? Won’t that mean bakeries? Oh, I have not failed you.
At Maria’s Pastry asked, “What is that?” squinting at a pile behind the counter. “Fried dough with nuts and honey.”
Cannoli at Modern Pastry Shop.
Lobstertail from Mike’s Pastry.
Opened in 1929, Vittoria Café is Boston’s first Italian café and doesn’t look like it has changed much including those tables of old Italian guys near the front door.
Paul Revere owned this home from 1770 to 1800.
The inside has been restored to his time and even includes some of his furniture. (And since pictures are not allowed these are artist’s renderings.)
One if by land, two if by sea. On April 18th, 1775 Paul Revere hung two lanterns from the steeple of Old North Church signaling the militia in Concord and Lexington that the British were coming by sea.
The church dates back to 1723 and provides a window into the worship of that era.
Walking away I glanced backward catching a glimpse of the steeple creating a lump in the throat imaging the battle for liberty just beginning that momentous night.
Headed out of North End.
Crossed the Charleston River to the Charleston Naval Works. This once very active port is now home to two ships. The USS Cassin Young served from 1943 to 1946 and 1951 to 1960.
The USS Constitution garnered its nickname Old Ironsides from cannonballs bouncing off its black painted wooden hull.
The Bunker Hill Monument is a bit of a misnomer.
• The battle took place at Breed’s Hill.
• We lost so why celebrate this battle? Well the British had a 42% casualty rate, which boasted American moral and ultimately the Brits lost this land.
Bunker Hill itself just oozes with Colonial charm.
Back across the river and through West End.
Beacon Hill must be the most charismatic residential neighborhood in any city.
Public Garden, 1837.
No. 9 Park
Gourmet Top 50, #43
G Top 40
5 AAA Diamonds
Boston Globe, 3 ½ stars
Boston Magazine Best Restaurants
Fresh asparagus, roasted squash, goat cheese
Yellowfin Tuna
Aji amarillo, marinated octopus, charred onion
Duet of Rohan Duck
Mushroom crepe, roasted fig, pistachio
Chamomile Cremeux
Rhubarb, yogurt, lemon
Monday, July 16th, 2012
Once again the Mizuno Wave Enigma’s provided the vehicle for experience. Ran through Chinatown, along the waterfront to South Boston, back to the Financial District and finalizing in Back Bay.
The architectural river cruise would be a way to combine a love of architecture with a unique viewpoint of the city. It started in Fort Point Channel,
headed into Boston Bay,
up the Charles River through the locks by the Zakim Bridge (note how the towers mimic the Bunker Hill Monument and cables the USS Constitution),
and past Back Bay and MIT before circling back.
L’Espalier
Gourmet Top 50, #3
G Top 40
4 Mobil Stars
5 AAA Diamond
James Beard Foundation awards
Boston Globe, 4 out of 4 stars
Boston Magazine Best Restaurants, #2
Summer Berry Salad with Apple Street Farm goat milk curd, tender greens, nasturtium leaf puree & walnut vinaigrette
Nova Scotia Halibut with new potato salad, soft boiled egg & native corn puree
This is Prudential Tower built in 1964. Bostonians hate it but don’t want it torn down so they have something to complain about.
This is the view from the 50th floor.
I like this shot as it shows Back Bay’s mix of retail and residential.
Headed south around the South End.
Finale is a restaurant focused on...deserts. Fruit Tart.
It’s a tradition.
What’s under that dome?
On the flight home sat next to a 4 year old who never stopped talking. She was adorable. Learned all about My Pretty Pony. She guessed I was 15. She wanted me to read my book to her until learning it was about economics.