Last week I had the chance to spend roughly 36 hours in Boston with one of my best friends. I was able to fit in this mega-quick visit on my way to Rhode Island and even though it was short stay, it was totally worth it. I flew in Thursday evening and cabbed over to my friends’ beautiful Beacon Hill apartment. If I were to move to Boston, this is the area I’d live in (heck, I’d take her apartment, too!). We had such a fun weekend catching up, exploring the neighborhood and eating some delicious food (not to mention getting stuck in some torrential downpours along the way).
Here are a few highlights and recommendations I managed to squeeze in during this speedy trip:
- Explore Beacon Hill: Walk through Boston Commons and the Public Garden. If you’re feeling adventurous. go on a boat ride in the Public Gardens. That’s definitely on my list for next time! Keep walking through the garden and you’ll hit the scenic Back Bay neighborhood.
- Shop on Newbury Street: We didn’t actually have a chance to shop, but strolling down Newbury Street I was able to see the dozens (possibly hundreds?) of amazing stores. It’s probably a good thing I didn’t have time to shop or else I might have done some serious damage! We did make a stop at Stephanie’s on Newbury for a delicious lunch eaten out on the patio. I had the tuna melt and it was delectable. I did notice that a lot of Boston restaurants don’t have a brunch menu on Saturdays (including Stephanie’s) so if you’re heart is set on brunch, make sure to check the menus ahead of time.
- Walk along the Charles River: On my first night in Boston, we took a long walk through the neighborhood and ended up walking along the Charles. It was so neat to see how many people were out enjoying the summer evening. My favorite thing to do on vacation is experience a city as if I actually lived there. I think if I were to move to Boston, I would spend hours every week taking long walks along the river with The Husband and Digby, just people watching and enjoying the city.
- ICA First Fridays: Explore the Institute of Contemporary Art on the first Friday of the month while enjoying a beer, indulging in freshly shucked oysters and listening to a DJ. It’s an awesome way to spend a Friday night and even if you can only make it on a different day, this very modern museum is still totally worth a visit.
- Drink: We checked out this bar and although it’s nothing like most of the bars I frequent, it was a lot of fun. It’s definitely going for the hip, exclusive vibe, and it’s working. It’s seems like there’s generally a long wait to get in and once inside a bartender comes to your table to help talk about and then design your perfect drink. It’s worth checking out if you’re in the area and looking for something a bit different than your average bar.
I can’t wait to make another trip when I can spend some more time in the city.
Happy travels!
And we’re tired! We had a fantastic time exploring the east coast but as always, it’s wonderful to be back home. Have a great Wednesday!
I’ve been in Hallifax, Nova Scotia for the last few days and today I leave for Boston and Rhode Island to visit friends and attend a wedding. I haven’t been to Boston in ages and I’ve never been to Rhode Island so I’m really excited to see what type of adventures are in store!
Hope you’re all having a great week.
*Not a bad hotel view, huh?
A few weeks ago I was looking for a fun way to spend the afternoon and I remembered reading about a little known labyrinth in the “Hidden Los Angeles” feature in LA Mag. After a quick but fruitful internet search, I decided to take my in-laws to check out the Peace Awareness Labyrinth and Gardens in West Adams and find out what it was all about.
The Peace Awareness Center is a historic estate once owned by famous choreographer Busby Berkeley and now serves as the home to a group called the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness. The property is open to the public and offers tours as well as serves as a day retreat for meditation and relaxation within the city limits.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect when we arrived. I could tell it was either going to be an awesome hidden treasure or a really big dud (a possible side effect of choosing random places to explore, and I’ve definitely had my share of those). We had to circle the block a few times before we actually found the location (helpful tip: drive up to the gate and get buzzed in so you don’t have to park on the street) but once we found it we were quickly buzzed in. We were warmly greeted upon our entry into the mansion and a docent was available to give us a tour of the grounds as well as some background on the property. I was still slightly unsure of what to expect as our tour started, but I was put to ease as we walked around the estate and I saw other visitors who were just as intrigued/confused by the place as we were (in a good way).
To sum it up, it’s one of the most random spots I’ve ever been in Los Angeles. It’d call it a mix between the Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills and the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine in Malibu. You wouldn’t expect such a huge estate, garden and labyrinth to exist in the area, but once you’re inside the rest of the city slips away and you can’t help but relax as you sit in the garden listening to the waterfalls or taking a walk around the labyrinth. Our guide was great and I can imagine that it would be a wonderful place for people to spend the day meditating. Although I would not necessarily visit the property again for the more spiritual/meditative aspect, it was a perfect way to spend an hour exploring something new and I would love to bring The Husband back to experience it was well since he missed out on the debut excursion. One of my favorite things about LA is how much there is to do and explore. Really, there is something for everyone and if you can’t find it, I’m always here to help!
Happy adventuring!
Happy Friday! Any fun plans this weekend? I fly out to Canada on Sunday so my one day of weekend will be spent running errands and prepping for next week. If I’m lucky I’ll at least be able to squeeze in a movie.
Here are a few of my favorite internet discoveries from the week. Check them out for a little weekend inspiration or just some good ole internet exploring:
Also, in case you missed any Call Me Cal posts this week, here’s your chance to catch up: Friday jazz at the LACMA, a little known fact, a new internet obsession and an LA spring event calendar.
Happy weekend!
Have any of you watched the NPR Tiny Desk Concert videos? I just discovered them randomly on YouTube and I’m loving the series. If you haven’t watched any, I high recommend you check them out. The concerts feature around three songs from each artist (ranging from Adele to They Might be Giants to Macklemore) performed behind a little desk at the NPR office. I’m usually not a fan of concert videos but the performances are so simple and stripped-down that I can’t stop watching them.
*photo source
This spirited little guy has one less than desirable trait: he snores. And these aren’t little dog snores, these are huge human type snores. Too bad they don’t make breath right strips for dogs. Or maybe they do?
Have a great day!
