A perfect few days in May in Boston. Food, history, exercise.
We stayed at the Liberty Hotel, which is part of the Starwood Luxury Collection. The building used to be the old jail, and in the lobby they had photos of the extensive renovations and modifications they had undertaken when trying to change this building from a defunct jail to a modern luxurious hotel. The lobby hotel was like an interior "courtyard" with hallways/balconies on the higher floors overlooking the central courtyard. All along the hallways/balconies were doors to event and conference spaces and a bar. Really cool use of space, kept the lobby very open, especially with the cupola up top letting light in. The hotel had a couple of restaurants, with a jail theme, cool touch to remember what it used to be, but not at all creepy like what a jail would have been like. Our room was nothing to cry home about, but we did get a really nice view of Boston from the hotel room. We chose the free continental breakfast at one of the restaurants, Clink, as our Platinum amenity, which was very nice, and had a value of $25 attached to it. Coffee/tea, juice, and a choice of two of fresh fruit, steel cut oats, dry cereal, 2 eggs, toast, yoghurt, bacon, sausage or a pastry. I tried a number of the items, all fairly standard, but with healthy enough options, and they were pretty good. I think I really like the texture of steel cut oats, but just seems like a pain to cook at home.
We had dinner at one of the hotel restaurants, Scampo, which apparently is very well known and highly regarded in Boston, as a number of people had said we had to eat there. The bread came with some green dipping sauce (sorry, this was really so long ago that I don't remember much), and then we ordered calamari, foie gras, ravioli and maybe a halibut? I remember thinking everything was kind of nice, but not particularly fantabulous.
One night we tried to go to Neptune's Oyster, but we were too late and they were not seating anymore people (run out of seafood I guess, sad face), so we went to Rabia's, just a few doors down, in the North End, which is Boston's oldest residential district. We got the lobster roll and lobster risotto, which were both decent, considering probably all the drop outs from Neptune's Oyster go here.
The last dinner place we tried was o ya in Boston for sushi/Japanese. Again, the food was not bad, but kind of expensive. We were thinking of doing the omakase, but I decided it was too expensive, so we got a la carte instead. The fish was all pretty good in quality and taste, but I thought the quantity was measly. The menu was extensive, so we made some notes on our menu on what to order.
I have always loved walking around European towns, and parts of Boston certainly felt like that. One day I decided to take the Freedom Trail, "a 2.5-mile, red-lined route that leads you to 16 historically significant sites — each one an authentic treasure". A lot of the path is or looks like red brick, which is kind of cool, but I learnt that it may have been mostly just brick facade as opposed to a real brick slab. I had done this before, but it's always fun doing history stuff in Boston. I sort of started at Quincy Market because I have an affinity for markets and wanted to eat there. Nothing particularly special or Bostonian called to me, so I decided to have some clam chowder - as Bostonian as I would get, I suppose. Onto the trail, which you can read about here, I remember trying to get into the Paul Revere House, but they took cash only and I had $0 on me. A few other tourists were turned away too. Sad times. They really should take credit card. Think of the loss of customers!! I also climbed the Bunker Hill Monument, lots of great views up there, and would have been better if not for the dirty glass or metal grates. Loved the parks too - Boston Common, which is part of the trail, and Boston Public Garden, which isn't, but also very pretty. Parks really add an element of beauty to a city.
Saw a funny truck on my walk around Boston.
And ice cream from JP Licks.
For anyone who loves history and old European looking towns, Boston is a great place for that. Walking without a purpose, observing the old architecture, checking out cool shops, relaxing in the park. Summer only, though. ;-) Enjoy your 9 months of cold, Boston, and I'll see you next when the weather is good! xoxo
We stayed at the Liberty Hotel, which is part of the Starwood Luxury Collection. The building used to be the old jail, and in the lobby they had photos of the extensive renovations and modifications they had undertaken when trying to change this building from a defunct jail to a modern luxurious hotel. The lobby hotel was like an interior "courtyard" with hallways/balconies on the higher floors overlooking the central courtyard. All along the hallways/balconies were doors to event and conference spaces and a bar. Really cool use of space, kept the lobby very open, especially with the cupola up top letting light in. The hotel had a couple of restaurants, with a jail theme, cool touch to remember what it used to be, but not at all creepy like what a jail would have been like. Our room was nothing to cry home about, but we did get a really nice view of Boston from the hotel room. We chose the free continental breakfast at one of the restaurants, Clink, as our Platinum amenity, which was very nice, and had a value of $25 attached to it. Coffee/tea, juice, and a choice of two of fresh fruit, steel cut oats, dry cereal, 2 eggs, toast, yoghurt, bacon, sausage or a pastry. I tried a number of the items, all fairly standard, but with healthy enough options, and they were pretty good. I think I really like the texture of steel cut oats, but just seems like a pain to cook at home.
We had dinner at one of the hotel restaurants, Scampo, which apparently is very well known and highly regarded in Boston, as a number of people had said we had to eat there. The bread came with some green dipping sauce (sorry, this was really so long ago that I don't remember much), and then we ordered calamari, foie gras, ravioli and maybe a halibut? I remember thinking everything was kind of nice, but not particularly fantabulous.
One night we tried to go to Neptune's Oyster, but we were too late and they were not seating anymore people (run out of seafood I guess, sad face), so we went to Rabia's, just a few doors down, in the North End, which is Boston's oldest residential district. We got the lobster roll and lobster risotto, which were both decent, considering probably all the drop outs from Neptune's Oyster go here.
The last dinner place we tried was o ya in Boston for sushi/Japanese. Again, the food was not bad, but kind of expensive. We were thinking of doing the omakase, but I decided it was too expensive, so we got a la carte instead. The fish was all pretty good in quality and taste, but I thought the quantity was measly. The menu was extensive, so we made some notes on our menu on what to order.
I have always loved walking around European towns, and parts of Boston certainly felt like that. One day I decided to take the Freedom Trail, "a 2.5-mile, red-lined route that leads you to 16 historically significant sites — each one an authentic treasure". A lot of the path is or looks like red brick, which is kind of cool, but I learnt that it may have been mostly just brick facade as opposed to a real brick slab. I had done this before, but it's always fun doing history stuff in Boston. I sort of started at Quincy Market because I have an affinity for markets and wanted to eat there. Nothing particularly special or Bostonian called to me, so I decided to have some clam chowder - as Bostonian as I would get, I suppose. Onto the trail, which you can read about here, I remember trying to get into the Paul Revere House, but they took cash only and I had $0 on me. A few other tourists were turned away too. Sad times. They really should take credit card. Think of the loss of customers!! I also climbed the Bunker Hill Monument, lots of great views up there, and would have been better if not for the dirty glass or metal grates. Loved the parks too - Boston Common, which is part of the trail, and Boston Public Garden, which isn't, but also very pretty. Parks really add an element of beauty to a city.
Saw a funny truck on my walk around Boston.
And ice cream from JP Licks.
For anyone who loves history and old European looking towns, Boston is a great place for that. Walking without a purpose, observing the old architecture, checking out cool shops, relaxing in the park. Summer only, though. ;-) Enjoy your 9 months of cold, Boston, and I'll see you next when the weather is good! xoxo
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