“So what made you come to Boston?“
Just because…”
“Really? That’s pretty cool.”
I had that short exchange at least 3 times throughout my weekend in the city. Sometimes curiosity and the want for new surroundings is enough to get away from your hometown. Once again, my friend Tiffany and I just decided on a weekend, a place to go and we went! We only had 48 hours to spend and we tried to optimize our time as much as possible. Here’s how it went:
June 25th
I woke up super early to catch my 6:30 flight. The temperature was warm in Greensboro, North Carolina but in Boston, it was kind of cool: the high was only 70° and the low, 61°. My connecting flight was in Atlanta. I met Tiffany at baggage claim once I arrived to Boston. We wanted to take local transportation to our hotel but we had a really difficult time figuring out which bus it was (even though a complimentary option was advertised for surrounding hotels!).
We got an Uber to the hotel and agreed that our appetite was through the roof, so we headed to a place called Shake Shack. While I was there, I should have looked at other peoples meals so that I would’ve known how small the burgers were… I would’ve gotten a double or at least fries and a milkshake. Surprisingly, the one mini burger turned out to be quite satisfying.
Afterwards, we got ready for the sunset boat tour and walked to the harbor. Our tour guide was informative (and easy on the ears). It was cloudy and quite chilly – my breath was visible! Unfortunately, the sun wasn’t interested in a grand departure, so we didn’t get to see rich colors while on the water. I learned a bit and I’m glad I opted in for the tour because originally, I wasn’t interested in absorbing a history lesson.
Next up, we caught an Uber to go to dinner at a restaurant called Local 149. Our driver was so obnoxious in a way where he wanted to seem like the big champ that everyone liked but his comments were arrogant, problematic and douchey. Who brings up politics with a complete stranger? It was quite the gamble. Anyway – he drops us off at the restaurant and we get a table. I was famished! I ordered a plate of coconut Thai chili mussels and a fried Flutternutter (something new I tried and enjoyed immensely). Tiffany wanted salmon but after some encouragement, she tried the mussels…. and swapped her order! Our food was tasty! We were satisfied and had regained energy to begin the night of fun.
We stood in line for about 15 minutes, striking up conversation with locals. We thought we were in line for The W but we were actually in line for another venue. The other spot charged a $30 cover which we weren’t interested in. Feeling a bit defeated, we decided to walk around to see what was there and we stumbled upon The W anyway (we thought it was closed or limited to hotel guests only but they let us in). There was an awkward moment at the bar… fortunately it was amended with free drinks. The DJ was so good! We found our spot amongst the crowd and enjoyed the music for the rest of the night until closing.
June 26TH
I slept in until about 10 AM – we had a long night before and there would be a long day ahead of us. This was the last full day in Boston, so we had to make the most of it! We realized last night, that the place we Ubered to was fairly close. Brunch was definitely within walking distance. Today was the day I’d reach my step goal ;). Originally, we had ours eyes set on Lookout Bar for brunch but the dining area was full. Read: secure reservations before big city trips. I asked the host if he could recommend another place and he mentioned Committee so we went there instead.
Once again: since I’m out somewhere new, I want to try something new! I got a Greek styled omelette, called “kayiannas” and a large not-so sweet pastry called “bougatsa” which would’ve been amazing with hot tea. Everything was just right: new, pleasing and just enough. I’m glad there weren’t any leftovers during our stay because we didn’t have a microwave in our hotel. After brekkie, the idea of drinks at Lookout Bar came back to mind. It was such a lovely view. Time was spent sunbathing, drinking and taking in the scenery before resuming our trek.
The next stop was Boston Public Garden. Or is it Boston Commons? Upon arrival, we heard a liberal activist bringing people together while encouraging unity and acceptance. There was an available bench near Frog Pond where we saw a lot of children playing in the lake and a couple of park patrol security riding on horses. How fitting. There were a few playgrounds. You could see the different activities happening as people socially distanced themselves… and it reminded me of what life was like before COVID-19.
Chinatown was the final stop for the day. It was a 20 minute walk from where we were. Just our luck, we happened to enter through the back of Chinatown so, we explored it in reverse. Once we got to the main entry, pictures were taken and compliments were received. After resting for a bit, it was time to look for a place to eat! We went to the Spice House and I got some vegetable dumplings.
After eating, I was in dire need of a nap. We took in plenty of sun, gotten plenty of steps so it was time to rest before heading out for dinner and getting ready for the early morning flight back home. There was a bar close by called Roxanne’s. We learned that most of these places require reservations (of course I wouldn’t expect anything less). We got comfy at the bar and I got fried buffalo cauliflower and she got mac & cheese dish. We had some pretty interesting drinks: mine had coconut milk and tasted light and refreshing. The night cap was a great way to end this quick getaway, especially because there was reflection and shared aspirations for the future.
I enjoyed Boston I want to see more of it when I return.
Zaira Viteria 