Sweet Barefeet

Sunday was a Hubway-kind-of-day.

In the early afternoon, A. and I set off on a walk down Comm Ave towards the Esplanade. It was sunny, ridiculously hot and beautiful. Perfect day for a walk.

We brought sandwiches and I wore my bathing suit under my clothes, so we could spend an hour or two baking in the sun by the river. We lasted a little over an hour before we set off to finish the walk toward the Mass Ave bridge (It was dang HOT, y’all!). We planned to circle around the Charles on the Cambridge-side back to the BU Bridge and home. 

Halfway across the bridge, A. stopped in his tracks. I could tell a great idea had struck. “We should take out a Hubway bike!” 

Being the adventurous-type that I am (eh-hem), I responded quickly. “What! No! Uhh, have you seen the traffic? Is it safe? I’m not sure! We don’t have helmets. Can’t we just do it another….day?” A. had already started walking back towards Beacon St. on the Boston side, and I trailed after him shouting questions and doing a fair bit of grumbling.

After a Gatorade purchase and a quick (read: thorough) examination of the bikes, followed by A.’s reassurance that we would ride down Beacon St., take a back road behind BU and then head over the neighborhood streets of Brookline, I found myself atop a Hubway bike preparing to peddle off into the dangerous Boston unknown.

Turns out, my reluctance was for naught (Go figure??). Biking in Boston is wonderful! We rode for an hour, winding up and down the tree-lined streets of Brookline and exploring roads we’d never rode down before. Riding alongside traffic wasn’t even that bad—just requires a little defensive riding. 

It turned out to be a wonderful Sunday afternoon—the perfect way to end the weekend. A. graciously didn’t even say “I told you so.” What a guy. 

I’m alive! (In case you were worried.) Sorry for my short absence.

I’ve been traveling, enjoying Independence Day with friends, and trying to enjoy summer in Boston as best I possibly can.

Lots to show and tell, of course. Not just yet though. Tonight I’m out with my man at the movies to see Brave. :) We love a good date night!

Happy Friday night, folks. Back soon.

- Taylor

My visit home has come and gone. I waved goodbye to the St. Mary’s River way too soon. 

In what seems to have been just a blink of an eye, Memorial Day weekend has passed and I am back in Boston. 

Georgia was a whirlwind of family and friend visits. Back to back graduation celebrations, and barely a minute to stop and soak it all in. I only stepped out on the dock a few times… it wasn’t enough, but really, there wasn’t enough time for anything.

Does traveling home ever feel that way to you? It always seems to fly by—there isn’t enough time to really visit with family. To be able to spend a few quiet moments by myself and soak in the place that I grew up.

When I go home, there is always something to do, somewhere to be, people to see, and time running out. 

This weekend was no exception. It was a good one. My brother walked across the football field, grabbed his diploma and is now a high school graduate. Photos to come.

I’m off to bed—still catching up from early morning travel yesterday. I’m happy to be back in my city… but sometimes, I just miss the quiet and tranquility of what used to be home. 

 Goodnight, dear readers. 

On the airplane heading north. Boston, here I come! Nothing like a tropical storm to send you off.

Excited to be home, and you know… I’m amazed that Boston really feels like home now. But it is, and I like it that way.

Post soon about my trip!

Dear readers, my apologies for the late post… a friend came into town unexpectedly, so I’ve been busy enjoying his company and this wonderfully warm weekend.

It seems that summer is coming to Boston! It has taken its time, but I think it has finally come and decided to stay awhile. And I am so ready for it.

After a dreary week filled with rain and wind, the sun rose on Saturday and all the residents of Boston spilled out of their apartments and into the parks. 

A. and I headed out on the B-line, picked up our good friend Ryan and went straight to the Common. We strolled around the park, watched the ducklings swim around the pond, and stopped by the Boston Frosty truck for an Orange Crush, a heavy dose of vanilla ice cream mixed with orange soda… heaven! 

The Orange Crush is known to bring intense happiness to any who dare try it. See? It was delicious and I was quite reluctant to share. 

We spent time wandering through Beacon Hill, then sat in the park and caught up on each other’s lives. After people-watching and chatting, we set out for dinner on the C-line, headed for Sol Azteca because I was craving Mexican food.

In true Bostonian fashion, we celebrated the beginning of summer with dinner outside on the patio with a carafe of Sangria. Patio seating is the best in Boston. You have to try it.

We loaded up on chips, salsa and queso. 

We ate until we couldn’t eat anymore.

Shrimp, enchiladas, tacos… it was wonderful.

We ended Saturday night with the Celtics game, and spent our Sunday brunching with friends at The Friendly Toast and preparing ourselves for the work week ahead.

Have a great week, friends. I have much to tell you… there are many things on my mind and I really will make a better effort to share them with y’all this week.

Bonne nuit! 

A week or so ago, a coworker of mine told me about a chocolate shop in Cambridge. The conversation started when he noticed my massive box of Admin Day chocolates. He said, “If you like chocolate, I know just the place you need to go.”

And oh, how sweet did his recommendation turn out. 

L.A. Burdick. I did a bit of Googling and discovered that they not only had a Cambridge shop, but a new location on Clarendon Street between Boylston and Newbury. 

Anish and I were out and about on Saturday, so we decided to stop by before we headed to see The Avengers (finally!). 

Keep in mind, we were right in the middle of the city, then we turned off Boylston onto Clarendon and came upon the shop. ^ See photo above. How perfect is this building for a chocolate shop? How on earth did this little building come to be right in downtown Boston? 

We glanced at each other, grinned and then stepped inside to the sweetest chocolate shop that I’ve seen in Boston. 

It’s decorated just so, with dainty touches of color and light.

On the right is the chocolate shop. 

To the left, the cafe.

We spent at least 15 minutes browsing through the chocolates. Boxes and boxes of specialty chocolates… and a whole display case of the most precious confections you’ve ever seen.

MICE. White chocolate mice! I could hardly contain my excitement. Then…

CHOCOLATE PENGUINS?? It was almost too much. But then it got even better (if that is possible after chocolate penguins)…

BEES.

Adorable little chocolate honey bees with honey ganache. 

L.A. BURDICK YOU HAVE STOLEN MY HEART.

After pulling me away from the chocolate display, we headed over to the counter where there was more goodness to be had. 

Hot chocolate. And not just any hot chocolate, but dark chocolate shaved into steamed milk. Add espresso and you get the best Mocha you’ve ever had in your life. Puts coffee shops to shame….

And then a display case of cakes and macaroons? Done. Sold. Obsessed.

So we ate…

Mocha cake…

And pistachio and raspberry macaroons.

And sipped the most chocolatey Mocha we’ve ever had.

And rejoiced because, damn, it was delicious. 

After a visit to the South End, we found ourselves wandering down a beautiful side street on the way back to the Common.

Wafting down the street was the most delicious smell… So we followed our noses and found a small crowd gathered around the entrance to a tiny corner cafe with just enough seating for 6.

Of course we had to stop and eat lunch here. We can’t resist a hole-in-the-wall that will inevitably be delicious.

So hello, Mike & Patty’s, it is wonderful to meet you!

Watching the turtles enjoy the sun during a walk in the park! Glorious sunny Saturday in Boston, but still a little chilly.

Can’t believe May is NEXT WEEK! Summer will be here before we know it.

Look out for a try-new-foods-fail post this evening…

Moving to the city wasn’t easy. (If you could see me, I’m gravely shaking my head.) Nuh-uh, it wasn’t.

I’ve spent most of my life in a small town, on the banks of a river, in a secluded part of town… out in the county. If you’re tempted to call me a country bumpkin, I severely recommend that you don’t. (Consequences for that kind of stuff, folks. Consequences.)

Anyway, so when I left for college, I found myself in the perfect transition place. Athens, Georgia is the best sort of place to go to college. It’s a town with all the amenities a student could need—plenty of great places to eat, a great music and arts scene, and lots of open air if you need to escape.

 And then, just last August, I made the great leap from Athens to Boston, three months after graduation. I packed all my belongings (mostly clothes and books) into my car, and my sweet guy got into the passenger’s seat to accompany me on the 20 hour drive to Boston.

After a day and a half of driving, we deliriously turned into the apartment building’s parking lot that would be my home. 

Fast forward a few weeks, and I was homesick. I came to Boston without a job, and spent my first few weeks enjoying being with my long-distance-turned-no-distance boyfriend and unpacking into my new place. Plus applying to a few jobs— kind of important, no? After the few weeks of ‘new’ had worn off, the fact that I had MOVED really hit me. Uhh, wait a second, you mean sirens and never-ending traffic will be my nightly lullaby forever?

Yep. 

I felt like I needed an escape. I was happy to be in Boston, but the city was overwhelming at first (and still is sometimes, to be honest). Moving from everything you know is not a piece of cake, no matter how much you thought you wanted to leave in the first place.

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Soaking in the springtime sun in the Boston Common. Finally finishing my first winter! Spring is more than welcome for this warm-weather lovin’ Georgia girl.