Mesmerize in history, food, & culture of Boston, MA
Home of the New England Patriots - for my Football fans!
Throughout the flight, I was excited about finally visiting Boston - historical landmarks, museums, food…just not the breezy cold. I actually had to change out of a maxi dress into jeans, sweater and boots once we checked into the Kimpton Nine Zero Hotel. The hotel is located only 15 minutes from the airport, and walking distance to several bars, restaurants, shops, pharmacies, metro, and park. The hotels’s bar and restaurant was not open Sunday and Monday but offered 24/7 room service. Breakfast buffet is open 6:30-10am, complimentary and healthy! The hallways were adorned with beautiful art work and showpieces. The room was basic but big enough for two people to get ready comfortably.
Tour Bus (Hop on Hop Off)
The Hop On, Hop Off bus is a great way to see a lot of Boston. The stop was a challenge to find as most of the square was blocked off for the Columbus Day parade. But when we were finally able to get on from a stop on Beacon Street, it was smooth sailing. We stayed on until Newbury Street where we walked the blocks window shopping at the boutique shops. We made our way to the infamous Cheers bar - a must visit for anyone who is a fan of the Cheers TV show. Be warned, the bar does not look anything like the Cheers bar in the show. Actually, the bar is not even based off the show. Nevertheless, it’s a must visit tourist spot. We didn’t stay for food or drinks. Just a quick photo op, and sneak peak inside to confirm that it truly does not look like the show. I was disappointed.
For dinner, we visited Tangerino, a Moroccan restaurant in Charlestown, MA. Upon entering the restaurant, you are greeted by beautiful interior designing, walls adorned with Moroccan art, table tea lights with Moroccan designs, and seating enclosed in beautiful curtains providing a sense of intimacy and privacy. Absolutely adorable! The food was authentic Moroccan and delicious. If you’re a hookah and belly dancing fan, go to their hookah bar located downstairs adjacent to the main restaurant. We timed our dinner in a way that we would have plenty of time to dine, and then enjoy hookah/drinks/and a show afterwards.
The hookah bar had comfortable open seating, exposed brick walls, and well ventilated so the guests were not suffocating from the hookah smoke. We ordered our hookah with a milk base instead of water. If you have not tried milk as the base, it’s a must try! Milk made the hookah smoother than water. The show started around 10pm. I was expecting belly dancing but it turned out to be more of a burlesque show. Still great! However, some of her dances did not really go with the Arabic music.
The next day was a lazy day for me while Pepe attended work meetings. I quickly realized after breakfast that most museums are closed on Columbus day. I had planned on visiting museums while Pepe worked. Instead, I walked a few blocks around the Kimpton Nine Zero Hotel, visited the Park, had lunch at The Chicken and Rice Guys before making my way to the Beantown Pub for a late afternoon glass of wine. The Beantown Pub had a sports bar and dive bar feel. With a Hockey game on, the bar was packed with fans! The bartender and I got into a conversation about Redskins and Ravens once he found out we’re visiting from Maryland. Let me just say, Boston accent mixed with an Irish accent is hard to comprehend! I didn’t realize that Boston was more into Baseball and Hockey than Football, actually.
In the evening, we took an Uber out to Seaport from Kimpton Nine Zero Hotel for drinks and apps at The Barking Crab. We fell in love with the fun atmosphere at this all-season outdoor bar immediately. The service was great. Walls spoke with funny quotes. Lobster and crabs were one of the best we’ve had in a while! The Barking Crab is situated next to the Boston Harbor, offering wonderful views of high rise buildings surrounding the water. Located next to The Barking Crab is the Lookout Rooftop and Bar the Envoy Hotel. It is one of the few rooftop bars in the area, but well visited. Thankfully they had heaters around the bar and high tops. It was chilly up there! For picturesque views and to catch the sunset with a great cocktail or glass of wine, visit the Lookout Rooftop at Envoy!
We ended the night with dinner at The Pink Taco with friends who live in Boston. It’s a new restaurant/bar with a huge bar in the center of the restaurant and plenty of seating. Not much to say about the Pink Taco as the food, drinks, and service were just ok. We were the last ones to leave the restaurant, and I forgot my Burberry sunglasses there. When I called them back the next morning, they claimed the waitress did not see them and another guest must have picked them up. I explained how that would be impossible as we were literally the last guests to leave the restaurant as they had already closed. I was heartbroken as they were a birthday present from Pepe two years ago.
On Tuesday morning, once Pepe left for work, I made my way back to Seaport to visit the Contemporary Art Museum. With a $15 entry fee, not really much to see there. Level 4 is for the galleries, separated into few different sections. Some of the sections overlooked the harbor, probably the highlight of the museum.
That evening for dinner we visited Yvonne’s near the hotel. MUST VISIT! The front dining room and bar of the restaurant offers library style seating, dim lighting, creating a very romantic and intimate ambiance. The second part of the restaurant offers a casual seating, much more lighted, laid back atmosphere. Two different environments in one place. We were thinking of going to a different bar after dinner but ended up staying because we were intrigued by the uniqueness of restaurant.
Our last almost-full day in Boston was spent taking the train to Harvard University. I have always wanted to walk the campus! Immediately as we walked through one of the gates, we were awestruck by the gorgeous brick buildings and antique looking archways at the entrances. The sophistication and elite name of the University could be felt walking the grounds. Students and professors rushed around to get to the next class or meetup. Grounds were very well kept, with visitors stopping for a quick selfie. Wonder how many weddings take place at the gorgeous Chapel there!
Located across the campus is a museum which allows free entry to students. If you are a student anywhere, take your student ID for free entrance to the museum, or be willing to pay $15 per person. Can you tell I love museums!?
Be sure to stop by the Harvard bookstore, not far from campus, for old and new books, or just to visit an old bookstore. I love the smell of old bookstores! We must have spent couple of hours in there browsing amazing finds, and purchasing a few books. If you’re into book signings, check out their events calendar. John Grisham was to visit the next day for a book signing. I love Grisham’s books. Too bad it was taking place a day after our departure.
After a short train ride back to the hotel, and lunch, off to the airport we went. Although the airport was only a few miles from the hotel, the typical 15 minute drive turned into one hour very quickly due to the 5pm peak traffic time. Allow yourself plenty of time during peak traffic hours, as it can be a nightmare!
What to wear
In October, Boston weather can vary throughout the day. The mornings started off chilly, requiring a scarf, fall jacket, closed toe shoes. The afternoons warmed up around noon. If you plan on being out all day, dress in layers. Cute sweaters and jeans are perfect! Wear comfortable walking shoes/boots if you plan to do a lot of walking as several streets are not flat. Evenings, into the night time were chilly again. We dressed up a bit at night. Pepe wore slacks, with a sports coat. I wore dresses with knee high boots, or pumps with heels.
Photo credit: Bright Scenes Pix
