Travel Log: Boston, MA
I would classify mine and Jared's travel style as adventurous, outdoorsy, no frills and usually unscheduled and spontaneous. But we stepped outside of our norm last weekend, finding ourselves in the big city of Boston, MA. (Jared flew out early in the week for a work trip and I joined for an extended weekend to spend time with a good friend.) While we were there, our city travel style became very apparent. While some people love metropolitan travel to experience art, history and the best shopping, for us it narrows down to 3 things; food, coffee and aimless exploring. In my short 3 day stay on the East Coast, I was able to get a quick taste of the bustling Bostonian lifestyle.
Our trip revolved around meal time and searching out new coffee shops. In between those two agenda items we accomplished a lot of walking to experience different neighborhoods, which was necessary to prepare for more food. Boston's historic cobblestone streets are full of Old World charm and taking photos of the brownstone buildings was one of my favorite (and free) activities. The stoops are just too cute!
Eat:
Breakfast:
- Beehive Boston > South End. This popular Bohemian eatery and bar is located in The Boston Center for the Arts complex in the South End. We did a group brunch here and the live jazz music was great!
- Mike & Patty's > Teeny tiny shop that serves breakfast sandwiches. It was just what I needed after only 4 hours of sleep on my flight over + a 3 hour time change.
- Suggested Order: Veggie Grilled Cheese - roasted root vegetables, tomato jam, braised greens, gruyere and smoked mozzarella on buttered sourdough, add an egg.
Lunch:
- Sofra Bakery & Cafe > Recommended to us by the team at George Howell. An uh-mazing Middle Eastern spot located in Cambridge. I wish I could have ordered one of everything on the menu. Typically we don't go to the same restaurant twice in one trip, but I would have done it for Sofra.
- Suggested Order: Tahini hummus (lamb, pinenuts and Brussels sprouts), Spinach falafel with beet tzatziki & pickles. (Pictured below)
- Suggested Order: Tahini hummus (lamb, pinenuts and Brussels sprouts), Spinach falafel with beet tzatziki & pickles. (Pictured below)
Dinner:
- Gaslight
- Bastille
- Pro Tip: If you're going without reservations (which we did) and want to eat without a wait of 1+ hour (which we did), bar and community seating is available, and in our case without wait. We still had the long communal table to almost to ourselves for the entire meal!
- Pro Tip: If you're going without reservations (which we did) and want to eat without a wait of 1+ hour (which we did), bar and community seating is available, and in our case without wait. We still had the long communal table to almost to ourselves for the entire meal!
Dessert:
- Flour > One word. COOKIES. We quickly learned they made and sold other things like sandwiches, salads and cakes. But all you need to know is cookies. I had the chocolate chip coconut oatmeal and it was divine.
- Mike's Pastries > I was told before hopping on my flight that Mike's was a must and it didn't disappoint. Again, it was important we had a walk post dinner AND post desert because just one of these things probably exceeds your daily caloric & sugar intake!
Coffee:
Wandering in the City:
- Boston Public Garden > A little oasis amidst skyscrapers
- Acorn Street / Beacon Hill > Historic neighborhood in Boston + uber cute houses
- Cambridge > Home to Harvard and MIT
- Newberry Street > If you're into shopping and cute eateries
- Castle Rock > Great for a sunset run with views of the city
Wandering Outside the City:
- Nahant > A quick 20-30 minute drive north of Boston led us to Nahant, an itty bitty town located on a tied island jutting into Massachussets Bay. It felt good to leave the buzz and slow down by the sea. I'm a sucker for sea shells and sea glass, but we spent most of our time paroozing for cool rocks and walking the trails that hugged the water.
A Boston Suprise
A few weeks before our trip, I reached out to George Howell Coffee Company, one of Jared's favorite roasters who are located near Boston. Within a few days I had a surprise roastery tour and cupping scheduled with the GH team. This was definitely a highlight of the trip and I'm not sure how I will ever top this surprise. :) Besides actually getting to MEET and hang out with George, the entire team was gracious, friendly and eager to share their knowledge with us.
- Pro Tip: If you're into coffee and haven't tried George Howell, do yourself a favor and order a bag. Jared's favorite roast is the Mamuto AB. Not only will you receive amazing coffee, but you're supporting a rad company.
What kind of traveler are you and what do you seek out in the city? Do you have a favorite city you've traveled to? Share your insights with me in the comments below.
Follow along > PS >> My instagram shows my travels // my pintrest shows my travel wish list. Stay Stoked!