Greg and I finally visited the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. While the museum is on the small side we enjoyed our visit. The architecture is breathtaking with area after area begging for photos to be taken. The museum houses paintings by Rembrandt, Titian, and more but my favorite was the Portrait of Isabella Clara Eugenia by Frans Pourbus II. Finally, I can't forget to mention the 10 million dollar reward for the 1990 art heist. We both agree that we recommend a visit to the museum. Earlier this year we were in London and Winnie the Pooh: Exploring a classic was on display but I never found the time to visit it. I was thrilled when I heard that the exhibit would be coming to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston! As members of the museum, we were able to get free tickets on select days in September.
We opted for a Saturday morning visit and we're so thankful that we had tickets and that we are members. The line to purchase tickets was out the front door, down the stairs, and curved to the right of the museum. With our passes, we were welcomed right on in. The Winnie the Pooh exhibit is adorable! Kids and kids at heart will love the interactive pieces, the artwork, the toy collection, and so much more. I can't recommend a visit to the exhibit and the museum itself enough!!
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Every summer we take Porscha clothes shopping for the upcoming school year. Last Sunday we decided to head to Newbury Street with my parents. We were a little too early for the shops to be open so we popped into the Nespresso Boutique Bar. The staff welcomed us and let us push together two tables by the window. We all ordered beverages, mine being a delicious dairy free Turmeric Latte. I didn't get to partake but we also ordered a few macarons for a little treat. After our beverages we hit a few shops. In the area we visited we love All Saints, Lush, Nordstrom Rack, and Zara. Porscha found so many pieces that were perfect for her at the Zara sale. Walking back to the car my mother needed a bit of a rest and so we decided to get lunch in town. Greg and I wanted to try Snappy Sushi for a while now and here was our opportunity. The staff were friendly and helpful. My mother couldn't make it down the stairs and luckily they have an elevator in the restaurant. Unfortunately, the restaurant was using the elevator as storage so it took a few minutes to get it functioning.
We were seated downstairs by the sushi counter and our server brought over waters for us. To start our lunch we decided to try the Karaage (fried chicken). The chicken was hot, crispy, and not overly seasoned. My mother ordered the chicken don which she enjoyed but kind of wished she ordered the karaage for her entree. I ordered the cold ramen. My entree was very flavorful with two types of sauces. Porscha ordered the chicken sushi and was very disappointing. The dish was bland and unappealing. The restaurant was out of the first 3 ramens on the menu so my father ordered a different type the waiter recommended but it was a bit too smoky for my taste. Greg ordered sushi and enjoyed it. If I could have continued walking it would have been great to pick up some dessert at Georgetown Cupcake or the new FOMU pop up. Instead, lunch we picked up our car and made our way back to my parents house where Fred and Beefy were waiting for us. Our plan was to visit the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum but we had a few issues come up and so we didn't leave the house until later in the day. We decided to enjoy a late lunch at Shojo in Chinatown. The staff was super nice when we asked to sit at a lower table instead of the high top they showed us to. With this air cast on my foot, high tops aren't very easy! We ordered a couple of cocktails and I fell in love with the Don Papa Daquiri. The drink was light, sweet and yet still refreshing. We decided to order a bunch of dishes to share. We ordered the duck fat french fries, kimchi fried rice, pig bao, sesame charred greens, bulgogi bao, and pork belly dumplings. The kimchi rice has a great texture and isn't overly tart or hot. The duck fat french fries are hot and crispy, the dumplings were nicely done but the sauce was a little too tangy for my taste. Both of the baos were soft with tender meat and fresh toppings. The star for me was the sesame charred greens. The greens still had texture but were tender and the sauce was a great blend of savory, sweet, and nutty.
Our next idea was to get Bubble Waffles to go but once inside the shop we couldn't find anyone to work the booth. We were disappointed for a minute but then I remembered a bakery following me on Instagram that looked interesting. Just a block away was Bao Bao Bakery. Inside the shop, we were met with meticulous displays, welcoming staff, and stunning pastries. We purchased several individual pastries, walnut cookies, and a traditional egg tart to go.
With dessert in hand, we made it back to my car and drove to my parent's house (who were watching Fred for us). The pastries from Bao Bao Bakery were beautiful to look at and delicious to eat. Each pastry was creamy, not overly sweet, and offered bold fillings. Our favorites were the creamy and decadent caramel and the smooth and balanced raspberry cheesecake. Porscha and I went for a ride with my parents and came across The Scotty Dog. The hot dog stand with car service was adorable and unexpected. The staff welcome you with a smile, are friendly, quick with orders, and make sure everyone is happy with their food. We've now dined twice at The Scotty Dog and can't complain about anything. We've tried everything from a plain hot dog to a Reuben dog, to sweet potato fries. My personal favorite hot dog is the BLT dog. The BLT dog is a jumbo hot dog wrapped in bacon, topped with lettuce tomato and mayo and served in a french bread roll. It is savory, soft, and has a bit of bite to it. A perfect bite! Whether dining in your car, sitting at their tables, or taking food to go you can't go wrong with the casual and tasty hot dogs. Saturday morning we drove to Lincoln MA for a visit to DeCordova Museum & Sculpture Park. Greg and I have been there before and are members now but this was Porscha's first visit. The Sculpture Park is pet friendly and Fred loves exploring the park! I can't wait to go back next month when they exhibit Yayoi Kusama's infinity room; Where The Lights In My Heart Go.
We spent a little more than an hour wandering through the exhibits and would have spent more time there but my air-cast was starting to hurt and Fred isn't allowed inside the museum. Before leaving we did go into their shop where you will find many unique items. I found a collection of Andy Warhol Polaroids and a metal empire state building kit for Greg. Porscha snagged a cool book on scarf styles. DeCordova Museum & Sculpture Park is highly recommended by us for a unique and beautiful day in Massachusetts. I've spoken about her previously by my teenage cousin Porscha is coming to stay with us again this summer and we can't wait! I have been working on a list of things to do while she's here rather than going away for just a weekend. My list includes some of our past favorites, some new places, and some that are just new to her. All are within 3 hours from Boston and are great for couples, friends, and families. Boston Area (short walks, train ride, or taxi ride) The Patios on Government Center Freedom Trail Faneuil Hall Boston Public Market (Excellent for foodie finds and gifts) Museum of Fine Arts (Everything from Degas to Chihuly) Institute of Contemporary Art Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Castle Island (Walk along the ocean, peek into the fort, and enjoy lunch at Sullivan's) Shopping on Newbury St Mccrea's Caramel factory (Delicious caramels that we gave as thank you's in Paris) Taza Chocolate Factory We made plans with friends and purchased tickets to the Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl in Boston this past week. Before meeting up with our friends we used ParkWhiz and found a fabulously priced parking garage right across the street from Government Center. We used our emailed pass at the entrance, found a good spot, and hopped in the working (one section wasn't usable to where we were heading) elevator. For lunch we decided to walk down to the Boston Public Market. We grabbed a couple of Banh Mi's and a rice bowl from Bon Me and sat at the outdoor picnic tables. Bon Me offers consistently balanced food with terrific flavors. Unfortunately, the Thai basil limeade was heavy on the sugar and ended up being too sweet for me. We were heading back to to the event area and I got completely distracted by the beautiful stone pieces from American Stonecraft. Thanks to the amazing help we got from Diane we purchased a stunning food slab for our kitchen island. Food slabs are food safe and can be chilled; perfect for serving. The food slabs are easy to clean with just soap and water. Diane spent a time going through multiple shapes, sizes, and colors and was wonderful in helping us find just what we needed. I was thrilled with the piece we selected and it's a beautiful addition to our home. American Stonecraft also offers cook slabs which can be used in an oven or grill, trivets, coasters, and bowls. We joined the rest of our group and were quickly through the check in and security area of the Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl. How amazing is it that you can help raise money for a great cause while enjoying lots of delicious ice cream. Inside the event there were multiple ice cream vendors, games, beverages, live music, and seating areas. Your ticket provides you with unlimited ice cream. My first stop was to Haagen Dazs for their dairy free Chocolate Salted Fudge Truffle Non-Dairy. The ice cream was smooth, rich, and extra chocolate. Next up was Ben and Jerry's and their Caramel Almond Brittle. The Caramel Almond Brittle was sweet, salty, and crunchy; delicious!! Others in our group got to try ice cream from numerous vendors but I was thrilled with my options. After the event we walked back to to our car and only had to sit in a little bit of rush hour traffic during our ride home. A few of my family members have attended Lamb Jam Boston for the past 3 years. This was our first time joining them. I don't think I've mentioned this lately but my SIBO and Lactose Intolerance have been lessened greatly. I have been able to eat some dairy along with Lactaid pills since September. With that knowledge I was finally able to join in for this gourmet competition. Lamb Jam Boston included 16 competing restaurants, multiple beverage vendors, a DJ, and a few extra activities! We arrived on time after circling the area for a parking spot and had a short wait for the line to move. Once inside we started at the front and made our way clockwise starting at our left. Over the next couple of hours I tried small bites, elegant plates, tacos, sandwiches, soups, dumplings, and more! The portions the restaurants provide are not small by any means! I tried to eat as many as I could but I missed out on 4 restaurants. Here's a list of the restaurants from Lamb Jam Boston's Facebook Page: Chefs will be divided into 4 Global Flavor categories. ASIAN The Honey Paw | Mami Portland | Simjang | Sulmona Restaurant LATIN Commonwealth Cambridge | Cook & Brown Public House | Moody's Delicatessen & Provisions | Townsman MEDITERRANEAN Emilitsa Greek Restaurant | Little Donkey | The Salted Slate | Spoke Wine Bar MIDDLE EASTERN Central Provisions / Tipo | Moxy | Our Fathers | Sarma I'll start with the restaurants I didn't enjoy. The Arepa from Backroom at Moody's wasn't made to order. Unfortunately, that meant that the bun was dry and the cheese was congealed and stuck to the bread. The Al Pastor from Backroom at Moody's also wasn't very good. The flavor was fine but there was a gritty and unpleasant texture. Here are some of the great dishes I tried! The Smoked Lamb Rib with za'atar honey glaze from Little Donkey was flavorful and had a wonderful texture. The Lamb Merguez - harissa, halloumi, spring pea + mint tabbouleh, tehina (minus the hallumi) from Our Fathers was bold and balanced. Finally, my personal top 3 dishes. The Za'atar Roasted Lamb Falafel with split pea hummus, miso tahini, and amba from Sarma was a large portion, savory, creamy, and still had texture from the falafel. The Lamb Dumplings - aromatic broth, grilled ramps, basil, annatto oil from The Honey Paw offered a wonderful dumpling dough with chew but a soft texture filling and the accompanying broth had a wonderful depth to it. The Kohitsujiyaki - dashi batter, sake kasu marinated and roasted lamb belly, kewpie, okonomi sauce, katsuobushi, benishoga, negi from Mami were so good I went back again! The hot, savory, sweet, and satisfying bite were amazing. My vote went to Mami but I can completely understand how The Honey Paw won as their dumplings were outstanding! If you are ever in the Portland, Maine area, be sure to dine at The Honey Paw and Mami. We ordered take out from The Honey Paw back when we stayed in Portland this past February and you can read about it here. In addition to these amazing dishes I tried a couple of cocktails. I enjoyed the Jager Punch Tail, and the Bombay Sapphire Mule. In addition to these drinks were Super Fun Wines, Brooklyn Bel Air, Lagunitas, Peroni, plus a variety of non-alcoholic options. Keep a look out for information on and definitely give Lamb Jam Boston 2019 a try! May 2018 On Sunday mornings the Museum of Fine Arts Boston opens at 10 am. Knowing that we had plans for Lamb Jam later in the day we went right at Opening. The three of us wandered through almost all of the museum starting at the top and ending at the current exhibits. We wandered through contemporary art, European art, American art, Sculptures, and more. A few of my favorites here are paintings by Kahlo, Monet, Van Gogh, Pollock, and Degas. Before we left the museum we stopped into the New American Cafe and enjoyed the view of a glass sculpture by Chihuly. We opted to sit at the bar area and our server welcomed us with waters and menus. We ordered some wine along with a cheese plate, chips, and spring rolls for a light lunch.
The MFA should be on the list of locals, visitors, and anyone looking to enjoy a day in Boston. Opus Restaurant in Salem MA doesn't take reservations for parties under 6. With that in mind the 5 of us arrived and put our name in with the hostess. We were told it would be about a 45 minute wait and we could see if there were seats at the bar or go downstairs to the 2nd bar area.
We opted for seats downstairs and were able to watch a band setting up for tonight's show. We ordered a few cocktails and beers and chatted away. After a while we decided to order some appetizers and it's a good thing we did our wait ended up being about an hour and 20 minutes. We ordered the shishito peppers, Berkshire pork dumplings, semolina dusted calamari, and the Korean chili grilled octopus. All of these dishes went fast! We thoroughly enjoyed all of these dishes even the extra hot shishito peppers. Once our table was ready we headed back up to the main dining area. Unfortunately, the 5 of us were put at what was essentially a table for 4. Another round of cocktails were ordered and we also decided to try a few more appetizers. Our 2nd round were the deviled eggs, steak tartare (special), and Gonfietti (sage dough, Coppa, and ricotta). I wasn't thrilled with the steak tartare. The flavor was fine but the cuts on the steak were too large and very unappealing. For entrees we ordered the short rib udon, Opus chicken and waffles, spicy tuna roll, pork belly tacos, and another special of the evening. The short rib udon was just average, the chicken and waffles were delicious, the spicy tuna roll was average, the pork belly tacos were stale tasting, and the special was good. I definitely wouldn't return to the restaurant with a larger group but I would return for good music, good drinks, and excellent small plates. |
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