Boston Day Trip

The East Coast is awesome for traveling state to state because everything is so close. Since I was in NYC, I took a 4-hr bus ride to Boston for a day trip to visit Angie, my dear childhood best friend. Sad to say though, all my visits to Boston (all 3) have only been day trips. Even though it's a smaller city than NYC, I wouldn't mind staying a couple days in Boston just to have a change of pace. It turned out to be a nice little get away from Manhattan.

So with less then 24 hours in Boston, I managed to check out a couple bars, grab a late brunch, and take a stroll in Boston Common. I can't remember the name of the first bar we went to, but we ended the night at Middlesex, a bar with a dance floor, Cambridge. It was really fun! Great energy, awesome music (R&B/Hip Hop/Disco), and everyone was just having a good time dancing.



The next day, we had the perfect brunch at The Paramount in Beacon Hill. We split a simple stack of pancakes, eggs, hash, and sausage...couldn't ask for anything more for that meal.



After finishing brunch, we walked it off at Boston Common. It was a beautiful day in the park and everyone was out and about. I think we encounted at least 4 wedding parties walking around/taking photos.







All in all a lovely trip! Wish I could have stayed longer.

*Little Travel Note*
The last time I went to Boston from NYC, I took the Chinatown Fung Wah bus, but that wasn't a good experience. It was raining that night, and on a full bus, I happened to get the one seat where rain dripped onto my lap! Luckily, I had a plastic bag at the time and just had to sit with it on my lap for 4 hours. This time, I tried out BoltBus, which was just as cheap as the Chinatown buses, plus it included free wi-fi. The wi-fi didn't work on my bus up to Boston, but it did on the bus back to NYC. Overall, more comfortable than the Chinatown bus, so I'd take it again.

NYC - Eats

My favorite thing about New York is all the food options here. Not only is the food good, but sometimes surprisingly cheap as well. Here are the standouts so far:



Magnolia Bakery - Key Lime Cheesecake

This bakery (of Sex in the City fame) is known for their cupcakes, but this little Key Lime Cheesecake was calling my name. It was pretty darn good. Not too dense or overly rich, with a hint of key lime. I sucked on the lime a little bit - bad idea.





Hampton Chutney - Masala Deluxe Dosa

This is it! This is my new favorite dish. It is a cross between a crepe and an injera (Ethiopian spongey bread), filled with yummy goodness. The Masala Deluxe had spinach, jack cheese and roasted tomato, and it came with your choice of chutney (we had cilantro - very refreshing). I shared one with my friend, so it was a perfect light dinner, but I could have easily eaten the whole thing. It was THAT good. Now I am going to have to find a dosa place in the Bay Area.



Soba-ya - Yuba Sashimi and Zaru Soba

Wow. One word: Fresh. My friend told me this place is best known for their hand-made noodles, and they did not disappoint. We started off with a few appetizers, but the Yuba Sashimi was outstanding. I could not believe how soft the tofu was. It was like silk. And my Zaru Soba was excellent. Very simple, just topped it off with Nori seaweed. So delicious!





Wah Mei Pork Chop Fast Food - Fried Chicken and Rice

I came here two visits ago. Sad I didn't get to eat this last time I was here, but made a trip this time around. Total hole-in-the-wall spot (barely any seating), but dang, this food is so good. Special super tasty gravy sauce with pickled vegetables over rice, little bit of cabbage, plus an egg on the side...mmmm. And the chicken leg? Nice crisp on the skin and the meat was moist. Yes, they are known for their pork chop, but please, try the chicken.

And that was Round 1 of NYC eats. More to come...

NYC - Week 1 Recap

I finally have a chance to just sit and veg out here in NYC. I've been here for just about a week now and my legs are tired from walking so much! (Not that I am complaining, I'm just not used to it yet.) Freddy has been taking me everywhere...from East Village, to Chinatown, to SoHo, to the Lower East Side, to West Village...mainly in lower Manhattan. It's so easy to walk through so many neighborhoods. It's my 5th time here in NYC, so there is not a lot of touristy things I want to see. (Although I am still making it a priority to Coney Island on this visit.)

So what have I been doing? Mainly, eating at yummy places along our walks. Going out at night for some (expensive) drinks (I will miss Seattle for cheap drinks). Going to bed late and waking up late. (But it's ok, because I will be totally fine when I get back to the West Coast since 4am=1am and 1pm=10am. See?)

NYC is pretty fun, but overwhelming. Never really thought I would feel like that, since I have been here before and loved it, but I think I am getting old (!). I'm not sure if I could live here very long given the chance. Just being here makes me feel like I need to take advantage of all that NYC has to offer...which is a TON of stuff, from nightlife, to shopping, to dining, to culture...it's quite a lot. And of course, this stuff ain't all free. I am amazed that so many people live here and are able to sustain the lifestyle they have. I can't imagine what kind of income I'd have to make to live comfortably in NYC.

Anyways, I will post photos of the restaurant spots shortly.

Sushi Pillows!

I received a nice surprise package from my old co-workers today....sushi pillows! They are by The Original Sushi Pillow. The salmon nigiri is probably my favorite, because of the "rice". The fabric they used was just perfect...white with a pattern of tiny, assorted-sized circles. Nice detail on that one! The salmon maki is great too because it can be used as a real pillow. Same with the edamame, but more like a stuff animal; it's very huggable!

Mmmmm sushi...if only they had a Sushi Land in they Bay Area...

SF - Taiyaki

One place I always have to stop by whenever I am in Japantown is the little Taiyaki stand. (It's located in the Japan Center, where most of the restaurants are.) Taiyaki is basically a pastry treat made with waffle batter, which is poured into a fish-shaped mold, and a sweet filling. They have more flavors now, but since I haven't had one in a while, I had to get the original red bean filling. It was so good! Make sure to get yours heated, so you have a nice little crust and the filling is warm. So glad I stopped in to get one. I'll have to try the chocolate banana one next time.

MIA But Back Again

has it really been a year since i posted? shame on me. not that there was not a lot going on. i just got lazy, and somewhat disinterested in what was going on in Seattle. but that is changing...i moved back to the Bay Area this past weekend for a change of scenery. i have not lived in this area since i was 18 (over 10 years!) so i am sure a lot has changed, meaning more new things to discover. i already have a few things i want to post about already, but i'll be organized and dedicate a post per topic.

i'm planning on traveling soon as well, so keep an eye out on where in the world is ewo...

*this picture i took is not of me, but of my dear friend, rutsu! it just happens to be a favorite right now and wanted to share.

Floaties

it's been getting a little bit colder, so that means more time on the couch. and time to doodle.