Beantown Bites

I have to say that I LOVE the food in Beantown. I truly think that they have some of the best in the world so I was delighted to be able to hit some of my favorites and catch up with some good friends at the same time.

I went to a great tapas restaurant with my fellow qualitative research support group buddies Laura and Donna where EVERY dish we got was phenomenal, with the exception of the flan. It was ok, but I'm just not a fan of flan in general cuz it tastes to eggy and I have only had it like once that I loved. We stayed there talking and laughing for several hours- so much so that my advisor and his friends came after us and left before us. Laura just graduated this year and so she is the inspiration for Donna and I. We will both be motivating each other along for next May.

Thursday evening, I went with my dear friends whom I consider to be family, Bounhome and Olay. They are some of the kindest people I have ever met. Olay made Bounhome and I these beautiful matching amber necklaces- she could defintely sell these but just gives them to friends.
My favorite Thai place in Boston used to be Brown Sugar Cafe, but I now have a new one on the corner of Allston st and harvard st in Allston. Sadly, I can't remember the name but it was so great- unique flavors and fresh tastes. Look at these beautiful women with even more beautiful spirits.
And for dessert, we headed downtown to the North End for a little Mikes Pastries. Yum- cannolli and lobster tails (pictured below)
The big dig (installing underground freeways) had been going on for 20 years and since I have been in Boston, the former green spaces of park called the Emerald Necklace have been underconstruction. What a difference a year can make- they have finally finished the parks and look how beautiful with the fountains, tables to sit and converse, and just nature.
We were together for over 5 hours (poor Olay's husband kept calling) but it truly was just such a fun evening.

On Friday, I got together with my dear friend Carolina who took me to a fabulous Indian restaurant where we had amazing Tikka Masala- some of the best I've had. And for old times sake, we went and had some cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory. The vanilla bean still remains my fave.

Saturday was NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOES with Leah and Heather, my old visiting teachers. This has been "our place" and so I was excited to go there. As you may remember, earlier William and I were DEVASTATED because they got rid of our favorite steak and cheese pizza. Well, Heather told me that she went a month ago and asked them to custom make it AND THEY DID! Naturally, I was just ecstatic at the prospect and so I requested it. Unfortunately, the chef was new and didn't know what I was talking about and brought me this
The original steak and cheese had a creamy garlic sauce and this was just marinara. Still good, but just not out-of-this world as I still ate it
It was better that they didn't have it so that William wouldn't have been mad at me. But, I did have the bread and oil/cheese without red pepper and then we split the Peanut Butter Thing, a great ice cream treat. We were shocked that for a Saturday night, we had no wait . . . but then had to wait on our waiter. Oh well- at least we had more than enough to catch up about.

Sunday I had lunch with some of my current and former Brandeis sociology colleagues at Cheesecake Factory. Its funny when you see people everyday and talk only for a few minutes just how close you can get. I have definitely missed our casual conversations not just about "shop talk" but also about life so it was great to be with them again- Sarafina, Allison, and Erin
Our other friend Ken was there too but had to leave before the photo for his presentation.

And I was able to attend the medical sociology awards dinner that night at Legal Seafoods so that I could have some of their 7 time presidential inaguration clam chowder, the boston baked scrod (which was INCREDIBLE), and key lime pie (also so good). It was great because I was able to converse with some of the rock stars of medical sociology on a more intimate level.

On Monday, my dad and sister arrived and so we went to our favorite GIACOMO's- we were there 15 minutes before it opened and there already was a huge line. Fortunately, we were the VERY LAST table to fill up the tiny restaurant so that we didn't have to wait any longer. My sister Sarah and I shared the pumpkin tortellini and the lobster and shrimp fusilli with Giacamo's sauce. And you had better believe that we scraped our plates clean. And of course we got cannoli's from Mikes for later.

Given a very hectic conference schedule (a full week of 3 different sociology conferences, 2 presentations, and med soc committee meetings), I was lucky that I was able to fit in a few good restaurants and friends but I am so SAD that there are so many that I wasn't able to see everyone that I wanted to. It just means that I will have to make another trip :-)