With Alex attending Northeastern University in Boston and unsure about his return home, Inna and I planned to visit Alex while working from Boston. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, many companies, including our current employers, made working from home (or anywhere in the USA) easy. Instead of taking a vacation to Boston, we decided to live there and experience life as locals.
Inna found a furnished apartment near Harvard University, on 334 Harvard Street, Cambridge, MA, for a reasonable price. We decided to rent it out for a month in May to explore Boston and see Alex, too.
Sunday, May 1, 2022
Our JetBlue Airlines flight #434 from San Francisco to Boston's Logan Airport was scheduled to depart at 08:04. After waking up at 05:20 and getting dressed, I planned to order UberX to take me to SFO. However, UberX's price increased, and I switched to Lyft. The Lyft driver picked us up at 05:45 in his Toyota Prius and drove us directly to Terminal 1 (JetBlue) of SFO.
Since I checked in online the day before, we went straight through security and waited by our gate. Inna stopped by Bun Mee to purchase chicken sandwiches for lunch during our long flight and some hot black tea and sugar-free bottled tea for later in the flight.
We boarded in group C, in 21B and 21C. I got our Kindle and started reading John Steinbeck's The Pearl.
The Pearl is a short story about a poor Mexican pearl-diver named Kino, his wife Juana, and infant son Coyotito. In it, Steinbeck explores man's purpose, greed, and evil.
Our flight continued smoothly, and we landed ahead of schedule at Boston's Logan Airport. After deplaning, we walked to the parking garage, where Rider Apps (Uber/Lyft) picked up riders and ordered Lyft. A few minutes later, a Lyft driver picked us up in a Nissan Rogue and drove us to our new apartment.
After being dropped off, we called to open the front door and rode the elevator to apartment #J2 on the second floor. It was clean, spacious, well-prepared, and ready for our use. I quickly unloaded my suitcase, putting my clothes away in the closet and in the small chest nearby. Inna did the same.
Since there was still daylight outside, we decided to head out to Riverbend Park on the Charles River. I wanted to find a place where I could jog in the morning. We enjoyed the 1-minute stroll to the park, marveling at the many ivy-covered brick buildings along the way.
We lingered on the John W. Weeks Footbridge, taking many photos of the Charles River and its beautiful surroundings. We continued the walk until we reached the Anderson Memorial Bridge.
We noticed a lot of police activity and, curiously, walked over to see what was happening. It was a march by a small group of Marxist/Leninist/Maoist students (aka "useful idiots") that primarily featured young people chanting slogans.
We continued past the protesters to Harvard Business School and were impressed by the mix of beautiful old and modern buildings and lawns.
On our return, we decided to stop by for dinner. We eventually settled on the Dumping House because it was open and well-rated. We ordered the following items:
- Hot Tea
- Mince Beef Westlake Soup
- Seafood Dumplings
- Small Dumplings of Pork & Crabmeat
- Pan-Fried Dumplings
While the soup was decent, the dumplings were so-so, with reasonably thick dough. I was not too impressed. We took most of the dumplings home (to eat another time) as we did not have space to eat them all.
After dinner, we returned home to rest, and I planned to buy groceries at Whole Foods the next day.
Monday, May 2, 2022
In the morning, I woke early due to the 5:30 sunrise in Boston. I am not used to the sun rising at such an early hour. My iPhone alarm rang at 7:00, and I dressed for a run. Since our refrigerator was empty, I decided to stop by the nearby Whole Foods.
The walk to Whole Foods took about 15 minutes. On the way there, I almost walked past it, as there was no large Whole Foods sign. I picked up a basket and loaded it with the following groceries:
- Yogurt (Plain)
- Organic Raspberries
- Organic Blueberries
- Organic Eggs
- Butter
- Cheese
- Ham (1/2 lb)
- Turkey (1/2 lb)
- Sour Cream
- Cream Cheese
- Sourdough Bread (Freshly baked), but most bread was out of stock
- Muffins
- California Navel Oranges
- Fuji Apples
When I returned home, I took a shower and had a small breakfast of raspberries and blueberries topped with Yogurt.
When Inna woke and got ready, we decided to talk to Tatte Bakery & Cafe for breakfast. Even at 10:00, the cafe was bustling. As we waited in line, we marveled at all the delicious pastries on display. I finally selected a pistachio croissant and a breakfast croissant sandwich. I ordered a mocha, and Inna ordered a latte (which took some time to make). We found seating upstairs, but it was hard to find a table.
The pistachio croissant was delicious, and my mocha was super!
After breakfast, we walked to Riverbend Park, encountering light rain on the return.
Inna and I worked our regular business hours. Around 14:30, I felt a bit peckish and made a sandwich with peppered turkey breast, Gouda, and cream cheese on sourdough bread.
In the evening, we walked back to Riverbend Park, exploring its southern end and watching multiple rowboats race on the Charles River.
On the way back, it started drizzling, and our pants and shoes got wet. We decided to stop by for dinner at Sakana Sushi. It was a small but famous Sushi Restaurant near our temporary apartment. After sitting at the bar, we ordered the following items:
- Tuna Roll
- Crimson Roll
- Miso Soup
- Hot Tea
The miso soup was delicious, but the sushi rolls were average. The Crimson Roll was not Crimson! The sushi presentation was lacking, and the service was slow. Given the prices charged, it's not the wrong place, but it's not exceptional either.
After dinner, we returned home to dry off our clothes.
Tuesday, May 3, 2022
I woke at 07:30 and walked to Charles River for pleasure and exercise. I saw many joggers and bicyclists exercising. Many students were walking to Harvard.
Inna and I stopped by the Tatte Bakery in Harvard Square during lunch. I tried the Mushroom Flatbread and mocha, while I selected a Smoked Salmon and Avocado Tartine with her usual latte.
Though small, my mushroom flatbread was delicious, and Inna's smoked salmon tartine was outstanding.
Tatte Bakery's Summer All-day Menu is available here.
https://tattebakery.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/BOS_Summer2022_allday_053122.pdf
Inna and I spent most of the day working (as I had many meetings to attend). In the evening, we walked to the Charles River to exercise and watch Harvard's rowing team practice.
There were many rowers on the river.
Wednesday, May 4, 2022
I woke up at 6:30 in the morning to prepare for my indoor bike ride at Harvard Square's Handle Bar. I pre-purchased a bottle of water ($2.50) and reserved bike #2 for the 7:00 session with Meredith Martin called "Gaga vs. Grande Rise & Ride."
Walking to Harvard Square, I was surprised it was not raining (as my weather app predicted). The whole day was supposed to be drizzly, but the early morning was mostly cloudy.
When I arrived at Handle Bar, I picked up my bottle of water and 10" biking shoes (required for riding the bike). I put my belongings in a small, free locker and entered a medium-sized room full of stationary bikes. These were not the high-end Keiser bikes I am used to riding, but a somewhat cheaper version with no electronics.
I got on my bike and tried to click in with my shoes, but it took some time. The music was blasting (I wish I had brought my earplugs), and Meredith Martin was riding a bike at the front, raised on a platform. She started the ride at a fast pace right away. Most of the other riders were young, college-age girls, with only one other guy riding.
The session lasted 45 minutes, and I sweated a bit. It was a good workout, except for the overly loud music. After the ride, I returned to our apartment, took a shower, and ate a breakfast of blueberries and raspberries with Yogurt. Inna was still sleeping, and I opened my laptop to start working.
Inna planned to meet her long-time friend Faina at the nearby Tatte Bakery. After she returned, she made an appointment to see a chiropractor for her lower back pain.
I worked most of the day and took a short walk to Riverbend Park, where I observed multiple rowboats racing on the Charles River.
In the evening, I boiled some veal pelmeni for dinner. They were delicious!
Thursday, May 5, 2022
In the morning, I woke at 7:30, took a shower, dressed, and ate my usual breakfast of raspberries and blueberries with plain Yogurt. I planned to visit the North End and Charlestown, including the famous USS Constitution frigate.
Following Google Maps, I walked to the nearby Central T station and purchased a single $2.40 ticket. I boarded the Red Line (inbound) and arrived at Downtown Crossing. From here, I was supposed to board the Orange Lin (bound for Oak Grove), but there were no signs. I spoke with someone working there, who directed me to a tunnel leading to the Orange Line. I boarded the Orange Line and got off at Haymarket.
Once I oriented myself, I walked toward Paul Revere House - my first stop. I noticed the multitude of Italian restaurants and cafes. It was Little Italy in Boston. After stopping for a few photos at Paul Revere House, I walked toward St. Stephen's Church and Paul Revere Mall.
There were many plaques on the walls of Paul Revere Mall commemorating illustrious deeds by the people of Boston's North End. I continued on the Freedom Trail toward Copp's Hill Burying Ground. There were many ancient gravestones, but I did not spot anyone's name I recognized.
I continued my walk over the Charlestown Bridge toward Charlestown Navy Yard and the USS Constitution, a three-masted, 44-gun frigate of the U.S. Navy.
The USS Constitution is the oldest ship (launched in 1797) of any type still afloat. I visited the famous "Old Ironsides" and was impressed by its construction. Because of its use of "Live Oak" from Georgia, one of the densest and heaviest woods, which could deflect cannonballs in combat (as noted by sailors in her famous battle against HMS Guerriere in 1812).
When I stepped aboard, I was surprised by the narrowness of the frigate. In addition, the decks below were relatively short, and it was easy to bump one's head against the ceiling. The captain's quarters below deck were not very fancy, and I was surprised to see a gun port right next to the captain's bedchamber.
After visiting the USS Constitution, I stopped by for an hour at the USS Constitution Museum, which houses many interesting artifacts from the late 18th Century. It explains some of the battles the USS Constitution fought (against the Barbary Pirates in the Mediterranean and against the British).
Running short on time, I decided to return to our apartment on 334 Harvard Street and walked back to the North T stop, boarded first the Orange Line and then the Red Line, returning at around 12:40 (with a quick stop to Whole Foods to purchase a few groceries).
After making a quick lunch (sandwiches with turkey and Gouda cheese) and a few cups of coffee, I continued focusing on my work.
Inna developed some hip pain and saw a chiropractor, who helped her a bit.
In the evening, Alex stopped by (he finished his last final at Northeastern University), and we decided to eat dinner together at Oleana Restaurant on 134 Hampshire Street. After a 15-minute walk from our apartment, we waited a bit in the lobby before being seated at our table.
Looking over the interesting menu, we ordered the following items, which we shared:
- Drinks: Hudson North Apple Cider, Hot Tea
- Appetizers: Fatteh (Caramelized Onion, Cauliflower, Crispy Mushrooms, Pine Nuts, Yogurt), Moussaka
- Entrees: Paper Halibut, Iskender Kebab(Vermont Lamb, Turkish Bread, Tomato Brown Butter, Yogurt Sauce)
- Dessert: Baked Alaska (Coconut Ice Cream, Passion Fruit Caramel), Turkish Profiteroles (Brown Butter Crème, Sesame Caramel, Cashews, Halva)
We enjoyed all our dishes, but the portions were small. I liked the Moussaka and the Halibut, while Alex loved the Baked Alaska dessert.
We scheduled Lyft to return Alex to Northeastern, with a drop-off at 334 Harvard Street for us.
Friday, May 6, 2022
I woke at 8:30 in the morning, shaved, showered, and dressed to start work early. Inna hoped to see a new chiropractor and left home around 9:00. She returned home in a much better condition.
At 11:20, we decided to stop at Tatte Bakery for a snack (and lunch for Inna). It was busy, and I ordered my Pistachio Croissant while Inna tried a Shoukshika with a latte.
Initially, we planned a road trip to Newport, Rhode Island, and Inna made multiple hotel and dinner reservations for that purpose. However, the weather was highly unfavorable, with rain predicted for Friday and Saturday. Spending the whole weekend indoors seemed impossible for us.
We rescheduled the visit to Newport for another weekend and traveled somewhere with better weather. While checking various destinations, I noticed that Portland, Maine, had clear weather for the weekend. Inna and I searched for hotel and dinner reservations to enjoy our trip there.
Alex arrived around 18:40, in time for our road trip to Portland, Maine.
In the evening, we picked up our Infiniti QX50 from Anthony on Turo at 19:15 on our way to Portland, Maine.
