Saturday, August 16, 2008

Boston, Massachussetts

John Butler signing Kevin's Federation Square (Melbourne) Concert DVD (taken on my phone camera in low light)


Here we are in Boston, soaking up the sights. We arrived Wednesday and stayed in a little apartment in the famous Italian neighbourhood of the North End. We walked to Faneuil Hall AKA Quincy Market to shop and dine on seafood.
Thursday we explored the Freedom Trail, making stops at Paul Revere's house, the famous North Church (where Revere's accomplice hung the lanterns) and the Charlestown Shipyards, home of the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides).
Thursday night we took the T to the Bank of America Pavillion for the John Butler Trio concert. It was great! Kevin and I got to meet JB himself and the band!
Friday we drove to Salem to visit the Witches Museum and north to Kittery, Maine for some outlet shopping. Driving back in the pouring rain, we arrived at the Buckingham Apartments in the Back Bay, just off Newbury Street and coincidentally, 2 blocks from the Bolyston Street Apple Store. As always, do I know how to pick accommodation, or what?! It was closing at 11 pm and reopening at midnight for the State's tax free weekend. It was tempting to go back just for fun! Colleen and I grabbed a seafood pizza at a little corner restaurant while we walked around town in the rain. The Blue Jays and Red Sox were rained out, it appeared.
Saturday, we walked and browsed the cafés, shops, and galleries along famous Newbury Street, and Boylston Street. Kevin and I got as far as Boston Common, This was, of course, between visits to the Apple Store. Colleen never made it past Crate and Barrel and the legendary Filene's Bargain Basement (which, if truth be told, is actually closed at its original location and has only its partner store open on Boylston at the moment).
We feasted on Thai food on Newbury Street, after which we strolled the avenue and met up with some happy Blue Jays fans as Boston had been beaten 4-1.
Sunday, we were on the road by 7:30 am, winding through Brookline looking for an open gas station. We passed JFK's House by accident, then hopped on I-90 going west, ready for the Lavazza Espresso Bar in the service area just west of the city. Making shopping stops in Albany (L.L. Bean) and Waterloo (NY) Factory Outlet Mall, we gathered some last minute autumn clothing "bargoons." Colleen drove the final leg from Waterloo, including finding her way through Buffalo to avoid the Queenston Bridge, which was reporting 1 hour or more delays. Arriving home by 8:30 pm, we took our lost son Mat out for dinner at The Keg.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Olympic Love

The Olympics are just days away, and this story, of Olympic love, features the niece and fiancé of a friend of ours, both competing for Canada.
Jessica Zelinka is a Heptathlete and we watched Nathaniel Miller compete at the World Aquatic Championships in Melbourne last year.
Good luck to them both!

Click the title to read the story in the Toronto Star.