The countdown finally commenced and Wednesday the 22nd of May had finally arrived!!! I had a late start to my morning for work so I could pick my favorite couple up from the airport for their week long trip to visit me and explore Boston/New England ;) In general I am pretty good at visiting people when I tell them I am going to, I keep in touch with people from my past pretty well, and do my best to make it to special events if I can... My dear friend Jennifer (Jarrett) Teagle is just the same way :) When she said she wanted to live in St George with me, she moved down and we bunked together in our ghetto 1 bedroom apt with a blow up mattress and cot for 5 months; I moved to DC and within months she and Mike came to visit; a year later she wanted to do NYC with Mike so she did and I was able to make it up to see her; last year it went without saying that when she and Mike FINALLY got married I was there for it all and even did a small Beyonce dance tribute with our group of girls... We both love to travel and so I know that (even though she is now expecting her first little angel girl) she will likely travel the distance and make a visit to me there as well... if not I understand but I don't doubt I will see her.
I had to leave and go to work and left them in my cozy little room to rest and recover from their red eye flight, that evening we met up with some of my Boston folks and had a delicious meal at a little Italian place then Jacob took us to Eastie so we could see the night time view of the city, it was a little foggy however still quiet and cool.
Thursday they had the chance to go do the Freedom trail and bum around Boston then we had a nice relaxing night just hanging at my place.... No real documentation or photos from that day ha
Friday was a more entertaining day for the two because Jacob took them out to see different parts of the city that most tourists don't get to see. They went and saw the bar from the TV show Cheers, walked down to Boylston st, attempted to go up Hancock building (but found out that has not been a option since 9/11), walked through Harvard square, and then Jen got a gourmet hot chocolate that she didn't stop talking about the rest of the week... literally I think she still mentioned it on the last day as I drove her to the airport ;)
Not her exact cup but I think it looked similar to this...
Friday night was fun, it was a rainy night so what else do you do?? Go to the movies!!!! We hit up Davis square which has a old classic theater that the seats are terrible in, however the ambiance of the place makes it worth it (also the snacks are not a ridiculous price)
Trekies Unite!
Saturday was a big day and the one I looked forward to the most. Mike had 2 things he wanted to do in Boston: 1- See Paul Revere's house and 2- Go to a Red Sox game. #1 was taken care of on thursday when they did the Freedom Trail and so wish #2 was one that I had told them to not worry about getting tickets because I had a plan for the game. So it was still raining on Saturday around the time we had to go to the ballpark for the 130pm game; we bundled up in layers and put on our rain coats... no matter what we wanted to make sure we made it into the stadium for at least a inning and ordered a Fenway dog (this place in monumental!!!) So we took the T and spent a few minutes wandering Yawkee way (which is right outside of the stadium) and then started our way in. It was not fully raining, just doing the annoying misting that it often does in the North East that is enough to make you want to die but not enough to make you go inside... we were torn on what to do but I had a trick up my sleeve... So we enter in the first set of gates a bit wet and uncomfortable, then proceeded through a door marked "EMC club" on the doors, they both said, "funny Kj, is this where everyone enters in at??" I just gave them a sly smile and said, "take out your tickets." So the next guy takes our ticket and we head up the escalator.... as I glance back and Mike and Jen they both just give me a look and at that moment the first view of Fenway park shows up on our left side.... and WHAT A VIEW IT IS!! Seriously it is one that makes you catch your breath and stare in awe all at the same time. We get up to the entrance to the club and get our ticket and hand stamped. This brings us into a sit down restaurant with silverware and all.... I didn't even know this was allowed at a ball park ha ha After they realized where our seats were they couldn't stop thanking me. We sat literally directly behind home plate, up in the boxed seats area where we were covered from the rain and had heaters above us... yes at some point we took off our jackets because we were so warm... it never stopped misting. In honesty I owe all the thanks to Lauren Rollins who is not only the kindest person in the world but the most giving as well. Her family has season tickets and they were out of town traveling so when I asked if there were any games they hadn't given tickets to and within days she called and said I could have Saturdays tickets!! :) The best part of this whole thing was that in the end, THE RED SOX WON!!! The other game I had been to was a tragic loss and I had started to believe I was a bad luck charm (in Boston sports are serious and anyone who causes their teams to loose is not invited to games any longer... thats what Laurens' dad had told me at the last game we went to... very superstitious)
Awaiting our ride to the game
Mike and Jen, can't get enough of these two!!
Compilation of photos from Fenway Park
Complete focus of the game
Warm and cozy watching the game
Jacob and Kj
A picture of me taking their picture....
The picture I took of them...
A shot of me right after taking their picture...
Lots of pictures taken in those 10 seconds haha
A nice shot of Jacob and I after the game...
The Red Sox Win!!!
Walking across the "Smoot Bridge" a bridge that
was measured by MIT students back in the 60's
using a fellow classmate with the last name
Smoot.. The bridge turns out to be:
Jacob, Mike, and Jen walking across Smoot
Sunday was our Maine day. I had not been up north yet and had never thought I would make it there. My pops served his LDS mission in New England and back in the 70s it incorporated ME, NH, VT, MA, and RI. He always talked about how cold Maine was and I always pictured it from the many movies, however I didn't ever think I would be close enough to go there. Turns out there are loads of lighthouses.. 67 to be exact up the entire coast of ME, we wanted to check out at least a few of them! We got as far north as Portland in the afternoon and stopped to eat then headed back down, stopping at one more on our way... All around it was a really fun time, a beautiful drive and something I want to do again, hopefully this fall when the leaves are changing :)
The sun shone for half the day and the rain came
for the rest of it, but we didn't let a little rain stop this
group!!!
Catching some sunlight on our bodies while we could..
First lighthouse we stopped at, Nubble lighthouse
which is can only be reached by this rope
and cart pulley contraption
On the cliffs of Nubble
Lets get CRACKIN!!
EEEEEKKK seriously Mike was a bit too freaked
out by this guy... Jen almost lost her pregnant
cookies when the green bile from the
liver was cracked open, supposedly the liver
is considered a delicacy.... sure it is...
Outside of Portland Lobster Co.
JJ and KJ
Monday brought Memorial day with it and although there were loads of things we wanted to do, we settled on taking a road trip up to Salem to see the witches history and explore around the haunted town :)
This museum was not the greatest but it did
give a nice overview of the Salem Witch hunt,
I learned that next time I should bring people
back for the tours at dusk... more real/scary
Waiting in the Gallows...
One of the oldest graveyards in the USA... turns out
everything here is either "one of the first" or "the oldest"
#earlycolonistproblems
We then had time to cruise down to Quincy, Ma which is fairly close to Boston and do a quick tour of and lesson on John Adams and John Quincy Adams (our 2nd and 6th presidents) and their impact on the Constitution and country in the early days. Their family was very influential for many generations. We were allowed to go tour a church in Quincy and allowed to go down in the crypt to see the tombs of both presidents and their wives... No joke!!
Tomb of John Adams, Abigail Adams,
John Quincy Adams, and Louisa Adams
My favorite place to go in Boston, the view from
the Repunzel tower in Mt. Auburn Cemetery
Monday night Jacob took us out on a night tour of the city to see a few more awesome sites. We saw the airplanes land and take off, saw the sea lions at the aquarium, found a fountain that was not quite like Belagio but was pretty sweet, and took a quick cruise across Zakim bridge :)
"Belagio fountain"
Amazing shot by our action photographer
Jennifer, beautiful shot of Zakim
Tuesday was technically my last day of work, I just had to go in and do a meeting and turn in my computer/phone to the company and then we had big plans to cruise down Cape Cod for the day and stay over for the evening. Cape cod is only about 1.5 hrs away from my place by car, on the way Mike actually mentioned the #3 wish he had for his trip to New England, it was a sneak attack wish but very doable because we were on the way to where his dreams could come true... He wanted to go to the store that Steve Carrell owns (Michael Scott from the office) in Massachusetts. Its a General store that has everything a person could need in a small town, so we stopped by and I think he bought a Root Beer there, Wish #3: Check!
Mike outside the General Store, what
a happy little boy
After the pit stop, it was onward hoe to Martha's Vineyard. I honestly always thought it was a place that Martha Stewart owned and all the rich east coast people went to for vacationing in the summer, but turns out it is likely named after the founder of the island who had a mother and a daughter named Martha. Anyway there are 3 main cities (ports) to go to and a population of over 16,000 people year round and can increase to 100,000 in the summer time. On our ferry we noticed a bunch of adolescents with sports shirts on that said "Vineyard football" or "Vineyard Tennis" so clearly I was wrong in thinking it was just a vacation spot!! I had one goal in going to this island, Back Door Donuts. I knew they didn't open up til 730pm so we had a good 4 hrs to kill. We had a late lunch at a small delicious cafe then walked around The Cottage which is a large community of houses that look like gingerbread houses....... its absolutely cool but a bit freaky/creepy at the same time haha
The main street we walked up and down
Another angle of the street, such a cute place!!
Homes in The Cottage community
My favorite one is the teal colored one
We then headed down to the beach to at least put or feet in the freezing cold water, Jen got in up to right below her knees but Mike wanted to prove he could do it and went to his knees... and got his shorts all wet, he really showed us ;) ;) Afterwards we relaxed for a bit, wandered the rest of the town looking at cool architecture and people watching for a bit; I somehow ended up with a bowl of ice cream; and then magically it was 730pm!!!!
Toes in the ice cold water
Peering out to the sea.....
...Now peering at you
Jen and I just loving ourselves ;)
Mike and Jen picture +Kj photo bombing :)
Upside down one, but they caught me this time...
We hustled to the back of the restaurant and waited in line (only 2 people there before us) and ordered around a dozen freshly fried, hot, dripping with icing, delicious donuts and a apple fritter that made me happy to drop dead!!
This was round 1....
From there we headed to the ferry to find out we had to go to another location, hopped the bus, and then made the ferry. We were to the car by 950 so instead of getting a hotel for the night and spending the day in the rain, we decided to head home to my place... into bed by midnight, it was a beautiful day ;)
Wednesday was a sad day since they had to leave, however weather wise it was mild and pretty nice out. Rather than attempting to go and hit a few more sites or museums I made breakfast for us all and then we headed to the salon across from my street and all 4 of us got pedicures!! Mike and Jacob had not had one before, they were a little bit nervous about doing it, but most definitely enjoyed the massage and pampering they got ha
We polished the visit off at Mr Bartley's Burger joint then sadly drove Mike and Jen to the airport
:( :( :(
Like I said at the beginning, we stay in touch and visit often so I know I will see her soon, so til next time ;)
Me by the end of the week....
Mike by the end of the week....
Jen by the end of the week...
After they left I started packing up and cleaning..................... Thats right, I have packed up for the summer and am off traveling again. Right now I am Mexico, it has been raining since Friday when I got here but it might clear up by this weekend... if not I am not complaining, I am in paradise and have time to update my blog, help people in need (or animals), and spend time taking care of myself. More updates to follow soon, hope all is well in your worlds ~
Kj
