Copley Square and Harvard Yard - Sunday

We were supposed to wake up early yesterday to get over to Copley Square for service at the world renown Trinity Church designed by Henry Hobson Richardson but instead we slept in. Eventually we got up, grabbed Starbucks and took the T over to Copley Square to hang for a bit. We did, of course, walk around Trinity, but were not able to check out the interior of the church because Sunday service was in session (yeah...the one we should have been in).


Josh and Angela outside Trinity Church in Boston.


Josh riding the hare in Copley Square.

We walked over to McKim, Mead, and White's Boston Public Library where we called our buddy Nick (who now lives in Portland, ME, but was down in Boston furniture shopping) to see about meeting up with him somewhere. I couldn't remember all the details of our 2 minute conversation, but Josh and I decided to head back to the Kendall so I could change, and then head over to Harvard Square to eventually meet up with Nick. So we did.


The Boston Public Library.

Thanks to my iPhone, we found an Adidas Originals store right in the square, and made a beeline for it. Josh found some beautiful new kicks and I got myself a little souvenir (an Adidas/Cambridge hoodie). From there we walked over to Harvard's campus and picked a little area to sit and rest for a second while we tried getting a hold of Nick again. Like I said, I couldn't remember the plan. Were we meeting up for lunch? Or were we having lunch and then meeting?

Before I could even finish the text, a man, who we presumed to be a professor, commented on Josh's STL hat; said he was from St. Louis. So, we start chatting with this ol' fellow and before you know it, he's walking us through Harvard Yard and pointing out a few of the libraries and their historical significance. After awhile, I ask him what he does. He says "Internet Broadcasting". Hmmm...peculiar. Anyways, we sit down and have a chat with him while he grabs some smokes, and he advises us as to where we should stop on our way up to Deer Isle this week. Before you know it, we're buying him a ginger ale at a little restaurant and we're continuing our conversation of Socialism in America, personal arrests in Moscow, the invention of web-based news casting for CNN in London, a meeting with Mr. Saddam Hussein...the list goes on and on.


The Harry Elkin Widener Memorial Library at Harvard


The Wadsworth House at Harvard

I will call the man Mr. Cashew. This of course was NOT his name, but given the amount of government/CIA work the man had done, we're pretty sure the name he gave us was an alias anyways. We got a great laugh out of this man and had a good time trying to meet up with Nick and his friend Michelle who were trying to find parking at Harvard. It felt like "Where's Waldo" or something. Mr. Cashew took us to the boathouse and showed us where the row team practiced. He walked us through more of the campus all the while giving us a history lesson before finally leaving us for the evening.

We got Mr. Cashew to pose for a photo with us, but I have decided to sensor his face so as not to reveal his true identity.


"Mr. Cashew", Josh and Angela in Harvard Square.

After parting ways with the mysterious Mr. Cashew, we went over to Charlie's Pub (or something like that) for a couple of pints. They were well needed by this point!

Mr. Cashew had given us strict orders for dinner, but by the time we said goodbye to Nick and Michelle and got ready to go out, we decided to eat across the street from the Kendall at the Legal Sea Food in Kendall Square (as opposed to the one in Harvard Square at the Charles Hotel).


Legal Sea Foods in Kendall Square

Following dinner at the Legal, we opted against going out for drinks and instead went back to the Kendall (a whole 75 feet away) for some relaxation. After Josh had a steak (not very good) and three stuffed shrimp with broccoli and mashed potatoes and I had lobster bisque (yummy) and Arctic Char, polenta and spinach, we were in no mood to consume beverages or hoof it anywhere!


The Kendall by night...was originally a firehouse in Cambridge.

The First Night in Cambridge

After waking up 2 1/2 hours earlier than usual, yesterday, Josh and I boarded a plane bound for Boston. The flight was nice but the head flight attendant thought she was a comedian and made ridiculous jokes while reviewing the safety procedures. Although she was NOT humorous to neither Josh, myself nor the lady sitting to my right, she somehow managed to receive an applause from half the plane. For 7:00am, it was rather weird and surreal. I did not get it.

So after we landed in Boston, we hopped in a taxi (van) and made our way over to Cambridge. We saw a few rowers practicing on the Charles, but only for a split second. I definitely want to see a bit more of that!

We were lucky in that we were able to check in early at our boutique hotel. So we did and immediately began our trek for food. Eventually we decided on the Cambridge Brewery or Brew House, but there was an Irish Pub that drew us in before we could even get to the microbrewery - Tommy Doyle's Irish Pub. Complete with an Irish bartender, the establishment served your usual Irish influenced pub fare. I think Josh got a burger and I had fish and chips. Nothing crazy. But the Sam Adams Octoberfest on tap was AMAZING!


Josh watching the ever-so-interesting intersection outside...

After lunch, we decided naps were in order, so we convinced ourselves that we were on vacation and were afforded the luxury of midday sleeping. We must have slept long enough to wear off our lunch because shortly after waking up, we found ourselves on the T heading to Harvard Square for some brick-oven pizza from Bertucci's. There was a huge wait, but Josh must have glamoured the hostess because we we seated in less than 2 minutes!


Josh had the Bertucci while I had a spinache and roasted black olive pizza...

We came back to the hotel to regroup and drop off leftovers, etc. before going out for the night. Since we are still trying to figure out what's what and where everything is, my iPhone has been the best tourguide one could ask for. We decided on the Muddle Charles Pub on MIT's campus since it was within walking distance and overlooking the Charles River, however, what Mr. iPhone didn't tell me, was the pub is not open on weekends!

So we decide to get back on the T and head to Central Square this time in search for a dive bar or something! We settle on Tavern in the Square where they are showing multiple college football games on the tele, and have their facade completely open to the outdoors. Again I opt for the Octoberfest but Josh moves on to the hard stuff - Jack and Diane (otherwise known as Jack Daniels and Diet Coke). The weather was amazing and the environment at the bar was enjoyable too. I don't know the smoking policy in Cambridge, but this bar was smoke free!!!

We didn't want to miss the last subway, so we played it safe and came back to the Kendall before midnight. Josh wanted to smoke a stogie, so we walked down to the river and took a little walk along the promonade before heading in for the night.


Our shadows with Back Bay in the distance...