Week 30, Day 6

Today we have a guest speaker writing about Boston! AJ is a dear friend of mine from college. She is amazing, has a heart of gold, and has been such a huge source of love and encouragement in college and even still. She absolutely LOVES Boston, so I figure the chance that she will come and visit me is pretty big : ) yay! I asked her to write about Boston, so here is what she wrote! Enjoy:

call it fate, but the 80s band boston has a love song called amanda. i think it was a song written with the knowledge that miss amanda keene would one glorious day being living it big time in none other than boston!

hi, my names aj, and i LOVE boston (and amanda! how coincidental...).
i have been to boston many times. each time completely lovely.
all my dads family lives there, so we've made many a few trips there.
and over the years, i've experienced so many amazing things the city has to offer.

boston is a city full of history, culture, accents, and insane sports fans (of which, i am one).
as a GUEST BLOGGER this week *score!* i'll highlight a few of my favorite things about boston.

#1- the red sox & fenway park! america's most beloved ballpark is fenway. bostonians are insane sports fans. red sox nation. no matter where you're walking around town and how far out you are in the suburbs, you will see TONS of redsox hats/coats/stickers/etc. the redsox mind the town together. (you'll also see many patriots and celtics and bruins memorabilia.) without weighing this post down with exhibition of how crazy my affections are for the redsox, i'll move on to something else.

#2- the freedom trail. there is literally a line of two bricks for 2.5 miles around the city, allowing you to take your own personally guided tour of historical landmarks. you will be able to experience so many historal landmarks in one day, you would be able to pass your high school constitution test after it. some of the things you'll see are paul reveres home, bunker hill-site of the first revolutionary war battle (have fun climbing up those 294 steps to the top!), the uss constitution ship, the old north church-where the lanterns were hung to signal "one if by land two if by sea," kings chapel and burying ground-resting place for people from the mayflower etc, granary burying ground-resting place for many signers of the declaration of independence, faneuil hall- AMAZING marketplace and restuarants including the famous cheers!, and a few more things as well. (boston is also in close proximity to salem-salem witch trials, nathaniel hawthornes house of the seven gables...and MANY more places!)

#3- FOOD! oh my word, with all the different neighborhoods there are so many insane places to eat (enjoy!).
-seafood: lobster rolls from kelleys or boston&maine fish company (which you can find in faneuil hall).
-pizza: pizzeria regina in the north end. it's a small place, but it's delicious. and if you're a tlc watcher, it won a food feud!
-pastry: who doesnt love pastry. also in the north end (little italy) you'll find mikes pastry and modern pastry just across the street and a jet from each other. (i recommend mikes...)
-oh, and they also have falafel in faneuil hall (you can find anything you want there...they will for certain have something to excite your taste buds).
-(sorry about the food...im a vegetarian...so those are my faves!)
-coffee: dunkin donuts are on every street in the boston area. aside from yummy donuts and bagels and breakfast sammys, they have the best coffee. go in and treat yourself to a medium regular iced coffee with skim milk and two splendas. (best...drink...EVER!)

#4-boston common: 50 acres (okay fine i had to google that part to give you the size) park that is actually the start of the freedom trail. it's america's oldest park! pretty trees, amazing scenery.

#5- the public garden: the prettiest place in the world! full of trees and flowers and, wait for it, swan boats! have you ever read make way for ducklings? it's my favorite book from my childhood. my nana gave it to be when i was like one. and i cant tell you how many times i've read it or have had it read to me growing up. and then, on one of those glorious trips to boston, i went on the swan boats that the book mentioned. it's was one of my more classic moments. the swan boats are on this beautiful little lagoon...i cant tell you how gorgeous this place it. (amanda, i advise you to spend as much time there as you can!) and be sure to bring some bread to tear apart for the ducks and swans.

#6-random others: broadway, the nutcracker ballet, chinatown, the bagel shop outside faneuil hall, duckboats (vehicles that can go straight from road to water from water to road, so cool), music, diversity, nook and cranny hotspots, and so many more amazing things to love about my favorite city!)

(aj factiod: my nana used to be a legal secretary at the john hancock building...the one that is all glass window panels with the seemingly black stripe down the side.)