Boston Days 5 & 6 & 7

I am having such a great time here wandering in my old stomping grounds. It's still so strange though, to feel like a visitor even though it all feels so familiar-- like home.

I met my friend from college, Kristin, in Framingham, west of the city. I lived in the next town of Ashland. I walked to the commuter rail, bought a ticket after a few moments of confusion navigating the 'new' way of doing things here, settled on the train and watched the familiar sights go by. I took the train into the city for close to a year. We drove past my old townhouse

We drove down to Newport, one of my 'happy' places when I lived here. Whenever I had something on my mind, or just wanted to be near the ocean, I went there. Newport is an amazing town with a lot to do! You can tour mansions, walk the Cliff Walk that winds along the ocean with spectacular views, walk through the touristy town, eat wonderful seafood, walk through the more residential area sprinkled with lovely inns and B&Bs, and one of my favorite places was at the end of the town where there is a park that people fly kites at. It's all rocky beaches and you can walk out to sit on the rocks with the waves crashing around you and watch sometimes hundreds of kites. Gorgeous.

Today Kristin planned the day, and we grabbed a quick bite at Diegos on Bowen Wharf and got a dish of guacamole with some seafood, and tuna tacos. Yum. The drinks were also amazing.

Kristin got us tickets for a boat cruise. I was expecting one of those mini-yachts, but this was a motorized sailboat! I was so excited! It was really wonderful. We sat listening to the sails flapping in the wind. The boat was quite high on one side due to the breeze and chop of the water. The crew were wonderful and informative and one of the guys knew everything about the houses we saw and their history down to when they were built, last purchased and by what family. Interesting!

Kristin made a reservation for a late lunch at the Mooring, and we got seats overlooking the water. We got some oysters (I think I’m hooked after yesterday’s oysters at the Old Oyster House!) I got a salad with a lobster tail, and she got swordfish tacos. Yum. Double yum!

We walked around the town for a while then drove up by the mansions to the Cliff Walk, and walked a little bit of that. It’s a narrow asphalt path winding on a cliff overlooking the ocean and offers spectacular views of the water and of some of the back of the mansions.

What a fun day! It was a long one but it was so great to catch up with her as I haven’t seen her in a few years now. Newport offers a lot of things to do and is a great place. There are a lot of inns and quaint B&Bs, lots of shopping, the mansions to tour (Vanderbilt and other famous family icons), boat cruises, beaches and rocks to walk on as well as a great park at the end where a ton of people fly kites. It’s fun to see. It’s a typical coastal sea town but really offers a lot in my opinion and is well worth checking out.

On Wednesday I took the train north near where I used to live, to meet another friend. She met me at the train in Beverly, two towns over from where I grew up and a place I went to lots of times. We went straight to Singing Beach, and walked the beach in both directions. It was so beautiful and relaxing. I really missed the ocean! I used to come here when I was a kid so it was a special treat. 

We drove through some of Beverly, which again, looked so familiar but as if I lived here in a past life, wound our way up to Manchester-by-the Sea and to Carolyn's house. It was in the woods through streets lined with beautiful, lush green mature trees. Her house is gorgeous! It's a colonial style well known in this area and she's lived there for 40 years so it's every bit her. We talked and caught up with her husband, soaked in her gorgeous pool. Two of her daughters, their kids and friends came by for a pool party to celebrate one of her grandkid's birthday.

We went to the the Seaport Grill for lunch, overlooking the water in Gloucester. I got my lobster roll-- yum!! We then drove around some of the downtown area of Gloucester, and for a special treat, drove through Rockport. I used to love going to this town to walk around and loved to walk on the long rock jetty entering the ocean. There's a lot of great little shops, and lots of gorgeous sailboats everywhere. This is also where there is a famous picture from of a red house with buoys all covering the side. I tried to get a shot but was unable to.

We wound down the streets overlooking the ocean, saw the twin lighthouses. This area makes my heart happy. Such a quintescential New England town and so representative of the coastal areas. 

I took the train back into the city and met Shona and her friend Melissa for a drink at the Met Bar to watch the world cup. Sadly, Argentina lost, so we left to enjoy tapas again at Bar Lola. We sat outside this time, and they have a large patio (which I missed on the night I got here as it was pouring.) The food here is great, and we again got the lemony artichoke hearts, and also got veggie fritters, garlicky mushrooms and smoked salmon.

We took the green line back out to Coolidge Corner to go to the Theater there to see a movie. It's a large, very old and still independent place with lots of show rooms. Feels like a 1950's place and is so cool! We went home late and were tired and giggly, singing our way back like we did years ago. It's fun to be a kid again.

Today is my last day here. I'm not sure I'll have time to write later, but I'm going to Central Square in Cambridge to meet an old friend from my 20s that I reconnected with on Facebook. She lives in Northern CT and arranged some work here to meet up with me. I'm excited to see her! I'm getting ready, doing laundry and packing now then will head out to walk the square a bit before I see her. I used to volunteer in a homework center for kids in Central Square, and really enjoyed the area. I had hoped to squeeze in a visit to Davis Square, which I'm told is so much fun and more built up now then when I was here. But I won't have time..

I walked with Shona and her pup, Oliver, down Newbury and over to the reflecting pool by the Prudential building. I never knew it was there and it was beautiful!

I really feel I can say I did this town! It's been so incredible to be back, and what an amazing gift to stay right in the city and feel like a local again. I really do love this city. I'm not sure this will help my homesickness, but it sure did my heart and soul good to be here again and reconnect with so many people. I'll leave tired and happy.

s