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BOSTON

BOSTON, RECIPES

Sweatin’ in the City: How I’m Trying to Beat the Heat

Christian Science Center Plaza Fountain by Jessica Gioglio

Hot.  Sticky.  Humid.  Oppressive.  Unbearable.  Just a few words that I have been abusing this week.  In between sucking down water and fighting my urge to jump into the Charles River, here’s how I’ve been beating the heat this week:

Sip: Coconut Water. Sweating depletes both sodium and potassium, making this lightly sweet beverage a nice way to refuel.  Offering more potassium than two bananas, sodium and sugar for energy, I’ve been sipping on one per day to replenish.  Though there are many brands available, I’m partial to Vita Coco.

Stay: Air-Conditioned Office Building: I’ve never loved my office so much.  Usually I complain about the overly cold air conditioning, but this week, the temperature feels just right.  I’ve actually found myself staying a bit later than usual to postpone going back to my heat box of an apartment.  Don’t work in an office building?  If I didn’t, I’d be spending my time in public buildings, like the Boston Public Library, Prudential Center, movie theatre and local museums.

Splash: Christian Science Center Plaza Fountain: While there are several great fountains around the city, this one has attracts both locals and tourists equally.  Though a shorted power cable temporarily disabled the fountain yesterday, it’s now back up and running.  It’s not only little kids that can shriek in delight while running through the spiral streams of water!  Who’s dashing through with me!?

Savor: Summer Soups. My friend Gabi has a fantastic food blog with oodles of soups, slaws, salads and salsa recipes perfect for cooling off after a hot day.  I can personally attest to going gaga for her Summer Gazpacho and slurping the wine-infused Chilled Watermelon Soup with delight.

Splurge: Double Shot Affogato. When this Health.com recipe popped into my inbox this week, I was instantly taken back to Italy, where I first tried this yummy espresso and coffee ice cream dessert drink.  Why didn’t I think to try and re-create this at home sooner?   Click here for the recipe.

With scorching temperatures scheduled to run through the weekend, how have you been keeping cool this week?

BOSTON, RESTAURANTS

The South End Buttery: The Little Cafe That Could (and Does!)

South End Buttery by Don’t Wake Me, I Plan On Sleeping from Flickr

Casually cool with amazing sandwiches and pastries, the South End Buttery is exactly the kind of place you want to live within walking distance of.  Tucked into a quaint area of the South End filled with posh brownstone walk-ups and hip furniture stores, this neighborhood gem is open from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily, allowing ample opportunity to satisfy cravings on a whim.

Upon entry to the restaurant, step into the bustling cafe space with cheerful yellow walls and a display case filled with pastries worth salivating over.  Though there are two quieter rooms, I prefer sitting in the main room, which gets fantastic natural light and presents a constant stream of Bostonians for people watching.  On a nice day, try and snag a seat on the tiny outdoor patio, which is pet-friendly.

While I’ve never been for dinner, I have tried – and loved – their plain croissant, pecan sticky bun and seven layer bar.  Their iced coffee is lovely, but fair warning – the large size is huge!  The sandwiches are truly the star of the show here, especially the Curried Chicken Salad, which is worth every deliciously messy bite.

Though the South End Buttery has many high points, I wish that they also made their salads to order instead of having them available at the takeaway counter.  I’m guessing that this is only a lunchtime issue, but after seeing the delicious made to order sandwiches arrive at our table, I would have swooned over a more innovative salad menu.

The South End Buttery is located at 314 Shawmut Avenue at the corner of Union Park in the South End.  For more information, please visit their website: www.southendbuttery.com

BOSTON, NIGHTLIFE, RESTAURANTS

Outdoor Drinking and Dining: Five Delightful Boston Patios

True Bostonians know that summer in the city means enjoying the outdoors as much as possible.  With so many fantastic street level patios, it’s easy to get a warm weather fix while enjoying a fantastic meal or cocktails.  Here are five restaurant/bar patios in Boston worth checking out this summer:

Eastern Standard Entrance

European Flair at Eastern Standard

Located in the heart of Kenmore Square, Eastern Standard’s patio offers patrons a small slice of Europe in Boston.  Despite it’s location along busy Commonwealth Ave., the popular brasserie has cleverly designed their patio to minimize noise while offering guests chic tables for lounging and dining.  To round out the posh patio experience, enjoy one of the restaurant’s famed classic cocktails and sample fresh seafood from the raw bar.  528 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston.

Divine Sandwiches at Parish Cafe

Patio or no patio, the mouthwatering sandwiches plucked from Boston’s top chefs are incentive enough to frequent Parish Cafe on Boylston Street in the Back Bay.  In the summer months, their sizeable raised patio becomes a coveted, yet welcoming enclave for Bostonians looking to satisfy their Zuni Roll cravings.  With the kitchen serving until 1:00 a.m. daily, it’s also a great venue for a casual date, or late night eats. 361 Boylston Street, Boston.

SoWa Chic at Stella Restaurant

Guilty about leaving fido home while indulging in delicious Italian food like Parmesan Arancini, Spicy Mussels, or Tagliatelle Bolognese?  Stella’s streetside patio, or “terrazzino,” allows ample seating alongside Washington Street in the fashionable SoWa neighborhood, plus ample water and railing space for your pup.  With the local dog park nearby, guests can venture over after playtime for a relaxing dinner, late night nibbles, or Sunday brunch. 1525 Washington Street, Boston.

Get Out of Jail Free at The Liberty Hotel

Visitors won’t require a “pass” from the famed Monolopy game to enjoy the Liberty Hotel’s happening outdoor patio.  Just off Alibi on the hotel’s ground level, appropriately placed shrubbery separates an outdoor lounge sanctuary filled with cozy couches and tables away from bustling Cambridge Street.  If rubbing elbows with stylish Bostonians is your scene, be sure to arrive early on the weekend, as this see-and-be-seen spot fills up fast and there’s nothing chic about waiting in line.  215 Charles Street, Boston.

Flirty Fun at Tia’s on the Waterfront

Single and ready to mingle?  Make Tia’s on the Waterfront a regular fixture in your Thursday-Saturday evening adventures.  With its proximity to the Financial District, Faneuil Hall and the North End, bumping into attractive locals on the L-shaped patio becomes part of the fun at this hotspot, which attracts area professionals during the work week and a larger sample of Bostonians over the weekend.  200 Atlantic Avenue, Boston.

BOSTON, ENTERTAINING, RECIPES

Easy Entertaining: The Cocktail Club

Bloody Mary Cocktail Club Event

With new roommates come new traditions.  Instead of hosting a typical dinner party each month, my new roommate and her friends take turns hosting “The Cocktail Club.”  Created as a way to taste and learn how to make classic cocktails outside of a bar, the monthly host selects a signature drink and pairs it with a suitable entree.

Last month’s cocktail club was inspired by brunch.  A Bloody Mary bar allowed guests to learn how to mix their own drinks as spicy or mild as they desired.  Only half of the guests had tried a Bloody Mary before, making it a great opportunity to expand their mixologist skill set.

Ellie Krieger's Blueberry Almond French Toast Bake

The dish of the night was Ellie Krieger’s Blueberry Almond French Toast Bake.  Perfect for busy professionals, the recipe must be prepared the night before and can be popped into the oven as guests arrive.  In contrast to the spicy Bloody Mary, the french toast bake was sweet, yet filling.  To round out the meal, serve fresh fruit and a veggie platter for guests to nosh on in advance of the main entree.  To view the recipe from the Food Network’s website, click here.

BOSTON, TRAVEL

Travel: The Acela From Boston to New York City

In hopes of efficiently using my time while traveling between Boston and New York, I recently hopped aboard the Acela Express.  Offering three and a half hour trips between the two cities with minimal stops and free Wi-Fi, it sounded like the perfect way to carve out time to catch up on personal correspondence and draft a few blog entries.

New York Skyline Sunset by thenails from flickr

The Cost of Convenience

Unfortunately for me, convenience came with a hefty price tag.  Even with my AAA discount, my roundtrip tickets ran about $230.  Normally, when I spend weekends in New York City, I drive down to the Fairfield, CT Metro North train station, which has free weekend parking and $20-ish tickets.

I ended up bitting the bullet because I didn’t want to take the bus and the Northeast Region train from Boston was only $30 less.  The Northeast Regional train does not have Wi-Fi and takes 30 minutes longer to travel to New York City.  I was also happy that Back Bay Station and Penn Station were within walking distance of my apartment and NYC hotel (70 Park. Ave), allowing me to avoid shelling out for cab fare.

An Early Morning Wake-Up Call Worth The Effort

On the way down, the experience could not have been easier.  I took an 8:15 a.m. train into Penn Station, which arrived at 11:45 a.m.  Sure, it was early, but you really only need to be at Back Bay Station 10-15 minutes in advance of your train time, depending on the time of day that you’re traveling.  Picking up the Acela tickets at a ticket window at 8:00 a.m. on a Saturday was incredibly fast, but could easily take longer during peak times, so plan accordingly.

While traveling to New York, the ride itself was exactly what I had hoped it would be.  It was quiet and the Wi-Fi had a strong signal, despite the train being a bit jiggly at times.  I especially enjoyed my window seat when traveling along the picturesque Connecticut coastline.  The view of the New York City skyline is also wonderful.

A Bump in the Road

The way home was another story.  I arrived in Penn Station fifteen minutes in advance of my departure only to discover that my train had been delayed 45 minutes.  Ugh!  According to the frequent Acela travelers around me, this was not a normal occurrence, so they didn’t even think to check the train status before arriving at Penn Station.

The delay was due to a mechanical issue and everyone was incredibly antsy as 45 minutes stretched to an hour and a half.  While the staff was very friendly, they were not being given status updates by their superiors in an efficient manner, creating a worse experience for the delayed passengers.  Once we were finally given the green light to board, I also found it annoying to battle to maintain my place in line among the throngs of antsy passengers while waiting to take the escalator down to the tracks.

Life Lessons Come When You Least Expect Them

Onboard, I ended up sitting next to the most delightful woman from Cambridge.  Which was a good thing, as the free Wi-Fi was not working and speaking with her for three and a half hours lifted my spirits.  We had an incredible amount in common, yet there was easily a 40 year age gap between us.

If it wasn’t for my chance travel companion, I may have left the Acela with mixed reviews.  But, that’s the unexpected beauty of train travel on the Acela – you can easily sit for hours blogging and catching up on email correspondence, or if you’re really lucky, you’ll meet someone inspiring.

Minus the delay, it was definitely an efficient use of my time and I’d try it again.  Mission accomplished!  For more information about Acela and train schedules, please visit www.amtrak.com.