This is the Perfectly Boring Recap of our Perfectly Wonderful Vacation

 

The exit:

 

 

Can you see how broken up I am about leaving my kids?

 

 

 

 

 

 

The places:

 

 

Beautiful Connecticut (I don’t know why I didn’t take one picture of the 4000 gorgeous homes and trees that we gaped over out the car window).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New York (after a rainy ugly morning, the sun came out for our evening adventures)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boston (from the Bunker Hill memorial)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plymouth Rock.  See the actual rock behind me?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Amish country, Pennsylvannia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gettysburg (the beauty of not traveling with kids:  we finished early with the Amish folk and decided “hey, why not drive an extra hour and see Gettysburg?”)

 

 

 

 

 

The people:

 

 

 

 

 

The Johnsons—every picture with Carter, looks like this.  We had so much fun talking and driving and eating.  Though we don’t know how they could leave such a beautiful place, we’re hoping to have them closer in the near future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gabi was so sweet to invite us to stay at her house.  Even though she had seminary in the morning.  And 4 kids to prep for Halloween at school.  And a Halloween party to put on. 

She’s the uber-hostess….gift baskets and breakfast spreads and talking till the wee hours.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

  Annie (and her sweet, indulgent husband) met us for dinner in Boston’s North End.  While we felt they were wildly more educated and sophisticated, we loved our conversations, Annie’s Boston tips and G’s tidbits about the mafia in the North End.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My cousin Abby, is my type of girl:  the type who knows the place she lives in, loves it, and is willing to explore with two kids in tow.  Despite the pouring rain, Abby made New York interesting and fun.  Plus, she’s got the cutest over-priced, 2 bedroom apartment in all of Manhattan.

 

 

 

 

The food:

 

 

4 completely unrelated sources told me: “Get the cannoli at Mike’s.”  Holy cow.  It was the yummiest dessert I’ve had all year.  We went back the next day, for the awesome Italian, Boston accented service, as much for the sugar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notice the cop and the fireman behind me at Regina’s Pizzeria.  While the pizza was good, it was the rude waitress and the clientele, that made this the perfect final Boston culinary experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here I am in front of the oldest continually running restaurant in the country.  Paul Revere ate here, and so did we.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For lunch in New York, Abby took us to Shake Shack—best burger EVER.  For dinner, Abby took us to "L’azzo’s” the only U.S. pizzeria certified by the Italian government.  For dessert, we went to this creperie, where we got the one with nutella, ice cream, strawberries, whip cream, nuts, bananas and chocolate sauce.  Ryan and the plastic waiter would like you to try some.

 

 

 

 

 

You thought we were done with food in New York?  Oh no, for second dessert, Abby served us these amazing peanut butter and chocolate cupcakes.  Also, raspberry and chocolate.

Yeah, I’m adding a few miles on the treadmill this week.

 

 

 

The transportation:

 

 

  The subway is my new favorite mode of transportation.  You can read, talk, text, surf the net AND hear the latest in gangsta rap—while riding in complete vehicular safety. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I LOVE seeing a city using my own two feet.  There is nothing as fun as taking in the architecture, the shopping, the history, the people at a walking pace. 

Plus, it’s the only way I could still fit into my jeans at the end of my trip.

 

 

 

The activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Freedom Trail—here we are at the end.  It was my favorite activity of the entire week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s me with our guide book.  I read every word.  Seriously. 

 

I LOVE guide books.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ryan didn’t quite share my enthusiasm for finding the graveyard with actual British bullet holes.

I know, what is his problem, anyway?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Paul Revere’s house was super old and super cool.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We loved Charlestown and the Bunker Hill monument.  Notice Ryan’s creativity in facial expressions—he was apparently getting pretty tired of the picture taking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We stayed at The Kendall Hotel, a converted old fire station, in Cambridge.  It was darling, had good food and a super nice wait staff.  It was our only hotel stay, and we loved it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We met up with the Johnsons at Plymouth Rock.  This is the Mayflower replica that we toured. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art—short stay, but so worth it.  Someday, I will go to New York and spend 3 days all by myself in that place.

 

 

 

 

 

So I literally CRIED, because I was so thrilled to be watching Wicked on Broadway.  It completely lived up to all the hype.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We found Ryan’s true doppelganger.  Of course, he’s a male model on a store window in NYC.

 

 

 

 

 

Intercourse was a little disappointing, I must admit.  (The Amish town in Pennsylvania, people, where are your minds?)  We did enjoy this tour of an Amish home and farm house…situated approximately 20 yards from Target and Kohl’s.

 

 

 

 

 

All of Gettysburg was incredible…loved the museum, the film, the cyclorama—and the fact that Ryan wasn’t interested in the doing the 24 mile driving tour of the battlefield.

 

 

 

 

This was such a good thing for us to do.  I looked forward to it for an entire year.  It was beautiful, educational, relaxing, invigorating.  Not that I needed a reminder, but I sure like the guy I married. 

Perfect, I tell you.  Every minute of it.