Boston Harbor Cruise

Here are pictures from the Boston Harbor Cruise that Granny, Virginia, and I took yesterday. I could commentate but I will just give you an ID on the pics and leave it at that.

- Bunker Hill monument with Cassin Young ship in the foreground



- Virginia, Granny, and me on the ship








- View from the boat; looking at Boston's waterfront




- "Old Ironsides:" The U.S.S. Constitution








- Granny with skyline in the background

Senior Citizen Discount

"I never knew there were so many benefits to being old."As spoken by Granny (my dad's mother) after we got on the T to go to dinner tonight and the driver let them on for free and then two 20 year olds gave them their seats on the subway.

Granny and her friend Virginia Cooke have come up for the weekend. They are staying more in the suburbs, in an area called Brookline that is very close to my apt. We did an "Old Town Trolley Tour" yesterday. One of those things where you pay for the whole day and then you can jump on and off as you please. I had seen most everything before but never all in a row like that so it helped me to put some of the pieces together mentally.

We ate at a Japanese restaurant for dinner on both Thursday and Friday, and not the same one. Dad says never in his life has he eaten at an Asian restaurant with his mother, so either she has branched out at age 80 or they wanted to dine at places that were within rock-throwing distances of the hotel and they just got unlucky. Tonight we ate at a "New England Grill" called Fireplaces which was even farther out into the suburbs, but seemed a little more their speed. They are both bragging that they are showing me new parts of my city I wouldn't have known about otherwise. I think the waitress has never gotten such a kick out of her customers. They asked her about everything in this deep Southern accents and went on and on about how they couldn't believe there were "hominy cheese grits" on the menu.

I haven't been feeling well since last night so I have been laying around most of the day, except for dinner tonight. I think it is just a bad head cold, but I am getting really bored by sitting in bed all day. Whether I am feeling better, or not, we have an early breakfast and a cruise on the Charles River planned for tomorrow, so I need to go to bed. In the picture of both of them, my grandmother is on the right.

The Green Monstah

I've always thought that the "Green Monster" was what you turned into when your friend got something you really wish you had for yourself. Apparently around here it's pronounced the "Green Monstah" and it's a huge wall on one side of Fenway Park. Well I have found myself green with envy every time I walk around my neighborhood, ride the subway, or leave my house just to get groceries on game day. Seems like everyone has tickets to this great, huge party called the Red Sox game and I can't figure out how to get an invitation. Sure scalpers have plenty of tickets but at anywhere from 100-300 bucks, I can't swing that. Even the worst bleacher seats are going at least twice face value. On Tuesday night I was determined to get in, no matter what it took. Eventually we had held out so long trying to find a ticket in our price range that there were none left period, so we gave up on buying them.

Plan B: We decided to wait until the 7th inning and walk in, which about 6 different people told us they allowed, especially if the game's score wasn't close. Well this is obviously not the case anymore, as I found out quickly. We badgered a security guy at the gate with our sob story on living right next to the park and never being able to watch a game. Finally he got so tired of us that he let us walk in. Five steps into the stadium and we were promptly encircled by five ear phoned security guards and escorted right back out. Well at this point I am so disappointed I am basically in tears, so imagine my excitement when yesterday someone at work offered Kelly and I free tickets. So I went to Wednesday's game between the Red Sox and the Kansas City Royals. I think the pictures tell the rest of the story.

The Family Comes to Town!

So the Eglestons descended on Boston last Thursday. That night we grabbed appetizers and drinks at a place called Stephanie's on Newbury, right around the corner from the Lenox Hotel where they were staying. Friday we walked around Fenway - my neighborhood, and had lunch with one of dad's friends at a place called Atlantic Fish Co. For dinner, we went to a great place called Vox Populi.

On Saturday, mom, Larken and I went on a tour of the Samuel Adams Brewery. Once you get the 15 min. promotional video and the 30 min explanation of how beer is made and theirs is this best because yada, yada, yada... they lead you into the brewery bar for free samples and a tasting lesson! The tour was even free, complete with Sam Adams souvenir glass. I guess it's their way of rewarding people who make the trek to Roxbury/Jamaica Plain to find the brewery. Even cooler, they let us try a new beer they are experimenting with that you can't get anywhere else. It was a Red Oak that will compete with one other flavor to get a spot on the shelves next year.














We also went to the Museum of Science... probably should have done that before we tasted yummy brews. They had an exhibit where you could walk through a room of live butterflies, which seemed really cool until they started flying at your face. There was a lot of "is it on me? where is it?! quick take a picture!" We also watched an IMAX on the Grand Canyon which only served to make mom nauseous... that is when she had her eyes open, which was rarely. It was sort of disconcerting, but dad loved it so that was a good enough reason to go. Saturday night we had dinner on the North End, so obviously it was Italian, as that is really the only option in the neighborhood. They loved the gelato, as you can see.
Sunday we had brunch at a place called Skip Jacks, complete with a jazz band. We also ran across another jazz trio that night at Top of the Hub. We decided to grab dessert after dinner as a last hoorah and I suggested we walk around the Prudential Center to find something still open. I then remembered that there was a fancy restaurant on the 52nd floor that has panoramic views of the city. It was gorgeous, and any restaurant that considers a dozen fresh baked cookies just one dessert, is okay with me.

That's all for now. Dad's mom "Granny" is coming to visit on Thursday so I will update around then. Remember you can click on the pictures to zoom in and see them better, I just post them smaller to keep the posts readable.

Cape Cod and DC

So it has been awhile since I posted but that’s because I have been away from Boston for most of the last 9 days. I went to Cape Cod for a couple of days around July 4th. We stayed in a small town called Cotuit. Think… weathered beach cottages scattered between cliff-side mansions, one main road, a general store, a tiny bar, and a Cape League baseball team that everyone comes out to watch.

We had an adorable cottage right across from Chip and Shauna’s house. The first night they made us an incredible dinner. Kelly and I went grocery shopping with Chip and Shauna’s two young boys to buy some last minute ingredients for dinner. I finally know what it feels like when the loud kids asking for toys in the store are your responsibility! We had fresh lobster and clams… you can’t get that kind of seafood in North Carolina! We sat on the beach the first night and watched the incredible fireworks show over the water. On the 4th, the town had a parade down Main Street with classic cars, floats, kids on their decorated bikes and all sorts of other cute stuff. We sat on the sidewalk and caught all the candy the people in the parade were throwing out.

When I got home from the Cape on Thursday I worked half a day and then hopped on a plane to Washington, DC to visit Alec. On Friday we rented kayaks and paddled up the Potomac River for an hour or so and then floated back down. Saturday we went to an outside area called Eastern Market with produce stands, crafts, artwork and jewelry. It reminded me a lot of the outdoor market in Charleston, SC. Since I had to fly out of Baltimore on Sunday, we decided to head up several hours early and explore the waterfront area there. We rented paddle boats in the harbor and shopped before he had to drop me off at the airport.


So that’s it… just at work this week. Mom, dad and Larken are coming to visit on Thursday so I am just resting up for that.

A Day at the Beach

On Friday night, Kelly and I went to a place called Whiskey's. Mostly college kids and completely packed... doubt I'll go back because I like to be able to breathe and talk occasionally.


Saturday we spontaneously decided to go to the beach. It's called Revere Beach and only took us about 25 min on the T. The strip of beach restaurants and most of the other people were a little Jersey Shore-esque, but the beach itself was great... big stretch of white sand and pretty water, and so close to home - who knew?

On Saturday night, Kelly, Katie and I went to the North End to have Italian with one of Katie's friends from South Carolina. We ate a place called Bella Vista. All the restaurants in the neighborhood seemed to be small, family-owned and dark so we just picked one. Good food, but way too much of it, which was not surprising for an Italian place. We went to Mike's Pastry afterwards and there were three different lines stretching out to the sidewalk. I had a bite of everyones desserts and it was all good, especially the gelato.



I went to a Japanese restaurant in the Fenway area for a late lunch today. A cute, family-owned place called Umi. Now that I found such delicious sushi and I am going to start getting take-out because it is actually cheap enough to be one of my regular places.

I just found out that I am going to Cape Cod for July 4th! I can't wait to get some more beach time and say pretentious things like, "I am just headed to my summer home on the Cape." I am staying in a cottage for free with Kelly because Chip's family has an extra one not being used for a couple of days. I am leaving on Tuesday afternoon and coming back Thursday. Then I am flying to D.C. on Thursday night so I have a busy and exciting week coming up.

Mexican Food in New Hampshire

The weekend got started early this week, which I never mind. The office went to Canobie Lake Park in New Hampshire for a summer outing on Thursday. Basically like a woodsy and rustic mini Six-Flags on a lake in the middle of nowhere... very fun! The first picture is the eight interns that went on the trip (out of 12 total). We are outside our office downtown before we left. The next pic is of the entrance to the park, then Chip and John outside of a tavern in the park, then Chip and me on a ride. As you can see the "Starblaster" took me by surprise. It wasn't crowded at all so we waited in line 5 minutes max, most of the time not at all. Afterwards we all went a Mexican joint and had margaritas, appetizers, and enough chips and salsa to "feed a small army," as my mom says.

Thursday night I went to a place called Tia's on the Waterfront which was packed and awesome. That's Katie, me, Lailaa, and Kelly in the picture. It's very close to the Aquarium and apparently is the hang-out for the after work mid-twenties crowd. We will be back. It finally cooled off here and I accumulated enough quarters to do two loads of laundry this evening so I am in a better mood than ever! Kelly and I have plans to go out tonight and maybe hit up the North End for an Italian night tomorrow. I will update again at the end of the weekend! Until then...

*Meant to let everyone know that you can click on any of the pictures to make them pop-up larger.

How Is It Hotter Here Than N.C.?

Well pretty much all I can think about the past couple of days is the weather. Today on weather.com it said it was 97 degrees in Boston, and the humidity made it feel worse than that. Then again I don't need a website to tell me its sweltering. I couldn't sleep last night because it was amazingly still 82, I have no air conditioning, and not a molecule of air is moving through my open window. Enough complaining, but I just never thought it would actually be 10 degrees hotter here than it is in N.C.!

This week has been pretty cool besides the equatorial climate (no pun intended). On Sunday and Tuesday I volunteered through work at special performance of the Boston Pops called Edge fest. Symphony Hall is gorgeous and it was a really awesome experience. The Pops played by themselves for 20 min. both nights and they performed songs from West Side Story... which wouldn't have meant anything to me except I had just seen the N.C. School of the Arts put it on in May. Then they played original scores by special composers. The main performance was with Cowboy Junkies and Hem, respectively. The Pops played the band's music with a full orchestra and the band themselves... a really great effect! Hem was definitely more my style. Their sound is melancholic and folksy although the band is from Brooklyn. I have already downloaded half their songs on iTunes. The part of the performance I was helping with was the pre, intermission, and post performances by up-and-coming artists sponsored by OurStage.As if being in Symphony Hall with an all-access pass and listening to the Pops perform wasn't enough, I went to the VIP after-party on Tuesday hosted by Paste magazine. Wait, let me rephrase that... I helped work the door (controlled the door, the guest list, the wristbands, etc.) Although I guess the crowd can't be too rowdy if you let a couple of interns hold down the door. Keith Lockhart, the Pops conductor was there, as was Paul Oakenfold, probably the world's most famous DJ and lots of other Boston big-wigs. After the after-party... Lailaa, Kelly, Katie and I (all interns) went around the corner to a place Lailaa knew about since she goes to Northeastern. We stumbled upon a big crowd because it happened to be their karaoke night! Yes, of course we sang.

In other news:
-I have been running along the Charles River several days a week and it is beautiful, especially when it is windy and all the sailboats are out on the water or it is early in the morning and all the crew teams are practicing.
-Because today was the Northeastern co-op interns' last day... the whole office is spending the day tomorrow at Canobie Lake Park, an amusement park in New Hampshire. Yeah I thought N.H. was in the middle of nowhere too, but apparently this place is only 30 miles from Boston. We are meeting at the office at 11 am and then carpooling... how cute is that? Rollercoasters and funnel cakes: here I come! But not in that order.
-One of the people I met at the Scene First Student Film Festival wants Kelly and me to help out on a movie shoot next week while he is in town as the production designer... not sure if we can get off work to do it but we are sure going to try!

The Pour House Won't Send Me to the Poor House

Wednesday night I headed over to Chip's apartment in this adorable neighborhood near the border of South End and Back Bay. It is surprisingly quiet and quaint... I met up with him in the neighbor's yard where Shauna and the boys were picking cherries right off the tree. They have a great roof deck, like something you would see in the movies, complete with an incredible and up-close view of the skyline as the sun was going down. It was so nice to have a home cooked meal. Thursday night I went out with Katie (another intern) and her cousin who lives in the city. We headed to An Tua Nua, a college place nearby my apt. and then met a pedi-cab driver who took us to the Cactus Club which was really cute. Last night we went to the Pour House where we had a great dinner (esp. considering it was 10 pm) and things got even better when I discovered that the 22 oz beer mug of Blue Moon was only $5.50, sadly, the cheapest I have paid since I have been here. We stayed here the whole night and I think will be back soon.

Today I went to Chinatown with Kelly where we ate at a very authentic Malaysian restaurant called Penang. You know how in a Mexican restaurant they immediately bring you a basket of unlimited chips? Well here it is a pot of unlimited tea which was really good. We ordered the only things we could pronounce and were quite happy with it. I think from all the Zagat ratings and awards this place has gotten, everything is excellent. It also made us feel better that we were some of the only people speaking English... now that's authenticity. We also walked around and shopped in all the cutesy, cheap stores. I bought Chinese slipper shoes and a wallet (total: a whopping $7). We also went into an Asian market which made me feel I had traveled around the world. Ironically enough my friend Todd called to tell me goodbye as he is leaving for 2 months in China tomorrow. I think he is the only person I know that could have read the labels on the stuff in that place. As for me, Chinatown is the closest I will get to the real thing for awhile. We also ran across a hole-in-wall place called "Anna's Fast Food." Doesn't sound very Chinese to me, but maybe my name is more exotic than I ever gave my parents credit for.

Will Work for Quarters

So the Scene First Film Festival in Wilmington was a big success and plans are already in the works for next year. I met some great people in the film industry that should be good contacts for the future and they were all extremely nice and appreciative. It was strange to drive to the Raleigh/Durham airport and then get on a plane to go “home” (to Boston), when I felt like I was already “home” (10 min from my Chapel Hill house). Although I will see my family in July when they come to visit, I am not going back home until August. This is definitely the longest stretch of time I have been away from good ole N.C. But I guess everything begins to feel like normal after a while. I had imagined that riding the subway back and forth to work (and everywhere else for that matter) would somehow be glamorous and exhilarating. After losing my $60 monthly pass along with any sense of personal space I ever possessed, it doesn’t seem so great… but at least I don’t have to pay for gas!

The only downside to the festival was that I was up and working from about 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. everyday so I really needed a day off after we got back on Sunday. But, alas I worked Monday too. Our boss decided to let us leave at 2 p.m. though so that was a relief. I finally had time to do some laundry, but only one load because I need 9 quarters to wash and dry. I now order things specifically based on the type of change I am going to get back on the purchase. Right now I am sitting in the Starbucks down the street from my office that I usually make a run to once a day, where I purchased a Grande instead of a Venti iced coffee so I could get two quarters out of the deal. I am having dinner near here in about an hour and by the time I battle the subway home it wouldn’t be worth it to turn back around and come back, so writing this is a good way to kill time, although I am not paying $7.99 to T-Mobile to post it on the Internet so it will be several hours later that it hits the blog.

Yesterday we had a meeting with a client at work so we drove over to Arlington, another city that borders Boston. It was cool to be one of the people around the big conference table, especially because the proposal we presented was something I wrote. Of course it was edited and added to by both of my bosses before the client ever saw it but the concepts were basically things that I had come up with along with Kelly (one of the interns). It seemed like they liked the ideas a lot and thought they were clever so that was a proud moment. After work I went shopping downtown with Kelly. We went to Filene’s Basement… a bigger, better version of a T.J. Maxx or Marshalls. As a bargain hunter, discovery of this place was quite exciting. We are talking designer stuff here which means the prices are still a little too much to swallow but I did find a couple of cute, cheap things.

We also had to check out Victoria’s Secret Semi-Annual Sale since it was next door. Doesn’t it seem like they have those about every other month? Last time I checked that’s not what “semi-annual” meant. Perhaps it’s just that the image of psycho women digging through bins of $3 undies is just seared in my mind so vividly that it merely seems like a fresh memory. Needless to say, fighting the crowds was only worth the effort because of my $10 gift card. After our exhausting shopping we had dinner at a place called Global Bar and Café. We had a great sidewalk table outside and the food was surprisingly good, especially considering the salads and sandwiches were on the $8-$15 range. It was right near Copley Square at the Copley station on the Green Line of the T.

This weekend I am working at a pre/post party and concert at Symphony Hall in conjunction with the Boston Pops Orchestra. I think it is acoustic musicians playing before, during breaks, and after the symphony, but in the same building. It is called the Boston Pops Edge Fest and should be something new and different to fill a couple of nights.

Well this has been long but thanks to those of you who are still reading… if you are out there. I had had a couple of complaints that the time between postings was too long (mostly several from my mom) so this was an attempt to satiate the fans’ desire for my unorganized ranting on city life.

The First "Scene First"

For the new readers: I am currently in Wilmington, NC to help with a student film festival event being put on by the Boston company I am interning for.

The student film festival in Wilmington Scene First, really got into full-swing last night. We had screenings of some of the student films in a few of the great historic venues in the area. The big kick-off was started off with a rock band performance. The group was a local act called Labeling Deloris. Sort of a 90s No Doubt sound, complete with the all-male musicians and a female vocalist. We set up a 4-story screen and stage with the river as a beautiful backdrop. The film, One Winter Story tells about the life of the first female to surf Mavericks a seasonal big wave phenomenon in San Francisco. This documentary on the legendary Sarah Gerhardt was made by two of our special guests, Elizabeth Pepin and Sally Lundberg, who traveled all the way from CA and Hawaii respectively, to join the festival. I will upload some great crowd pictures once I get back to Boston and can hook up my digital camera.

Today has been some great panel presentations/discussions by the industry professionals brought in for the festival and more student film screenings. Speaking of films, I just went to the theater last week to see Ocean's Thirteen. I thought it was great, but then again I also like Ocean's Twelve and apparently I was the only one. Any movie with Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and George Clooney in the same screen shot is high quality in my mind. Expect the unexpected twists you have come to anticipate from this trilogy.

Well one more big night for the festival and more of the same Hollywood pro panels and screenings tomorrow... then back to Beantown on Sunday afternoon!

Film Festival Day #1

Run down on yesterday
12:45 am-3:30 am: Sleeping
3:30 am-2:00 pm: Traveling to Wilmington (cab to the airport, Boston to LaGuardia, LGA to Raleigh/Durham, rental car from RDU to Wilmington)

When we did finally get to Wilmington I drove around to all the local surf shops in the city and at the beach to talk up the festival and put up our posters. I met some great people and hopefully convinced them to come to the screenings and the kick-off film tonight. All the staff in for the festival went out to a great dinner last night at a place right on the riverwalk called George's. I had a great grouper and glass of wine, so it was nice to have a legitimate sit-down dinner... it's been awhile.

The other two interns and I went out for a beer or two afterwards at a place called Reel Cafe just a block or two from the water. I actually stumbled upon this place in May with Alec. They have a huge outdoor patio and bar and seem to have live music often. It was really fun but I had to hit the sack early so I could get up this morning and start picking up the festival VIPs from the airport. We have some really great people coming to give workshops including the Director of Charlotte's Web and 13 Going on 30 and also the Executive Producer from Walk the Line.

The Hilton is great. I have an 8th story view of the North Carolina battleship and the river. The beds are Tempur-Pedic... I forgot how much I missed sleeping on one of those. Nice to get away from the Boston apartment and get a shower in a bathroom that is actually clean. Well I am off to go pick-ups some more big-wigs!

Haaa-vard and the Aquarium

On Thursday night my boyfriend came to visit for the weekend. We headed across the Charles River over to Cambridge on Friday. It was about a 25 minute ride on the T. The area around Harvard is beautiful and has a bunch of cute stores and restaurants. We happened upon some of the graduation foot traffic so there was a lot going on that day. Of course there about 10 stores carrying the university merchandise since wearing the T-shirt is the closest most of us will ever get to the Harvard experience. If you wait and buy your shirts or other logo-gear at the entrance to the Harvard T Station on the Red Line you can save at least 50%.

On Saturday we headed to the New England Aquarium off the Blue Line. The price seemed steep at $17.95 for adults, but if you combine the ticket with the Imax theater right next door it only costs $5 more. We saw "Sharks in 3D," a little lame compared to what we expected, but I guess a talking turtle as your guide through the ocean is more kid-friendly than sharks attacking other mammals in slow-mo. In the aquarium the main attractions are the open penguin exhibit (which we watched for probably 45 min) and the large cylindrical tank with a wrap around ramp all the way to the top. This has everything from moray eels to sharks to sea turtles. The changing exhibit was on jellyfish, while they aren't the most active of marine animals it was pretty interesting. I think Alec and I were probably the only people there without small kids but we still found it a fun way to spend the afternoon. We also found probably the only Panera Bread Restaurant in the Boston area for lunch, which made Alec happy since it's one of our favorite place to eat on the weekends in Chapel Hill (we are easy to please).

My company, TRP Sports and Entertainment Marketing, is sending me back down to North Carolina for 5 days. About 8 of us are going down to help with the Scene First Film Festival in Wilmington, NC. It's a combination of accepted student film screenings and workshops by well-known industry people. Check out the website

Working for the Weekend

The job is going great, everyone is really nice and we have some cool projects in the works. I am so tired when I get home from work and fighting the other commuters on the T that I basically only have energy to make dinner, watch some TV and fall into bed. I tried to make more out of my evening today so I would feel like I actually had a true break before hitting the sack and doing it all over again the next morning. So after work one of my fellow interns and I went shopping. Then I went way out on the T to the far edge of an area where BU students live to have dinner with William Hinkle, a friend from Winston-Salem who goes to BU. We went to a really cool place called Sunset Grill and Tap, it sort of looks like a dive but they have a huge really eclectic menu (b/w 100-150 items) and the food was great. They also have 120 beers on tap which I feel like is unheard of... along with probably 400 available in bottles. It's technically in Allston, MA but definitely worth the 20 min trip out on the T.

Duck Tour and First Day of Work

On Friday night I went over to a friend's apt. The girl on the right is another one of my roommates. Saturday afternoon I went on one of the famous "duck tours" that go on land and water with Grace Vaughn, a friend from Winston-Salem who is a rising junior at Boston University. Our duck happened to be the one of the ones used for the parade after the Red Sox World Series win! We had an hour long tour around Boston on land and then 20 min on the Charles River. Our driver was hilarious... I highly recommend these tours, students can ride for only $24 and it is a great way to get a better feel for the city.

Today was my first day of work at my internship for TRP Marketing. The office building is downtown near the John Hancock Tower and the Prudential Center. It seems like it is going to be a really great work atmosphere. The commuting is the only thing I will not look forward to... the "T" at rush hour is insanely crowded, especially near downtown.

The picture to the right is Grace and me on the boat.

Art and Artsy People

Last night I went shopping at the Prudential Center and the Copley area downtown with one of my roommates. We had dinner at one of the many Legal Seafoods locations... this one was complete with a great view of the skyline. Later I went out to bars in the Faneuil Hall area with one of my other roommates and her friend who are both born and bred Bostonians. The girl in front is Taylor, my roommate. We met up with her boyfriend and celebrated one of his friends 21st birthdays. I think every bar in Boston is an Irish pub... just from the names: Purple Shamrock and Black Rose.

This afternoon I walked several blocks from my apartment to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. She was a arts patron and world traveler. The entire building is built around an amazing courtyard. This picture is off the website b/c you can't take any there. There are paintings by Titian, Vermeer, Rembrandt, Tinteretto and more. In 1990, 13 painting were stolen by men posing as Boston Police officers and the frames still hang empty in the galleries. The FBI is still offering a $5 million reward for information. From there I hopped on the T to check out Coolidge Corner, an area with an indie theater and some really cool stores and restaurants. Defintely an artsy area with some interesting people and shops.

Communing with Nature

My first nature encounter today was outside Newbury St.'s Burberry store. This PETA activist was wearing nothing but some flesh-colored underwear and the signature "Burberry plaid" print painted on her body to draw attention to the luxury company's use of animal fur. She is holding a sign that reads "When Plaid Goes Bad."
Boston Commons had some nature of a more tame variety. The well-known swan boats were out on the lake... don't worry mom, I will save this activity for your visit, I know this sort of thing is right up your alley. Some geese were protecting their eggs and babies which proved to be humorous, especially when the father goose chased down a dog that apparently seemed threatening.