Watch The Boston Video Of Our Trip

  Click this link to watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGC8EqmPlxQ

Cheers To A Fabulous Trip To Boston!

       Cheers!  Our first vacation of the year was a delightful toast to the unforgettable year ahead.  Mark and I had so much fun and we were only in Boston a total of about 24 hours. 

       Mark and I arrived on time for his cousin's birthday party at a restaurant called The Red Fez http://www.theredfez.com/.  While staying at Mark's cousin's brownstone apartment in Back Bay we had the opportunity to live like the locals.  We woke up in the morning and ran to Sadhana Yoga Studio http://sadhanastudios.com/, which was only around the corner.  At lunchtime, we headed over to Boston's North End.  Mark and I savored one of the best pizza's I have ever had at a restaurant called Antico Forno, Cucina A Legna, http://www.anticofornoboston.com/ .  We shared Involtini Di Melanzane; rolled eggplant stuffed with ricotta cheese and basil, baked in brick oven with plum tomato sauce and parmigiano cheese, woof!  Next, a walk past the Boston Sailing Center on to Quincy Market where it was warm.  We missed the sailboat races due to the frigid temperatures, I have never been so cold.  From there we were able to go to the real Cheers, http://www.cheersboston.com/pub.  Here again because it was so cold we missed out on Samantha Brown's suggestion of the bar called Eastern Standard.  We became complacent and did not want to leave the warm Cheers bar to fight the wind.  From Cheers we headed to dinner with the family at a wonderful restaurant called Davio's, http://davios.com/. 

     Samantha Brown's suggestions guided us in the all the right directions.  I learned a lot about the city of Boston from the places she suggested.  I found there were none of the pains of planning a vacation,  it was more pleasurable having ideas and locations already planned out for us.  For instance the idea of taking a Yoga class while in Boston would be something I would never have thought of.  It gave us the feeling of living like a local instead of just tourists.  Sadhana Yoga was such a great class that it was the first time I have ever enjoyed Yoga.  Even though we didn't get to the frostbite races we did get to see the harbor because of Samantha Brown's great suggestion. 
      My top five favorite things about Boston are: ( 1 being the best)
                   5:  Living like a local.  Having the opportunity to stay with a cousin in a great neighborhood  made the trip that much more enchanting.
                   4: Pizza at Antico Forno in the North End.  Delicious!
                   3: The city is absolutely beautiful!
                   2: Samantha Brown's suggestion of the Yoga class at Sadhana Studios.  It was fabulous!
                   1: Just being able to experience Boston with family and friends.  We were lucky to have family there with us for our first trip of the year.

On Our Way To Boston!

     Kennel booked, bags packed, and Samantha Brown's list of Boston activities in hand.  Here is to making memories!

Boston! 2010

     A Noreaster?  Apparently, there is a Noreaster coming on Friday, when we are flying to Boston.  We have started our first year of marriage and our year of traveling with a trip to Boston.  Mark's cousin lives here and is having her 40th birthday party Friday evening.  We really hope we don't miss the party Friday.  That would be just our luck, starting our year off with some snafu.  I don't believe anything that is successful in life has an easy beginning, so this could be a very good year! 
     Yes, we are following Samantha Brown but it is so nice to get some family time in our travels.  The plan for the weekend is to most importantly make Mark's cousin's birthday party on Friday evening.  On Saturday we will start out following Samantha Brown with a morning Yoga class at Sadhana Studios. http://www.sadhanastudios.com/.  We plan on continuing our day watching the frostbite sailboat races from the shore since we can not participate sailing in these frigid temperatures. http://swingcityboston.com/index.shtml  "Sam," (I call her Sam now that Samantha Brown and I are getting so close) went sailing on her trip in Boston but she also traveled there in a much warmer season.  After watching the sailboat races we will head over to have a bite at Kelly's Roast Beef, http://www.kellysroastbeef.com/ , where Sam has lunch on the beach.  We may be having lunch indoors or maybe not at all.  I will have to contact the restaurant to be sure they are open in the winter.  After lunch we will enjoy a cocktail at Eastern Standard.  http://www.easternstandardboston.com/  We don't know if we can make it here, but this Swing City Boston sure sounds like fun.  http://swingcityboston.com/index.shtml  Also, I always love a good iceskating trial, I say trial because most of the time I am trying to get up onto my skates.  More to come. 
     Uh oh!  We haven't booked a kennel for our dog Emma yet, we may have a bigger problem on our hands than the Noreaster!
     Here is a map of the places we may visit on our trip:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=42.359305,-71.063132&spn=0.016236,0.045748&z=15&msid=106211046225645038663.00046c18052dbb8d43de9

Boston in January; Our First Trip of the Year

       We were married in Charleston, South Carolina at the French Huguenot Church and our reception was a romantic, fairytale in the garden of the Gibbes Museum.  There was a Gospel Choir waiting for us along with the guests outside of the church.  The doors opened and your hair stood on end as the choir burst into song, "Oh Happy Day!"  Together, we all walked from the ceremony to the reception in one of the happiest moments of my life! 
        One year of planning for this incredible, stunning evening.  From the flowers, to tablecloths, to tents, to decor, there was not a detail untouched.  Our band, Quianna Parler and Friends, did not take a single break, so you can only imagine the dancing that went on.  Then, there is the amazing honeymoon which distracts you from the fact that the wedding has come and gone.  It lifts your spirits to an excited state when all the people you love leave.  But what will you do in the year following when you are no longer anticipating the big day? 
       Honeymooner's Great Weekends!  We are going to follow, "Samantha Brown's Great Weekends," for one year.  Mark and I will travel to atleast one city a month for a weekend.  We will follow Samantha Brown's travel show and try out her list of things to do.  Mark and I will try our talents at filming the trip and putting together a short documentary on each destination, unless there is anyone who would like to film us.( just see our itinerary above to see if we are coming to your town )  Keep reading with great anticipation to these short films that will be posted at the end of every month. 
      We would like to propose this idea of one year of traveling together as a new tradition to newlyweds everywhere.  It doesn't have to be every month either, just something to plan together and get excited for all over again.  How will you remember your first year of marriage?  Would you like to think back and recall being melancholy because the big day is over?  Wouldn't you rather reminisce jetsetting all over the country on mini getaways, discovering the world together?  There is too much attention on weddings not enough attention on the marriage.  Get out there and make some memories!
       First up is Boston!  Neither my husband nor I have been before.