Boston Summer Bucket List

It feels like summer is already drawing to a close here in Boston. The days are still warm, but the nights are getting deliciously chilly—I love pulling out the extra blankets and sleeping with the windows open. We've done a lot of traveling over the last few months, but some of our the best times have happened right here in town. Boston is pretty spectacular in the summer.

Here are a few of my favorite things I did this summer in Boston; if you hurry, you can do them, too!

1. Shakespeare on the Common. Pack a picnic, bring a blanket, and watch a wacky rendition of Twelfth Night under the stars.
2. Eating al fresco. The Red House (dollar oysters!) and Sweet Cheeks Q are a couple of the places I've fallen for.
3. Red Sox game. No explanation needed.
4. Hiking. I love that you can drive just a few minutes from the city and you're practically in the wilderness. Our new favorite is the Noanet Woodlands because we can bring the pup.
5. Harborwalk Sounds at the ICA. Boston's contemporary art museum is free on Thursday nights, plus they have concerts by the water as the sun sets.
6. Ice cream from JP Lick's. 

And some things still on my list:

1. Swimming! There are tons of pools in the area ranging from posh rooftops to laid-back neighborhood pools. I wrote an article about it here.
2. Concerts at the Hatch Shell. They cancelled the last one we tried to attend. Luckily there are a few more this season.
3. Beach day in Revere. Love this photo essay (with sound!) about the city's beach.
4. Whale watch. Because I'm sad I still haven't seen a whale.

Weathering Winter.

I may still be a New England newbie, but I've already picked up a thing or two about surviving frigid temperatures. I've got a 15-minute walk from the bus stop to my office each morning, and I've learned that with the proper attire, even single-digit temperatures can be bearable. It's funny how we adapt, isn't it? 

1. I live in leggings lately, wearing them under my jeans on cold days then sleeping in them at night. The fleece-lined ones are the absolute best, and they even make wearing skirts an option (though my rule is it has to be above freezing for skirts).

2. Socks, duh. But they've got to be good, thick socks. 

3. In Charleston, I wore cardigans all winter (often without a coat), but here they just don't feel warm enough. On the coldest days, I wear a chunky crew-neck with a thermal underneath.

4. Thick, touchscreen-friendly gloves are a must. I've heard that it works to double up with mittens. I haven't gone that far yet. 

5. Leather boots just don't cut it in the snow and slush. My rubber-soled, shearling-lined Sperrys were the best gift I got this Christmas (I got the red). 

6. I always wore scarves as decoration, but here they'll protect your face from the cold, not to mention sick people on public transportation. I prefer super long, chunky scarves — if you don't look like you're wearing a neck brace, you're doing something wrong.

Maine.

Earlier this fall, Todd and I drove up the coast with no real plans in mind besides making it to Portland, Maine in time for dinner. We stopped in Portsmouth, New Hampshire first, where we poked around the cute downtown area and escaped the drizzle in a little pub. It had stopped raining by the time we made it to Old Orchard Beach, Maine, so we took our time exploring the tacky beach shops then continued up the coast, stopping at Crescent Beach State Park and Cape Elizabeth. We reached the Portland Head Light just as the sun was setting and an old park ranger was shooing everyone away, then drove into Portland for dinner at Eventide Oyster Co. My favorite thing about this trip? Realizing how incredibly diverse this small patch of New England coastline is. One minute I felt like we were in Ireland; the next, Florida.

cabin in the woods.

Todd and I had to admit that driving 12 hours was a bit far for a four-day weekend—especially since we'll be doing it again in a few weeks—so we decided to stick closer to home for Thanksgiving this year. We knew we didn't want to stay home and be lonely all weekend, so we rented a teensy little cabin on Cape Cod. Sadly, I don't think this monster storm is bringing us any snow, but I'm still excited to get cozy with a stack of books, movies, and magazines. If anyone has Cape Cod recommendations (specifically Provincetown), please leave a comment!

you are my lobster.

Hey friends, how was your holiday weekend? We spent the Fourth in the city, then headed to Newport for a few days, escaping Boston's hellish heat for a house overlooking the harbor — with air conditioning! Already I've learned not to take these things for granted.

We window-shopped on Thames Street, got sunburned at the beach, hiked part of Cliff Walk, and ate entirely too much good food — stuff like avocado fries and elote washed down with a pitcher of watermelon margs at Perro Salado (So. Good.) and this here lobster — my very first! — with clam chowder and a glass of crisp pinot gris.

I'll admit to being a little freaked out when this landed in front of me (especially when I broke it open to find eggs inside), but it was damn delicious. And now I know how to properly eat a lobster.

Pro tip: turn it around so it's not staring at you as you tear it limb from limb. You won't feel like quite such a barbarian.

marblehead, massachusetts.

Full disclosure: The only reason Marblehead was on my radar was because I heard that parts of Hocus Pocus were filmed there. A.k.a. one of the greatest movies of all time.

But then I found out that it's a lovely little town in its own right, and just a few miles north of Boston, so we decided to make the trek up this weekend. The Old Town is filled with cute shops and well-kept old houses that have plaques boasting their age and their original inhabitants' professions (i.e. Josiah Bartlett, Mariner, 1712). The gardens are perfectly manicured, with lush hydrangeas and roses complementing the homes' nautical color schemes. The place is almost painfully picturesque.

We grabbed a coffee and cookie at a little bakery and spent most of our time in Marblehead sitting quietly at various overlooks, watching the boats head in and out of the harbor. It doesn't get much more peaceful than that.

summer to-do list.

Newport, Rhode Island, 2007.

Making a to-do list is probably a very un-summery thing to do, but I like to have goals, no matter what time of year it is. Here are some things I've got on my list for the next few months. What about you?

•  Go to a Red Sox game.
• Take the train to Cape Cod and bike all over the place.
• Find some good Mexican food in Boston (does it exist?).
• Spend the Fourth eating clam chowder, drinking cider, and walking along the cliffs of Newport.
• Familiarize myself with the T — and ride it solo.
• Get published in a handful of Boston publications. 
• Expand Copy Cat Editorial Services.
• Set up the guest room and entertain lots of visitors.
• Learn to use the grill like a pro.
• Take advantage of the city's summer concerts (many of which are free).

portlandia.

Back in December, we flew to Boston to visit family and decided to make a stop in Portland, Maine. It's just a little over two hours from the city, an easy drive up 95 (complete with "Moose Crossing" signs), and we arrived just in time to celebrate my 28th birthday.

We checked into a historic hotel in the old part of downtown, then headed to Eventide for lobster rolls and champagne. The next morning, we did a bit of shopping and then drove across the bridge to see the lighthouse and putter around the grounds.

We were able to see most of the sights in the short time we were there, but I wish we could have stayed longer and soaked up the charm of the small town. We stopped in Kennebunkport on the way home for clam chowder, fish 'n' chips, and local cider.