Goodbye city...for now.

After two semesters of complaining about this city, it's finally come to an end. I'm moving back home tomorrow. I'll be back and forth pretty often I think, but I won't officially be living here again until September to finish my last semester of grad school.

I'm not really sure where the time went and how two semesters of grad school went by so fast. I'll be a big-girl intern at Weber, a PR agency, this summer, which brings me one step closer to my career. I've wanted to work there for a while and I'm definitely excited for that chapter of my life. But I can't say I'm ready to leave the friends I've made here. Everyone's going their own way this summer and I couldn't be more excited for them. We've got London, Boston, New York, etc.

When I first moved here I didn't think I would make such good friends. These past couple of months I think we've all bonded through the good and the bad and I'm going to miss being able to just walk out of my apartment and have an entire city as my backyard. I'm also going to miss my runs.

That all being said, this blog will be taking a hiatus until next Fall (most likely). Unless I decide to change the direction of my posts, or post about my random visits. I can't wait to be back next September...I know there's so much more this city has left to offer me!

Bye for now!

-A

Love Boston? And Harpoon.

I think it's safe to say I've been falling more in love with this city every passing spring day.

There I said it. I never thought I would but in all seriousness, there is just so much to do. Granted my roommate situation wasn't the best outcome of Boston, I'm going to be sad to leave this city. I've made great friends and have been able to do something I have always dreamed of...live in a city. I'll be back in the Fall, but with this semester slowly coming to a close I can't believe how fast it's gone. There is nothing better than a warm day here either. You just walk outside and you're surrounded by some of the prettiest buildings and the nicest scenery.

And I finally got to do something I've been wanting to do for a while: go to Harpoon Brewery.

I haven't been to Sam Adams yet but Harpoon was wonderful. It's $5 admission. You wait on line to buy your ticket and you can buy a beer while doing so. We got there around 11:20 on a Saturday and weren't able to get a tour until 12:40. That's fine though because we were able to order their delicious pretzels with some of the best dipping sauces I have ever tried. Peanut butter, IPA cheese and a cream cheese frosting one to name a few. Once we got in we went through a 20 minute speech about how beer is made. Then the good stuff. We got to sample as many beers as we wanted from this tap in the picture below. I love me some beer and was more than satisfied afterward.

This was followed by a warehouse of beer. So. Much. Beer. Literally. To the ceiling...probably near 50,000 cases.

Aside from that, the area around the brewery is gorgeous. Right on the water and there's a plethora of restaurants to go to afterward. We decided on Jerry Remy, which has a perfect view of the water and outdoor seating for those gorgeous summer days. Times like that I wish I was staying here this summer. But then again, NYC is pretty exciting too.

-A

My heart is with Boston

I thought that today would go absolutely differently than it ended up. Marathon Monday. Patriot's Day. Everyone hyped it up and I was so excited. But my mind really cannot comprehend what some people are capable of. My heart goes out to anyone and everyone affected by the explosions. No one should have to be put through this. You think you go out there to run a marathon--a feat in its own. And then something like this happens. I just cannot comprehend this and I thank god everyone I know is okay and safe.

Stay safe Boston. My heart is with you. And I just hope that whoever had the nerve to do such a thing gets what he deserves.

Boston food trucks

Roxy's Grilled Cheese. 

I decided I need to go on a food truck binge. Not in the sense that I'm going to go food truck to food truck - just that I want to try as many as I possibly can while I'm exploring Boston. Just because this city just has so many good ones to offer. Recently I tried out Roxy's, which was on the Great Food Truck Race on Food Network and won third place. Accordingly, I was going to see exactly what the fuss was about.

So. Good.

They had a small menu of grilled cheese sandwiches and all of them sounded just as good. My boyfriend got the Green Muenster Melt and I got the Caprese one. I recommend the first: muenster cheese, guacamole, and bacon. Can you say yum overload? Seriously. The picture you see above is the one I got. Basil, tomato, mozzarella, basil and balsamic. If you're feeling ballsy you can add truffle fries. I sort of really wish I did.

Anyway, this beautiful weather this past week inspired my food truck post. So, here's a list of the food trucks I've tried, ranked from my favorite down. And I've enjoyed all of them.

1. Bon Me: their noodle salad is possibly the best thing to ever happen to dinner.
2. Roxy's Grilled Cheese: as I said, grilled cheese. Need I say more?
3. Clover: Never had their breakfast, but their chickpea fritter is so good.
4. Mei Mei: The Double Awesome...is awesome. It's definitely messy and a little bit greasy though. Perfect hangover food if you ask me.
5. The Dining Car: I've only ever had the chicken sandwich. It's good, but it's definitely not the best food truck there. The curried lentil soup does sound (and smell) really good though!

That's my list. Any suggestions, additions? I'd love to hear!

Boston's growing on me...

-A.

Happy April!

Spring is FINALLY in the air after a long, seemingly never-ending winter. This weekend made me fall in love with Boston again. Just being able to walk out of my apartment and go for a run and it be absolutely gorgeous is so motivating. The only thing that could possibly make it better is if I had a dog to come along on my run - but hey, can't win them all! AND with that being said, baseball season is officially on! Although my Yankees lost to none other than the stupid Red Sox today I'm so excited for ballparks, hotdogs and overall fun of baseball games :)

To celebrate it finally being April, and because I'm finally getting back into the running spirit (three runs this past week is overachieving for me...but I'm going to keep that as my goal), here's a list of ways to enjoy the outdoors in Boston this month.

1. Explore someplace new by going for a run! If you're not into running, then okay, walk! There's no reason to be hopped inside anymore. Vitamin D is calling your name. My personal favorite is running around The Reservoir by Cleveland Circle. It's so pretty - especially around sunset. And the sound of the water hitting the "shore" is exceptionally relaxing.
2. Go to a park! Boston Common is gorgeous this time of year. I know it's April and for most of us that means the semester is about to get crazy stressful, but it's so much more fun doing homework outside if a computer isn't something you need. If you're lucky enough to have a patio, that's also always an option.
3. The return of spring and warm weather means outdoor patios are soon to return! What's better than hanging out with your friends at a bar? Hanging out with your friends on a beer garden patio. Also, there's not much better than enjoying a nice lunch outdoors. How I've missed that...
4. Instead of taking the T, try walking. It's a great way to stay fit. Imagine all the exercise you get by walking home (if that's an option) rather than being on a crowded train.
5. Okay, so it's not beach weather yet. But why not take a weekend trip to Providence or Newport and walk on the beach? It's a fairly cheap roundtrip Amtrak fare and it'll be a complete change of scenery.

After today's beautiful day...and subsequent rain/thunder storm it's safe to say I'm in love with springtime.

Disclaimer: Photo not mine. Credit goes to: jeffgunn

St. Patty's Day, Boston style

This post comes a good week late, mainly because I've been busy otherwise traveling back and forth from NY and working on school work. I feel like quite the adult. SO, let's get to the point. I finally had my first St. Patty's in Boston! I was so excited for the South End parade as well as the shenanigans  associated with being in Boston, which has a pretty high Irish population - in case you didn't know.

Here's a note to the wise: if you're actually interested in getting to the parade and to a good spot - get there early! It started at 1 and we hopped on the T from BU around noon. When we got to Park Street to transfer to the Red Line...we were quite surprised. Getting on was a nightmare, but once we got off at the stop in Southie...this happened...

There was a massive line to even get out! I'm not complaining nor was I surprised but it was an interesting experience. Anyway, we finally got to our spots at the start of the parade and we later traversed a little further down. There was a mix of families, adults and drunk college students (along with ridiculously annoying drunk undergraduate girls...who let's be honest are the worst ever). The parade was pretty cool - we didn't stay for the whole thing but there were some highlights. One of them being Star Wars. And the nerd in me comes out!

They also had the usual - Boston PD, Fire Department, Army, Navy, etc. If you find yourself in Boston, I'd recommend it...just to say you did. But then again, I'm from NY and have only made my way to NYC's parade once in my life. I think Boston's may be one of the biggest though (bigger than New York's). 

Oh, here's something else I might add. Go to the bathroom BEFORE you get there or start looking for one long before you get to the point where you feel you might not make it any further. Bars along the parade charge roughly $20 cover (which I almost paid merely for a bathroom); I saw no port-a-potties; and the line for a bathroom any place you do find is likely to be very long. After walking around for maybe 10-15 minutes I finally found a pizza place, bought a slice and waited on a 5-10 minute line. So do yourself a favor, don't bring yourself to the point of despair before you start looking.

While I do seem to have a lot to complain about in this city (another T-rant post is sure to be written very soon), I will note that they know how to do St. Patty's in Boston. But that's not surprising is it? The day after was probably the best because you could tell everyone was in bad shape. The T was silent and the overall attitude of "let me sleep all day" was on everyone's face. I'm really excited that in my three semesters at BU and in Boston that I got to experience this lovely Irish holiday. Because everyone's Irish on St. Patty's!

-A.

Living in an artsy world

(c) Alina Rubezhova 2013 - Instagram filter 

I've always wanted to be the artsy type.

But, the thought of anything involving art scares the hell out of me - I'm not graceful, my hands shake and a paintbrush is daunting to say the least. Not to mention, art class wasn't the easiest to get by in high school. So, instead I envied those who mastered the skill of drawing. But yesterday, I got to bring out my inner Picasso. Okay, well not Picasso - but he's the only name I could think of that sounded hip enough. A group of my friends got to experience Urban Art Bar - a fun little studio located in South Boston.

I should start by saying that UAB is my client for Boston University's PRLab - so I do technically work for them, but I'm putting all bias aside and being completely sincere. Naturally I had to experience the atmosphere to get a better understanding of what UAB does. Now that I've gone to a class, I'm going to shamelessly promote them to all of my friends. I walked in with the thought that my painting would resemble a child's finger paint slob-kebob, but I walked out with what I deem a masterpiece. It was a rendition of Boston's Frog Pond - guided by our teacher, Vicki. And to add on to that - everyone in the class did well, especially considering none of us had painted before.

So I'll start with the step-by-step of what you have to look forward to.

1) We came in just before 6:30, which is when the class starts. And we picked our seats at the front of the house and settled in. The studio itself is cute - there's artwork around the wall (of the pieces that the artists teach). The studio was lined with canvas around and paint brushes laid out. You have the option to get a drink at the bar - beer or wine. UAB finally got its liquor license, but there's a small selection of bottled beers (including Angry Orchard) and your typical red and white wines.

The walls with the beautiful artwork

2) A little after 6:30 as everyone piled in, Vicki introduced herself. She had a fun personality with the mantra that there is no complaining about your masterpiece. Basically, no matter what you do, it's yours and it's beautiful! Which really is inspiring to a group of non-artists. She began by introducing us to the different brushes (we had a set of five).

3) Then, she started us off with the first step (I'll post pictures every few steps so as to not overload you with visuals - and to not give away how to paint this!) and gave us a few minutes to complete it as she played some upbeat music. Okay, the first step wasn't bad at all. It required drawing a curved line through the middle of our painting. I did it! Afterwards, she had us paint above the line with our acrylic paints, mixing colors like the seasoned artist I'm becoming. The sky. I painted a sky! I swear, I've found a new calling.

4) Finally Vicki got us here:

5) A few steps after this, we got a little bit of a break to get food, socialize, get a few drinks - but mainly to let the paint dry. If you're hungry - there's a Dominos right next door and a Hess station nearby as well. Being the candy fiend I am, I ran over to the Hess to get my favorite: Sour Patch Watermelon. I'm really surprised I've made it this far without a cavity. 

Anyway, when everyone was situated we moved on to the next step of painting. Vicki did a great job instructing because I finally ended up somewhere here:

And then brace yourself...(seriously, brace yourself because I'm convinced I'm a master artist at this point)...

Voila - my very own Frog Pond to hang anywhere I please. :)

Needless to say, I'm impressed. The class went smoothly - went pretty much exactly the entire three hours and I walked out feeling very proud of my work.

So, if you're bored of the usual day-to-day activities, gather a group of friends and reserve a spot for one of the paintings! You won't regret it and you'll have a blast doing it.

-A.

Staying fit during Boston winters

Photo attributed to RelaxingMusic

I'm one of those girls who is fitness obsessed. Yoga, spinning, running, etc. You name it - I love it. Since running with the Boston winter wind isn't exactly on top of my to-do list, I try to find other ways to stay in shape during the cold months. I tend to do Insanity or run the track at the gym, but let's face it - that can get very routine and boring. So, because I'm always looking for new ways to work out, I decided to make a post about one of my favorite spots in the BU area: Sweat and Soul Yoga.

They offer both yoga and spin classes; but let's start with spin. These aren't your regular spin classes. The bikes actually move with you, making for an intense 45 minute pump up. The instructor blasts fun music, lights down low with the black light on and you really sweat. It's a lot of sprinting, sitting, standing, turning and "hills". If you're looking for a cardio workout that's truly different, I recommend this. It's not easy, but it's definitely a blast. And the best part? To start, they offer a 2 classes for $20 promotion for new students. Otherwise it does run a little pricy at $18 per class.

Now onto yoga. This is my perfect go-to when it's cold outside and I want to warm myself up. The room is kept at a warmer temperature than most yoga classes I've been to, but not quite hot yoga. Again, the name sweat and soul really fits. I've only gone to two instructors but I've enjoyed each class. Most classes run an hour and a half, which is a bit lengthy but it never feels that long. It gives me that time of day for myself, without breaking my budget. Classes are only $10 and on weekends they offer a community class for $5.

Any other fun fit winter ideas?

Valentine's Day in Boston

As I get deeper into this semester, I'm realizing how busy grad school life is becoming. Countless hours of client work, reading and papers make for a very exhausted me. But, everyone has to take a break for Valentine's Day. In a relationship or not, at least make it an excuse to love it or hate it.

Lucky for me, my boyfriend came to town (but a drinking extravaganza with the girls can never hurt anyone...well, okay not never.)

I was so excited to jump on this opportunity as an excuse to go to a restaurant in the North End and to finally make my way to Mike's Pastry. I'll start with the restaurant mini-review.

We went to Panza, on Hanover St. The calamari was some of the best I've ever had. The waiter gave us the option for small or large and actually recommended a small (thanks for the money saving). It had this spectacular sauce on it and it was gone pretty damn fast. It also came out VERY quickly - but then again we got there at 5 before the rush. I proceeded to order salmon with butternut squash risotto, and let me tell you: that was one of the most flavorful dishes I've ever tasted. The risotto melted in your mouth. My boyfriend ordered veal saltimbocca which also was delicious and came with pasta in a side bowl. I still contend that mine was better though :). So basically, the food we got was on point. I read up on reviews prior to going and some people mentioned ordering a bottle of wine rather than a glass if you plan on drinking more than one. Accordingly, we ordered a delicious bottle of Malbec for $20, which in my opinion is not expensive at all - whereas a glass started at $6/pour. As for the place, it was a nice small and quaint place on Hanover and the staff was all Italian (as far as I saw). It was a great authentic experience and I recommend it to anyone who's looking for a North End restaurant that won't break the wallet.

Finally, Mike's Pastry came next. Literally, finally. I've been meaning to go ever since I visited my Mom two years back. Every time I've passed by since the line was practically around the corner, and I expected the worst on Valentine's Day. But nope! We barely had to wait (and there were even seats available). We did take it to go however so we could enjoy it in the comfort of my warm apartment. We decided to get a slice of the red velvet cake as well as a mint chocolate chip cannoli. I've never been crazy about cannoli's because they tend to be too sweet, but this was to die for. The red velvet cake was also delicious and I didn't expect any less. Next time, however, I was told to get the lobster claws. Another excuse to make my way over there again!

I know I complain about Boston far too often, but I swear it's not always that bad! And I can't wait for the weather to warm up so I can continue my adventures. But for now, I'll watch the snow drift and listen to the wind smack against my windows.

Till next time!
- A

Snowpocalyspe, Boston style.

I haven't updated in what seems like forever. I've actually just been busy with school and surprisingly enjoying Boston. I know...who would've imagined?

As many of you know, Nemo swam into town and dumped a bunch of snow on us. Roughly two feet if I'm not mistaken. As much as I can complain (and complain) about Boston winters, snow days and snowy activities have maybe made up for some of the bad.

Yup, all cars! That'll be fun to dig out.

Being from NY, I'm not surprised by the amount of snow...I'm just surprised it's been so long since we actually got a massive snowstorm. I cannot even remember the last blizzard I experienced and I'll be damned if I don't fall back into childhood and explore.

So, I ventured out today. While all the adults were shoveling, I pummeled through snow in my rain boots (because I forgot all my snow stuff at home). Cars were covered to the top with snow from plows attempting to clean the streets. People were sledding, skiing and snowshoeing through the streets while the city workers tried to make the main roads passable for cars. While my shoes may not have sufficed, since I stepped into a two foot mound of snow and all of it went down to my toes, I can't say I regret the adventure. It may have been cold and windy, but it sure was beautiful and made me appreciate this city that much more.

note: edited with Instagram filter; Cleveland Circle area

But just remember guys, before you venture out in the snow don't forget the necessities:

• warm gloves
• some sort of head gear, whether a hat, earmuffs or a headband
• thick socks
• layers (don't expect to just wear jeans and get away with it)
• if you have, snow pants are a must
• proper shoe attire (I came home thinking my toes were going to break off. So. Cold.)
• quality jacket. My double-NorthFace, fleece and thermal did a great job of keeping my upper body warm

And here's two things you may not regret bringing: a thermos of hot chocolate and a sled. Because who knows when you'll come upon an awesome hill?