cranberries on the Cape

In October, my parents headed to New England for a visit. Since we'd already shown them around Boston (twice, in four parts), we thought the new family outpost on the Cape would be perfect for a long weekend visit. And while they arrived a bit early to enjoy peak fall foliage, the cranberry harvest was in full force.

Saturday morning, we headed to the 12th Annual Cranberry Harvest Celebration at the A.D. Makepeace Company, a founding member of the Ocean Spray grower-owned cooperative (Ocean Spray commercials are, coincidentally, one of my favorite ad campaigns).



For a small entry fee, visitors could watch the cranberry harvest, shop at a giant cranberry-focused outdoor market (with lots of free samples), and enjoy good food and music. The weather was beautiful, so we slowly meandered our way to the main events: a bridge overlooking the cranberry harvest and tour around the bogs. We hopped on a flatbed trailer with hay bale seating and learned all about cranberry farming.

For most of the year bogs are dry — irregularly shaped depressions in the ground covered in bramble, which look nothing like a quaint New England postcard. In the fall, farmers flood bogs for harvesting, and suddenly they are transformed into those iconic shimmering, ruby red ponds.

Coming from a rural Kansas farming background, we were struck at the similarities between cranberry and wheat harvesting (substituting water for air in the reaping, threshing, and winnowing process). Fun fact: unlike wheat, cranberry vines can live for 100+ years, although the extension agency recommends farmers replace their plants every 15 to 20 years to optimize yields.





We also learned about the sustainability of Massachusetts cranberry farming. "There are approximately 14,000 acres of cranberry bogs in Massachusetts with cranberry growers maintaining another 60,000 acres of open space serving to protect and recharge watersheds (Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association)." The undeveloped land surrounding the bogs is integral to the year-round process of cranberry farming, ensuring it's protection for generations to come.



We left with a much greater appreciation for the humble cranberry (and a craving for more cranberry almond chocolate bark).

The rest of our time on the Cape we enjoyed relaxing at home, strolling on the beach, and eating lots of good food. We had so much fun introducing my parents to a place we've come to love, and we're so grateful to Ian's family for hosting us!



You can see all our photos from the weekend on Flickr.

Megan and Phil walk all over Boston

Winter is fast approaching. We've pulled out our down coats and shearling-lined Bean boots to guard against the wet chill mixed with snow flurries that signal the eternal long New England winter is imminent. Which makes looking back on Megan and Phil's Labor Day weekend visit that much more wonderful, photos full of t-shirts, sandals, green grass, and that brilliant summer sun.

Megan has graced Boston with her presence twice before (both memorable: the first coincided with Hurricane Earl, and the second involved stealing a homeless man's vodka).  This time, she brought Phil, a good friend from our K-State days. We spent four days walking all over Boston (55,965 steps according to Breeze), packing in as much as we possibly could before their Monday afternoon return to Kansas.



We started at the office. Phil, as a planner involved with public transportation, was excited to navigate the MBTA to Watertown and also tour Sasaki. Megan was excited to eat at Roxy's on the way home (one of the many reasons why we're friends).

The next day we were up bright and early. We took the T to the Innovation District, and meandered over to the harbor to get in line for the Harpoon Brewery tour. Our last attempt at this particular tour (which also happened to be with Megan) was cut short as they sold the last tour tickets to the people in front of us in line. We were determined this wouldn't happen again. We shouldn't have worried. Harpoon had recently opened a new beer hall, which also exponentially increased their tour capacity. We purchased our tickets, learned all about Harpoon's brewing process, then hung around the beer hall for pretzels. (Forget the alcohol; I could eat those pretzels all day.) Post-pretzels, we headed straight to Yankee Lobster for our next meal, then walked it off by exploring more of the Innovation District and playing bocce at Sasaki-designed Lawn on D. And we kept on walking. We strolled the Greenway so Phil could experience the Big Dig, and we ended up in the North End for cannoli and lots of history (and inadvertently the Saint Anthony's Feast celebration).

Sunday, after a great morning at REUNION, we headed to Fenway for a ballpark tour followed by Sweet Cheeks biscuits. We enjoyed learning more about the history of Fenway and the Sox, and exploring the places most fans don't get to experience on a typical game day: the visitor's locker room, the Green Monster seats, the press box, and more.






On Monday, we had some time to kill before Megan and Phil's flight home, so we rented a ZipCar and headed to a place Ian has wanted to visit since we moved to Boston five years ago: World's End. In the late 1800s, Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of landscape architecture, designed it to be a residential subdivision. The carriage paths were created and trees were planted, but the houses were never built. The peninsula was eventually shortlisted to be the UN headquarters, and later considered for a nuclear power plant site, but the community worked hard to raise funds to protect the land. Now, it's a beautiful park with tree-lined walking paths and stunning views of Boston and the harbor. We walked around the entire peninsula, and even managed to dip our toes in the Atlantic.




Megan and Phil, thanks for spending your vacations with us! We had so much fun wandering around the city, eating good food, and nerding out about city planning and landscapes. Come back soon! (And Phil, congratulations on your engagement! Next time, bring Ashley too!)

Visit Flickr for more photos of our weekend!

26.2 miles with Karemy (and Levi and Mallory)

This year, for the first time, we had marathon visitors (what timing). We were thrilled Karen and Jeremy decided to accompany their friends Mallory and Levi for Levi's annual pilgrimage as a Boston marathon qualifier (and finally make good on their promise to return for a Sox game).

We met up at Hynes Friday evening after they picked up their numbers (Mallory registered herself, Karen, and Jeremy for Sunday's 5K so they all were running over the weekend). During trip planning, Karen hadn't mentioned Mallory was the same Mallory we both knew from our hometown. It was a pleasant shock to turn around to a familiar face (and Karen and Jeremy had a good laugh).

We braved the cold rain and wind gusts along the harbor to enjoy an epic welcome-to-New-England seafood dinner. The Barking Crab had a long wait, but it was worth it. Ian coached Mallory and Levi through their first oyster slurps, and we had a great time catching up (and getting to know Levi) over mouthwatering chowder, crab, and lobster.

The next day, we dusted off those long-awaited Sox tickets, and planned a relaxing morning followed by an afternoon tour of MIT before the scheduled 7:10 p.m. first pitch.

Mallory and Levi were staying at a hotel in Quincy to take advantage of its free marathon shuttle to the starting line, so for convenience we agreed to meet near MIT for lunch. In the middle of "what are you wearing?" texts between the ladies, Mallory texted that she heard the game was in the afternoon. Ian assured us we were fine. The previous night's game had been rained out, so the 1 p.m. game was the makeup. After all, our tickets said 7:10 p.m.

At noon, we headed inbound on the green line to connect to MIT. The train was packed with Sox fans, but we weren't worried. They were headed to the makeup game. A Google search on our phones still showed a 7:10 p.m. start, to further reassure us. But after a few conversations with people decked out in red, we realized Mallory was right. Ian had not received the official time change email that apparently had gone out to ticket purchasers. Thankfully, our late morning had put us right on schedule to get to Fenway by the new game time. We contacted Mallory and Levi, then hopped off at Fenway and met up on Lansdowne Street.

We arrived just in time. After loading up with ballpark food, we headed to our seats. We had a great view, the weather was perfect, we saw a home run, and the Sox managed to pull off a win in the 10th inning. Not bad, considering we almost missed the game.

After the game, we headed to the North End for Mike's Pastry and some historical explorations. Eating cannoli in the shadow of the Old North Church and the Paul Revere statue will never get old!

Sunday, we were up bright and early to get Karen, Jeremy, and Mallory to the 5K starting line by 8 a.m. They've been training and did great, finishing in the top half of the race. Go Team Kansas!

After the race, we split up so Mallory and Levi could spend time with Joe, a fellow marathoner, and Joe's son, who is on the high school track team Levi coaches back in Kansas.

Karen and Jeremy joined us for [REUNION], then we headed to Cambridge for the MIT campus tour we had originally planned for Saturday. After some wandering and a lengthy discussion of MIT pranks, we topped off our time across the river with a Toscanini's visit. Stuffed with ice cream, we headed back downtown to rejoin Mallory and Levi at Bull & Finch Pub (the original Cheers bar, as opposed to the recreation near Faneuil Hall).

After toasting with the special Sam Adams 26.2 brew, we bid Levi farewell and good luck, then headed to the finish line to snap some photos while the course was relatively empty. In previous years, I attempted these shots after the marathon, but the crowds and barriers had always proven a challenge. Since we were already so close and the street was closed to traffic and open to the public, I decided we should take advantage. Blissfully unaware of future events, we snapped our photos then headed home to order in some Genki Ya: sushi is a tradition with Karen and Jeremy.

Monday morning, Ian headed off to work and I joined Karen and Jeremy to meet up with Mallory and Joe's son at mile 17 to cheer for Levi and Joe. We arrived early enough to catch a handful of wheelchair and handcycle racers, as well as the elite women and men. I am always amazed at the grace and endurance of the marathon participants.

As soon as Levi and Joe passed by, we hustled back to the green line and headed inbound: me to work, them to catch Levi and Joe one more time.

We said goodbye on the train. I hopped out for an almost two-hour trek to work that involved backtracking 15 minutes to find a place where I could sneak across the marathon  route (no help but lots of sympathy from a few of Boston's finest), and walking an additional two miles towards the office before giving up and waiting 20 minutes for the bus.

Almost as soon as I got settled at my desk, one of my coworkers asked, "There was an explosion at the finish line. Are your friends still there?"

Karen had already called with an update: Levi and Joe had finished almost an hour prior, but Levi, disappointed in his time (which is still insanely impressive), had needed some time to process. Karen and Jeremy, worried about missing their flight, headed to the airport without Levi and Mallory. I checked in to make sure Levi and Mallory made it to the airport before running through the rest of our list of friends and coworkers who might have been at the finish line. Work productivity tanked. I briefly thought it wasn't worth coming in, but reminded myself that decision had kept me out of harm's way.

By evening, our friends were all accounted for and Karen, Jeremy, Mallory, and Levi were safe back in Kansas.

It's eerie looking through all of our race photos from the weekend, knowing what happened there less than 24 hours later. Because Karen, Jeremy, and Mallory ran the 5K, we cheered them on from the same spots where the bombs went off the next day. That unnerving realization hit about a week after the tragedy. There is such a vast chasm between before and after.

This year's marathon weekend will stick in our minds for so many reasons, but I'm thankful that one of them is happy: spending time with old and new friends enjoying one of Boston's quintessential traditions.

Karen, Jeremy, Mallory, and Levi: thanks so much for spending the long weekend with us!

More photos from the weekend on Flickr.

I also wrote a response to the events of Marathon Monday 2013 (if you're looking for something more lighthearted, check out the posts from Marathon Monday 2011 and 2010).

that time we stole a homeless man's vodka

We kicked off November with visitors. One of my best friends from Kansas was taking a girls trip with her mom and a couple good family friends, and they decided to make Boston their destination. I was thrilled.

They arrived on a Friday afternoon, and Ian and I met them for dinner at Zaftigs—they made a trip rule that (aside from Starbucks) they couldn't eat anything they could get back home. Since Jewish food is hard to come by in Kansas and Wisconsin, it fit the bill. For the full experience, we started with the appetizer combo plate (cheese blintz + potato pancake + potato knish + noodle Kugel), before moving on to other carb-laden entrees. They loved it, and we had fun catching up with Megan and Sharon, and getting to know Brandi and Julie.

The next morning, Megan, Ian, and I enjoyed a late breakfast at Tatte and drove a ZipCar around to take in the fall foliage before meeting up with the rest of the crew, who had a much earlier start and already knocked out a good portion of their must-see list. We enjoyed a seafood brunch at the Chart House (in John Hancock's old counting house) while Sharon, Brandi, and Julie regaled us with their stories of the morning, including a butcher at Haymarket taking them for a tour of his fridge in the back.

We walked off lunch with a stroll to the Seaport District to catch the Harpoon Brewery tour, but they sold the last two tickets to the two people in front of us in line. Thankfully though, our trip was not in vain. We headed up to the retail store to look around, and Ian, Sharon, and Brandi (the beer connoisseurs of the group) even managed to snag a few free samples.

Ian headed to band practice, and we headed back to Sharon, Brandi, and Julie's hotel near the Common to drop off the morning's purchases. Just as we walked through the front doors, a scruffy middle-aged man fell down the last four steps of the lobby stairs, taking a fake plant down with him. Julie, a nurse, flew into action while we asked hotel staff to call 911. While calming him down and keeping him still, Julie discovered he was completely intoxicated. This complicated matters, as we couldn't be sure his intermittent consciousness was due to a possible brain injury or just the alcohol.

As soon as the fire department arrived and we answered their questions, we headed up to the room at last, where we laughed in disbelief about what had just transpired. We wondered if the paramedics took the man's belongings with him in the ambulance. We suspected he was homeless; what if the contents of those two small plastic bags were the only things he owned?

Soon, we were ready to head back out to the North End. As we looked around the room, Megan noticed two crumpled plastic bags tucked underneath the night stand. Brandi had grabbed them assuming they were Julie's. They were not.

We debated on how we could reunite them to their owner, but decided we should find out first if they were worth returning. We cautiously opened the bags: two open but relatively full bottles of Viaka. As Julie poured the bottles down the bathroom sink, we laughed that we probably did the man a favor, getting rid of incriminating evidence.

We also realized that it created the perfect introduction to the story of our afternoon: the time we stole a homeless man's vodka. We reviewed the story details on our extremely well-earned trip to Mike's for cannoli, which we consumed in front of the Paul Revere statue before wandering through more of the North End.

The next day after [REUNION] and brunch, we knocked out the remaining sights on their list: the Make Way for Ducklings statue and Harvard, before a final dinner together at Artu.

Megan & Company, thanks so much for making us your destination. It was so good to see/meet you. Come back soon!

the annual eye exam visit: gastronomical adventures

A few weeks ago, Ian went to Phoenix to rub elbows with other landscape architects and be part of the team accepting one of the highest awards in the profession. This happened to coincide with Dane and Micki's now annual trip trip to Boston for a yearly appointment at the Boston Foundation for Sight. He thought about skipping Phoenix, but they (Dane and Micki) wouldn't let him. So while he was schmoozing and eating In-n-Out, we enjoyed the flavors of Boston.

They arrived Saturday afternoon to overcast skies and wet pavement. After unpacking and unwinding, Micki and I took a stroll to Dorado to pick up dinner. We had our fingers crossed for some hot tortilla soup to combat the weather and Dane's cold, but with the weather waffling between two seasons, Dorado hadn't yet transitioned into their toastier soup option. But even without hot soup, you can't go wrong with Dorado, and we enjoyed football and an introduction to Breaking Bad (which I've concluded is too depressing for me to continue watching) over baja street food.

Sunday morning we slept in before grabbing breakfast at Pavement and heading to [REUNION]. Dane jumped right in after the gathering, helping out with the tear down crew (just think Dane, if you moved here, you could do that whenever you want!). Our next stop of the day was SoWa Market. Micki and I's visit two years ago was short thanks to getting lost on the T, and she wanted a redo. Also, over the past two years SoWa has blossomed as a food truck hot spot, which was a great pitch for Dane.

It was another soggy day, but not enough for a rain-out concern. But when we arrived at the SoWa parking lot, all of the food trucks were missing. We started asking arts and crafts vendors, who directed us to the farmer's market on the other side of the building (containing the vintage market), who directed us down the street to the Trolley Building. Success. Dane and Micki went straight for Lobsta Love, while I got in line for a green muenster at Roxy's (where I also impressed the order taker with my abbreviation of the day's drink as "blackberry etc. lemonade").

After lunch, Dane headed home to watch more football and make tortilla soup for dinner, while Micki and I got our shop on. We buzzed through the farmers, vintage, and open markets. We didn't end up actually purchasing anything, but we had lots of fun looking (particularly at things like shiny red boxing shorts next to a 1950s milkshake machine and a ceramic black and white poodle lamp). We also meandered in and out of shops on Newbury as we slowly made our way home to delicious soup and more Breaking Bad.

Monday after work and an eye doctors visit (everything continues to look good, pun intended) and new lens, we met up at Sweet Cheeks. (Now serving biscuits at lunch and to go, which is both delightful and dangerous.) We stuffed ourselves on biscuits, mac and cheese, and straight up good barbecue while I told them about my Julia Stiles sighting and they caught me up on Micki's appointment.

Ian arrived home in the wee hours Tuesday morning, and took the day off to spend it with them. They picked me up at work in time for our dinner reservation at Lumière. It's not cheap. It's not on public transportation. But it is committed to inventive and high quality local food, and boy does it deliver. We even got an extra dessert as an apology after a snafu with one of the desserts we originally ordered off the prix fixe menu. Most surprising dish? Concord grape sorbet with sweet cream sauce, candied peanuts, and peanut butter cookies. I didn't get that was a riff on pb&j until I had a bite.

Wednesday morning, we bid them safe travels with promises to video chat soon. And as I reflected on their weekend in Boston, I thought how interesting it is that family and food go hand in hand. There is something comforting about sitting around a table and sharing a meal, whether it's take out, homemade soup, or a three course meal. It brings people together. Makes them closer. In community group recently, we discussed Acts 2's compelling picture of the early church — full of love, support, selflessness, joy, and shared meals. It's no accident that a paragraph on true community mentions food three times.

In a culture of constant motion, I'm so thankful for time with family, laughing over dinner. And as we continue to build our community here in Boston, we will be sure to make space around the dinner table for our friends and neighbors.

a week with Ren

The last week of March, we had the pleasure of hosting Ren. Part family time, part school research. We really enjoy showing off our city, but sometimes it's nice to have a low key week hanging out and eating some of our favorite food together (sushi at FuGaKyu, if you're wondering).

Thursday evening, we drove to Worcester to join Ren at a symposium at Clark University. As a history major focused on Holocaust studies, he's interested in Clark's Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies. And they were so kind as to invite him to a graduate symposium, and even bring along guests (us) to the private reception and public lecture that kicked off the event.

Ian loved the Strassler Center. Many smaller universities in the area convert historic homes into academic space, and this was an exceptionally well done bit of architecture, combining the historic charm with modern aesthetics to create a beautiful home for the program and it's extensive library. Ren went back to Worcester on Friday morning to attend the graduate student presentations, and returned to Boston late Friday evening, exhausted but satisfied.

The next morning, before driving Ren to the airport, we enjoyed brunch at Dorado, which tops our "you can't visit us without eating at..." list. (Don't let our weird faces fool you into thinking it isn't delicious.)

One last photo at the airport to match the brother photo from Christmas, and we said goodbye until graduation in May. Two weeks from now—we can't wait!

the annual eye exam visit: D.C. in a day

I left work early on Monday to finish packing and meet up with Dane, Micki (with her squeaky clean, post-appointment contact lens), and Ian for our 7:50 p.m. flight to DC. Since Ren spent part of his summer studying at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Ian has been working on a certain project at Arlington National Cemetery, we thought it would be a good family adventure for Micki's birthday.

Thanks to the itinerary Ian mapped out for us, we managed to squeeze in Arlington, the USDA cafeteria, Holocaust Museum, and Pentagon Memorial before our 7 p.m. return flight Tuesday evening.

Most of our time at Arlington we spent examining the Kennedy memorial. Ian brought plans and renderings so we could better envision the senator's future grave site. We also happened upon a funeral taking place nearby. The soldiers who participate in the services demonstrate such respect for those who have served our country, and such consideration for the family. I couldn't help but think back to the soldiers who folded Grandpa's flag before handing it to Grandma at his graveside.

The USDA cafeteria came recommended by Ren, who frequented it on lunch breaks while he was completing his intensive study program across the street at the Holocaust Museum. Keeping in mind it is a cafeteria and not a five-star restaurant, it was quite tasty. I also realized I've fully adjusted to the cordial but cooler tendencies of New England when I was taken aback by the guy behind the counter, who cheerfully offered to make my panini to order, sans mushrooms. His smile had joy behind it, not formality, and it was refreshing.

There are not words to describe the Holocaust Museum (or photography, which isn't permitted in the exhibits). The musty wooden smell of the interior of a cattle car that brought hundreds of thousands of unsuspecting Jews to their deaths. The pile of empty suitcases that had been filled with personal belongings and family treasures, the owners fully expecting to use the contents. The tower of family portraits. The overwhelming smell of leather in a room piled with discarded shoes. The stories of the debate on whether or not to participate in the 1936 Olympics in Germany (the winners of the debate argued sports weren't political, despite the fact that successful games would support Hitler's cause).

I recommend exploring their website. Not only do they have information, teaching material, and numerous online exhibits, they also address genocide as a current issue and list at-risk countries including Sudan, near and dear to our family.

Our final stop was the Pentagon Memorial. It is eerie to see the repaired section of the building, a subtle change in color distinguishing the old from the new. The memorial is beautiful. One bench for each victim, organized by birth year. Still pools of water under each bench. Muted colors, exquisite detailing. If you're interested in learning more about the design, you can view the Washington Post interactive here.

And just like that, 24 hours after we started, we were on a plane home.

I've been to D.C. two other times, and both visits were less than a day. Ian says if we keep it up, we'll hit all the popular destinations by age 60. Maybe by then the Metro will have simplified fares and written instructions that can fit on the machine in font bigger than size 10. Nah, it's Washington.

the annual eye exam visit: cold on the water

Dane and Micki were in town a couple weeks ago for Micki's checkup at the Boston Foundation for Sight. Her cancer is in check thanks to Herceptin and healthy living, and her second cornea transplant is continuing to do great thanks to the special prosthetic contact from the Foundation.

We picked them up from the airport late Saturday night, and woke up relatively early the next morning, given their two hour time adjustment, to grab Boloco truckstops (for Dane) and Starbucks (for Micki) before the second gathering at REUNION. Which, by the way, was a successful first day as one church in two locations: 152 people attended the Somerville launch and there was still a great turnout in Back Bay.

After church, we decided to catch the Head of the Charles Regatta, "the world's largest two-day rowing event." It was a cool day, and even colder on the water. After taking some photos and watching a few boats dart past, we decided we'd experienced enough of both the race and the weather.

We took the Red Line back downtown for some clam chowder and original Boston Cream Pie. As many times as Dane and Micki have visited Boston, they're no longer interested in the touristy things. But that cake is just too good to pass up while you're here. (On another note, this is the best group photo we got all week...)

We relaxed that night over an episode of Fringe, knowing we had a full couple days of birthday celebration adventures ahead of us. Stay tuned...

the annual eye exam visit: gastronomical delights

Since Gerald + Mel had us over for dinner last month and Mel shared the secret to her culinary success, Ian has been a little obsessed with Barbara Lynch. (I bought him the cookbook; I can hear it calling out from the shelf, "Ian, use me to cook dinner for Anna.") So when Ian selected a nice restaurant for Micki's birthday dinner Wednesday night, naturally he chose The Butcher Shop.

The space is small and casual. Butcher paper covers the tables and you can pick up meat cuts, sauces, and a handful of deli-type food selections from the refrigerator in back. The menus are printed on sheets of paper as they change weekly.

We chatted about work, life, and the future over mouth-watering comfort food. Tender juicy chicken over broccoli puree with twice-baked fingerling potatoes. Yes, they scooped out tiny potatoes, stood them on end, then refilled them with creamy goodness and sprinkled on cheddar and bacon. Venison over mashed yams with kale chips. A mesclun greens salad with pumpkin seed vinaigrette, a ring of roasted fall vegetables lining the edge of the plate. Prime rib with roasted fingerling potatoes and a side of the aoli Mel couldn't stop gushing about. And to top it all off, a slice of pumpkin cheesecake and helping of chocolate mousse that perfectly balanced deep chocolate flavor with creamy rich texture. We might have licked the bowl. Our waitress assured us this was perfectly acceptable.

Thursday, Dane and Micki treated us with an exciting home-cooked dinner: stuffed pork chops, potatoes au gratin, and sweet Halloween snacks. We made the most of their last night in town, relaxing over football.

Early Friday morning we picked up a ZipCar and drove Dane and Micki to the airport.

As hard as it was to say goodbye, we can look forward seeing them again soon: Christmas is just around the corner!