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Live Like A Local, Boston: Marissa

3/15/2015

Last week, I featured a list of Boston recommendations from local ladies Lisa & Jen as a part of our Live LIke a Local, Boston series. Today I have the pleasure of introducing Marissa - my favorite coffee & tea connoisseur, fellow traveler, and Rachel Bilson doppelganger.

Marissa
Boston native; food and fitness enthusiast; loves to maximize life at all times!

Favorite Local Shop: Gifted in the South End for you guessed it, gifts; also David's Tea in the South End for fun, seasonal teas.

Favorite Restaurant: It's so hard to pick just one! A favorite that is always fantastic is Island Creek Oyster. My favorite NEW restaurant to the Boston scene is Bastille Kitchen in Fort Point - especially the short rib wellington!

Favorite Place To Work Out: Equinox--one stop shop for cardio, barre, spin, etc.

Best Photo Opp: Walking home at sunset over the Mass Ave bridge.

Favorite Day Trip: Ogunquit, Maine

What I Love Most About Boston: The seasons, walkability, and proximity to Cape Cod.

Where To go For Seafood: Island Creek, Row 34 or B&G Oyster; If you're ever on the Cape you must get the giant lobster roll at The Raw Bar in Mashpee.

Best Juice Bar: Jugos at Back Bay Station: it's a hidden gem and they make the best juices.

Grab a Drink At: Drink in Fort Point for custom mixed cocktails. Tell them the ingredients you typically enjoy and their bartenders will surprise you with a new concoction!

Where I Go For Cheap Eats: Sweet Green for a fresh salad.

I've added Marissa's recommendations to the Live Like a Local Boston interactive map. Enjoy!

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Live Like A Local, Boston: Jen

3/11/2015

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Earlier this week, I introduced the Live Like a Local series with Lisa who shared fabulous Boston tips like hiking trails near the city and where/when to find $1 oysters. Today I have the pleasure of introducing Jen - an artsy marathon runner and and bonafide ass-kicker (no joke, I've seen her at MMA class!).

Jen

Craft Ninja, Wanderer, Non-runner who happens to run marathons

Where to Go for Seafood: Island Creek Oyster in Kenmore Square (from brunch to late night eats, everything is perfection!)

Favorite Place to Workout: Redline Fight Sports in Central Square. Redline is an MMA gym that makes you feel empowered (and like a badass!) without feeling intimidated.

Where I Go for Cheap Eats: Veggie Galaxy in Central Square has GIANT, delicious vegan/vegetarian meals and desserts for a steal!

Best Photo Opp in Boston: Anywhere in Beacon Hill, more accurately, at the top of Acorn Street, or Louisburg Square in the springtime when the wisteria are creeping up the beautiful brownstones.

On a Rainy/Snowy Day I Like to: Go to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Boston has so many fantastic museums and galleries but this former private residence is a complete jewel! Gardner was a woman far ahead of her time and her story, as well as the story of the museum as a whole is fascinating. I could visit every day and still spot something I've never seen before.

Favorite Local Shop: December Thieves in the South End and on Charles St. Thoughtfully curated jewelry, small home goods, accessories, and curiosities from around the globe.

Favorite Restaurant: I'm hesitant to share because it's my hidden gem! Euno in the North End is a tiny Italian eatery that is romantic, cozy, and everything is completely fresh and homemade. I adore this restaurant! Shhh! Don't tell anyone ;)

Most Peaceful Spot: I walk my dog to a tiny dock that sits at the finish line of the Head of the Charles Regatta on the Boston side of the Charles River. For hours we will dangle our respective paws and legs over the edge and watch rowers, geese, and ducks glide by on the river. Really, anywhere along the Charles is a piece of heaven amidst a bustling city but this little dock is my sanctuary.

What I Love Most About Boston: I am always enchanted by Boston's rich history and how the old nestles quite comfortably with the modern. From its architecture; The Old State House, built in 1710, to the LEED certified Fraunhofer Center in the Seaport District, where some of the world's leading sustainable technologies are developed, to its residents; young co-eds coexisting with Boston Brahmins whose pedigrees date back to the Mayflower, Boston is a study of a beautiful dichotomy set against an even more beautiful backdrop.

Best Insider Tip for Visitors: Despite being packed with colleges and a zillion districts and neighborhoods, Boston is a very small city. If you have the better part of an afternoon, a walk throughout the whole city is completely doable and a great way to see the area. Take time to wander on foot and stumble upon things that are off the beaten path of Faneuil Hall and Newbury St. Grab a map, snacks, and a camera and make a day of seeing the sights that are outdoors!

Check out Jen and Lisa's recommendations on our interactive map:

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Live Like a Local: Lisa's Boston

3/9/2015

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In just a few weeks hundreds of female travelers will be visiting Boston for Go Girl Network's annual Women In Travel Summit (or WITS). Experienced and enthusiastic adventurers will gather to share stories, tips, and advice. Being a travel junkie myself, I'm looking forward to meeting these women and hope to come away with new inspiration.

Some of the best travel experiences result from a local guide, especially when it's a friend (new or old) since we often share similar tastes and interests. Since the conference is in my home base of Boston, I reached out to a handful of Boston's local ladies and asked them about their favorite things to do in the city. These women are seasoned travelers and truly enjoy everything this city has to offer so I think they make great virtual guides. First up is Lisa:

Lisa Shen
Graduate Student, Mom, Enthusiastic Omnivore, City Biker

Favorite Local Shop
Looks in Harvard Square

Where I Go for a Cup of Joe
Darwin's LTD in Harvard Square has the best coffee

Favorite Restaurant
Rialto in Harvard Square and any of Barbara Lynch's restaurants: No. 9 Park, Sportello, B&G Oyster, The Butcher Shop, Menton

Boston Band on My Playlist
Guster or Aerosmith

Favorite Place to Work Out
Running along the Charles River

Most Peaceful Spot
Fresh Pond in Cambridge, Hiking in the Fells or the Blue Hills

Best Photo Opp in Boston
Anywhere on the Charles River (take a Duck Tour or rent a sailboat to get to the middle)

Favorite Day Trip
The north shore beaches like Crane's Beach in Ipswich or Singing Beach in Manchester. Or Salem for the Peabody-Essex Museum, history, and witchcraft.

Favorite Dive Bar
The BHP (Beacon Hill Pub) or The Sevens

On a Rainy/Snowy Day, I Like To...
Go to a movie at The Common or one of the new Deluxe Movie Theaters in Dedham or Chestnut Hill; also shopping at the Natick Mall

Where I Go For Cheap Eats
The Asian food court at the Porter Exchange

Grab a Drink At
Marliave

What I Love Most About Boston:
Boston/Cambridge is mostly flat, so it's incredibly walkable and bike-able.

Where to Go For Seafood:
Row 34, Legal Harborside, or many restaurants in Chinatown (e.g. East Ocean City)

Insider Tip for Visitors:
Many fabulous restaurants offer $1 oysters on off nights (e.g. Mondays) or off times (4-6 p.m.), such as Rialto, Marliave, Les Zygomates, etc.

THANK YOU for sharing your recommendations, Lisa! I especially love her tip on $1 oyster happy hour! Check out Lisa's recommendations on our Live LIke a Local interactive map:

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Baby on Board!

3/4/2015

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Chris and I are beyond thrilled to announce that we are expecting a baby boy this June! After being together for 17 years (half of our lives!), building careers and traveling around the world, we are ready to embark on our biggest adventure to date.

Among all the "typical" baby prep we've been doing, we have been reading a lot about traveling with kids. Thankfully, we live in an era where it's easier to travel with children given all the family-friendly accomodations out there. Plus, the proliferation of apartment rentals a la AirBnB make it more convenient to find affordable alternatives to hotels that provide the conveniences of home (e.g. a private kitchen). There are also many traveling families who share their experiences and recommendations online, helping to guide new parents like us. Here are a few articles & blogs on the subject that I've enjoyed so far:

Nomadic Matt - 7 Common Excuses People Use to Avoid Family Travel
Traveling Cauncks - Family Travel Section including 13 Tips for Successful Baby Travel
Walking On Travels - I like her destination pages (ie Portland) and all her family travel tips.
KidWorldCitizen.org - Activities that educate kids on various global cultures and customs.

What I love about these bloggers is their positivity and commitment to broadening horizons for their children through experience, despite the challenges they face as parents. When I think back on my childhood, some of my best memories were family trips. While all of my childhood travel was within the eastern US, (I didn't have a passport until age 19), we didn't need to go very far to have fun. We traveled locally – throughout New England - and to see family in Puerto Rico, where I spent many weeks every year. We enjoyed doing something new together, even if it was only an hour away from home.

We plan on brining our little guy along on many future adventures (hopefully near and far) and will certainly post updates and tips from our travels with him. We just can't wait to see the world through his eyes!

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Live Like A Local, Boston: Marissa

Marissa
Boston native; food and fitness enthusiast; loves to maximize life at all times!

Live Like A Local, Boston: Jen

Jen

Craft Ninja, Wanderer, Non-runner who happens to run marathons

Live Like a Local: Lisa's Boston

Baby on Board!

Author

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Live Like A Local, Boston: Marissa

MarissaBoston native; food and fitness enthusiast; loves to maximize life at all times!

Live Like A Local, Boston: Jen

Jen Craft Ninja, Wanderer, Non-runner who happens to run marathons

Live Like a Local: Lisa's Boston

Baby on Board!

Author

Archives

Categories

Marissa
Boston native; food and fitness enthusiast; loves to maximize life at all times!

Jen

Craft Ninja, Wanderer, Non-runner who happens to run marathons