Category: Cambridge

Cambridge, MA Maternity Photos

6/25/2015

I planned on taking maternity photos three weeks before Benjamin's due date. It was the ideal time - my belly was big, spring was at its peak and the weather was typically beautiful over Memorial Day weekend. Our plans were foiled when, Benjamin, eager to get in front of the camera, swiftly arrived the afternoon of our scheduled shoot. Lesson learned: schedule maternity photos two months ahead of time.

Luckily Chris and I had scouted a few spots the day before so here are some of our (practice) maternity pictures taken around Cambridge. These picture are particularly special to us because they were taken the day before we met our baby boy!

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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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Why Bostonians Secretly Love Blizzards

2/17/2015

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I know, I know - not another article about the damn snow! But many of us can't help but look at picture after picture of the Goliath sized snow piles lining the streets of Boston. With over six feet of snow in three weeks and icicles the size of Godzilla's teeth threatening to impale us upon exiting our homes, I feel like the movie Frozen was really about Boston, not some medieval nordic hamlet.

Harvard University yesterday. Could this be Elsa's handiwork (or "Elser" as they call her here)? Perhaps she's a Yalie?

While we complain about the snow often here in New England, I think that we secretly like it for the following reasons:

7 Reasons Why Bostonians Secretly Like Blizzards

1) We get an outpouring of sympathy from around the world for the bad traffic, train delays, shoveling and the impending floods on the horizon. Being a city full of Gen Ys, we revel in the attention.

2) At the same time, we get to reject said sympathy and brag about how tough we are. I've heard all three of the following statements in the last two weeks – verbatim:

"I shoveled 10 tons of snow this afternoon. It's good exercise for the back".
"I went for my 11-mile marathon training run the morning of Juno. It was actually refreshing".
"I can't believe they canceled school for just a foot of snow. What a bunch of pansies!"

I'm not kidding. Verbatim.

3) There is a tacit understanding that Bostonians can save their street parking space with whatever piece of junk they happen to have lying around. If someone moves your chair/cone/walker and takes your space, you are entitled to slash their tires or, in Jamaica Plain, you just shovel the snow back onto the "thief's" car. Either way, there is some satisfaction to be had.

Better not move that walker or Gramps will shove his cane in your tailpipe.

4) We get full license to berate anyone on social media posting pictures of sunshine, beaches and palm trees. There has been a virtual blizzard of "GFYs" on Facebook over the last two weeks.

5) New micro economies are springing up. We are already taking bets on when the snow will melt and enterprising high school and college kids are using their youthful brawn to earn extra cash by charging local residents a hefty fee for shoveling out their cars.

6) We get to ski. In the city. Pretty freaking cool.

7) It gives us something to talk about. Because, let's be honest, nothing else is happening here in February.

And with that, here are a few of my favorite neighborhood blizzard pics:

Forget about snow-covered cars - this HOUSE is almost completely buried!

Free parking for anyone with a shovel!

Walking down my sidewalk after the last storm.

This face makes 6 feet of snow look cute.

Here are a few shots of Cambridge, MA from the @beyondvoyage Instagram gallery:

St. Petersburg, Russia? Nope, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Buried in my office during Juno.

Deadly icicles near Harvard.

They may cause a lot of chaos, but blizzards can be incredibly peaceful and beautiful.

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cambridge has bloomed

4/28/2013

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We are so thankful for the beautiful spring weather that has descended upon Cambridge the last couple of days. With less than a week to go before our big trip, we have been able to enjoy Cambridge at the most beautiful time of year. We are really going to miss this place over the summer. Time to fire up the grill!