Tag: boston

Flights are getting delayed and cancelled so we decided to roadtrip from Dallas to Santa Fe.  Two adults, no responsibilities, no major plans.  Eat, relax and enjoy!

Breakfast treat(Decatur): Trinity Street Roastaurant
Would I dine again?  Yes.  We started off the drive from Dallas at 6am and after about an hour, I suggested we stop for coffee and a quick breakfast treat in Decatur, TX.  This was a coffee shop/restaurant/cool bar.  My husband grabbed a coffee and I opted for a vegan blueberry muffin which was delicious.

Lunch in Amarillo: Yellow City Street Food
Would I dine again? Yes.  We wanted to find a great spot for lunch that would be quick.  And after a quick search I found Yellow City Street Food.  The menu had a good mix of tacos and burgers including vegan options (I’m not vegan but have had some delicious vegan meals) and the food sounded really good.  We shared the animal fries and then I had the famous fish tacos and the carnitas, he had the wake & bake burger.

Sights on the way to Santa Fe:
I googled spots to see along the way and a few things came up over and over again so I decided we would be tourists for the afternoon.  We have been to Cadillac Ranch so I snapped a quick pic as we drove by.  No need for us to stop.  Then we stopped at the midpoint of Route 66 in Adrian, TX.  I got out of the car, took a bunch of pics as my husband (and the people in the small cafe) laughed at me and then we were on our way.  Last, I read about the Blue Hole and from the pics online it looked like a secluded swimming hole that you may need to take a short hike to see.  Well, I was wrong.  We started seeing signs and then there was an attendant to pay to park, lifeguards and well, it was a total tourist trap and they got me.  So, next time, we will just drive straight through.

Hotel:  La Posada de Santa Fe, a Tribute Portfolio Resort & Spa
I stay in Marriott hotels for work so we decided to stay at this resort after reading numerous reviews.  Overall, the stay was good.  The property is in a great location so you can walk everywhere to eat, shop and see a beautiful sunset.  We reseved a suite and the casita was the perfect size for two of us.  We didn’t dine at the hotel restaurants but they had a lovely outdoor dining area and two bars.  We did get massages at the spa and Meredith was fantastic.  The spa is a bit limited so we left the property and went to a second spa a few miles north of the city.  And the concierge Kevin gave us numerous recommendations for restaurants which was super helpful!

Dinner: Osteria d’assisi
Would I dine again? Yes.  We had a lovely table on the outdoor patio and our server was great.  We shared the insalata alla cesare, the Torre di Melanzane con zucchini al forno and the linguini allo scoglio- delicious!!

Breakfast:  Cafe Pasqual’s
Would I dine again? Yes.  This restaurant was recommended to us from Dallas friends and was written up as one of the best places to go for breakfast in Santa Fe.  My husband had the chile relleno con huevos and I had the huevos rancheros.  We enjoyed breakfast so much we went back on our last morning too!

Lunch: The Teahouse Santa Fe
Would I dine again? Yes.  As we explored Canyon Road and the galleries, we stopped at The Teahouse.  We started with two teas (caffeine free Strawberry kiwi for me), I had the pozole(not spicy which was great for me) and my husband had the Brie, Apple, Black forest ham and mostarda panini.  The desserts looked pretty amazing too but we were so full so we had to pass.

Dinner: Casa Chimayo
Would I dine again? No.  We were hoping to have a “eat at grandma’s house” kind of experience but this was unfortunately our least favorite spot all week.  The servers, although short staffed, were very nice but when you have tableside guacamole and they leave the avocado skin in the bowl for you to eat, it starts the meal off on a bad note.  The main entree was good but not something I could not get elsewhere in Santa Fe.  We ended the meal with taking home a piece of the tres leches cake and tossed it after one bite, something I would normally never do.  Hoping this was just an off night but we will not return on a future trip.

Downtown and The Santa Fe Sunsets:  We were able to walk everywhere whether we wanted to see the galleries on Canyon Road, shop for jewelry on the square or at the Palace of the Governors or see the sunset.  It did rain a bit during our visit but a short walk from the hotel is The Cross of the Martyrs.  Its a quick walk to the top and two of the nights we were able to see a pretty sunset.  Not the pinks and oranges my husband had told me about but still very pretty.

Our Morning Adventure:  The Santa Fe Farmers Market at the Railyard
I love a Farmer’s Market.  You get to sample delicious fruits and vegetables, find new and interesting products and flavors and buy special items from local artisans.  During this visit, I found a local jewelry designer Karla Hackman who had beautiful rings, earrings and pendants as well as some great vendors selling honey and jams.  For breakfast we had fresh corn quesadillas with zucchini and cheese.   The perfect light meal to share before a huge food journey for the rest of the day!

Lunch: The Compound
Would I dine again? Yes.  We planned this trip very last minute so getting a dinner reservation was going to be difficult especially since the owner is a James Beard Best Chef of the Southwest winner.  But they are open for lunch and their signature dish is one of my favorites, Chicken Schnitzel, so I had to order that for lunch and convince my husband to share his pastrami sandwich.  We ate on the patio and although it started to storm during lunch, we stayed dry and the rain was rather refreshing.  When we return to Santa Fe, this will definitely be on the list for dinner.

Dinner: Geronimo
Would I dine again? Yes times 2.  Numerous people recommended Geronimo.  And it was my favorite restaurant of the week.  They started us with a sparkling Gruet wine, we shared the Hawaiian Ahi Tuna Sashimi & Tartare (wow wow wow), then my husband ordeed the Tellicherry Rubbed Elk Tenderloin and I opted for the New Mexico Four Corners Grilled Rack of Lamb.  We finished the meal with Toffee Creme Brulee with Pear Sorbet, Peanut Butter Streusel & Fudge Sauce.

Breakfast:  Dolina
Would I dine again? Yes.  After the amazing food day we had I was not sure how I could eat another bite but we walked from the hotel to Dolina in a light rain and once the Ricotta pancakes were in front of me, I was ready to eat.  We also started with a coffee cake so it was an amazing carb overload kind of morning!

Meow Wolf
We had to visit at least one museum while we were here so we decided to hit the most interactive one in town.  Meow Wolf was a neat spot to visit and appropriate for all ages.  There was a “story” to follow about a boy and his family or you could simply explore the museum which is what we chose during our visit.

Wine Tasting: Gruet
After trying the wine from Gruet at Geronimo, we decided to hit the Tasting Room at the Saint Francis.  There were a few different flights available or the option to customize which is what I chose for myself.  My husband went with the Still Wine Flight and surprisingly enjoyed the Rose and the Chardonnay.  I opted for The Sauvage, the Sauvage Rose, the Blanc de Blancs and then the Chardonnay.  My favorites…..The two Sauvages.

Dinner:La Boca
Would I dine again? Yes.  I got lucky with a last minute reservation at this well known tapas spot and really enjoyed our dinner.  Due to the late wine tasting, we opted for a lighter dinner and chose the Gambas Al Ajillo (shrimp with garlic and white wine), the New Mexico Flat Iron Steak with a smoked sea salt caramel sauce and the Seafood Paella.

Breakfast: Tia Sophias
Would I dine again? Maybe.  We were spoiled by Pasquale and Dolina so this did not make it on the favorite meal of the week list.  Maybe we ordered the wrong thing but the breakfast enchiladas with a side of pozole was just ok.

Chocolate Day:  Kakawa Chocolate House
There was a chocolate house that I read about before heading to Santa Fe so I definitely wanted to stop by and do a chocolate elixir flight.  My husband went with the American chocolate elixir and I opted for a taste of the Chili from the Meso-American options and then tried all three of the European & Contemporary options.  My favorite was the Jeffersonian.  I also left with a few treats from the chocolate case!

Ten Thousand Waves
We decided to skip lunch and treat ourselves to another spa “day” so we headed north to Ten Thousand Waves.  The spa is beautiful and relaxing and we sat in the Grand Pool for a while, then the foot bath and just listened to the relaxing water features.  There was a requiement to show our vaccination card and wear a mask at certain times.  We both had an 80 minute massage and they were wonderful.  We will definitely return to this spa on our next trip.

Dinner:  Izanami at Ten Thousand Waves
Would I dine again? Maybe.  We skipped lunch and were super relaxed after our massages so we decided to stay and eat at Izanami(vaccination card required)  We reserved the more traditional japanese experience of sitting on the floor and had the server make some recommendations.

Things are starting to get back to normal.  Sleepaway camp was a go this summer so we decided to escape the Texas heat and head north to Cape Cod.

First Stop:  Lunch in Boston- Yankee Lobster Company
Would I dine again? Yes.  It has been years since I had been to Boston and decided I needed a lobster roll as soon as I got off the plane.  Good thing Yankee Lobster is a short drive from the airport and on the way to the Cape.  We were there as close to 12 noon as possible, got a table and enjoyed our lunch!

Check In at the first Bed and Breakfast: The Inn at Yarmouth Port
The Experience:  Kathy and Chuck are fantastic hosts and they go above and beyond to make sure you have a great stay.  One of the reasons we chose this spot was the location. We had a car so we could drive to other towns on the Cape like Chatham and Harwich and explore.  Our room was the Blue Room and it was recently renovated.  Although the bathroom in the blue room was small, the room was quite comfortable for me and my husband and was located on the second floor with street and garden views.  We were there for 4 nights, enjoyed breakfast each day out in the garden and returned each afternoon to freshly baked treats. Kathy and Chuck made sure were were taken care of when it came to our beach day at Mayflower and our bike ride to Chatham.  Kathy’s attention to detail is amazing and she does all the cooking and baking.  And Chuck will join you during breakfast and give you his best recommendations for around town. We have a feeling that this spot will be booked if we decide to plan another last minute trip in future years!

Dinner: Fin
Would I dine again? Yes.  The service was great and we enjoyed our meals. We sat out on the deck and as the night went on, we got to see the beginning a of a beautiful sunset.

The first sunset and our Beach Day:  Mayflower Beach
We drove to Mayflower Beach to see the sunset and decided to return the next day to spend the morning at the beach.  We did a three mile walk over to Corporation Beach and back and loved seeing the beautiful homes on our walk.

Lunch: Captain Frosty’s
Would I dine again? Yes.  This is the spot we came to 12 years ago and the belly clams are awesome. This was a late lunch of clams and chowder after enjoying Mayflower beach.  I will always come back here.

Dinner:  Sesuit Harbor Cafe
Would I dine again? If we had been able to get in, most likely. The line was wrapped around the parking lot and we decided to leave and head elsewhere. Mistake on my part.

Dinner: Kream ‘N Kone
Would I dine again? No.  We left the pier and Headed to Kream ‘N Kone since I read they won for best clams. We had originally gone to the Susuit Cafe since I wanted a lobster roll, so we ordered that and fried clams. Sad to say, I left disappointed.

Sunset at Corporation Beach:  Another nice spot close to the B&B is Corporation Beach.  We walked over to the rocks and watched the sunset after dinner.

A Day in Harwich, Chatham and Orleans
We decided to spend the day exploring the lower cape and started in Harwich as it was rated one of the best main streets to visit.  We then drove over to Chatham, had lunch at the pier and then had drinks over at Chatham Bars Inn.  Last we went to Orleans to see a few lighthouses and then head back towards our B&B.

Lunch: Chatham Pier Fish Market
Would I dine again? Yes.  We took a walk down to the pier, ordered lobster rolls, one traditional and one Connecticut style, and walked to the pier to see the fisherman. No need for me to see them bringing up the fish again but definitely a good reason to come back and eat here.

Drinks: Chatham Bars Inn
Would I dine again? Yes.  Beautiful views and great drinks!  This hotel will also be on the list as an option the next time we return to Cape Cod.

Dinner: RC’s Pizza
Would I dine again? Sure.  We were so tired from the day and I had not made any reservations since I wanted to be able to just go wherever we wanted during the day so we ordered a pizza from RC’s at the Petersons Market and ate in the garden at the inn.

A Day of Biking
My husband loves the outdoors so after a day of shopping in Harwich and Chatham, I knew we needed to be a bit more active.  We stopped by Barb’s Bike Shop in South Dennis.  We decided to head to Chatham and rented ebikes to make the 20-30 mile ride in the heat.  The Cape Cod Rail Trail was a great ride, very scenic and had one option to ride to Chatham and another path to Wellfleet.

Lunch: Wild Goose Tavern
Would I dine again? Yes.  We biked from South Dennis to Chatham and stopped in town for lunch. A Cape Cod Reuben sounded light and perfect and it was a great sandwich! My husband got the swordfish sandwich special and we left ready to continue our bike ride.

Dinner:  Fisherman’s View
Would I dine again? Yes.  Our reservation was for the patio but with the rain rolling in, they moved us inside.  We decided to do oysters and steamed lobsters and enjoyed a great evening.  The rain never hit so we were able to take some photos of the views and the beautiful sky as the storm rolled in.

On to Falmouth!

Mid-Day Snack: Cotuit Oyster Company
Would I dine again? Yes.  I have family on the Cape although I didn’t realize it until a few weeks before we arrived.  It had been ages since seeing my cousin so we stopped by on our way to our second inn to say hello and catch up.  A short trip to Cotuit Oyster Co to pick up super fresh oysters, a lesson on how to shuck oysters by my cousin for my husband and some great  conversation!  I left thinking I need to be better at staying in touch (David – call if in Dallas!!!) and that this new skill will need to be put into good use at home!!  Now where can I get super fresh oysters in Texas??

Bed and Breakfast: The Captain’s Manor Inn
The Experience:  As you pull up, the house is absolutely beautiful and fully decorated for the 4th of July.  Patti greets you and at some point you are introduced to Randy who will keep you talking and laughing.  Our room, The Hatch Room, was on the first floor at this inn and bigger than our last room.  We had a private section of the wrap around porch and enjoyed some quiet time reading. The experience here was different since we could walk everywhere- the bike rental shop was walking distance in one direction and the town of Falmouth that had tons of shopping and restaurants was in the other direction.  Again, we were treated to breakfast each day and fresh baked cookies. On checkout day, Patti sent us on our drive with bottled water, snacks and salt water taffy.

Lunch: The Quarterdeck
Would I dine again? Yes.  We made it to Falmouth and I FINALLY got to order steamers. Lucky for me they were available today and I left super happy after this lighter lunch.  My husband decided to try their version of a cape cod reuben and said it was quite good.

Dinner:  C Salt
Would I dine again? Yes.  And I will say yes two more times if asked again. Small intimate restaurant but very casual feel. Service was great but the food- wow! Get the calamari. Not in the mood? Get it anyway. It is fantastic and the flavors will surprise you. We also had the special salmon crudo appetizer which was spectacular and finished with the tuna entrée.

A Day of Exploring
Now that we were in Falmouth, we had some other spots to explore.  The weather was a bit rainy and the temperature dropped but we made the best out of it.  First stop after breakfast was a drive to see Nobska Light House, then a short “hike” to the Knob where we missed the views due to the weather, then more clams for lunch and then a short bike ride on the Shining Sea Bikeway.  The most exciting part of the ride- we came face to face with a FOX!

Lunch:  Seafood Sam’s
Would I dine again? Yes.  The “hike”, or shall I call it a walk, was short but I was still ready for lunch.  We stopped at Seafood Sam’s for some more fried belly clams and chowder and crossed our fingers for drier weather. And yes, the food was great!

Dinner: Water Street Kitchen
Would I dine again? Yes.  We had a reservation to sit out front but with the weather and the recommendation from Randy at the Inn, we called and they moved us to the bar.  Both my husband and I loved the atmosphere and the food was great.  We both ordered the cioppino and the black squid ink bread completed the meal!

Time to check out and head to Boston!

Lunch: Epic Oyster
Would I dine again? Yes.  On the way to Boston, we decided to stop for a quick lunch.  Epic is usually open only in the evenings but we got lucky to stop in for lunch.  We were there right at 12 and it was probably one of my favorite restaurant experiences.  Not only because I had some amazingly fresh oysters and a “stuffie” (stuffed quahog) but it was a small bar area and we just got to sit and watch them shuck.

Hotel: The Westin Copley Place
Would I stay again?  Yes.  One night on the way back from the Cape before heading back to Dallas.  I greatly appreciated the location because as we arrived it got cold and the rain hit.  Being able to walk indoors from the hotel to two malls was quite helpful!  As for the actual hotel, I requested a suite upgrade but it was denied.  Lucky for me, they upgraded us to a corner suite on the 32nd floor once we arrived in person to check in.  Views of the Charles River and Fenway!

Drinks:  OAK Long Bar + Kitchen
Would I dine again?  Yes.  Thanks to one of my wonderful colleagues, she recommended this spot before dinner.  We ran in the rain from the Westin over to the Fairmont and had a drink before heading to the North End.  I loved the atmosphere of the bar and had a great drink.

Dinner: L’Osteria
Would I dine again? Maybe.  There are SO many restaurants in the North End so I would prefer to try many more than going back to the same one if taking a vacation.  We opted for our favorite meal that we cannot get very easily in Dallas- Veal Parm!

Dessert: Bova’s Bakery
Would I dine again? Yes.  After dinner we met friends at a bar in the North End and I kept thinking I had time to hit Mike’s which was next door to get a cannoli.  Turns out I was looking at the wrong time zone on my watch so I was an hour off.  Bova’s was right down the street so we got cannoli and other cookies/pastries to bring back to the room for a midnight snack.

Breakfast: Stephanie’s on Newbury
Would I dine again? Yes.  Thanks to that same colleague who lives in Boston, she said we must stop by this very popular brunch spot.  All I wanted all week were pancakes and they made it happen!

Lunch: Regina Pizzeria
Would I dine again? Yes but a different location.  We were told Regina is the best but we decided to do some touristy stuff after breakfast so the closest spot was at Faneuil Hall.  I think next time we will head to the North End to get a slice.