Welcome To Boston!!!

It’s about a 7 hour car drive from Upstate-New York to Boston. We’re trying to avoid NYC on the weekend with all the madness that NYC already brings, so we decided to add Boston to the Route late last night.
My morning started at about 7:30 am, where I felt Milo pawing at me, which is not something he ever does, because when I am sleeping so are the puppies. He was playing puppet, as my friend was playing puppet master. Right, the SAME friend who snoooooooored all night, and I didn’t bother to wake him up. So after a brief “snap” at him..if you will I was able to rest until about 10:30, where a text comes in and wakes me up.
Friend of mine registered my cars for me in Florida while I was in Colorado handling legal things; she needed the money by the end of the month since it was through her work. I went over to her boyfriend’s house on Tuesday, gave her a check, and told her that it wouldn’t be available until Thursday-due to the bank hold on the new account. She understood and wouldn’t deposit it until then. I had to give it to her on Tuesday since I was leaving on Wednesday for over a week. Well, don’t you know this morning I get a texts that says, the check was returned and now her account is negative. Ugh, I HATE dealing with issues on vacation. She told me she deposited it on Tuesday (now, Tuesday is not Thursday is it? NO) and when? I left at 10pm they were going to bed, did she really run out and deposit it that night in the ATM? Which would make the bank get it Wednesday and process it, and then they returned it Friday? No bank clears a check in a day! They just told her this morning, on a Saturday? I just can’t get the pieces to add up. Her account she says is negative the amount of the check, which makes me believe that her account had a $0 balance + amount of check – cash = $0 balance right? Now it’s – amount of check, the only way that math works is if I added in the –cash! Who has $0 in their account? She makes very good money, and I find myself wondering where it goes? Not that it is my concern what so ever, just in this situation I don’t understand it! On top of that, the bank is to present the check twice, I informed her of this info (I worked at a bank, I know how it works) she said, she was told they sent the check back to me. What? How would they know where I live? It’s a temporary check, without an address on it. They wouldn’t send it back to me- they would give it back to her, or redeposit it. She said she knows it’s not my fault (which I agree, I told her PRIOR to this, to wait till Thursday when the funds are OFF hold) the day goes on from here…
It’s now time to get the ball rolling, get the dogs together and pack the car back up! I started getting the back seat ready, yesterday I bought 2 Niagara shot glasses and a Buffalo one as well and put them on the floor of the back seat. I couldn’t seem to find them, so I asked my friend; He told me he threw them away, thinking it was the bag of trash in the back. The dumpster was about ten feet away, he went to retrieve them. Funny thing is, the bag of trash was still in the exact same place he had put it earlier yesterday. Who throws away something heavy without looking in it? Thank god he retrieved it; I didn’t have to whoop his ass!
We took bumpy toll road after bumpy toll road, welcome to the North East-where you pay to drive on every damn road, and you have to take one toll road to another, just to get to another! It’s a little bit insane.
Along the way, we stopped at lunch there was a rest-stop with an Arby’s and a Tim Horton’s, which I’ve never heard of. Apparently its some sort of bakery joint. My friend got doughnuts, and I picked up an “all fruit” muffin. I had no idea what the hell, “all fruit” entails, but never the less, it had to be good. There was a gift shop in the rest-stop as well with all sorts of NY gifts. I picked up 2 I <3 NY shot glasses. One for myself, one for Amy, who I’ve told from the get-go of these travels I’d get her a set of shot glasses from every state I stop in. What a good friend I am J they also had another tie-die blanket. When I saw it, I knew I had to get it, despite the previous blog where I talked myself out of this purchase, this time, there wasn’t an option. The other one said “Maid of the Mist” not “Niagara” so that was my reason to avoid it, oh, and it was $35 to boot. They did however have two colors there, blue tie-dye and the traditional tie-die. This place in Rochester, only had one, traditional-it was also $29, so I talked myself into having it. I now am the proud owner of a NY tie-dye blanket! I get back in the car, put the muffin in the door for later and we head out.
We’ve gotta stop for a break and get something to drink a few hours later, leave the kiddos in the car, it’s a quick run in, I grab a sweet tea, and my friend goes to the gift shop and picks up some I <3 NY shirts. We get back to the car, to discover Milo (the little terror) has located the muffin, taken a bite out of the paper and the top of the muffin, which happens to be the best part. He’s also chewed the lid off my root beer cup. I’ve noticed him do this the last month or so with trips, but for some reason I forget to remove the cup from the drink stealer situation. He is smart and sneaky, little shit!
We got into town about 8ish and decided to stay in Worcester, MA which is about 20 minutes outside of Boston where it’s cheaper, and clearly a little less “secure.” The hotel has a one dog per room rule; and you’re not supposed to leave the “one” dog unattended. I stayed in the car while my friend checked us in. This hotel doesn’t have individual entry doors like the last one did, which I prefer, especially with dogs. There is a back entrance we used since the lady didn’t ask about dogs, he didn’t volunteer that information. We park in the back, grab all of our crap, which seems like less when you have to walk five feet to the door versus inside and up an elevator! I grab the munchkins and head in after him; I walk through the entry way, and realize the elevator is right in plain view of the front desk. Not only that, but, the front desk sits a whole hellva lot lower than the platform the elevator is on. The woman looks at me, smiles and tells me how cute my dogs are. I’m trying to get into the elevator with all of my crap over my shoulders and two leashes in my over stuffed hands. It didn’t occur to me until that second, the dogs haven’t ever been in an elevator. They didn’t want to come in, I’m trying to pull them in so they don’t get caught in the door- Success! They got in and did just fine for the one flight we were on the elevator.
Its about 8:30 and time to find out what to do, where to go, and what is good to eat in Boston. We get online find some Pizza joint downtown grab the address, put the dogs in the bathroom with their bed and roll out. Its cold out, about 52 degrees but it feels a lot colder, plus Boston is on the water. We have to get on the MassPike to get to Boston, the GPS isn’t very clear on directions. It’s a Magellion (I prefer my Garmin) it tells you a lot of “slight” rights and “slight” lefts at the last second or sometimes way after the fact. We had to turn around once, which was more like 3 times since it involved so many different highways and what not. Very odd place! We get downtown, get to the spot just to find it closed. We google some more spots to grab some Pizza and end up driving around this odd city. Now the GPS has incorporated “diagonal” rights and lefts! WTF is that? It is confusing that is exactly what it is! The city is hard to get around in, the way the streets are angled, the lack of signs at intersections I don’t find it “tourist-friendly.” It does share some of the same driving skills we’ve seen in NY, within one second-not even kidding, ONE second after a light has changed from red to green if you are not flooring it, the people behind you will honk! I have to giggle when it happens because; it is amazing how inpatient the northerners are! at Boston House of Pizza. The sign says “Voted Best Pizza 07-08” The place was pretty busy, you order at the front and its like cafeteria seating through the rest of the place. We order a pepperoni pizza. Takes about ten mineunts to cook, We grab a seat by the window and just watch the people. It’s a college town, or so it seems. The Berklee College of Music is just up the street, which explains most of the crowd. Pizza is done, we get it, bite into it, and its..meh! I’ve had better sorry to say! It was alright at best but a little disappointing after reading it was “THE BEST” in the city.
Its time for the night life, at least a taste! We headed over to the Fenway area there is a row of bars alongside the park. We park and head into an Irish Bar, Has a big sign that it was voted #2 as the Best Baseball Bar. With Boston being Irish, and myself as well, it was only fitting to order beers. I grabbed a Blue Moon and my friend had White Castle (Hey I didn’t say I felt the need to drink Irish beer, just beer to show the spirit) After a beer, I switched back to my drink of “comfort” Amaretto Sour. The bar is pretty busy, there is of course, Red Sox memorabilia over the walls. Now, being a Yanks fan you’d think I would be there to start a fight; I secretly like both teams, so it was cool to see it all. This is about where I start picking up on the “fashion” of Boston. The trend is skinny jeans, no matter who you are, you wear skinny jeans. Man, woman, gay, straight-all of them in skinny jeans. Most of the chicks are wearing slouch boots, and if you’re not wearing skinny jeans, you are definitely wearing leggings, an over sized sweater, and some trendy hat or scarf. To substitute your slouch boots with your skinny jeans, you’re wearing some sort of open toed three-inch-heel-minimum-shoe. There are of course the few “riskay” chicks in the bars wearing a micro mini with some sort of fabric that looks like it is attempting to make a comeback from the 80’s era, same sort of heels of course. If that doesn’t strike you, then you’re wearing a Boston College or other alma motto screen print tee, your hair is in some sort of a messy possibly dirty pony tail and make up, it’s a hit or miss at that point. What would a night out be without at least one guy in plaid shorts who can’t find a matching tee to go with it to save his life? Oh yes, there was one of those yahoo’s at the bar as well. I am entertained by Boston.
There are 2 chicks that sit next to me at the bar, well, one sits and the other stands inbetween her friend and I. I am watching the highlights of the College Football games & Baseball Scores, same as you would do in anyother sports bar right? The girl who is standing keeps getting closer and closer to me, Mind you, on the diagonal side of the bar, its completely open. She has to know shes that close to me, one would think. I scoot my chair over and continue to converstate with my friend, and catch the ESPN highlights.
A guy comes over, starts talking to these two chicks, who moments earlier were devising a plan to text some guy back, what to say, how to say it..you know the typical chick thing. A Guy strike up a conversation gets their names, brings his friend back over, introduces him to them and backs away. Chick #1 is still consumed by the previous text issue it seems. Chick #2 was given the rundown on the guy she was introduced to prior to him walking over. Chick #2 is the entertaining of the two, here is how
Chick #2: So, you’re going into the Marines?
Guy: Yes I am
Chick #2: What Branch?
Guy: Uh, The Marines
Chick #2: I know, Never mind, I know Military I am from Rhode Island. So, how old are you?
Guy: 24, you?
Chick #2: 22
Guy: You’re a little young
Chick #2: I said 22, that’s not that young. So why are you going into the marines
Guy: Its just something I’ve always wanted to do.
Chick #2: So, like, did you go to college, and get a 4 year degree or?
Guy: No, the ASVAB is hard.
There is some other small talk that happens after this, I stopped listening, mostly because I am still cracking up that she knew he was going into the Marines, then asked what branch, then tries to tell him she knows Military? Wow. Blonde!
While her friend is still consumed by the text saga, some other tool comes over and puts his arm around Chick #1, kisses her, about this time Marine is starting to back off a little bit, and move to the left. I turn back to check the score of another game, and see tool now kissing Chick #2. He seems totally gay, I could be off, but wtf? Marine hangs out for a little while longer, trying to jump into the conversation and eventually leaves. It was very entertaining!
We finish our drinks, close the tab and I picked up two shirts from the bar, and they look cool! $20 each, but hey, I am on vacation. We head back 25 miles to the hotel, able to find our way this time with the GPS oddly enough, pay all the tolls and head up to the room. We get in the dogs are screaming for me, I open the door and its again, like they haven’t seen me in months. I look in the bathroom, which is TINY TINY by the way the last bathroom in NY rocked. Milo has managed to unroll ALL of the toilet paper, and even somehow shredded the cardboard at the end of the roll. I had to laugh! Then I see in the tub again, that Bella has gone potty in there. What a good girl! Two days in a row!!
That wraps up the first night in Boston, sightseeing in the morning, switching hotels since this one sucks, and staying another night in B-town!