The Affair: In Bed with Boston

So as you have already seen, my long weekend in Boston got off to a pretty delicious start. Flirting at 30,000 feet, nothing to my name upon landing but mashed cupcakes & my toothbrush but then another fabulous night out on the town with Sues. I was crushing on Beantown pretty hard by the time we finally went to bed (4am?) on Thursday night/ Friday am.

Then it was 6:30am. And I bolted awake, aware that luggage would be helpful for the remainder of the day, let alone the rest of the weekend. So I crept quietly out of Susie's place in Brookline, down the the T stop (SILLY close to her house, wow) and I then pretended to commute. I changed trains, got my Dunkin Donuts coffee, caught the shuttle to Logan and there was my bag. Seriously it was so easy, I half thought I'd turn into this guy. I slipped back into Susie's right around 8:30am, energized from my adventures.

For her part, Sues was up and about. That girl has some serious self-discipline as a freelancer. I mean, it's a day job. She's got a lot of work and she gets it done, starting at a decent hour rather than sleeping till noon, which after a 4am night may have sounded appealing. Anyhow, we get to chattering along as I get ready to head to my cousin's (OTHER Susan in Brookline, Ha) and we're all playig with products, getting the hair done etc. So now in one morning I have been a pretend commuter and a pretend rooms.

Then I got to Susan's. And met THIS little lovebug!! I was the last in my immediate family to meet Adia but her pictures pepper my bulletin boards at the office. Girlfriend did not disappoint. Despite the hilarious face she's giving me during her lunch below, she is a happy happy blonde bunch-o-fun! Yet another reason I would love to be in Boston at some point, Adia has a sibling coming in May. Can you even imagine TWO this cute?
I also get pretty spoiled when I'm at Susan and Garth's. Garth and I are both little gourmands. Well, I do what I can afford so basically I just go over to this gorgeous house of theirs and ogle all of his pretty toys. Like the tea diffuser below- the Ingenuitea. You put the loose leaves in, full with boiling water, sit it on the cup and the perfect cup of tea flows right in. I ordered one off Amazon this morning because I need to go with the gorgeous Upton tea I got sent home with:) Earl Grey with Extra Bergamot...take a deep whiff.
I had brought Susan the Vosges Exotic Truffle Collection because I sent the same during her first pregnancy and there are flavors for every craving in there. Plus I just really love Vosges and when I went in I of course picked up a few treats for me and my hostesses as well! And Adia loved her little CD of French playground music (errr, maybe it was the orange tissue paper she liked so much) no matter...got to start the Francophilia young:)

Speaking of Francophilia, after lunch I got a super surprise!! Brother found a way to get his work done and came to snag me at Susie's! I had a totally unexpected half day with him getting the full, personal tour of his new hood in the South End. Bonding time started at Pops- "A Diner for the 21st Century". Matt got an unreal steak sandwich and I was very good with my Greek salad, occasionally poaching whatever bits fell out of his sandwich. What are big sisters for?

The sun even came out for our walk and I think it's safe to say Brother knows my interests. We read menus on bakeries, wandered into decorating shops, chic boutiques (the perfect cross between Nice & Nantucket) and the wine & cheese shop featured above. If I lived a stone's throw from that place, I'd be in even bigger budget trouble than I am now. It's a slightly bigger Pastoral, my favorite in Chicago. Smoked Gouda and Appenzellar. Yum.

TKTC Note: Brother never said no. He may have flirted with a few shopkeeps but that's cool, whatever kept him busy while I was off sniffing de la Renta candles and trying on hair combs. Lucky girl.

Our wanderings led us into a very cool little Ceramics gallery called Vessels. We had the sheer, dumb luck to get there while the owner was working and as it was a quiet Friday afternoon, she gave us a guided tour of the collection. Having grown up going from gallery to gallery on the Cape (and coming to love it), Brother & I have both come to be fans of a well made piece of pottery. I know that sounds stupid random but it's true. Ok so usually pottery that can be filled with Peet's French Roast in the morning but Art can be practical too!

When we stumbled on a bowl made by Richard Aerni (featured above) and IN the budget, it had Mom & Dad crazed all over it. Pictures tomorrow but in short, the PERFECT housewarming gift for their finally finished house. Feeling like good children and great gift-finders, we took our treasure all wrapped up to the wine shop and then back to the brownstone Brother shares with his roommates.

Speaking of which, Brother's roommates are awesome. One of them, Soccer Mom, is a very good friend of mine from college but the other two were previously mysteries to me. No longer as, after several glasses of wine and the "Separate Ways" video (check THAT jacket out- look familiar?), we were invited to join a big group to celebrate restaurant week at a place called 33.
I had a Raspberry Intrigue. Probably not what I needed but tasted like high class Jamba Juice and then more wine. Clearly. I do have very crisp recollection of delicious gnocchi, rack of lamb and a sorbet assortment. All for $33. I love restaurant week everywhere.

Brother's roommate Eric, their friend Seb and Brother having winemated conversation with our waitress. They were ready to turn our table into the dance floor. We thought we were helping?

Last picture of the night before I climbed into bed and promptly passed out. Rock Band courtesy of Eric, Brother and Soccer Mom. They're pretty good. So good that I think they will inspire my music post this week. More from the Cape tomorrow....God Bless you if you actually read that whole thing!