boston... and the like

For most of February I was looking forward to the first week of March:

On Monday, my parents - taking time away from their vacation in Boston - drove the 3hours up to Waterville to check out where I live/work. The weather up here was pretty horrid (following the previous Friday's kerfuffle), but they made it. I enjoyed showing them my apartment and how I had clearly upgraded in residences since graduate school. While here I wanted to take them out to 2specific restaurants: a lobster place (my treat), and this nice little brick-oven pizza place the following day for lunch. While braving the roads in dad's SUV, we get to the lobster place only to find out it's closed. (Due to the weather? The day of the week? I just don't know. It said it was open online. Bleh.) There's another restaurant - way across town - that I think serves lobster (only because they have a lobster on their sign, but it's Maine, that could mean anything) and we make our way over there. They did indeed have lobster. It was good. My dad and I also learned that there is a $10lobster-shucking fee. Turns out you have to pay to be lazy. The next afternoon, after a daylight tour around town and work (where my parents really did take a picture of my name on the office door... geesh), we walked from my place to get some pizza. Guess what? It was closed. And the Mexican restaurant nearby? Closed. We ended up eating at Burger King. Welcome to Waterville!

On Wednesday, I had to give 2exams and then I was to drive down to Boston to crash my parents' vacation. During the second exam, I looked out the window and it was white out. Couldn't see a thing. Groan. I was not looking forward to my drive down. But by the time I got on the road things were better, and then they fully cleared up by the time I left Maine. We spent the next 2days/nights in Boston. Among other things, we went to the Boston Public Library (very awesome = so many old books I want to touch, great architecture = dork alert), the Institute of Contemporary Art (slightly awesome = points off for being relatively small), Harvard (awesome = old buildings, Museum of Natural History; less awesome = too many people in Harvard Square), and the Sam Adams brewery (very awesome = free beer).

Friday, my brother flew into Boston and we all went and stayed... somewhere in Massachusettes. I have no idea. Saturday, though, we drove to New Hampshire for a family friend's wedding. Those of you that know (of) the Brownells, it was Mark's (the youngest). I was excited to go, but also a bit apprehensive. There's always the potential for awkwardness when you don't know that many people at the wedding (or at least don't know them well). Sure, there's the invitee and their family but they're busy being in the wedding. I did run into an old friend (Alex) there and figured that between her and my brother that I would have someone to talk to during dinner. Looking at the placecards we quickly realized that the 3 of us were not sitting together, nor were we with our respective parents. Crap. I had no fear for my brother - he can make friends left and right. It ended up begin all right as I was actually sitting at a table with the bride and groom's siblings (some of whom I grew up with) - fun dinner! And fun night all around.

It was good to see people, especially the family. But after driving back to Maine on Sunday, I was glad to be home. Three hotels in 4nights is not ideal.

Overall though, I highly recommend a trip to Boston. It's good times.